”Senior Maya, I have a gift for you.”
Astron reached into the ether of his spatial ring, his movements deliberate, and when his hand reemerged, it clasped a small, unassuming box.
Maya, her senses still heightened from their intimate exchange, watched with curiosity and an unexpected flutter in her heart.
The taste of Astron’s blood lingered on her lips, a vivid reminder of the depth of their connection.
“A gift?” she echoed, her voice tinged with surprise and something akin to wonder. Astron nodded, his gaze earnest.
“It’s nothing as extraordinary as Starbloom Essence,” he admitted, “but I believe it will be beneficial to you.” His humility and the thoughtfulness behind the gesture only served to deepen Maya’s appreciation for her junior.
A warm smile spread across her face, reflecting her gratitude and the special bond they shared.
Taking the box from Astron’s hands, she carefully lifted the lid, revealing a bracelet nestled within. It was a simple design, yet there was an elegance to its simplicity.
The bracelet was black, its surface smooth and unadorned, save for subtle, intricate patterns that seemed to absorb the light around it, giving it an almost ethereal quality.
“This is beautiful,” Maya whispered, genuinely touched. The bracelet, while unassuming, held a weight of significance. Her intuition whispered of its value, not in material terms, but in the protection and advantage it could offer her.
“But, I can’t accept-“
However, she knew this junior of hers was someone with a relatively hard condition. Of course, how could she haven’t checked his past after all this time? From the start, she knew about his situation as an orphan, and she knew his savings wouldn’t be much.
Thus, she didn’t want this to financially burden him. For her, spending money may not be an issue, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know about the money itself. If this happened one year ago, she might have been seen as ignorant, but that wasn’t the case now.
“Senior.” However, his voice made her stop her thoughts.
“Ah…” Looking into his eyes, she remembered the times when she gave him the Starbloom Essence.
‘He initially refused as well, yet then he accepted it. I remember how it feels for one’s gift to be rejected, yet why am I doing it now?’
Realizing that her act of ‘looking after him’ would only hurt him more, she decided to drop the act.
“Sorry. I was being inconsiderate.”
“It is fine.” Astron waved his hand as Maya looked at the bracelet.
“It’s a special artifact,” Astron explained, watching her reaction closely. “It’s highly resistant to magical energies and can protect the wearer from certain status effects, especially those related to internal changes. I thought it might come in handy, considering your… unique circumstances.”
Astron’s explanation shed further light on the bracelet’s unique properties. “In the future, should there be an instance where you might lose control or feel overwhelmed by your nature, this artifact will help suppress those urges to a certain extent,” he said, his tone serious yet gentle. It was clear he had thought deeply about what would truly benefit Maya, considering her unique challenges.
Maya was taken aback by the specificity of the gift. It was as if the bracelet had been crafted with her in mind, addressing a fear that lingered in the back of her consciousness—the fear of losing control.
The realization that Astron had gone to such lengths to find something so profoundly suited to her needs touched her deeply. She looked up at him, a mixture of gratitude and wonder in her eyes.
“How long have you been searching for something like this?” she asked, her voice soft with emotion.
Astron met her gaze, his own eyes reflecting a sincerity that was rare in the competitive environment in which they thrived. “I dislike being in debt to others, especially when it involves favors,” he confessed. “So, from the moment you gave me the Starbloom Essence, I began searching for something that could be of equal value to you.”
His words resonated with Maya. The idea that Astron had spent so much time and effort, possibly even since the moment he received her gift, in finding something so thoughtful for her amplified the significance of the bracelet.
It wasn’t just a protective artifact; it was a symbol of Astron’s dedication and gratitude.
Maya felt a warmth spread through her heart, a feeling that went beyond the usual camaraderie expected between seniors and juniors.
Astron’s gesture was a clear indication of his respect and care for her, qualities that were often overshadowed by the competitive and sometimes ruthless nature of their world.
“Thank you, Astron,” she said, her voice laced with genuine appreciation. “I will treasure it.”
As she fastened the bracelet around her wrist, she felt a subtle shift, a sense of feeling that she hadn’t felt before.
‘It is getting a lot harder for me to hold it in. Did you know it, Junior?’
