Lunchtime.

We have a lot of free time, especially if it's lunchtime. The group is slowly breaking again, I think. I notice the way they act. They're aware of our "fight". I'd call it "one-sided" because I don't want this to happen. He was the only one who wants to fight.

I was making my way to the cafeteria when suddenly, I was pinned on the wall by a strong force. The lockers nearby made noises as I was pinned. Of course, the culprit is none other than Kanae.

"What do you want?!" I asked, hoping to make this quick. I don't want to skip the only time where I'm with the group.

"I want to kill you..." He threateningly whispered while hanging his head down. I'm scared to look at his head. There might be a reason why he decided to hang it down.

I trembled in fear and desperately held on to the wall behind me as my balance. I was openly scared. It was my true feelings. I wonder what he will do now that he knows that I'm afraid of him. Did he get what he wanted?

He slowly raises his head up and revealed his face. At this moment I knew about his bloodlust. It's an uncontrollable state now. It might be harder to fight him. He wanted to kill me for sure. He knows how and that's what scares me.

Before, we had a mutual trusting relationship. I trust that he wouldn't kill me, and he trusts that I wouldn't kill him despite that I have the upper hand by default. I don't want to kill Kanae nor "throw him away" from my life, as he puts it. And he didn't want to kill me. In fact, he's concerned about my well-being in general even though I'm very different from him.

That's why I like him...

He accepted me as a strong demon but to be honest, I sometimes need someone to care for me and tell me that I don't need to sacrifice myself to save someone. I just need to do it smarter.

I took a deep breath and looked at him sternly. I don't want to fight him. Keep that in mind. I just want to save him from that uncontrollable bloodlust he's having right now.

As he was about to punch me, I ducked and pushed him so that I can escape. I ran away as soon as he fell. I'm still heading to the cafeteria. I can hear him following.

"Why are you doing this anyway? What did I do to trigger you like this?" I desperately ask while running away. I hope he hears me. I hope he hears the voice of a girl who's about to cry. "What are you benefitting from this?"

"I'm not benefitting from this. I'm just merely showing my feelings towards you." He answered quite normally. I'm surprised.

"Why are you so mad at me?" I continued to ask him. "Did I do anything wrong?"

"You really are forgetting about me, huh..." He stopped. He stopped talking after that, he stopped running, he stopped everything he was doing. I stopped too to catch up on him. I don't understand what he's trying to say. "Nowadays, you keep your eyes on Carol."

"So what?! That's not something you should care about!" I stomped my foot in possible anger.

"Why are you ignoring other people when your eyes are fixated on him!" He shouted. "You didn't talk to me for about a week!"

"I was scared! I was scared of you. You were exhibiting your demon sides more cruel than before."

"You didn't trust me that I wouldn't kill you..."

I stayed silent. I was so mad that I want to break all his bones. I clenched my fists together, readying myself for a fight.

"You know what happened behind the scenes? I had a dream when I was recklessly sleeping on the classroom-- I was alone in a dark room where my doors and windows are boarded up. You know why? Because I think that you're mad at me and I don't want to add fuel to your anger by my existence..." I hang my head in a monotonous voice. I then raised my head in the same manner as what Kanae did earlier. "I trusted you and yet, by showing your bloodlust over nothing, it's hard for me to continue trusting you! You think it was hard for you? You think that playing my emotions to satisfy your experimentation about trust is a good reason for you to be angry? YOU FUCKING BROKE ME!!!"

I had a valid reason to be angry. Though I didn't want to fight before, knowing about the reason why made me want to fight. Made me want to prove that I was more hurt than him.

I was about to dash to him but 5 people held me down simultaneously. He saw this a chance but he was also held down by 5 random students.

"Let go of me, you fucking imbeciles!" I demanded. Once I knew that my friends [+ Jasper] are the ones holding me down, I calmed down a bit.

"What's wrong? What happened to you two? You were so close before." Joan asked out of concern.

"I have observed that his behaviour lately is kind of off." Zan commented.

I merely looked at Carol. He looked at me back with a surprised face then we both turned away in embarrassment at the same time.

"What the hell man, that's your future wife!" Jasper told Caro-- wait what?

