The steady rhythm of the train—low, constant, almost hypnotic—blurred the passage of time. Outside, the endless stretch of green and scattered lakes had long since given way to darker hues, the sun dipping low before disappearing entirely beyond the horizon.
Everything would be normal if not for the abnormal sight of Arion asleep.
Clara remained as she was.
Still, impassive and composed.
Her gaze rested ahead, unfocused yet aware, as the dim glow of the train's interior lights cast a faint sheen across her silver hair.
She did not move even when she felt it.
A pressure against her shoulder Clara's eyes lowered, just slightly.
Arion. That damned boy had fallen asleep at some point, it had been six hours since they had entered the train and the damned boy had fallen asleep...on her shoulder.
His head had tilted to the side at some point, resting against her shoulder as if it had always belonged there. His breathing was even, quiet—completely unaware of his surroundings.
Of course he was unaware, the boy was sleeping after all.
Clara said nothing. Made no attempt to move him. Her expression did not change though her gaze lingered.
'…Careless.'
For someone like him, someone entangled in far more than he seemed to understand, such carelessness was not a luxury he could afford. She almost doubted if the person she met six hours ago was the same careless person sleeping on her shoulder with no worry whatsoever.
Clara looked away.
The faint reflection in the window showed the two of them—one still as stone, the other leaning unconsciously against her.
There were no other passengers in the room, it was a VIP room after all but Arion did not have to know that.
It was actually very easy to fool him, he didn't know that his family had bought an entire room for himself, and using that Clara walked with him and sat down acting like even she herself had bought a ticket.
It would surely be a mess when he woke up...for god's sake the boy was very attentive, opposite to what he was now.
Minutes passed or perhaps longer.
Time was difficult to measure when nothing changed.
Eventually, Clara shifted her gaze again—this time, not at him, but at the darkness beyond the glass.
The outside world had quieted. She could have easily checked the time but even the slightest movement could disturb Arion's sleep. She had not moved for three hours, sitting like a statue, and right then the idiot somehow slipped from her shoulder and his head was now resting on her lap.
Right before his head could land however, her hands which were previously resting on her shoulders shot up as Arion's head now rested on her lap.
Arion stirred. His brows furrowed slightly, as if something in his sleep had unsettled him but he did not wake.
Clara remained still. Unmoving. Unbothered.
And yet—she did not push him away.
Time passed quietly, and slowly but also incredibly fast.
The train kept moving, its low hum filling the silence between them. Outside, the darkness had settled completely now, broken only by the occasional flicker of distant lights rushing past.
Arion didn't move.
His breathing stayed slow and even, as if nothing in the world could disturb him.
Clara didn't look down at first.
Then after a while she glanced at him.
Just for a second...and then a second longer, but no one would know of course, they were alone and only one of them was awake.
'Who falls asleep like this?'
Not just asleep—but like this. Leaning on someone he barely knew. Completely unaware. Completely unguarded.
And on a girl no less.
For someone from a lesser noble clan, he was rather...
'Cute.'
No no no, he wasn't...he was just stupid and reckless.
But he didn't look stupid or reckless in fact...
Right now, he just looked…quiet.
Younger, even.
Her gaze shifted away again.
The window reflected both of them faintly—her, sitting still as ever… and him, resting on her lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
'This is ridiculous.'
And yet—she didn't move him.
Her fingers twitched slightly against the fabric of her dress.
Barely noticeable.
'…Why?' She could have moved him long ago and eaten instead of starving but she didn't.
She didn't answer herself.
The train continued forward and the night deepened.
And Clara remained exactly as she was...Still and composed.
With Arion resting on her lap—and no intention of moving him.
Her gaze was fixed ahead—until it wasn't. Her gaze shifted down to him. There was nothing remarkable about the sight.
A normal looking boy in his mid-teens sleeping on her lap, and not even charming too, just average and normal. Plain even, not even looking like the lesser noble he was. He was more like a civilian than even a civilian.
Her hand moved slowly. Her gaze didn't show anything, if anything it looked like she was testing something, just doing something she never did.
Yes, that was what this was, nothing else. Really.
Her fingers came to rest against his hair. For a moment, she did nothing.
Then, lightly brushed through his hair. Then slowly she did it again, and again, and again.
It was a quiet, slow ruffle.
The train gave a slight jolt.
Not enough to disturb most—but enough for the bastard Arion
His brows drew together faintly, his breathing shifting as awareness began to return. The warmth beneath his head registered first… then the lingering sensation near his hair.
His eyes opened slowly, and then his eyes were blurry, and then it grew clear.
Silver hair, Violet eyes, a delicate face and.....and her hand...wait her hand?
'Wait what?'
For a second, neither of them moved.
Clara's hand stilled.
Then, without a word, she withdrew it.
Calmly. She was composed as her gaze went front, at the empty seat which was suddenly very interesting.
'Do they teach what to do in these types of situations...What is the Crystal noble clan on about?'
Then as if nothing happened she asked. "Awake?"
Arion stared at her for a moment longer than necessary.
"…Yes."
"Good." She answered after a pause...and then they went back to being silent again.
Arion shifted—then froze. she was close. Well close would be an understatement, the beauty on whose lap he was sleeping on was rather too close and too still too, and too aloof.
His gaze flickered for a split second before snapping away.
'…Right there.'
A faint heat rose to his face. He turned toward the window, a little too quickly.
'Focus.'
Clara said nothing. Like she didn't even know anything, maybe she did or maybe she didn't, he was not interested in finding out.
'Too bad.'
Arion pushed himself up, just a bit too quickly, putting distance between them. He turned his gaze toward the window, avoiding her entirely.
'That didn't happen.'
