When Reng returned home, the house was engulfed in silence and darkness. He exhaled gratefully. He didn’t want to talk to anyone. He just needed to take off his dirty clothes, wash, and sleep. Everything else could wait.
Exhausted, he climbed up to the attic. He pulled off his bloodstained shirt and draped it over the lamp to dim the light. Then, he tried to wash the dirt and blood off himself in a small basin. The cold water chilled his skin as his thoughts spun.
“I was hoping you’d come back sooner.”
He recognized her voice immediately. Startled, he turned and accidentally knocked his elbow against the basin. The tin container crashed loudly to the floor, spilling water over his feet.
Ela was sitting on his bed, her expression glowing with amusement in the dim light. “Well, that was dramatic.”
Reng was speechless. What in the world was she doing here?
“Is someone there? Reng!” Noel’s groggy voice called from downstairs.
“Nothing happened!” Reng replied quickly. “I tripped. Sorry!”
He heard the sound of Noel’s bedroom door closing again, and the tension eased. Turning back to Ela, he saw her casually leaning on her elbows, as if this were her daily entertainment.
Reng took a deep breath. He grabbed his dirty shirt, wiped the wet floor with it, and wrung it out into the basin. Washing was definitely over for the night.
“You’re angry,” Ela said, her voice quiet but clear.
Reng flinched. She moved closer to him, barefoot, wrapped in a robe that barely stayed together. She smelled of anaku and smoke—unmistakable signs she’d come from one of the lively parties she’d loved so much when she lived here. Apparently, she still did.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he muttered, turning away. But it was too late. Her eyes were already fixed on his face.
Ela squinted. “What happened to you, Reng?”
Ignoring his protests, she reached out. Her fingers gently brushed against his face.
He flinched. He didn’t want her to touch him. He didn’t want her pity.
“What happened?” she pressed.
“Nothing,” he answered curtly.
“This isn’t nothing.” Her voice carried a mix of reproach and concern.
Reng stayed silent at first, but he knew Ela would wait all night if she had to. He gave in. “I ran into an idiot who had nothing better to do than pick a fight. Happy now?”
Ela narrowed her eyes but silently pushed him closer to the lamp. The light revealed his injuries in full detail. Her expression darkened, and she pursed her lips in disapproval. “Sit down and wait,” she ordered. Before he could protest, she disappeared.