Shawn took a deep breath as he stood on a balcony outside the venue.
Most of the event venues in City S have balconies for guests to breathe or step out whenever they need to.
'Seriously, even though they always say that being an adult is more difficult, being still a student, it is also difficult,' he lamented.
Even though it was his choice, and even though he was called a jack-of-all-trades, it was still difficult because he still gets physically tired and mentally drained.
He looked back when he felt someone else coming out before turning back to look at the view.
After a bit, he sighed, "Should I say that I am quite a lucky guy because the person most men wish to approach has approached me first for the second time?"
He slightly furrowed his brows when his nose picked up a scent.
He looked at the person who remained standing behind him, obviously having something to talk to him.
"…"
"What is it, Miss Morgrave?" he asked again.
"I was not complaining about anything out loud right now," he added.
Wynter opened her lips but Shawn suddenly frowned.
"You're hurt."
She looked down and found that traces of blood were visible on her sleeve.
Her eyes went wide slightly, she did not expect that the wound was that deep.
Though the blood wasn't so obvious if one were not to look closely.
She looked at him with a bit of confusion.
"My nose is quite good, especially when it comes to blood. We are the only ones here, if I am not hurt then who would it be?"
After he picked up the scent and turned to her, he checked her overall and noticed the small trace of blood on her sleeve.
"I…"
Shawn walked over, pulling out his handkerchief as she started speaking.
"I am fine," Wynter tried to step back.
"I am someone aspiring to become a doctor better than many, I have my own ideals, and one of them is I'd tend to people's wounds when I know I should."
Wynter wanted to reject but he had already pulled her hand.
Wynter looked away when he saw the wound and frowned slightly.
Shawn could tell just how this wound came to be but seeing her reaction, he knew he shouldn't ask.
He checked it thoroughly before wrapping the handkerchief in a manner that was not noticeable with her sleeve.
"It doesn't seem like it is too deep but the number is what caused blood to seep through your sleeve. Better have it disinfected once you return," he then said.
The number he meant was the number of nails that dug too deep in her skin, causing the bleeding.
"Thank you," Wynter said, holding on to her arm.
"So you can make such a face," he commented after looking back at her.
Wynter slightly furrowed her brows, "Face?"
"Your perfect smile has always been on your face but right now, you looked lost. So what do you really want from me? I suppose I was not mistaken a while ago that you were indeed looking at me."
Wynter took a deep breath before sighing.
She walked towards the railing.
"I came here to thank you."
"You just said that," Shawn replied.
"Not about this, I wouldn't have come here knowing that you'd find out about the wound and for you to tend to it. I came to you for a reason and that is to thank you. I realized too late that I just sent you home without giving you a proper thanks."
Shawn looked at her as Wynter looked back at him.
This time, gone was that perfect look, with those brilliant eyes and radiant smile. It was now replaced with complete indifference.
A look that overlapped with a person Shawn had been acquainted with.
"Thank you for accompanying me during that thunderstorm," Wynter said again with that same nonchalant tone of that person.
"You…"
His mind went blank; he understood what she was currently implying, but at the same time, he was completely lost.
"I told you I am keeping some big secret that could cause turmoil in you once you find out. I was not only pushing you away because I did not like that trait of yours, but also because of this secret."
She sighed again since he still looked blank.
"But… I am also someone who wishes to have friends. That even though I tried hard to be indifferent, I was moved."
She walked towards the door.
"If you think I am still worthy, then you know where to look for me."
He looked back at her as she turned to look at him once again.
Gone was the indifference, replaced by Wynter's perfect smile.
"Goodbye, Mister Lockhart."
After that, she went back inside, in time for the people to start looking for her once again.
"Where did you go?"
"Just some fresh air, mother," she replied.
It seems that Minerva was also keeping an eye on her because a few moments after going back, Minerva had instantly approached her.
During these events, this is what Wynter has to face.
Her mother's hawk-like eyes, as if without her keeping an eye on her, she'd make a blunder.
She is especially more like this whenever she ends up hurting herself during the events, as if afraid that someone else would know what their real relationship is.
"We are going home now, bid the people goodbye and make sure you leave a good impression," Minerva sharply replied.
"Yes, mother," she answered.
Inwardly, she sighed, 'A few more months.'
Meanwhile, Shawn snapped out of his shock when his mother started looking for him.
And what came to his mind first was the wounds she received.
'They were obviously nail marks.'
After that, he mentally noted to ask his aunt a few questions.