Cior slouched in her chair, rubbing her temples as the frustration of the past few days began to set in. The constant attention from Arven, Amaias, and Ziven had been exhausting. Every time they were around her, it felt like they were trying to outdo each other in some weird competition of who could impress her more. She just wanted some peace, but no, it seemed like that was too much to ask for.
"I'm tired of these guys," Cior muttered, her voice laced with exhaustion.
Mateo, who had been sitting across from her, raised an eyebrow. "They're acting weird. They're acting as if you're a girl and they're trying to impress you... Are they all gay or something?" he asked, his tone filled with confusion.
Cior blinked, caught off guard by Mateo's bluntness. She was still in her male form, and somehow, he had never seemed to notice anything strange about her behavior—no clue about her true identity. But now, with his comment, she had to quickly play along.
"Well, yeah, they're just idiots," Cior replied, trying to keep the conversation light and change the topic. She didn't want to get into the whole 'secret' thing with Mateo just yet.
"I don't know how you deal with them," Mateo continued, leaning back in his chair, clearly still perplexed by the whole situation. "I mean, I get it, you're strong and all, but this is... different. They're all falling over themselves trying to win your attention."
Cior shot him a look, exasperated but still trying to keep up the façade. "I just want them to stop, alright? It's getting ridiculous."
"Sure," Mateo said, shaking his head, "but honestly, I think you're just messing with them now. You know they're all acting like this, but you're letting it happen. It's like you're just enjoying their misery."
Cior sighed. "I'm not enjoying it. But what else can I do? They won't stop, and it's... it's just getting tiring."
"Well, if they're that persistent, maybe it's time for a little... lesson in 'get the hint,'" Mateo joked, winking. "Maybe show them who's boss."
Cior chuckled despite herself. "If only it were that easy, Mateo. If only."
As they continued to chat, Cior couldn't help but feel the growing weight of her secret. Mateo still had no idea who she really was, and part of her wanted to tell him, but the fear of complicating things too much kept her from doing so.
For now, though, it was easier to laugh it off and ignore the complications her identity brought. The boys' behavior was ridiculous, but the last thing she needed was more drama—especially when she had a secret she wasn't sure how to handle.
Later that day, Mateo found himself in a fierce match with a mental ability user who was proving to be more challenging than he anticipated. The user managed to invade Mateo's mind, planting a few distorted thoughts that threw him off balance. But, of course, Mateo wasn't going to let anyone mess with his head for too long. With a sharp movement, he used his own power to strike back, sending the mental user crashing to the ground.
Before the user could even attempt to undo the mental effects, he fell unconscious from the sheer force of Mateo's attack. But the damage had already been done. The lingering mental influence still hung around, clouding Mateo's mind.
"Damn it," Mateo muttered, rubbing his temples. "This isn't good."
Amaias stepped in, using his nullifying power to clear up the lingering effects on Mateo. But in the process, something unexpected happened—Amaias not only removed the effects on Mateo but also nullified Cior's powers for the time being.
"Hey! What did you do to me?!" Cior snapped, looking around as if her powers had been snatched from her.
Amaias, unfazed, shrugged. "I only did what was necessary to fix the situation. You're fine, no worries."
But there was something more important that happened—something none of them anticipated.
Mateo, now freed from the mental influence, suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Cior. His expression shifted, a slow, deep realization dawning on him.
"Wait…" Mateo whispered, his voice strangely calm. "What the hell…"
Cior's stomach dropped as she realized exactly what was happening. She knew it. The moment the spell had been lifted, Mateo's memories came rushing back—memories of those two weeks that he had lost due to her powers. He had remembered everything.
But rather than confronting her, Mateo simply turned around and walked away, silently heading to his room.
Cior stood frozen in place, panic beginning to settle in. She felt an overwhelming sense of dread, but also confusion—why had he said nothing? Mateo wasn't the type to stay silent for long.
"Well, this is gonna be fun," she muttered sarcastically, trying to shake off the tension in the air. She looked at Amaias, who was watching the whole thing with mild interest.
"Did you see that? What was that about?" Cior asked, still in disbelief.
Amaias, always the calm one, gave her an innocent shrug. "I didn't do anything. I just nullified some powers. The rest... well, that's on you, isn't it?"
Cior shot him a look of mock annoyance. "Oh, thanks a lot, Amaias. You really know how to make a girl feel better."
As the events unfolded, Cior's mind raced with questions. Mateo had remembered everything—and he was acting like it didn't bother him at all. That could only mean one thing: he was planning something. Or maybe he was simply processing it all, trying to figure out what to do next.
And of course, Cior was left with the lingering question: What the hell is he going to do now?
Cior hesitated outside Mateo's room, taking a deep breath before knocking.
"Mateo, can I come in?" she asked cautiously.
His voice came through, calm and slightly amused. "Yes, why not? The door's not going to bite you."
She pushed the door open, stepping inside to see him lounging casually on his bed, arms behind his head, a knowing smirk on his face. That smirk instantly made her nervous.
"Did you... uh, find out?" she asked tentatively, not quite meeting his eyes.
"Oh, you mean that you stole my first kiss and that you're Lunette? Yeah, if that's what you're asking, then yes." His tone was nonchalant, but his eyes gleamed with mischief.
Cior's face instantly turned red. "Hey! That kiss was just part of a spell! It wasn't even real," she blurted, flailing slightly in embarrassment.
Mateo raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing wider. "Spell or not, it still counts, doesn't it? And honestly... it wasn't bad."
"Excuse me?!" Cior shot back, her blush deepening. "It was not supposed to be enjoyable! It was just—ugh, never mind." She waved her hands in frustration, trying to change the subject. "Who cares about that? How much do you actually know?"
"Well," Mateo started, sitting up and leaning forward with mock seriousness, "I know you're Lunette. I know you've been walking around pretending to be a guy while secretly being... well, you. Oh, and I also know that you're apparently terrible at keeping secrets."
Cior crossed her arms, pouting. "I'm not terrible at keeping secrets. You just... got lucky."
"Uh-huh, sure." Mateo leaned back again, still smirking. "So, who else knows? Or am I special?"
Cior sighed, counting on her fingers. "Amaias, Arven, and... well, I don't know about Ziven. He's been acting really weird lately, but he hasn't said anything outright."
Mateo tilted his head, pretending to be offended. "So let me get this straight—you were planning to keep this from me forever?"
"No! You were the first to figure it out, okay? And at that time, we barely even knew each other," Cior defended, her tone becoming increasingly defensive.
"Ah, so if we were strangers, it's fine to mess with my head and steal my memories?" he teased, his grin widening. "Good to know where we stand."
Cior groaned, running a hand through her hair. "You're impossible."
"Thank you," Mateo said with a mock bow, still lounging on the bed. "So, what now? Are you going to let me keep my memories this time, or do I need to start wearing a tinfoil hat to protect myself from your spells?"
"I'll let them be, okay?" she muttered, glaring at him half-heartedly.
"Good. I don't think I could handle losing my first kiss twice," Mateo quipped, winking at her.
Cior threw a pillow at him. "Shut up!" she said, her voice tinged with both frustration and laughter.
Mateo caught the pillow effortlessly, still smirking. "Whatever you say, Lunette."