For The Stars Have Sinned

I stomped into the bar the bartender was talking about earlier. I never thought Tiden would go to such places. He has always not liked to drink alcohol so it is surprising that he is coming here now. If he had a problem, he should have told me.

I quickly got closer to the counter where I could see his bulk in the distance. My eyebrows only met more. I never saw him wasted like this. I think that between the two of them, June has less chance of being wasted.

“Tiden,” I called when I got close to him. But he didn’t even move as he sat down.

I looked at the bartender and handed him an envelope to keep him quiet and he seemed to immediately understand what I meant. I smiled at him before asking for help to carry Tiden to the car that was waiting for us.

Gerard was there waiting while leaning on the hood of the car. He stood up when he saw me with the bartender while leading the drunken Tiden. He quickly approached us and took over leading Tiden.

“Thank you,” I said to the bartender then got into the car following Gerard who put Tiden in the backseat.

“Member of Vine, Miss?” Gerard asked, glancing at the rearview while driving the car away from the bar.

I nodded. “You already know Vine?” I asked, laughing a bit. At first he didn’t know Tiden in the band.

“Miss, Vine is popular now so it’s impossible for me not to know him.”

I was quiet there. By the way, Vine is popular so the bartender probably knows Tiden. But I am thankful that he was not an opportunist and called my number to pick up the drunk. But I can’t help but ask if Tiden did something naughty at the bar while I was gone?

“Where do you want to go, Miss?” asked Gerard.

“Hotel in the city.”

So the car stopped in front of a 5-star hotel owned by one of the famous tycoons in the city. Gerard helped me get Tiden into the unit and put him on the bed.

“This should be enough—”

I stopped speaking when Tiden suddenly grabbed my wrist. I looked at him lying on the bed. His eyes were slightly open but I noticed that he was not looking directly so I knew he was delirious.

Gerard was about to approach but I raised my hand. “Get out first,” I told him.

He looked at me and Tiden for a few seconds before leaving the room. I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. I held his hand and squeezed it lightly.

“Tiden,” I called him. His eyes were still staring at my face so I cleared a throat. “You’re drunk so you spend the night here first.”

“Rishel,” he whispered.

“Hmm?”

“Don’t leave me, Rishel.”

I was stunned by what he said. After a while I smiled softly and caressed his cheek. “Who said I would leave you?”

But he didn’t answer and kept staring at me. This time, he looked straight into my eyes and I didn’t know if he was in his right mind or not. “Go to sleep first,” I urged.

He tightened his grip on my hand while still looking at my face. I helplessly smiled at him. “Do you want to say something? Hmm?”

As I looked at him, I couldn’t help but remember when we were still in high school. He had a fever that night and just like now he wouldn’t let go of my hand. I shook my head while laughing. It’s cute because watching his cute face looks like a child snatching candy if you can look at it.

“Tiden. Let go. You’ve been holding my hand for a while,” I joked to him.

“Rishel, you are so beautiful.” His lips curved into a sad smile. “I hope it’s just me. I won’t hurt you like he did to you. Rishel, you should choose me…”

I looked away and removed his hand that was holding me. I smiled softly at Tiden and bent down to kiss his forehead. “Thank you for considering my feelings, Tiden. But the heart cannot be taught.” I stood up straight and frowned at him. “Good night…” Then I turned and walked out of that room.

“Miss Rishel, your father called. He is sending you home to Boljoon,” Gerard said when he saw me.

I turned for a moment to the closed door before stepping towards my driver. When we left the hotel, I saw someone selling hot food. Gerard bought it for a while before taking me to Boljoon.

I didn’t say goodbye to Levi because I remembered that he himself ordered me to return to Boljoon. I looked out the window where I saw the bright city lights. I knew about my engagement to Lyndon so Papa wanted to send me home to the mansion.

But I was surprised when Gerard suddenly braked. I screamed as my head almost hit the dashboard. Fortunately, I was wearing a seatbelt.

I was surprised to look ahead and saw a car blocking the car I was riding in. My two eyebrows met and frowned. Who is so disrespectful as to suddenly overtake without even giving a signal?!

I was about to get out of the car but Gerard quickly stopped me. I looked at him. “Why?”

He motioned me to put the seatbelt back on and even though I was confused, I followed him. I was shocked when Gerard overtook the stopped car and drove the car away. I was surprised to see him. “What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you notice, Miss?”

“Noticed?”

“The car overtook and stopped in front as if waiting for us to get off.”

“What?” I quickly looked in the side mirror and noticed the same car following our car. My eyes widened. “Is that car following us?”

Gerard’s expression darkened and stepped on the gas. The car sped up, even the tail car sped up too. That’s when I got nervous.

“What’s this? Is there an evil plan behind us?” I asked.

“I don’t know, Miss.” Gerard’s jaw tightened and the car turned onto an unfamiliar road. But the car still followed so it was clear that it was following us. Gerard cursed and looked at my behavior. “Call your father, Miss.”

It was only then that I noticed that I was stuck in my seat and I was having trouble breathing due to the tension. I quickly reached for the phone on the dashboard with my trembling hand. I called Papa but no one answered his number.

I feel colder. “He’s not answering!”

“Calm down, Miss!”

I was in a cold sweat especially when I noticed that the car was about to overtake us. I didn’t know what I was thinking and I called Lyndon.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he answered. “Rishel,” he greeted.

“Hello? Where are you now?!” I asked.

“On my way to fetch you in the city.”

I bit my lower lip and looked in the side mirror where the car was only a few meters away. My hand shook even more nervously.

“Miss, don’t look at the car!” Gerard reminded.

“Y-Yes!” I shouted and closed my eyes.

“What’s happening?” asked Lyndon.

I quickly told him about the car tailing us. I heard his weak voice and he asked what route we were taking. Gerard answered and Lyndon informed him to take an unfamiliar route and he said he would meet us there.

But I screamed when Gerard suddenly braked when a buffalo crossed the road from the front. I caught my breath and tearfully looked at the side mirror. The car stopped and the driver’s seat opened.

Gerard tightened his grip on the steering wheel and locked the car door. He looked at me. “Miss, no matter what happens, don’t get out of the car.” He pointed to the buffalo slowly crossing the road. “When the buffalo has passed —”

He didn’t finish what he was saying because someone suddenly hit the car window. I screamed and cried. There was a crack in the glass of the driver’s seat window and that’s when I recognized the face of the person who was tailing us.

Rei. He was smiling and even though the window of the car was tinted it was as if he knew where I was sitting, because after he hit the glass of the driver’s door window with a stone he went around the front and stood on the side of the passenger door. He knocked on the mirror.

I saw him saying something that I couldn’t hear but I kept looking at his face in fear. I felt bad and I covered my mouth when I suddenly threw up because of the tension.

“Miss!” Gerard called and immediately took out a paper bag containing the food he bought for me earlier.

I took out what I ate earlier and slowly leaned my head on the headrest.

Gerard looked evilly at Rei who was still smiling outside the passenger door. “Miss, stay here.”

“Wait a minute –”

But it was too late because he got down from the driver’s door and immediately closed it. I was left alone in the car. I just watched how Gerard talked to Rei and I just saw Rei hit Gerard on the head. My driver swerved off the road.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I got a mouthful again and vomited. I bowed down for a few minutes and when I looked up, I just screamed when I saw Rei’s face smiling at me.

He was sitting on the hood of the car and looking straight into my eyes.