"…How long?" he asked.
"Long enough." She answered with the same indifferent aloof tone.
'Of course.' Arion silently cursed himself before looking front, at the suddenly interesting empty seat.
'Indeed very interesting.'
Silence returned, only this time different.
"We should eat, you know," Arion said.
Clara gave a small nod, her expression as impassive as ever. Then her gaze shifted toward him.
"You should get something," she said. "This is a VIP room. Most things are complimentary."
Arion nodded—then paused. "…A VIP room?"
He looked around, then back at her, his face a little pale.
"Did I just… sit in your room this whole time?"
Clara shook her head.
"No. It's yours. I'm the one here without permission."
Arion stared at her for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh as he stood up.
'Can't even stretch properly…'
"Well then," he said, glancing back at her, "where's your room?"
"I don't have one." She said flatly.
He frowned. "What?"
"I didn't buy a ticket," she replied, as if stating something entirely normal.
'Is she actually...Wait, what the hell is happening?'
Arion just stared at her. "…You're serious."
Clara didn't respond.
"So you lied?" he asked. "About going to Stonehaven?"
"No," she said calmly. "We are going to Stonehaven. I simply never said I had a ticket."
Arion blinked and then shook his head slowly.
"…Right."
"What do you want to eat, Your Highness of the Crystal Clan?" He said slowly and calmly though no one would miss the tone of mockery and slight frustration.
The door slid shut behind Arion with a soft click.
For a moment, Clara was alone.
The silence settled easily around her, familiar, undisturbed. Her gaze shifted briefly toward the door…then back ahead.
'…Careless.'
Whether it was about him leaving so casually—or something else—she didn't dwell on it.
But again what the hell was happening? Neither could answer to that question.
Arion returned with a tray in each hand.
He nudged the door open with his foot and stepped in, setting them down on the small table between the seats. Staring at Clara impassive face for a while, he sighed.
"I got whatever looked edible," he said. "Didn't feel like thinking too much."
The boy had bought simple bread, some kind of roasted meat, and one soup, not two but one. It was not simple but not something nobles would eat. Hell even a lesser noble like Arion would eat something more lavish but well he rarely ate.
Arion's family never had shortage of lavish food but he mostly ate normal food to keep memory and remember his life as Ace.
He sat back down across from her.
Clara glanced at the food and then at him.
"You assumed I would eat."
Arion paused. He had a faint suspicion she won't eat such normal food and would demand lavish meals instead.
"…You weren't going to?"
"I didn't say that."
He pushed one of the trays slightly toward her. She accepted it without comment.
The silence that followed stretched for a while, eating and watching the beautiful dark clouds outside.
"You're weird you know?" Arion said gaining a sharp look from Clara who didn't speak prompting him to continue.
"So," he said, tone casual, "you just walked into a VIP carriage without a ticket…sat down…and decided to travel like this?"
"Yes."
"…That's it?"
"Yes."
Arion stared at her. 'Unbelievable.'
"You do realize most people would get thrown out for that." He said she did not answer for a while, eating the roasted meat with that damned impassive expression of hers.
"They won't." She said calmly.
"Because?"
Clara met his gaze.
"They won't."
'And I'm asking you why, damnit.' He cursed internally.
Arion exhaled after a pause. 'What a completely normal day, quite predictable indeed.'
"…Right. Of course." Who was he to kick out a princess of one of the four great clans. Well he was a lesser clan prince but well that won't be enough and he certainly was not an heartless person to throw people out, hell he would want to help more people.
"You're not surprised," Clara said after a moment, her voice was a little...fast, just a little faster than usual.
"Hm?" He looked at her with one eye closed and a faint smile, the roasted meat hanging from his mouth quickly pulled in by his tongue. Clara didn't comment on it.
"That I'm going to meet your father."
Arion shrugged. 'So that's what she meant.'
"I am. Just…not shocked." He said, from now he would have to pick his words carefully...and with a tone of someone who is not serious at all.
"Explain." It felt more like a command but he didn't move munching on the bread, and finally when he did—he opened his mouth to answer.
"No." He said flatly with a charming smile which didn't look charming on his face at all. But well who'd stop him from smiling. The Moon Goddess?
Clara just stared at him, for seconds, and then another minute without budging.
"Gosh, stop you're freaking me out." He said flatly before sighing heavily. "Isn't it supposed to be you freaking out being alone with a boy?"
She didn't answer, just continued staring.
'Alright, I know you'll win a staring contest, stop staring.' Despite his inner cries, the girl didn't move, of course she won't. She couldn't read minds.
"People like you don't do things without a reason and when you do, it's usually trouble for someone."
"I see..." She answered and returned to her food finally not staring at him.
"You're not eating much," Arion noted.
"I don't need much."
"That sounds unhealthy."
"It isn't."
"…Sure, sure, my lady."
He didn't push further.
Above the seats were the bed, oddly in this room there were only two beds but well who was he to question it, and where would he even question it in the first place? And to whom?
'Certainly not to her.' He thought looking at Clara who just finished her food.
She stood up, holding her tray. "Let's go, we need to put the tray in the trash can and wash our hands before sleeping."
Arion stood up, again not stretching and picked his tray too following the girl out of the room.
'Do people usually sleep right after eating?'
After a few minutes, Arion entered the room alone and climbed onto the train's bed and finally yawned laying on the bed...he hesitated, his mind back to his sleep in Clara's lap...
He grit his teeth with a red face and then forcefully slept.
Soon Clara entered the room, but not before noticing a sign outside their room, on top of the door written in small letters.
Couple Room.
'Ridiculous.' She thought as she glanced at the boy sleeping in the room. 'Is he not nervous, or is he just acting?'