บท 181: Heart-to-Heart

Marek's feet twitched due to the stress building up inside him. It had been a long time since he poured his heart out like this. His previous experience, many years ago, had wounded him greatly and he was anxious to see how it would go this time.

He alternated his gaze between the table and Al's face. His conversation partner appeared distracted while gazing blankly into the wall. This simply worsened the turmoil in Marek's heart.

'Give me a reaction,' Marek pleaded. 'Anything at all!'

At that instant, Al suddenly raised his palm, brought it over his face, and started to shudder as a burst of mirthful, muffled laughter resonated from him.

'That's...' Disappointing. Marek's heart ached once again. He wanted to dig a hundred feet-deep hole and bury himself in it. He wanted the world to end right now so that the past conversation would cease to exist. He wanted anything, absolutely anything, to save him from the humiliation he was feeling right now.