CHAPTER 9: THE BOY IN HER ROOM

Most people had turned off their lights as the evening settled in. The evening was settling

in, and most lights inside were off. After a long drive, Arin finally stopped his car in front of

Liara’s house.

He looked up at the building. The evening was settling in, and the building’s occupants

had turned off most of the lights. A strange silence surrounded the place.

He stepped out of the car and glanced around cautiously.

“Alright… I don’t need the main door anyway,” he said to himself, scanning the

structure.

His eyes landed on a balcony. It was on the ground floor, slightly lower than expected

due to the house’s design. The building itself had three floors, and Liara’s room was on the

ground level with an attached balcony.

“That’s it,” Arin muttered, a faint sense of confidence returning. “I’ll go from there.”

He moved quickly toward the side of the house. Standing beneath the balcony, he

stretched his arms upward, trying to grab the railing.

Just as his fingers reached it

“Hey! What are you doing?”

Arin jerked in shock and immediately lost his grip. “Ah!”

He turned around quickly, breathing unevenly.

There stood an older man, looking at him suspiciously.

“Uncle… what are you doing here?” he asked quickly, trying to steady his voice.

“And what are you doing here?” the man replied sternly.

Arin hesitated. “I… I’m a relative.”

“Relative?” The man narrowed his eyes.

“Then use the door like a normal person.”

“No, you’re misunderstanding me”

“Or should I call the police?” the man interrupted, already pulling out his phone slightly.

Arin quickly raised his hands. “Uncle, please listen! This car is mine. I’m not some thief

or anything.”

The man paused, still suspicious.

Arin sighed, forcing a small smile. “You really think I look like a thief?”

After a moment of silence, the man lowered his phone.

“Alright, alright… I’m going.”

“Thank you,” Arin said quickly.

Arin exhaled sharply and turned back toward the house, rubbing his face in frustration.

“Well… that didn’t go as planned,” he muttered, glancing once again at the balcony.

“I should get inside quickly before another well-wisher shows up.”

He grabbed the balcony railing again, and with one swift movement, pulled himself up.

He carefully stepped onto the balcony floor and glanced toward the glass door.

“But how am I supposed to get inside now?”

The moment he touched the handle

Click.

The door opened inward on its own.

Arin blinked in surprise before a grin slowly appeared on his face. “Wow… luck is

finally on my side.”

Quietly, he stepped into Liara’s room.

“Liara… where are you?” he whispered.

The room was empty.

He walked toward the bedroom door and carefully pushed it open a little.

“What? The lights in the whole house are off.”

Then the realization struck him.

“I get it… Looks like nobody’s home.”

A satisfied smile crossed his lips. “Perfect.”

He closed the door again and casually sat down on Liara’s bed.

“I’ll just stay here. And the moment someone comes in, I’ll hide.”

“Great plan,” he muttered proudly to himself before leaning back slightly, waiting for her

return.

“Mom, you seriously spent way too much money for no reason,”

“Look at all this shopping.”

Ella smiled faintly. “At least look at yourself. You seem alive again.”

Ella’s phone suddenly rang.

The moment she saw the caller ID, excitement flashed across her face.

“Hello, Anya!”

“Ella, I just left for your house,” Anya said warmly from the other side.

“So soon?” Ella sounded surprised.

“Come on, Ella.” Anya laughed softly. “I told you already, Irav has a night shift today.”

“Oh, right.”

“Alright then, hurry up. I still need to finish the preparations.”

“Don’t worry, we’re on the way. Have a safe evening.”

“Thanks, Anya. Bye.”

After ending the call, Ella turned toward her, excitement still visible in her eyes,

completely unaware that someone was already sitting inside her daughter’s room.

“Drive a little faster.”

Liara looked at her mother in confusion.

“What happened, Mom? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine.”

“Anya already left for our house, so we need to get home quickly.”

Liara quietly looked out the window.

I can’t even say anything bad right now, she thought bitterly. Because even if they don’t

come, Mom will be deeply hurt.

After a while, the cab finally stopped in front of the house.

Inside Liara’s room, Arin had been pacing restlessly.

“I wonder when Liara will come…” he muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, the sound of the main gate opening reached his ears.

His heartbeat instantly sped up.

“She’s here.”

He rushed toward the washroom attached to Liara’s room and locked himself inside.

Outside, Liara entered the house with Ella.

“Mom, I’ll just freshen up and come back.”

“Okay,”

The moment Liara entered her room, her eyes instantly fell on a red coat lying near the

edge of the bed.

Her breathing stopped for a second.

“How… how did this get here?”

With trembling hands, she quickly picked it up. The moment her fingers touched the

fabric, recognition hit her instantly.

This was the same coat she had gifted Arin.

Panic immediately rushed through her veins.

Without wasting another second, she stuffed the coat inside a shopping bag and looked

around the room anxiously.

That means Arin is here.

“But there’s no one in the room…” Her heartbeat grew faster.

“Arin?”

No response came.

“Arin… I know you’re here.”

Inside the washroom, Arin stood silently behind the door, listening to every word with a

faint smile playing on his lips.

Meanwhile, Liara started searching the room. She checked under the bed first, then

moved toward the wardrobe, opening it quickly before glancing behind the curtains and every

corner where someone could hide.

“What if I’m just imagining things?”

“But then this coat…”

She fell into deep thought for a moment.

Inside the washroom, Arin looked around before his eyes landed on a shampoo bottle. A

mischievous smirk slowly appeared on his face.

He deliberately pushed the shampoo bottle off the counter.

Clack!

The sound echoed sharply through the room.

Liara instantly turned toward the washroom, completely alert.

“There’s someone inside.”

Her heartbeat began racing wildly.

“It has to be Arin.”

Slowly, cautiously, she started walking toward the washroom door.

“Arin…”

Then, suddenly, she stopped midway.

“One second.”

Panic flashed across her face.

“What if Mom comes in?”

She immediately rushed toward her bedroom door and quickly locked it.

Click.

After making sure it was secure, Liara hurried back toward the washroom.

Her breathing had become uneven now.

Standing in front of the door, she slowly wrapped her fingers around the handle.

Then, gathering all her courage

She pulled the door open.