The Systems Challenge-Chapter 463: Kim’s Disbelief

Kim had a feeling that Elin was up to something. She just couldn't figure out what it was. Though as long as it wasn't something that involved her breaking up with her then she wasn't going to worry. If it involved bringing another girl into their relationship, maybe even two, Kim certainly wouldn't complain. She just doubted that would be the case.

Especially since the only other two she could think of would be potentially interested in that would be Sonya and Heather. Which she had her doubts that they'd be interested in letting others into their relationship, even if it was on a temporary basis.

As it is, Elin was merely discussing something with Elmo that seemed to occupy her through most of the day so far. Pretty much since they started walking towards the village.

With her talking with Elmo, Kim couldn't help but consider that a non-issue. She might not really like Elmo, but she at least had to admit that he wasn't a threat to her relationship with Elin. If anything, Kim herself was more of a threat than Elmo. As not only was Elmo not someone the Elin seemed attracted to, but Elmo was in a relationship with Jonas.

While she knew she could be wrong, she was willing to let that chance remain. Elmo was Elin's friend, and she certainly didn't feel like being someone who tried to control the friendships in the other person's relationship. She was pretty sure that she'd be setting Elin up for an abusive relationship if she did do that, if that aspect alone wouldn't make it an abusive relationship.

However, regardless of how she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help but feel annoyed at her spending so much time with Elmo. That Elin wasn't spending time with her while they walked.

Kim wasn't sure how much of it was from her own boredom and how much of it was from her own jealousy, but that didn't remove her annoyance at the situation. Especially since she'd wanted to ask Kim what had been going on between her and Elmo the night before with how Elmo had seemed annoyed with Elin and how Elin had seemed troubled when they'd gotten back from collecting firewood.

The fact that they travel was uneventful only served to increase Kim's annoyance. If anyone go too close to Elin or Elmo, both would stop talking and so Kim wasn't sure that asking them directly would do her any good. As it was clear they were trying to be private about the matter.

However, one person she knew should be able to make out what they were saying without having to get too close to them that they realized he could hear them. Jonas.

"Jonas, could you do something for me?" Kim asked as she made her way to walk next to him

"No, I'm not up for that," Jonas replied without even giving Kim a chance to say anything more.

"I didn't say anything yet."

Jonas merely shrugged as it didn't matter. "Is this a favor a sister is asking of her brother or is it about something else altogether?"

Kim sighed. She'd briefly forgotten about that. She wished she could say that it wasn't, but part of her wondered if maybe it'd help her get him to agree. Despite her own reservations about the idea in general.

"I'm just wanting to try and see what Elin and Elmo are taking about and you're the only on I know of that could listen in on them without them realizing."

Jonas nodded as if he'd expected as much, making Kim want to grind her teeth in frustration. She suspected he had known that before she'd even spoken, but it wasn't like she could prove it. No matter how much she'd like to.

"Yeah, I know what they're talking about. Elin asked me about it during her watch."

Kim blinked. Elin did what? Kim knew that Elin had the last watch, but for her to talk with Jonas about something during that watch, likely meant that she'd woken Jonas up given the fact that Jonas had been sleeping in when she'd gotten up herself.

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't want you to know what she's up to, so I'm going to have to decline," Jonas continued, shocking Kim even more.

She felt like Elin should have come to her if she had some sort of problem. Kim wasn't able to fathom any kind of problem that might have come up where she'd want Kim to be left in the dark.

"Don't stress too much about it," Jonas advised. "And don't read too much into it. I have a feeling she'd be more embarrassed to have you learn about it than anything else."

Kim opened her mouth to respond, but quickly closed it. She wasn't sure what it was that Elin might be working through, but it still bothered her that she wasn't someone that Elin was coming to about it.

"If you really need to know, you should try to get her to talk about it. That's all I can say about it," Jonas added after a few minutes of Kim not saying anything.

"And how should I get her to talk about something she doesn't want to talk about with me?" Kim asked, not sure if she should even be asking this of Jonas, not only because of him being her brother was still something she was coming to terms with but also because he was male. Despite the fact that she'd sought his help out for a few things since they'd met during this competition.

"The best way I can think of is to just ask her," Jonas answered promptly. "However, keep in mind that if you're in a relationship with her for longer than just the rest of this competition, then you're going to have to accept this is going to happen again. There's going to be times when she'll want to keep things from you. Whether they'll be because she's planning a surprise for you or because she's unsure what your reaction will be, but it's going to happen again in that case."

Kim scowled at Jonas. It was one thing to know that already, but another to be reminded of it even though she had been ignoring that fact up to this point. She also couldn't help but consider the fact that if she pressed the matter, that she might even make Elin lie to her to keep from having to answer any of her inquiries about what Elin was keeping from her.

Which only added to her frustration about the matter.

Even as she still glanced behind her at Elin every so often as they continued on walking, Kim could only grit her teeth as the only outlet she had for her growing frustration. She tried reminding herself that doing so was rather unhealthy. Not that it did any good for her, as she didn't want to lose her temper over something so petty. Especially when she knew it'd put her on the outs with Elin again. Which this time she knew she'd definitely be the one at fault, hands down.

Kim wished that Elin felt comfortable talking with her. Especially when she didn't know what the problem was. Was it something that she did or didn't do? Was it something else entirely?

All she could really understand that she was still having trouble believing that this wasn't a bad dream.

"You know, you really should be patient and ask her about it directly when we either reach the village or stop for the night," Jonas remarked, nearly making Kim jump.

"That doesn't help me now," Kim replied, not caring if her frustration was coming out towards Jonas right then.

"Maybe, but it should at least make it easier for Elin to open up to you when you ask. Assuming that you don't blow up at her about it."

Kim sighed. She was partially afraid of doing just that. If she did do that, she doubted that she'd be able to learn what it was that Elin had been talking about at all.

So much of what she'd like to do was tied up in Elin. Especially if she could just figure out the parts that would allow them to travel between worlds. She was hoping to find something that would allow her to do that without the need of MP.

Unless, it'd be like that pool they'd found that used Stamina in place of MP if there wasn't enough or if a person didn't have any MP.

While she tried distracting herself from the subject of Elin not sharing whatever with her, she could only last so long before she'd invariable glance behind her at Elin again and remember that Elin was talking about something that she didn't want her to know.

While she kept trying to distract herself by trying to focus on the book she'd gotten from the Library of the Ancients and what she'd read in it so far. She hadn't gotten all the way through, but she knew that she'd at least gotten through the bulk, and main parts, of it.

However, that didn't help her with her problem with Elin. All she could say was that it was going to be a long day for her.