Silvia straggled behind Dane as they ascended to the rooftop, the anxiety of solitude and the looming presence of Jared never far from her mind. Upon reaching the rooftop, they found Aiden lounging there, his expression quickly shifting from nonchalance to surprise upon laying eyes on Silvia.

He nodded his chin at Silvia, scepticism in his eyes. “Why’s this guy here?”

Dane swiftly came to her defence. “I’ve told you before, we’re childhood friends. Be cool with him.”

Aiden fell silent, but his penetrating gaze remained fixed on Silvia. Feeling self-conscious, Silvia instinctively sought refuge behind the protective shield of Dane’s figure.

“Jared wants to give him a beatdown, so I suggested he stick with us,” Dane elucidated.

Aiden sniggered, his gaze wandering elsewhere. “Well, Silus isn’t exactly known for being a saint. I wouldn’t be surprised how many people out there wanna do the same as Jared.”

“Hey, he’s right here. He’s not as tough as he’s made out to be.”

Aiden regarded Silvia with a critical eye, his gaze scanning her from head to toe. “Then why does everyone seem so afraid of him?”

Before Dane could retaliate, Silvia, tired of hiding, finally unleashed her own perspective. “What do you expect? Rumours tend to exaggerate things.”

Aiden diverted the conversation. “By the way, what’s your sister’s name? I never got the chance to ask her.”

Dane intervened with a note of suspicion. “Why are you asking about his sister?”

Aiden glanced at Dane briefly before turning his attention back to Silvia. “Never mind.”

As the day drew to a close, Silvia relished the satisfaction of not enduring Jared’s torment for the first time in the week. Returning to her porch, she felt a momentary sense of tranquillity, but it was abruptly shattered by a shiver coursing down her spine. She scanned her serene street, but an eerie emptiness greeted her, devoid of any signs of life. The unsettling feeling clawed at her, compelling her to hurriedly unlock her front door and retreat inside.

Unbeknownst to Silvia, a mysterious figure lurked nearby, cloaked in a pitch-black hoodie and cap, their identity veiled in the shadowy folds of their attire. They watched Silvia’s home from the cover of a nearby tree, their presence and intentions hidden away.

The minutes ticked away, and Silvia emerged from her home once more, this time en route to her part-time job. Oblivious to the enigmatic observer that trailed her, she ventured out onto the quiet street, every step and breath scrutinised from a discreet distance.

Navigating the local streets, an unexplainable sense of unease settled upon her, casting an uncanny ambience amidst the sea of ordinary pedestrians. Lost in her thoughts and staring vacantly as she reached the midpoint of a busy crosswalk, the impatient blare of a car horn startled her. A sudden, excruciating ache erupted in Silvia’s head, causing her to lose her balance and crouch down in agony.

A compassionate passerby rushed to her aid, guiding her safely to the sidewalk and away from the oncoming traffic. With genuine concern, they asked, “Are you okay?”

Silvia slowly regained her composure as the fog in her mind dissipated. She mustered a faint but appreciative smile. “Yes, thank you. I’ll be fine from here.”

As the kind-hearted stranger continued on their way, Silvia remained standing, her gaze fixed upon the painted white lines on the asphalt. Her thoughts were haunted by the intense, inexplicable headache that had seized her just moments ago. “What was that?”

Silvia approached the entrance of Twinkle Toys, where Jared waited in a cloud of uncertainty that mirrored her own turmoil. Her heart thudded with trepidation as she approached him. “H-hey, Jared. Give me a second, I’ve got to change first.”

She hastened inside to the staffroom, intent on slipping into her familiar Rabbit-o costume. However, fate had other plans for her, as the store manager intercepted her. “I finally found an official part-timer to play as Rabbit-o, which means you can go back to your original position as my store assistant.”

Silvia found herself at a crossroads, torn between the comforting anonymity of her Rabbit-o disguise and the fear of unveiling her true self to Jared. She made a feeble attempt to decline the manager’s offer. “It’s fine. I’m happy being Rabbit-o.”

“Silvia, you’re better off as a store assistant. Besides, I can’t get rid of the official Rabbit-o now that I’ve just hired him.”

