Eli let the wind carry Julianna's question away with the white petals. He didn't have an answer he could give her.
He rubbed at his temple and stayed silent.
Julianna looked at him for a long moment, even walking around with exaggerated kicks to get a reaction from him.
But whatever she found in Eli's face was enough, because her shoulders dropped as she let out a quiet sigh.
"…Alright."
But that didn't mean she had given up. She reached out and gave his shoulders one firm squeeze.
"Oiii."
Julianna tilted her head toward Ravi, who was still crouching in front of a shrub like she had beef with it.
"Come on! Let's rescue our guide before she starts naming the leaves."
"Pfft."
Really? That ridiculous remark made him laugh?
"There's my Elise."
Julianna patted his shoulders and grinned ear to ear.
Seeing this bright beacon of life that was Julianna lessened his worries a little. No… a lot, actually.
The world could come crashing down on him, but so long as Juli and Irene were by his side, he could rise from the ashes no matter how many times it took. Eli and Elise shared the same sentiment.
Originally, Eli had Irene, who he dearly admired and loved as though she was a real person. Now, after becoming Elise, his dream of seeing Irene in the flesh came true — still unbelievable — and he gained a precious friend, someone who he could always count on during the hardest of times.
And it was crazy how short of a timeframe the friendship took to blossom. Granted, he had Elise's memories of their three-year relationship, but technically, he'd only known her for more than a day.
Just a day.
Ravi, too. She had been quietly making an impact on his heart.
And Grandma Nella. He didn't have to say why.
Maybe Eli wore his heart too openly, being easily attached to anyone that walked into his life and gave him a smile, a touch, or even just one consoling word.
'But that's what life's about!'
You make connections, you love, you hate, you cry, you hurt. Eli had only realized recently after being transported here — that he had started coloring his once blank, empty life.
'No. Not empty. I won't forget my elderly friends.'
He had been staring at Juli for far too long now. Her warmth had thawed his frozen mind, so what better way to say thanks than with a head pat.
Eli raised his hand and ruffled Juli's hair with two firm, affectionate pats, messing up whatever loose arrangement she had going.
"H-Hey! Hey hey hey!"
Juli ducked away, swatting at his wrist, her cheeks flushing pink.
"Oi… I'm older than you, you know! You can't just—"
Eli gave a bright smile that could make the roadside flowers bloom.
"Ugh!"
"Thanks, Juli."
Her mouth opened, then closed, then tugged into half a pout, half a smile. She scratched the back of her neck, searching for anything else to look at besides his face.
"…Yeah. Whatever. Just — happy that you're happy."
Juli cleared her throat — very loudly, by the way — and marched ahead toward Ravi, hands planted on her hips.
"Ravi! You still alive over there?"
Ravi flinched upright, the shrub acquitted for now.
"…Yes?"
"What did you name them?"
"I'm sorry?"
"The leaves. You were naming them."
"I wasn't—"
Juli pointed at a random leaf.
"What'd you land on that one? Bartholomew? Reginald?"
Ravi blinked at her, then looked down at the leaf. She looked like she was genuinely considering it.
'What's up with these two?'
Eli decided to watch this comedy show a bit longer.
After a moment, Ravi finally gave an answer:
"…Moony, maybe."
Juli made a half-hearted attempt to look serious for all of one second before losing it.
"Bwahaha! Moony?"
'Why is she laughing? Like Bartholomew was any better.'
Ravi awkwardly smiled.
"…She feels like the moon."
Juli clutched her stomach as it worked the laughter out of her.
"Oh my god. That's worse than what I thought. Elise, she's worse than I thought!"
Eli stepped up beside them with his eyes closed, his lips pressed into a thin line to keep the laughter from leaking out.
'You got the worst names, Juli.'
After swallowing it in, he interrupted to save the damsel in distress.
"Leave her alone, Juli."
"I can't! She really named them! I was just spouting nonsense!"
Ravi's mouth twitched. She ducked her head and covered the corner of her smile two fingers.
Eli caught it but decided to let it go.
"Alright, alright. Ravi, where are your dorms? I figured we've kept you long enough."
Ravi tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"The dormitories are on the south side. I live in Lilac Hall. Upper-year girls stay there."
"Lilac Hall," Juli echoed, grinning. "Cute."
Ravi energetically nodded.
"I know, right?"
Juli nodded as well, matching Ravi's pace. They looked like two bobbleheads.
"Lead the way!"
***
Juli looped an arm over Ravi's shoulders within the first minute. Unexpectedly, Ravi didn't flinch or become stiff this time.
'Wow, that's character development.'
"So! Spill the tea. Who's the worst professor at this place?"
Ravi stiffened.
'Damn it, Juli!'
"…I shouldn't say."
Juli nudged Ravi over and over, tempting her toward the dark side.
"Oh, you definitely should say."
Ravi closed her eyes.
"…Professor Gregory."
'Ravi! You gave up that easily!?'
"Why?"
Ravi's fingers started fidgeting again.
"I shouldn't…"
Juli cackled.
Ravi glanced sideways at Eli, begging him to save her. Little did she know, he was enjoying her suffering.
As they walked, a handful of students drifted past in twos and threes, some doing very obvious double-takes when they noticed Julianna, elbowing each other.
Juli pretended not to notice. Surprisingly, she didn't like being popular at all, considering her outgoing and loud personality.
They cut past the main hall, skirted a small courtyard with a dry fountain, and turned for a quieter path lined with pale stone benches. The buildings here were homier, donning soft cream brick and quaint window boxes. A few windows hung open with laundry strung and blown. Somewhere above, two girls were arguing about whose turn it was to sweep.
Ravi slowed in front of one of them, a building with pale purple shutters and a small carved plaque over the door that read Lilac Hall in gold lettering.
"This is me."
Juli gave her shoulders one last squeeze before letting her go.
Eli stepped up, smiling softly.
"Thanks for showing us around and sticking by, Ravi. Really."
Ravi lowered her head, her voice quiet:
"…It was nothing."
She fidgeted with her bag strap, a little of the old shyness creeping back.
"Um. If you're — if you want to come by the dorm... or if you come home, Grandma would—"
"We'll come by. Promise."
Her shoulders eased.
"…Okay."
Ravi gave Juli a small wave, nodded once to Eli, and slipped through the dorm doors.
The door then clicked shut behind her.
Eli's gaze lingered at the blank space where the girl had been.
'I promise.'
Then, a sharp flick landed square on his forehead.
"Ow—!"
"You're doing that face again."
Eli clapped a hand over his forehead and glared at her. Juli had two fingers cocked, ready to flick him a second time.
"What face!?"
"The 'I'm going to brood until the moon rises' face."
He huffed, not having an argument to retort.
Juli stretched her arms over her head until her back cracked, then a long sigh escaped her nose.
"Alright! Where to now, boss?"