"Why did it take you such a long time to arrive?"
I am confronted by a man with jet blue hair, reminiscent of the darkness of the night, and his eyes shine like emerald. Despite this striking appearance, he maintains an expressionless face.
As I observed him closely, I couldn't help but notice a subtle weariness etched on his countenance. It was as if the weight of past experiences had left a faint mark, hinting at a jaded perspective on life.
With his arms crossed and a sly tilt to his gaze, he observed me intently.
I searched for that overwhelming sensation in his energy, but to my surprise, it appeared to have vanished.
I was fully aware of the emotions I was experiencing, and I can assure you that they were not a figment of my imagination.
As he had committed, he patiently stood at the meeting point where the three residence halls intersected, namely the boys' dormitory, the girls' dormitory, and the elites' dormitory..
"I arrived here exactly at the specified time…"
I responded quietly under my breath. Following that, I let out a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion.
I had secretly wished that he would not show up, as I had doubts about him. However, upon observing him, it was evident that he possessed a certain charm and the ability to articulate himself effectively. In addition, my restful slumber was disrupted by the events of the previous night, leaving me restless and consumed by endless thoughts and contemplation.
"Where should we go first?"
He asked, placing down his arms and beckoning me to come nearer.
According to my original plan, I made sure to bring along my sketchbook and pen.
"I'm open to exploring any destination as long as it's in the north."
I answered.
"There's nothing worth seeing in that place."
I gave him a direct look. "It doesn't matter."
He sighed in defeat, "Fine. I won't challenge, so go where you want."
I blinked my eyes twice, my gaze fixed on him, wearing a facial expression that clearly conveyed my disbelief and questioning of his seriousness.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing. First, you suggest having someone at my side who knows their way around the academy. And now you're pissing me off by contradicting yourself like that? "
"Just to clarify, I didn't mean to say I want to be your tour guide. I just mentioned that I'd be happy to come along with you. It's important to know that these two things are different and shouldn't be mixed up."
He spoke solemnly, his face reflecting the gravity of his words.
As I observed him, I couldn't help but frown silently.
I am utterly unable to comprehend or fully express my astonishment and bewilderment towards this particular person. His demeanor and approach to life are so incredibly grave and solemn that it surpasses any level of seriousness I have ever encountered before.
I am filled with a sense of condemnation, as I have come to the realization that we cannot pursue a relationship together due to our differing senses of humor.
He possesses an extremely serious demeanor that often leaves little room for the expression of his emotions, leading one to question if he even experiences emotions at all. Additionally, his constant tendency to state facts in a matter-of-fact manner can be quite vexing, despite the accuracy of his statements.
Despite everything, I am unable to distance myself from him. Why is that? Why does this happen?
"Alright... I suppose we can proceed then."
I came to accept and embrace this overwhelming emotion within me, as well as acknowledge the indomitable nature of his character. It became clear that I was no match for individuals of his caliber, and I begrudgingly acknowledged my inability to triumph over them.
I initiated the movement of my legs, prompting him to follow suit and begin walking closely behind me.
As I strolled along, my senses tingled with the unmistakable feeling of his intense gaze fixated on me. Throughout the entirety of my walk, a relentless wave of anxiety washed over me, refusing to subside.
Some time later, we found ourselves at the very location where our paths first crossed each other.
I began my journey at this point, and I am determined to carry on from here.
"Here again?"
He voiced his dissatisfaction.
"I was pretty sure you wouldn't do anything against what I wanted."
I responded with a sharp comeback, causing him to let out a deep sigh of frustration and place his hand on his forehead in a gesture of exasperation.
"It's clear that we got lost and somehow ended up back where we started without even meaning to."
He stated.
I acknowledged his observation, but chose to avoid direct eye contact with him. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, I made a deliberate decision to physically turn away from him.
With a hint of frustration in my voice, I firmly asserted "If you can understand how I feel, it would be better for you to just respect my boundaries and stop talking to me."
Afterwards, I began strolling in the opposite direction of our previous path, making my way towards the boys' dormitory. However, despite my efforts to distance myself from him, he continued to trail behind me persistently. This caused a sense of irritation to wash over me, resulting in the slight upward curl of my right lip, as a display of my annoyance.
"I'm not sure if anyone's told you yet, but the path you're on takes you straight to the boys' dormitory. Sorry, but as a girl, you can't go in there. "
He gave a warning.
"Indeed, I am aware of that fact. It is not my intention to actually enter the dormitory; rather, I simply desire to wander through and observe my surroundings."
I responded to the person's statement.
As I stood there, observing my surroundings, a thought crossed my mind, prompting me to question the likelihood of encountering any troublesome situations in this particular place.
I couldn't shake the unsettling sensation of someone's eyes fixated on my back, as if their gaze had the power to make me vanish into thin air. The discomfort intensified with each passing moment, as I found myself growing increasingly uneasy in their presence.
After some time had passed, we ventured around the area surrounding the boys dormitory, exploring our surroundings for a full hour. To my astonishment, he was still following me without wavering. Realizing that time was ticking away and my class would commence in a mere 30 minutes, I made the decision to postpone exploring the other area until tomorrow. In that moment, I turned towards him, locking eyes with him, and much to my surprise, he reciprocated the intense gaze. There was an undeniable intensity in his emerald eyes that captivated me, almost as if it ignited a sense of exhilaration within me.