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, possibly demanding an answer immediately.

Jasper froze and so did Carol. They didn't answer, which made me disappointed.

"Please don't fight." Cervi butted in with his sweet innocent voice. Average human.

"Don't think we're siding you, Celeste. If we are, we wouldn't be pinning you on the ground right now. We would be watching, cheering for you on the bleachers." Joan said. It wasn't supposed to be motivating me to fight more but I was motivated to fight more. Why? I also don't know.

As Joan is busy still lecturing me, I see Kanae dashing to me. I was prepared to hit his legs with a fire extinguisher lying nearby but Joan stood in the middle, stretching her arms towards Kanae with an open palm and commanded "stop!" As she froze him.

I silently slide the fire extinguisher out of Joan's sight so she wouldn't suspect me and start lecturing me again and will also command me to stop, including breathing.

Joan turned to me with her hands on her hips while talking to me. "This is serious. What kind of anger did you show him?"

"I have different kinds of anger?" I raised my brow. Joan glared at me harder, which forced me to describe it instead and not the name itself, if it has... "The one full of bloodlust?" I answered as I turn away.

Joan smacked her own face with her palm and slightly shook her head. "You two are having a contest of whose bloodlust is more overwhelming."

I clicked my tongue like a child, still not turning to her. She's half right and half wrong, what can I say? Well at least she's trying to solve this problem without a fight. She is an angel after all.

"You two are only having a childish fight." She lectures me as she turns Kanae on the other direction, to where the 5 random people who are also frozen are. She snaps her fingers, canceling out her abilities. Kanae continued to dash towards the 5 like a bowling ball, knocking them all, including himself. "That's what happens if you choose to defy the angel's orders."

I sighed and stood back up, easily overpowering the 4 who were pinning me down. They are lying down in the same manner those 6 on the side across us are. I dusted myself and was about to be angry at her but she has this kind of aura unlike AC or Lana's but is equally hypnotising. I know for a fact that she's not using her hypnotising ability because she knows that it's not necessary.

I staggered my way to her and held her shoulder as I whisper, "I won't let you get involved in this." Counts as reassuring too, right?

•

Dismissal.

I make my way silently to the library. I don't see anyone again. Is the librarian even working here? I don't recall. I couldn't.

I sighed and blindly walked towards the shelves, hoping to see a maths book nearby. I clearly don't see a maths book but I do see someone sitting on a table near the window. Maybe to give her light while reading?

I ignored her but not completely. I still minded my business but I still want company as I study.

I carefully read the spines of the book, hoping to see something about numbers and such. Oh right, maths...

I saw a maths book so I reached out to get it. I slid my hand on top and was about to take it with me but as the gap opened, I see someone directly across me. Someone who I wasn't expecting to see.

In a panic, I shoved the book back inside before he had the time to react. I ran towards the diligent girl who's studying near the window. It's kind of embarrassing that I'm in a library where I have no book and it looks like I'm running away from danger. I sat down across the diligent girl.

"What's wrong?" Emily calmly asked despite my panic. She slowly puts the book down, more interested on hearing my story than continuing her studies.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Just had a minor panic attack over nothing." I excused myself. "Anyway, teach me about Maths."

She stared at me wide-eyed. She started to pinch herself on the cheeks.

"What are you doing?" I asked calmly.

"I'm checking if I'm in a dream." She monotonously answered like she's dead inside. "Oh my god, this isn't a dream!! You're asking me to teach you?! You change so quickly, Celeste!" She yelled in delight, slamming her hands on the table as she stretches her upper half to me. It's kind of unsettling.

"Whatever. Just-- get me a book." I turned away, looking like I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm dumb at maths but really, I was just scared that maybe Emily might have her upper half broken from being stretched that far.

"Aye aye, Ms. Auden!" She firmly stands up and saluted me before she dashes off to find a maths book, leaving all her belongings behind. I have a weird feeling of obligation to look after her belongings though I don't know why.

My eyes are getting heavy, I'm starting to feel a little drowsy. I don't know why. What's this? Why am I suddenly sleepy? Did I inhale poison or whatnot? What happened? What did I do?

