The dramatic scene Eleanor had been hoping for never came.
Nina was far too composed for that — almost painfully so. She stepped quietly to the side without a word, not interrupting Julia, and watched in silence as Julia, like a devoted girlfriend, softly expressed her worry and longing to Jacob.
Nina stood apart from it all like a stranger, watching the scene unfold with a calm expression. She had no desire to make things difficult for Jacob.
Julia was young, bright, and full of energy — by most measures, a far better match for Jacob. They were close in age, one the Champion of the High School Cup and the other the runner-up, a golden pair in the eyes of many. The words "perfect match" might as well have been made for them.
Sometimes, Nina found herself wondering why Jacob had chosen her, of all people. Those moments left her anxious and unsure, quietly questioning whether the two of them could really last.
Eleanor watched Nina standing quietly to the side and felt a dull ache in her chest. They had grown up together in the same neighborhood, and their bond was closer than most sisters shared. Eleanor understood Nina better than even Maximus did. She knew that Nina — who had lost her mother early in life — kept a deeply fragile heart hidden beneath her calm, steady surface.
Eleanor also knew how much weight Nina placed on the people she let in. Nina was like an iceberg: cold and distant at first, keeping others at arm's length — but once she truly opened up, the warmth she gave was like a wildfire. She would pour everything she had into the people she loved, even if it burned her in the end.
It was easy to see how much she had already given to this relationship. Eleanor had often noticed Nina alone by the window, gazing out at the training field with a distant look in her eyes. And whenever Jacob called, the smile that crossed her face was one of pure, quiet happiness.
But that was the nature of love — alongside the joy came the hurt. Either it carried you gently into old age, or it left behind nothing but bitterness.
Julia had a lot to say to Jacob, pouring out what seemed like every feeling she had held back during his absence. Young love was like that — open, unguarded, and completely unashamed. Then again, that had always been Julia's way. She liked what she liked and disliked what she disliked, and when something mattered to her, she went after it without hesitation.
"Jacob, Amira told me Kyle's treating everyone to dinner tonight." Julia gave a cheerful wave. "I'm heading off — I'll call you later."
Once Julia had gone, Nina turned to Jacob. A faint smile touched her lips. "Jacob," she said gently, "you just got back today, so don't worry about rushing to class. Get some rest and come in tomorrow."
"Mm." Jacob nodded, though the guilt was already beginning to settle in. "Nina… there's actually something I need to talk to you about. I was just about to come find you at your office. Do you have a moment?"
"I don't have another class today. Come with me." Nina nodded, her expression composed — deliberately keeping the measured distance she always maintained in the hallway. "Eleanor, would you please walk Julia to class?"
"Of course."
Jacob and Nina walked side by side toward the teachers' office. As they moved further from the others, Nina slowed her pace slightly. She glanced at him, noticing the tiredness in his face, and said quietly, "Jacob. I know you stay busy, but please look after yourself. And try to smoke less, alright?"
"Mm." He nodded.
Inside the office, Nina hung her coat on the wall and put the kettle on. She set out a teacup and brewed a pot of tea, then brought it over to him. "Here — drink something warm. Don't push yourself too hard." Her voice was soft. "Be careful, it's still hot."
"Thank you, Nina."
The warmth of the cup spread through his palms and eased the chill of the winter air — but the comfort it brought only deepened the knot in his chest.
"Why were you sitting alone on that bench earlier, smoking?" Nina settled onto the sofa across from him, watching him with quiet concern. "Is something bothering you?"
She rose again and moved behind him, placing her hands gently on his shoulders and beginning to work out the tension there. "Jacob… if something's weighing on you, you can tell me. You don't have to carry it alone." She paused. "Let me carry it with you, if you'll let me."
Those words hit harder than he expected.
He stared into the teacup and, for a moment, felt a genuine flash of anger at himself. Here was Nina — steady, warm, and nearly perfect — and still he hadn't been satisfied. He had let things happen with Raya, and now that weight pressed down on him from all sides.
Raya was a good person too. He knew that.
He exhaled slowly, quietly condemning his own choices. If Nina ever found out about Raya, he didn't know what he would do. He didn't let himself think about it too long. For now, the only option was to move carefully — one step at a time, like walking a tightrope over open air.
"Nina…" He took a slow breath, turned to face her, and said, "There's something I've been keeping from you."
"Mm." Nina's expression didn't shift — no alarm, no tension. Just calm attention. "Go ahead."
"Not here. Somewhere more private."
"Alright." She nodded.
They returned to the apartment and settled on the sofa.
"Now you can tell me."
Jacob met her eyes. "Nina… I'm sorry. I've been hiding something from you. There's another side to who I am — an identity I never told you about." His voice was steady, even if the weight behind it wasn't.
Nina said nothing. She looked at him and waited.
"I didn't keep it from you on purpose. I just wasn't sure you'd be able to accept it." He drew a slow breath. "But you deserve to know."
"Tell me," Nina said quietly. "I can accept it."
Jacob reached into his coat and drew out a small case. Inside it lay a single feather — brilliant, iridescent, shifting with colors that seemed to hold their own light. A Rainbow Wing.
"My other identity… is Giovanni."
The moment the words left his mouth, Nina's face changed. She stared at the feather, then at him, and slowly lifted a hand to cover her mouth.
"You're… Giovanni?" The words came out barely above a whisper.
She had known Jacob was keeping something from her. But she had never once imagined it was something like this.
"Mm." Jacob reached into his pocket and produced a smooth mask. He pressed it to his face.
When he lowered his hands, Giovanni looked back at her.
Nina went very still.
"You're really… Giovanni?"
"The real one." He watched her carefully. "Nina — you're one of the people I trust most in this world. That's exactly why I didn't want to keep this from you any longer."