The next morning, Rou found himself paired with Amelia for a research assignment. Their instructor, tasked them with investigating the nature of Resonance Magic—a phenomenon where two or more magical sources amplify each other's effects when aligned properly.
Amelia remained silent as they gathered their materials, her expression distant. She didn't meet Rou's gaze, focusing instead on the book in her hands. The atmosphere was thick with awkwardness, and Rou felt it pressing down on him like a weight.
They worked side by side in the library, Amelia jotting down notes with precise strokes while Rou tried to sift through the dense magical theory. The quiet was unbearable.
Rou finally broke the silence.
Rou:
[So... resonance magic. Pretty complicated stuff, huh?]
Amelia didn't respond, her eyes fixed on the page.
Rou:
[... I guess it's more interesting than yesterday's lesson on rune sequencing, at least.]
Still nothing.
Rou sighed, leaning back in his chair. He hated this. The tension, the awkwardness—it wasn't something he could just ignore. He stole a glance at Amelia, who was flipping a page in her book, her movements stiff.
Rou:
[Okay, look. Are you going to ignore me the whole time? This project is going to take forever if we don't at least talk.]
Amelia's pen paused mid-note, but she still didn't look at him.
The silence stretched on, and Rou found himself growing restless. He leaned forward, his voice softer now.
Rou:
[Sigh... I get it. You're mad, but... can we just talk about it?]
Amelia finally glanced up, her expression guarded.
Amelia:
[... You said it wasn't my business.]
Her voice was quiet, but the hurt in her words was clear.
Rou winced.
Rou:
[... That was indeed... harsh. I didn't mean it the way it came out.]
Amelia looked back down at her notes, her grip on the pen tightening.
Amelia:
[Then how did you mean it?]
Rou hesitated. He wasn't good at this—apologies, emotions, all of it. But he knew he had to say something.
Rou:
[I was just... frustrated. A lot was on my mind, and I didn't know how to deal with it. But that's not an excuse. I shouldn't have snapped at you.]
Amelia's shoulders relaxed slightly, though she still didn't look at him.
Amelia:
[You always act like you don't need anyone, like everything's just... your problem to deal with alone.]
Her words hit harder than Rou expected, and for a moment, he didn't know how to respond.
Rou:
[...Maybe I do. But that doesn't mean I should push people away. I get it now. I messed up, and I'm sorry.]
Amelia finally met his eyes, her expression softening. For a moment, there was a flicker of vulnerability there.
Amelia:
[...Okay. Apology accepted.]
The tension in the room eased, and Rou let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Rou:
[Good. Because honestly, I don't think I could handle another hour of this awkward silence.]
Amelia's lips twitched, almost forming a smile.
Amelia:
[Then let's focus on finishing this. We still have a lot of work to do.]
With that, the two returned to their research, the atmosphere between them lighter than before. While things weren't entirely back to normal, it was a start.
With the tension eased, they turned their attention fully to the project. As they delved into the theory and experimented with diagrams of magical flows, Rou found himself drawn into Amelia's focus. Her precision and attention to detail were impressive.
Amelia demonstrated how magical streams could overlap, amplifying their output. She spoke animatedly about the dangers of instability if improperly aligned.
Amelia:
[See? The key is in finding the equilibrium point where the resonance stabilizes. Otherwise, the energy spirals out of control.]
Rou chuckled, leaning back slightly.
Rou:
[You sound like you've done this before.]
Amelia glanced at him, her expression light for the first time that day.
Amelia:
[I read a lot. And, well... I guess I just enjoy it.]
The two settled into a rhythm, bouncing ideas off each other as they tested their theories. Rou found himself cracking a few jokes, and to his surprise, Amelia responded with small, genuine laughs.
By the time they pieced together the correct resonance flow for their demonstration, Amelia was smiling brightly.
Amelia:
[We did it! Look, it's stable!]
The small magical projection before them pulsed in a steady rhythm, a testament to their success.
Rou leaned back, watching her as she basked in the moment of triumph. Her smile was radiant, and for a second, Rou felt a pang of guilt.
Rou:
(When I was playing the game, I never saw this side of her. I only saw her as the annoying, clingy love interest who wouldn't stop crying for help.)
He studied her face, her joy genuine and unrestrained.
Rou:
(I used to hate her so much back then. I called her useless, a liability. I never even tried to understand her.)
Amelia turned to him, catching his soft smile.
Amelia:
[Hm? What is it?]
Rou shook his head, a faint laugh escaping.
Rou:
[Nothing. Just... good work, Amelia. We make a surprisingly good team.]
Amelia tilted her head slightly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes, but she let it go.
Rou:
[You did great today. Good job, Rou.]
As they cleaned up, Rou couldn't shake the lingering regret over his past judgments.
For the first time, he wondered just how much he'd misjudged everyone in this world.