I tried hard to fight my sleepiness. I was surprised that I can still open my eyes halfway. I see a man with a knife, about to stab me while thinking that I may be asleep. I reacted fast enough to avoid him stabbing my skull. I blocked the blade with my arm. I'm still a bit tired from what I would assume is a gas poison so I'm not able to use any of my abilities.

I still couldn't fully open my eyes but I manage to dodge or block every attack that the man's trying to inflict on me.

As he continued to try and attack me, I was trying to escape from the place with gaseous poison so I dashed to the place where it's full of shelves all while continuing to doge and block his advances.

I reached a place where it's the furthest from the place near the window and I can finally see the man in front of me-- of course it's no other than Kanae, who openly tries to kill me because he hates me and not those other bitches who openly say they hate me and spread lies about me which doesn't work well for them because a lot don't listen or believe them.

I managed to dodge the knife targeting my neck in the last second. I take my time to glare at him saying, "you're taking this too seriously." Disguised as a compliment.

"This isn't our usual fight, Auden! You can't expect me to try and fix this immediately." He barked as he tried to pull the knife out of the wooden shelf.

He was about to stab me again but I keep stepping on the side with a second to spare, flawlessly dodging him until he wears out.

He's sweating, panting, obviously tired. And I'm the complete opposite, no sign of fatigue.

We both heard shuffling from the neighbouring shelf. I quickly thought of Emily so I dashed back to the table where her belongings are also there. Afterwards, I hear footsteps that's fading away. It's not Emily's. Kanae's exiting the room without landing a single hit on me.

I'm surprised at his assassination. I can't believe that it happened so soon!

He...doesn't call me "Missy" anymore... I miss that kind of Kanae... What does he mean by "fix this immediately"???... I guess he also has a valid reason to try and kill me.

"Sorry I took so long, Celeste. They really should label the shelves in here." Emily sat on the chair across me-- the same chair where she was sitting at earlier.

"I know right. The librarian is so lazy." I agreed like nothing happened.

"Yeah. She's rarely working." She continued to insult. "But that's not our topic today. Let's go and dig right in Maths!" She showed me the book and smiled brightly. Studying is a happy thing for her, huh...

•

Oct 23. Sunday.

I heard the front door easily open. I'm guessing it's Sebastian since Angelo and I are together though he's in a different room. He's staying in the kitchen while I'm eating my full English breakfast in the dining room.

"We're home!" I hear an adult woman's voice echoing in the whole mansion.

"Where's Celeste?" I hear an adult man's voice. Not as loud as Patricia, that's for sure, but I still heard it despite the noise that she's making. Sounds like she's the only one in the manor.

"Probably in the dining room, eating her breakfast. We did return too early." Patricia answered calmly. I hear her heavy footsteps making its way to their bedroom.

While the other footsteps are coming towards the dining room. The door creaked open and there's Johnny, wearing fancy formal clothes while weakly smiling. "You didn't have problems while you were alone?" He asks.

That sudden kindness almost made me choke if I had not open my throat wider so the food can easily pass through without any obstacles. In the same manner, I can stretch my throat wide so I can swallow humans in one chomp. This is the first time that I widened my throat for human food to avoid choking.

I opened my mouth as if to say something but he cuts me off continuing, "I hope you did not." Then he silently walks away like nothing happened.

Was that a conversation just now? Did I unintentionally avoid it by saving myself from choking?

His sentence can be an act out of concern or the other way around. He can be like "I hope you did not....because your problem just came." Or "I hope you did not...because if you did, we'll also be troubled." And I don't know which one is more terrifying.

I decided to shrug it off and continued eating my meal like nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened... I keep repeating myself.

"What happ--"

"Nothing!" I subconsciously cut Angelo off in an obvious panic.

He stopped and stared at me for a while then continued to read the cook book he's been reading for some time now.

.....well that was embarrassing.

"CELESTE!!!!! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS???!!!!" I guess Patricia saw my bloody clothes hanging by the laundry room. She's fast. Is she teleporting? Sigh.

I lazily walked to the laundry room, leaving my unfinished meal sitting on the dining table.

"You haven't been cleaning and now, you've dirtied it more by eventually having a very bloody menstruation! As said, you're going to clean the whole community, little lady!" She shouted and lectured. She can shout and lecture all she wants. Like her rules ever apply to me.

