HERO UNIVERSITY GROUND
The air buzzed with excitement as students wandered the sprawling campus. Ray glanced around at the sea of uniforms and new faces. He knew every corner of this place, every shortcut and quiet spot—a strange comfort he had thanks to his memories from his previous life.
B's voice rang inside his mind, curious as always. "So, what now? Gonna take a tour or something?"
Ray shook his head slightly, keeping his expression blank. "No need. I already know where everything is. I'll just… go to the washroom first."
He turned, heading purposefully through the crowd. Just as he rounded a corner, he felt a sharp prickle—someone was headed straight toward him. Ray instinctively looked up, catching sight of a girl gliding in his direction with unwavering focus.
He frowned. She can't possibly be coming for me… he thought, but as he increased his pace toward the restroom, he realized she was definitively closing the distance. He slowed, then stopped, mentally preparing himself.
B muttered, "Hey, that girl with the blue hair is looking at you."
"I know, but why?" Ray replied quietly. Must be because I was standing against the principal's pressure, he guessed. She's curious. That's all…
A cold, even voice spoke near his shoulder. "Ray, right? I want to talk to you."
Startled, Ray glanced back. Lyra Ashford stood less than a step away, her presence as icy as her famous blue eyes. Up close, her beauty was striking—refined, distant, almost unapproachable.
B couldn't help himself. "She's beautiful," he whispered into Ray's mind.
Ray didn't reply, but he agreed silently. Out loud, he said, "Sorry, do I know you?"
Lyra's eyes narrowed just a bit, as if she wasn't used to that answer. "I'm Lyra Ashford," she said, her voice calm and clipped. "Heir of the Ashford family—"
Ray cut her off, keeping his tone even and flat. "Yeah. I know who you are. But we don't actually know each other, so…"
For a brief second, Lyra looked thrown—no one ever interrupted her introductions, let alone a stranger. But she recovered smoothly. "Now we do."
She stepped closer, her gaze hard and searching. "Who are you, really? You're nineteen, lost your parents in an accident, live alone in a small apartment, and according to academy records, you never had a Raspel. But you withstood the principal's pressure—something impossible without a serious awakening. So, what are you hiding?"
Ray let out a small sigh, hands in his pockets. "Whoa, hey. That's a lot of questions for a first conversation." He met her gaze without flinching. "I'm just a normal first year. As for my Raspel and any special power, that's none of your business."
He turned, ready to leave. "If you're done interrogating me, I'm going now."
Lyra was left standing there, surprised and almost… annoyed. No one's ever spoken to me like that, she thought. No one ignores me, especially when I take the initiative. She clenched her jaw, her pride slightly wounded, but her curiosity far from satisfied. Her cold eyes lingered on Ray for a moment longer before she spun away, blue hair catching the sun.
Ray smirked as he walked off, but couldn't help noticing the murmur of whispers behind him.
"Did you just see that?"
"Is that really Lyra Ashford, talking to some random guy?"
"He didn't look impressed at all!"
"Who is he? And why do the top students suddenly care about him?"
Ray rolled his eyes. These people gossip about everything. I guess some things never change.
A Different Kind of Storm
Not far away, hidden behind a line of trees near the field, Sofia stood frozen. She had just overheard the group of students buzzing about the scene between Ray and Lyra. Their words dug into her like cold steel.
"Lyra Ashford approached him…"
"She never does that with anyone…"
"They said it looked intense, like she was interested in him…"
Sofia's face went carefully blank. But inside, her thoughts spun out of control. No. He's supposed to need me. He's always needed me. Why would she talk to him? Why did Ray even answer her? Jealousy didn't just flicker inside her—it raged like a fire. Her fists clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms. A little voice whispered cruelly: She thinks she can take Ray from me? She's wrong. He's mine.
On the outside, Sofia forced a gentle smile and began walking back toward the main building, but a new, sharper glint hardened in her eyes.
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