Resigned to her fate, Silvia surrendered to the manager’s directive, but the prospect of facing Jared without the security of her Rabbit-o costume weighed heavily on her. She emerged from the staffroom, spotting Jared cheerfully waving at her through the store window. Silvia returned the wave with a forced smile, her anxious expression impossible to conceal.

Jared quickly deciphered her newly appointed position and stepped into the store. Silvia felt a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. She kept her true thoughts hidden beneath a veneer of composure, while Jared remained oblivious to the inner turmoil she grappled with.

Noticing the bandages on her knees, Jared expressed his concern. “What happened to your knees?”

Silvia’s heart skipped a beat at the question, and she quickly crafted a plausible response. “I-I accidentally tripped and scraped it on the concrete.”

“I didn’t think you were clumsy, but be careful next time,” he advised, showing a caring side of himself that jumbled up Silvia’s feelings.

Seeking to understand the enigmatic person before her, Silvia decided to ask a question of her own. “How do you always have the time to come here?”

“I try to make time since this is the only place I get to meet you. Now that I think about it, maybe I should grab your number then.”

His straightforward statement astounded her. “That was quite direct.”

Jared’s laughter filled the air, a hearty sound that seemed to alleviate the tension that had been hanging between them. Silvia felt a glimmer of safety and familiarity returning to their interaction.

As they discussed their schedules, Silvia inquired about his plans. “How long will you be here?”

“What time does your shift end?”

“Closing time.”

“I’ll be here till then,” Jared stated, his determination to spend time with her evident.

“You’re staying here for that long?”

“Yeah, I’ll walk you home,” he reassured her. “It’ll get dark. I’ll make sure you don’t trip on yourself.”

A smile graced Silvia’s lips. “I’ll give you my number after work then.”

The cool evening air embraced Silvia as she walked home alongside Jared, her steps guided by the faint glow of the streetlights. The world around them seemed to hush in the tranquil stillness of the night. Silvia shivered, a combination of the chilly breeze and her own unease triggering her to tremble.

Jared, ever attentive, noticed her discomfort and, without hesitation, slipped his jacket off and placed it gently over her shoulders. His warm gesture enveloped her in his scent, offering her a comforting shield against the cold.

Grateful for his gesture, she couldn’t help but wonder aloud. “Why are you so nice to me?”

“I’m repaying you.”

“For what?”

Jared paused, his gaze fixed upon the dimly lit street ahead. Memories from the past welled up within him, and for a moment, he allowed himself to be lost in the recollection of a cherished memory.

Years ago, a much younger and physically battered Jared had found himself standing by a fountain in a shopping centre, staring at his own reflection in the water. Bruised, broken, and utterly defeated, he had contemplated his bleak existence, his face marred by the physical abuse he had endured from Silus and his friends. Strangers walked past, ignoring his desperate state, until an unexpected saviour appeared.

It was Rabbit-o, the Twinkle Toys’ mascot, who silently approached him, handing him a box of band-aids. At first, Jared was taken aback by the oddity of the situation, but he accepted the band-aids with a sense of resignation.

“I don’t think these would do much, but thanks,” he mumbled, his voice heavy with pain.

Sitting on the fountain’s edge, Jared’s body throbbed with excruciating pain, but Rabbit-o remained by his side in comforting silence. Finally, Rabbit-o spoke, her words carrying warmth and understanding. “You don’t have to hold back your tears.”

Those simple words were enough to break down the emotional dam within Jared. He wept, releasing the pent-up sorrow and despair he had carried for so long. In that vulnerable moment, Rabbit-o had offered him a comforting embrace, and Jared had clung to it as if it were a lifeline.

Jared was deeply moved by that encounter, and it left an indelible mark on his heart. As he looked up at the night sky, he spoke softly, more to himself than to Silvia, “I’m repaying you for everything.”

Silvia, unaware of the poignant memory that had prompted Jared’s kindness, was puzzled by his solemn words. She glanced at him, her curiosity piqued, but Jared kept his past to himself—a silent promise he made to a rabbit that once offered him solace in his darkest hour.