They stood at an impasse for some time after which the fortune-telling woman's words echoed in his mind.
'The answers you seek lie in her. If you stretch your hand towards her, you might be able to see what you cannot right now.'
His black eyes were peering into hers, who he felt shine brighter with the warm sunlight falling over her. At this moment, he could think less about finding his answers as he basked in those joyful memories he shared with her in their childhood.
His heart crippled with sorrow and anguish with the past life's memories haunting him. But as he recalled Shui's cries from the voices he had heard because of the golden clock, a tinge of helplessness and uncertainty equally gripped him.
On her side, Shui wanted to leave since she was well aware that Jin hated her sight. But she was really curious about the cat after whom Jin came chasing too. The cat had been staring at her with big light brown eyes, nudging her head in her palm.
In the end, Shui decided against her curiosity, not wishing to make Jin uncomfortable.
"Thank you...Shui."
Her gaze jerked towards Jin in disbelief.
Did he speak to me?
Jin faced her and said again. "Thank you. That day when I suddenly collapsed...you helped me out and...stayed back in the condo to look after me."
She froze.
He rubbed his hands together. "I didn't thank you properly for your help."
Shui stared at his expression which was mixed with gratitude but also something else that she couldn't point a finger at. But it was the first time in months that she felt Jin's voice to be so gentle towards her. Her vision blurred for a moment, but she quickly snapped out of it.
"O-oh yeah...don't mention it. It was what any friend would do," she quickly replied.
A strong gust of wind blew and it entangled a small leaf from the air atop Shui's hair. Jin naturally saw it and wondered if he should shrug it off himself or tell her about it.
"The cat...?"
Her question broke his train of thought, and he looked back at her. "She is not mine."
She blinked. "I know. That's why I was wondering why you were chasing after a cat."
*Meow*
Shui looked down, and her heart melted with the cat's adorable paws reaching out to touch her chin. Her furry body was soft to cuddle. "Your eyes really do...feel like Ai's right?"
*Meow*
Jin's expression turned sour with that comment, which Shui noticed too. "You still...don't like Ai?"
"...She is fine," was the compliment he could bestow upon Ai atmost.
Shui's brow twitched.
He was never so salty when I dated Jun. What did Ai do to traumatize him so much?
She let that thought go and asked again. "How did you find this cat?"
"She is some grandma's cat I met. We were talking. Then that grandma suddenly took off when I was talking to Dad on call, and I was left alone with the cat," his countenance darkened again but this time because of the fortune-telling woman. "I didn't know what to do with her, so I brought her with me to the office."
He then stiffened, realizing that he babbled in the flow, and now he was aware of the cliff between him and Shui once again.
Shui could imagine everybody's reaction when they would have seen Liu Jin coming to the office carrying a cat in his arms. That was definitely a sight to behold. She cleared her throat, trying her hardest not to leak her smile.
"If you..." she said with a little hesitation, "if you don't know what to do with her, then why not let her stay at Jun's condo for sometime? You remember there is another cat with them, right?"
Jin could never forget the cat with the dark brown eyes too similar to Jun's who had helped him with his way out of that memory lane.
"I think they won't mind having another cat for some time. Jun and Ai would also be more experienced to take care of her."
Jin looked away. "That suits me..."
The air was quiet once again.
Shui then said, "I-I will leave. I have to complete the draft so..."
But Jin, who had been staring at the leaf entangled in her hair, slowly reached out his hand towards her. He shrugged off the leaf, making Shui stiffen. This was the first time that Jin not only initiated talking to her but also touching her out of his own accord. His fingers brushed against her forehead, making her breath stop.
W-what is happening...?
She remained frozen by his gesture and waited for him to explain. But she noticed he hadn't moved his hand even after several seconds had passed. She lifted her gaze and found his expression to be odd.
"Jin?"
Her voice couldn't reach Jin because the moment he touched her, the surroundings beside him took a sharp change. It wasn't the Liu Corps or the balcony anymore where he stood opposite Shui.
Instead it was another part of the city where he saw Shui walking towards her destination with tears in her eyes. Her body seemed to tremble, and he felt the fear and dread seeping out of her aura.
What is this...? He questioned himself tremblingly with the change in scenery.
She walked with hasty steps as if time was running out. Finally she breathlessly reached an abandoned house.
"Jun!" She exclaimed. "Jun, where are you? Where is Jun!?" she cried hard. "Where are you? Come forward! You...how dare you kidnap Jun!?"
Jin's eyes ever so slowly widened amidst her questions.
Kidnapped? When was Bro...
"Where is Jun!? Tell me! What the hell were those pictures of Jun...u-unconscious!?"
"He is fine. For now." Another voice responded to her with a chuckle in her tone.
As Jin looked towards the incoming figure, his lips parted upon seeing Guiying approaching Shui.
Cai Guiying?
"Cai Guiying!" Shui's face flushed with hatred and anger. "Why would you do this!? Answer me!"
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