The following day at school, I walked through the familiar chaos of the hallways, students chattering and jostling each other as they made their way to class. It was all so ordinary, so mundane, yet I felt like a different person, a stranger in a world I once knew so well.
I entered my classroom and slid into my usual seat, trying to blend in with the other students. But the events of the past few days, the encounters with the Harbinger and the flying fish, the revelations about my family's hidden history, all swirled in my mind, making it impossible to concentrate on the lessons.
"Xian!"
"Xian!"
I looked up to see Marcel and Rayhan standing beside my desk, their faces a mixture of excitement and disbelief.
"What's up?" I asked, feigning nonchalance.
Rayhan held up his phone, displaying a picture from Dove's Instagram. It was a group photo of me and the other members of the Unveiled Family, taken at my grandmother's house.
Oh, she took a picture without me noticing? I thought, a flicker of amusement crossing my face.
I leaned closer to see the caption: "Family time!"
Marcel and Rayhan stared at me, their expressions a mixture of envy and admiration.
"You're cousins with Dove?!" Rayhan exclaimed, his voice barely containing his excitement.
"Yeah," I replied, trying to play it cool. "She's pretty famous, isn't she?"
"Famous?!" Marcel groaned, turning away in mock despair. "I don't even... you're so lucky, man."
"What's all the commotion about this morning?" a voice asked from behind them.
Marcel and Rayhan turned to see Monic standing there, a curious look on her face.
"Oh, hey Monic," Rayhan greeted her, his voice returning to its usual calm tone.
"Morning," Marcel added, a sheepish grin on his face.
"Yeah, morning," Monic replied with a smile. "What were you guys yelling about?"
"Oh, it's just that we just discovered..." Marcel began, then hesitated.
"...that Xian is the cousin of a famous cosplayer," Rayhan finished, a hint of envy in his voice.
Monic's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That's so cool! I had no idea she was related to anyone in our class."
Marcel scoffed. "Yeah, well, he's not exactly shouting it from the rooftops," he grumbled, still harboring a hint of jealousy.
Rayhan, however, seemed more intrigued than envious. "So, Xian," he said, leaning closer, "does that mean you're into cosplay too?"
I shook my head. "Not really, I'm more interested in... other things."
Monic's eyes lit up with realization. "Oh, that's why you weren't at school yesterday, huh? Family time?"
I nodded silently, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. The last thing I wanted was to explain the true reason for my absence.
"So, are you in love with her?" Rayhan asked, adjusting his glasses and peering at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Dude, she's my cousin," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "We probably share some of the same blood."
"You're weird," Marcel chimed in, giving Rayhan a sideways glance. "Stop obsessing over girls surrounded by tentacles."
"I was just asking!" Rayhan protested, his voice rising in indignation.
"You're both being too loud," Monic said with a sigh, walking away from their bickering.
***
Some time passed, and we were in the middle of a lesson. The teacher droned on, and students diligently took notes, their heads bent over their books.
Suddenly, the classroom door burst open.
Thud!
"Excuse me, sir," a student from the previous year said, panting slightly. "May I call someone out of class?"
Who's that? I wondered, recognizing him as a senior from the student council.
The teacher nodded his permission, and the senior's gaze swept across the room, finally landing on me.
"You're Xian Ying, right?" he asked.
I looked around, momentarily confused, then nodded.
"The student council requests your presence, come with us."
I rose from my seat, a mix of curiosity and apprehension swirling within me. What could the student council possibly want with me?
As we walked down the hallway, I finally broke the silence.
"So, what's this about?" I asked, a hint of suspicion in my voice.
The senior gave me an awkward smile. "Oh, we just need someone to help us promote the school online. It's a digital era, you know, and we think you'd be perfect for the job. You look like a model!"
Without any warning? He just pulls me out of class? I thought to myself, a bit annoyed. But I decided to play along for now.
"Will I get paid?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.
The senior's eyes widened slightly. "Well, about that... We can discuss the details in the student council room."
We continued down the hallway, the senior's footsteps echoing slightly in the otherwise empty corridor. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken questions.
Finally, we reached the student council room, a large, well-lit space filled with posters, banners, and stacks of paperwork. Several students were huddled around computers, their fingers flying across keyboards as they worked on various projects.
"Everyone, this is Xian Ying," the senior announced, gesturing towards me. "He's the student we were hoping would help us with our online promotion."
A chorus of greetings filled the room as the other students looked up from their work. I nodded politely, trying to hide my nervousness.
A girl with short, spiky hair stepped forward, a warm smile on her face. "Hi, Xian Ying," she said, extending her hand. "I'm Luna, the president of the student council. It's great to meet you."
I shook her hand, noting the air of confidence and authority that surrounded her. "Nice to meet you too," I replied.
"So," Luna continued, "We think you have a great look. We're hoping you'll be willing to model for some promotional photos for our website and social media pages."
She gestured towards a nearby computer screen, where a sleek, modern website design was displayed.
"We want to showcase the diversity and talent of our student body," she explained. "And we think you'd be a perfect representative of that."
I hesitated, unsure how to respond. While the offer was flattering, I wasn't sure I wanted to be the face of the school. Plus, I had a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't the only reason they had called me here.
I scanned the room, my eyes settling on a familiar figure. Lenna was hunched over a computer, a pen tablet in hand, her brow furrowed in concentration as she sketched out a design. Of course, she would be part of the student council, given her artistic talent.
I turned back to Luna, my curiosity piqued. "So... what exactly am I supposed to do?" I asked.
"We're just trying to figure out the best way to promote the upcoming bazaar festival," she explained, her enthusiasm evident. "It's a big event for our school, and we're expecting students from other schools to attend as well."
< Chapter 015 > Fin.