(Elin POV)
As the sun began to rise, a pale orange glow stretched across the empty streets.
Elin rode her bike through the silent road. Upon reaching the hotel, she parked the bike near the entrance.
Elin: (Did I forget to turn the lights off?? I clearly remember turning them off.. Didn't I?)
She approached closer, confused but cautious. Still thinking about the lights.
Her eyes fall upon a piece of paper stuck between the handle.
She pulled it out. It read,
"Hey we are back, it took a while we ran into some trouble. I will explain the details in person." —Ethan
Her eyes widened, she immediately rushed in.
She sprinted down the hallway and burst into room 101. Seeing Dylan casually lying on the bed, like nothing had ever happened.
Dylan glanced up.
Elin's eyes watered.
Dylan panicked.
Dylan: "Is something wrong?"
She rushed forward—
—and immediately tripped over absolutely nothing.
Not a wire. Not a bag. Not even her own foot.
Just pure, unfiltered skill issue.
*Thud*
Her face met the floor with impressive commitment.
Dylan froze.
Dylan: (Did she trip off oxygen??)
He swiftly helped her up.
Dylan: "Are you alright?"
His voice carried geniune concern.
Elin's face had turned red, whether it was from the fall or the shame. I guess we will never know.
Elin: "Y-Ya. Just a scratch."
Ethan: "Unsupervised handholding?"
Both panicked as they reliased they were still holding hands. They immediately let go.
Ethan walked in, holding a cup of tea and a can of soda.
Ethan: "I knew you liked him, but I never thought you would go this far."
Elin: "Ah ah. No, this is a misunderstanding."
Ethan calmly walks over.
Ethan: "No I get it. A lot of girls and, maybe some boys have a thing for Dylan."
Elin turned around and covered her face.
Elin: "I didn't mean it in that way."
Ethan: (Teasing her is pretty fun.)
Ethan: "Oh... So your feelings are much deeper."
Elin: "Awa–wha–no–wait–."
Elin.EXE has stopped responding.
Dylan: "Look what you did. You broke her."
Ethan: "She remindes me why I still watch romance anime despite most new ones being filled with that harem slop."
Ethan handed the tea to Dylan.
Ethan: "Here."
Dylan grabbed it and took a sip like it was a normal Tuesday.
Dylan: "So... What do we do now?"
Ethan cracked open the soda can.
Ethan: "I got this."
He grabbed her mouth shoved the drink down her throat, like he was refueling her.
Elin: "GURGH—?!."
Elin pushed him away, coughing.
Elin: "Are you CRAZY!?"
Ethan: "Told you. Worked like a charm."
She wiped her mouth, on the verge of tears. She recalled what happened.
Elin: "Sorry for all this."
Ethan: "Why are you apologising?"
Elin: "It's for, you know... That."
Both brothers looked equally confused.
Elin: "...Nevermind."
Elin shoke away her embarrassment.
Elin: "First tell me what happened, why did both of you disappeare for so long? Weren't you planning on leaving?"
Ethan: "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Did you notice anything different about the goblins?"
Elin: "No. They are behaving as usual."
Ethan: (Then was that the only smart one?)
Ethan went quite, pondering.
Elin: "Seriously what happened? The suspense is scaring me a bit."
Ethan: "Well.. when we were going to our house we encountered.. ambushed by a goblin. It had traps and weapons prepared. It wasn't fighting like a mindless brute. It was smart, unlike any other goblin.
Her expression stiffened.
Elin: "...."
Ethan: "So. Think carefully and tell me. Did you notice anything unusual? Anything?"
Elin: "No. Everything seems, normal."
Ethan calmed down and switched to his usual demeanour but worry was still on his face.
Ethan: "Well. That's a relief."
Elin: "Are the both of you still planning on leaving?"
Ethan: "Well duh."
Dylan: "Ya."
Elin: "They are really planning on going through with this."
Elin hesitated.
Elin: "Before you leave I have to tell you something important."
Elin took a deep breath. Her face full of uncertainty and guilt.
Elin: "Umm... It's... Uh.. I..."
Seems like Elin language module got bugged again. Is that supposed to be morse code?
Ethan: "Not this again."
Ethan stared at Dylan's who was abandoned in the background
Dylan Immediately caught on and with a big smile.
Dylan: "No."
Ethan: "...."
Dylan: "...."
Their silent argument ended in Ethan's loss.
Ethan: "I'll just get another soda."
He turned to leave.
Elin's brain clicked. She realised what was going to happen and immediately grabbed his arm.
Elin: "WAIT–I'm fine."
Ethan: "Then what's the hold up?"
Elin hesitated, the guilt showing on her face.
Elin: "It's just that I.. I.. lied."
Ethan: "Huh??"
Elin: "I LIED."