- . -

𝙻𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚘𝚗 - 𝚌𝚑.𝟸 - 𝙰𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚣 𝟶𝚝𝟾

♥️𝚌𝚑.𝟷 ♠️ 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝♦️𝚌𝚑.𝟹♣️

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟸 - 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚛

“Are you ready to have some fun?” a man’s voice sounded out from behind Y/N sending shivers down her spine.

She didn’t recognize the voice and had no idea of why she would be in this situation.

“Who are you?” y/n whimpered.

“Your worst enemy,” the man responded followed by a little chuckle.

Y/N struggled to get her arms loose with no success causing the man in the dark to laugh maniacally. 

“HELP ME!” she screamed, “SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!!!”

“AHHHHHHH!!!!! ANYBODY WE’RE IN HERE!” the man yelled, “I can yell too!” He laughed.

“What do you want from me?” Y/N asked practically in tears at this point.

The man gently stroked her hair, “I just want to have some fun,” he explained.

A door opened up  revealing a light from the outside hallway, and another man entered the dark, cold room. The lighting was still too dim that Y/N still couldn’t see who the men in the room were.

“You’re finally awake,” the second man said. “Did you enjoy your little nap?”

Y/N squinted, recognizing the man’s voice, “Justin?” she asked.  

“Yea you dumb bitch, who else would it be?” Hongjoong snarled. “How stupid can you be? Why would you leave a bar with someone you just met?”

“What do you want from me?” Y/N whimpered, ignoring his questions.

Hongjoong bent down in front of Y/N’s face, “This isn’t the time for you to be asking questions. If you want to make it out of here alive, I suggest you answer all of my questions, honestly,” he spit pushing her chair back causing Y/N to fall backwards onto the floor.

She screamed out in pain after hitting the ground, she struggled some more to get the restraints off.

The other man walked over and set her chair upright again.  

Hongjoong smirked at Y/N, “what do you know about Seven?”

“I don’t know too much,” she hesitated, “honestly.”

“Tell me everything you do know,” Hongjoong insisted as his phone dinged. He looked down at his phone and looked at Wooyoung, “I gotta go upstairs to deal with some shit. You handle this. Remember, don't kill her…yet.”

Hongjoong exited the room leaving Y/N and Wooyoung alone. She looked over to see Wooyoung evilly smiling at her. 

“Do you prefer a knife, a bat, or fire?” Wooyoung smiled.

“For what?” she panicked.

“For our little game, of course,” Wooyoung smiled as a red glint flashed in his eyes.

“I don't like any of those options,” she exclaimed.

“Awww,” Wooyoung pouted, gently rubbing a finger against her cheek, “then I suggest you tell me what I want to know.”

“I’ll tell you anything you want as long as you don’t hurt me,” she bargained.

Wooyoung ignored Y/N’s answer and skipped over to a cabinet in the corner of the room. “Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, big bad wolf, big bad wolf. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Fa la la la,” Wooyoung happily sang as he removed a bat from the cabinet.

“Long ago there were three pigs. Little handsome piggy wigs. For the big bad, very bad, very big wolf,” Y/N sang.

Wooyoung stopped and stared at her for a second with a blank look on his face as a flash of white glinted in his eyes for a second. “Knock that off,” he ordered.

“Why can’t I sing with you?” she snapped.

“This isn’t your game…it’s mine!!!” Wooyoung yelled, slamming his bat against the wall. “NOW TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT SEVEN, DAMN IT!”

“All I know is there’s a Jaebeom, Yieun, Bhuwakul, Sunmi, and a few others. They mostly work out of Club Madholic and Hongdae Club Aura,” Y/N explained. “Oh and most of their shipments come through Thailand.”

Wooyoung slowly walked over to her, bat in hand, making eye contact the entire time. “How do I know that is all you know?” Wooyoung asked.

“Why would I leave anything out? I’m not going to try to hide anything and risk my life for this.”

“Oh your life is already in danger,” Wooyoung smiled. “Tell me, how do you know all of this? Do you work for them?”

“No, I don’t work for them,” she sighed, “I’m not sure how I know this, I just do.”

♥️♠️Meanwhile♦️♣️

Hongjoong went upstairs and was met by San and Yunho.

“This better be good, I was starting to get somewhere with the bitch,” Hongjoong snarled.

“I said to send Wooyoung up,” Mingi announced walking into the room.

“I figured if anyone was gonna scare her, it was Woo so I’d just come up,” Hongjoong explained.

“Well we have a little bit of a problem,” Yunho announced. “Yeosang said the alarms were triggered, he thinks they’re coming for her. They must know we have her.”

A knock sounded on the front door.

“It’s showtime,” San smiled, walking over to the door.

Hongjoong went upstairs, grabbed the arctic warfare Magnum Rifle and made his way to the rooftop along with Yeosang as Yunho and Mingi hid around corners downstairs with their weapons cocked and ready.

San slowly opened the door, “Can I help you?” he asked.

“I know she’s here,” the man on the opposite side of the door said.

“There’s no she here,” San smiled. “Just me in this big ole house.”

“Bullshit!” the man argued. “Give her to me now and there won’t be any problems.”

“You can go fuck yourself,” San growled attempting to shut the door.

The man prevented the door from closing with his foot, which gave San ample time to pull his pistol out from its holster. The door opened back up and San fired his pistol in between the man’s eyes, killing him instantly.

Yunho and Mingi came out from around the corner.

“He can't be here alone,” Mingi said.

Just then they heard gunfire from the roof and the front door slowly opened up and a female quietly crept in. Yunho noticed the woman in the corner of his eye. He pulled his Ka Bar knife from his belt loop and threw it in the woman’s direction, hitting her in the heart. Her body fell to the floor and twitched around for a few seconds, while blood poured out onto the floor.

The gunfire from the roof subsided, Yeosang and Hongjoong returned downstairs. 

“That was all of them,” Yeosang announced after checking the secret security cameras on his phone. 

“How did they find her?” Mingi asked.

“Does she have her phone?” Yeosang wondered.

“I don’t know,” Hongjoong said. “I didn’t think to check.”

“Dumbass,” Yunho sighed, staring at the body of the woman he killed.

Wooyoung ran upstairs, “what was that?” He looked around at the bodies piled up on the floor.

“We had some visitors,” San announced.

Hongjoong’s phone started to ring, he pulled it out of his pocket, answered it, and placed the call on speaker.

“Dragon…” Hongjoong said, “Go ahead.”

“Everyone good?” Seonghwa asked.

“Yea everyone is fine,” San answered.

“I’m guessing you have the girl,” Seonghwa concluded.

“Of course we have her. I never fail a mission,” Hongjoong boasted.