She thought inwardly. Whether it was intentional or not, Astron’s even small gestures and his habits looked good in Maya’s eyes.
She locked into his lips, a small fire being lit in her eyes.
‘I want to do it….’
‘Why am I waiting?’
Was there a reason for her to wait? Why was she prolonging it? At the end of the day, weren’t her feelings crystal clear now?
“Y-you know, junior.” She stuttered, trying to gather her words.
Maya’s resolve, a fiery determination ignited by her feelings and the intimate moment they shared, propelled her forward. The world around them seemed to blur, the forest’s ambient sounds fading into a distant echo.
Every step she took towards Astron felt like a testament to the emotions she had been wrestling with, emotions that now surged with an intensity she could no longer contain.
Astron’s gaze, steady and unyielding, met hers. There was no pushback and no signs of withdrawal. Yet, as she positioned herself closer, a breath away from the culmination of her desires, a stark image shattered her courage.
Her mind conjured a vivid scenario of a harsh rejection from Astron, questioning her audacity to assume their relationship could evolve.
This sudden, intrusive thought jolted Maya back to a harsh reality. The warmth that had enveloped her moments ago receded as if it were a tide pulling away from the shore, leaving her stranded in a sea of doubt and fear.
‘No…I can’t….’ The possibility of losing what they already had, the companionship, the silent understanding, and the mutual respect became a tangible threat.
Trembling, Maya retreated, her movements hesitant and unsure. The fear of rejection, of misinterpreting the depth and nature of their relationship, overshadowed her desires.
‘I can’t afford to lose this.’ She wasn’t ready to gamble the connection they shared, not on uncertainty, not on a whim that could just as easily be her heart misleading her.
“I… I’m sorry, Junior. I think… I got carried away,” she managed to stammer, her voice a mix of embarrassment and a deep-
seated fear of having crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed.
“No, it is fine.” Astron once again didn’t seem to mind. In any case, she hadn’t realized it at this moment, but Astron was already considering her act of drinking blood as something intimate, so what she did right now didn’t hold any meaning.
After all, she had stepped back at the last second.
“T-then….should we leave.”
“Okay.”
With that, the two left, one going to the training grounds and the other going to the Elemental Chamber.
******
Emma Thompson was lying in her room doing her nails. After all, she needed to present herself better for today’s meeting.
With the sophomore-year students finishing their assignment just yesterday, they finally had the time to interact socially with each other.
And she had a boy to impress. Frank Tower, a mage from her class, got her attention. His looks were fine, and he had quite an impressive smile.
RING!
Just at that moment, her smartwatch rang.
“Hmm?”
She quickly threw a look at the screen and saw a message from an unknown number.
Continue as the message will be the pictures of her bullying a girl on the ground. Her face will be clearly seen. After she sees the picture
Emma’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at the image that flashed on her smartwatch screen. It was a picture of her, unmistakably her, towering over a girl cowering on the ground. The memory flooded back with vivid clarity, a moment of weakness and cruelty she had hoped to bury deep in her past.
Her breath caught in her throat as she realized the severity of the situation. This wasn’t just a random threat; it was a damning piece of evidence that could shatter the carefully crafted facade she had built for herself.
With trembling fingers, Emma typed a response, her mind racing with panic and desperation. [Who is this? What do you want?] she demanded, her voice echoing her inner turmoil.
The reply came swiftly, cutting through the silence like a knife. [We need you to do something,] it read, the words carrying an ominous weight that sent a chill down Emma’s spine.
Emma’s initial instinct was to deny the authenticity of the photo, to bluff her way out of the situation with false bravado. [This photo is fake,] she typed, hoping against hope that her bluff would hold.
But the response she received shattered her fragile facade of denial. [We can check if you want,] it said, a simple statement that pierced through Emma’s defenses like a dagger to the heart.
Emma’s resolve crumbled in an instant, the weight of the situation bearing down on her like a heavy burden. With a resigned sigh, she conceded defeat, her fingers moving almost mechanically as she typed out her next question. [What do you want?] she asked, her voice barely a whisper in the suffocating silence of her room.
As Emma stared at the photo of the two people eating, recognition dawned upon her.
[You just need to do what you always did.]