Chapter 71 – Running
Next day,
Coming to work at the farm as usual, Mason notices a group of people gathered around the bulletin board.
It was unusual for so many workers to gather like today because it doesn’t usually take a lot of content.
The moment you head to the bulletin board without thinking about it.
Someone notices her approach and taps the shoulders of her co-workers around her.
One by one, they turn their heads and look at Mason, and soon all the eyes of the dozen people gathered on the bulletin board fall on Mason.
Some show discomfort, some show sympathy, and some show complex expressions.
One by one, they slowly make way for Mason, and she walks to the bulletin board to check the new announcement this morning.
〈 notice 〉
After investigating the safety accident that occurred the previous day, the following disposition is issued.
Treatment support for injuries of Derek, a party to the safety accident.
1 month salary reduction due to negligence in management supervision to the manager who ordered the work with the risk of safety accident.
Attended an interview with the manager for a thorough investigation and investigation of Mason, the party involved in the safety accident.
Only then does Mason realize the reason for her gaze, which was fixed on him. She slowly turns her head away from the bulletin board and looks at the people who look away hurriedly.
When one of them comforts her by saying that she will be fine with a worried expression, she just says thank you with an expressionless face.
Everyone hurriedly moved to their seats for an upcoming meeting, just as Mason was about to hit her feet as well.
“Miss Mason.”
When I turned my head to look at her, the manager was standing there. He came over to her with her weary expression on her face and opened her mouth.
“I have to have an interview about yesterday’s work. Come with me.”
At his words, Mason nods her head and she follows him. As she moves away from the people her inquiry started and heads for her counseling office, her manager’s hand grabs her.
As she looks at him in her puzzlement, her face turns to look at her with a serious expression. A bit of cold sweat broke out on her forehead, and she could see him, a look of nervousness evident on her face.
“Hey, Miss Mason. From now on, you have to go inside and tell the truth as much as possible about what happened yesterday.”
I felt a little suspicious of his trustworthiness. Yesterday, I told the truth, but what’s the difference today? She just wanted the day to pass as quickly as possible.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.
“Ah.”
I sat with my desk in front of me and facing the door.
“… Didn’t you tell me I was inside?”
Under these circumstances, a woman she never imagined would see in a moment like this.
“… That’s rude.”
She looked at her with the look on her face that she once thought had her beautiful, always graceful smile.
“Sin, sorry! Stop before I have time to stop… !”
The manager’s flustered excuses gradually fade away. A ringing sound like tinnitus fills my ears, and suddenly Lee looks at the woman, forcing himself to feel dizzy.
Fine black hair like silk.
The two purple eyes shone like amethyst and were far deep.
A smile still hung on her lips, but it didn’t feel as soft or warm as before.
In that moment, something I had forgotten, no, something I wanted to forget.
As if bursting her dam that was holding her back, it turned into a gushing tide and hit her.
She had to give all her strength not to be swept away by the vertigo that overtook her, and her body began to tremble accordingly. Chills ran down her spine, and perspiration was palpable.
She smiled and opened her mouth, her purple eyes shining like a snake before her prey.
“Miss Mason.”
The moment she calls herself by her name, her spirit returns. There was something irresistible about her words. She was so cool and sharp and cold at the same time that I wondered why she hadn’t noticed until now.
Mason hurriedly sat down on her chair, and forced her fingers to stop tearing off the ends of her chair, unable to overcome her uneasiness.
I tried to calm her down, saying that it was okay, that it was simply her investigation due to her safety accident, but her memories, which had already begun to come back, bothered her.
She somehow shakes off this insecurity and comforts herself. It’s okay. It’s simply an inner insecurity that you’ve nurtured yourself.
But her body doesn’t think so. As if a single person’s gaze were like thousands of needles, she felt pain just by going through her body and wanted to scream to run away right away.
How could I have forgotten you
At one point, memories of what she thought were simply grandiose delusions she had when she was having a hard time hug her body. Isabella may have done what she did with Lucia, with Ciana…
Siana.
Oh my god.
Siana.
What was I doing?
Her shock hits Mason, as if her whole body has been beaten. Memories I had completely forgotten about. The conversation she and Cianna had in front of Isabella in the cold winter slowly raised its head.
Cold sweat starts to rain, and Mason’s hands start tearing at the side of her chair.
Suddenly, the sound of screams made by fingernails caught in fibers resonated in everyone’s ears.
“Hey, Miss Mason?”
He thought he had somehow patched together the wounds he had received from Shiana and the world that had been shattered by her absence. Even though he was hurt and hurt by the pieces, he thought he had managed to return to his original state.
“I, Mason… Sheep?”
How did you come up with that idea? I couldn’t find the broken piece of Cyana again.
“… Your complexion is not very good?”
Because of her selfishness that she didn’t want to feel guilty, and because of her irresponsible childlike mind, she gradually forgot the existence of Sianna in her memories.
I tried to pursue happiness somehow within the small protective shield I created with Lucia, a thin, soap bubble-like protective film.
He wasn’t a well-rounded person.
“… Let’s go.”
Startled by the sharp command tone, she shuddered and suddenly raised her head. But Isabella’s face was not facing her.