Mingi rolled his eyes, “why are they going through so much trouble to get this bitch back?”

Hongjoong turned to Wooyoung, “did you get anything out of her?”

“She named names, two clubs, and a Thailand airport,” Wooyoung informed. 

“Do you think she knows more?” Seonghwa wondered. 

“No,” Wooyoung sighed. “I think she said all she knows but who knows.”

“We need to keep her alive,” Seonghwa informed. “If she’s this important to them she might come in handy.”

“She can stay in my room,” Wooyoung announced. 

Everyone turned to look at him, in shock. 

“What?” Wooyoung asked. 

Seonghwa laughed, “alright, she stays in Wooyoung’s room till I get back then we’ll figure things out.”

“There’s a green light on Y/N’s head” Yeosang announced, looking down at his phone. 

“All the more reason she needs to stay,” Seonghwa demanded. “You all need to keep her alive and whatever you do, make sure she doesn’t leave the house.”

“So now we’re babysitters too?” San groaned. 

“For the time being…yes,” Seonghwa snarled before disconnecting the call. 

Yunho bent down, pulling his knife out of the woman’s chest, wiping the excess blood onto her face. “Alright well i'm gonna go up to my room for a little,” he smiled. He picked the body up, bridal style and started towards the stairs. 

“No,” Mingi snapped. 

“But she’s mine, I killed her,” Yunho snarled. 

“There is something seriously wrong with you,” San sighed. 

“Seonghwa told you before, no bodies in your room,” Mingi said. 

“That’s not fair,” Yunho complained, “Wooyoung gets a toy, why can’t I?”

“That’s not a toy, Yunho, that’s a fucking dead body,” San said. “Besides, what the hell are you gonna do with her?”

Yunho stared at San as an evil smirk overtook his face, he opened his mouth to speak but San interrupted, “On second thought, I don't want to know, you sick fuck.”

Yunho rubbed her face, “maybe we’ll get the chance to play later,” he said before dropping her body on the floor with a thud. 

“Hello?” Y/N said lightly, walking into the corridor. 

“Did you untie her?” Hongjoong snapped, shooting a glare at Wooyoung. 

“How did you get untied?” Wooyoung asked, ignoring Hongjoong’s inquiry.

“I used my mouth,” Y/N reported. 

Wooyoung stared at her in amazement, “but how?” he wondered.

“Why aren’t you understanding this?” Y/N snapped. “I used my mouth to untie my hand then my hands for the rest. It’s not too difficult.”

Wooyoung grabbed Y/N’s arm and started pulling her towards the basement again, “come on, I’m gonna tie you up again and you can show me.”

“Wooyoung,” Mingi sighed, “Let her be.”

Wooyoung stared intently at Y/N for a moment, “yea you’re right, I can do it later on tonight.”

“What do you mean, ‘later on tonight’?” Y/N asked. “I’m going home.”

“No you’re not,” San smirked, “you’re not leaving this house.”

“I’m not staying here and you can’t make me,” Y/N snapped.

“I believe we can make you,” Yunho smirked, taking his knife out of his belt loop again.

“Look around,” Hongjoong ordered jestering to the dead bodies on the ground, “this happened because they were trying to get to you.”

“Who?” Y/N snapped looking down at the bodies. She examined the female laying over by the steps, she gasped “oh my god, that’s Kazuha.”

“Kazu what?” San tried to repeat. 

“She’s in Seven,” Y/N announced. 

“Now how do you know her?” Wooyoung glared. 

“I told you, I don’t know,” Y/N panicked, placing her head onto her forehead. “How did they find me and why are they looking for me?”

Yeosang silently walked over to Y/N putting his hand out in front of her, Y/N placed her hand into his causing Yeosang to flinch pulling his hand back, “no, give me your phone,” he demanded. 

“My phone?” Y/N questioned. 

“Yea give it to me,” he demanded again as San walked up behind the boy. 

“Don’t play coy, little girl, give the man your fucking phone now,” San growled. 

Y/N blinked a few times before reaching into her pocket, pulling out her phone to hand it over. Yeosang took the phone, dropped it onto the floor and stomped hard on it. 

San looked at him surprised, “I thought you were gonna work your tech magic not act like an ape,” he smirked. 

Yeosang shrugged, walking back to his spot behind Mingi. 

“What the hell?” Y/N gasped. 

“That’s how they tracked you,” Mingi explained. 

“Fine that explains the how now somebody needs to explain the why,” she demanded. 

“They want you dead,” Wooyoung smirked. “That’s why you will be staying here.”

“I most certainly will not be staying here,” Y/N argued. 

“You don’t really have a choice,” Yunho snapped, staring at Kazuha again. 

“But they know I’m here, if they want me that bad won't they just come back?” she asked. 

“Hopefully,” San smirked. 

“So you expect me to just sit here like a sitting duck and wait to be killed,” Y/N argued. 

“Basically, yea,” Mingi nodded. 

“That’s not gonna happen,” she panicked. “I should be getting as far away from here as I can.”

“You’re not leaving,” Wooyoung snarled, grabbing her arm. 

“Don’t you get it?” Hongjoong started. “They have a green light on your head. If you leave you will be killed.”

“Well, if they know I’m here, wouldn’t it be smarter for me to get as far away from here as possible?”

“If you leave you’ll be all alone, here you have us to protect you,” Mingi explained.

“I don’t understand why you wanna help me,” she said, confused.

“Look, I don’t wanna be a goddamn babysitter, but it’s the boss’s orders and you can’t go,” San snapped.

“Besides, with you here, I might get the chance to have a moment with a different Kazuha,” Yunho announced while repositioning Kazuha’s body in a sitting position against the wall.

Yunho gently straightened Kazuha’s legs and crossed her arms and took the spot next to her, resting his head onto her shoulder.

Y/N glared at Yunho then glanced at each of the boys, as a glint of red flashed in her eyes, “I don’t need any protection. I made it this far in life and I don't plan on dying any time soon.”

Wooyoung recognized the red glint, cocking his head in her direction, “You don't have a damn choice in the matter,” he demanded as he grabbed her arm and pulled her up the stairs. When they reached the top of the stairs he turned around to face the boys, “clean the damn bodies up, you know what the blood does to me,” he demanded as a glint of white flashed in through his eyes.

“I don’t know which one of you two are worse,” Hongjoong announced, “Yunho and his fucking bodies or Woo with his blood.”

“They’re both sick fucks,” San snarled.

Wooyoung pulled Y/N into his bedroom and pushed her onto his bed. He walked over to his closet and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie and threw it at her.

“You smell like alcohol and smoke, you need to shower and get cleaned up,” Wooyoung ordered. “The bathroom is across the hall. I’ll wait here for you.”

