Under the Veil of Night

Hospital

"Sis, eat more," Laura beckoned for her sister to eat.

Kanae smiled wryly. "Laura, I've already eaten three bowls ever since I woke up. Don't you worry that I'll overeat?"

"You have a bottomless stomach, Sis."

Kanae: "…"

Seeing that Kanae didn't seem willing to eat further, Laura put the plate away. Her eyes scanned her sister's shoulder, wondering if it was fine or not. The doctor said that Kanae would heal fast, but she was still rather worried.

Flick!

"Stop gazing at me," Kanae chuckled, her arm outstretched towards Laura's forehead. "Don't tell me that you have fallen in love with me too."

"Sis! That's not funny," Laura pouted.

"A certain girl often told me in the past how she would fall in love with me if I were a guy, so I have been wondering if it were the same with you," Kanae grinned.

"Go to hell! I'll never fall in love with you."

"That's harsh."

"Don't joke about something like that, Sis. It gives me shivers," Laura puffed her cheeks. Honestly, she did feel like she had fallen in love with her sister in the past occasionally because of her rascally and cool attitude, but she would never admit that. After all, it was merely only during several occasions because Kanae acted too cool sometimes.

Even cooler than most of the guys her age.

Kanae laughed. "Alright, alright, just stop worrying so much about me. I won't die so easily."

"You always tell me that, Sis. I just want you to stay safe," Laura sighed.

"I know." Caressing the girl's cheek, Kanae smiled slightly. She noticed the troubled expression that Laura occasionally showed. "Is there anything you want to ask me, Laura?"

"Sis, about our parents…" Laura started, but she felt that her throat suddenly turned dry. It was so hard to push the words out of her mouth. "Did you know that the Ryukalin Clan was the one behind it?"

Kanae gazed at Laura for a few seconds. Seeing that Laura was looking troubled, she opened her mouth and asked.

"Who told you that?"

Laura's eyes widened as she stared at her sister in disbelief. Did it mean that her sister already knew about this matter? The composure that her sister showed made her feel even more troubled.

"It's Kevin. He told me this when you were still sleeping."

Kanae creased her brows when she heard Laura's answer. Her hands gripped the blanket in her hands as she weighed her options. Should she tell Laura about the truth?

"Do you want to know the truth?" she asked slowly.

"Is that not everything, Sis?"

"No, it's not," Kanae replied.

Laura took a deep breath. Staring back into her sister's eyes, she nodded seriously. "Please tell me the truth."

"I just have one request."

"What is it?"

"Don't you ever tell this to anyone," Kanae gazed at Laura's eyes solemnly.

"I won't." She was not crazy enough to divulge a secret matter to an outsider.

"Before that, I'm sorry, Laura."

Laura was startled when Kanae suddenly apologized. "What?"

Kanae didn't answer her question and started to tell the whole story to Laura, the truth that she had hidden for years from her. By the time Kanae was finished, she understood why her sister apologized to her.

…

Kanae laid down on her bed and gazed at the ceiling. She had never wanted to tell this to her sister because she knew how difficult it would be to bear the brunt of the truth. However, she didn't have any other choice. It would be better for Laura to know the truth because it would allow the girl to understand the entire situation better.

They were different from the other victims in that incident.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in," Kanae said.

The door opened, and Kevin walked inside. His eyes scanned the girl on the bed worriedly. Seeing her countenance was still the same as before, he felt relieved. Walking towards her bed, he inspected her condition closely.

"Are you alright?"

Kanae nodded cheerfully. "As you can see, I'm safe and sound."

Kevin could see that she was still rather cheerful. In addition, her complexion was not bad at all. He thought that Laura would tell her about what he said to her. Did that girl not do it?

"I'm sorry," Kevin muttered softly. His face was painted with an expression of guilt as his eyes reflected the girl in front of him.

Kanae looked back with a confused expression. She already told him over and over that it was not his fault. Why did he continue to apologize?

Her hand slowly reached out towards Kevin's cheek. Since he was standing next to her bed, her hand managed to reach him. "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault."

"I..." Kevin started. He paused because he didn't know what he should say. His eyes locked at the girl's face as he sighed in remorse. "It's partially my fault. I'm the reason those people were involved in this matter."

"Don't blame yourself. It was never your fault."

Seeing the kind smile on Kanae's face caused his heart to be crushed completely. Even now, she still cared about his well-being even though he was the one who involved her in this situation. Not only that, he was the one who caused her happy life to shatter in the very first place.

"I'm sorry."

"Didn't I tell you not to apologize?" Kanae felt rather annoyed now.

Kevin shook his head lightly. "Not for this time's incident but for the past."

"The past?"

"Yes... I was the target of the shooting that caused your parent's death."

Kanae's eyes widened. Seeing her shocked expression, Kevin's heart thumped loudly even though he had put on a poker face. He had imagined countless kinds of reactions from Kanae in his mind. Right now, he was bracing himself for whatever reaction she would give.

On the other hand, Kanae was shocked. She had heard from Laura that Kevin blamed himself for the incident. However, she never thought that he would be apologizing to her too. Even if it were Kevin who was the target of the attack, he was simply one of the poor victims in that incident.

"I... No... I mean... you're not the one at fault," Kanae stuttered in her answer.

"Even though indirectly, I was the cause of your parents' death."

"It's those people's fault, not yours," Kanae retorted.

Kevin raised his hand to caress Kanae's head. "You're right to blame me. No one knows who shot who that day."

Seeing him acting like this, Kanae had the feeling that Kevin wanted her to blame him. He had carried this burden for so long and would only feel better if she lashed out on him. Because after they straightened out all of the complicated information, they could accept things better.

Unfortunately, she couldn't blame him for what he didn't do.

"No, it's not your fault. I was in the square that day, and I saw clearly how the incident happened."

Kanae's words caused Kevin's body to stiffen in shock.

"What... did you say?"

"I was in the square that day when the incident happened, so I saw everything that happened. That day, there was another target besides you and your father."

Kevin stared back at Kanae in bewilderment. His mind recalled the girl he saw at that place back then. There was a girl who had lost both of her parents that day, a little girl that he would never be able to forget no matter what.

Recalling the girl's appearance when she let down her hair before, Kevin finally realized when he had seen her before. It was precisely on the day when he lost his parents. He had met her that day.

No way...

The two of them stared at each other as they recalled the past that they had buried inside their heart.