I shrugged and continued back to the dining room and finish my meal.

"I'll throw these bloody clothes of yours!! Even your boots!" She continued to shout from the laundry room.

Well, now I'm sure that this is my casual clothes from now on. It's good since I'm warm and comfortable... Too bad I have no spares that looks exactly like the ones being thrown away right now... Hah! As if! I see those in a mall I keep passing by.

"You ok with this, Litte Miss?" Angelo flipped the pages of his book, not looking at me.

"She knows that I wouldn't clean the community." I explained briefly, eating my meal. It's already half empty. Half more and I'm finished in this damn dining room.

"Yet she doesn't force you to and instead cleaned up before you." He flipped the pages again. How fast of a reader is he?

I acted like I wasn't listening, like I was ignoring him to hide the fact that he was right, I agree with him, and now I have nothing to say back.

"Even if they act like they hate you and you hate them, there's a bit of concern and care left. If you're fighting and they don't do anything to show their 'love', then they really don't love you. If they really do hate you, they would non-hesitantly kick you out of the manor or force you to really clean the whole community just because of a bloody accident. Patricia will throw those clothes out because the blood stains couldn't be removed. You don't want to wear a clothes with blood stains left, would you? It would make you unpresentable. By next week, maybe she'll buy you clothes that looks like those." He continued flipping through the pages like he isn't even reading.

Because of the useless cook in my house was able to talk about something useful for once, I figured that his perspective of hate and love made me think of my and Kanae's fight. "Even if they act like they hate you and you hate them, there's a bit of concern and care left. If you're fighting and they don't do anything to show their 'love', then they really don't love you." I know Kanae would take advantage of that poison as much as he can. I wasn't injured much so I can't determine if he's holding back or really taking this seriously.

Thoughts spiralled in my mind and I didn't notice that I already finished my meal. As soon as I was snapped back to reality, I stood up from my seat and proceeded to exit quietly.

I walked to my room like a limp robot-- no feelings and dead inside but is a bit clumsy.

Love can be showed through many things...and I regretted not knowing what they are. I just realised that those signs of love are being showed by Kanae, who I didn't think would show it subtly. Those times he was teasing me, bullying me, threatening me but wouldn't actually do it...

His kind of showing love isn't the same as others that they would make it as direct and obvious as they can-- more noticeably by Carol... When Kanae saw the roses kept in my room as decoration, he probably thought that I genuinely like him.

Without notice, my Contract Mark starts glowing bright red. It was too visible, I couldn't hide it with my black trench coat. I jumped out the window and dashed to Flame's bar as fast as I can without letting anyone see me.

While no one is looking at the busy bartender, I sneaked my way behind him and pulled him by his collar. Good thing I can handle him. Probably because I'm hurting him and thus, making him incredibly weaker.

We reached down the basement and that's when I started to reveal myself i.e, cancel my own invisibility.

"What do you want this time, Princess?" He choked as he tries hard to catch his breath.

"Seriously?! You don't see my glowing chest?!" I furrowed my eyebrows in disbelief.

"Shh. Keep your voice down, let me check your chest for a minute." He proceeded to unbutton my blouse, exposing my chest to him in the same manner as Deane. "I see, I see. You have a demon contract... And for some reason, he/she loves you."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I backed away in utter disgust and disbelief.

"If you have a Demon Contract, of course your Contract Mark will show up on the same spot as your partner's-- the heart...err...outside of it to be specific. It will glow bright red on the familiar's mark if the master misses them so bad. In the same way, the master's mark will glow the same colour when the familiar misses them. That simple."

I stared at him with my jaws opened wide. I'm surprised that the demon contract has some kind of connection like that.

"Hey, you know what... That's how my parents met." He brightly smiled to tease me like I'm the one with romance. "It's weird how an angel wants to form a contract with a demon." He snickered.

"They're both powerful enough so why... Wait a minute..." I started to ponder.

"What's wrong? That human master is also powerful yet he formed a contract with you?" Flame peered in, looking for some other way to tease me.

"I guess he's thinking that since I'm supernatural, I can control the whole world, so technically, I can let him control the world. Or the genie kind of belief where I can grant his wishes." I shrug.

