Lucien leaned back against his bed, one arm behind his head, eyes half-open as sunlight filtered through the half-closed blinds. The sound of his new roommate moving around filled the quiet room with his soft, careful movements like someone afraid of being noticed.
He smiled faintly.
'Who would've thought I'd end up sharing a room with him?'
The manly princess.
That was the nickname Lucien had given Adrian in his head. The blind boy who looked delicate enough to break, but still had that quiet stubbornness that made Lucien curious. A strange mix of innocence and something darker hiding underneath.
He wasn't sure why he cared.
Maybe because Adrian had been there that night... when Isabella died.
His fingers moved absently along the bedsheet as the memory replayed in his head.
Bella's strong and sweet perfume, her annoying soft voice, the fake sweetness in her tone when she confessed to liking him... all of it made him sick.
She had always been too loud, too clingy, too fake.
He remembered her wrapping her arms around him, pressing her body against his chest as she whispered, "I really like you, Lucien. I really do..."
He had smiled at her... a polite, gentle smile that could fool anyone. The smile that always captured everyone's heart.
Then after she had kissed him, he turned his head slightly and whispered something back.
Something only she heard.
Whatever it was, it made her face twist in confusion... just before his hand slid behind her neck and pulled her closer.
And then...
He killed her beautifully. Her death wasn't the best Lucien had had before but he was relieved to see her gone.
Her last sound was a mix of shock and disbelief, her eyes wide, mouth open, trying to scream.
But no one came. No one ever did.
Except for him.
Adrian fucking Cross.
Lucien had felt someone there... a quiet presence near the trees. When he turned, his eyes caught the glint of light from a pair of glasses.
For a second, his chest had tightened.
'A witness? He never had witnesses before and it's not bad if he killed anyone who witnessed his hobby,'
But then he saw the way Adrian had stood frozen, expression blank, eyes hidden behind dark glasses, cane in hand. He didn't flinch, didn't panic, he didn't even breathe too loudly like he was scared.
Lucien had walked up to him... blood streaked across his face, heart still racing from the kill... and tested him.
"Who's there?" Adrian had asked softly. "I heard a voice."
That was when Lucien knew something was off.
A real witness would've run or screamed.
But Adrian didn't.
He looked calm. Too calm.
So Lucien had leaned forward, his face inches away, and studied him... his eyes, his posture, his trembling fingers gripping that cane. The boy really looked blind.
But Lucien wasn't convinced.
And since that night, the thought had stayed in his head like an itch he couldn't scratch.
If Adrian saw anything, that meant he was a problem.
And Lucien never left loose ends.
That's why he went to the school authority the next morning and requested to switch dorms.
He already knew which room he wanted.
Room 218 — Adrian Cross.
He had even broken into the school record room the night before. But when he pulled out Adrian's file, most of the pages were redacted. Name. ID number. Room number. That was all.
The rest was sealed like a secret.
That was how the academy worked since it was full of secrets.
Now, as he sat in that same boy's room, watching Adrian pretend not to notice him, Lucien couldn't help but smile.
The "blind" boy had peeled off his hoodie earlier, his pale skin glowing faintly under the afternoon light. Smooth, soft, too perfect for a boy. Lucien didn't see muscles, only fragile beauty. He wondered...
'What kind of sound would this skin make if I cut it open? Would it bruise easily? Would it look beautiful when blood smeared across it? Oh! I want to give it a try,'
He almost laughed at himself for thinking that way.
Adrian finally spoke, his voice soft but guarded.
"Thank you. I hope you never touch any of my things. It's difficult to find them if anyone moves them."
Lucien smirked, watching the small tremor in Adrian's fingers as he fixed his hoodie.
"Got it," he said easily. "I wouldn't want to make your life harder."
Adrian didn't reply. He just turned away, grabbed a fresh shirt, and staggered toward the bathroom. His movements were cautious... but not like someone who couldn't see.
More like someone pretending not to.
The bathroom door slammed. Lucien heard the faint splash of water and a quiet groan. He tilted his head, curious.
That sound didn't belong to fear. It was frustration.
When Adrian came out minutes later, his damp hair was tucked under a cap, the dark glasses and mask back on. His expression was blank again, the mask perfect. He moved slowly, fingers brushing against the air as if searching for direction.
Lucien watched silently from his bed as Adrian felt for the chair, grabbed his hoodie, and started to pull it on.
"Aren't you hot?" Lucien asked suddenly.
Adrian paused, confused. "What do you mean?"
Lucien raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "You're always wearing a hoodie, a mask, and glasses. You don't need to hide that much, you know. We're roommates now. You can relax around me."
Adrian's lips tightened. "I'm comfortable like this. I don't like cold."
"Even when it's not cold?" Lucien teased, his tone light but sharp underneath.
Adrian ignored him, pretending to fix the zipper of his hoodie instead of answering.
Lucien was about to say something else when Adrian's phone buzzed. The reminder flashed on his screen as it rang out.
"Target #2 — 12:30 PM."
He silenced it quickly. The reminder was for him to go after his second target, the council president. He wanted to know how he's handling the case. He swiftly made up a lie.
"I have a class," he said casually, standing up. He gathered his things... books, phone, earbuds... and stuffed them into his bag. He held his cane in one hand and his bag in the other as he moved toward the door.
Lucien watched him with quiet amusement until Adrian reached for the door handle... and Lucien beat him to it.
He leaned in from behind, his body pressed against his and his breath brushing Adrian's ear as he pulled the door open for him.
His voice dropped low.
"Feel free to ask me anything, Princess. Remember, we're roommates now."
Adrian froze. "...Princess?"
Lucien tilted his head, smirking.
"Can't you tell? You're getting the royal treatment. Opening doors for you is just one example."
Adrian's brow twitched. His voice came out sharper than he meant.
"I didn't ask for it. And my name's not Princess. It's Adrian Cross. Get it right."
Lucien's grin widened as Adrian stepped out, cane tapping lightly against the floor.
He watched the blind boy disappear down the hallway before closing the door behind him.
Silence filled the room again.
Lucien threw himself onto the bed, one arm over his forehead. A quiet laugh escaped his lips.
"One feisty little roommate," he murmured to himself.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the dark list stored in his private folder. Each name had a small red circle beside it. He crossed out Isabella with a single swipe of his thumb.
Then his eyes trailed down to the next name.
The corners of his mouth curved into a grin.
"Oh," he whispered. "That ugly bastard. You'll be a difficult one."
He laughed quietly to himself, the sound was soft and pleasant... but the look in his eyes was anything but gentle.
And in the quiet of the room, one thought slipped through his mind again... about the manly princess he now shared a room with.
He couldn't decide yet...
Whether to kill him now and have no regrets later or... He should just keep an eye on him and maybe... regret it later?