"Wow. They're already back at it again."
Kevin leaned forward against the railing, peering down from the second-floor balcony outside their classroom. His eyes were locked on two familiar figures strolling casually among the students below.
Lucien stood beside him, his attention drawn to the same view.
Among the groups of students scattered across the open space, Noah and Theodore stood out like a pair of mismatched threads in an otherwise seamless tapestry.
They walked side by side, seemingly lost in their own world. Theodore was as relaxed as ever, talking with animated gestures, while Noah listened, his eyes curving into a smile. His bright expression was completely different from the pale, feverish face Lucien had seen not long ago.
It was impressive how quickly he had bounced back.
But what stood out even more was how much closer the two had become. Theodore hovered near him, speaking as if they were sharing a private joke. Noah, so easily amused, responded with quiet giggles, his shoulders at ease.
There was an air of indifference in Lucien's eyes, yet his fingers tightened subtly around the railing before he averted his focus elsewhere.
Noah had always been a fool, like a moth drawn to the flame, too naive to understand that warmth could burn. He was someone destined for misery.
Disinterested, Lucien turned back toward the classroom. "I'm heading in."
Kevin, giving one last glance at the pair below, shrugged and followed him inside.
- - - - - -
"How about this one?"
Theodore plucked a plant from the ground, its roots still intact, like a frail thread unraveling from the earth. Holding it between his fingers, he twirled it absently before lifting it for Noah to see.
It was thin and wispy, its green hue slightly faded, with yellow streaks along the edges. Small specks of dirt clung to its roots, which dangled loosely in the air.
Noah, crouched beside him, examined it for a brief moment before nodding. He reached out, taking it gently from Theodore's fingers, and placed it into the collection bag resting against his knee. Various types of grass and weeds lay inside, neatly arranged.
They were tucked away in a quieter corner of the campus garden, away from the usual footpaths where students walked. The air smelled of damp earth and fresh greenery, the occasional breeze rustling the tree branches above them.
Noah had been collecting different types of weeds for his class project when Theodore had stumbled upon him. Despite Noah's polite insistence that he could manage alone, Theodore had been going around the campus with him, plucking random plants and holding them up as if he were some kind of expert.
"That's all… it's already reached fifty specimens," Noah declared cheerfully as he looked inside the bag.
"Oh, finally!" Theodore exclaimed as he washed his hands in a stone basin nearby.
Noah watched the dark silhouette of the older boy, strands of black hair swaying gently in the wind like brushstrokes of ink bleeding into the dusk, mesmerizing against his crimson eyes.
Theodore was kind, gentle in ways that felt almost unreal. A steady presence in Noah's life, one he had come to cherish. But sometimes… just sometimes, an unease curled at the edges of that warmth.
Because with him, you could never tell when the sky would darken.
"What are you thinking about?" Theodore asked as he stepped closer, dragging a handkerchief over his damp fingers with lazy ease.
Startled out of his thoughts, Noah quickly averted his gaze.
"I just wanted to say… thank you," he murmured. "I wouldn't have finished so quickly without your help."
He hesitated before adding, "And… sorry for taking up your break."
Theodore let out a quiet hum, folding the handkerchief neatly before slipping it into his pocket. "It's fine. But if you're that grateful…" He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to something almost playful. "Always make sure to treat me well."
Noah's breath hitched slightly. His grip on his bag tightened as he lowered his head, nodding once. "…I will."
Theodore watched him for a moment longer before smirking and ruffling Noah's hair. "Good."
As his hand dropped back to his side, his gaze flickered over Noah's uniform.
"By the way," he mused, "I just realized you're not wearing that tie clip today."
Noah paused and reached for his tie absentmindedly, only to remember that it wasn't there.
"Oh, I lent it to Silas," he said. "He has a presentation today."
Theodore scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Look at you, all generous. You guys must be getting along well."
Noah let out a small laugh but didn't comment.
What he didn't mention was that the tie clip had already vanished from his desk by the time he woke up that morning. Silas had left before he even had a chance to ask, but he recalled him mentioning more than once how much he liked that particular design.
