After the conversation between Noah and Luo Yan, Noah went down from the roof leaving Luo Yan behind and headed towards the exit to leave. That was when he passed by Lecture Hall 3, and at that moment, Livia saw him passing by.
"N-Noah, wait!" Livia called out to Noah and ran after him to the outside, but despite her calling, Noah ignored her. Then she reached him and grabbed his arm, stopping him from moving.
"…What's the matter?" Noah asked as he turned toward Livia, gently pulling his arm free from her grip.
"H-How did your talk with Luo Yan go?" Livia asked nervously. To Noah, Livia seemed worried about Luo Yan, but he was unaware she was worried about him, because unconsciously, his expressions had changed from calm to ones showing irritation and brokenness.
"It… didn't go well. It seems Luo Yan both likes me and hates me at the same time," Noah said in a calm tone but was still unaware of the problem showing in his frozen facial expression.
"L-Likes you and hates you? Did she confess to you? And what do you mean she hates you?" Livia asked nervously, stepping back to get a full view of Noah's face.
"Yes, she confessed, but at the same time she said she hates me. She didn't want to talk to me. Maybe if you talk to her, she'll listen. She's still on the roof, so hurry before she jumps off," Noah said sarcastically, looking into Livia's eyes, which reflected confusion and tension.
"W-Wait here, I'll talk to her and come back to you. Don't move from your place, okay?!" Livia said, signaling for Noah to wait. Then she turned and ran towards the roof to find Luo Yan. Noah watched her from behind, feeling a strange sensation in his chest.
"Livia," Noah called out to her, which surprised Livia and made her turn toward him with curiosity and confusion as to why he stopped her.
"What's wrong?" Livia asked confused, moving her legs as if running in place.
"…Do you think I'm stranger? To You and to the others?" Noah asked with confusion and worry.
"What am I doing?" Noah thought to himself in bewilderment, watching Livia waiting for her answer.
"Why do I ask something like this? What exactly do I expect? No one would prefer to walk with a stranger rather than with a companion they've known for a long time. Do I expect reassurance? Or comfort? …I don't know anymore. What exactly is wrong with me?" Noah thought to himself in confusion and anxiety. Just as Livia was about to answer, Noah turned his back to her.
"Forget it, it was a stupid question," Noah said as he walked away, waving goodbye to Livia. Livia didn't pay much attention to it and quickly went to the roof.
Noah exited the university building, stood in front of the entrance, and looked up at the sun in the sky, which was approaching sunset. He looked down then walked away to return to his sector.
"…Humans are unique creatures, and they differ in their personalities and what distinguishes them. There are those who blame others for their failure, those who see themselves as heroes, and those who believe there is no such thing as good, and others who believe instinct is the only path to salvation… But no matter how different humans are, there is one thing that unites them: roles," Noah thought to himself, recalling a few faces of those he described as Luo Yan, Livia, himself, Sirius, Neriah, and Enel.
"We don't share just one role as humans; rather, we're closest in similarity from that perspective. There are those who just go with the flow, having no clear opinion and choosing someone to represent them. They don't prefer silence but prefer disappearance and laziness. These are the 'fools.' Then there are the 'pawns,' human resources above the 'fools' used by those above. These 'pawns' are often leaders chosen by the 'fools' to represent them; they have a louder voice and a bigger role compared to the 'fools' in changing the course of the world. But the decision to change the flow is not in their hands, but in the hands of those above — people built on endless prosperity and growth, desire for control and dominance, dreams and hunger for more. I personally call them 'Telo.' I don't mean people like the big political figures, the strong hunters, or the smart scientists, but the greed and hunger to achieve more and never be satisfied… If the world were a story, they would be the main characters," Noah thought to himself with a faint empty smile on his face.
"My only desire to stay close to Luo Yan was because I thought she was a pawn with the potential to become a 'Telo.' And if I was a friend of a 'Telo,' my life would go smoothly. I would be a parasite feeding on her life until I remove her. But she rejected me, even though she loves me, she pushed me away, called me stranger, and regretted bringing me to the university. I know I'm a scoundrel, having tried to manipulate innocent people even though I knew it was wrong. I just followed the flow left behind years of suffering… the flow that left in… I didn't want to believe this, but when I saw the writing on the wall, I felt like the killer had the same thinking as me, and he classified me as one of the 'fools'… And I really am that… I'm just a pathetic boy, a scoundrel and a villain who deserves the pain. I decided to live as a parasite on others to have an easy life. I thought I was important, But I was arrogant and conceited… I'm just another 'fool,'" Noah thought to himself, gripping his shirt tightly and biting his lip, his hands trembling with anxiety and fear.
"…But I want to change. Can someone like me change? Can I become better? …Maybe I can if I leave the flow I was standing in and take my own path… But to do that… I must leave everything in the past… The stigma of shame, I must get rid of it…" Noah thought anxiously, symbolizing the burn mark on his chest.
