Chapter 4 - We Will Meet Again

Him.

Every second of my life... was about him.

Every breath I took... was for him.

I have to survive.

If life was kind enough to let me meet him in real,

to bring me this close,

Then now,

It’s my turn.

I have to make it happen.

—

I lifted my head slightly, forcing my blurry vision to focus.

The street.

The shops.

The signs.

Anything.

If he walked through here... then he must live nearby.

He has to.

He can’t be far.

—

My injured paw dragged against the ground as I moved.

Pain shot through it with every step.

Warmth.

I needed warmth.

I slipped under a parked car, curling my small body beneath it. The engine had just stopped, heat still lingered, wrapping faintly around me.

It helped.

Just a little.

—

My thoughts drifted again.

To him.

His face.

His words.

Clear. Sharp. Unforgiving.

—

“Rhea, you think crying and being clingy will get my attention? I told you to grow up. Be an adult. You’re a child in an adult body.”

—

I let out a weak breath.

I remembered.

—

I talked back to him, rolling my eyes.

“You’re an adult in a monster body.”

—

He corrected me too fast.

“No. You’re wrong.”

“I’m a monster in an adult body. I don’t have a monster body.”

—

…

A faint, broken laugh escaped me.

Even my insult... he corrected it.

—

He was my mentor.

He never let a single mistake pass.

Not even that.

—

Yeah...

Sometimes I called him a monster.

Because he was so strict.

So cold-hearted.

Like nothing could ever soften him.

—

“Master...”

A weak sound slipped out.

—

My eyes slowly closed.

Then forced themselves open again.

Not yet.

I can’t stop here.

—

“Master... this time, I really do have a monster body.”

“This small helpless body...

I can’t even reach you...”

—

Memories.

They came rushing back, one after another.

All our chats.

Two years.

Every word.

—

He was there.

When I was at my lowest.

When I thought about ending everything, because of my ex, Sen.

The threats.

The blackmail.

Never letting me live peacefully.

—

And then...

Him.

An online stranger.

Someone who should have meant nothing.

Yet cared more than anyone else.

More than my own siblings.

—

He stayed.

He kept talking to me.

Listening.

Correcting me.

Supporting me.

Pulling me back when I was about to fall.

—

He made me stop.

Stop those stupid thoughts about dying.

—

Somewhere along the way...

I fell in love with him.

I adored him.

—

No matter how strict he was.

How cold.

How harsh his words sounded.

Even when he scolded me,

I read every message with joy.

—

Because it was him.

—

But he was always... distant.

Mysterious.

I never knew his real name.

Never knew where he lived.

—

I didn’t ask.

I didn’t want to push him away.

—

All I had was his in-game name.

His Discord name.

—

That was enough.

I thought it was enough.

—

Until...

One day

After being a "good girl" for a while

I asked his photos.

As a reward.

And he gave them to me.

A few.

Just enough.

—

I held onto those images like something precious.

Memorized them.

Every detail.

Every expression.

—

…

—

My thoughts searched deeper.

Pushing through every memory.

Anything that could help.

—

Then

A small memory clicked.

—

He said it once.

Casually.

Like it didn’t matter.

—

He walked to work.

Because his house was close.

My eyes widened slightly.

Even in this weak body.

—

That means,

He was going to work.

That’s why he walked so fast.

—

Which means,

—

He’ll come back from work.

—

My heart started pounding.

Fast.

Too fast.

—

In a few hours...

He would walk this way again.

"Master, we will meet again."

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