Heading straight home with very pissed off Mei and Lei, Sunny is required to explain everything that had happened while they walked through the now-midnight streets of the city as the twins watched him like a hawk, scrutinizing every single move he made.
Eventually, after a rather long and silent walk, they finally arrived at his apartment building with no further words being exchanged other than the disgruntled looks coming from them, much to his discomfort at his coming judgment.
The apartment building where Sunny resided stood tall and imposing amidst the darkened skyline of the city. A concrete monolith with its dull gray façade seemingly melding into the night, it was a stark contrast to the vibrant colors that adorned the windowsills and balconies of the neighboring houses.
Its angular shapes and sterile architecture still possess a semblance of warmth and personality, thanks to the flickering lights from the inside that illuminated the narrow walkways leading to the various floors from within.
In front of them were a set of stairs leading to the entrance, which were bathed in the yellow glow cast by the overhead streetlights.
The air was thick with tension as they ascended the steps together, each footstep echoing loudly against the cold concrete flooring beneath them like a ticking clock counting down to an inevitable confrontation. Reaching the surface, the glass doors automatically opened themselves with a soft hum as they entered the lobby area.
The interior of the building was peaceful and calming, like the eye of a storm, with its clean lines and minimalist design contrasting sharply with the chaos outside. Soft music played softly from hidden speakers in the ceiling while the warm light from the lamps scattered across the marble floor illuminated the way towards their apartment unit.
People of all backgrounds relaxed comfortably in the lobby, some reading books or chatting amongst themselves while others were engaged in various activities such as playing chess or watching television programs displayed on the large flat-screen monitor mounted on the wall near the reception counter.
Walking to the dimly lit corridors, they finally come across an elevator opening its doors, inviting them to ride it up to their respective floors. Mei and Lei glanced at each other before nodding in agreement. "Let's talk when we get back," Mei said coldly as she stepped inside first, followed by her twin sister.
Sunny hesitated for a moment before sighing deeply and following suit after ensuring that his punishment was inevitable for disobeying their orders to stay put on campus.
Pressing the fifth floor, Sunny then leaned on the railings as the elevator slowly ascended higher upwards towards their destination, where the only occupying persons in this enclosed box are him and the twins themselves, where the tense atmosphere thickened like foggy mist as he could almost feel the palpable silence hanging heavily in the air like a physical weight pressing down upon him.
The ride seemed to last forever as they rode silently upwards towards their floor, his own thoughts losing to a swirl of uncertainty about what had transpired earlier.
Looking down shamefully, he did not regret helping someone in need, but he did feel awful about having them search all over for him. Sunny understood Mei and Lei's anger, but deep down inside, there was also a part of him who wanted them to understand why he couldn't tell them about Tom.
It wasn't because he was hiding something secret from them intentionally; it was simply because he didn't know how to explain it properly without upsetting them more. Their main priority is ensuring the selected family they are assigned to is safe from danger.
But what is to say that Tom isn't in any sort of danger himself? As a human being, seeing a defenseless person without a guardian is something that Sunny cannot ignore. Besides, where was the waiter's family? Moreover, how come Tom didn't explain it to them? Whatever the reason, he hoped to find an answer when he gets to meet him again whenever Tom is at the moment.
At least no one died, he thought to himself, trying to console his guilt, as seeing a dead body can really traumatize a person.
As the silence continued without mercy, one of the twins suddenly broke the silence. "Where did you go?" Mei was the first one to speak up, her strict tone filled with disapproval while refusing to look at him. "Somewhere dangerous?" She added accusingly, glaring at Sunny from the corner of her own eyes.
Where her growing impatience began to suffocate the entire elevator like a heavy blanket draped over them all, even the air seemed to be stagnant with the thick scent of impending doom.
"I...uh..." Sunny stammered once again, feeling the heat rising up his face as he struggled to come up with a believable lie to justify his actions. "I went out to the streets," he muttered softly, avoiding eye contact with both of them while focusing on his feet instead.
"That is pretty much it." He lied, hoping that they would accept his story without further questions being asked. However, the silence that followed his explanation was far more deafening than the loudest noise he had ever heard before.
"Liar," Lei coldly answered in a voice dripping with venomous spite, her eyes narrowing into slits as she stared at Sunny with a piercing gaze that could easily freeze the blood in anyone else's veins. "Your heartbeat and breathing pattern tell a completely different story than what you are trying to make us believe.
Mei nodded in agreement, her jaw tightening as she clenched her teeth together in frustration from having to also listen to the human body's response.
A tear of sweat fell down from the side of his forehead. "Ah, sorry, but I really do not know how to explain it to you guys," he truthfully replied, his voice trembling slightly, trying to maintain some semblance of composure despite the intense fear that was rapidly consuming him whole from within.