“Devil?” Y/N whispered, “I don’t feel comfortable with all of this. I’d really like to just go home.”

“Don’t call me that,” Wooyoung snapped. “You call me Wooyoung, damn it!”

“So your name is Wooyoung?” she asked

“That’s what I just fucking said,” he snarled. “Now go get your shower!”

She quickly gathered the clothing that was thrown at her and she headed towards the bathroom. She walked out of Wooyoung’s bedroom and entered the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She turned the water on, making sure the shower was as hot as could be and undressed before entering.

Allowing the water to run down her naked body, the night’s events flashed through her mind. “What is going on?” she thought to herself. “Why is this happening to me?”

She heard the door knob jiggle, knowing that she locked the door she wasn’t too concerned. A few seconds later, the bathroom door slowly opened up, “It’s not safe to lock doors in this house,” a man’s voice announced.

Y/N popped her head out of the shower and she saw Yunho standing in the doorway with a creepy smile on his face. He held his hand, exposing a pink ball. “Here are some underwear for you to wear,” he smiled. “They are clean, the blood stains just won’t come out.”

“I’m ok,” Y/N announced.

“NO!” Yunho yelled. “You will wear them!”

“Um, ok,” she submitted. “You can just put them with the other clothes.”

Yunho placed the blood stained panties on top of the sweatshirt, “if you rip them, I will rip your fucking head off.”

“I promise I will take good care of them,” she said. “Thank you for being thoughtful though.”

“Sure thing,” Yunho smiled before leaving the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

She finished her shower, dried off and started to get changed into the borrowed clothing. She held the panties up, examining the blood stains on them. Clearly, the underwear was washed prior so she felt ok to put them on, almost fearful of what would happen if she didn’t follow directions. She then pulled the hoodie over her head and attempted to put the sweatpants on as well. The sweatpants were way too big and wouldn’t stay up so she took them back off. She gathered up her dirty clothing and the sweatpants that were too large and left the bathroom, making her way back into Wooyoung’s bedroom.

Wooyoung was sitting at the desk, cleaning his AK-47, he glanced up, dropping the trigger pin on the ground when he saw Y/N before him wearing his sweatshirt and her legs exposed.

“Why don’t you have the pants on?” he asked.

“They were too big,” she explained. “Where should I put my clothing, Dev…I mean Wooyoung.”

“I don’t care,” Wooyoung said, retrieving the trigger pin from the ground and placing it on the desk with the rest of the parts. “It’s time to sleep.”

“Where am I sleeping?” she asked, looking around for another bed or sofa.

“In my bed, with me,” he announced as a white glint flashed in his eyes.

“I can’t sleep with you,” Y/N argued.

“You don't have a choice in anything. Now get into bed,” Wooyoung growled with widened eyes.

She did as she was told and crawled into the bed, Wooyoung laid down on the opposite side. She turned her back to him, pulling the covers up to her head, trying to control her breathing, not to expose her anxiety about the whole situation.

Wooyoung stared at the back of Y/N’s head for a moment, then reached over and turned the light off. 

“Good night,” Wooyoung whispered.

“Don't let the bed bugs bite,” Y/N responded, making Wooyoung smile.

She wasn’t able to sleep, nor did she want to. She knew what she needed to do, no matter how risky it may be.  She laid still, patiently waiting for any sign of Wooyoung being asleep. As the night went on, Wooyoung’s breathing started to become more intense.  She calmly turned over to face Wooyoung, she stared for a moment then slowly crawled out of bed. She retrieved her skirt from the corner of the room and pulled it up over the panties that Yunho gave her to wear. She grabbed her boots, and crept out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She paused to listen for any disturbance in the house but only silence fell on deaf ears.

She continued to creep down the hall, occasionally stepping on a creaky floorboard, causing panic with each step. She successfully made it down the stairs. She reached for the door knob on the front door.

“I would reconsider your choice, if I were you,” a man said from the top of the stairs behind her.

Y/N jumped, turned around startled, relieved when she saw it wasn’t Wooyoung. 

“I uh I just wanted to take a walk,” she attempted to lie.

San scooched down the stairs so he could see her in better lighting and so he could be seen as well. He was holding a knife in his right hand, twirling the edge of the blade in his left hand, evilly grinning at Y/N.

“How stupid do you think I am?” he smirked. 

“I don’t think you're stupid at all,” she argued. “I seriously just wanted…”

“You were trying to leave,” San interrupted. “I thought we made things clear earlier. You cannot leave this house.”

“I’m sorry,” she sighed. “I just want to go home.”

“And I want to kill you but we can't always get what we want,” San smirked. “But if you walk out that door, I can get what I want. So it’s up to you to decide what’s gonna happen.”

She stood still, frozen in fear, until reality hit her. She didn’t have a choice in the matter, she was stuck in this house and there was no way of escaping. She exhaled in defeat and slowly walked up the stairs, once again. When she walked past San, she huffed to expose her agitation by the whole situation.

Y/N crept back down the hall, hoping Wooyoung would still be sleeping. When she reached his bedroom, she took a deep breath before entering, relieved to see Wooyoung still laying peacefully in bed. She placed her boots back into the corner of the room and took her skirt off, placing it on top of the other dirty clothes. She crawled back into bed, laying in the original position she was in before trying to escape.

Wooyoung let out a long sigh, reaching over and placing his hand onto Y/N. 

The bright morning sun shone through the window onto Y/N, disturbing her restless slumber.  She rolled over to see Wooyoung was no longer in bed.  She looked around the room and saw she was all alone.  The bedroom door flew open, and Wooyoung walked inside. He threw a pile of clothing at her, “get dressed and come downstairs,” he ordered. 

“What for?” she questioned.

“You fucked up,” Wooyoung snarled walking out of the room.

♥️𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚟 ♠️𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝♦️𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝♣️

♥️♠️𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 - 𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙽♦️♣️

@stayatinykatsy

𝔻𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 - 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟟 - 𝕟𝕔𝕥 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕦

𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟞 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟠

𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟟 : 𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪 𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟

𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕧 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥

𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

❈★ 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 ★❈

@conwunder

𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚈𝚘𝚞 - 𝙲𝚑.𝟷 - 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢'𝚜 𝚊 𝚋*𝚝𝚌𝚑

𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 | 𝚌𝚑.𝟸

Pounding shot after shot, beer after beer, anything it takes to forget. To forget all of the hurt, pain, and flat out disappointment. Why won’t he love you? What was wrong with you? You knew you  could make Jisung happy, happier than anyone else could ever do. Why couldn’t he see this? What was so great about her? You fight the tears back and continue to drown your sorrows in the free flowing liquor, the only thing left to find solace in. 

