As the girls hastily fled the scene, the two guards approached cautiously. Their stern expressions softened with concern as they surveyed the moonlit backyard and discovered the unconscious figures lying on the ground.
“What’s happened here?” one of the guards inquired, a note of urgency in his voice.
The other guard, his gaze sharp and discerning, examined the scene. The moonlight revealed the bruised and battered state of Ethan and the girl who had fallen victim to the earlier assault. The air hung heavy with tension and the unsettling aftermath of an altercation.
The guard’s radio crackled to life, and he spoke into it, summoning additional assistance. “We need medical attention and backup in the academy backyard. It’s an emergency.”
While awaiting reinforcements, the guards maintained a watchful eye over the unconscious forms.
******
“Umm…Thank you.”
The girl thanked Ethan, looking down. She had bruises all over her body, but with bandages and the potions, she was now healed to some extent.
Ethan, still nursing his own wounds but displaying a reassuring smile, responded, “It’s no problem. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.”
The girl met his gaze, gratitude evident in her eyes. “You saved me. They were going to… I don’t know what would’ve happened if you didn’t come.”
Ethan sighed, a mixture of frustration and concern lingering in his expression. “No one deserves to be treated like that. I couldn’t ignore it.”
TAP! TAP! TAP!
The sounds of approaching footsteps interrupted their conversation as the nurse of the night appeared. She approached Ethan and gave him a gentle smile, her eyes flickering with a mix of concern and admiration.
“Let me take a look at you,” she said, her voice calm and reassuring. The nurse inspected Ethan’s wounds, her touch gentle as she examined the bruises and cuts. After a thorough examination, she smiled and looked up at him.
“Fortunately, it seems like nothing too serious happened. You’re quite strong,” she remarked, a hint of admiration in her voice. “Bruises and minor cuts, but nothing that won’t heal with a bit of rest and some potions.”
Ethan nodded appreciatively, his expression reflecting gratitude for both the nurse’s care and the acknowledgment of his strength.
“If you ever find yourself in need of healing or someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to visit the infirmary,” she added, a warmth in her smile. “And…..” she turned to take a look at the girl she had just healed with worry in her eyes.
“Thank you for stepping up to help. We need more students like you around here.”
Though she smiled brightly, Ethan was having a hard time trying to avert his gaze.
‘Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down.’
After all, there were two small mountains there.
“Cough…..” With a cough, he tried to mask his embarrassment, but he couldn’t.
The nurse, noticing Ethan’s struggle to avert his gaze, couldn’t help but find it endearing. A playful glint appeared in her eyes, and she decided to tease him just a bit more.
“Oya….. it seems like you’ve got your own set of ‘battle scars’ there,” she remarked with a sly smile, gesturing playfully toward his blushing face. “Mind turning your face so I could check it out?”
Ethan’s embarrassment deepened as the nurse continued to playfully tease him. A drop of sweat rolled down his blushing face, and he awkwardly shifted his gaze away.
“Oh, no, it’s really not that bad,” he muttered, trying to deflect the attention away from his embarrassment.
The nurse chuckled softly, finding Ethan’s reaction amusing. Before she could tease him further, the instructor, who had entered the room, cleared her throat.
“What’s going on here?” she inquired, her stern gaze now fixed on Ethan, the healed girl, and the nurse.
“Ah, Professor Eleanor.” Ethan immediately recognized the identity of the person before him. It was his own homeroom teacher, the same stern instructor, that sent cold gazes to every student.
The nurse quickly composed herself, offering a professional explanation. “Just a minor incident in the academy grounds. This student,” she gestured toward Ethan, “stepped in to help a fellow student who was being bullied.”
“Bullied, you say?” Eleanor’s eyes were narrowed at those words.
“Yes, instructor.” Ethan nodded.
“Yes, instructor.” Ethan nodded, his expression serious. He recounted the events that transpired in the secluded backyard, detailing how he had stumbled upon the bullying and intervened to help the girl in distress.
Professor Eleanor listened attentively, her stern gaze unwavering as she absorbed the information. After Ethan finished his account, she turned her attention to the senior named Jane.
“Is what he said true?” Eleanor questioned, her tone firm.
Jane, the healed girl, nodded with a mix of gratitude and relief. “Yes, Professor. He stepped in just in time. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t.”
“Do you know the identity of those that attacked her and you?” Eleanor asked Ethan, but she was also looking at Jane at the same time.
Ethan didn’t hesitate to describe the three girls involved in the incident. “I don’t know their exact names, but they looked like this…-” Then he continued to describe their looks.
Jane, looking at the instructor, confirmed Ethan’s words. “Their names are Emma Thompson, Yvonne Rodriguez, and Rhonda Baker.”
“You do know them then?”
“Yes, they are my classmates.” Looking down, Jane mumbled in a quiet voice. It seemed that using the word ‘classmates’ to define the very people that had brought her to this state didn’t seem to fit well.
