”Well, I guess this is where we part ways,” Ethan said, a hint of reluctance in his voice.
Jane nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yeah. Thank you for spending time with me, Ethan. I really enjoyed it.”
Ethan returned her smile, feeling a warmth spread through him at her words. “No, thank you, Jane. I had a great time, too.”
They stood there for a moment, simply enjoying each other’s presence before Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly.
“I guess I’ll see you around then,” he said, taking a step back.
Jane nodded, her smile widening. “Definitely. Take care, Ethan.”
With one final wave, Ethan turned and walked away, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time. As he walked, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for the unexpected friendship he had found in Jane, and he silently vowed to cherish it always.
And as he disappeared around the corner, Jane watched him go, a soft smile lingering on her lips.
‘He really is different, isn’t he? I had never heard someone like him from them.’
Though she didn’t have that much experience with men directly, she knew how to read and surf the internet. She chatted with countless different girls online, learning from their lives. Thus, she knew people like Ethan were very rare.
‘But, is this okay?’
Yet, this was the reason why she was finding it very hard to get closer to him. After all, with how things were going on her side, she knew it would be better if Ethan wasn’t entangled with this mess and was focused on his own life.
‘Yeah….I should keep my distance…’
Keeping the knot in her heart, she started walking, her gaze on the ground. She pulled over her hood, covering her face. There was a chance that those girls would be looking for her, so she didn’t want to risk it. ‘Besides, the weather is cold, so this should be fine.’
Consoling herself like that, her steps followed naturally.
As Jane walked, she made sure to stick to well-lit paths and areas with plenty of security cameras. She couldn’t afford to take any risks, especially with the possibility of those girls looking for her.
Her destination was the library, her sanctuary within the academy. It was a place where she felt safe and at ease, surrounded by the familiar scent of old books and the comforting hush of whispered conversations.
As she walked, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to Ethan. Despite her efforts to keep her distance, she couldn’t help but think about how sweet and genuine he was. It was rare to find someone like him, someone who made her feel understood and appreciated.
Lost in her thoughts, Jane rounded a corner and collided with someone, nearly stumbling backward from the impact.
“Oof! Sorry about that,” a voice exclaimed, and Jane looked up to see a face that she was unfamiliar with.
‘Hmm….’
But after a second, her gaze met with purple eyes looking at her as she remembered the moment at the entrance of the library.
‘It is him…’
It was Astron, the same guy she had been talking about with Ethan earlier. He looked surprised to see her, his expression unreadable.
Jane’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly composed herself, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “N-no, it’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention.”
It was too embarrassing for her since this was the second time this had happened. She wasn’t accustomed to such things, especially being in close proximity to others.
Astron nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. “It is alright. But you seem to be tripping out quite a lot.”
Jane lowered her gaze, feeling a pang of self-consciousness at Astron’s observation. “I-I’m not usually like this,” she mumbled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Astron looked at her curiously, his expression still unreadable. “Is that so?” he replied casually.
Jane bristled at his response, interpreting it as a mocking tone. “Y-yes, it is! I mean, I’m usually more…composed. It’s just been a bit of a hectic day, that’s all.”
She mentally cursed herself for stumbling over her words, feeling flustered under Astron’s scrutiny. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was seeing right through her, peeling back the layers of her carefully constructed facade.
‘Is that why Ethan said he is unique? He definitely feels different. What is with this gaze? It is empty!’
Astron raised an eyebrow, his purple eyes glinting with ‘amusement.’ “Hectic day, huh? Well, I hope it gets better for you.”
‘Well, maybe not.’ Somehow, seeing him casually like that, she thought he may not be that bad. ‘Now that looked closer, he doesn’t look that scary.’
“But you are Senior Jane, right?”
‘He knows me?’
She glanced up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. “Y-yes, I’m Jane,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
‘How does he know me? Does he know about ‘that,’ too? No, it can’t be. He is close to Ethan….’
Astron nodded, his expression serious. “I thought so. I saw you earlier when you and Ethan entered the infirmary.”
‘Ah….He saw it at that time….’
Jane’s heart skipped a beat at his mention of Ethan. “You did?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Astron nodded again, his gaze somehow empathetic. “Yes. You were…tattered and bruised at that time. I may not know the details, but I know what those bruises meant.”
‘Huh? He saw the bruises, and he knows?’
Jane’s eyes widened in shock as she processed his words. “W-what do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
Astron sighed with a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I mean, I’m familiar with the signs of bullying. And it was clear to me that you had been a victim.”
Jane felt a lump form in her throat as she remembered the painful memories of that night. She had tried so hard to forget, to bury those memories deep within herself.
‘He knows….’
