(Chapter - 30)

  [A Seed of Doubt]

  Asroy looks at Mehaki with a bothered expression.

  Asroy : Thank us later! We haven’t taken care of Obhoy yet. More importantly, I have so many things to ask. I'm feeling too many emotions at once!

  Mehaki : Say one at a time.

  Asroy : Okay… Where did you meet Shomoy? And how?

  Mehaki : Yesterday, on my way home from Miraz Monjil, I met him on the street. He actually approached me first. I was already annoyed so I didn’t really talk to him much. He was probably looking for you. But I shut him down after realizing he was from the Newaz family.

  Asroy : Ahh… Dammit.

  He mutters slowly. Mehaki feels a bit guilty for not paying attention to what Shomoy was saying.

  Karu : Don't worry, chances are high that you’ll meet him in the city. Don't be upset.

  Tushar : Yeah, cheer up.

  Mehaki : I'm sorry… At that moment, I thought every Newaz descendant was my enemy... But that's not true. Not all Newaz descendants are bad. Like you, for example.

  Asroy's face gleams.

  Mehaki : For now, I think my enemy who's from the Newaz family is your younger brother Obhoy.

  Asroy : To think you'd end up being his next target… Ugh, it's pissing me off.

  Mehaki : By the way, Asroy… What if the boy who ruined all of your lives was… Obhoy?

  Asroy : Huh? No, that's not possible. The boy who went after Karu and Tushar had yellow hair, but Obhoy does not. Besides, how could he travel so fast from Batashnogor to Joldighiya District, Himanikul, and Nokshikunjo District?

  Mehaki : Joldighiya District?

  Tori : Yes, that's where Srotosshima City is.

  Mehaki : Oh. *So Tori is from the Joldighiya District…*

  Tushar : But the wind forest is a way, remember?

  Asroy : Then what will you say about the hair?

  Tushar : That's…

  Karu : Forget me and Tushar, there's a chance that Obhoy went to Srotosshima.

  Asroy : At the age of 5? I don’t believe that.

  He says that, but in his mind, Karu's words stir doubt within him. The confidence in his voice becomes lower.

  Asroy : …Why would he go to harm you all? I mean, he had no reason to.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  His eyebrows tense up. Tori, Karu and Tushar glance at each other. Mehaki tries to put things together in her head.

  Mehaki : *Our doubt even made Asroy think! He's not protesting it strongly. He's unsure himself. That means there's a high possibility Obhoy was the boy behind the tragedy in Tori's life as well! But…*

  She looks at Tushar and Karu.

  Mehaki : *Who was responsible for Karu and Tushar then? Someone else but similar to Obhoy?*

  Tori sighs from seeing all of them pressuring themselves so much.

  Tori : Listen… I don’t think burdening ourselves with it right now would help. Since we don’t know about it for sure, our present goal should be to stay beside one another. So we won’t become vulnerable to Obhoy. And of course, hide Mehaki's identity.

  Karu : That's right. Since Obhoy is in the city now, you have to be more careful.

  Asroy’s troubled gaze doesn’t soften.

  Mehaki : Hey, I think I should go home now.

  Tori : Yeah, it's already been a while.

  Karu : Yes, return home before it gets dark. You shouldn’t stay out for too long now.

  Mehaki : Hmm. See you all tomorrow.

  Karu : Yes, go safely.

  Tushar : See you at school, Inufa!

  Asroy : Oh-yeah, bye…

  Mehaki walks to the door of the room, Tori hurriedly comes out after her.

  Tori : Mehaki, let me drop you off at home.

  Mehaki : Huh? No. There's no need!

  Tori : It's fine. I can go-

  Mehaki : I’ll be okay. Obhoy doesn’t know me, if that’s what you’re worried about.

  Tori crosses his arms and looks at her with gentle yet stern eyes.

  Tori : I'm going.

  Mehaki : *Hah… He's not gonna listen to me.* …Ok, then.

  Tori's face brightens up with a subtle smile.

  Tori : Let's go.

  They're walking on the street, on their way to Mehaki's house. Mehaki's mind is somewhere else. Her spaced-out gaze doesn’t go unnoticed by Tori.

  Tori : What’s weighing on your mind, Mehaki?

  He calls her in such a gentle tone that Mehaki pauses for a moment before answering.

  Mehaki : …Oh, I was just thinking about… What if I hadn’t ignored Shomoy that day? Then the two brothers could've reunited, right? He probably misses his eldest brother so much…

  Tori observes Mehaki's guilt-filled face for a second.

  Tori : It wasn’t actually your fault you know. If I were in your place, I probably would've done the same.

  Mehaki : Hey, Tori.

  Tori : Hm?

  Mehaki : Like how Asroy got a fever after being exhausted from fighting, was it normal? I mean… Was it some kind of side effect of being overpowered?

  Tori : Oh, it's a normal thing. Actually… When a supernatural person who isn’t used to using large amounts of power suddenly pushes their strength to the limit, it often results in exhaustion and fever afterward.

  Mehaki : So that's what it was.

  Tori : Yup.

  Mehaki : No wonder you all were so calm about it.

  Tori : Haha.

  Mehaki : *But… If Asroy really had to use his powers to that extent against Obhoy that he fell sick, then… Does that mean Obhoy is really that strong?* Have you ever done that? Used your powers so much that you fell sick?

  Tori : Hmm…

  He thinks, with a finger slightly covering his mouth. Mehaki's eager eyes remain unmoved from Tori. They arrive in front of Mehaki's place and they stop in front of the gates.

  Tori : Yes. I did that two times when I was a kid.

  Mehaki : As a kid!?

  Tori : Yeah. The first time was when the dam broke and I tried to stop it. I had a fever the entire time while I was escaping from the cloaked men. The fever went down after I reached Miraz Monjil and dad treated me.

  Mehaki : Huh? That means you suffered from the fever for around 4 days!?

  Tori : I did.

  Mehaki : You have strong willpower, don’t you? Surviving all that with a fever as a six-year-old? I can't even imagine.

  Tori : Maybe I do have strong willpower…

  He faintly smiles, but with a hidden sorrow.

  Mehaki : And what about the second time?

  Tori : Um, the second time was–

  Before he starts talking about it, a loud call coming from the 2nd floor balcony interrupts him. Mehaki and Tori look up. It’s Mehrab. They talk to each other by shouting loudly.

  Mehrab : Sis! I was looking for you all over the house!–Oh, hi brother Tori!

  Tori : Hey, Mehrab! How have you been?

  Mehrab : Not so good! I'm stuck on my homework and I really need sis's help! Or I'll be doomed tomorrow!

  Tori : Is that so?

  Mehrab : Yeah!

  Mehaki : Coming!

  Mehrab : Hurry up sis!

  Mehaki turns to Tori.

  Mehaki : Thanks for walking me home, Tori. See you tomorrow.

  Tori : It was nothing. See you, Mehaki.

  They wave at each other and Mehaki enters her house. Tori starts to walk on his way back to Miraz Monjil. When he reaches the middle of the long street, he feels a sudden chill as if he's being tailed.

  Tori : *Huh? Why do I feel like someone is following me?*

  He stops and scans around the street. It's empty.

  Tori : *But I see no one… Maybe it's just in my head.*

  He continues on his way home. From the shadows, a figure watches him quietly… then turns and walks away.

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