"Well I think he wants to be close to you, that's why he decided to form a contract." He shrugged too. Copycat.

"I doubt it. There's much to his motives than just that!" I insisted.

"Wait... Who was the one that saved you from the Death Mark?" He asked out of the blue.

I gulped and shuddered, not answering immediately. "M-Master..." I stuttered in embarrassment.

"Did he form a contract with you and saved you from the Death Mark at the same time?" He gasped in surprise. I didn't answer. A nod would do but I still didn't do it. "He's so smart!" He complimented indirectly.

"I know. So I don't know why he needs me!"

"As I said, he wants to get close to you. He likes you, right? If he did not, you wouldn't be saved from the Death Mark now." I gulped from his statement. So Kanae really does l-like me? And he misses me so bad... "Well my work here is done. The rest is up to you, Little Miss." Flame winks as he messed with my hair as the final tease and returned to the bartender table to serve more customers and earn money and--

I got to fix this real quick.

•

12 pm. Himbocole residence.

The Contract Mark stopped glowing as I'm exiting Flame's. It's a helpful thing so I wouldn't be suspicious of having shining red light on my chest and I wouldn't tire myself out by using my abilities.

"What brings you here, Celeste? This is such a rare occurrence." Joan handed me a nice hot cup of tea.

Its aroma filled the wide living room. Although it's wide, it's not as wide as ours. The tea is a bit sweet but flavourful. I like this tea.

"I was lost but then I saw your house." I honestly answered as I put down the cup on the saucer.

"You wanted to go home but got here instead?" She raised a brow like she doesn't believe me.

"I get lost easily." I bluntly told her.

"Alright." She shrugged. "I'll just let my chauffeur drive you to your home."

"House." I quickly corrected.

"It's the same thing!" She throws her hands off.

"No it's not." I insisted. "House is only a structure, home is where the family is. I can't treat those residents as family."

"Whatever, just go back to where you came from."

"Hell." I quickly answered with a wide smirk.

"Just go!!" She finally had enough and threw me a soft pillow. As usual, I dodged it by ducking.

"Alright, alright. Thanks for the tea." I smiled brightly and proceeded to exit as I saw her final teased face. I'm officially satisfied. With that, I shall take my leave.

I couldn't hell but think of Kanae as I'm in the car. I miss him. I miss him. At least I can treat him as my family. No, I can treat my friends as family. That's why if one member leaves, I will be devastated. And now that he left, I'm beginning to feel things that I shouldn't have.

What's this emotion? Sadness? Grief? Depressed? I can't tell the difference!!

•

"We're here, Miss Auden." The chauffeur politely said. Well I can appreciate this kind of chauffeur more than my own.

"Thank you." I politely told back as I made my way to my house.

I didn't go to the front door like usual. If I would, they would get suspicious of me on why didn't they hear the freakingly huge front door scratch the wooden floor and/or the hinges that are almost falling apart! I should really hire a private repairman. Does that exist?

I walked to my left-hand direction and proceeded to walk further and then I turned to my right side and proceeded to walk further towards the tree next to my bedroom. I levitated my way to my bedroom window and entered through.

As I entered, I hear footsteps coming towards my bedroom so I immediately sat up my bed and hastily closed the curtains.

The door threw open. I was reading some...Maths...calmly.

The person who just threw the door open handed me a tray. In the tray were a bowl with piping hot soup, a glass of water, and a note in the middle. The spoon is neatly placed beside the bowl and the note with a napkin underneath it.

Angelo then silently exit, closing the door gently this time. What's wrong with him? What happened to him?

I put the useless maths book down and examined the tray. Soup isn't poisoned, as well as my water... So that leaves me the note...

I took the note, still closed, and ran to the farthest corner and read it.

"Dear Celeste Auden,
         In my most heartfelt apology, I wanted to at least show my true feelings to you... Wait, no scratch that. Don't you dare include that sentence! Nor this sentence that I'm saying right now! Ok, *ahem*...

