Winter Swan

On Monday, Silje smiled welcomingly when she saw Jamal in the study room.

"Hello, Jamal. How have you been?"

"Good! It's nice to see you! I wanted to ask you a question. I was thinking about giving a gift to Katrina…"

Jamal looked excited as he asked for her advice.

"What kind of gifts do girls like? I don't know what to get her. I have no idea what Katrina would like."

"How about a hairband or other hair accessories?"

"Oh, really?" Jamal exclaimed at Silje's answer, "Oh, I think a cute hair tie would look good on her! It makes me happy just thinking about Katrina. I'm going to go to the store after school and buy her something."

As they left the study room, Jamal asked excitedly, "Do you think Katrina will like it?"

"Of course. I'm sure she'll love it. Good luck, Jamal."

"Thank you so much! Would you be able to go with me to the store to help me pick the right gift? Do you have something planned after school today?"

"No, not really…"

Suddenly, they heard someone giggling. When they looked ahead, a familiar face greeted them with an ugly grin.

It was Gunhild.

"Wow, what do we have here? Our pretty little Silje!"

Silje was creeped out by Gunhild's wide smile. When she looked at her rigidly, Gunhild whistled.

"So when did you switch to a different boyfriend? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Did you really get dumped by Kail? So now you're going out with the Pakistani Prince? Haha."

"Stop it, Gunhild! I don't want to hear from you. I shouldn't have to listen to your rudeness."

When Silje argued back viciously, Gunhild continued to giggle and studied Jamal who looked like he was panicking.

"I wonder what the king would say when he sees this. I am curious. Should I tell him?"

"Don't!"

When Silje yelled angrily, Jamal flinched and looked at her with concern. Silje didn't want to hear this anymore, so she started to walk fast. She was quickly followed by Jamal while Gunhild continued to giggle.

"Should I tell him? Or not? Silje~"

When she left the hallway, Silje could finally relax. She breathed in deeply as Jamal asked with concern, "Are you okay, Silje?"

"I'm fine, Jamal. Don't worry."

"I have seen them before… I think they hang around with that guy… Who was that? Bruntland? I think that was the name."

Even Jamal knew about Kail.

After another deep breath, Silje continued to walk again and Jamal followed.

"Are you okay, Silje? You look pale. Do you want to have a seat on a bench to rest?"

"No, I'm fine, Jamal. You said you're going to the store, right? Are you going now?"

"Are you sure you can to come? It would be awesome if you could come with me!"

Jamal smiled and showed off his white teeth.

When he still looked concerned and touched her arm worriedly, Silje heard the voice that was her nightmare.

"…Are you having fun?"

It was the voice she never wanted to hear again. Silje couldn't believe her ears, but when she looked up, he was standing right in front of her with a smile.

"I asked, are you having fun?"

Silje blinked in disbelief.

Please, make him an illusion… Make him disappear…

Silje kept blinking, but he was still there.

Black cashmere coat and dark hair.

The cruel king stood still and stared at her.

Jamal looked back and forth between Silje and Kail. He could feel the tension between them. He whispered to Silje, "Do you know that guy?"

She wanted to say no. She wanted to deny this situation.

Kail was glaring at them, especially Jamal, with deadly intent. Her instinct told her she should be fearful. The nightmare standing in front of her was here to destroy everything in his path.

Jamal was turning red in shock, making Silje even more worried. If looks could kill, Jamal would be dead by now.

Kail had his hands in his coat pocket and turned to Silje with a suffocating look.

"…"

Silje bit her lips. He wasn't saying anything, but just his stare alone was enough to make her breathless. She felt like she couldn't breathe anymore as he silently blamed her angrily.

She could feel it. She could understand what Kail was telling her with his eyes.

He was angry that she was hanging out with another guy. His rage seeped into her body like poison.

Kail turned to Jamal again.

"S-Silje, who is that man? Is… is he a movie star or something?"

Jamal stammered a question and Silje looked down at him.

The king of Bestrum Videregaende Skole.

His presence was so strong and deadly that no one could stop him. Jamal looked at the king with fear and awe. The wind blew and his dark hair danced angrily around his face. His green eyes glared with malicious intensity.

Jamal knew he was in danger. He murmured, "I-I don't know who you are, sir… But did I do something wrong to make you angry?"

Jamal was trembling visibly, like a rabbit caught in a snare. Silje could understand how he felt. She felt the same way when she first met Kail.

If Kail pushed Jamal down, it would've been better. But all Kail did was stare at them with his arms crossed and the fear he caused was greater than any physical violence.

Kail acted as if Jamal wasn't even worth hitting. Jamal backed away slowly and bowed to him fearfully.

"Y-you're an upperclassman, right? I don't know what I've done wrong, but if I did, I apologize. I will be going now…"

Jamal didn't even look at Silje and ran. As she watched him run away, Silje didn't even blink. She didn't blame him; she knew Jamal was only trying to survive.

Thankfully, Jamal had good instincts. He immediately knew that this situation was about her and being associated with her was going to get him in trouble.

"…"

All Kail did was just stand still as if he was bored.

Silje coughed and opened her mouth slowly.

"What do you think you're doing? I am sick of your rude behavior. Don't you think this nonsense has gone on long enough?"

Silje glared at him, but when Kail didn't react or respond, she became afraid. She knew that this was a calm before a fatal storm.

Kail turned to look at Jamal who was still in the hallway running away. Kail grinned before he took out his knife from his coat pocket.

"Huh? What are you doing!"

Silje screamed but it was too late. Kail threw the knife and it hit the fir tree in front of Jamal.

"Gyaa!"

Jamal fell to the floor in shock and terror.

He shivered as he stared at the knife that almost hit him. Kail was still standing still in the cold wind while Silje was gaping at the scene.

She forgot. She forgot that he was the devil.

Kail was insane. One moment he looked at her with passion and whispered sweet seductive words, but in the next moment, he would quickly turn back to his cruel self and poison everything around him.

He was like the berserkers, the ancient Norse warriors who fought in a wild frenzy. In him was the brutal Viking blood.

So what now?

"…"

Silje watched as Kail's gang dragged Jamal away.

Kail looked at her with gloomy eyes.