Raphael & Karan.

The unexplainable elevator dilemma.

The time point is probably a few months after the completion.

The elevator stopped.

The elevator on the left side of the city hall is a bit old. Raphael works nearby and has always been aware of this. But Karan, who came here for a meeting, didn't know it, and she fell into panic in the dark.

"You moved?" Raphael broke the silence.

"Yes." Karan responded stiffly.

They haven't spoken for a long time.

When she got on the elevator, Karan froze. She didn't expect that there was Raphael in the elevator, and he was alone. The two of them had to be alone in this small space on the 33rd floor.

Now that the elevator has stopped, she is in even more pain.

After being quiet for a while, Raphael said again: "It's okay, maintenance personnel will be here soon."

"Yeah." Karan reluctantly agreed.

"I'm sorry." Raphael took a lot of courage to say this.

"It's okay." And Karan said it with little effort.

She sounded perfunctory.

Raphael felt like something was blocking his heart.

He originally thought that it would be over after he apologized, but that was not the case. If Karan didn't forgive him, everything would not end.

He rarely felt guilty in his life - he would not do anything that was considered "bad" by others. Because he could always find a suitable reason for himself to convince his conscience.

But in the case of Karan, he was really tortured.

"Where did you move to? Is there anything missing in the new home?" Raphael returned to the original topic.

He had to continue this embarrassing topic because saying anything else would risk irritating Karan.

Karan was silent for a while, and just when Raphael thought she wouldn't answer, she spoke.

"I moved to the family building of the medical school. It's an old house and has everything. After I stayed in school, the school placed me there."

"Old house? Is it safe?" Raphael reluctantly continued the topic.

"It's okay..." The security is really not that good.

Raphael finally felt that he could speak a little more fluently: "I know a security company, and their equipment is good."

He opened his briefcase, flipped through it for a while, and then handed the name tag to Karan.

"this."

It was pitch dark in the elevator.

Karan touched his hand when he reached out to take the name tag.

Raphael felt the warm touch fall on his tiger's mouth, his mind went blank for a moment, and he held her with his other hand.

Karan immediately pulled his hand away.

The business card fell to the ground.

"Sorry..." Raphael lowered his head to pick it up, his heart beating very fast.

Karan used his mobile phone to illuminate him.

"Here." Raphael handed her the business card again, "I'm sorry, I just... I didn't know what I was doing."

Karan didn't say anything.

Raphael guessed that she no longer wanted to talk to him.

He glanced at the time and saw that only three minutes had passed, but he felt that it had been at least an hour.

Karan pointed the light downward and leaned against the elevator wall.

The surrounding was very quiet, and Raphael could hear her unsteady breathing. He sensed that she was afraid of this dark and closed environment.

"Are you okay?" Raphael came closer.

Karan retreated into a corner.

They were still very close, and Raphael could already feel the heat of her body. She was thin, wearing a black knitted sweater, a long plaid skirt, her black hair flowing smoothly down her head, and her elegant academic dress almost made people feel uncomfortable.

Can't tell whether she is a student or a professor.

"I'm a little scared." Raphael said gently, "Can I hold your sleeve?"

Karan seemed stunned for a moment.

She didn't hear fear in Raphael's voice.

He held her cuffs.

The sweater is very soft.

"Thank you." Raphael said.

Karan remained silent.

"Have you been having a hard time recently?" Raphael asked her.

"Yes." Karan finally answered, "I just started teaching... and there were many difficulties. The students at Capital University are all excellent and they are not difficult to deal with at all."

Raphael sighed: "I'm also very annoyed. Things at the Ministry of Internal Affairs are thankless. Recently, racial issues have been transferred back to us from the local government, so there are more things to do."

Karan heard "racial issues" and thought about it for a while.

"The people are very distrustful of you. They feel that the members of the Siouville family joined the Ministry of the Interior and then transferred the racial issues back to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This is something that the royalists have planned for a long time."

Although Karan was expressing doubts, Raphael was still very pleased.

After all, she spoke to him for such a long time.

"What did father tell you?"

"He said that the Minister of the Interior has the ability to make independent decisions and will not be influenced by a child like you who is in the internship period..."

Raphael couldn't help but laugh, these words were exactly his father's style.

"That's true." He said quietly, "I'm just doing some very basic work now to accumulate experience..."

"You are too modest." Karan said.

"What about you? How are you doing?" Raphael asked, "You should be the youngest expert among the experts participating in this medical seminar, right?"

Karan waved his hand quickly: "Don't call me an expert! I came to the meeting on behalf of Dr. Feynman. His rheumatic pain is too serious."

They talked about their respective living conditions.

Karan's life is very simple. She will accept gifts from Siovel, but she only lives on her own salary. She supports many black-haired compatriots to study, which puts great pressure on her already small salary.

Raphael also moved out of Thorn Bird Manor.

After my parents officially divorced, the manor became increasingly deserted. It was more like a vacation place than a "home".

Raphael lives in a high-rise apartment in the city center, very close to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and can cope with all kinds of unexpected work. He has to spend money every month for housekeeping services because he has no time and energy to do housework.

He also has no time for love.

Even Karan and his father would find time to date during their busy schedule, but he had no intention of talking about relationships.

"Is Arnold still in the Republic?" Karan suddenly took the initiative to talk.

Raphael nodded and said, "Yes, he released his second album some time ago. Have you listened to it?"

"He sent me a hundred."

Raphael was slightly silent.

His brother didn't even send him an album.

Karan continued: "And he has a new girlfriend, who looks different from before. I hope things can develop smoothly this time."

Raphael didn't know this.

He found that he rarely communicated with his family since he started working. Except for regular contact with his father, he was almost completely unaware of the current situation of his mother and Arnold.

Just when Raphael was lost, the elevator suddenly sank.

Karan let out a scream, and Raphael almost instinctively pulled her cuffs and took her into his arms.

He hugged her tightly and pressed against the wall.

The elevator shook for a moment and then stabilized.

The maintenance man's voice came from outside the door.

They said they would open the door soon and let people out.

Karan slowly pushed Raphael away.

"Sorry..." Raphael said, clenching his hands.

"Thank you." Karan's voice was hoarse and he sounded frightened.

"This elevator is often broken, and we have long suggested that it should be replaced." Raphael numbly talked about trivial matters, "There is also the elevator on the right that seems to be unable to stop on certain floors. There have been many supernatural stories about this.

I don’t think you want to hear it…”

Amidst his whispering, the elevator door opened.

The light from outside shone in, Karan squinted her eyes, and the weight that had been resting on her cuffs disappeared. Raphael stood on the other side of the elevator holding a briefcase, with a straight suit, neat silver hair, and his eyes looking straight ahead.

People come and go in the city hall.
Chapter completed!