CHAPTER 327: CONCEALED SADNESS

"Welcome back." Heiren said, pausing in his tracks on the way to the kitchen.

As the evening sky got painted with twilight hues, Coco,

Zaque, and Quizen arrived back at their house.

The trio quietly stepped through the threshold of their temporary home, their minds still processing the day’s events, and Heiren, who was about to enter the kitchen, heard the commotion and paused, turning to greet them.

His gaze traveled over Coco, Zaque, and Quizen as they entered the house, noting their exhausted expressions.

Coco slowly trudged her way over to Heiren, her weariness evident in her movements, and as she stopped in front of him, she asked a rather unusual question.

".. Can I hug you?"

Her words hung in the air, her eyes holding an emotion that Heiren couldn’t quite name.

Heiren’s eyes widened in surprise at Coco’s question.

Coco’s request for physical affection was unexpected, considering the circumstances of their situation, and throughout their time together ever since she appeared in their life, Coco had never sought out physical contact— until now.

However, Heiren responded with a hint of reluctance, his curiosity piqued by her unusual request. ".. Sure?"

He agreed, his voice tinged with confusion and hesitance, but still agreed either way, the words slipped from his lips, driven more by curiosity than anything else though.

Coco opened her arms reluctantly, her movements hesitant as she reached out towards Heiren, but as quick as reached out for him, she was also fast on stopping, her body freezing with her expression becoming genuinely troubled.

A wave of uncertainty washed over her features, her body tensing up as the image of her dearest mother crossed her mind.

Coco’s eyes became clouded with conflict, torn between her desire for comfort and the barriers that held her back— the happy memories that haunt her till to this day— because half of her is still struggling to accept the fact that she can’t embrace her family anymore.

Heiren watched as Coco’s expression shifted through a range of emotions, from confusion to doubt, then fear, and eventually to sadness.

Each facial expression mirrored the turmoil within her, like a story unfolding on her face.

First, her features twisted in confusion, as if trying to understand something deeply troubling, but then the doubt crept in, leaving her face with a furrowed brow and tight lips.

Next, the fear of something etched itself across her features as she seemed like she was consumed by something terrifying, and then, finally, sadness settled in, her shoulders sagging and her eyes downcast.

The quick succession of emotions played out on her features was like a whirlwind of inner turmoil and somehow, he is convinced that it is.

Coco’s arms fell to her sides, the movement of reaching out now replaced by nothing, but a look of sadness.

Heiren remained silent, and despite the inner turmoil she was experiencing, Coco attempted to compose herself, forcing a smile onto her face.

"Sorry.. Nevermind." She apologized, her voice slightly shaky with guilt and disappointment.

The words hung in the air, leaving an unspoken weight that was difficult to ignore, and Coco’s forced smile couldn’t completely conceal the pain behind her eyes, but Heiren did not comment on it.

Unfortunately, even if he didn’t, he still felt a pang in his heart at the sight of Coco’s strained smile.

Why? Because hwas accustomed to seeing her brighten the room with a radiant beam, a smile so bright that it can be compared to the sun— but now? Her forced smile only fueled his unease, her usual light dimmed by an underlying sadness.

The genuine warmth and joy that usually lit up her face were absent, replaced by a facade of being alright.

He wants to see her smile, the smile that brightens his days even though he doesn’t like her around, not whatever this kind of smile is because the mere sight of her strained expression left him feeling empty, as if something important had been snatched away from him.

"Coco?" Heiren couldn’t stop himself from calling her name, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

Just as he did, Zaque stepped forward, his concern obvious as he noticed something amiss with Coco as well.

"Coco, what’s wrong?" He inquired, his tone gentle and soft, as if he was talking to a wild animal that would run away if he were to make any sudden move.

His keen instincts picked up on the fact that something wasn’t quite right, driving him to approach her, hoping to provide comfort, but Coco tensed up and that was enough to tell him to back down.

Quizen, sensing the unusual atmosphere, also moved forward and inquired, his tone filled with concern, "Did you feel nauseous at the ride back home?"

Quizen’s question cut through the tense air, his assumption centering on the possibility that her current state was linked to motion sickness because it wouldn’t be weird if it did, right?

Zaque and Quizen watched as Coco shook her head and forced a laugh, the sound making the three mediators wince, her words doing their best to assure them and take their minds off to the very thing that she was trying to conceal, but only Heiren could see in her face— the sadness.

"Nothing. I’m just.. Tired.." She stated, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Both Zaque and Quizen could sense that there was more to it than just tiredness, their concern for her deepening, especially with the forced laugh that soon followed her declaration.

Coco cleared her throat and walked past Heiren, heading towards the staircase.

"I’m going to call it a night." She announced, her voice somewhat strained. "You.. Don’t have to prepare dinner for me, Heiren."

Without waiting for a response, Coco hastily ascended the stairs, her movements giving her desire to get away.

The sound of her footsteps slowly faded, leaving behind the three mediators that watched her disappear on the second floor.

They watched her ascend, a frown on their faces as they wondered what had prompted such a sudden retreat.