Chapter 5: Choice

The next few days were strange.

Akane didn't bring up what happened in the nurse’s office; Corvina didn't, either. She still didn't talk much, but the sharp edge she would have in her voice when she talked to Corvina was gone. She didn't call her “princess” anymore either.

Rumours were spreading. Some said Akane had threatened Corvina while others said she was pretending to be nice to her so she wouldn't act feral.

Akane ignored them completely, but deep down, a part of her was still a little scared. It still made her pause in her step whenever she heard the whispers. But she took a deep breath every time and reminded herself: she would trust Corvina.

She wanted to.

Corvina didn't respond to the rumours either. She was tired of doing so. But after seeing Akane block them out, it gave her the courage to do the same. Something fragile but precious had budded between them, and they were determined to protect it.

—

One afternoon, as Corvina was packing her things, she spotted Akane alone outside waiting for the rain to stop so she could walk home. After some hesitation, she went outside and approached Akane.

“Would you like a ride home? My driver is here.”

Akane glanced over her shoulder, one brow raised. “Why?”

Corvina tilted her head slightly. “You’ll get soaked.”

Akane didn’t answer at first. Corvina almost thought she’d turn down her offer, but then the other girl huffed softly and followed her without another word. They didn’t speak in the car, but they didn’t sit far apart, either.

The next day, Akane didn’t sit in her usual spot at the edge of the classroom. She dragged her chair a little closer to Corvina’s - not right beside her, just near enough that it was obvious they were sitting together. The teacher raised an eyebrow, students stared at them, but nobody said anything.

When Corvina glanced at her, Akane muttered, “We’re friends now, right?”

Corvina’s eyes lit up, and she nodded with a pleased little smile. Akane made a face like she regretted asking, but she didn’t move her chair back.

On another day, Akane’s eraser had turned into a stub from chewing on it all the time. Seeing this, Corvina quietly passed her an extra eraser. Akane stared at it for a while like she couldn’t understand what she was looking at. Eventually she took it without protest.

Akane scraped her elbow one time. It wasn’t anything serious, but Corvina quietly slid a small bandage with tiny blue flowers on it across the desk. Akane hesitated for a long time before putting it on. Later, she handed Corvina a note that just said “thanks”.

At recess one afternoon, Corvina had been sitting alone under a tree, tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. Akane came up behind her with her hands in her pockets and a bored look on her face. They sat together in silence - not too close, but not too far either. It was the easiest silence either of them had ever known.

There was a day Corvina forgot her lunch box. Akane wordlessly split hers and handed over half. Corvina hesitated before taking it, then offered a quiet thank you. The next day, Corvina brought a bar of chocolate and placed it inside her bag. Later, they ate it together.

Corvina brought two delicate flower hairpins wrapped in tissue to school once. She placed one beside Akane’s pencil case with a smile. When Akane looked confused, Corvina simply said, “We’re friends. Friends give each other things.” Akane muttered something under her breath and stuffed it in her pocket. But the next day, she was wearing it.

One day, Akane dozed off at her desk during a quiet break between lessons. When she woke up, she found Corvina’s blazer folded and tucked under her head like a pillow. Corvina acted like she wasn’t cold, but Akane could see the goosebumps on her arms.

On another morning, Corvina attached a small trinket to her schoolbag zipper: a simple raven charm. Akane didn’t say anything, but later that week, a small wooden wolf charm appeared on the zipper of her own bag. Neither of them mentioned it, but they both noticed.

Sometimes it was awkward.

Sometimes Corvina said something and Akane scowled, unsure how to respond.

Sometimes Akane almost said something nice, but chickened out and said something rude instead.

But they kept showing up. They kept being there.

Inches closer. Eyes, softer.

No one dared tease them about it, but the whispers only increased as students wondered why the princess would want to be friends with the misfit. Akane still tensed when she heard them, but Corvina acted like she didn’t - as though they were above it, and Akane was worth more than all that noise.

That silence, and that choice, spoke louder than any other words.