Confession

Back in high school, Code never admitted how much Venisa could frighten him.

And in one afternoon, he heard that Venisa had been hospitalized.

The news reached him unexpectedly, and for a moment, he simply stood there.

Hospitalized?

His mind immediately filled with possibilities.

Had she been seriously injured? Was she sick? Had something happened on her way home? Why had nobody told him?

He didn't wait for an explanation.

He left immediately.

Code hurried to the hospital with his thoughts racing faster than his feet. The entire journey, one question kept repeating in his mind.

What happened to her?

For once, he wasn't angry with Venisa.

When he finally reached the hospital, he rushed through the entrance and went straight toward the reception desk.

“Venisa,” he said breathlessly. “ Uhm— Greymore, tall uhm- not so pretty. what room is she in?”

The staff checked the records.

Then came the answer he hadn't expected.

“She was already discharged.”

Code stared at the receptionist.

“Discharged?”

“Yes. She left a little while ago.”

For several seconds, Code simply stood there.

The moment Code heard that Venisa had been hospitalized, he ran.

He didn't stop to ask questions. He didn't wait for anyone to explain. He simply left, his mind already imagining every possible disaster that could have happened to her.

What happened to that damn wildcat?

Of course.

Of all the reckless things Venisa could do, apparently getting herself hospitalized had made the list.

She had the courage to challenge him without hesitation. She could stand in front of him with that infuriatingly calm face and argue until neither of them remembered what they had started fighting about.

She had enough nerve to throw insults at him.

Enough stupidity to challenge him physically.

Enough pride to refuse to back down even when she clearly should.

But apparently, getting herself injured badly enough to end up in a hospital was acceptable.

Brilliant.

Code hurried through the hospital corridors, his expression dark.

Very impressive, Venisa.

He could already imagine her standing there with that stubborn expression, acting as though nothing had happened.

“Don't worry, Code. I only ended up in a hospital.”

His jaw tightened.

“How reassuring.”

When he finally reached the reception desk, he leaned forward.

“Venisa. What happened to her?”

The receptionist checked the records.

“She has already been discharged.”

Code stared at her.

“Discharged?”

“Yes. She left a little while ago.”

For a moment, relief washed through him.

Then his irritation returned twice as strong.

Of course she had.

The ridiculous girl had managed to frighten him half to death and leave the hospital before he even arrived.

Code stepped away from the desk and dragged a hand through his hair.

“Wonderful.”

He had rushed across the city imagining broken bones, serious injuries, and God knew what else.

And she was already home.

That damn wildcat.

She had the courage to fight him, provoke him, and challenge him at every opportunity.

But apparently she couldn't be bothered to inform him before casually getting herself hospitalized.

He walked out of the hospital, still angry.

Not because she had been discharged.

Because she had scared him.

And what irritated him most was the realization that he had run there without thinking.

Two days later, Venisa returned to school as though nothing had happened.

Code saw her from across the corridor.

She was walking with her books against her chest, completely composed, as if she hadn't caused him to run to a hospital two days earlier.

He stared at her for a moment.

Then he walked straight toward her.

Venisa barely had time to notice him before—

Flick.

His finger struck her forehead.

Venisa stopped.

Slowly, she looked up at him.

“What was that?”

Code folded his arms. “An inspection.”

“An inspection?”

“I wanted to make sure you were actually alive.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I was hospitalized, not buried.”

“Same difference. You disappeared into a hospital without telling anyone.”

“I don't remember asking you to visit.”

“I didn't visit.”

“Yeah you should'nt.”

Code's expression tightened.

“I heard you were hospitalized. Anyone would've gone.”

“Really?” Venisa raised an eyebrow. “Then why do you look like you're about to lecture me?”

“Because you deserve one.”

She scoffed.

“I didn't choose to get hurt.”

“Then perhaps try choosing not to next time.”

Venisa stared at him.

“That doesn't even make sense.”

“Neither does getting yourself hospitalized.”

“You came all the way there just to complain about it?”

“I came to see whether you were dying.”

“And when you found out I wasn't?”

“I became disappointed.”

Venisa's mouth fell open.

“You're horrible.”

For a second, neither moved.

Then Code noticed the faint mark near her wrist, perhaps left from whatever had happened before.

His expression changed.

Only for a moment.

He wanted to ask if she was really all right.

Instead, he clicked his tongue and looked away.

“Just don't end up in another hospital.”

Venisa blinked.

Then her lips curled into a mocking smile.

“Were you worried?”

Code immediately looked back at her.

“No.”

“You were worried.”

“I wasn't.”

“You were.”

“I wasn't.”

Venisa smiled wider.

Code narrowed his eyes.

“Stop smiling.”

“Why?”

“Because you're annoying me.”

“You're already annoyed.”

“You're enjoying this far too much.”

“You probably thought I was dying.”

Code's jaw tightened. “Venisa.”

She smiled innocently. “What?”

“Stop.”

Code stared at her.

She continued, enjoying every second of his growing irritation.

“You were probably thinking, How dare that idiot get herself hospitalized and not wait for me?”

Code's expression darkened.

She smiled wider. “Were you worried about me, Code?”

He finally lost patience. “Yes!”

The corridor went silent.

Venisa blinked.

Code froze.

He hadn't meant to say it.

But the words had already escaped.

His breathing slowed as he stared at her.“Yes,” he repeated, quieter this time. “I was worried.”

Venisa's teasing smile slowly disappeared.

Code looked away, frustrated with himself.

“I heard you were in the hospital and I thought something had happened to you. I didn't know what. I just—”

He stopped.

His hand tightened at his side.

“I couldn't sit there wondering.”

Venisa stared at him.

Code looked back at her.

And perhaps it was because he was tired of pretending, or because she had pushed him past the point where his pride could protect him, but the next words came out before he could stop them.

“I love you.”

Silence.

Venisa's eyes widened.

“I don't know when it happened,” he admitted quietly. “Maybe when you saved me. Maybe when you treated my wound after we nearly destroyed the cafeteria.”

His gaze remained on hers.

“But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you.”

Venisa stared at him as though he had just said the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

Then, slowly, she smiled.

Not because she believed him.

But because, to her, Code had simply found another way to win an argument.

Venisa stared at him.

Code waited.

For once, he didn't know what she would say.

Then she laughed.

Not loudly.

Just a small, disbelieving laugh.

“You're joking.”

Code's face went still.

“I'm not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I'm not.”

She shook her head.

“You're just trying to make me stop teasing you.”

“I wouldn't say something like that as a joke.”

“You would.”

“Venisa.”

She folded her arms.

“You've spent your entire life annoying me. Now you're suddenly telling me you're in love with me?”

“Yes.”

She studied his face.

Then she gave him a skeptical look. “Nice try.”

Code stared at her.

“You really don't believe me?”

“Not even for a second.”

Something inside his chest dropped.

She didn't reject his love.

She simply didn't believe it existed.

“You think I'm lying?”

“I think you're being Code.”

That answer hurt more than he expected.

Venisa turned away, already dismissing the conversation.

“You'll get over it.”

Code remained where he was.

For the first time, he understood something cruel.

He could confess a hundred times.

He could say the words until his voice disappeared.

And Venisa would still think it was another game between them.

She had never believed him.

Not even when he meant it with everything he had.

he had told her the truth—and she had laughed.