Before everyone knew it, a big group formed within the classroom and Callisto was a part of it. Or rather, she was the center of it.
"Guys, wanna go hit the nature park? Let's go for a stroll," One guy suggested.
"Nature park? I was thinking about going to the new milktea shop that opened recently," One girl voiced out, but one glance around the group and she realized that most of them wanted to go to the nature park.
Still, the girl hadn't given her answer yet. At least until Callisto gave her own.
"I wanna visit the nature park," said Callisto, turning to face the girl who wanted to go to the milktea shop. "Then we can go to the milktea shop after."
Elesis, who was standing in the back the entire time, raised an arm in approval, backing Callisto's suggestion as she effortlessly joined the circle made of her usual friends, their classmates, and Callisto. "It's settled then. Let's go to the park then milktea later."
As they filed out of the classroom one by one, Elesis smoothly took the spot beside Callisto, easily mirroring her pace with the silver-haired girl.
"Good for you," said Elesis in a whisper, a sly smile playing on her face as she regarded the silver-haired girl with her crimson gaze. "You made lots of friends already. Just don't forget who was the first in line."
To emphasize her point, Elesis pointed a finger at herself deliberately, the sly grin never leaving her face.
"Are you jealous or something?"
Seeing the confusion in Callisto seemed to urge a wider, playful grin from the redhead.
"Well, I am the type who gets possessive of what and who I like."
"I don't swing that way."
Elesis couldn't help the laughter coming out of her mouth at Callisto's rejection, the sound warm with genuine amusement. "So quick. I didn't even get to act like I'm brokenhearted. In all seriousness though, if you were to reject a guy after they just mustered the courage to ask you out, I'm sure they'd be beyond brokenhearted."
"I doubt something like that will happen," replied Callisto, waving a dismissive hand between her and the redhead. "Not with how I look."
Elesis's crimson red eyes widened slightly in confusion at Callisto's response.
"What makes you say—"
Elesis had to cut herself off after realizing the meaning behind her friends words. She was talking about her silver hair. Of course she was. It was the only thing unnatural about Callisto.
From Elesis's perspective, of course.
Knowing the reason why she had that silver hair, the redhead understood why Callisto would harbor such doubt about herself.
But even so, Elesis begged to differ.
"There's nothing wrong with how you look, Calli. You're so pretty, even Dimaculangan thinks you're prettier than the popular Mina Minana. So don't concern yourself about your hair. They may not be the real thing, but they look natural on you."
Callisto felt a shiver run down her spine and her cat ears at the way Elesis reassured her that she had nothing to worry about, that her hair looked "natural" on her.
"Natural, huh."
"It's perfect. If not for those cute little cat ears, I would have mistaken you for a foreigner. Although it kinda fits you in some way as well. Really, I'm actually a bit jealous at how it perfectly suits you."
Callisto glanced at the redhead's profile while they were keeping up with the group from behind, an unreadable expression on her face as she searched the redhead for any sign of deceit or suspicion.
She found none. There was only sincerity and innocent obliviousness radiating off the redhead. Soon as she realized that, her expression warped into something softer. A small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Wanna try it?"
Elesis returned the gesture with her own bright grin. "I'd love to! But for now, I'm content seeing it on someone that suits it perfectly."
"I see."
* * *
Hinata's class ended around the same time as when Elesis and Callisto's class did. He and his circle of friends decided to meet up with the rest who were in different sections in the school cafeteria.
They were having a conversation about their class adviser they called Sherly being a lot stricter than the one they had in 10th grade, but Hinata's mind was clearly thinking about something else.
Or rather, someone else. Someone with a distinct hair color. And a smile that seemed to take his breath away.
"I heard a rumor that Miss Sherly doesn't show mercy even if you're only one point short of a passing grade."
"Because you're supposed to get a passing grade if you want to pass. If you don't want to get your ass left behind, then you better study."
"I am studying. By the way, I got the new visual novel yesterday. It's 18+."
"That's not something you'd say after you just told us you are studying."
"Is it good?"
"Don't encourage him, Gilbert!"
Having lost complete interest about the conversation, Hinata turned to the direction of the cafeteria's entrance in hopes that he would catch sight of the rest of their group entering the establishment.
But what he saw was someone else, someone that got his breath hitching in his throat.
"Calli..."
"Hm? Did you say something, Hinata?"
Hinata didn't mean to utter Callisto's nickname out loud. And he certainly didn't want his friends to see her nor listen to them talk about her either.
"It's nothing. Where are the others? They said they're on the way, right?"
"Yeah, they should be here anytime soon."
"Man, it's literally the first day of school. What's taking them so long?"
"They said they went to the faculty room because Alan got an english book but it's for grade 10."
After making sure his friends were distracted by themselves, the young man risked another glance outside the cafeteria's door, but Callisto was long gone.
Hinata let out a quiet, short sigh, an involuntary act at the loss of the girl's silhouette.
Hinata's mind was a whirlwind of questions. But he chose to set those thoughts aside. Those questions held no significance to him, unlike the fact that he got to see Callisto again today, even if it was just a fleeting moment. That, and he got to see her smile even if his heart seemed to ache at the fact that it wasn't directed at him.
He simply told himself that she would see her again later during their shift in Selly's Convenience Store.