Somehow you ended up in the bathroom hugging the porcelain throne, uncontrollably spewing all of the contents in your stomach. You knew you were over doing it tonight, but you couldn’t control yourself. Emotions were something you never handled well. And this, well this night was probably one of the worst nights of your life.

You closed your eyes, instantly reliving the awful events from earlier in the evening.

Jisung was climbing out of the pool, glistening as the water beamed off of his perfectly toned body. He was total perfection and you couldn’t deny or contain your feelings for this man any longer.

“I love you, Park Jisung,” you blurted out before realizing you actually said the words. 

Jisung’s head dropped. You knew he’d be surprised by your sudden outburst but ultimately you hoped that he would respect your determination, slight desperation and that alone would win him over.

“Don’t,” he stated, bluntly. “You’re wasting your time.”

That was when the dagger was shoved deep into your chest. You were able to feel all of those earth shattering emotions as if it was the first time. You reopened your eyes, a tear escaping, streaming down your cheek. The vomiting continued until there was nothing left. 

You wiped your mouth with the sleeve of your hoodie. You know how utterly disgusting that is to do but there is literally no one left to impress. You accept the fact that you are going to be alone forever, so why even try at this point. You push yourself up using the vomit covered toilet as support, stumbling out of the stall. Everything was spinning, and you knew full and well that you weren’t walking straight. Anyone with eyes would be able to see that you were clearly intoxicated. The door opened and there he was. You slightly fell towards him, uncontrollably.

You lay comfortably in the bed, sprawled out, finally happy in your state of semi-unconsciousness. The door slowly opens, the squeaking hinges disturbing your peace. You open your eyes, quickly getting out of bed and stumbling towards the man who entered the room. You are still quite intoxicated and still aren't stable on your feet. You stumble and fall into his arms.

“Where am I?” you ask, trying to stand up on your own.

“My room,” he says with a visible smirk on his face. “I took pity on you since you looked like a drunken dog.”

“Were you worried about me, Jisung?” you ask, placing your hand onto his shoulder in an attempt to stabilize yourself.

“Oh you…” he sighs, grabbing your waist. “You’re still drunk, aren’t you?”

“Jisung,” you whisper, staring deeply into his eyes. “May I ask you something?”

You quickly drop onto your knees pulling the boy down with you so he would still be eye to eye.

“Will you be mine?” you ask, desperately. “I’ll do my best to value you.”

He didn’t respond but the look on his face told you that he desired you too. You stare deeply into his eyes, searching for the confirmation you desperately want and need. You pull the boy onto the bed, hopping on top, straddling him between your legs. You lean down pressing your body tightly against his, you want more than anything to be able to press your lips tightly against his. For some reason, he still didn’t resist. You inch closer, slowly shutting your eyes waiting for the moment your lips would finally meet.

One day ago…

Park Jisung was standing in front of a book shelf in the university’s library.  He was peacefully scanning the books, obviously searching for a specific title.

You smiled when you spotted your crush all alone. There was no one around to get in the way and you could have some much needed alone time with the one man that drove you absolutely insane.

“What book are you looking for?” you happily asked, surprising him as you walked up from behind.

“Oh,” Jisung smiled when he realized it was you. You noticed his cute bunny reaction and how uncomfortable he became in that moment, clearly showing he has some sort of feelings toward you. “Just a book to help with basic calculus. I’m not doing so well in that class.”

“I’m great at calc,” you boasted, with a huge stupid smile on your face. “Let me help you with that.”

Jisung froze for a moment before speaking, “no, it’s ok. Someone already gave me a list.”

You watched as Jisung quickly started to walk to another shelf. You took a deep breath before following again. 

“Who? Dr. Karina?” you huffed, trying to hide your disdain but failing miserably.

Jisung slowly nodded, turning to look at you with a little smile on his face. Even though you knew he had a slight connection with her, it still stung. You’re selfish and you wanted him all to yourself.

“Jisung…she may be better than me at school shit,” you smirked, trying to make seductive eyes in his direction. “But I’m quite talented at other things.”

Donghyuck walked around the bookshelf, forcefully placing his body in between you and your ‘love’. 

“Talented at being annoying?” he hissed, staring intently into your eyes. “Can’t you see that my friend doesn’t want to talk to you?”

“It’s none of your damn business,” you growled, cocking your head.

“I am your senior,” Donghyuck snapped as he flicked your forehead with his fingers. It caused you to wince but only because you didn’t expect him to touch you.

“Am I supposed to be scared?” you asked, displaying a visible scowl on your face.

“Hey Hyuck,” Jisung said, grabbing his friend by the arm to pull him back. “You’re disturbing the other people in here, let’s just go.”

Donghyuck glared for a moment and you were waiting for some unnecessary, unneeded words to come out of his mouth but to your surprise he silently turned around and followed Jisung. Before he was out of sight completely, Donghyuck turned to make eye contact while pointing a forceful finger in your direction. “Leave my friend the fuck alone.” He stared for a moment longer for impact then turned and disappeared out of sight, leaving you standing alone very aggravated. For some reason Donghyuck had an issue with you and you didn’t understand why. You never did anything to him personally and yet he was always so nasty. But you weren’t going to let some asshole deter your feelings for the man you knew was your soulmate.

Donghyuck followed Jisung out of the library and then the two boys went their separate ways. Donghyuck had a lunch date with the only thing that made him happy these days, his loving girlfriend, Yeji. He practically ran to the lunch table where they meet almost every day, smiling eagerly when he saw Yeji already sitting at their table.

“Sorry I’m a little late, babe,” Donghyuck said before kissing his girlfriend’s face and taking his rightful seat next to her.

“It’s ok, Hyuckie,” Yeji smiled, not looking up from her phone. She was always distracted with her phone, never seeming to pay him enough attention but just the fact that she was his was enough, for now.  

“I was in the library with Sung and that annoying bitch was harassing him again,” Donghyuck explained to his clearly uninterested girlfriend. “Jisung is too nice so I had to step in.”

“Oh ok,” she nodded.

“If she was a guy, I would have knocked her out for the way she was acting,” Donghyuck continued.

“She just follows her heart, Hyuckie,” Yeji whined, finally setting her phone on the table, momentarily.

“But…” Donghyuck exhaled slowly out of frustration, pondering how to word what he wanted to say properly without upsetting his love too much. “Jisung made it clear that he doesn’t like her.”

Yeji smiled, gently touching Donghyuck’s cheek, “Well, I remember there was once somebody who was coming to see me every day, regardless of what I said.”

“No, that’s not the same thing,” Donghyuck argued with a goofy smile on his face, just happy that she touched him. “You weren’t annoyed by me, were you?”

