Chapter 98: Finally found my boy
Kian stood at the entrance of the house, holding the basket of strawberries with a puzzled expression. His brows were furrowed, his worry evident in the way he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He gently knocked on the door before it creaked open, revealing the grumpy old grandpa.
"Ah, Kian," Grandpa muttered, his stern face softening slightly at the sight of the young man. "What’s that you’re holding’? I thought Ash took the strawberries to market. Why did he come back so fast?"
Kian scratched the back of his neck, solemn yet concerned. "He did, but...he dropped them. I found them scattered on the ground after he ran off."
Grandpa’s eyes narrowed as he took the basket from Kian’s hands. "Ran off, huh? Boy’s always have something stirring in their head. Any idea why?"
Kian shook his head, his voice low and troubled. "No...He just froze. I tried asking him what happened, but he didn’t say anything. He just took off and hid in his room when we got back."
Grandpa sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping as he placed the basket on the nearby table. He glanced toward the closed door of Ash’s room, his hardened expression hiding the deep worry etched into his heart. "That boy...always keeping things to himself. Don’t know what’s got into him lately."
Inside the small room, Ash sat against the wall, his knees pulled to his chest, trying to steady his rapid breathing. His heart still pounded violently against his ribs, his mind whirling in chaotic spirals. He could still hear Elijah’s name echoing in his head, over and over, like a haunting refrain that wouldn’t stop.
Why? Why would Elijah be here?
His breaths came in shallow, uneven gasps as questions flooded his mind. What if...it wasn’t him? What if it’s just someone with a similar name?
But deep down, he knew. He knew that kind of luck didn’t exist for him. Elijah wasn’t just a name that would disappear easily from his life. No. But after three years? Could Elijah really still be searching for him?
Why now? Ash’s mind raced with the possibilities. Could he have been looking for me all this time? His chest tightened at the thought, a mix of emotions choking him.