The gentle buzzing sound of conversations along with the clinking of coffee cups filled the room as I settled myself in an obscure spot of the café with a steaming cup of mint tea and a glass of ice. Despite the quiet buzz around me, my thoughts were still racing over the fencing duel that happened between Kairos and I a few days ago. Recalling how I won only because Kairos held back during our match still aggravates me, making me reach for a piece of ice from the glass beside me to cool off the frustration building inside me, a habit that I developed when I was still in my world, dealing with those covetous nobles, to somehow alleviate my rage.
I sighed after crunching through three pieces of ice and leaned back on my chair lazily, my mind was never relaxed. The coolness was soothing but not enough to quell all my frustrations away. Aside from the frustrations I felt when Kairos denied me the fair fight that I wanted, the unknown connection between us kept me awake at night. It has been a few days since our fencing match, Kairos became busier for some reason, putting off the settlement of his debts. And I can't deny it anymore but his absence only fueled the urge to unravel the mystery surrounding him.
For the umpteenth time I sighed, my hand reached for the cup of mint tea that I often enjoyed during my afternoon tea back in my world. After arriving in this world, I discovered that in contrast to my creator who was nearly addicted to caffeine, I can't drink a large amount of it. This underscores another layer of difference between us, and another reminder of the many adjustments I have to make to fit in to her world.
Before I lost myself again in a whirlwind of troubling thoughts, two figures approached my table wearing a warm and welcoming smile on their lips that instantly lifted my mood. The first figure was a girl with wavy, light brown hair crunched up in a messy bun. She has a casual yet chic outfit that consists of a soft, pastel blouse and tailored jeans, complemented by her friendly demeanor. Behind her was a boy with a striking, flashy blonde hair styled in a way that exuded a punk vibe. His left ear was adorned with multiple piercings. Added to his vibe was the outfit he's wearing --distressed black jeans, a black tee printed with a bold graphic design of a famous punk band, and a headphone hung around his neck. He has a rebellious air around him that contrasts with the friendly demeanor that the girl had.
"Did you wait long, Rin?" Lila asked with a warm smile as she took a seat beside me. Her twin brother, Jaxon, settled in a chair across from us and immediately grabbed my cup of mint tea. I held back my smile when he took a sip on it, only to grimace and spit it out. He had a twisted expression on his face as he looked at me, "I know you have this noble air about you but does your taste in drink should also be noble-like?" he asked, looking at the cup, eyes were filled with disgust.
I laughed before taking my cup back from him and finished off the last of my tea. In the presence of my new friends, the minty liquid seemed to finally soothe the lingering frustrations that I had earlier.
Lila and Jaxon Argueza were the new friends that I acquired after my frustrating match with Kairos, a surprising yet welcome addition to my life. They were from a different college department and one of those few spectators that we had that day. They were strangers yet oddly familiar, as if I met their counterparts in my world before —especially Jaxon, whose habit of casually eating or drinking from the same plate or cup as mine reminded me of the kids that I took in when I was still in the duchy. Oddly, to my amusement, the twin in front of me and the kids I took in are both two years younger than me. It could be the reason why my mood shifted quickly upon seeing them. They reminded me of the two people that I cherished a lot but cruelly lost because of Achilles.
"Shall we go now to our clubroom? Our club president will surely welcome you." Lila said her voice barely contained her excitement. She even stood up and tugged my arm eagerly. Jaxon shook his head while watching his twin, with a lazy grin plastered on his lips.
"Don't pull her arms too much, Lila." Jaxon reprimanded his twin before facing me. "But you'll surely love it there, Rin. Although, was it really okay for you to switch club?" Concern was laced in his voice as he stood up and followed behind us.
"I no longer have any motivation to write. And besides, I wasn't really good at it." I simply explained as we headed out of the café to go into their clubroom in Nox University.
Ever since I accepted the torch passed on to me, I immediately quit 'her' club. I wasn't looking for a new club after that but fate brought the twin to me. I couldn't help but smile upon recalling how these two approached me.
Lost in thoughts and a pencil in my hand, I sketched the lively scene before me; the students roamed energetically in the courtyard, laughing and mingling under the shade of majestic oak tree, leaves were gently swaying in the soft breeze. Assorted flowers were fully bloomed in carefully tended gardens, their petals are catching the light, creating a vivid tapestry of colors where butterflies happily flutter their wings. Behind, was the majestic outline of the Nox University's academic building rose against the clear blue sky. Each stroke of my hand felt like a way to flush all the frustrations and questions swirling in my mind –another habit of mine to calm my nerves when there was no ice to gobble anywhere.
"Oh wow! Jaxon, look!"
