‘The palace screams its silence, as if mourning the loss of the people whom once it resembled eventful for.

Why? As might be the palace screams, the heavy breath of the woman who stands in her place, almost as if she doesn't want to know what she did. The woman slowly walked to the room, which appeared huge and beautiful. The room contains the pictures of a lady, who possesses grace even in her portraits. The woman stared at the lady, admiring her for the very last time.

“Mother…” The woman whispered, it felt like a scream, as she began, “I apologise for everything I did, I never knew it wasn't the thing you expected from me. If you resent me, if you despise me, now. I won't be able to hold myself…” she stopped speaking the moment her heart felt heavy, she sobbed like a little girl apologising to her mother for the mistakes she had made.

But it's different, isn't it?

The woman looked like a fool! Apologising though she knows it wouldn't change a thing, can't bring the dead now. It'll all fall apart, like her. She can never escape her doing, she can never turn back again.

“Run. Run far away, so no one will see you as the villain.”

The voice whispered, The woman knows whose voice is this! It's the lady she considers as her mother, her ideal.

“Will everything be forgiven now?” she asks.

“No. You made a grave mistake. It can never be forgiven. Do you believe I am the person you loved the most that haunts you? I can assure you, I am not your mother, I am you.”

That's when she realised it was not her mother. It was she, herself. Who thoroughly resented herself all along. The voice isn't the palace or her mother. It's her!

She cried, cried until her lungs throbbed, her self-loathe could not be understood by anyone. Her regrets, her bad decisions made her lose everything including herself.

“I don't deserve to live!” She screams, and keeps weeping uncontrollably. The visible stress made her pale, lost in her own mistakes, “Please, please, give me a chance to change, I will correct everything…and will live happily with-” just then she falls to the ground, she is then deceased with a heart attack before she could realise it.

The force with which she fell caused the table beside her to shake, and the candle fell over which was on the table. The curtain instantly seized the fire, it spread throughout the palace like a flame in the wind, the entire palace blaze.

The pitiful misfortune of this palace which once was everything a person could ask. Why? It's the only question to the survivors, who worked at the palace and who are grateful to the people who lived there.

This is the end of the Woman.

She deserved this. Except the only uncertainty is does she really deserve this? Or is there another way around?’

......................

Time flies like the wind. Red Beischel has been in the library for two hours, reading the novel which only has fewer chapters. The missing chapters are very important to know the whole story. However, she slowly closed the book, unsatisfied, and put it in the row of old books on the very last shelf. Without denying, this is the best written novel she ever read, in her opinion. Also, how no one ever read this book except her in the library is also a sign that this book is unknown.

This is annoying, why would you keep a novel which has missing chapters? Also, this story is so good. The book doesn't have the name of the author? How suspicious.

Red thought, The book is totally anonymous, there are no names of the characters. To think of it, the characters' names must have been mentioned in the chapters that are missing, nevertheless, it's still readable. A few times, Red had asked the librarian for the novel’s details, but the librarian refused to. Saying that he himself doesn't know about this and who the author is.

The librarian also settled a rule for that only certain novel, that no one can ever take it. It is the only book that no one knows about, in social media or any platform this novel has no readers.

The original copy is in this library, so if anyone wants to read it, you can read it.

It was very surprising, a novel like this storyline has no readers. But can't blame them, it also has missing chapters. Who'll read something that has a prologue, a few chapters and an epilogue? Makes sense.

It was then when Red Beischel left the library to grab her lunch. Red could swear if Aly ever finds out about Red skipped breakfast so later she can eat lunch, Aly would disown her.

Funny.

Red halted when she witnessed Brahm Presley. She never thought she could see her senior in the street of all places! It's Sunday, and the only face she could see in the best solo moment in her life…was Brahm’s.

What is he doing here?! Oh no, if he sees me, I swear he'd ask me many questions. I wouldn't be lying if I say he's not better than Aly!

Red Beischel's dodging from Brahm Presley isn't the thing that would happen anytime soon, Brahm always found her, no matter wherever she goes. That indeed provoked Red. But since Brahm is her senior she can't complain very much about him. It's when Brahm noticed Red, eventually, she was standing there debating if she should just hide or get along with him. Or might just say ‘Hi’.

“Red Beischel, what a coincidence.” Brahm walks over to her, giving her a mean look. He always has been mean to her, not in a bad way, but rather in a controversial way.

“Hey…”

“Were you trying to avoid me, again?”

“No,” Red laughs it off awkwardly.

“Then why are you sweating?”

Not soon when she realised she was sweating, but it never happened before when she met him. So why now? And most importantly, she's feeling a strange feeling again, it is like a dejà vu.

“Oh, I didn't realise it.”

“Here,” Brahm handed her his handkerchief, convincing her to take it.

