Chapter 44: A Glimpse of Uncertainty

"Oslo, are you okay, you seem weird," I asked, my brow furrowed with concern as I studied his expression. We were still at the park, surrounded by my classmates, but Oslo's demeanor had suddenly changed. His eyes, which had been sparkling with interest as he chatted with the others, had clouded over, and his smile had faltered. Oslo's gaze drifted away from mine, and he seemed to be staring at something in the distance. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, his voice low and detached. "Just...lost in thought, I guess." I wasn't convinced. Oslo's behavior had been a bit off since we'd arrived at the park, and now he seemed downright distant. I reached out and touched his arm, trying to get his attention back. "Hey, what's going on? You can tell me," I said, my voice soft with concern. Oslo's eyes snapped back into focus, and he looked at me with a hint of surprise, as if he'd forgotten I was there. For a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes, something that looked almost like...fear? But it was quickly replaced by a mask of calm, and he smiled again. "I'm sorry, I was just...thinking about something," he said, his voice smooth as silk. I narrowed my eyes, skeptical. Something wasn't right. I could feel it. "Oslo, if there's something going on, you can trust me," I said, trying to keep my voice gentle. "I'm here for you, okay?" Oslo's smile faltered again, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. But then, he nodded, and his expression smoothed out once more. "I know, Kacchan," he said, using the nickname he'd adopted for me. "Thanks for looking out for me." The others were starting to notice our conversation, and I could feel their curious glances. I didn't want to make a scene, so I decided to let it drop for now. But I made a mental note to keep a close eye on Oslo, to see if I could figure out what was going on. As we continued to hang out, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Oslo was hiding something from me. And I was determined to find out what it was.