Iris's POV
Sunday mornings were not meant to begin like this.
At least, not for me.
The sunlight had already slipped through the curtains, spreading lazily across the room, but I was still buried halfway under my blanket, eyes closed, mind drifting somewhere between sleep and awareness. For once, there was no urgency pulling me out of bed....no school, no work, no responsibilities demanding immediate attention.
And yet,
My phone rang.
A sharp, persistent sound that refused to be ignored.
I groaned softly, shifting slightly before reaching out blindly, my fingers brushing against the table until they finally found the device. Without even checking the screen, I answered, my voice still heavy with sleep.
"…Anya… why can't you let me sleep on Sundays too…"
There was a pause.
And then,
"YOU ARE GOING TO MEET KAIZER TODAY."
My eyes snapped open instantly.
For a second, I just stared at the ceiling, trying to process whether that had actually happened or if I was still dreaming.
"…I was talking in my sleep, wasn't I…" I muttered under my breath.
Anya didn't respond to that.
Instead,
"So you do remember?" she pressed.
I sat up slowly, running a hand through my hair as reality settled in.
"…I need to get ready," I said simply.
And before she could say anything else, I cut the call.
Silence returned.
But it didn't feel the same anymore.
---
Standing in front of the mirror a while later, I paused...not because I didn't know what to wear, but because there wasn't much to choose from in the first place.
My wardrobe had never been about variety. No elaborate outfits, no carefully curated combinations...just a few simple clothes, worn because they were comfortable, familiar, and enough.
And honestly… I never minded.
If someone judged me based on that, then the problem wasn't mine to fix.
I picked out my usual floral dress, smoothing it lightly before wearing it. When I looked at myself again, nothing felt particularly different..and maybe that was exactly what I wanted.
No pretending.
No trying to be someone else.
Just… me.
---
My phone buzzed again.
Anya.
I typed quickly: I'm ready.
Her reply came instantly.
Don't reach 30 minutes early like a fool. Be late. At least once in your life, use your bad habit properly.
A small smile formed on my lips.
Being late…
That, at least, was something I was naturally good at.
---
Still, when I sat down with my practice sheets in front of me, my hands didn't move.
The clock ticked softly on the wall.
Each second felt… noticeable.
Unusually so.
Anya messaged again, asked something random..but my replies stayed short. One word. Two at most.
She didn't push further.
She understood.
Because for the first time in two years,
I wasn't just watching him from a distance.
I was going to sit beside him.
Talk to him.
Exist in the same space… without pretending it didn't matter.
My gaze shifted to the clock again.
3:42 PM.
Still time.
Too much time.
---
Kaizer's POV
"Can I come too?"
Lux's message appeared on my screen, followed immediately by another,
"I mean, I can learn from Sister Iris also. Sharing is caring."
I stared at it for a second before replying.
Your choice.
There was a pause.
Then,
Nah. I won't intimidate her with two guys around.
A faint smirk formed on my lips.
"…She would intimidate five of your kind," I muttered under my breath.
My gaze shifted unconsciously toward the mirror beside my table.
It was small, slightly tilted, barely enough to reflect properly....but enough for me to see myself.
Black sweatshirt. Black jeans.
Same as always.
I glanced at my cupboard, opening it briefly...not because I expected to find something better, but out of habit.
Nothing changed.
Same clothes. Same patterns. Same indifference.
I closed it.
Let it be.
---
By the time I stepped out, it was earlier than necessary.
3:15 PM.
I could've waited.
But staying home didn't feel like an option.
So I walked.
---
The library stood quiet, as always.
I stopped a few steps away, leaning slightly against the railing nearby.
There was still time.
A lot of it.
At first, everything felt normal.
Then,
The thoughts started gathering.
Not slowly.
Not subtly.
All at once.
Voices overlapping. Strangers passing by. Fragments brushing against my mind like static that wouldn't settle.
It built up quickly,
Too quickly.
I exhaled sharply, pressing my fingers lightly against my temple.
"…Too much."
I needed to go inside.
Now.