“It's okay, I don't need it.”

“I wasn't asking.” He leans in, his gaze fixed to her.

Red’s sweating is not normal, usually she never sweats even in summer until it is extreme, so why now? If Red’s intuition is not wrong, it's the episode again. If it bothers to happen right now, her weakness will be discovered by Brahm Presley. She doesn't want this, not now. Why of all people, it has to be her senior Brahm?

After regretting her decision of not listening to Aly about staying home is paying off. Hesitant at first, Red finally takes the handkerchief, and wipes her off eventually.

Brahm arches a brow, kind of surprised seeing Red Beischel accepting his help, which she never usually does. Red either avoids him or cuts him off with excuses.

“Red.” Brahm speaks, breaking the silence. “Are you feeling well?” the concern dripping.

“I- yes. Yes, I am.”

Please, go away, if I pass out here in front of you, you'll be the one to judge me first!

“Doesn't look like it.” He sighs, taking a deep breath, “stop running away from me, Red.”

Red Beischel's eyes started to blur out of nowhere, she could not separate reality and hallucinations. It's exactly a dejà vu, she heard it somewhere else too! She couldn't recall where. Why does he sound like he said this to Red before as well? So many questions, yet she couldn't find the answers to any of them.

“Red!” A blurry voice screams, she could not escape this. All she wants is for Brahm to be gone, and left her to be. Why would he be concerned for her all of a sudden?

It's just a nightmare, I know it'll go away if I open my eyes, it has to be.

“Red!!!”

“Red! Are you hearing me?! What happened to you?” Brahm asks solely, trying to keep his voice calm as possible, impatiently waiting for an ambulance.

The moment Red Beischel passed out, Brahm called the ambulance right away, it was the first time Brahm Presley witnessed Red's vulnerable side. He's pretty sure Red will regret it later when she opens her eyes. Brahm has always looked up to Red even when she avoided him, he knows what she is capable of. Regardless of his own state, he tried to know more about Red, though he was privileged for his ‘senior’ appearance. That is more than a thing for teasing Red Beischel.

Why did she pass out all of a sudden? Am I that scary? Brahm thought.

The ambulance thoroughly took away Red Beischel after. Brahm had visited Red three times already, waiting for her to gain consciousness. Brahm also had told Aly what had happened to Red in the middle of the street. It surprises Brahm more than Aly finds it usual, he never knew Red suffers from mental episodes.

However, Brahm stayed at the hospital over evening. Until when Aly returns. Though, staying beside Red doesn't bother him. He could stay here forever for as long as it is Red Beischel.

Red was never nice to Brahm for no good reason, although Brahm is acquainted with Aly, she assured Red that Brahm is a trustable person. But when she noticed that Red isn't comfortable, Aly never forced her to be friends with Brahm either. And so, Brahm never questioned their decision. Anyway, Brahm Presley patiently waited for Red Beischel to be awakened. Yet something feels off for Brahm.

...****************...

“How is she now?” Aly asks through the phone call, precisely concerned. Brahm had called Aly a while ago, to inform that Red wasn't fully awake yet. Red passed out due to heat exhaustion and that made her senseless. Aly also will be here in no time, her uneasiness leaps every time she suspects Red’s well-being.

“Do not worry. She's well now, as the doctor said it's not a big issue.” Brahm assured.

“Well? No. I haven't blinked an eye since I got the news! I don't know when I'll get to see her, I am trying every possible way to reach there.” She sighs, “Anyway, Thank you so much, Brahm. If it weren't for you.”

“Don't, I was also worried. So, there's nothing much to be thanked about.” Brahm clarified with a soft smile across his face.

“I am glad. I truly am, Brahm. Only if Red had seen your genuineness,” Aly replied before the silence fell, noticing that she ended the call. Brahm Presley could never remark with a statement Aly made, how could he possibly answer that? When she just reminded him of his weakness? He doesn't blame Aly either, it's an actuality and it shouldn't be hidden. No matter what, it is still something he couldn't face, Red's discomfort is not Brahm's motive if anything.

The air is deliberately cold, it shouldn't be like that. Red felt at sea every time she saw something she should not. The candle. She refused to even think about it, the candle threatened her when she was asleep. When? How? She didn't know the answer, nor did she remember anything after she got her senses back.

The nurses gave some medicines to Red a minute ago, but at first, she refused. Then, when Brahm assured her that Aly is returning, Red can't help but feel excited. She longed for Aly so much that it is not difficult for her to take medicine from someone who isn't Aly, anymore. Red absolutely despised trusting someone who's not Aly, her reason for depending on Aly is quite simple.

At that time when Red’s own parents mistreated her and abandoned her, Aly didn't. Red’s mother's therapist was Aly. After her mother's tragic accident on the way home, Aly took care of Red even though she herself suffered from a financial crisis. Red Beischel's gratefulness towards Aly cannot be described in words.