Only then, the manager, who was examining her face anxiously, caught her eye.
“Yes? That, but… As a former manager, it is my duty to observe this interview…”
“Should I say it twice?”
At the words of Isabella, who at once ignored the protests the manager stuttered and struggled with, the manager hurriedly lowered his head and headed outside.
I wanted to yell at her not to go, not to leave Isabella alone with me, but Mason’s mouth was locked in fear and she just wouldn’t open it.
Only silence remained with the sound of the door closing. In a room where only Isabella and herself were left alone, she found it difficult to even breathe.
Isabella got up from her seat and started coming towards her.
She averted her gaze and began shaking her body. Again, each sound of footsteps drew closer, her fingernails digging more furiously into the fibres.
Again.
Took.
Again.
Toduk-, tok.
Again.
Tuduk, tuk, tuk-
I can feel her presence right in front of her. Isabella slowly leaned over and placed her mouth on Isabella’s ear.
“… Did you notice?”
Just four letters were enough to mess with Mason’s brain.
What the hell
The relationship between you and Siana? That you laid her hand on Lucia the way you did Ciana? Maybe you intentionally separated me and Cyana? What the hell what? What?
It was Isabella’s arms that suddenly wrapped around her body that stopped the rush of thoughts and delusional speculation. She was so flustered that her hands froze as they were destroying the fabric of her chair.
“Sister, why did I send that person away? I’m at ease! Why are you so frozen?”
It was the voice of the Isabella she knew, cheerful and soft as before.
For some reason, I couldn’t feel even a handful of warmth in her hugs and warm words.
“Sister, you don’t have to worry about what happened this time. Because I’ll take care of everything. So, open your shoulders and look at your face.”
As Isabella’s hand lifted her chin, her head naturally followed, and Isabella’s expression on her face changed to her concern.
“Sister, how are you these days? Why are you so skinny? My God, why is your skin so damaged?”
As she said that, she felt Isabella’s hand caressing her face lightly. Mason forced her motionless mouth to vomit her words out.
“… Eyes, did you notice… What do you mean?”
Isabella’s laughter stops. For a very, very brief moment.
“What do you mean I sent that person out to make you feel comfortable?”
To Isabella’s reply with her pure expression, Mason nodded her head. That was all she could do.
Even though there are so many things I want to ask and question.
Fearing that she will find out the truth she did not deny, she curls up on her tail and runs away.
Isabella continued her story. She doesn’t have to worry But I don’t think the manager said that his complexion is pale is not a lie.
“Your sister seems to need some stability right now. Now, anyone can see that she looks bad.”
Mason shook her head at her words to think of it like a vacation, saying that she would give her a probation for a while as her punishment.
Even while feeling so disgusted with himself and so afraid of Isabella.
Without work, I fear that the meaningless days waiting for Lucia would pass more slowly.
“Oh, no. Are you okay… I can go to work tomorrow…”
She tried to bring it up somehow, but Mason hastily shut her up.
Because Isabella’s face, which had been full of laughter until just now, had a cold expression on her face.
“Sister.”
Red lips opened, and a low, sweet voice spoke.
“My sister is sick right now. Why do you abuse her body like that?”
Mason kept her silent, as her voice sounded bleak, like the croaking of a snake she knew.
“What, are you waiting for something?”
Her body froze at Isabella’s words. The moment her thoughts are about to wander once again at the words that sound like she knows something about her.
“Oh, is it because of the salary? Hey, why are you worried about that, sister! I’ll take care of everything!”
Seeing Isabella wink at her saying that, Mason forced her to nod.
Then Isabella patted her palm lightly, and as soon as she told her to go back and get her rest, she instinctively got up, since she didn’t look too good today.
The moment she opened the door with her trembling hands at the sound of her body screaming to get out of here as quickly as possible, even for a moment.
“… Me, that Isabella?”
“Yes?”
Feeling guilty for holding onto her toes, Mason swallowed her dry saliva and looked back at her.
“Chi, how are you, Siana?”
Isabella smiled at her question. Pity, and a smile that comes out of understanding the other person but at the same time reluctant to talk about uncomfortable things.
“… It’s a lot better. If… “
Isabella’s eyes were fixed on Mason’s.
“… I want to meet you?”
Contrary to the lines drawn around her mouth, her eyes are not smiling at all.
Before Mason could properly connect her thoughts, her body was already opening the door.
One trembling step, one step, staggered with difficulty, and left the farm.
Away from the farm, her staggering became a quick gait,
She ran so fast that she was out of breath all the way to her chin.
She was running away From Isabella, from Cyana, from guilt and fear.
After falling several times, she got back up and ran like a madman again. Even though her clothes were soiled and her palms were bruised, she ran unconcerned.
Arriving home, she caught her breath. All she could do was catch her breath as she struggled with the pain in her body, which began to appeal to her weakened stamina and the sudden disappearance of tension.
Tears flowed from her eyes, and she groaned as she felt the stinging pain in her throat.
I missed Lucia so much.
To the point where it could be said that she had nothing left, she needed Lucia.
Please.
I miss you.
I need you
When the Friday that seemed like it would never come came back.
Mason received a letter from Lucia, saying that she will have to stay at the store for a while, expressing her apologies.