But now, standing face to face with Astron, it felt like all her walls were crumbling down.
“I…” Jane struggled to find the right words, her voice choked with emotion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Astron studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable, but after a second, he shook his head. “You don’t need to feign ignorance. I won’t do something that would cause harm to you. I just wanted to show empathy to a fellow victim.”
‘Fellow victim?’
Hearing Astron’s words, Jane felt a mix of confusion and curiosity swirling inside her. “Fellow victim?” she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Astron nodded solemnly. “Yes. I’ve been through similar experiences myself, so I know how it feels.”
Jane’s mind raced as she tried to process his words. She remembered the rumors surrounding Astron and how most people harbored hostility towards him. She recalled the scene in the cafeteria, witnessing firsthand the bullying and harassment he endured.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Astron wasn’t just sympathizing with her out of pity; he truly understood what she had gone through.
Realizing this, Jane felt a surge of empathy and camaraderie towards Astron. The walls she had put up around herself began to crumble as she saw him in a new light. Somehow, he didn’t seem that scary anymore.
“I…I didn’t know,” she murmured, her voice filled with genuine emotion. “I’m sorry.”
“It is fine, don’t worry.” He waved his hand, looking at her hood covering her face. “I am not sure what your relationship with Ethan is.”
“Eh?”
“But, since he seems to value you, you should take care of yourself more.”
“Ehhhhhh?”
Jane’s ears reddened at the mention of Ethan, her heart skipping a beat at the thought of him. “H-how did you know about…that?” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Before meeting with you, I was with him. And I saw his gaze directed at you.”
Jane’s mouth opened in surprise, but no words came out. She couldn’t believe that Ethan had been thinking about her, let alone showing such a gaze.
‘What if other people noticed it as well?’
Yet, at the same time, she remembered that the two were certainly together before Ethan met her, so his words were correct.
Unable to find a response, Jane remained silent, her thoughts racing as she processed Astron’s words.
Seeing her hesitation, Astron reached for his smartwatch, opening a panel that displayed information about contacts. “If you ever have problems, feel free to reach out. I know how hard it can be for people like us to contact strangers.”
Jane stiffened at his offer, her initial instinct to refuse. But as she thought about it, she realized that Astron’s words made sense. After all, he had somehow managed to describe how she felt exactly as if he had experienced it himself.
After a moment of hesitation, Jane nodded slowly, a sense of gratitude swelling inside her. “T-thank you,” she murmured, her voice filled with genuine appreciation.
Astron gave her a small nod before turning and walking away. And as Jane watched him go, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of comfort knowing that she wasn’t alone in her struggles.
*******
<Arcadia Hunter Academy: First Dorm>
As Lucas sat alone in his room, the weight of his thoughts bore down on him like an invisible burden.
‘Things are a lot different.’
He had spent countless hours replaying the visions that had haunted his dreams, comparing them to the reality he lived in the academy.
There were discrepancies and inconsistencies that gnawed at his mind, but amidst the uncertainty, one name stood out like a beacon in the darkness: Astron Natusalune.
Astron Natusalune—a name that had appeared in his visions, a figure shrouded in mystery and insignificance. He was just another student among many, blending into the background with an unremarkable presence. Then, he somehow becomes entangled with the villain organization, attacking the academy in the final exams and then losing his life at the hands of Ethan.
However, the reality was different. Somehow, different from what he had seen, Astron had been behaving differently. Though Lucas wasn’t sure, he knew Astron needed to be the gloomy student who was silently ignored and didn’t participate in anything. Top of Form
Yet, now, he was entangled in Ethan’s life, Irina’s life, and even Saintess’ life. The strength he displayed was not normal either.
“Sigh….”
Lucas leaned back in his chair, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him like a heavy blanket. Astron Natusalune. The name echoed in his mind, stirring up a sense of unease and suspicion.
‘Something about him feels off….Even from the start of the school, it had been bothering me, but recently, it was even stronger.’
There was something about Astron that didn’t quite add up, something that felt eerily familiar yet unsettlingly different.
‘Is it my trait? That can’t be.’
As Lucas reflected on Astron’s recent actions, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye. How had Astron gone from being a background figure to somehow a player in the academy’s turmoil? And why did his behavior deviate so drastically from the visions Lucas had seen?
It was clear that Astron warranted further investigation. If he posed a threat to Lucas’s goals, then he would need to be dealt with accordingly. Lucas wasn’t one to hesitate when it came to removing obstacles in his path, and Astron would be no exception.
But as he contemplated his next move, Lucas couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of kinship with Astron.
It was as if they were two sides of the same coin, both harboring secrets and hidden motives beneath their seemingly ordinary facades.
‘And the one who finds out the secret first will win.’