By now,
She had learned two things.
One—
No one truly knew Father Adrian.
And two—
Everyone had something to say about him.
Which made no sense.
Seraphina sat quietly in the chapel, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of a hymn book as her thoughts drifted.
She didn't like unknowns.
Didn't like gaps in information.
Didn't like—
Him.
And yet—
He remained.
In her thoughts.
In her awareness.
In every quiet moment.
"…You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"
She didn't look up.
"…You're becoming predictable."
The same young nun from before slid into the seat beside her, smiling.
"That means yes."
Seraphina exhaled softly.
"…I don't like not knowing things."
"Then stop asking about him."
That made her pause.
"…Why?"
The girl's smile faded slightly.
"Because the more you look into him…"
A small pause.
"…the more he'll start looking back."
Seraphina finally turned her head.
Their eyes met.
"And that's a problem?"
The nun studied her for a moment.
Then smiled again—but this time, it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"…For you? I don't know."
Seraphina held her gaze for a second longer.
Then looked away.
Unsettling.
Everything about this—
Was becoming unsettling.
********
Meanwhile in the priest chambers,
"Seraphina."
Adrian didn't look up.
"…Yes?"
"She's been asking about you."
That made him pause.
Just briefly.
He continued writing.
"…People ask questions."
The older priest sitting across from him chuckled.
"Not like this."
A silence settled between them.
"She's new," the priest continued. "Quiet. Keeps to herself. Pretty too."
Adrian's pen stopped.
"…That's irrelevant."
"Is it?"
Another voice joined in from the corner.
"You haven't noticed her?"
A pause.
Adrian resumed writing.
"…I notice everyone."
The two priests exchanged glances.
Amused.
"Well," one of them leaned back slightly, "she notices you."
This time—
Adrian said nothing.
But his grip on the pen tightened.
Just slightly.
"You should talk to her."
Adrian didn't respond.
"I'm serious," the younger priest added. "She's been asking around. Might as well give her what she's looking for."
Silence.
Then—
"And what exactly is she looking for?"
The question was calm.
But something beneath it—
Wasn't.
The priest shrugged. "Who knows? Curiosity, maybe."
A smirk followed.
"Or something else."
Adrian finally looked up.
"And you intend to find out?"
The tone was quiet.
Controlled.
But it was enough.
The smirk faded.
"…I might."
A pause.
Then—
"Don't."
One word.
Simple.
Final.
The room went still.
Adrian's gaze held his.
Unmoving.
Uncompromising.
"…She's under the Church's protection," he continued calmly. "That includes protection from unnecessary attention."
The message was clear.
The priest raised his hands slightly. "Alright, alright. No harm meant."
But as Adrian looked away—
His thoughts didn't settle.
'Seraphina'
A name.
A presence.
A disturbance.
And for the first time—
He found himself asking a question.
'Why is she looking at me? '