“You’re right,” she smiled while nodding. “But I will get annoyed if you don’t take me out to a wonderful dinner tonight.”

“Tonight?” Donghyuck repeated which she nodded in response. “I have plans with Jaemin and friends.”

Yeji turned away, crossing her arms and pouting, “you told me that you would have more time for me after your report was finished.”

“How about this?” Donghyuck said readjusting in his seat. “I’ll be at your place before ten. I promise.”

“I don’t believe you,” Yeji continued pouting as she picked up her phone again.

“But I promise,” he insisted.

Yeji smiled, shaking her head no, “I don’t believe you.”

“I promise,” he repeated again and she shook her head again, playfully.

“So are you coming tonight?” Donghyuck asked while looking down at his friend who was hanging onto the side of the university’s pool.

“Oh boy,” Jisung winced at the thought, reaching up to scratch his head while contemplating his answer. “I don’t know, I have practice early in the morning so I probably should just stay in tonight.”

You started walking out from the locker room, noticing the two boys talking. You weren’t trying to eavesdrop but you needed to talk to Jisung and you definitely didn’t want to do it with that asshole, Donghyuck, there.

“Oh come on,” Donghyuck whined. “You don’t need to practice, you’re already the best we have. Plus you NEVER hang out with us anymore.”

“You ALWAYS use that as an excuse,” Jisung rolled his eyes before taking a dramatically deep breath. “Fine, I’ll go.”

Donghyuck clapped his hands, victoriously, “that’s what I’m talking about. I’ll get ready and I’ll see you there. Okay?”

“Yes yes,” Jisung nodded, clearly irritated but still smiling at how childish his friend can be.

Donghyuck turned around, seeing you standing there, patiently waiting your turn to talk to Jisung. His demeanor instantly shifted. You still didn’t understand why you had that kind of effect on him but that wasn’t important at the moment. Donghyuck headed over in your direction and you weren’t sure what was going through his mind but if looks could kill, you certainly wouldn’t be taking another breath on this planet.

“Hyuck, stop that,” Jisung ordered about to climb out of the pool. “She’s here to practice, that’s all.”

Donghyuck stopped for a moment, turning to look at Jisung then back at you. He looked as though he was going to say something, ignorant, you're sure but, for some reason nothing was said. He stormed off, without even saying goodbye to his friend. Jisung stared at Donghyuck, making sure he continued to leave before lifting his body out of the pool. You watched as the water dripped off of his perfect figure. He grabbed a towel from the bench and started walking in the opposite direction of where you were standing.

“Hey Jisung,” you called out, silently panicking because whenever he looks at you, you can feel your body losing control.

Jisung slowly turned around, “what?” he asked.

“Can I be honest with you?” you wondered as the panic really started to set in. You felt antsy and scared but also excited because deep down you truly believed you already knew what the outcome was going to be.

“What’s up?” Jisung asked, smiling so sincerely he looked like he was ready to laugh.

Laugh at you? That can’t be, Jisung isn’t the type of person to laugh at someone in this situation.

“I love you, Park Jisung,” you blurted out before realizing you actually said those words.

Jisung’s head dropped. You knew he’d be surprised by your sudden outburst but ultimately you hoped that he would respect your determination, slight desperation and that alone would win him over.

“Don’t,” he stated, bluntly. “You’re wasting your time.”

“Why?” you asked, heartbroken, not only by his words but also the tone. “Karina likes you. And I like you too. Is there any difference?”

Jisung hesitated for a moment, “there is. I like her, not you.”

“Can’t you just give me a chance?” you pleaded, trying to hold back the tears that you could feel forming in your eyes. “I promise you, I’m going to make you like me one day.”

“You can’t do that because the only person I have feelings for is Karina,” Jisung stated, sounding more confident in his words than he has ever in the past. 

You wanted to say more, you wanted to ask what was wrong with you but the words wouldn’t come out. Jisung slowly turned and walked away leaving you behind broken into little pieces. He didn’t seem to care in the least and that hurt more than his words could ever.

You make your way to the local bar where everyone from the university hangs out. The only thing to do at this point is to drown your feelings with as much alcohol that you can consume. Shot after shot, beer after beer, anything it takes.

Donghyuck was sitting at a table across the bar with his friends. Happily drinking in their own world.

“Come on, make a toast,” Jaemin said, raising his glass up signaling for his other friends to join him in the act.

“Alright alright,” Donghyuck said, raising his glass. He cleared his throat dramatically before speaking. “Here’s to all that wish us well and those that don’t can go to hell.”

“CHEERS!” everyone shouted out in unison, clicking their glasses together before chugging their full pints of beer.

“Mark is paying for today,” Jeno announced.

“Of course, my mom gave me a lot of money last night,” Mark boasted.

“Your mom?” Chenle asked. “Don’t you mean your sugar momma?”

“Yea same thing,” Mark shrugged, confused by the difference.

Jaemin zoned out of the conversation, noticing Donghyuck chug his entire beer. “Are you in a rush?” he asked.

“Indeed I am,” Donghyuck nodded. “Right now my girl is at home sulking.”

“Whoa what is this?” Jeno asked, with judgment written all over his face. 

“You’re drinking with friends, not with a bunch of girls,” Chenle laughed, joining in on the judgment.

“Right,” Soojin chimed in, amused by her friend acting whipped.

“The thing is,” Donghyuck smiled, sitting back in his chair while folding his arms across his chest. “Single people like you couldn’t possibly understand my situation.”

“Ouch,” Soojin gasped, placing a hand on her chest, pretending to be insulted. “You’re hurting my feelings.”

“You’re not the only one who has someone,” Mark chimed in. 

“That’s right,” Chenle nodded with a shit eating grin on his face. “Mark has his mom.”

“That’s right,” Mark boasted, proudly. “I have my sugar mommy.”

“It’s sugar momma,” Donghyuck laughed. “And that is not the same thing.”

“What about Jisung?” Jeno asked. “I thought he was coming?”

“Yea I texted him,” Soojin said, pulling her phone out to make sure she didn’t receive a text back. “You better call him, Hyuck.”

Donghyuck picked up his phone to call his friend to find out where he was at. “Hey, where you at?” he listened to his friend’s explanation on the other line, with the occasional “uh huh” signaling he understood. “Alright man, get some rest, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He disconnected the call, placing his phone down onto the table, trying to hide the mix of emotions he was feeling. He smiled at his friends who were currently staring at him, waiting for an explanation. “Um, so Jisung isn’t feeling well so he’s just going to stay home tonight.”

“Awwww he always bails on us anymore,” Mark complained.