"Dear Celeste,
            Fight me at school on Monday, dismissal time. Let's see who's weaker, bitch! Is that ok? Ok, don't write my name as the signature.
                                                                                         Love,
                                                                                    Korny Ball"

I dryly stared at the almost useless-looking letter. I thought that there will be poison spewing out as I unfolded the letter or like bombs and explosions. I'm a bit disappointed. Why? Because there's no fucking danger! It seems like me trying to hastily run away is as useless as this letter.

•

Oct 24. Monday.

Staring at the window again. Still ignoring people...

"Look Celeste! Carol gave us another red rose for the day!" AC shoves the red rose on my face while doing a horrible dance.

I looked at her and then burned her hair. She screamed as she hastily went to the restroom, still screaming and running. Lana didn't move an inch. It seems like she was a bit happy that AC ran away while her hair is burning. I really don't get their relationship at all.

"Carol is such a gentleman, isn't he?" Lana blurted out. I ignored her, thinking that she might be just talking to herself. "You're not worthy of him." She possessively proclaimed as if she likes him. Bitch likes Kanae! She's stealing both of them?!

"You're scary." I simply commented without actually showing any signs of fear.

"So you better not be messing with me." She glares.

I know that Lana is a quiet mysterious shy scary girl but I don't know that I'm her target! And she acts very differently when she's with AC! AC's her weakness, huh... Hmm... I can use this new information for my own advantage.

•

Dismissal.

Time flies by so fast.

I'm guessing that the one who wrote "Korny Ball's" letter is none other than "Zayn Ludicrous". No one has better comedy than "Zayn", and no one will ever dare to make fun of "Korny's" letter other than him and me. But since I didn't write it because we're fighting over something (I kind of forgot), he wrote it in his stead. I wonder why.

I walked around school, searching for "Korny Ball". I see Zan passing by with his brother so I quickly approached them.

"Hey Zan, where's Korny Ball?" I ask.

He calmly pointed outside the window. "There." He says. "Wait, you're seriously going to call him Korny Ball all day?" He laughs.

"You call Kanae 'Korny Ball'?" Palatino facepalmed. "What's wrong with you?" He asks, disappointed. I laughed at his reaction.

Zan stared at me for a whole minute without breaking eye contact. "You laughed..." He whispered. I raised my brow, not understanding why me laughing is a big deal for him. "You laughed!!" He said with a wide smile.

"Uhh.. I'm gonna go now..." I awkwardly say as I back away slowly. I don't know how to react to his reaction.

"I'm going to make you laugh again!" He said as he happily waved goodbye to me.

"Make me!" I replied, being arrogant, as I run outside.

As I was walking downstairs, someone tripped me. I wasn't able to see who it was. I wasn't even able to take a glimpse!

I fell down with a huge thump that echoed throughout the whole school. May have broken some bones but I'm fairly ok. I stand up like nothing happened. For some reason, I felt my ankle twist so I wasn't able to take a step. I fell down with a "puff." Well shit. Gotta walk with only one foot I guess.

After some time, I finally got outside. There is already a crowd waiting for the fight. A man in the middle is also waiting for me to come. Once he saw me, he removed his blazer, dropping it on the ground. I stared at him, motionless, waiting for some kind of sign that we will start.

The wind is strong. I can't get over how cold this season is. I looked around and all I see are people watching in every direction. AC and Lana are watching in the same field as us. Zan may have left with Palatino. I don't see Veronica anywhere. Other than them, where are my other friends?

One guy shouted "Start!". Kanae immediately dashed to me like there's no tomorrow. I dodged it, of course. He predicted that so he was about to kick me in the abdomen. I ducked. With some time left, I grabbed his leg and pulled it, making him fall on his back. While on the ground, he tried sweeping me off my feet. I jumped and kicked him on the side, sending him rolling on the ground.

He stood up and tried to dash to me again. I can't fight straight with a twisted ankle so I chose not to move around too much. I'm just going to keep him busy, just going to defend all his attacks.

He dashed to me with this weird sense of bloodlust again. Doesn't he know that I'm fighting to save my life and not because I hate him? I mean come on, anyone can see that I have no cooperation in this fight!

This time, he was about to punch me. I moved to the side. Predicting this, he kicked me on my twisted ankle. Why does it hurt so bad?! I thought as I slide on the rocky sandy ground. The crowd automatically moved away as they made room for me. Now I really can't keep up my balance. I stayed there, sitting, waiting for the next attack to be blocked or attacked.

