Secret Admirer; In The Land Of Fairies
11. Secret Plan

There was no chasing behind making our pace slowly slow down, then stop. We should have been quite far from where the stranger was. However, my body is still tense. My gaze was still pointing backwards as I removed my hand link from Noah and tried to manage the breath that was still panting.

"You okay, Schulz?"

I looked at Noah. I can't believe that the guy who was unfriendly to me at our first meeting asked me about my situation. In fact, this guy comes when someone bothers me.

"Of course I'm fine. My hands are a little sore from hitting the guy," I replied with a clumsy laugh. I then showed one of my hands that had punched the guy in the face. My knuckles are a bit red, indeed, and they actually feel pulsating. "It turns out his face is hard as a rock, yes."

Even though I said so, it was inevitable that I still felt something unnatural. Considering how the silvery-haired guy had threatened and treated me, I suddenly shuddered in horror. When I pulled my hands together and saw my palm before me, I realized that my body was still trembling.

What if that guy returns what I did?

"We better sit down."

Noah's voice pulled me from my messed up thoughts.

Noah asked me to sit on a park bench. Even though I had nodded my head weakly, I did not move an inch from where I stood. Noah then approached me to lead me to sit on the bench with him. A hand larger than mine held me warm. After sitting down, I could only look down without being able to say anything. Unknowingly, I clenched my hand at him.

"Calm down. There I am here. That guy wouldn't dare to mess around." His voice sounded cold, but his words were very warm. Noah said that without looking at me.

Slowly the fear I felt was replaced by security. Minutes passed and I realized I was feeling better. My body was no longer tense so I decided to take Noah's hand off my hand. I faced her to give her a sincere smile.

"Thank you, Noah. Sorry you had to accompany me."

"You owe me."

"What-what?!"

Really am. I thought this guy was really serious about what he said and didn't sincerely help me. I've been so bad to think that Noah would act like that silvery-haired guy. But when I saw a thin line of smiles on Noah's lips, I realized the guy was just joking.

"Joking, Stupid."

Especially calling me that name.

"Oh, you can smile too!" meledek. I certainly don't want to lose. However, the answer from him that passed flat and no longer showed his expression made me impatient.

"I'm not smiling."

"What was that then?"

Noah shrugged his shoulders and threw his face away. See it? He's really good at playing with my emotions. Or maybe Noah was acting like that so that I would no longer think about what happened just a moment ago?

I also gave up on his attitude that no longer responded to me, my eyes flashing and then fixed on a cast in his hand that immediately attracted my attention.

"It's as bad as that until your hands have to be digips?" chirped me while leaning on the park bench.

"No. Just for this week."

"I wonder what made you fall from a tree?" manya curious.

"You-you-noisy."

"...uh, I'm just asking." I puffed my cheeks a little. Noah's attitude was still the same when he first met me.

Does he still consider me an outsider? He remembered me and called my name. He also wanted to keep me company until now even though I didn't know what he was doing here. If I talk again, he'll be distracted. I don't have a cell phone, I can't tell Zoe. All I could do was pretend to play the polaroid camera that was on my lap. I am grateful that the small sling bag that shaded my camera did not fall when I ran earlier.

Then when there was only silence between us, Noah suddenly started the conversation again.

"What are you doing with Elford?"

"Eh? Elford's? You mean, the guy who was bothering me?"

"Yes. Frederick Elford."

"Ah, that..."

I told him about my meeting with a guy named Frederick Elford, and why I got to the rooftop. But I didn't tell Noah what the guy said to me. He said, I'm the princess, and that guy is the prince. That person seemed to be able to read the contents of my mind that recently disturbed me.

"You think he'll be looking for me? I punched him in the face earlier...." I finally expressed my feelings in the form of words. Suddenly, my worries were about something else. "Don't misunderstand. I did it to protect myself! He's really creepy."

"As long as you don't punch me, I don't think I'd mind keeping you company until your friend comes."

"Thank you, Noah." My smile was formed, responding to Noah's bitter joke. Besides, I also breathe a sigh of relief. "I thought you hated me."

"I don't hate you."

Noah no longer answered. The man looked at me with his dark eyes as if I had been sucked into them. I then drifted away and could feel the coldness and quietness of that gaze. Even as Noah's free hand moved, it fluttered a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Listen, Kimberly. You shouldn't be here."