"It's just something that happened spontaneously after I left campus, so please understand that I do not want to worry and anger you guys anymore," he said pleadingly, hoping that his words might soften their hearts towards him even just a little bit.
Mei sighed, pinching her own nose disappointingly. "It would be a lot worse if you did not tell us the truth," she said in a voice filled with exasperation. "You know very well what consequences await those who lie to us." Her eyes flashed dangerously when she spoke those last words, like a warning to ensure he never ever should do it again.
Giving up any sort of excuse, Sunny nodded his head. "Okay, its a long story, so..." he took a deep breath before starting to narrate everything from the beginning: "It started when I was sitting on a bench outside of the school," further explaining every detail in a quick and concise manner, holding nothing back and leaving no stone unturned while making sure to include all the important details of what had transpired earlier in order to give them a complete understanding of why he did what he did.
Finishing up, the elevator then opened after what felt like a few minutes of staying in the claustrophobic box while telling them everything in a straightforward manner with no dramatic or embellished flourishes. The silence in the elevator was evident as they all digested what Sunny had told them.
Absorbing every single word like a sponge soaking up water from the ground after a long drought. When the three left the elevator together, the merciless silence was still following them from their backs.
In contrast to the pristine lobby area, the hallway leading to the individual apartment units bore signs of cleanliness and sophistication that were equally striking yet distinctively different.
The walls were painted in a neutral shade of white, which accentuated the sleekness of the polished marble flooring beneath them, creating an impression of openness and space despite being enclosed within concrete walls. Its ceiling was adorned with recessed lighting fixtures that cast a warm glow across the corridor, highlighting the minimalist yet elegant decorative pieces scattered around.
Each door holds an assigned number with an indicated small brass plaque affixed to the wall adjacent to each respective door handle. The numbers were arranged sequentially from 501 to 516 in ascending order. As they walked further down the lit hallway,
Sunny's gulp was nervous, from having to imagine himself getting yelled at by his own father. It has been centuries since Sunny was harshly scolded by papas. So experiencing it again after a very long time is something he has forgotten at this point in his life.
As they approached their destination, which was located at the end of the hall on the left side, Sunny could feel his heartbeat increasing in pace with every step closer to his fate. He tried to mentally prepare himself for whatever might come next while bracing himself for impact like a soldier readying himself for battle.
There were unpleasant memories of how angry and spiteful his dad can be when he's upset, so it will be a matter of time before he gets a strong beating out of his ass.
Stopping in front of their door, Mei and Lei turned around to their backs with looks of stern determination etched on both their faces as they were preparing themselves for a final confrontation against some unknown enemy lurking beyond the threshold.
"Once we head inside, you immediately go to your room, understand?" The sisters commanded in unison, "No butts or ifs; just do as we say." They ordered firmly, showing how serious their threats were.
Sunny nodded silently in agreement, despite the knots forming in her stomach from anticipating the worst possible outcome from this situation.
"Good," Mei said coldly as she reached out her hand towards the electronic lock situated beside the door handle. With a soft click sound, the doors slowly opened themselves, revealing the interior of their apartment unit as the two of them moved aside, gesturing for him to come in:
"You first, go ahead."
Sunny then swallowed hard before taking a deep breath, mustering all the courage he could muster from within himself before stepping foot inside his own home for his inevitable punishment.
Crossing the threshold into his familiar surroundings, he breathed in deeply the scent of freshly laundered clothes and subtle hints of burning incense, which mingled together harmoniously to create an atmosphere that instantly calmed his nerves slightly. The room itself was modest yet tastefully decorated, with comfortable furniture arranged around a central point.
A beautifully crafted wooden table can be seen from the corner of his eyes and is usually used as a study space during daytime hours. The walls were painted in warm, earthy tones of brown, which gave off a welcoming ambiance despite being sparsely furnished.
Despite his dad's preference for simplicity, he managed to make the place somewhat homely, with a few personal touches scattered around: a collection of vintage books stacked neatly on shelves lining one wall, framed photographs adorning another, and soft rugs draped over wooden floors, adding warmth against the cold concrete beneath them.
All carefully chosen items that held sentimental value and reminded him of his own childhood days spent before their entire world changed after mom died.
Without saying anything else, Sunny went to his bedroom door, located at the end of the hallway, as instructed earlier by the sisters. Entering his bedroom, he closed the door behind him. Breathing heavily while leaning against the closed door frame, he let out a sigh of relief, having managed to escape from their wrath for the moment at least.
Standing up, he went towards his bed before collapsing, feeling exhausted from all the stress accumulated over the past hours. He lay there motionless for several minutes, trying to process everything that happened today, from leaving campus just to enjoy a break to saving someone in need and, lastly, making a friend that he thought himself to be impossible of doing.
"What a day."
