Chapter 162: Let’s be friends for a long time

After Penny’s speech, Lily took over to talk about the vision and mission of the fan club. Everything Lily said proved why she was worthy of their class’ presidential spot. Despite her age, she was able to host this big event and discuss some activities of the club in the following weeks. After all, the fan club had just started in the last semester. Hence, one of the activities was to group study as well.

It was great.

"This Lily sounds like a great person."

Penny snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Renren’s voice beside her. She turned to him and smiled even brighter.

"She is great, isn’t she?" she chuckled. "I think she’d be a great leader."

Renren nodded.

Currently, the two of them decided to take a walk instead of hiding behind the bushes. It was Penny’s idea, thinking a walk would be good for his health. As they walked, Penny couldn’t help but share what happened in school because he asked. However, they still had to carry their pets with Tiana on top of her head. Penny had to leave Mouse behind because it was too heavy.

"Lily..." Renren muttered, earning a hum from her. "What about you? What’s your name?"

Penny raised her brows and blinked at him. Slowly, her mouth fell open as her eyes dilated. She stopped walking.

"Are you okay?" he asked curiously. "Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?"

"We’ve been meeting each other every week, but we still haven’t known each other’s name," she blurted out in disbelief. Where were her manners?

Renren smiled. "We always had a good time talking."

"Ahem!" Penny awkwardly stretched her hand while making sure she wasn’t making Blacky (Renren’s panther) uncomfortable. "Penny. That’s my name."

"Ren." Unlike her, who had a hard time extending an arm, Renren reached out and shook her hand. He kept Chunchun comfortable with the other. "Our names are almost the same, don’t they? Pen, Ren — Renny."

Her eyes twitched. "Eyy... haha! That’s so cheesy. We’re not making a love team here."

"I just thought maybe we’re meant to be friends."

"Haha." Penny and Renren resumed their steps. "Meant to be friends, huh?"

Penny hummed a long tune, thinking that she never met him in her previous life. But then again, Lily and Ginnie weren’t her friends in her first life. Neither her brothers nor the Bennet Family loved her. Most importantly, she didn’t have Chunchun, Tiana, and Mouse back then. Those three alone were enough to make her childhood a lot better.

Thinking about it, a gentle smile turned up on her naturally adorable face.

"You’re smiling like that again," Renren pointed out with a tilt of his head. "What is it this time?"

"My heart is full," she expressed as she glanced at him. "I’m happy!"

Renren couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t him that was happy, but seeing her happy made him happy.

"My dad always tells me that if one does things with a clear conscience, it might be hard, but it will always result in good," he said. "You’re a good person, so the people will be good to you."

"Your dad sounds like a kind person."

"He was." His smile remained, but there was this sudden tinge of sorrow in his eyes.

"Renren, is everything okay?"

He glanced at her and nodded. "Yes."

"Why do you look so sad now?"

"Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood."

This time, her lips curved down. "What kind of answer is that?"

"Hmm?"

"I’m asking because I’m curious... and a little worried too!" she explained as it seemed this was a new concept to him. "You’re weird — your size and your thinking. It’s weird." which piqued her intrigue.

Why was this kid like this?

After interacting with Renren for some time now, she noticed Renren had some strange perspectives on some things. It wasn’t just about his sickly appearance, but he intrigued her. Just what kind of environment does this guy have?

"Am I weird?" Renren pondered. "I guess I am. My cousin always tells me I’m weird too."

"Your cousin isn’t all that nice, huh?"

Didn’t she say his cousin sounded fun the last time?

Renren looked at her and chuckled. "I’m sad because I miss my dad."

"Oh..." Penny rocked her head, a bit surprised he was still able to keep track of their original conversation. "Oh."

The more she realized his reason, the more guilty she felt.

"It’s alright," he reassured. "It’s me who brought him up."

Penny laughed slightly. For the next minute, they walked in silence. She would constantly glance at him while Renren kept his eyes ahead. His hand never failed to coax Chunchun, who was in his arms.

"I’m sorry to hear that," she whispered.

"You don’t have to be sorry since you’re not the one who killed him."

"..." Was he expecting God to apologize to him, then!?

Penny sighed and mentally shook her head. Looking at him again, she blurted out, "Did he have the same sickness as you?"

"No." His answer was quick. "He was murdered."

"..." Now that was something she didn’t expect. Penny squinted, assessing his plain expression while telling her his father was murdered. This expression didn’t look right!

Renren chuckled as he stared at her skeptical look. "It was an accident."

"What?"

"The car was supposed to hit me, but he saved me from it," he shared so casually it would make anyone wonder if he was telling the truth. "But I don’t feel bad about it anymore. I’m joining him, anyway."

Her steps came to a full halt.

"Hmm?" Renren slowed down and faced her again. "Is something wrong?"

"Renren, why do you talk about death so easily?"

"Because it’s easier to accept it than deny it. All of us have the same ending, after all. It’s just a matter of time of who’s going first or not."

Bitterness shone in her eyes, not a bit pleased by it. "Your illness... is it deadly?"

"There’s no cure... they said."

"And you gave up?"

This time, he didn’t answer, nor did he nod. He just stared at her bitter expression, making him wonder if bringing up his father’s death made her angry.

"Death is never a laughing matter, nor it is something one should talk about so lightly," she said. "If your disease is that deadly, then I don’t want to be friends with you."

His breath stopped for a second. "Why?"

"Because I want my friends to have a long life so we can have a lot of time together," she explained. "If you’re dying young and you won’t even fight, then let’s not be friends."

Deep in her heart, she knew everything she was saying was cruel to a dying boy. However, she just realized that Renren was simply waiting for his day to come. Holding on to hope might be painful, but if only... there was hope for him, she didn’t want this friend to perish so soon.

Moreover, Penny went through death once. Although what killed her wasn’t an illness, she fought so hard despite knowing her days were numbered. She fought so fiercely that it was foolish. Why? Because deep in her heart, death was a scary thing to face. Renren was still so young. If death scared a full-grown adult like her, what more this boy?

A mild breeze quietly blew past them as the two of them stood opposite each other, eyes locked with each other.

"It’s scary," she whispered. "And it’s okay to be scared of it, you know?"

His plain expression slightly showed surprise.

Her eyes stung a bit, pressing her lips. "So if you still want to be friends, you have to promise me that you’d fight to live — okay?! Let’s be friends for a long time, okay?"

"Okay." Renren smiled subtly, nodding. "I give you my word."

He paused and added with a smile, "So let’s be friends... for a long time, Penny."