Rei was waiting impatiently on one of the seats placed throughout the mall when Shiki and Remus, who were currently outside the school grounds or, more precisely, the academy itself, arrived.
The red-haired girl would frequently take a mirror out of her purse and straighten her hair while casually wiping and touching up her face.
The two were seated in front of a coffee shop. Both were drawing unwanted attention—at most, shiki—but Remus was happy to scare them away with just a glare. Shiki eventually requested a waiter and placed an order for the two of them because he thought they would be here for much longer than anticipated.
Rei had already been in the mall for fifteen minutes when the supposed meet-up participant still hadn't shown up. She was aware that she is to blame and not the man he is meeting. Since she was so anxious, she actually arrived at her appointment 30 minutes earlier than anticipated. She simply hoped that coming here before him wouldn't give the impression that she was excited about their date. That'll make her quite embarrassed.
Only Shiki began to dig in, even though the two had already received their orders. The server gave him quite a few strange looks when he placed his order, which included a strawberry cake, two pieces of bread stuffed with strawberry jam, and a strawberry milkshake. Remus consumes only pasta and an Iced Americano. Even yet, the waitress questioned whether Shiki's order was accurate.
"Hey," Called Remus "It's been fifteen minutes, why is her date still not here? Did he stand her up or what?" He snorted as he, took a sip from his drink.
"Remus, if you don't shut up, I'll gladly do so. That is, if you prefer neddles over a clamp."
"......"
As time goes by, Someone finally approaches Rei. They may be far from where Rei is currently was but thanks to both' keen vision they can clearly see who it was.
And knowing who it was, gave then quite a shock.
It was a tall man with a deep blue hair color. He was a man with a very familiar back to the two men.
They saw Rei blushed, nodded and shake her head in nervousness. Shiki couldn't help but to be perplexed in this situation, to think Arlo would actually be the guy to invite her sister—at first he thought it was Austin, but thinking about it now, rei would've plain out rejected him before even speaking a word.
As the two watched them they saw how Arlo looked at Rei, as if telling them that there's already a bit of hint of affection seeping out his sapphire colored eyes.
Shiki turn to Remus and he expected nonetheless. He too was quite shock, but his bitter expression was apparent too. Shiki can see the change in his companion's eyes, as if they were deeply hurt.
Of course, Shiki knew the boy's affection towards Arlo, and the fact that he just witnessed the person he likes looking at his childhood friend with a potential affection in his eyes, was perhaps a total hit on him.
A boy liking another boy is quite a taboo even in this world, you'll get discriminated even worst that what is was on earth for every person in here has a reputation to maintain. Such as Remus who was already a Son of an influential person, showing his affection publicly will ruin not only him but his relationship to his family's business. Rei However, can show her affection publicly to the person she likes without being discriminated.
When he knew that both of them likes the same person, Remus already affirmed that he was at the losing stage and Rei would the attaining the thing which had became far off of his reach.
****
"Interesting," Commented Zachary as both him and Luna stood in front of the Secluded slovenly garden. "But why a empty lot Lal of a sudden? Are you playing with me?
"What?! Even you? You can't see it?!"
Panicked as she did, contemplating whether why does only her and Ezryn be able to see that garden, but not to the other characters. Was it made it that way? Were it build only for her to see? But what about Ezryn?
Suddenly she heard a chuckle from the man beside her. Making Luna looked at him wry and bewildered. She was bemused on what made this man chuckle.
'Wait, don't tell me...' Luna's thought trailed off as she finally was able to catch up on why was Zachary laughing.
"This is not time to be joking!" She irritatedly cried.
Zachary who was trying to stop his laughter repeated 'sorry' in between as he finally stopped. Again, Luna repeated what she had asked, whether the garden is apparent in his eyes or just an empty lot.
Of course, Zachary stayed quiet for a while, but eventually answered the maiden seriously;
"I see the outline, but not the garden itself."
His answer made Luna even more baffled, what does that even mean? He couldn't see the whole garden? It's apparent but not? Luna was so confused that all she did was looked at him in bewilderment.
Haaaa...
Zachary sighed, realizing that Luna couldn't follow what he had said, which once again made him explain in alot more sufficiently.
"I know there's a garden and I can see the outline of it, but the picture of what it looks like is not quite apparent to me."
His reply made Luna to look down, her hands covering her mouth deeply thinking in what kind of absurdity she had gotten into again.
It was just too ridiculous If she were to think about it. Although the garden was so unkempt and slovenly looking, it still somehow stands out. But honestly, even she didn't noticed it at first despite already able to walk all around the campus.
Not only that, but even ezryn were able to see the garden and was even able to enter. But why couldn't Dion and Zachary?
"This is ridiculous..." Luna muttered, lifting her chin up.
"Say," Zachary said "would you mind entering in the garden?" He suddenly suggested with a serious expression.
Baffled as Luna is, she still did what Zachary asked. Swinging the rusty gate open as she finally got into the unkempt Garden.
She can see Zachary observing whatever his eyes was looking at. Clearly, Luna could still see him but what about to his perspective? Was she also just an outline?
"Fascinating, you vanish along with the garden. Although, this time even I can't see your outline anymore." He replied, amusingly.
Luna soon stepped out of the garden, appearing again like magic. It fascinates Zachary about this new knowledge he just discovered. He glance over the maiden who was obviously was still bewildered and anxious.
Zachary couldn't help but think, what would happen if he were to tell his brother that the soul of the person he likes, belongs to a man?
"Hmmm... I think I know why it isn't apparent to us." Commented he, which made Luna to glance over him.
"Why is that?"
Suddenly, Zachary pointed his forefinger towards Luna's eyes and said, "Your eyes..." He trailed off.
Luna couldn't help but yi wrinkle her forehead bewildered onto why is this man suddenly bringing up her eyes. "What about them?"
"Perhaps this garden was only made for people who has a golden eyes. You apparently perceived the garden, but not to me who probably has alot of mana than you and is obviously alot stronger." He boasted.
It took her a minute to make herself believe on to what Zachary had said. Now that she think about it, both Ezryn and her did aquire the golden eyes. Was that perhaps the reason?
'Does Agapius know about this?' She thought, Agapius created this world so maybe he knows about this garden.
Looking back, Aella and Agapius were able to see the garden but it doesn't seem like they were able to recognize what it is.
Alot of questions flooded over Luna's mind, muttering things non stop. It was making her head hurts, this was slowly turning into a mystery genre game rather than it being a so called Otome game— well Luna wants to recognize this world in a form of a game still, it doesn't matter if Agapius lied to her or not.
She just wanted to get things over, and she only has one goal in mind;
And that is to return to her own world.