"It's been a while since I've last seen you smile."
Amanda approached me after I came out of the room. Her face was unusually serious.
I turned to look at her while cocking my head.
"You think so?"
I never really noticed myself if I had to be honest...but it wasn't as though I was surprised by this development. There wasn't much to smile about.
Also, having had another attack just a couple of minutes ago, I couldn't really bring myself to smile.
"Here."
Amanda placed her hands on the edges of my lips and pulled them upwards.
"Much better."
She returned a smile herself.
Her smile was stunning. Enough to make anyone fall into a daze with just a glance. Well, anyone but me. I was pretty much used to her smiles by now. Well, for the most part. I wasn't exactly totally immune.
"Wwwamhat are you doing?"
It was hard to speak when she had her hands on my lips, pulling them up.
"Helping you smile."
"...What dwoes that have anything to do with the situation?"
"It doesn't."
Amanda let go of my lips.
"It's just that you look a lot better if you smiled a little more often."
Cocking my head even further, I eventually nodded my head.
"Well, sure, I'll try to smile more."
This wasn't too hard of a request. Not like smiling was that hard.
I smiled.
"Happy?"
"For what?"
"I'm smiling, aren't I?"
Amanda's brows furrowed.
"...No?"
"Hm?"
Amanda's reaction took me back.
"What are you talking about?"
Was she playing a prank on me? I could clearly feel myself smiling.
"Are you playing around with me?"
Amanda asked, inching closer to me.
I shook my head.
"That was what I was about to ask you."
Amanda's face hardened.
Her reaction took me aback.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Here."
me, she took out a pocket mirror and handed it to
her hand
"...No way."
on it
first glance, there didn't seem to be
At first glance, though.
closer inspection, I
am I
My expression...
It was stiff.
I did
'Just what in the...'
mirror and handed
"Thanks."
"Ren, what's going on?"
pocket mirror back and
my hand in
side-effect of practicing
...That was a lie.
came as a result of
just play this off as something like a
"If you say so..."
Obviously, she didn't buy my excuse, but as expected of her, she didn't push for an
"You hungry?"
rubbed my stomach and attempted to change the
"A bit."
we
"I wouldn't mind that."
"Great."
my back a bit and gestured to Amanda with my
"Come, let's go eat."
"Mhm."
***
the
grassy field as their feet left behind shallow footprints. They moved in such a
do we have
were a total of three shadows, and one of them was Melissa. Her breathing had become labored
going to die at the rate we're
that Jin and Emma finally slowed down and gave her
mercy. I'm about to die over
the grass and supported her body with her extended
one to complain was
too fast. You were the one that insisted on
didn't know you guys were going to run
The two were moving at such a rapid pace that it was impossible for her to keep up with them. Despite the fact that she wasn't exactly a weak person herself—with her
them finally
should've never agreed to
her stomach and slumped back
and Emma seemed to be the best option, but
Emma and Jin, Melissa
you two, I won't be able to move for at
Not tired at
"Me too."
responded as they exchanged glances
out
pinched her stomach and then lowered her head and allowed her hair to fall to the side of her face. Pondering over something, she
sure we're going in the
"Positive."
answered while he looked
the direction of where the
Jin's speech halted.
eyes suddenly squinted, and his expression changed.
"Hide, quick!"
"Wha-"
"No time for that."
yanking her away, Emma turned around and followed Jin from behind. They saw a large boulder off in the distance and hid
foot into the ground, Melissa felt a slight fluctuation in the air. His sudden actions aroused her curiosity as she looked around, wondering what he had
noticed something in the far distance. Her mouth
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