Chapter 6

Vanessa finally managed to recover. She leaned against the wall with the medication clutched tightly in her hand as she covered her face to prevent breathing in more pollen. Before she could catch her breath, she heard Keanu questioning her, "Are you really going to take it out on Hannah? She just gave us these flowers, and you went ahead and destroyed them!" Seamus's anger-filled voice followed. "Vanessa, you've become increasingly unreasonable lately. What has happened to you?" Upon hearing this, Vanessa took a deep breath. She trembled with a mix of frustration and fury as countless emotions bubbled up inside her. Yet, in the end, her eyes turned red, and all that came out was a choked sob. "Have I changed? Am I the one who has changed, or is it you guys? Do you not know that I have asthma and I'm allergic to pollen?" Her weak voice lacked momentum, but every word felt like thunder, crashing into Keanu and Seamus' ears. They used to be the most concerned about Vanessa. Every time she had an asthma attack, they would rush back, even skipping class to be by her side. Red-eyed and anxious, they would bring her tea and tend to her every need. No one could get them to leave her side. But now, they had forgotten such an important detail. Perhaps realizing their mistake, Keanu turned pale. After a moment, a hint of regret appeared on his normally cool expression. "I'm sorry." Seamus frowned in concern, remembering the countless times they had helped Vanessa through her episodes. He knew how painful it could be. He couldn't help but step closer. "Were you… okay just now? I'm sorry. Hannah picked the flowers herself from the wild, and she put a lot of thought into them. That's why I reacted that way." Vanessa didn't answer them. Seeing that she had used her medication and her complexion was gradually returning to normal, Keanu and Seamus hurried to carry the flowers out of the house. For the next few days, Keanu and Seamus didn't come home. The lights in their rooms had remained dark for days, but Vanessa didn't care. She was busy packing her things. Once her bags were almost packed, she took a moment to survey the house. She had bought this place before Keanu and Seamus. They were so eager to be close to her that they purchased the houses on either side. They then connected all three, creating the home they now shared. Now, only one-third of the property technically belonged to her, making it a bit tricky to sell. When Keanu and Seamus finally returned, they found a real estate agent discussing the sale with Vanessa. Keanu's expression instantly hardened at the sight of the stranger in the house. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he demanded. Caught off guard by their intense gazes, the real estate agent, Mike Allen, felt a wave of nervousness. "Hello, gentlemen. I'm an agent," he quickly replied. "I'm here because the owner of the property has mentioned she wants to sell it." Sell the house? Keanu and Seamus exchanged shocked glances. Their faces darkened as they moved to confront Mike. Just then, Vanessa came down the stairs. "I'm the one selling the house. I was just about to discuss it with you two," she said. Alarmed, Keanu and Seamus asked in unison, "Why would you sell it? Aren't we all comfortable living here?" Seamus recalled what had happened a few days ago. As he seemed to catch on, he pressed, "Are you angry because of what happened the other day?" He was clearly flustered and even apologized. "We didn't mean to forget about your pollen allergy. Do you really have to go this far?" Vanessa shook her head calmly. "It has nothing to do with that incident…" She fell silent. "It has everything to do with you," she thought to herself. "I don't want any ties with you two anymore." She then continued, "You know I quit my job. I'll need to change jobs soon. It's inconvenient for me to stay here. Besides, we've lived together for so long; there's no need to stay with each other every day." Keanu's face stayed impassive; he was still reluctant to relent. "If it's about work, no need to worry; Seamus and I can drive you to and from work. Besides, you're aware that we've been living together for a long time. We're used to it. Why part ways now?" "Exactly. You have Keanu and me. We can even get a driver if needed. I'm against us splitting up," Seamus added, also disagreeing. Seeing that this wasn't persuading them, Vanessa massaged her forehead, confused by their insistence. Finally, she played her trump card. "In that case, let's sell this house and buy a bigger one. That way, we could invite Hannah to live with us too." At the mention of Hannah's name, their eyes lit up, though they both hesitated. Unable to resist the suggestion, Seamus finally spoke up, "If that's the case… then maybe that's fine." Only Keanu looked at her with a complex expression, as if he were trying to read her thoughts. "You… would let Hannah live with us?" For some reason, he felt that things weren't as simple as they seemed. But before he could give it more thought, Vanessa chuckled and remarked, "Of course. Why wouldn't I? We're all friends." She swiftly made the final call. "It's settled. We'll sell this house and buy a new one." With her final word, Keanu and Seamus fell silent, unable to protest further.