THE LAST BYLINE

Act I, Chap VI

Lena, now in her P. E uniform, knocked on Kai's classroom. "Ma'am, may I borrow Mr. Kai for a moment?" The teacher nodded and the class cheered. "Are you guys dating?" As the whole class says ayyiiee. The teacher calms them down, "Ms Lena and Mr Kai, may you answer the question? I'm curious too as I noticed that you two look pretty close"

Lena, embarrassed, burned bright pink at the question. Kai, noticing Lena's discomfort answered his Teacher's question. "Ma'am, we aren't dating and we are not in a romantic relationship, but I do wish to court her, if she allows it. After all, I'm only 1 year older than her." Kai says smiling at the young woman beside him.

A few hours later...

Lena, still trying to figure out if there were any hidden clues at her office, noticed the trophy they gave her, two quills. It was brought along with a mug…" I was correct, it was this one"

Kai found a written note, "two quills point to the next clue" he says. The quill, scratched, in the trophy that probably fell during transport. They brainstormed where the trophy may point, and any possible leads. "I have a gut feeling it points beneath the trapdoor you discovered" Lena says. "Well, your gut feeling was never wrong, and… I trust you"

"Two quills, what's the clue, where's the key?"

Kai takes a quill from her things.

"What will you do with that?"

"Two quills, quills are small, and so is the lock, we can use two quills point, to the lock, if my logic is correct, it's the key" Lena listens carefully, though she finds her eyes wandering to him, instead of the trapdoor. It opened, and Kai was correct.

Under the trap door, a document was taped, "the clue points to something you wear, to not be cold, it's a treasured clothing from my son, that is not too old" Lena adjusts her thick-rimmed glasses (a habit only Kai notices if she figured out a clue) "Your jacket, the one you gave me when I was cold." Lena ties her hair, making sure it doesn't distract her, after all, she wasn't distracted but the person beside her is. "Can I check the pockets of that jacket?" Kai nods.

Lena goes inside the room, she looked for the jacket in her drawers and found it. "It looks comfy" she went outside the room, but when Kai saw her, he turned red. (she's wearing MY hoodie) Lena liked the fit of the hoody, baggy on her arms, with the supposed waist reaching her thigh, she only wore shorts to be comfy. She moved closer towards him, sitting next to him and checking all the pockets of the jacket, her fingers felt a clip. "It's a clip of the quill sign, from a few years ago, it's nit just a sign, it's a symbol with both our mothers involved..."

A few hours later

11:49 at the EIC office

After a few hours of clue hunting, Lena fell asleep on her desk. Kai, who didn't want to disturb her, stayed nearby to make sure she was safe. He thought she was asleep when, she suddenly woke up and walked towards him. Instead of sitting on the chair beside him, she unintentionally sat at his lap. "Lena, are you sleep walking?" Kai said chuckling. Lena didn't answer. She already fell asleep, her head nuzzled on his neck. She looked so peaceful, and he let her, for a few minutes, before lifting her up to the sofa. (If she sits on my lap for too long, she'll feel uncomfortable with her sleeping position) he gently patted her on the shoulder, watching her sleep. (I may be called a golden retriever, but with her, I'm the luckiest one) as he was about to leave, a hand gripped his wrist, as if telling him not to leave. Kai looked back to Lena, who looked like she finally had a reason to awaken. "Kai, I knew you told the class you wanted to court me, but were you serious? I noticed the glances when you thought I wasn't paying attention, the backhug, the snacks you brought and the fact that you remember what I tell you. I'm not asking you cus I want a confession, I just want to tell you that I know. " Kai's heart beated at a fast pace, as if his heart was about to burst. He looked at her, she's still wearing his hoodie, her hair down, and his scent mixed to hers. He tried to get the words out but nothing came out.

This is officially the end of Act 1, but stay tuned for the Christmas Specials that consists of two stories that focus on these two, with a treat, in which I'll write it in a dual-POV style. (^o^)