Chapter 13

The early winter air made our words come out in visible puffs.
Only the two of us foolishly stayed up all night and braved the cold in the open-air stands.
Finally, I spoke first.
"Shall we go back?"
Daniel nodded. "Let's go."
Halfway there, I suddenly needed to use the restroom.
"The school building is locked; why don't you make do in the woods? I'll wait outside for you."
I glanced at the pitch-black woods not far away.
Ghost stories I had heard throughout my life flooded my mind like a fountain.
"No... I think I'll hold it in a bit longer."
Daniel looked around and his eyes lit up.
He grabbed my arm, guiding me to the back of the school building.
He raised his hand and pushed open a window.
He sighed, "They still haven't fixed this window, our school is so stingy."
I nodded in agreement, and then asked the crucial question, "So, how do I get in?"
Daniel looked at the window, which aligned with my eyebrows, and fell silent.
Just then, a gust of cold wind blew by.
I nearly peed myself from the cold.
The person beside me sensed my dilemma and succinctly said, "Spread your legs."
I was almost scared out of my wits, my eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?"
Daniel couldn't be bothered with small talk.
He squatted down, grabbed my ankle, and I found myself sitting on his shoulders.
I weighed over a hundred catties (60 kg), but he didn't even waver.
One minute later, I successfully landed on the ground, and as I turned my head to speak, I said, "Wait for me, I'll go get you a chair... How did you get in?"
Daniel dusted off his hands. "Like this.
…
Then I came in.
A drop of cold liquid slowly entered the body.
It contained a nerve-paralyzing drug.
After today, Daniel will return to the ranks of being in a vegetative state.
No one knows that he was once awake...
After completing everything, I turned around and walked away.
As a doctor, I can't believe I resorted to harming my own patient, who happens to be my high school crush.
All of this goes beyond my moral understanding.
If I don't leave now, I will definitely jump out the window.
Just as I reached for the door handle, someone behind me called out.
"Isabel."
This was the first time he called me by my full name, causing me to pause in opening the door.
"What's wrong?"
"Thank you."
"...Thank me for what?"
Daniel's tone couldn't reveal any emotions. "Thank you for taking me to get a haircut before you did anything."