Chapter 22
“Carol hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.”
Almost as soon as Joshua stepped out, Caroline, like a hedgehog, instantly stood up and bristled all over.
“Why are you here? Did you follow me?”
“No, no, listen to me explain. Seeing Caroline misunderstood and was wary of him, Joshua explained in a panic, “I came to see the principal about something, and I thought I’d come up to take a look…”
Charleson also stood up and pulled Caroline, who was standing at the edge of the rooftop, to a safer position in the middle before saying, “It’s not safe over there just now.”
Seeing Joshua staring at them, Charleson smiled and reached out his right hand to him, saying, “Hello, I’m Charleson, Caroline’s good friend.”
Despite not liking him, Joshua still reached out his hand to shake his hand: “Hello, Joshua.”
Upon hearing this name, Charleson looked at Caroline and smiled knowingly.
Then she turned to Joshua and said, “Sorry, we were here first, and we haven’t finished our conversation. Would you mind…”
Joshua sighed, endured the sourness at the tip of his nose, glanced at Caroline again, nodded, and walked away.
Seeing him leave. Caroline’s emotions erupted instantly. Suddenly, she covered her face with both hands and crouched down, her thin back convulsing violently. Muffled sobs escaped from the crook of her arms the sound growing louder and louder. until she couldn’t hold back and began to wail uncontrollably.
On the other side, Joshua, walking down the stairs, after descending several floors and confirming that the two people on the rooftop could not see him. slowly bent his straight back, his shoulders suddenly drooping, his steps down the stairs becoming heavier and heavier, until he finally seemed unable to move.
He seemed to suddenly give up his persistence, and upon closer
inspection, it could be seen that the hand he was using to hold onto the stairs was trembling slightly.
His eyes were blurred by the mist, making it difficult to see the stairs. Joshua blinked hard, and tears flooded his eyes, finally unable to bear the pain any longer.
He actually heard all those words.
He didn’t come with them. In fact, he came to talk to the principal about funding to seal off the rooftop over here. He never wants to experience the things from his past life again.
But as soon as they finished their discussion, he saw Caroline leading Charleson towards the rooftop.
The pain from the past life surged like a tide, and he chased after it in fear, but dared not approach.
Hiding behind the door at the staircase, he overheard Caroline’s pain, both what he already knew and what he had never discovered
Kelly’s enthusiasm. Caroline’s depression, and that table Caroline set up on the rooftop that last day were actually cries for help.
“She finally begged me to save her…”
Joshua wailed, that was her last glimmer of hope.
She finally tried to use those memories to evoke her love for herself, pulling her out of despair.
But what he did was to leave her alone on the rooftop and went to find the woman who had caused her so much pain.
“I’m sorry Carol… I’m sorry… I was wrong Carol… I was wrong…”