World After Worlds
Chapter 403: ◙ GALE ◙

Chapter 403: ◙ GALE ◙

Chapter 09

Hansel’s eyes flattered for some time analyzing what had just happened. From his point of view, he did not do anything to make her that scared. Also, even if she saw the annoyed expression he had earlier it would not still cause someone to run away like that from him. He never saw her before, she never knew his unmasked persona. How could she be so terrified of him?

Once again, the phone vibrated and a name flashed through the screen. It brought him back to the present, he took the phone and read the caller’s name flashing.

Best Friend <3 Calling...

He raised a brow and swiped the phone to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hello."

The table of students of group study had an awkward silence after hearing the rank one and the rank two of their entire department both answered the phone at the same time. At that moment everyone concluded, they were flirting! Gale and Hansel looked at each other then onto the phones they were holding.

"Did you just answer the phone?" Gale asked Hansel in a solemn manner. Hansel nodded and stretched out his hand to hand over the phone to Gale.

"A girl from the history aisle dropped this. I was trying to hand it over to the reception but there was no one there so I decided to take it with me." Hansel explained and Gale took out the phone.

"Thank you, excuse me, seniors. I have to leave early. My friend needs me." She said then tidied up her area to prepare to leave.

Hansel unhurriedly followed her saying goodbye to their study group members. When the both of them left, everyone on the table shrieked in excitement, their department would finally have a college romance, a power couple at that! And started to have a chat with everyone they know regarding this development.

"Are you leaving too?" Gale asked Hansel while they were checking out the books.

"Yes, and can I talk to your friend? She might have misunderstood something." Gale stared at Hansel for a second then said, "... okay." They proceed on accessing the book. As they were both walking in the hallway, Gale couldn’t withstand the discomforting lull ambiance between them.

She shifted her eyes to him, "My friend is a very clumsy and cautious person, so, I don’t doubt you have her phone. Her running off after doing her clumsy act might be a big possibility." Hansel directed his attention to her.

"How do you know she ran away from me?" It’s not only fascinating that the only two women that piqued his curiosity were best friends, but also the timing of how this all happened was riveting.

"Yes, that’s kinda her reflex," Gale uttered and shifted her eyes to the floor, overwhelmed with Hansel’s charisma. She’s been classmates with him for almost years, it was not the first time that he was alone with him. But whenever they were together --- she felt awkward.

"Personality you mean... ?" Hansel tilted his head.

"If she’s scared, she runs away. You might have shot her a glare or scoffed at her..." Gale assumed what happened between Hansel and Yanarym by her assertion. He blinked his eyes. He glared but he didn’t scoff, is that girl always a scared cat? Hansel smiled thinking of a red-haired cat hissing at him with wide hazel eyes. How adorable.

"...I did not, I offered her help." Hansel said with a roguish smile, "Do you know where she is?" He asked when he noticed that they were walking to a specific path. Gale must know her best friend pretty well.

"If she’s lost, she’ll be staying at the vending machine near the entrance or exit."

"Why?"

"She’s thirsty when she’s nervous." They have arrived at the lounge at the entrance of the library where there is a vending machine. Both of them saw Yanarym looking at the vending machine helplessly.

"Rym!" Gale called her out and she immediately turned her head towards her.

"Gale!" She exclaimed and ran like a kid towards her hugging so tightly. "Gale! I lost my phone, there was a scary man in the library---ecck! OMG!"

"W-what? Why?" Gale panicked when Yanarym shrieked at the hide behind her. She looked at her and noticed she was anxious about something. "What is it, Rym?"

"T-that man... he’s your friend? No! He’s scary! Make him go away, Gale!" Both Hansel and Gale were stunned because of this.

Hansel, who was silently watching Yanarym, smiled at her. He expected her to be comfortable with him yet she acted the other way around. Yanarym immediately shielded herself using Gale’s body. The smile on his face faded, he bit his lips and looked at Gale like trying to ask for help.

"Rym, you had it wrong. Hansel is not like what you think, look, he gave me your phone back when you left it and asked me if I could clear up the misunderstanding between the two of you."

"There’s no misunderstanding Gale, he’s simply scary!"

"...I did nothing wrong, right? Why are you so scared of me?" Hansel interrupted the two, looking directly at Yanarym. She shot him a glare and pulled Gale away from him.

"Do I need a reason to get scared of a spider?!" She yelled childishly then took Gale, ran away, and vanished from his sight.

"... what?" Hansel on the other hand was just dumbfounded. Was he compared to a spider?

"What was that Rym?" Gale asked while laughing. She never saw someone treat Hansel that way. It was also the first time that Hansel was so stupified by someone. It was not a comedy skit but as she recalled Hansel’s expression, she couldn’t stop laughing.

"I don’t know, I don’t like him." She said like a tantrum child while clinging onto her like a koala.

"Oh, the baby has finally hated someone? This is the first." Gale chuckled and muffled Yanarym’s silky hair. As she thought about it again, she laughed out loud. Hansel, the most amicable man she ever knew, was hated by her best friend, Yanarym, who never loathed or was mad at any person. Ironic.

"Stop calling me baby." Yanarym pouted which made Gale laugh even more.

Gale was usually the serious type of person, her smiles and laughs were only reserved for her special persons. Right now, Yanarym is one of the special persons in life. They’ve been friends since childhood, from kindergarten to high school, Gale took care of her like her younger sister even though they are the same age. Literally, they were like family, they were like sisters, they only had each other left.

Yanarym was born out of a silver spoon household and doesn’t know any hardships in life. She was a spoiled kid but she never hurt anyone, she couldn’t even kill a fly. Contrariwise, she was the kid in the class that would please everyone but was still abused and bullied by her classmates. Because she had everything, she gave no value to material things.

Yanarym’s loneliness from her parents’ love, she was trying to fill it by begging for everyone’s attention. With that, she attracted those people who use her loneliness to extort money and expensive things from her. For Gale, Yanarym is a really sweet and lovely girl, yet a very gullible one.

When both of her parents died from a business trip, Gale was worried about her situation. Especially since they are both in college, they have a path that they should take, apart from each other... Yanarym had never experienced how hard life could be, Gale was worried she wouldn’t survive the world without money, and attention on her.

It was a good thing that Yanarym had found a guy that took care of her while Gale couldn’t. Although Gale doesn’t really trust men, it’s been three and half years---almost four years since Yanarym told her about the guy who courted her and became her boyfriend. Gale did not have time to meet him though, but he knew him by name and face. He is one of the famous students at their university, not just popular but also very wealthy. Yanarym didn’t have to think about finding a home or how to feed herself, that was such a relief for Gale.

"Why do you want to meet up anyway?" She became serious after realizing that Yanarym had made an initiation to contact her which was very rare. So, even if it was so sudden, Gale complied.

Yanarym pouted and her expression turned stoic. She loosens the grip of her arms hugging Gale’s arm then bowed her head on the cement continuing to walk.

"Gale, I... think I am a bad person." She said to her. Gale remained unspoken. "You know, Spencer? My boyfriend? I think we are not meant for each other." She added then sniffed. Tears from her eyes started to form.

Gale on the other side listening to them. This kid never opened up to her.