Secret Admirer; In The Land Of Fairies
27. Black Shadow

"God"

I immediately blinked my eyelids. My hand rubbed it because I couldn't believe what I saw. However, the twinkling light that originated within the forest still seemed to float in the air, among the trees. I immediately set up the body. Then with doubt, my feet began to step.

Not reaching the mouth of the gate, I suddenly stopped. The flickering light I saw suddenly disappeared in the dense shadows of the trees—but it was too thick. For a moment, I raised my gaze, staring at the position of the sun that was still occupying the sky. My logic says, the shadow of a tree should not be that black. As I looked more closely, it turned out that dark shadow was moving towards me!

"What's going on?" I was spontaneous in the cold air around.

My legs reflexively step back. Slowly. Until I realized that the darkness that ate the fairy light was not a shadow, but black smoke that instantly reminded me of my dream of meeting the fairy prince. Just then before jolting awake, I remember correctly if the prince turned to stone when exposed to black smoke. Isn't horrible?

Is the smoke in front of me the same smoke as the dream I saw?

Fear also stirs. The intention to enter the forest was instantly gone. The black smoke was getting closer and faster. The panic that hit made me turn around and run towards the school building. Although the worry may be evident on my face, I still noticed the fast galloping steps on the flat rocks that were not entirely intact. Not yet with the leaves from the unkempt plants that repeatedly slapped my feet.

In the middle of climbing the stairs, exactly after passing the statue of the fairy prince, I looked back because I still hoped that what I had seen was only a hallucination. But what I found, the black smoke had actually gone through the gate and continued towards me. When I looked carefully, the plants that passed through the smoke withered and black—exis with someone in my dream!

I gasped and shuddered in horror. Not wanting to suffer a fate similar to that of the plant, I hurriedly managed to enter the building and closed the big door even with trembling hands. My irregular breath and suddenly tired body made me tingle to lean back against the closed door.

I thought that the door with the intricate carvings would protect me from the threat of black smoke behind it. But apparently not. I realized too late when the black smoke made it through the door. By the time I found out, the smoke had apparently reached my wrist. Its shape resembles a rope that ties it tightly. I was certainly surprised and tried to untie the bond that felt hot and seemed to solidify by moving from there. As I looked towards my hand, there was a black trace there, on the skin of the wrist that came into contact with the smoke.

I was getting scared to run. I set out in a deserted corridor where there were no active students. Even when my feet had been tracing in the front area, I still did not find any disciples.

Where did the others go?

As I was thinking like that, a male figure appeared from another corridor. As a result, we collided with each other and both fell to different sides by sitting on the floor. I only repeatedly apologized while looking back, to the quiet corridor I had been through. There was no smoke there, but I could not calm down.

"Kimmy?"

The call immediately made me look. The figure I found next was a figure I knew, Tom Graffen, the famous school photographer, who was sitting on the floor, just like me.

"You seem anxious and in a hurry. What's up?" tom asked as he stood up and moved towards me to give me some help.

I just kept quiet without saying a single word other than grabbing Tom's hand. My strength was unable to make me stand, I still felt the rest of the trembling on my feet trying to straighten. Then I felt a little push on my waist so I was so close to Tom.

"T-Tommy…"

I can't be cut out. My body up. Tom's hand was holding my waist so I could stand up straight. However, people can misunderstand our position because it's like they're making out. The fear slowly faded, probably due to Tom's presence and treatment of me.

"What's wrong with you, Kimmy?"

I have no energy to answer. Just a slow slack I showed you. Especially after knowing the blackish marks on my wrist because the touch of smoke was gone. The thoughts in my head re-formed into a vortex, wondering, was that just my hallucination?

"It seems like I'm tired" I said, filled with the little laughs I forced. "I'm going home to the dorm."

"I think so too. Let me take you," said Tom.

I moved away from Tom so Tom would let me go. "No need. You seem to be busy."

"Ah. You understand me so much, Kimmy. The photography club was preparing the decorations for our photoshoot during the school celebration."

I just smiled clumsyly. Though it was just my assumption just because I saw the students were busy with the preparation of school celebrations, let alone most of them joining the club. Every club has an agenda. I'm the only one who's not preoccupied with anything because I'm not with the club.

"Eh?" I'm certainly surprised.

"For race. If you don't mind of course."

"I don't mind" I said a little hesitantly. "But why me, Tommy? My position is not good, my body is stiff, you know for yourself right?"

Pose when taking pictures with the fairy prince statue is something new to me. Directions from Tom and Tom's shooting technique may be the only ones that deserve credit for producing good photos.

"Certainly because I like you, Kimmy." Tom laughed then. "I mean, I like your sweet face to be my photo model. To pose, take it easy, I will definitely direct you well."

Tom's sweet words and crisp laughs really left me clueless to respond to anything other than a shy smile.

"I'm just waiting for the approval of someone who will be your partner in the photoshoot later" continued Tom.

"Eh? Who?"

"Itu—"

Tom's speech was interrupted because a hand suddenly docked on his shoulder. When he looked back and I looked back, it was Noah Huxley who was looking at Tom coldly. Tom shuddered at it

"A-what's up Noah?" tom asked as he moved to Noah. However, Noah's hand still gripped Tom's shoulder tightly.

"So, when's the photoshoot you offered me?" answer Noah with a question.

Suddenly, Tom looked surprised. He seemed confused by what Noah had just said.

"Wait Noah. Didn't you reject my invitation to be my photo model? Why now—gya!" 

Noah's tight grip on Tom's shoulder made Tom sick. The photographer's man gasped and stared back in horror at Noah's increasingly sharp gaze. I saw him until I panicked.

"Noah, your grip is too strong" I said gently to Noah. Though only using one hand because his other hand was wrapped in a cast.

I helped loosen that grip by trying to get Noah's hand off Tom. Fortunately, Noah said.

"sorry. I didn't intentionally," Noah said in the end.

"You're strong, too" Tom said. "It's no wonder you're liked by the Climbing Club boys who often invite you to play with them. But it doesn't matter. You really want to be my photo model?"

Noah nodded.

"But I've already contacted Frederick Elford to model my photo, which I plan to pair with Kim."

I'm appalled. My eyes and Noah accidentally met. Realizing that, I immediately rolled my binary eyes in another direction. Especially considering the last time about what Noah said to me. I'm still sensitive about that, and I'm still pissed at him. However, I would also be reluctant if Frederick Elford became my photo shoot partner.

When I was about to make a plea to Tom, I was held back by seeing a meaningful smile on Tom's face. I don't know why I feel bad.

"But maybe I have a brilliant idea" Tom said of the final.

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