“Leave him alone,” Soojin snapped. “The championships are coming up soon and he does need some rest.”

“What are you his mom?” Mark asked, rolling his eyes.

“I’m sure as hell ain’t your mom,” she laughed.

Donghyuck looked around the bar, annoyed by so much at this point, his eyes caught yours when you just happened to look up from your own battle.  You cocked your head, refusing to look away. That asshole did not want to mess with you, not the way you were feeling tonight. But he was refusing to look away. Maybe it was to prove a point, whatever the reason you didn’t care.

You cocked your head and lipped, “what the fuck are you looking at?”

“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” Donghyuck yelled, standing up abruptly. Jaemin quickly grabbed his arm, pulling him back down into his seat.

“What’s going on?” Mark asked.

“Calm down, Donghyuck,” Jeno ordered.

“Why were you staring at her like that anyways,” Jaemin asked.

Donghyuck didn’t respond, he sat silent slowly sipping his beer. 

“I’ll be back, I gotta take a piss,” Donghyuck said before standing up and making his way into the men’s room. As he was peeing, he thought he heard the sounds of someone vomiting. When he was done he turned and noticed you in your current state of despair while hugging the porcelain throne. Donghyuck almost offered you help but he knew you would deny any assistance, especially coming from him. He turned around shaking his head, walking to once again join his friends.

“Alright guys, this is my last drink,” he smiled, sitting down in his seat.

“Cheers,” everyone said in unison and clinking their glasses for the last time of the evening.

“Actually, you guys should stay,” Donghyuck announced, looking around.

“I think we’re done anyways,” Soojin said, looking at everyone else who were also nodding their heads.

“Let’s all leave together,” Mark smiled.

“Yea next time when Jisung can come, we’ll party till the sun comes out,” Jaemin suggested.

“Yea ok,” Donghyuck nodded with a small smile on his face, appreciating how good of people his friends were, at times. “So I’m done for today, my girl is waiting.”

“Alright,” Chenle said, waving goodbye, “we’ll see ya.”

You finally stumbled out of the bathroom, heading towards the exit. You had more than enough and you just had to get home. There were shady looking men standing near the door. Normally you wouldn’t trust going around guys like that but in this state, the only urgency you felt was to get the hell home.

“Hey sexy lady,” the one man smirked, aggressively grabbing the crotch of his pants. “I have something you would like.”

“Ugh,” you responded with total utter disgust. If you wouldn’t have already vomited everything in your stomach, this surely would have made you get sick.

“That’s no way to talk to a man, bitch,” he growled, grabbing a hold of your wrist. He squeezed so tight you were certain it would leave bruises.

You instinctively smacked him across his face, “fuck you.”

Without hesitation the man smacked you back causing you to fall to the ground. He walked towards you snarling, “yes, I will be fucking you.”

Donghyuck ran over shoving the man, “back the fuck up,” he growled.

“Who the fuck are you?” the man snarled.

“I’m her friend and I’m taking her home,” Donghyuck announced, helping you up off the ground. “Come on, let’s go.”

He wrapped his arm around your waist to hold you up so he could guide you outside.

“You’re helping me, Jisung?” you asked.

“You drank way too much,” Donghyuck induced. He let go of you and pushed you onto your car that was sitting in the parking lot. “Get home yourself, my girl is waiting for me.”

As Donghyuck started to walk away, you panicked.  “Hey where are you going?”

Donghyuck didn’t respond, he turned around once when he reached his motorcycle to see you slowly fall down the side of your car onto the ground. Your eyes felt so heavy and you were just over this night. You leaned down laying your head on your gravel pillow. Hopefully something happens to you during the night and you wouldn’t open your eyes in the morning. It has to be better than dealing with these awful feelings.

Donghyuck turned to get onto his motorcycle, hesitating. Even though you two didn’t get along he'd feel guilty if something bad happened to you. He turned, walked over and picked you up off of the ground with little to no resistance. He gently placed his only helmet on your head making sure it was nice and tight.

“Jisung, thank you for this,” you mumbled as you climbed on the back of his bike. 

Donghyuck grabbed your arms, placing them around his waist, “hold on tight, ok?”

“I’ll hold on to you forever, Jisungie,” you said, resting your head against Donghyuck’s back. You close your eyes, feeling like you're in a dream, holding onto him with everything you had left in you.

Donghyuck pulled the motorcycle inside a garage on the outskirts of town. He quickly hopped off and turned to assist you. He pulled the helmet off of your head, placing it back onto his bike. He then helped you off, so you wouldn’t lose your balance and fall.

“Is this your home, Jisungie?” you ask, playfully hitting his chest. In your mind you performed this move seductively but in reality you look like a buffoon who is clearly way too intoxicated.

Donghyuck shakes his head at the state that you’re in then helps you up a set of stairs leading into a bedroom. He attempted to drop you onto his bed but you pulled him down with you. You’re not going to let him go that easily. He quickly sat up and you followed suit, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“Won’t you sleep with me?” you begged. You would never beg for something like this while sober but clearly you weren’t thinking straight. Donghyuck attempted to pull away with a grunt of fake disgust.

“Why are you disgusted by me?” you asked, attempting to stare into his eyes. “Huh, Jisungie?”

Donghyuck panicked, pushing away from your grip, “Yes I am,” he grunted, pushing you back onto his bed. You wanted to sit back up but your body wouldn’t cooperate, you started to fall victim to the sandman.

Donghyuck watched you for a few seconds while he took off his jacket, throwing it onto a chair in the room. He walked outside of his bedroom leaving you alone in his bed, walking back downstairs to the garage. He pulled his cell phone out of his pants pocket, seeing that he had twelve missed calls. “Fuck,” he grunted before dialing back the girlfriend that he loved but stood up to help the girl that he couldn’t stand.

“What the hell, Hyuck, where are you?” Yeji asked immediately once she answered the phone.

“I’m at home,” he hesitated. “Well, it’s kind of a long story but I can’t come over tonight. I’m really sorry, baby.”

Yeji sat silent, not understanding his reasons for why he didn’t want to see her. 

“Are you mad at me, baby?” Donghyuck asked, holding his breath, scared to hear her answer.

Yeji exhaled deeply before responding, “no, I guess not.”

“Really?” Donghyuck asked, surprised.

“I’m really tired, I’m just going to go to bed now,” she sighed as she quickly hung up her phone.

“Goodnight, baby, I love you,” Donghyuck expressed before realizing the call was already disconnected. He attempted to call her back a few times with no answer. “Damn it, I shouldn't have helped her. I should have just left her there.” He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and chugged it, then another, and another. By the time he was finally done drinking, he wasn’t quite as upset. He made his way back to his bedroom where you were still laying in his bed. You heard the door close, waking you from your slumber. You stretched out, rubbing your eyes, in shock that Jisung was here with you, wherever here was. You stood up, stumbling over towards your love, reaching out for him, “where are we?”