He was about to do an axe kick on me, on the little old defenceless me whose ankle is twisted. I rolled away to dodge it. I stood up for the last time and kneed his back. He wasn't able to sense my movements. It was as stealthy as an assassin and as fast as the speed of light. No one could pull that off.

He stood up quicker than before and dashed to me in the same manner I kneed his back-- stealthy and quick that I wasn't able to sense it beforehand. He's playing my games rather than his own. I still didn't change my initial perspective of him-- interesting.

I smiled as I blocked his punch with my arm. He was about to sweep me off my feet. I jumped and kicked his chest. He blocked it while holding his arms in a cross. I was taken aback, and landed back on the ground.

"Idiot. You could never overpower me. I'm your Master, remember that." He whispered while wearing a very conceited wide smirk. What is he trying to do?

I was going to punch him on the face but he blocked it again, using his open palm. He took me by the arm and raised me up. He then kneed me, sending me away. I tumbled and rolled, with him following, not giving me a chance to stand up.

I laughed, took a hacksaw from nowhere, and cut off my twisted ankle in front of everyone in the school. Quarter of the crowd got sick and immediately ran away.

With blood dripping down, and the maniacal side coming out from me, not caring what other people think about my actions, I continued to fight with a stick to guide me to stand. The bloody twisted ankle is left with the crowd nearby. The immediately moved around 3 feet away. Haha, just kidding. Still couldn't learn about measurements.

I was the one in the offensive side now. I wonder what he will do to defend himself.

I raised my fist high and was about to punch him but he blocked it again with his arms crossed, covering his chest, the target for my punch. I smirked at him as if I'm not trying. I titled my head to the side. He was surprised to see my carefree reaction and was caught off-guard. I hit him in his side with the stick that I was using for guidance. I immediately recovered the stick to keep up with my temporary missing foot.

As he was about to fly off, he kicked me at the back, pissing me off more. I hit him again with the stick at the back. He fell down before he even fly off. But this pain may be more painful than if he flies out.

While he's unconscious and lying down on his stomach, I raised my stick high and was about to hit him when he suddenly clapped so loud that it made me paralyse. What was that?! As I was unable to do anything, he took advantage of this and snatched my stick. He hit me multiple times with it until I flew off. I'm filled with scratches, bruises and a fucking cut ankle! Hope he's happy! (Though the last one was actually my fault.)

The sky is turning dark and cloudy... He looked above. Now's my chance!

I dashed to him and was about to punch him but blocked it with the stick. I predicted that he will do that. It's either he drop the stick or use it as blockage. I snatched the stick from him and stabbed him on the right on the stomach. He slid to the crowd, hitting AC and Lana. Haha! Bullseye!

It's time to end this!! I dashed to him and was about to repeatedly stab him with the stick I was holding. The crowd then proceeded to run away. I showed him the face as I turn into my true form. In that case, he would remember me as the demon who will defeat him.

I raised the stick high enough and when I was about to lower it--

*pitter patter* *drip drip drip*

The "rain" as that damn woman called it, started pouring down heavily. I can see and hear it yet I can't...feel it...

I just noticed Kanae's arm outstretched. I traced his arm and I see him holding an umbrella. The other hand is holding his folded blazer and neatly placed it on my back. Still lying down on his back, with a distant look on his eyes, and no other words, he just stared at me and made sure I didn't get wet from the rain.

"Cervi told me you hate water and you rarely cry." He says to probably break the silence. To be frank, I'd rather just continue hearing the relaxing sound of rain. But...his voice can do too... His voice...

I threw the stick away and my foot regenerated in a non-twisted one. That's great.

I stared down him with a surprised face that has no intention of going away.

He giggled like an idiot. "How long do you plan on sitting on me?" He tilted his head with a teasing smile.

I, embarrassed, stood up, taking the umbrella from his hands. Once I stood up, he stood up too and dusted himself.

As he's not saying anything, I tried to analyse what happened...

Ah, that's right! We kept on tumbling and flying around that when he reached his blazer, he took it unnoticeably and the umbrella in his bag. How smart...