I pushed myself away from the railing and started walking toward the entrance,
And then,
I stopped.
She was there.
Walking toward me.
---
For a moment, everything… quieted.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough to notice her.
Her steps weren't rushed, but not slow either....somewhere in between, like she had tried to follow advice… and failed halfway.
She stopped in front of me.
Close.
Not too close.
But close enough.
Neither of us spoke immediately.
There was a brief pause,
A small, fragile moment where both of us seemed to be waiting for the other to start.
And then,
"Hello."
"…Hello."
The words came at the same time.
We both paused.
Looked at each other.
And for a second,
There was something almost… amusing about it.
Then the noise surged back.
Sharp. Sudden.
I looked away first.
"…Let's go inside," I said quietly, gesturing toward the door.
She nodded.
And we walked in.
---
Inside the Library
The difference was immediate.
The moment the door closed behind us, the outside faded...not just physically, but mentally.
Fewer people.
Fewer thoughts.
Less noise.
I exhaled slowly without realizing it.
She walked slightly ahead of me, her pace steady, her presence… calm.
"…Where should we sit?" she asked, turning slightly.
I pointed toward the corner.
"That one."
She nodded again, and we walked there together.
---
We sat side by side.
Not too close.
Not distant.
Just enough space to feel comfortable.
I adjusted slightly, leaving a little more distance....not because I needed it, but because I didn't want her to feel uneasy.
A small detail.
But it mattered.
---
"Thank you," I said after a moment.
She looked at me.
"For agreeing to help."
Her expression softened slightly.
"It's okay," she replied gently. "You can ask anytime."
A pause followed.
Not awkward.
Just… unfilled.
Then she spoke again.
"What subject is troubling you the most?"
"…Physics."
Her eyes lifted properly this time, meeting mine.
A direct eye contact.
Steady.
Not hesitant.
And for a second,
The noise disappeared again.
---
She started explaining.
Not quickly.
Not mechanically.
But carefully.
Breaking things down.
Simplifying concepts in a way that didn't feel forced.
Her voice stayed soft, but clear.
Each word placed where it needed to be.
"…Don't try to memorize everything at once," she said, pointing lightly at the page. "Understand the pattern first. Once you see how things connect, the rest becomes easier."
I listened.
Properly.
For the first time in a long while,
I understood something.
Not partially.
Not vaguely.
Clearly.
---
Time passed.
But not in a way that felt heavy.
She marked important topics.
Explained how to approach questions.
Even wrote a few steps down for me to follow later.
And through all of it—
The noise stayed… distant.
Not gone.
But manageable.
---
My phone vibrated.
I glanced at it.
Lux.
I stood slightly. "Excuse me."
She nodded.
---
"Can I come?" he asked immediately.
I looked back at her.
She was sitting there, pen resting lightly between her fingers, her gaze lowered...but not empty.
Thinking.
Processing something.
And again,
Nothing.
No thoughts.
No fragments.
Just silence.
"…Why can't I hear it…"
"What?" Lux asked.
"…Nothing."
I paused.
Then,
"Wait."
I turned slightly toward her again.
"…Can Lux join?" I asked.
She looked up.
There was no hesitation.
"Yes," she said simply.
Then added, almost immediately,
"Can I call Anya too?"
"…As you wish."
---
When I sat back down, she continued explaining.
But for a moment,
I wasn't listening.
Not to the words.
But to the way she spoke.
The way she thought through things before saying them.
The way she didn't rush to fill silence.
She wasn't different.
Not in an obvious way.
But something about her presence… felt different.
And I didn't know if that was something to understand,
Or something to stay away from.
---
Her pen slipped.
It fell between us.
Both of us leaned down at the same time.
Our hands reached for it,
And brushed.
A brief contact.
Barely there.
But enough.
We both paused.
Looked up.
Eyes meeting.
This time,
Neither of us looked away immediately.
The moment stretched slightly longer than it should have.
Long enough to be noticed.
Short enough to be denied.
---
And then,
A voice.
"Hey...."
---