Aly didn't do any less than any mother would do for their child. For Red, Aly means more than her own mother.

“Thank you.” Red responds, breaking the silence of tension.

Brahm had been sitting on the chair in the room for hours, that bothers Red indeed, but he can't move until Aly returns, neither can he break the trust Aly put into him.

“Anytime.” He replied, “Your behaviour always distressed me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I mean is, what happened to you. You want to tell me by yourself or I'll get to know from Aly anyway.” Brahm confronts.

He definitely knows she wouldn't tell him the actual truth. She'd rather lie, Red had never been opened up by herself, doesn't require even if it's confrontation either.

“Are you pressuring me?” Red snaps, immediately regretting it afterwards.

“No. I only want the truth to be opened up. That only needs your explanation about what has happened to you over the past few days and why you are acting like this.” He finished before his gaze directly pointed at her, “Is it because of my recklessness?”

Red Beischel's eyes widened, again she could feel...though she doesn't know what he meant by recklessness. She can bet she heard it again somewhere else. Every emotional word Brahm says hits in the gut of Red. The environment got cold, it's like feeling something Red desperately resists.

“No.” Red disagreed, “Why would it be your fault? And more than that, you shouldn't have come here in the first place.”

“Why shouldn't I, Red?” Brahm began, “I am doing this for you. I want to help you and to get to know more about you. How long are you going to run? Except you'll get to the edge eventually.” He finishes. The disappointment in his face is clear, he refuses to look at Red anymore, therefore, he leaves the room before anything comes out from Red’s mouth that will hurt him again.

Red Beischel falls silent when she realizes what she had just said. How can she use such words to someone who has saved her life? The regrets crawled up to make her miserable at a point that she could never turn back and ask for forgiveness. However, the only thing disturbing her is the way Brahm Presley speaks so sentimentally. Red's many questions about Brahm that if she had met him before, either way the answer is unknown.

It was imprudent of me to talk that way to him, I will apologise to him when I get to see him again.

“And was I that rude, though? He's more of an…brat.” Red mutters.

At that moment, Brahm Presley was wandering out of the hospital to grab his energy drinks from a store. He had been there for so long, only to get snapped by Red? He determined he will not forgive Red’s behavior.

But what if she has her side of the story? He thought,

So? That doesn't give her the right to talk that way. I know I was actually forcing her to tell me but…

Brahm thought. He could not just force her right, Red’s consent matters. At this point, she will get the wrong idea of Brahm, as she already doesn't like him very much either. When he stepped out of the store his phone buzzed, when he got new text messages from Aly that she safely returned and now she's at the hospital. Brahm’s face beamed reading it, he knows that now when Aly is here again, he can breathe without Red being upset about it.

...----------------...

“I am so sorry, kid,” Aly coaxed, "I shouldn't have left you alone.” Aly reached the hospital in about ten minutes, she hugged Red so immensely that she almost sobbed.

“So, how was your trip with your fifth boyfriend this year?” Red teases Aly with a wink. She knows how to bring the light mood back for her. Anything but Red cannot see Aly being miserable in front of her.

“Funny.” Aly wiped her tears off. Aly left the country for a trip with her boyfriend, of course. She knew Red was fine and reassured that she had gone. However, things eventually went wrong and her guilt for leaving Red alone expanded. “Were Brahm with you? I told him to stay by your side until I return.”

“What…? So, he was here because you told him to be?” Red finishes with a panic in her eyes. “Aly, please help me, I used such words to him, he probably felt bad. I told him to go away…and…” Red sweats.

“Kid. Calm down.” Aly pats her hand in the back of Red’s. “Nothing to worry about, but it'll be great if you apologise to him?”

“Yes, I have to!”

“And he’s very kind, he will definitely forgive you.”

“You wish…”

“Ma’am, Red Beischel is discharged today.” The nurse came in and stated, “And that person who was here last night told me to inform you that he'll be gone now.”

“Who? Oh—” Aly asked.

“He said his name is Brahm Presley.”

“Oh, is he gone now?”

“Yes, Ma'am” After that, the nurse left.

“Aly! He left without telling you? That's rude.” Red complained in frustration.

“Well, he's upset, I can tell. You have to apologize to him when you see him again, okay? Anyway…” Aly sighs, let's go home.” her lips curl into a warm smile. Insisting her to get up, while Red's only concern drifts back to Brahm Presley. How could she possibly show her face with embarrassment beyond regret.

“What if he hates me even more?” Red questions suddenly.

“When did he even hate you, Red? Can you not tell why he's always around you?”

“What?” Red’s cluelessness pisses Aly off, but she's afraid she can't answer her.

“Find that answer yourself.”