"Well, who do you think won?" He asked with the same carefree expression as usual.

"Of course it was me." I turned to him with a confident smile.

"Don't be ridiculous. I told you you can't overpower me." He laughed.

"Well if it wasn't for the rain, I would've stabbed you repeatedly with that stick." I turned around and walk towards the front gate.

"Is it really the rain?"

His statement made my body stop. All my organs stopped for a millisecond and everything else looked like a dream in that single second.

I turned to him, covering my face with his blazer. "Shut up." I merely stated as I continued walking towards the exit.

He laughed like he succeeded on making fun of me or teasing me.

"I missed you!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

I pretended not to hear it and continued on walking away like he isn't talking to me. Just...keep...on...walking...

•

Oct 25. Tuesday.

I walk my way to the entrance. Ignore everyone and every--

I stopped my tracks as I see a lot of pictures in a collage posted on the school bulletin board. That's weird. The bulletin board is always empty so...

I dropped my things in shock. I stared at the pictures for a while. Someone did disturb me from my trance though. Someone who's an expert about these kinds of topics.

"So who do you think will win?" She asks as she holds my shoulder in a playful manner. "Who do you think was he referring to?"

I think I just heard every part of my body crack. I slowly turned my head to her, with my facial expression not changing a bit. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked, barely moving my lips.

"Don't you know how to read? It's our new gossip for the month!" She threw her arms like this is some kind of achievement.

"Don't screw with me!" I stomped my foot in annoyance. "We didn't have something like that before!"

"Well it's a thing now so look, in this month's gossip, our topic is: matchmaking Year 9's Kanae Baade to various girls!" She threw her arms up again. Is this one of her usual poses when she's happy or excited?

"I disapprove of this." I bluntly commented. "Besides, I don't think he'll approve of this too." I continued, crossing my arms.

"Oh, who cares if he approves or not? You're just going to be jealous if the answer wasn't you, right?" She teases.

"I won't." I reassured her with a straight face.

"Geez, talk about reaction." She pouted. There's no way I'd let her win this verbal argument! I couldn't do anything else than disappoint her.

"Whatever. I'm going to the classroom." I sighed out of anger. I picked my things up from the ground and proceeded to walk away.

"I'm going too~~" Emily cheered as she follows me towards the classroom. "Just admit it already, you love Kanae."

"Oh, quit it, will you?" I hissed.

Out of nowhere, it seems like our conversation just got cut off by a loud banging on the lockers.

"Baade, calm down." The guard makes an attempt to calm Kanae down. It looks like he's angry about something. He just kicked his own locker for god's sake!

"What the hell is the meaning of this?!" He yelled.

"I don't know--"

"Auden, come here for a sec!" He spotted me. You better not use me as a scapegoat, Baade.

I walked closer to them. Good thing Emily's watching from afar. I don't need to stick with her... Actually with Kanae in a borderline rampage, I guess sticking with her and use her as a human shield wouldn't be a bad idea.

"What is it?" I calmly asked.

"Why the hell would I get so many damn love letters?!" He shoved those said love letters on my face.

Not saying any word, I pointed at the school bulletin board. He angrily stomped his way towards the board and stared at it for a while. He took way less time than me but more than normal people.

"What?" He dryly asked in a form of a rhetorical question as he tilts his head to the side, completely confused.

"It means you're popular and girls start chasing after you." I explained in the simplest way I can.

He looked at me, dumbfounded, for a while. "Do you count?" He isn't expecting for my answer, he is purely just trying to tease me.

"Of course not!" I smacked him at the back of his head and proceeded back to going to the classroom.

"No need to be physical, Missy. You really caught me off-guard there." He followed us with a laugh and a compliment.

"I really think he likes you Celeste." Emily whispered, hoping that Kanae wouldn't hear it.

"I told you to quit it." I glared.

Although... I'm sure he doesn't like me but I'm sure I like him...in a platonic sense. He's very interesting. That part of him will not and never will be fading away any time soon. I don't think it will...

I unnoticeably smiled, thinking about him. I should probably consult Joan about this. In this topic, she can easily answer all my questions...

Well I hope she can anyway.