The sound of the crowd kept lingering in my ears...
They all shouted the very name I hated spelling, let alone hearing.
"Father Athos!"
"Woohooo...."
The crowd's face was a masterpiece art. Their laugh... their smile... it's all from the heart.
The one and only person not excited nor flinching even a muscle was me.
Athos's eyes rolled, searching for my reaction. Of course, no matter how mature I would be... he is still my nightmare.
I know it was hard days when I never spoke to Ed nor the late king... the old man Zane or my master.
That's just how deep it is.
How could I not react? Fidgeting... my hands shaking, limbs waving like late-night beach waves.
I strengthened my body, forcing my hand to raise it up near my chin. Gazing down — I clapped lightly, making my fingers just touch my palm slowly.
My very own throat was killing me, salivating.
I kept clearing my throat again and again.
My mind was gone blank, my past memories flashing back and forth.
I didn't notice, but Luna was calling me. I was almost so far gone, lost deep in my memories.
She forcibly pushed my shoulder and pulled it in, shaking me.
My hair covered my face for less eye contact — I noticed she was doing it.
Wondering why?
I turned my head to the right where she was sitting. When she saw my eyes half closed, more chaotic than usual, her eyes straight up widened.
"A—are you o—okay?"
"It's okay, I'm fine."
"Sure..."
She turned around as fast as she could. Just by looking at my eyes, she felt threatened.
Even though she hides it, I could see her legs shaking.
---
Athos saw me the moment I felt his glare. Even a single strand of my body hair danced like a leaf on a breeze.
As he looked at me standing on the stage, he turned his face fast, trying to catch another reaction.
I felt the gaze of his eyes shifting to my left.
When I turned left, I saw a student not clapping nor looking, but still seated in the front rows.
I remembered him.
In class, there is this kid who wears a black cloak in a uniform. That kid isn't clapping nor is he even here mentally — he is always lost in thoughts.
But for Athos, it's not like that...
My last hope of surviving was to at least make confusion.
By the time I got ready to let my silence lead the way, Luna spoke.
"Is something wrong? You look sick."
"Nope. I'm not too comfortable with the front seats."
She covered her mouth, and her eyes now felt a bit more loose.
"Ohh... sorry, I didn't ask about it."
"No, don't be sorry. You didn't know about it."
"So let's go catch a breath. You okay with that?"
"I'm fine, don't worry."
I was becoming neutral, but the only way to go out was to make it seem as if she wanted it.
"Let's talk outside. The place is a bit crowded and you will feel better outside."
"Okay then."
She stood up, and I faked being unbalanced so she took my right arm.
Athos saw me and her holding hands — perfect, right?
The thought of me and her as fiancés made me look even more... rendered me blind to his eyes.
He thought that when he came, the crowd nuanced our romantic moment, so we got out to enjoy fresh air.
Still, I'm going to be suspected — no doubt about that. But at least I seemed normal.
He expects me to be some dark and ruthless killer.
Thanks to my master and Ed... I was one already.
---
As we walked out, Luna looked at me with worried eyes, as if she felt fear and threat back inside the hall... when I was suffering with the front seats.
That's the theme, right?
I sat down on a bench.
We walked out the nearest door — the hall is covered by grassland and some flowers, and it had equally distributed benches.
She sat down next to me.
It just happened to be... the principal came.
"Ohhh... shit... damn it."
Luna noticed and was confused.
"Wait, why are you mad? Is something wrong? You're being really weird — like super weird now."
She thought I was being super weird because she thought I was talking to myself, not knowing I'm a loner.
"Nah... well, what if I told you I'm a loner?"
She laughed.
"Hahaha... that had to be one of your best lines you've ever said."
"It's actually not..."
"Ohh... come on, look at you. You already communicate perfectly and even crack jokes like that, haha."
"I'm not joking, you know. I am a loner..."
"Prove that to me..."
"I don't have many friends."
"So you do have female."
"That's not the point here."
"Tell me... do you happen to have a girlfriend or a crush? Maybe on my sister? It makes sense since you know all three of them — you like older women."
"Could you stop making nonsense? Not that I approached them."
"Wait, what? All three approached you? Tell me the full story, come on, come on."
"Okay, okay. It goes like this: after class, I got out to the library... Emily Roselia. She was sitting under the window where the sunlight makes it a perfect spot to read.
After a moment, I already had this book named The Dark Side of Mages that I was reading.
You see, she noticed me, and I don't know why, but she had been clinging to me since then. Not long after that, when we were eating lunch, I met Zia.
So... things happened, and Zia helped me about it — and Emily as well. That's how I met Zia.
Ever since then, she has been casual with me.
Then yesterday — yeah, yesterday — I met your sister, and you. It's only a time difference."
She gazed at me with an unamused face.
"Do you realize why that is?"
"I don't know..."
"If you don't know yet, looking in a mirror — maybe you will notice better. And not just any mirror — a large-sized one, okay!"
She said it to me — looking at her nails.
But I was shocked by her response. At first, I didn't notice, so I said,
"Okay, thanks."
Then I turned around fast and, with a serious face,
"Wait, w—what?"
---
Suddenly, before I noticed him, the principal shouted my name, coming right to us.
We both turned around.
Her eyes sparkling like a star — I saw her face and smile from the side that lit the flowers around.
But not me...
I was petrified.
Father Athos was coming towards me, right behind the principal.