…Lauren Austraborn.
In the past, I had met the melanin beauty under different circumstances but this time around, I met her even earlier than I had done then.
Perhaps, this was due to the fact that I was altering my current present bit by bit.
Picking up the subtle changes in the events of my second life that differed from the former one, I realised something.
I realised that at this stage, these changes were almost unnoticeable unless I paid very close attention to them and then, the only person responsible for causing them was me.
It was more like an action and reaction kind of thing.
In my past life, I had not made this move of going to the gym.
I did eventually join the gym but that was much later.
This time around, I registered at the gymnasium earlier.
Definitely, a change was bound to happen as the events of my present would proceed along the path my current actions created.
I would meet people that I never met at this point in my previous life and it was simply because I had deviated from the already established script of that previous life.
Hmm… I noted it.
It was subtle but I kept it at the back of my mind that it was also not to be taken for granted.
If it was nuanced right now, there was no law strictly keeping it from turning into something more massive and impactful in the future.
After all, I was going to alter an event and an end that had already happened.
As I looked at the beautiful Lauren who stood in front of me, her eyes nearly piercing into mine, these were the thoughts that bombarded my mind.
Soon enough, I started to feel an unnatural calm inside my spirit.
My heart quietened and I acted less awkward than I had pretended to be.
I glanced a bit to my right to see her hand touching mine as she addressed me with this sort of dangerously enchanting smile on her face.
"...you seem like you are lost or something," she said.
No way!
…No way!
It was definitely her ability in play here.
I was sure it was.
I was not so naive to not realise what was going on here.
However, I played it cool.
I mean… I had to.
If I overreacted, Lauren might suspect something about it or begin to make certain assumptions that would deter me, maybe now or in the future.
She was a smart arse and I couldn't take that risk with her.
Certainly, it would be unexpected for a recruit, like myself, to have guessed and deciphered that her skill was in play, especially given how smoothly she executed it and also for the fact that I had only just joined the Cube.
"I'm Lauren. And you are…?" she asked.
I chuckled inwardly.
'Impressive! No wonder she's considered to be one of the three prodigies of the Second Years.'
I was indeed impressed with her.
Had I not known what her skill was, there was no way I would have guessed that I had fallen under her control already.
Now, I had to find a way to break free because the more it lingered, the deeper one would fall into it until there was no return.
All these thoughts and analyses happened in seconds of course.
Just as she had finished speaking, I jerked backwards, my sudden backward motion instantly severing the connection between us as I was released from contact with her.
As if confirming my suspicion, Lauren glanced at her hand as her face distorted with mild disappointment in a split second before returning to her normal cheerful face.
I gazed into her eyes, forcing my countenance to express shock, timidity and mild fear of her person.
"He-Hello!" I shouted in an exaggerated greeting, my voice drawing even more attention to the both of us as I bowed slightly in deference to her.
With the amount of attention that was focused on us, even Lauren Austraborn would tread carefully and not use her ability anyhow.
After I had greeted her, I lifted my face and scratched the back of my head awkwardly, my eyes darting around the hall to avoid her gaze.
"Yes. I'm… I'm kinda lost," I replied with a chuckle. "I'm new here. I'm looking for the First Year section."
"Ah! You are a First Year?" Lauren let out, her face bubbling with excitement like she was happy to see me or something.
She cupped her face and made playfully cute faces and head shakes while I nodded my head in agreement.
She smiled at me and then pointed a finger upward.
"It's upstairs," she said. "Shouldn't be difficult to find. But…"
Before I knew it, she had come so close to me once again. So close that we had near body contact again and her hand covered her mouth as she whispered.
'She's quick.' I reacted and stepped back two steps, playing it off like I didn't want us bumping into each other by accident.
"...don't go above that floor for your own good. That floor is strictly for the Instructors. You get that? Being a new guy might not just save you in time."
Of course, I knew what everyone was wary of.
It was good that she warned me about it but I already knew that.
Nonetheless, I had not made up my mind if I was willing to take the risk or not since it was a fifty-fifty gamble.
Either I paid heavily for trespassing or I am pardoned for my ignorance and let off just this one time.
As Lauren spoke to me, I could feel a sense of concern in her voice and from that alone, it was obvious that what existed above the First Year Hall was menacing.
That was the Hall for the Instructors in the gym.
Of course, it would be menacing.
If a mere glare from two Instructors could cause a fellow recruit to go unconscious and seizure, how much more finding one's self in the presence of many others like that?
Brr–!
I involuntarily shivered at the thought.
Lauren, who assumed herself to be my source of such crucial information, smiled and clicked her tongue in a concerning manner.
"But don't sweat it. If you steer clear of them, you will be fine."
"Thank you, Miss—?"
As I feigned obliviousness towards her name, I noticed the change in her expression.
Lauren glared at me. In her mind, I was sure she was thinking, 'Didn't I just tell him my name?'
Whether it was a shock or mild annoyance, I couldn't tell which one exactly.
However, I had done that to make a statement.
Lauren was used to getting attention inside the Cube wherever she was.
It was like she was a celebrity and everyone knew her.
So to this kind of person, who happens to be a top student as well, a mere recruit not knowing her name was striking. Worse off, just a few minutes after she had even introduced herself.
I needed her to remember me for the time when we would attempt a certain Dungeon Raid.
Lauren furrowed her brows slightly.
As much as she tried to play it cool, I knew it was a tad concerning to her that I didn't know who she was.
"You don't know who I am?" she asked, trying to clear the air and confirm if I truly didn't.
She too played it nicely, making the earlier introduction of herself seem insignificant while making efforts to push it all on my ignorance.
Someone like Lauren wouldn't say 'But I just told you my name'.
No. She would think it, sure. But would never voice it out.
I scratched my cheek and smiled. "I'm sorry if I don't, Miss. It's our first time meeting each other, isn't it? I didn't catch your name."
"Even from the posters?" she persisted, striking different poses that were similar to the ones she took in the posters that were glued to different walls within the Training Facility.
"I don't really look at those. Too flashy. Moreover, I think of them as clout chasing."
As I said this, I watched Lauren's face pale and turn sickly as she lowered her head slightly.
She finally gave up and introduced herself to me a second time.
"I'm Lauren Austraborn. Class President of the Second Year Class," she said with her hand extended to shake me.
'Tch. Not the hand,' I snorted inwardly.
Ignoring the handshake, I immediately bowed to avoid making contact with her.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Laura!"
Lauren's blood vessels dilated and nearly popped in anger at this point.
The muscles of her face severely twitched as she tried to contain her vexation.
"It's Lauren," she corrected me, slight annoyance laced into her voice.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Lauren," I repeated. "I have to go now. Thank you."
"What is your name?"
"Luxane. Or just Lux."
She shot me an unsatisfied stare.
Sigh–
"Luxane Enstar," I answered again, feeling a sensation in my guts as I called out the full thing.
"I will keep it in my mind."
'Of course, you will,' I thought to myself.
Leaving her behind, I rushed up the flight of stairs that led to the hall for the First Years.
'What a fascinating kid,' the melanin beauty thought as she watched the boy climb the stairs.
A brief giggle escaped her lips a moment later.
Lauren didn't realise but she had taken three steps forward, in the direction that Lux had walked as if she wanted to go after him.
She didn't know it but her body was instinctively reacting to the First Year Trainee who had managed to pique her interest in some way.