castle runaway. ᵈᵒⁿᵍʰʸᵘᶜᵏ

FIFTY FIVE

Monique's POV

We came back inside after Haechan pulled away from the hug. We finished up our lunch and gave the empty plates to Gretel. She proceeded on washing the dishes while Hansel showed us to our rooms for the days to come.

I examined the room Haechan and I were going to stay. There are two beds and were placed near the walls separately. There was a bathroom in the left and the lighting was just fine. "I think this would do." Haechan commented and we went inside.

"Hey, Monique," I turned around and looked at Hansel. "Yes?" He rubbed his nape, sighing. "I am sorry about.. earlier. I was just kidding but I think you are very sensitive about what happened to you." He said guiltily.

"Apology accepted, but my past is not to be made fun of. I nearly died because of it." I replied sharply and slowly closed the door. I heaved a sigh and placed my bag on top of the bed on the left, the one near the bathroom.

"Do you like it?" I looked at Haechan and raised a brow for clarification. He repeated the question. "Yes," I replied and smiled. I dropped myself on the bed and breathed the divine scent of the sheets. "I think I am going to sleep because of how comfortable this is."

He chuckled lightly. "You can. It was quite a long journey. I am sure they won't mind." Haechan came over and patted my hair softly. I smiled and pouted. "I will take a nap now." I said and dozed off.

•••

Haechan's POV

I looked at Monique who was now asleep. She was now snoring quietly and I chuckled to myself upon seeing her. While she was sleeping, I put my clothes inside the closet beside my bed. I let myself be busy with unpacking.

I was zipping my empty bag shut when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." I said, placing the bag at the bottom of the closet. The door opened to reveal Gretel. "Oh, hey, Toot. Mind if I get a hair sample of Monique?"

"I will get it myself." I replied and went over next to Monique. There was a stray strand on top of her face and I decided to take it. Wrapping the hair around my hand, I was staring at her while doing so. My lips curled up because of how she looked.

I tugged at the strand and it went off of her scalp. She didn't wake up nor wince at the pain so I immediately handed Gretel the hair sample. She grinned gratefully. "Thanks. We are going to conduct tests today and search for similar DNA's tomorrow."

I nodded understandingly. "That's fine. I'm sure Monique would be willing to wait as long as she will know who her real parents are. Thanks for helping out, Gret." She waved her hand. "No problem. You should rest, too." She said before leaving.

Since I was done unpacking and I was not feeling slumberous, I decided to take a walk outside, just alone in my thoughts. So I did that. I took a glance at Monique and when I saw that she was okay, I slipped out of the room quietly and went outside.

"Hey, Gret, Hans, I'll be in the woods for a while. Tell Monique if she wakes up when I am not back yet. I will be quick." I told my mentors as I continued on to the woods. I am well aware of the woods near their house so I was alright.

I placed my hands inside my pants' pockets and looked at the same trees. They didn't change at all. Just as I left them when I was twelve. This is the same forest where I trained to be what I am now.

My mind went to the topic that I want to think about in here; Monique. It's just.. she makes me feel a bit overwhelmed and some other things related to that. It is hard to describe. The feeling isn't familiar to me and it's so strange that I am afraid it might be Evil and would consume me soon.

But the emotion is fluttery and rather makes me happy. Her smiles meant so much to me than it were before. The simple conversations we had sends my heart into a frenzy roller coaster.

I sighed, realizing that my throat was getting tight because of all the thoughts that were filling up inside my head. "If this is what love feels like, then is it Good or Evil?" I whispered to myself.

Just the picture of Monique inside my head had my heart ramming on my chest. I closed my eyes, feeling like my heart was being gripped.. in a good way, I guess? Before long, I was smiling like a complete idiot.

"Oh, fudge!" I groaned when Hansel fell off a tree. "I said I wanted to be alone. This is called invasion of privacy, you old hag." I grumbled while he stood on his feet. "I know! I know. But, I kind of heard what you said and oh my God, indeed you love her."

I raised a brow, trying to play dumb. "Uhm, who?" Hansel walked to me with a wide smirk on his face, clearly teasing me about what I said earlier. "You know, Monique. The girl you took with." I grinned mentally from the mention of her name but physically shrugged.

"I do not know what you are talking about," I also hit myself inside my head because of randomly smiling and whatever. I'm being so ridiculous. I'm just confused. "I should probably go to the other side so you won't intervene me with my thoughts again."

Hansel chuckled. "Okay, I promise not to follow you this time. I will let you be." I rolled my eyes and walked away from him. Man, he pisses me off sometimes. The most when he asked Monique of being a liar or not. That made my blood boil.

After a few walks, I stopped near a tree and climbed up on a branch. I sat there and went back in my messy thoughts. There are a lot to think about but I don't know why. I covered my face with my hands and exhaled.

"Is it really this frustrating when in love?" I slapped myself for real this time. "Why are you assuming that it is love? Maybe it's just the need to take care of her or you seriously want to protect her and you are just over thinking." I told myself.

My heart did not agree to what I just said. I bit my lower lip and fiddled with my fingers. I need someone to talk to who has experienced something like this. Thinking of this all alone is a bad idea.

"Hey," I looked at my right and saw that it was Hansel again. I expected him. "I know I was not supposed to follow you, but I think you might need some help about your problem." He said and sat beside me on the branch.

"Yeah, I need your help with this one," I have to be honest with him. "I really don't understand what this is—"

"Love." I raised a brow and looked at him. "What?" He smiled at me and fixed his gaze at the horizon. "What you are feeling for her is love. The butterflies in your stomach, the way she makes you smile for no reason, her laughter and presence brightens you; that's love."

All the things he described is what I felt when I think about Monique or when I see her. "Really? It's too good to be true." I commented. "Mmh, yes. At first it feels like that, but you will get used to it. Maybe she has the same feelings for you." He stated.

I shrugged. "I don't know. She really liked that Mark though." I said and sensed jealously in my own voice. I pinched my arm to keep myself away from those envious thoughts and hugged my knees.

"Would you risk everything for her?" Hansel suddenly asked. He looked at me and smiled. "Would you?"

I did not even hesitate to reply. "I would."

"Why?" He questioned again.

"She is worth the risk." I answered truthfully. Hansel has that humble smile with him now, meaning he's not playing around anymore. "Then, do you love her?"

"I do," Saying that lifted up such a heavy feeling in my heart. I am honest with myself. I smiled and repeated it again..

"I love her."

•••