I don't know since when, Noah's position has been very close to me. His face was right in front of my slightly looking face. Surprisingly, my heart did not respond at all as it did when dealing with Leonal, Tom, even Frederick. In addition, I was quite surprised at the attitude, as well as at Noah's words.

"Why?" soft ask.

Before he could answer, Noah's hand was suddenly drawn and the man stood up from his seat. The figure of the girl with her distinctive short hair came in haste, the worried expression printed clearly on the girl's face.

"Team!" It was Zoe, who quickly hugged me. When I returned his embrace, I realized the whereabouts of someone else who had come with Zoe. "I'm looking for you! Where'd you? Oh, there's Noah here. Geez, your hands don't look good, Noah!"

When my arms and Zoe ended, I couldn't escape my gaze towards that athletic guy. How sexy and interesting. Look at his tan-colored skin. Is that Max Borsche? Seems right. I remember we exchanged greetings through a video call.

"Yes my. If it's like that, can you rock-climb with me, Noah?" said the athletic guy to Noah.

"Not bad. I'll be joining you guys soon" Noah replied flatly.

They seem to know each other. When I stood up, I accidentally exchanged glances with an athletic guy. The man then cleared his throat and nudged Zoe's arm and said, "you don't want to introduce me to her, Zoe?"

Zoe introduced us to each other, including Noah to me. It's true that athletic guy is Max Borsche, Zoe's older brother. But Zoe was suspicious of me and Noah who might have known each other because they were here together. So I told her that we met in the back garden of the school while walking around a few days ago, and that happened a while ago.

"Wow, what a brave girl. I like you" Max said. Max's compliments and stares at me embarrassed me and ge-er. "I mean, I like your bravery, Kim. Not many students go to the back garden. Also against that guy named Frederick Elford. No one had dared to deal with him before."

"Max! You scared Kim!" sergeant Zoe.

"Hey. I'm just telling you the truth" Max said, raising both hands up. Using one of those hands, he suddenly embraced my familiar shoulder. "But take it easy, Kim. We're by your side. That Noah alone can, I won't lose."

"What do you mean?" said Noah. Although he seemed to not care, his attitude seemed to be unacceptable. "Let that stupid muscle of yours go, Max. Schulz won't stand the weight."

I who was now in between their little quarrels felt bad. But apparently my worries disappeared as Max laughed and let go of my embrace.

"At least this hand will be useful for exploring the forest behind the school" Max said proudly. The guy then sat on the bench I was sitting on with Noah.

"Don't you go crazy, Max!" zoe said, clearly disagree with the idea of his brother.

"I'm not crazy. We were planning to go there. I heard there is a very beautiful cliff to climb there. Isn't that right, Noah?"

Not only was Zoe surprised, I was also surprised. But Noah did not respond, he instead directed his gaze toward the dense flowering plant beside him, as if wanting to avoid all kinds of questions.

"Noah. You too?!" ask Zoe impatiently. Zoe's tone of voice obviously didn't want it to happen if it really did.

"Come, Zoe. I know you want to get in there, too." Apparently Max is still trying to convince his sister, also as if to invite along. "It's been almost a year since he disappeared?"

Him, who?

Zoe hunchback. Looks like my best friend was pensive with Max's words. On the other hand, there was as much curiosity in my mind. From the beginning of my arrival to this school, other than the fairy statue, there was a special interest in the forest.

"Uhm. Can I come with you?" I said in the end.

"Yahmbo! You too!" zoe said she couldn't believe it.

"Wow. I think it's gonna be a lot more fun than I thought. But it seems too risky if we keep talking like this." Max sounds enthusiastic. The man then weighed a few things before returning to say, "What if we continue tomorrow? After school, in the back garden of the school?"

"Agreed," said Noah briefly.

"I also agree," I said quite enthusiastically.

"Come, guys. I just.." Zoe couldn't go on with her words.

I held her hand and smiled at her. "You don't have to push yourself if you don't want to, Zoe" I said calmly.

"You don't have to push yourself either, Schulz." Suddenly Noah came back cold to me. Without even returning his words, he walked away. "I'm leaving."

"Based on the boy. Don't think about it, Kim," said Max, shaking his hand in the air. Then it seems he deliberately changed the subject. "So, where's the stuff I need, Zoe? You should have said you came with Kim so I could be on time."

"What's? So you're intentionally late?!" zoe protested his brother's attitude. Maybe soon my best friend will go berserk.

Although I was laughing at the behavior of the Borsche brothers, but I could not hide my anxiety because of Noah's cold words towards me.

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