“…”
Professor Eleanor’s eyes seemed to bore into Jane as if scrutinizing the truth. After a moment, she gave a curt nod. “Very well. Thank you for reporting, Student Ethan and Student Jane. You may return to your dormitory. The academy will look into this matter.”
Hearing those words, Ethan and Jane nodded their heads as Eleanor left the place.
The nurse, sensing that her presence was no longer required, offered a reassuring smile to Ethan and Jane. “If you need any further assistance or have concerns, don’t hesitate to visit the infirmary. Take care of yourselves.”
With that, she left the room, leaving Ethan and Jane alone. The weight of the night’s events lingered in the air, but there was also a sense of relief that the truth had been brought to light.
Ethan turned to Jane, a concerned expression on his face. “Are you okay?”
Jane managed a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks to you, I am. I really appreciate what you did back there.”
Ethan nodded, genuine warmth in his eyes. “No one should have to go through that. If you ever need anything, just let me know.”
“…..” But, hearing his words, Jane lowered her head as if she couldn’t look into his eyes. “Won’t you ask?”
And with a voice as tiny as a whisper, she mumbled to herself.
“What?”Ethan questioned, genuinely puzzled by Jane’s sudden change in demeanor.
“Why don’t you ask?” Jane repeated, her voice barely audible. “You must have seen… those photos. You should know what kind of girl I am.”
Ethan’s expression softened as he looked at Jane. Even though she was the senior, for some reason, Ethan felt like he was sitting in front of a child.
‘My hand….’
And the urge to pat that head appeared.
Placing a comforting hand on Jane’s head, Ethan answered. “I don’t care about your past or any photos. What happened tonight wasn’t right, and no one deserves to be treated that way. I stepped in because it was the right thing to do.”
Jane’s eyes flickered with a mix of surprise as she heard his words.
“B-but-“
“Also, I don’t know why, but it doesn’t feel like you are the sort of person who would indulge in such acts.”
Jane’s eyes flickered with a mix of surprise as she heard his words. She slowly raised her head, meeting Ethan’s warm smile.
‘Ah….What is this?’
THUMP!
She didn’t know why. The reason just disappeared from her head as all the blood immediately pumped to her face, making it incredibly crimson as a tomato.
Ethan misunderstood her reaction, thinking she might be upset. “Of course, it is not that you can’t because you are not beautiful or anything…..”
He absolutely meant his words.
“You know, you have brown hair that shines under the light and these bright, green eyes. Your skin looks soft, and those freckles on your face make you look tender, almost innocent.”
‘Hick.’
But seeing Jane turning more and more crimson at his words, he realized what he had just blurted out right now.
“Ah….What am I even saying, ahahahaha….I am feeling embarrassed for some reason.” Ethan chuckled nervously, averting his gaze and scratching the back of his head.
“I-it is fine…..” Jane also averted her gaze, not being able to look at him as well.
The two of them sat in silence for a moment, both feeling a bit self-conscious after the unexpected turn in the conversation.
‘Aaaaah…..So embarrassing, soooooooooooooo embarrassing…..You stupid Ethan, what did you just say? Is this how you talk to a girl?’
Ethan reprimanded himself internally, his face still flushed with embarrassment.
‘I can’t believe I said all that out loud. Smooth, real smooth, Ethan.’ ᴛʜs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛʀ s ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛ ʙʏ Noᴠelꜰire.nt
TUCK!
Just as he was in the session to beat himself, suddenly, he felt a small tuck on the side of his clothes.
“Hmm?”
Turning his attention to the side, he noticed Jane, her eyes still moist, grabbing the hem of his clothes. With a flushed face and tears falling from her eyes, she managed to speak through her emotions.
“Th-thank you….Thank you so much, Ethan. You saved me tonight. I-I don’t know what I would’ve done if you didn’t come.”
Ethan, surprised by her sudden gratitude, blinked a few times before offering a reassuring smile. “It was nothing. I trust my intuition, and my intuition tells me you’re not that kind of girl. So, those photos don’t mean anything to me.”
Hearing those words, Jane’s teary eyes lit up, and she gave Ethan the brightest smile he had ever seen coming from someone.
“Thank you for believing in me.”
THUMP!
Seeing that radiant smile from Jane, Ethan felt a sudden rush of warmth flooding his chest, his heart beating faster than ever before.
‘W-what?’
It was as if a knot had formed in his chest, a sensation he couldn’t quite understand.
“Umm… I should… go,” Ethan stammered, his voice slightly shaky as he hastily got up from his seat.
“E-ethan?” Jane’s voice was laced with concern as she watched him leave the room so abruptly.
Without offering any explanation, Ethan hurriedly exited the room, the sound of his footsteps echoing down the hallway.
‘What was that?’ he wondered, his mind swirling with confusion and emotions he couldn’t quite comprehend, though he inwardly knew what it was…..
————————-A/N—————————
It is about time, my boi Ethan also starts living his life(!).
Also, please don’t judge immediately for a second; just wait a little.
I also dislike I can fix her troupe.