“My room,” Donghyuck responded, fighting off your advances. “I took pity on you since you looked like a drunken dog.”

“Were you worried about me, Jisung?” you asked, placing your hand onto his shoulder in an attempt to stabilize yourself.

“You’re still drunk, aren’t you?” Donghyuck snapped, grabbing your waist.

“Jisung,” you whispered, staring deeply into his eyes. “May I ask you something?”

“No,” Donghyuck snapped, pushing you out of his comfort zone.

“Please,” you begged.

“What is it, damn it, ” he asked annoyedly, grabbing your shoulder, pulling you in closer to his face, trying to show you how irritated he currently was. “If I was Jisung, what would you ask me?”

“You,” you whispered, wanting so badly to kiss him. “I want you, Jisung.” You dropped down to your knees pulling the boy down with you so he would still be eye to eye.

“Would you be mine?” you ask, desperately. “I’ll do my best to value you.” There it was the moment you have been waiting for, you move closer, inching your lips towards his.

“I’m not…” Donghyuck starts, attempting to pull away from you but you were not going to give up that easily. You pull the boy onto the bed, hopping on top, straddling him between your legs. You lean down pressing your body tightly against his, wanting more than anything to be able to press your lips tightly against his. “Sto…”

“Please,” you quickly interrupted him. “I’m begging you, give me just tonight and I won’t bother you anymore.”

Donghyuck didn’t respond, you stare intently into each other’s eyes. You could feel that he did want you at that moment. You slowly lower your face closer to his, gently placing your lips against his. The taste of beer stained his lips but that was the best tasting beer you ever had in your life. You could feel the passion while he kissed you back which only drove you more insane. You made your way to his neck, lightly kissing and sucking, playfully teasing him. Donghyuck turned his head, blocking you from his neck, forcing your lips to meet again. He gently rolled you over, crawling on top of you. He pulled away, lifting his shirt up over his head, throwing it onto the floor. You sat up, needing to feel his lips again, grabbing at his belt, attempting to get it out of the way. Donghyuck let out a slight chuckle at your struggle, pushing your hands away and loosened the buckle and his jeans. He slid out of the unnecessary clothing kicking them onto the floor as well. He gently removed your clothing, throwing them onto the pile with his. He lowered you back down onto his bed, running his hand over your smooth skin. This was the moment you have always wanted and it felt perfect.

The morning light peeked through the blinds, disturbing your peaceful sleep. You open your eyes and even though your head was throbbing you are still ecstatic. You finally had your chance with the man you love and you are positive that after what you two shared that Jisung is going to be yours forever. You feel his hand lightly touch your hair which makes you smile.

 “Jisungie,” you whisper before turning over to look at your love. Your smile instantly drops from your face. “What the fuck,” you panic, sitting up and covering your still naked body with the sheet that was on his bed.

𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 | 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝

𝔻𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 - 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟛 - 𝕟𝕔𝕥 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕦

𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟚 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟜

𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟛 : 𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕, 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕖𝕔𝕙𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤, 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕟𝕒𝕡 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕔𝕥 𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕩𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘. ℍ𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥’𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕓𝕓𝕪. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟.

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟, 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕞. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟, 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞, 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕓𝕠𝕪𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕, 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕔𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖, 𝕠𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕. 𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕘𝕠 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕠𝕥𝕙 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣.

𝔸 𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕕 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥’𝕤 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣. 𝔼𝕩𝕙𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗, 𝕤𝕦𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕫𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕒 𝕞𝕖𝕤𝕤. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕒𝕣, 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕖𝕥 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕖, 𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕪 𝕣𝕠𝕞-𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞. 𝕊𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕒 𝕤𝕒𝕕 𝕖𝕩𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕫𝕪 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪.

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣, 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕞𝕒𝕟 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪, 𝕒 𝕘𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖.

“𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕒 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕞, 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕦𝕘.

“𝕎𝕙𝕪?” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕, 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕖.

“𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥?” 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕, 𝕦𝕟𝕗𝕒𝕫𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕣 𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕒𝕪.

“𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕪, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕, 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜 𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥. “𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖, 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤.”

“𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕, “𝕨𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕒𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕖𝕖𝕥 𝕦𝕡 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕒𝕪.”

“𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥'𝕤 𝕒 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕, 𝕔𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕤𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒, 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕞𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖. “𝕀 𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟.”

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕒𝕫𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕒𝕕𝕛𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒.

“𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕥, 𝕒𝕝𝕞𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕧𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖. “ℂ𝕒𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕥 𝕦𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟?”

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕖𝕩𝕙𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕪, 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕦𝕤𝕖. “𝕀’𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕥, 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕕𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕'𝕧𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕚𝕟.”

“𝔾𝕠𝕥 𝕚𝕥,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕓𝕝𝕖.

“𝕀’𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕣𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞, 𝕀 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕟,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕.

ℍ𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕒𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕪𝕫𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕖. 𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕤, 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕔𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕔𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕦𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤. 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕫𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕡𝕦𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝕖𝕗𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕗 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣.

“𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞?” 𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤, 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕖𝕪𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕔𝕥. “𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕖 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞?”

“𝕆𝕙 𝕞𝕪 𝕘𝕠𝕕,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕒𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕕, 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕫𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕. “𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝. 𝕀’𝕞 𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕡.”

“𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥. “𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙.”

“𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕀’𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟.”

ℍ𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕, 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕛𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟. 𝕎𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕦𝕤𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕪. ℍ𝕖 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕤 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕖𝕥, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕤𝕦𝕓𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕦𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕕.

“𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡, 𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕜𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕟.

“𝕌𝕞, 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕤,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕗𝕦𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕤.

“𝕆𝕠𝕠𝕙,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕘𝕒𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕖𝕩𝕔𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕕𝕝𝕪, 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕚𝕟 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕥. “𝕀 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤. 𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞?”

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕝𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕘𝕚𝕗𝕥. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕖𝕩𝕔𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕖𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕟.

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕥, 𝕥𝕣𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕕. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕤, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕤 𝕦𝕡.

“𝕄𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕓𝕦𝕥 ℂ𝕙𝕖𝕟𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥’𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕟 𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕒𝕞𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕦𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕞. “𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕤, 𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕨𝕖’𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕣 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥. 𝕊𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕀 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕥𝕖-𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤.”

“𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥?” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕗.

“𝕀’𝕞 𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕪,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕕. “ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕦𝕡𝕤𝕖𝕥, 𝕀 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖’𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕞 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕘.”

“ℕ𝕠. ℕ𝕠-𝕟𝕠, 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕖,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕓𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕒𝕝. “ℂ𝕒𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕠 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕤?”

“𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣? 𝕀 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕, 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕝𝕪. “𝔻𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕕?”

“𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤…𝕀 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕒 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕕,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕.

“𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀 𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕠𝕗𝕗, 𝕀 𝕡𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣. 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕕𝕕𝕪 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕣 𝕚𝕟 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕥𝕤 𝕝𝕒𝕡,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕. “𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕓𝕠𝕣𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕕?”

“𝔸𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕟𝕠𝕥, 𝕞𝕪 𝕟𝕖𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕓𝕠𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕤,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕦𝕖𝕕.

𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕕𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕟𝕖𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕓𝕠𝕣𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕖.

“𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕥 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞?” 𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕝𝕪.

“𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪'𝕣𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕖𝕝𝕤𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕, 𝕗𝕠𝕔𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕨𝕤.

“𝕎𝕙𝕠?” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕟𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕣𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕙𝕚𝕞.

“𝕌𝕞, 𝕚𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕕, 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕟 𝕒𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕓𝕪 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕕𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕣.

“𝕐/ℕ,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕖𝕕, “𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠.”

“𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪.

“𝕀𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕤 𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞 𝕒𝕟 𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝 𝕓𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕜.

“𝕀𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕤 𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞 𝕒𝕟 𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝 𝕓𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕜. “𝔻𝕚𝕕 𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥?”

“𝕐𝕖𝕒,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕟𝕠𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕕, 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕚𝕥 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕓𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖, 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕥 𝕦𝕡 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕖𝕩𝕥𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘. “𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤.”

𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕕𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤, “𝕆𝕙 𝕀’𝕞 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕪,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕕𝕖𝕖𝕡, 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕖𝕕𝕦𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕧𝕠𝕚𝕔𝕖.

“𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕, 𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖. “𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞, 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡.”

“𝔸𝕝𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕠𝕓𝕧𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥, “𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕖?”

“𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖. “ℍ𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞.”

𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕩𝕥𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕒 𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖.

“ℍ𝕞𝕡𝕙, 𝕤𝕠 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕦𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕕. “𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟.”

“𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕, 𝕗𝕦𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕤. “𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕚𝕗 𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥? 𝕀 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕚𝕗 𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕕, 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕𝕟'𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥?”

“𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕. “𝕀𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕, 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕦𝕥, 𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕋ℍ𝔸𝕋 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕥𝕙 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣. 𝕊𝕖𝕖, 𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕤. 𝕀’𝕞 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕟’𝕥 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕘𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠.”

“𝕀𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕?” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕.

“𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕗 𝕀’𝕕 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕦𝕤 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕓𝕦𝕥, 𝕨𝕖’𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕟𝕠 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕙𝕚𝕞.”

“𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕒𝕪,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕.

“𝕊𝕒𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕. “𝕀 𝕡𝕦𝕥 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤, 𝕖𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕕, 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕡𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕗𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕔𝕜 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕣𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞 𝕚𝕥.”

𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕚𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕡, 𝕗𝕦𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕤. 𝕎𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕚𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟.

“𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖, 𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥?” 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕞𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕒 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕣.

“𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕. “𝕀𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕖𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕝𝕚𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤.”

𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕘𝕙, 𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕫𝕚𝕟𝕘. ℍ𝕖 𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤, “𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕝𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤. 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕋𝕒𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕜 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕥𝕖.”

“𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕚𝕟,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕, 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟, 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕕𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕘.

“𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕦𝕓 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕚𝕡𝕤.

𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕤𝕨𝕚𝕡𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟’𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕. 𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣. ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕚𝕗 𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕖𝕝𝕤𝕖𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖? 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕦𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕫𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙.

“𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕞𝕖, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞?” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘.

“𝕀 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕, 𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪. “𝕀 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕟𝕖𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕞 𝕀. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕞𝕖𝕥 𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕗𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕡.”

“𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕, 𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕕. “𝕊𝕠 𝕀’𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖.”

“𝕀𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕕. “𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕥, 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕟, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥. 𝕀 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕗𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕜 𝕥𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕤𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖’𝕤 𝕟𝕠 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕟 𝕚𝕥.”

“𝕎𝕒𝕚𝕥,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕡𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕕, “𝕐𝕆𝕌’ℝ𝔼 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕓𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕞𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖?”

“𝕐𝕖𝕒, 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕞𝕖,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕕𝕕𝕖𝕕, 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕕𝕝𝕪. “𝕎𝕙𝕠 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤?”

“𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕨𝕜𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕝𝕪 𝕗𝕚𝕕𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕥. “𝔹𝕦𝕥, 𝕀 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣.”

“𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖,” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤. “𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕣𝕦𝕘𝕘𝕖𝕕, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕕 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕡.”

“𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕦𝕝𝕥 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕒𝕨𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕒 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕦𝕞 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝…”

“𝕀𝕗 𝕨𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕕?” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖.

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕞𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖. “𝕐𝕖𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥.”

“𝕆𝕗 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖 𝕨𝕖 𝕕𝕚𝕕𝕟’𝕥,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕. “𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕒𝕕𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖, 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕤𝕥𝕪𝕝𝕖.”

“𝕆𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕘𝕠𝕕,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕒𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕕.

“𝕎𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕖𝕕.

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕖𝕝𝕥 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟’𝕤 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕟, 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕦𝕡 𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕕𝕠𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤. “𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕. “𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕒𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕓𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕖, 𝕓𝕒𝕓𝕪.”

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕚𝕘𝕘𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖. ℍ𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕣, 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖. ℍ𝕚𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕥 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕠𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕠𝕝 𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕖. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕤 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕤.

“𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕠 𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕖, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞?”

“𝕀𝕤 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖?” 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕖𝕕. “𝕀’𝕞 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕦𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕐/ℕ, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀’𝕞 𝕘𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕚𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕀’𝕞 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕥 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤.”

“ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕, 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕘𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕘𝕠 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕦𝕡. 𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕕, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣.

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕒𝕟 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕒𝕤 𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕝𝕖. ℍ𝕖 𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖.

“𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥, 𝕐/ℕ, 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕪, 𝕨𝕖’𝕝𝕝 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕨𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕗𝕦𝕟 𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣.”

“𝕀’𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕, 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕞.

“𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥?” 𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘. “𝕀𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖?”

“ℕ𝕠,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕, “𝕀’𝕞 𝕘𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕖𝕝𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕠.”

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟, 𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕥𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕙𝕦𝕘. “𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕁𝕒𝕖𝕞, 𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤. 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕖𝕒𝕣 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕝𝕪 𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕦𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘.

“𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕓𝕒𝕓…𝕀 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕪/𝕟, 𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕕. “ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥.”

“𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠𝕠,” 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕚𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕞 𝕖𝕩𝕚𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥, 𝕔𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣 𝕓𝕖𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕞. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞, 𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒, 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕡𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖.

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𝔻𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 - 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟜 - 𝕟𝕔𝕥 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕦

𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟛 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟝

𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟜 : 𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣

𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕧 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥

𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

❈★ 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 ★❈

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𝔻𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 - 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟘 𝕡𝕥.𝟚- 𝕟𝕔𝕥 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞 𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕦

𝕡𝕥.𝟙 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕔𝕙.𝟚𝟙

𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟘 𝕡𝕥.𝟚 : 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕥𝕨𝕠

𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕧 | 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 | 𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕥

𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

❈★ 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 ★❈

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