My thoughts interrupted when I heard a pumped yet discreet voice behind me. When I look around, I found two contrasting characters behind me, eyes were glued in the piece of paper that I'm sketching at.
"Dang! It's a perfect copy." The man exclaimed in a hushed tone while looking back and forth at my sketch and the view behind the glass window. He even took the paper and held it up to compare my sketch with the real thing.
The girl with a vibrant and friendly vibe looked at me and gasped in surprise before smacking the boy beside him with vigor. "Jax!" She pointed me with her chin to the boy she called Jaxon, and when I met the latter's gaze, I almost burst into laughter when he immediately put back the paper in my table and stood up straight with hands on his back, as if he was in the military facing his terrifying superior.
"Uh, I don't mean any harm, ma'am! I was just looking at it, ma'am! Your sketch is so captivating that I forgot to ask permission to look at it, ma'am." The boy stated in a hushed voice. This time, I couldn't hold back my chuckle because the way he delivered it was like they do in the Military.
"Oh wow, she's really pretty, especially when she smiles." The girl voiced out in a mesmerized tone, not even hiding her admiration while staring at me. Jaxon, the boy she was with, nudged her shoulders to get her attention.
"Stop staring. You're drooling."
But Lila just nonchalantly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and continued staring at my face without budging. Instead, she stretched her other hand at me, wearing a warm welcoming smile.
"Let's be friends!" She declared as she gazed at me, eyes were unwavering filled with earnest that caught me off guard. The way she proposed to be friends resembled a person inviting a stranger to go on an adventure. Ever since coming to this world, I've been keeping my guard up, yet the sincerity in her eyes made it hard for me to reject her offer. What she's offering is not some fleeting companionship, but something deeper, more promising. And for someone who was in the middle of a vortex of uncertainties, a stranger's offer to become allies in this unfamiliar world is like a beacon of hope, a lifeline.
I leaned my back on the chair and looked at her with interest before taking her outstretched hand, returning her sincerity with a sweet smile. "Sure. But isn't it better if you would tell me your name first?" I asked in a teasing tone, but she was ecstatic to even notice my teasing.
Her eyes lit up with excitement as she grasped my hand tightly. I couldn't help but chuckle at her innocent reaction. She's acting like a child who was rewarded for being good. Her optimism was contagious as she wrapped her small hands with mine tightly. If Jaxon, the boy she was with, didn't pull her back, to tone down her excitement a little, I bet she won't realize that she has been squeezing my hand for a while now.
"I'm sorry. I'm just so happy." She grabbed my hand again, "I'm Lila by the way. Lila Argueza. And this punk-looking guy is my twin, Jaxon." She motioned to the guy next to her, wearing a long face due to the way she introduced him.
"Karina Azalena."
"We know, from Nocturnals, right?" Lila remarked, mentioning the Writer's club that 'Karina' used to be in. She finally let my hand go, or rather say, Jaxon made her let go of my hand with a gentle nudge, reminding her to get a hold of her fangirling.
"Not anymore. I'm no longer writing." I said in a casual tone, too casual in fact, as if I intentionally announced that I am not the same Karina that everyone knows.
"Why?" They both asked in unison with furrowed brows with genuine concern.
"Was it because of the plagiarism issue that you get involved with last semester?" Lila pressed for answers, her voice was laced with sympathy. "But didn't you already prove that the novel was yours? And the club vice president who stole it and passed it to the Nox Wonderland Writing Contest was already expelled, right? Our club president told us about you-"
Jaxon nudged her with a bit of force this time, making Lila stop blabbering whatever she knew about me.
I almost frown at what she revealed. Looking at the way they bicker at each other without a sound makes me realize that something big happened to Karina before our switch. But surprisingly, 'she' did not fully give me all her memories, as if she knew that I wouldn't need something unnecessary, because she thought ahead that I won't take the same route she took, including the burden of staying in the writer's club. When it comes to hobbies, the only similarities we had was reading. She's passionate about writing, to a point where she sacrifices her life just to give her creation a new life. On the other hand, I am quite good at painting and drawing during my free time. Something that I rarely had time to do right after coming to the palace, back to my world.
"It's not about that." I immediately replied upon seeing their worried expression, assuring them that I am no longer affected by whatever issues I had in the past.
"Then why?" This time, it was Jaxon who anxiously asked as if stopping from writing was a bad thing. "Our club president is a fan of yours too. He loves the stories you published in the University paper. That's how we learned stuff about you. He was also in the gym during your fencing match with Kai Alaric."
"That's not it." I took the piece of paper where I had my sketch and fixed my gaze at it for a moment, "Just take it as something like, falling out of love with your unrequited love, after years of trying to be his ideal." I gave them a gentle smile and handed them my sketch, "Let's just say, I finally realized my worth after that and found who I really am." My voice was calm, but the truth behind it was unmistakable.