Lately, this had been happening with most of his belongings. Items would go missing, only to briefly turn up with Silas before mysteriously reappearing in their usual spots.
It wasn't a big deal. Things were meant to be shared, after all.
Still, a simple heads-up would have been nice.
Theodore was about to say something else when his eyes flicked upward, focusing on something in the distance. After a brief pause, he exhaled sharply and stood up, dusting off his pants.
"Ah- gotta go," he said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Looks like my girlfriend is looking for me."
Noah followed his line of sight.
A girl stood a few feet away, scanning the garden with an expectant look. She was strikingly pretty, her long hair cascaded in loose waves over her shoulders, her skin smooth under the afternoon sun.
Noah angled his head slightly to the side, studying her.
She looked completely different from the girl Theodore had been with last week.
But then again, it was always like this. Every time Noah saw Theodore, he had a different girl by his side. It was like an artist changing their palette, trying out new colors before discarding them just as easily.
Theodore strolled toward the girl, his easy confidence never wavering, and they left together, laughing.
Noah let out a quiet sigh, pushing any thought aside.
Turning back to his task, he carefully picked up the bag filled with weeds, ensuring everything was in place before making his way back to class.
- - - - - - -
Jude leaned against his desk, arms crossed, his eyes fixated on the empty bed across the room. The sheets were still rumpled from this morning, but Silas was nowhere to be found. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair before shifting his gaze to Dorian, who sat at his own desk, flipping through the pages of a textbook with little interest.
"Where's Silas?" Jude inquired, breaking the silence.
It was unusual not to see Silas around, especially since he and Dorian were inseparable, sharing not only a room but also the same class schedule. Lately, however, he had noticed Dorian returning alone, and Silas's absence was becoming more pronounced.
"Probably with Cassian."
Jude frowned. "Cassian? Who's that?"
Dorian sighed, setting his pen down with a soft clatter. "He's a fifth-year senior."
Jude narrowed his eyes. "How did he even meet this guy?"
"Last year's academic festival," Dorian explained. "Silas was in that forest play, remember? Cassian was part of the same production. That's where they met, and I guess they just kept in touch after that."
Jude nodded slowly, processing the information.
Silas's recent erratic behavior now had a possible explanation. The sudden shifts in his actions and decisions had been puzzling, and Jude couldn't shake the feeling that Cassian's influence might be a negative one.
"Silas never mentioned him to me."
Dorian shrugged. "Well, he's been spending a lot of time with him lately. Apparently, Cassian promised to help him get a good room when we eventually move to Dorm H."
Jude clicked his tongue in irritation. "And he actually believes that?"
"I don't know! Maybe."
Jude was about to respond when the door creaked open. He turned, half-expecting Silas, but instead, Noah entered, lugging a bag brimming with various plants, their leaves and stems poking out of the opening.
Jude exhaled, releasing the tension he hadn't realized he was holding. "Welcome back."
Noah grinned. "Yeah. Took longer than expected." He set the bag down on the floor with a soft thud.
Dorian eyed it curiously. "What's all that?"
"Plants for my project," Noah replied, patting the bag.
Dorian let out an exaggerated groan. "Tsk. These teachers are really going all out just because we have a ten-day break coming up. It's like they're afraid we might actually rest or something."
Noah chuckled but then paused, his gaze drifting to his slightly ajar drawer. His fingers twitched at his side. He could have sworn he'd locked it before leaving this morning.
"Um…" He cautiously turned to the other two. "Did Silas come back after class?"
Dorian shook his head. "No, I think he'll be back late."
"Oh…" Noah muttered, still staring at the drawer.
"Something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing," Noah replied, brushing it off. Maybe he had just been in a hurry this morning and hadn't closed it properly. He locked the drawer with a quiet click, deciding not to dwell on it.
Gathering his toiletries, he turned back to the others. "I'm gonna go shower."
"Alright," Dorian said, already turning back to his notes.
As Noah left the room, Jude leaned closer to Dorian, lowering his voice. "I'm really starting to worry about Silas."
Dorian nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, we need to keep an eye on him."
The room fell into a contemplative silence, the weight of unspoken concerns hanging heavily in the air.