Melody's POV

I nodded and signed to Dorian, "Don't do that again."

He mistook my distant expression for lingering anger.

"I don't actually like her," he said, grabbing my hand. "Being with her right now is just a temporary measure. Wait for me, okay, Mel?"

He looked at me earnestly, his gaze sincere.

It was too cold outside, and I couldn't help sniffling. Frowning, he took off the scarf around his neck and draped it over me.

In the moonlight, with the snow reflecting around us, I could clearly see some telltale red marks on his neck.

I might be mute, but I still understood that those marks could only be left after the most intimate acts. So, I avoided his gaze and didn't respond.

Dorian kept pressing, "Mute girl, what does shaking your head mean?"

My steps faltered. He only called me that when he was anxious.

"Are you saying you don't mind, or that you don't forgive me?"

I pressed my lips together and continued walking.

He chased after me and asked, "Mel, did my mom say something to you just now? Is that why you're ignoring me?"

I sighed and quickly signed, "No, I'm just cold and want to go home. I've gotten used to drinking herbal medicine now. I don't need candy anymore."

I pushed the box of candy into his hands. "Keep these for your girlfriend."

With that, I quickened my steps, so I didn't see him standing there frozen in place, holding the box of candy.

But I heard him shouting behind me, "Trust me, Melody Fowler! Once the Cambor family's funding comes through, I'll come back to you immediately and protect you! You have to wait for me!"

The world around me was silent. I heard every word clearly, but my footsteps never stopped.

"Dorian Harmon, I don't believe you anymore," I thought to myself.

My parents were heading back to our hometown the next day. I just wanted to cherish the time I had left with them.

When I got home, Mom happily told me that they'd already found a suitable storefront. They'd also asked Mrs. Harmon for leave and planned to go home to apply for a business license.

Looking at my parents, full of energy and enthusiasm, I signed my encouragement, "Mom, Dad, I hope the business does really well."

Mom placed a piece of braised pork onto my plate, her voice full of reluctance. "We're still worried about you, Melody. Once we get the business license, we probably won't be coming back to Liddingston much.

"You've always been a picky eater since you were a kid. I'm not even sure if you'll get used to the cafeteria food.

"Also, even though the weather's getting cold now, you might still sweat after PE class. If you took your jacket off beforehand, make sure you put it back on right away. Don't catch a cold."

Mom continued rambling on, whereas Dad said nothing. He just handed me a bankbook.

"Mel, this is our savings over the years. We've set aside what we need for opening the store, so there's not much left, but there should be enough to cover your treatment costs for several years.

"Once we go back home, you have to remember to go for your follow-ups as scheduled. You can already make simple sounds now, so you definitely can't skip the treatments just to save money."

Each of their words hit me, one after another, making the tears already brimming in my eyes nearly spill over.

I could only grip my fork tightly and lower my head, desperately shoveling food into my mouth.

Mom noticed something was off with my mood. "What's wrong, Mel?"

I shook my head, then took out my transfer application.

"Mom, Dad, I want to go back home with you," I signed. "I can't bear to be apart from you."

Mom immediately nodded happily when she heard this.

"Your dad and I were hoping you'd come back with us, too. You can't speak, and we won't be at your side… And you've always been the type to only share the good news and keep the bad to yourself. We can't help but worry that you'll be bullied and we won't even know about it."

As she spoke, she started tearing up as well. I threw myself in her arms and cried so hard until I could barely catch my breath.

…

Early the next morning, I saw my parents off at the door.

Coincidentally, we ran into Dorian.

Melody's POV

Snow had settled on Dorian's shoulders, and he was holding a large bag of items in his hands.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, I heard you're heading to your hometown, so I prepared some things for you."

My parents smiled and instinctively tried to refuse, but they relented under his insistence.

Before leaving, Mom's eyes reddened as she turned to Dorian, "Since we're not going to be around for a while, if Mel runs into anything difficult, could you please help her out a bit, Dorian?"

Dorian agreed without hesitation, but when he turned around, he saw Ayanna standing there, and his smile instantly stiffened.

Ayanna's expression was dark, and she seemed angry again. But she didn't say anything and simply walked off.

All day, I felt uneasy.

Finally, PE class came. It was my turn to return the equipment, and it took me a long time to finish storing everything away. Just as I was about to head out, someone slammed the equipment room door shut.

Then, I heard Ayanna and Dorian's voices from somewhere close to the door.

"What is it now, Your Highness? You haven't paid any attention to your humble servant all day."

Dorian sounded like he was complaining, but his tone was indulgent and amused.

"Didn't you say you were cutting ties with that childhood bestie of yours? Then why did I see the two of you coming to school together this morning? You're my boyfriend now, Dorian!" she snapped, stomping her feet.

"Her parents are going back to their hometown today. I was just seeing them off, and then we just so happened to come to school together," Dorian explained. "I told you before—her father saved my life. Some interaction between us is unavoidable."

Ayanna's mood gradually improved. "That's more like it.

"But Dorian, I heard you used to be quite the playboy and dated around a lot. Why didn't you ever consider dating your childhood bestie? Is it because you like her too much? Can't bear to touch her?"

Dorian didn't reply right away, and a silence fell over the equipment room. I held my breath too, terrified of making a sound.

After thinking it over for a second, Dorian laughed dismissively.

"I already told you—there's nothing except gratitude between us. And people in a relationship have to kiss, right?"

He leaned down and kissed the corner of Ayanna's lips.

"Could you actually bring yourself to kiss a mute?"

Ayanna burst out laughing, successfully placated. "Good. You know what's good for you."

Seeing that she wasn't upset anymore, Dorian smiled as he continued, "Honestly, every time I'm around her and remember that she can't speak, I'm taken back to that moment when someone tried to kill me. It was utterly bloody and terrifying. Maybe that's why it scared her so badly that she still can't speak even now.

"I could never like her."

As they spoke, the two ended up hugging each other. Ayanna even patted his shoulder sympathetically, comforting him.

Only I stood frozen in place, my fingertips digging deep into my palms, my eyes stinging with pain.

How strange. I'd already decided to leave, so why did it still hurt so much?

But it was fine. Once the transfer application was approved, I'd never have to see him again.

The two hugged for a long time.

Before leaving the room, Dorian told Ayanna, "Melody is just a geek. Don't mess with her in the future. If she tattles to her dad, it'll make things awkward for me."

Ayanna huffed. "That depends on your behavior!"

As their voices gradually faded away, I stood up from the floor and rubbed my numb, swollen calves.

I then brought the transfer application I had written the day before to the academic affairs office. The teacher was easygoing and quickly stamped it for me.

When I walked out of the office holding the transfer application, I was filled with a sense of acceptance for the new life I was about to start, so much so that I didn't even notice when Dorian suddenly appeared in front of me.

"What are you holding in your hand? Why does it feel like you're hiding something from me lately?" he asked with a frown as he blocked my path.

I tightened my grip on the transfer application, unwilling to tell him.

As the two of us stood in a stalemate, he resorted to using his height advantage to see what was written on the paper.

"Something… Application?"