Almost too real

"Hey, Dipstick, see you in two months! Nice holidays!"

"Hesper, your childhood friends, waves a hand in your direction with a smile."

"Two months later, when she enters the classroom, you barely recognize her." "She wears a cap and she's shaved her nice blonde hair. She barely glances at you, and avoids you completely the whole day. The whole week. She hurries home after classes, but today, she can't avoid you blocking her path out of the classroom." "She looks at you, queasy, trying to pass through your barrage." "L.. let me pass, Dao. What do you want?" "A middle-aged man, tall and smiling, appears behind you." "Hesper? Is everything allright?" "His soft voice echoes like untold promises."

"Hesper feels tense as she looks down, avoiding your gaze." "He's... Aaron. He is the leader of our sect." "Aaron chimes in, stepping closer to you." "I am pleased to meet Dao. Hesper has spoken of you often."

"Hesper looks at Aaron with fear in her eyes before quickly averting her gaze again." "I... I just mentioned that you were my childhood friend, Dao." "Aaron chuckles, putting his hand on Hesper's shoulder." "She mentioned how supportive you were of her joining our community. We're all about love and healing here, you know?" "His words drip with insinuation as he flashes a charming smile, making Hesper tremble slightly beneath his hand."

"Aaron's smile drops and a cold look comes over his face." "I'm afraid that won't be possible, Dao. Hesper is a vital member of our community. And besides, we have a retreat coming up, she needs to prepare for it." "Hesper tenses up even more as Aaron speaks, and you can see her swallow nervously."

"As you and Hesper start to walk away, Aaron steps in front of you, blocking your path." "I'm sorry Dao, but it's not that simple. Hesper has pledged herself to the Seekers of Light, and she cannot leave without permission from me." "His voice is soft but firm, and you can see the true extent of his control over Hesper as she looks up at him with fear in her eyes."

"Aaron frowns and takes a step closer to you, his voice low and dangerous." "I think you are misunderstanding me, Dao. Hesper belongs to the Seekers of Light now, and her needs come before yours or anyone else's. You should leave now before things escalate." "You can see the resolve in Aaron's face, and feel Hesper trembling beneath you, clearly torn between her loyalty to him, and her friendship with you."

"Hesper nods feverishly, tears streaming down her face as she quickly turns and runs in the direction of your house."

"As soon as she is out of sight, Aaron's smile drops and his face contorts with rage." "You have made a grave mistake, Dao. You do not understand the power of the Seekers of Light, or what I am capable of." "Without warning, he launches himself at you, his arms going for your throat."

"Aaron is surprisingly strong and skilled, his movements smooth as he dodges and weaves around your strikes." "You have no idea what you're getting into, Dao," He grunts through gritted teeth as he delivers a swift punch to your stomach, winding you slightly. "Hesper belongs to us now, and we will not let you take her away."

"Aaron grunts in pain as your kick connects, but he quickly recovers and continues his assault on you." "You think you can stop us? We are everywhere, we are powerful!" "He lashes out with a swift backhand aimed at your face."

"Your friends quickly overpower Aaron, pinning him to the ground and restraining him as he struggles and screams obscenities at them." "You're done, Aaron. We're calling the cops on you," One of your friends says as they hold him down.

"Meanwhile, another friend rushes over to you, checking on your condition and helping you to your feet." "You alright, man?" They ask, concerned.

"Your friends nod, giving you reassuring pats on the back as they hold Aaron down until the cops arrive." "Don't worry, we got you, man. And Hesper is safe now, that's what matters."

"As you stand there, catching your breath and recovering from the ordeal, you can't help feeling relieved that you were able to get Hesper out of that situation and put a stop to the Seekers of Light's plans. But you know that this won't be the end of it, and that you'll need to stay vigilant in case they try anything else."

"As you enter your room, you see Hesper sitting on your bed, her head in her hands. She looks up at you as you rush in, an uncertain look on her face." "I'm so sorry Dao, I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she says softly. "I never meant to cause you any harm."

"You can see that she looks worse for wear, but overall she seems fine, and relief floods over you as you know she's safe."

"Hesper seems hesitant for a moment, but then she slowly leans into your embrace, tears streaming down her face." "I was so scared, Dao. I didn't know what to do," she whispers. "Thank you for saving me."

"As you hold her, you can feel her body shaking with emotion, and you know that it will take time for her to fully recover from the trauma that she has experienced. But for now, you're just glad that she's safe, and that you were able to help her out of that dangerous situation."

"Hesper nods, still holding onto you tightly." "I know. Now that he's been arrested, I don't have to worry about him anymore," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you again, Dao. You saved my life."

"You can see the gratitude in her eyes, and you feel a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that you were able to help your childhood friend in a time of need. You know that things won't be easy for her in the coming days, but you'll be there for her every step of the way."

"Hesper nods, still holding tightly onto you." "I would really like that, Dao," she says softly. "Thank you for everything."

"You know that having Hesper stay with you for a while will be helpful for her recovery, and you're happy to be able to help in any way that you can. And as you hold her, you know that your friendship will only grow stronger after everything the two of you have been through together."

"Hesper chuckles softly too, wiping away her tears." "I guess some things never change, huh?" she says, smiling up at you. "But seriously, thank you for being there for me, Dao. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"As you continue to embrace Hesper, you feel a sense of warmth and contentment settle over you. You know that there will be challenges in the days ahead, but you're ready to face them head-on, knowing that you have your childhood friend by your side."

"Hesper laughs softly, the first genuine smile you've seen on her face in a while." "Yeah, I don't think I'll be shaving my head again anytime soon," she says, looking up at you with a mischievous glint in her eye. "But hey, who knows? Maybe one day I'll surprise you again."

"As you and Hesper continue to talk and decompress from the events of the day, you know that your friendship is stronger than ever, and that you'll always be there for each other, no matter what."

"Hesper snuggles into your arms, and you both find comfort in each other's presence. You know that there is still much to work through in the days ahead, but for now, as you hold your childhood friend close, you find solace in the fact that you're together, safe, and surrounded by those who care for you."

"As you drift off to sleep, you can't help feeling grateful for the love and support that has gotten you through the chaos of the past few days. And with that, you let yourself finally slip away into a peaceful slumber, feeling that everything will be alright in the end."