"Wow!" Lila's eyes widened and instinctively brought a hand to her mouth. Her voice matched her expression while looking at me before giving me a thumbs up. "You're so cool, Rin."
Jaxon nodded in agreement, "I think I know now why Master Quin likes her works. She really has a gift for playing with words."
"Wait!" Lila paused and looked at me, "So you are totally free from any club activities?"
I nod and start organizing my things. It's almost time for my next class. I shook my head as they started talking with their eyes again while making head gestures who would initiate whatever they wanted to negotiate with me.
"Do you want to join the Artisan's Den?" They both asked in unison, halting me from putting back my notes in my bag, and looked at him with a frown.
"Artisan's Den?" The name of the club they mentioned caught my attention immediately. If it's just any ordinary name, I wouldn't be this curious. But it was a name that I knew too well. It's a name that I won't easily forget, not just because it was linked to my former world, but because it held a special place in my heart. Artisan's Den wasn't just a place –it was my favorite person's legacy. A place where all the people tied to it has left a permanent mark on my existence.
They both nod, "It's the name of the art club. It's the club that we belong to. We're both arts major."
The creased on my forehead deepened. "Was it the original name of your club?" I probed for more information.
The twin shook their heads, "Our club president changed it only this semester." Lila answered immediately. "Everyone in the club liked it anyway so they didn't object to it. You see, our club president is quite –"
"Eccentric." I finished Lila's sentence, which made them laugh in agreement. But as much as I wanted to laugh with them, I felt rather restless. My heart won't stop pounding and I knew the reason well –the club president could be someone connected to me, someone I knew very well from my world. And for that reason, I decided.
"Sure, I'll join. I want to meet your club president."
My thoughts were interrupted when Lila made an abrupt stop in front of a room, the walls were decorated with graffiti in distinct art styles that their club members have. The Artisan's Den is a vibrant club consisting of arts enthusiasts, each member expresses themselves with freedom, from painting, sculpture, digital design, and photography. The club serves as a temporary sanctuary for those people whose love for arts was deep-rooted, yet bound by restrictions, may it be due to the expectations of their parents, or the constraints of societal norms. Strangely enough, the Artisan's Den I know from my world has the same function, –a temporary sanctuary for the oppressed.
"Are you excited to meet our club president?" Enthusiasm is clear in Lila's voice as she opens the door. I only managed to answer her with a nod, as I stepped inside the Artisan's Den. The room buzzed with quiet activity, as the air filled with the scent of paints being mixed. I felt my heart pounding like crazy, and my eyes instinctively drawn to the far side of the room where a man probably my age stood, casually leaning against a worktable, holding a small bundle of papers in his hand. He had his back on me but something about him feels familiar.
It won't be him, right? Karina was already gone by the time he changed the club's name. And Karina never published the story where I came from. So, I'm sure it's only a coincidence. It's impossible for him to appear here. Karina is an only child. In this world, I don't have a twin brother.
I thought to myself not until he turned around and met my gaze, wearing the same smile that he had before dying peacefully in my arms.
I got hit with a whirlwind of emotions –shock, disbelief, denial, fear –causing it hard for me to breathe. The man marching towards me had the same face. The exact same face as him. The twin that I lost in Achilles' hand back in my world. We were never really identical, his features are more like our father, but I knew in my heart even my instinct was screaming at me, it was him despite my mind refusing to accept it. The only difference was him growing his hair to his shoulders, but the intense and fiery crimson hair that he chose to have when wearing an artifact to change his hair color was still the same.
"I finally meet you in person, Karina. We haven't met yet but I've been a fan since reading your first published story in the University forum." He said in a casual voice wearing a smile, –carefree, almost like a mischievous grin that pulled back memories that I buried deep within me, shaking my entire being.
Unable to utter a word, he casually extended his hand and introduced himself, "I'm Keiran Aelius, but I usually go by the name, Equinox. It's my artist name."
I almost stumbled after finally hearing his name. It wasn't a coincidence anymore that this person has the same face and uses the same alias that my twin used after creating the Artisan's Den. Even if I couldn't see my expression, I knew that I looked pale with the way they stared at me with a worried expression. But seeing my twin's counterpart in this world is not what shook me, but the chilling revelation that he shared the same last name with the person who killed him in my world.
"W-what…" I took a deep breath and faced him, forcing myself to act calmly despite the rising anger surging fast deep within me. "What's your relationship to Dimitri –Achilles Dimitri?"
"Oh, you know my twin?" He replied with a hint of surprise in his voice, betraying his nonchalant demeanor.
My world finally collapsed upon hearing the fact about this strangely familiar person, that neither the original Karina had ever fathomed.