Autumn 3rd, 4372; Morning, 10:45

Thirdday, Autumn 3rd, 3–…4,372; Morning, 10:45 [3342512372]

With a bump of her hip to shut the door, Ruya jogged down the familiar path towards Tona Academy, barely intact for the third day in her sophomore year. The school only opened its doors a few years ago, but it was already one of the top secondary institutions in the forest country. From its tech-filled classrooms to the state of the art training halls, no expense was spared on its facilities and amenities, providing a prestigious learning environment for all who could grasp the opportunity. Ruya was surprised she even managed to get in as a special needs student; the acceptance letter suddenly appeared in her mailbox one day.

She continued along the street, turning left at the intersection, before taking a moment to catch her breath. The time? 10:47. And the academy... well, she would make it, if she walked a bit faster. Hmm, then I guess I should probably brush my hair now, she thought, pulling a comb out of her bag. Being too messy was just as bad as being too pretty, so with her hair flattened and braided, it would hopefully leave her average-looking, maybe even below average on a good day.

"Should've brought a jacket," she mumbled as the adrenaline wore off. Autumn had just begun, the temperature just warm enough to not feel cold when the wind wasn't blowing. While her blazer blocked the chill somewhat, it wasn't that good of an insulator, even more so due to its thin fabric. She would've worn something warmer, or at least checked the temperature, but her mornings were often rushed like this one, and she lacked the foresight to plan ahead.

Maybe I'll have Belle tell me the weather too, she wondered, looking up at the pale sky. Of course, even if she did, Ruya would likely forget in her frantic scramble. That's just who she was...

After one final stroke, not feeling any knots, she put her hairbrush away, letting her mind wander again. More and more people were beginning to walk in the same direction -- other students, maybe even some of her classmates. She could hear their jovial laughter as they talked amongst themselves. One group chatted about a TV episode from last night. Another was trading gossip. And who could forget about the boys with their overtly lewd observations? They were around that age, after all.

Or at least, that's what Ruya thought they were doing. To her, their faces were covered in a black smog, with only the whites of their eyes and teeth shining through. Their ingenuine smiles would swallow her whole while their piercing stares tore open her deepest insecurities. No matter how far she lowered her head or pulled in her shoulders, it never seemed to be enough. They kept scratching the glass, chipping away bit by bit. She was more used to them than before, but she wasn't yet there to strike up a conversation. Well, with a few exceptions.

Two blond pigtails swung back and forth, their owner humming a gleeful tune. While her face was gyaru-esque in a way, her overall appearance was prim and proper, as expected of a model student. Sure, it could've been any random person, but she was next to a ginger-haired boy, and more importantly, Ruya could see her face.

"Belle~!" Ruya exclaimed. She wrapped her arms around Belle's waist, making sure to brush against her ample cleavage.

"Ru-ya!!" Anabelle, or Belle as her friends called her, protested with a childish smile. She was one of the two pillars that kept Ruya's fragile psyche from falling apart. Without Belle, Ruya would've
broken down long ago, or at best, turned into... someone else.

"What are you doing, being so lovey-dovey this early in the morning?" Ruya pouted. Her eyes glanced at their woven fingers, making her feel both happy and anxious at the same time. She knew how contradictory it was, and that she should support Belle's love. Yet at the same time, it felt like one of her supports had started to disappear. A stupid thought, yes, but one she couldn't help but have. And as such...

"If you like, I'll happily drain your milk." Ruya hid her wariness with a weak smile and some inappropriate teasing.

"My milk doesn't belong to someone who can't even wake up!!" Belle played along, reaching behind her to grab at Ruya's sides.

"Stop that! It tickles!" Ruya laughed.

"Never!!! You're not getting away this time!"

"Then, maybe I should tell your boyfriend about last--"

"H-hey!!!" Belle stopped for a moment, face blushing red, giving Ruya a chance to escape. "You said you wouldn't say anything!!"

Ruya cheekily stuck out her tongue in response.

"You two really are good friends," Belle's boyfriend said, eyes filled with kindness.

"Jeez! Of course we are!" Belle huffed, turning away with a pout.

"Ow, ow! Okay, okay! Sorry," he grinned, rustling his girlfriend's hair.

"You dummy," she mumbled, face even redder than before.

Although Ruya was right next to them, she felt as though she was looking on from afar. Is she leaving me behind too? Her mind wandered back to what she experienced eight years ago, what Suzu and Marie did to her. Yes, Ruya was being unreasonable. They were all kids who'd went through something traumatic. However, that didn't change what expressions they made, how deep their words cut, especially when dealing with... that. She'll definitely leave me too, just like those two did. She'll leave me, so--

"Don't worry. We'll always be friends." Belle gave her a hug. "Right?"

"...yeah," Ruya responded weakly as the cracks once again disappeared. Belle was keenly aware of how her friend felt these past eight years. She understood how close Ruya was to crumbling, so she tightly grabbed her hand.

"Let's go."

"Ok..." Ruya quickly stepped forward...

Bump. And ran into someone from behind.

"A-ah. S-sorry about th--" She instinctively began to apologize, but the words caught in her throat.

At first, Ruya didn't understand what she was seeing. The girl in front of her seemed like a contradiction of illusions. Her long hair looked black, yet gleamed purple under the sunlight. Her posture displayed strength, but as she spun to face them, she appeared as ephemeral as a flower. Her dazzlingly good looks stunned others into silence, while her amicable expression made her someone you wanted to open your heart to. She could've been every boy’s first crush, but for Ruya...

“Ah! A goblin!”