"I will change once I get rid of my past forever."
———————
About an hour ago, Derek was sitting at the northern train station's waiting chairs. His leg was shaking and tapping nervously on the ground while he bit his fingernails anxiously.
"Let that bastard come from this train! This is my first time I pray to my god, so please, let him come from this way—" Derek thought to himself, praying for Noah to come from this direction. Then his phone rang, and he answered it. The caller was Livia.
"Damn it, you whore! What the hell are you doing calling me?!" Derek thought angrily as he answered.
"What's the matter? If it's not important, don't call me again!" Derek said irritably and harshly.
"We have a problem, the corpse is missing," Livia answered calmly from the other side, ignoring Derek's tone and behavior.
"What?! The corpse is missing? Are you sure? When I left, the corpse was with Luo Yan," Derek said nervously and in a low voice, looking around to make sure no one heard him.
"Yes, come back immediately, we have something to discuss together," Livia said sharply and seriously, almost like an order.
"W-What? Will the other come back t—" Derek said shocked, but he hesitated to say if Noah was returning or not. Then he caught out of the corner of his eye a boy he recognized from before, Enel Hale, and a girl walking beside him.
"That's the boy I met that day in the changing room… He was with Noah as I recall, so he must be his friend! …But who is that girl with him?" Derek thought to himself feeling a bit relieved but confused. He recognized Enel immediately, but couldn't identify Violet. Apparently, he hadn't met her before.
"If you mean Noah as the other, I haven't called him yet, but it seems he was sent on a mission by Luo Yan, so he might be late. Why do you ask?" Livia asked curiously and confused on the other end.
"No reason. Anyway, don't call me again, you bitch. I'm tired of you ordering me what to do. Also, tell the other whore that losing the corpse was her fault. Goodbye!" Derek said, then hung up immediately, leaving Livia shocked and surprised on the other side. Derek stood up and looked at Enel and Violet standing far from him, talking together.
"If that boy is Noah's friend, he must know those bastards Sirius and Neriah. My goal from the start is to find those two. The slave can wait," Derek thought as he slowly walked toward Enel and Violet without arousing suspicion. Then he put his phone near his ear and pretended to be talking to someone. When he reached near a light pole, he leaned on it and looked at Violet and Enel out of the corners of his eyes.
"All I can hear is mumbling and babbling. What the hell are they talking about?" Derek thought to himself, his expression turning slightly annoyed.
While Derek was trying to get closer to Enel without suspicion, Enel himself was having a lifetime conversation with a beautiful girl who shared his interests.
"It was a useful experience. I still can't believe you didn't tremble a little when you held the sample's heart in your hand," Enel said, looking upward to avoid looking at Violet. His tension and shyness completely disappeared.
"You did the same, but… why are you looking up?" Violet asked nervously, looking down and fidgeting her feet on top of each other with obvious nervousness. She clasped her hands anxiously while looking at Enel with embarrassment.
"W-When I look at you, I feel a-anxious and nervous, and sometimes afraid. So I thought it was better to look up when we talk like this casually," Enel explained nervously, though he wasn't as nervous or anxious as he said, which could be seen because he didn't stutter much.
"Oh, I see…" Violet said blushing, starting to fiddle with her fingers.
"Does he mean I'm so beautiful that he gets nervous? Was he trying to flirt with me?" Violet thought to herself and couldn't help but smile, her face getting redder by the second.
"Wait… did I call her ugly to the point I feel nervous and scared when I see her face? I insulted her!" Enel thought nervously and started to panic and worry. He would explain this as a 'misunderstanding,' as it seemed the boy himself couldn't understand his own flirting. Just then, the train finally arrived at the station.
"L-Let's go," Violet said suddenly grabbing Enel's hand and dragging him onto the train, and Enel followed willingly, shocked.
Derek followed them inside and sat a few seats away. He grabbed his phone, pretending to check it while keeping all his attention on Enel and Violet.
"Damn, I thought the boy was another femboy because when I met him he was such a damn pussy, but it seems he's straight… Anyway, fuck all this. When the hell will this train arrive?!"
———————
Back to the present time at Sector 11, the train arrived at the northern station and Enel got off after saying goodbye to Violet.
"Goodnight, let's meet tomorrow," Enel said waving, a faint smile on his face. Violet waved silently and smiled as well. Then the train door closed, and it left immediately as it was late, heading toward Sector 6.
Enel turned to leave, heading back to his room. He looked at the sky where the sun had disappeared from view, replaced by a silver moon lighting his way. Then Enel walked under the moonlight, not caring but thinking about his day with Violet today.
"I can't wait until we meet again to—" Enel thought to himself but was interrupted when he received a strong blow to the back of his neck that knocked him unconscious. Derek was standing behind him.
"You left me no choice. Who told you to flirt with that girl all day without paying attention to your surroundings, you fucking femboy!"