Under The Veil of Night

Hospital

"Sis, eat more," Laura beckoned for her sister to eat.

Kanae smiled wryly. "Laura, I already eat three bowls ever since I wake up. Don’t you worry that I’ll overeat?"

"You have a bottomless stomach, Sis."

Kanae: "..."

Seeing that Kanae didn’t seem to be willing, Laura put the plate away. Her eyes scanned her sister’s shoulder, wondering if it was fine or not. The doctor said that Kanae would heal fast, but she was still rather worried.

Flick!

"Stop gazing at me," Kanae chuckled, her arm was outstretched towards Laura’s forehead. "Don’t tell me that you have fallen in love with me too."

"Sis! That’s not funny," Laura pouted.

"A certain girl often tells me in the past how she will fall in love with me if I’m a guy, so I have been wondering if it’s the same with you," Kanae grinned.

"Go to hell! I’ll never fall in love with you."

"That’s harsh."

"Don’t joke about something like that, Sis. It sends shivers to me," Laura puffed her cheek. Honestly, she did fall in love with her sister in the past occasionally because of her rascally and cool attitude, but she would never admit it. After all, it was merely one occasion because Kanae sometime was too cool.

Even cooler than most of guys her age that she met.

Kanae laughed. "Alright, alright, just stop worrying so much about me. I won’t die so easily."

"You always say that to me, Sis. I just want you to stay safe," Laura sighed.

"I know," caressing the girl’s cheek, Kanae smiled slightly. Her eyes noticed the troubled expression that Laura occasionally showed. "Is there anything you want to ask me, Laura?"

"Sis, about our parents..." Laura started as she felt that her throat suddenly turned dry. It was so hard to push the words out of her mouth. "Do you know that the Ryukalin Clan is the one behind it?"

Kanae gazed at Laura for a few seconds. Seeing that Laura was looking troubled, she opened her mouth and asked.

"Who told you that?"

Laura’s eyes widened as she stared at her sister in disbelief. Did it mean that her sister already knew about this matter? The calm that her sister showed made her felt even more troubled.

"It’s Kevin, he’s telling me this when you’re still sleeping."

Kanae creased her brows when she heard the name that Laura mentioned. Her hand gripped the blanket in front of her as she weighed her option. Should she tell Laura about the truth?

"Do you want to know the truth?" she asked slowly.

"Is that not everything, Sis?"

"No, it’s not," Kanae replied.

Laura took a deep breath. Staring back at her sister’s eyes, she nodded her head solemnly. "Please tell me the truth."

"I just have one request."

"What is it?"

"Don’t you ever tell this to anyone," Kanae gazed at Laura’s eyes solemnly.

"I won’t." she was not crazy enough to divulge a secret matter to the outsider.

"Before that, I’m sorry, Laura."

Laura was startled when Kanae suddenly apologized. "What?"

Kanae didn’t answer to the last question and started to tell the story to Laura, the truth that was hidden for years from her. By the time Kanae was finished, she understood why her sister apologized to her.

...

Kanae lied down on her bed as she gazed at the ceiling. She never wanted to tell this to her sister because it would be hard to bear. However, she didn’t have any choice right now. It would be better for Laura to know the truth because it would allow the girl to understand the matter better.

They were different from the other victims in that incident.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in," Kanae said.

The door opened, and Kevin walked inside. His eyes were scanning the girl on the bed worriedly. Seeing her countenance was still the same as before, he felt relieved. Moving towards her bed, he inspected her condition closely.

"Are you alright?"

Kanae nodded her head cheerfully. "As you can see, I’m safe and sound."

Kevin could see that she was still rather cheerful. In addition, her complexion was not bad at all. He thought that Laura would tell her about what he said to her, did that girl didn’t do it?

"I’m sorry," Kevin muttered out in a low tone. His eyes reflected the girl in front of him painted with an expression of guilt.

Kanae looked back with a confused expression. She already told him over and over that it was not his fault. Why did he continue to apologize?

Her hand slowly reached out towards Kevin’s cheek. Since he was standing near her bed, her hand managed to reach him. "Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault."

"I..." Kevin started. He paused for he didn’t know what he should say. His eyes locked at the girl’s face as he sighed in remorse. "It’s partially my fault. I’m the one involving them in this matter."

"Don’t blame yourself. It was never your fault."

Seeing the kind smile on Kanae’s face caused his heart to crush completely. Even now, she still cared about his wellbeing while he was the one who placed her in this situation. Not only that, he was the one who caused her life to shatter in the very first place.

"I’m sorry."

"Didn’t I tell you not to apologize?" Kanae felt rather annoyed by now.

Kevin shook his head lightly. "Not for this one but for the past."

"The past?"

"Yes... I’m the target of the fight that caused your parent’s death."

Kanae’s eyes widened. Seeing her shocked expression, Kevin put a poker face, yet his heart was thumping loudly. He had thought in his head countless reactions from Kanae. Right now, he was bracing himself for whatever reaction she would give.

On the other hand, Kanae was shocked. She had heard from Laura that Kevin blamed himself for the incident. However, she never thought that he would be apologizing to her too. Even if it was Kevin who was the target of the attack, he was simply one of the poor victims in that incident.

"I... No... I mean... you’re not the one at fault," Kanae stuttered in her answer.

"Indirectly, I make your parents died."

"It’s their fault, not you," Kanae answered back.

Kevin’s raised his hand and caressed Kanae’s head. "You’re right to blame me. No one knows who shoot who that day."

Seeing his action like this, Kanae got the feeling that Kevin wanted her to blame him. He was carrying the burden for long and would only feel better if she lashed out to him. Because after they cleared out all of the hidden information, they could accept things better.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t blame him for what he didn’t do.

"No, it’s not your fault. I’m in the square that day, and I see the incident clearly."

Kanae’s word caused Kevin’s body to stiffen in shock.

"What... did you say?"

"I’m in the square that day when the incident happened, so I see everything that happened. That day, there’s another target aside from you and your father."

Kevin stared back to Kanae in bewilderment. His mind recalled the girl he saw on that place back then. There was a girl who lost both of her parents that day, a little girl that he would never be able to forget no matter what.

Recalling the girl’s appearance when she loosened her hair before, Kevin finally realized when he had seen her before. It was precisely on the day when he lost his parents. He had met her that day.

No way...

The two of them stared at each other as they recalled the past that they had buried inside their heart.