⚔ The Right Way ⚔  

Kallm had walked into the store and had first seen Lirat. He saw the sympathy in her eyes as well as the blame, as subtle as she had tried to make it. Kallm felt like he had betrayed her, but he knew it wasn't his fault. He was allowed to be angry. What if Corin hadn't told Lirat? What if Lirat didn't know either? How long had Corin been keeping this a secret from those around her?

Looking around, Kallm heard Corin's anklets chime, though he couldn't see her. Glancing back at Lirat, he saw that she had gone back to helping another customer. Looking around, Kallm's heart couldn't help skip a beat as he looked up at the security mirror and saw a large figure standing in front of Corin's small form.

Charging forward, he stopped at the end of the row, just in time to see the man whom he had previously saved Corin from step closer to her.

"You never asked me what my name was."

Kallm's fists were by his side, but he knew he didn't want to scare Corin any more. It may also have been that he was using his anger as a barrier to not feel for her. He knew if she looked at him with her doe eyes that he would forsake anything she asked of him. But he couldn't. He had to be strong. But that didn't mean he'd leave her to fend for herself.

"That's because she doesn't want to know." Kallm spat out through his teeth. He knew the exact moment that Corin looked at him, he felt her gaze all over him, and he didn't know whether it was a look of disgust or of relief.

He saw the man look at him too, his eyes momentarily steeling over before he leaned closer to Corin, who remained looking at Kallm. Her eyes never moved from his as the man whispered something in her ear that made her shiver.

Finally looking at her, Kallm couldn't help but see the hurt she was feeling. He also couldn't help remembering all that she had done. He couldn't look at her and not realise that she was the reason her brother was so unhappy. That he had lost Kayana because Corin was the jealous woman. He wouldn't have believed it if someone else had told him, but it came from her.

Kallm was too engrossed in projecting his hurt at Corin that he missed the mocking smile that was thrown his way. About to move forward, Kallm stopped himself. He couldn't let her suck him in, even as he saw the guilt swimming in her usually emotionless eyes.

"We need to talk." Kallm's words may have come out calm, but he was far from it.

Turning on his heels, Kallm walked towards the back room, nodding at Lirat on his way in. He could hear Corin quietly walking behind him, the only reason he knew was the chiming of her bells. How happy he would be when he had heard those same bells when he worked here. He would wait for her to show his face before he'd get back to work in the morning. Those bells meant that Corin was working, that she was still there, and Kallm was content with that knowledge.

But now. Now Kallm couldn't help but get irritated. Did his brother hear these same chimes, when she was ruining his life?

Walking into the back room, Kallm began pacing. His anger was beginning to get the best of him, and he could feel his skin heating and his mind making scenarios that he knew weren't true.

But even through his anger, his heart was happy as he realised that although Corin knew he was fuming, she did not seem afraid. Ashamed and guilty, yes, but not afraid.

He had taken a break since last seeing Corin and had done a lot of thinking, and he felt that he may have come up with a plan to reunite Vodia and Kayana. But he needed Corin's help.

Putting his head in his hands, Kallm took a deep breath in, Corin's flowery scent assaulting him and even if he didn't want to admit it, it had calmed him enough to turn around and face her.

As soon as their eyes met, Corin was apologising, her own eyes filling with tears as she pleaded with Kallm to forgive her.

"I'm sorry Kallm ji. I didn't know. I was young. I'm so sorry. Let me apologise to your brother."

When Kallm didn't respond, Corin broke down even more, her carefully held back tears began streaming down her face, the waterfall not doing anything to stop her speech.

"Please. I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't mean to."

Now on her knees, all Corin could do was look at Kallm. She had lost whatever this could've been. Because of her own stupid mistake, one that she shouldn't have even thought about making in the first place. Her vindictive and jealous nature had brought her own life into ruins.

Kallm's face softened as he also kneeled infront of her. His hand went to her cheek and Corin leaned into it. She knew she was showing more of herself than was socially expected, but she wanted to show him. Show him that she cared. That she knew that she did wrong, that she had learnt her lesson. Corin could still see Kallm's chest heaving up and down from anger, but he had pushed that aside to make sure she was okay. She had missed out on this. On someone who would've put her needs before his own. This was her karma.

"I'm so sorry." Corin mumbled against his warm palm. She felt his thumb stroke her cheek and she opened her eyes to look at him, his long lashes touching his cheeks everytime he blinked. He had a small, sympathetic smile on his face as he let his empathy flow through him.

Corin knew that he was still angry, and he didn't forgive her. But she also felt his sympathy. His understanding that she wanted to make this right.

"I have an idea." He whispered those words, so quietly that if Corin hadn't been looking at his lips, she wouldn't have known what he was saying.

"What is it?"

He began to move his palm away, but Corin's hand shot up before she could stop it, holding his hand on her cheek. Her cheeks blushed red, but Corin wouldn't remove her hand.

Kallm smiled at her bold move, a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes. He was happy she had made such a move, but it was too late. He couldn't do all of that knowing what she had done. He didn't know if he could ever forgive her. But he did need her help.

"Marry me."

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⚔ The Right Way ⚔