I can't help but wonder why I always feel so drawn in whenever I gaze into those mesmerizing eyes. Attempting to snap out of this spell, I vigorously shook my head, hoping to rid myself of these overwhelming emotions. However, the magnetic pull of his gaze was too strong to resist, and I found myself unable to tear my eyes away, once again fixating on him.
"I'm done for today..."
I hesitated for a moment, uncertain about whether or not to pose this question to him. The thought of asking it made me wary, as I couldn't shake off the nagging doubt that it might arouse suspicion towards me. Yet, if he harbored even an inkling of suspicion towards me or had already become aware of my true identity, then perhaps it was inevitable. In such a scenario, where he could see individuals of his own kind, I found myself helpless and devoid of any means to alter the course of events.
I took a deep breath. "What are your intentions?"
I questioned.
There was a noticeable change in his eyes, a slight widening that suggested he had already foreseen what was about to happen. Then, his eyes narrowed, giving off a hint of amusement or perhaps even satisfaction.
"As I said before, my only wish is to be by your side—"
I interrupted his sentence abruptly, not allowing him to finish. "From what I know about you, it doesn't really seem like you would bother with something so insignificant. There's probably something else pushing you to do it. Is there something specific you're interested in finding out about me?" I stared at him intensely, my eyes filled with a mixture of suspicion and defiance.
He laughed a little and said, "...I really don't know what you're talking about. I'm just curious about what you're doing."
I expressed my annoyance by furrowing my brows. "Seriously? Who in their right mind would actually believe that?" I couldn't help but facepalm and let out a deep sigh, hoping to alleviate the frustration building up within me. "I hope it's crystal clear that I have absolutely no interest in having anything to do with you." In a hurry, I spun around and swiftly departed, leaving him behind without looking back.
Upon arriving in the classroom, I noticed that all of my fellow classmates were directing their gazes towards me, as if I were the protagonist in a story. The intensity of their stares made me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. However, I also observed that they had reserved a seat for me, one that hadn't been there yesterda. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I confidently positioned myself in the designated seat, crossing both my arms and legs to exude a sense of authority and dominance.
I experienced a distinct sensation of being intensely observed, as if someone's gaze was carefully scrutinizing my very being. Strangely enough, this scrutiny didn't instill a sense of fear or danger within me, prompting me to cautiously pivot and investigate the source. To my surprise, it was none other than the enigmatic silver-haired individual who happened to be in the same class as me. Our eyes met, momentarily locking in a captivating connection, only for him to abruptly shift his glare away from me, seemingly dismissing any further acknowledgement.
I raised an eyebrow. `What's his problem?' I thought to myself.
After a while, I became aware of the sound of the door creaking open, and to my surprise, it was none other than the girl who had tormented both me and Lena that walked in. Although my initial reaction was filled with animosity towards her, I couldn't help but acknowledge that perhaps I was being too naive. I realized that it would be in my best interest to forgive her, as holding onto grudges only serves to weigh me down and prevent personal growth. Letting out a deep sigh, I contemplated the situation and acknowledged that deep down, I harbored a strong desire to seek revenge and retaliate against her for what she had done.
Without realizing it, I found myself fixated on her, unable to tear my eyes away. Just as fate would have it, our gazes interlocked, causing a sudden surge of panic to flicker across her eyes. In a split second, she hastily pressed her lips together, desperately attempting to conceal her emotions, and hastily shifted her focus elsewhere, avoiding any further connection with me.
It appeared as though she had gained valuable insights and taken to heart the teachings from her past experiences.
The teacher stormed into our classroom, forcefully pounding on the door as if consumed by anger. With a resentful expression etched on his face, he swiftly seized the stack of books resting on the table, glancing at every student in the room with a particularly disdainful gaze, focusing his attention on me in particular.
'What's going on..?' I asked to myself.
"Today, we will embark on an enlightening journey as we delve into the intricate complexities of the fundamental principles governing our ability to harness and manipulate the mystical energy known as mana, which resides within the very depths of our corporeal beings."
He uttered with a tone filled with utmost annoyance and frustration.
It appears that today is not a favorable day for him.
"Mana can be compared to the life force or vitality of an individual. It essentially determines our capacity to engage in battles or exert ourselves physically. In simpler terms, when our mana reserves are depleted, which occurs when our bodies become fatigued, it becomes impossible for us to unleash our full potential or showcase our abilities."
He proceeded to provide an explanation for the situation.
For quite some time now, I have been pondering over a perplexing question that has been occupying my thoughts. Could it be postulated that an individual who lacks the possession of mana is devoid of any inherent abilities? Moreover, is it conceivable for an individual to possess an ability, albeit without the necessary mana to fuel it?
"Today, our focus will be on acquiring knowledge on the preservation and utilization of mana in a highly efficient manner. Given that each individual possesses unique attributes, it is only natural that various approaches will need to be implemented in order to achieve this goal."
He stated.
Even though this teacher has managed to annoy me, I must confess that I have developed a certain appreciation for his teaching style.