Karl narrowed his eyes.
Something definitely happened.
And he would find out.
Even if it took all night.
He tapped the apple against his chin thoughtfully, whispering, "I will uncover the truth, Wife... even if it’s the last thing I do."
And with that extremely serious (and ridiculous) declaration, Karl marched dramatically into the house While finishing eating apple..
His big blue eyes still suspiciously wide.
Karl’s eyes widened even bigger the moment he stepped quietly into their shared room.
He peeked around the door frame, holding his breath.
And there sitting on his bed was Julian.
His face was calm now.
Just the usual soft, pretty Julian, quietly folding the clothes.
Karl’s doubt wobbled.
He leaned in closer, his ear straining to catch Julian’s words.
Julian, muttering to himself under his breath, looking genuinely confused:
"I don’t understand how I was bitten by a mosquito..."
He sighed softly, frowning. "I was just picking tiffin up when it fell from my hand... That area had so many mosquitoes..."
Karl’s suspicion melted immediately.
That makes sense! Poor Jules.
His blue eyes softened, and he gave a big sigh of relief.
He happily threw himself onto his comfortable grave bed, bouncing once on the mattress and feeling satisfied with himself.
"Jules! Don’t worry, okay?!" Karl said, lying on his side and giving a big supportive thumbs-up. "It’ll become fine in a day! Mosquito bites heal fast!"
Julian blinked at him innocently.
"Okay, brother Karl," he said, nodding like a good, obedient younger brother.
Karl smiled proudly, completely convinced.
He rolled over, wrapped himself in his blanket like a burrito, and closed his eyes, humming happily.
Meanwhile, Julian quietly turned his head toward the window, hiding his face.
His soft lips curled up just a little.
And for a second—A tiny flash of cunning light flickered in his usually gentle blue eyes.
Because only he knew.
It wasn’t a mosquito that kissed him.
Karl lay sprawled on his bed like a lazy cat, arms thrown everywhere, while Julian sat quietly on his bed, still playing with the edge of his blanket, his mind drifting between happiness and tiredness.
For a long time, there was nothing but soft breathing.
Karl spoke, his voice muffled into his pillow.
Julian blinked, lifting his head. "Yeah?"
Karl turned his head sideways, his big blue eyes half-lazy but still sharp with gossip.
"You remember that grumpy neighbor ghost in West side?" Karl said. "The one who always complained when we walked outside his house?"
Julian nodded slowly. "The one who yelled if we touched his fence?"
Karl grinned wickedly. "Yeah, that one. Guess what he ran away."
Julian blinked. "Ran away?"
"Yup!" Karl rolled onto his side, looking way too pleased with himself. "He left everything behind! His old house, his broken sofa, even his robes!"
Julian tilted his head. "Why?"
Karl sat up dramatically, throwing his blanket off like he was revealing a great secret.
"He ran away with some random witch!" Karl said, eyes wide. "And not even someone he knew! Just some witch he met last week at the baker’s shop."
Julian’s jaw dropped slightly.
"He left his wife?" Julian asked, shocked.
Karl nodded hard, scandalized.
"Left his wife!" he repeated, waving his hands. "Just poof! Gone! Wife at home, crying maybe, and he ran off with an unknown witch like some stupid teenager in love!"
Julian laughed under his breath, shaking his head.
Karl huffed loudly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Crazy?! It’s betrayal! After living with his wife all those years, fighting about how to fix the roof, sharing cold soup every winter and he just leaves? For witch who doesn’t even know how to spell his name??!"
Julian smiled, lying back onto his bed, covering his mouth to hide his laughter.
Karl sighed heavily, kicking his blanket with a soft thud.
"Love makes people completely stupid, Jules. Completely."
Julian smiled into the darkness, his heart full of soft, secret happiness.
Because if being stupid meant loving Ruby...
Then he was willing to be the biggest fool in the world.
Julian lay back against his pillow, looking at the ceiling, his voice soft.
"It must be sad for his wife..." he said quietly, a little pity in his tone.
Karl, who had been casually rubbing his pillow up and down suddenly burst into laughter.
"Ahahahhah! Jules!" Karl clutched his stomach, his blue eyes wide with amusement. "You’re so innocent sometimes!"
Julian frowned slightly, confused. "What do you mean?"
Karl rolled onto his side, grinning like he was about to spill the juiciest secret ever.
"His wife wasn’t a saint either, my dear innocent brother." Karl said dramatically, holding up a finger like a professor giving a lecture.
Julian blinked, staring at him.
Karl leaned closer, whispering loudly like he couldn’t help himself, "The moment he left, she didn’t even cry! As if—" he made a dramatic hand motion, "as if she was waiting for him to leave!"
Julian’s mouth opened a little in shock.
"And you know what?" Karl went on, eyes sparkling with gossip. "The next day, she brought three new mistress husbands home! Three! She even made them wear the old ghost’s robes and shoes!"
Julian sat up, horrified.
"She... she made them wear his clothes??" he said, stunned.
Karl nodded seriously. "Yup. Robes, boots, even his old belt. Like she was replacing furniture, not a husband."
Julian stared at him, completely lost for words.
Meanwhile Karl, looking extremely proud of his very important neighborhood knowledge, crossed his arms behind his head.
Karl knew all this because lately, with nothing better to do other than scribble words and calculations given by ruby, he had become very busy gossiping with Angeline’s husbands and Pillu.
And they, of course, loved to share every juicy secret of the neighborhood with him.
Julian shook his head slowly, speechless.
Meanwhile Karl looked extremely satisfied with himself as if collecting neighborhood scandals was now his second job after being Ruby’s husband.
—To be continued...🪄