A demoness's calling

Episode 11:Moment of regret

Ronny

As Ronny walked through the bustling corridor, the sounds of laughter and chatter faded into a dull hum in his ears. His eyes landed on Ricky, shrinking into herself, her oversized hoodie swallowing her petite frame. She had always been small, but now she seemed almost invisible, blending into the background like she was desperate to disappear.

For a moment, Ronny’s usual cocky demeanor faltered. There was something unsettling about seeing her like this. Gone was the fiery girl who used to glare at him, challenge him, and wear her emotions so openly. Instead, all he could see was a shell of the person she had been just days ago.

And the worst part? He knew he was the reason.

Leaning against the wall, he watched her navigate through the crowded hall, avoiding eye contact with anyone. When she was pushed toward him by the rush of students, her reaction was instant: she froze, avoided his gaze, and hurried away without a word.

“Little girl,” he said softly, his voice almost unrecognizable to himself.

But she didn’t stop. She didn’t even look back.

Something stirred in his chest, a feeling he couldn’t quite place. Was it guilt? Maybe. Or was it pity? The thought irritated him. He didn’t do pity.

As he walked to his car later that afternoon, her image lingered in his mind. That small figure, so different from the confident and defiant girl he was used to, haunted him. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her try to hide from the world—he had caught glimpses of it before, in the way she avoided large crowds or shrank away when attention was on her. But this? This was worse.

His jaw clenched as he shoved his bag into the car. Why the hell was he thinking about her so much? He had more important things to worry about, like the ceremony his father had summoned him to attend. The Kingdom awaited him, with all its suffocating expectations and meaningless rituals.

As he started the engine and began the long drive home, the thoughts of Ricky refused to leave him. Her teary eyes, the hurt in her expression when he had said those cruel words in the canteen—it all replayed in his mind like a loop.

“f**k it,” he muttered under his breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “It’s not my problem.”

But no matter how hard he tried to push her out of his mind, her image clung to him like a stubborn shadow. The little girl hiding from the world was harder to ignore than he’d anticipated.