"Uhm... hi… it's me, James… James Draevin. Long time no see, haha."
James's voice cracked like a cheap chair leg. His eyes darted left, then right anywhere but directly at her.
Valentina blinked once, slowly, then pulled out her second earbud.
"Hmm? Come again?"
James swallowed.
'This is so awkward.'
Internally, it felt like his nervous system was caught in a death spiral. Every part of him screamed to abort mission and sprint back down the stairs. But the system was still hovering in the edge of his vision—taunting.
["To be loved, one must be seen."]
He clenched his fists.
"Long time no see, Valentina."
The words came out stiff. Awkward. But there was a tiny bit of steel behind them. He tried to hold her gaze, even as his shirt clung to his back from sweat.
She stared at him.
Straight into him.
Her almond-shaped eyes, a piercing gray, shimmered under the hallway lights. Were they contacts? Or natural? No one ever knew for sure. But in that moment, she looked at James the way a wolf sizes up something weak , wary, indifferent, and impossibly cold.
For a second, James felt like she was scanning his soul.
Then...
"James… James… oh—James Draevin. My classmate from third grade and now schoolmate, right?"
She tilted her head slightly, a thoughtful look on her face.
"Popularly nicknamed 'The Creep.' After that song by Radiohead. Released September 21, 1992. You were called that because, frankly, you fit every lyric to a painful degree."
Her tone was flat. Informative. Not mocking. Not cruel.
Just brutally honest.
James didn't even flinch.
Valentina had a reputation: a walking encyclopedia of gossip, trivia, and school lore. She was brilliant, genuine in her own way but completely lacking in empathy. Her words were blunt, direct, and delivered without a hint of concern for how they landed.
She didn't mean to hurt people. She just didn't care if she did.
'She's not mean. Just… factually correct. All the time. About everything.'
Back during elections, she'd annihilated her opponent with cold, merciless truths, statistics, scandals, secrets .Then, when pressed on the harshness of her words, had simply shrugged and said:
"It's the truth. Why hide it?"
James remembered that clearly.
She was genuine, yes. But she lacked empathy. Understanding. She spoke in absolutes because that was all she knew.
And yet...
"Yeah. That's me," James said quietly, a tired smile forming at the corners of his lips.
"Still trying to upgrade to version 2.0."
.
.
.
"What is your purpose for greeting me?"
Valentina asked, her tone mechanical like a machine calculating the possible reasons James Draevin had approached her.
"Uhm…"
James froze, scrambling for a reason in his mind.
DING.
The system appeared with a new set of orders.
[New Mission Available]
Volunteer for the upcoming school opening.
Difficulty: F
Reward: +5 Charisma | Skill Unlocked: Public Speaking (Rank E)
Penalty for Refusal: Increased negative social perception
["Love cannot live where there is no trust." —Cupid]
'Damn I have to take this mission or I'll become an eyesore to not only Julia but also to Summer'
'Fine fine cupid, I'll trust you on this one'
He inhaled sharply, trying not to look like he was talking to a floating RPG window in his mind.
"I just wanted to ask about… the school opening this August."
He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I was wondering if… maybe I could help? You know, volunteer for the preparations? With the student council."
Valentina didn't react at first. Then:
"Why might you do that?"
Her tone was still neutral, but her brow furrowed slightly.
"You're gloomy. Quiet. Introverted. Not the helping kind. At all."
She wasn't trying to insult him. She was just… stating facts as she always did.
James flinched.
But this time, instead of backing down, he clenched his fists and looked her in the eyes.
"Because I'm trying to change."
His voice cracked but didn't waver.
"I'm tired of being… this version of me. I want to break out of my comfort zone. Be better. Even if the school gave me nothing but rumors and whispers behind my back..."
He paused.
"...I still want to give something back. Even if it's small."
The words were like broken glass in his throat. Honest. Painful.
Valentina was quiet again. This time, her gaze didn't feel like a knife—it felt like a scanner.
Then she shrugged lightly.
"Okay. Preparation starts in about a month and a half."
She pulled out her phone.
"Give me your number. I'll contact you when we begin."
James blinked.
"...You're serious?"
She nodded.
"Are you?"
"I don't joke its a waste of time. If you're offering help, I'll take it. Simple transaction."
He gave her his number—his hands shaking slightly.
As he turned to walk away, the system lit up once more.
---
[ Mission Completed]
+5 Charisma
Skill Acquired: Public Speaking (Rank E)
["Opening your heart allows others to see its light."]
--
With that over James then continued.
"Bye the way what are you doing here and wearing our uniform to boot?"
James tilted his head slightly, curiosity overriding his usual awkwardness.
Valentina brushed some strands of hair behind her ear, exhaling matter-of-factly.
"My little sister's attending summer school here. And secondly, the student council's always swamped this time of year—worse than usual, actually. We're prepping for the next elections. You know, the replacements for the graduating officers."
Before James could reply, the bell rang.
The still air of the hallway broke as doors flew open.
Dozens of children rushed out, giggling and calling out for their parents or guardians. Some clutched art projects. Others darted like birds finally freed from their cages.
From the classroom at the far end, two familiar figures emerged.
One white-haired. One black-haired.
Saul and Paul.
Julia had apparently 'experimented' on Saul's hair again—this time with a platinum dye job. Paul, on the other hand, had escaped her clutches, maintaining his natural color and his pride.
"Big brother James!"
Saul beamed, tugging at his shirt excitedly.
"Who's this lady beside you? Yesterday you were with a different girl, right Paul?"
Paul nodded solemnly, holding James's hand like a little bodyguard.
"Yes, Saul. Yesterday and today are different girls."
He squinted at Valentina.
"This one looks like our classmate Valeria. But older."
James stammered, but before he could defend himself.
"Valeria, let's go."
Valentina's voice cut in, calm and sharp, as she stretched her arm out.
A few paces away stood a little girl with light blond hair and soft grey eyes—bright and curious.
She walked over, her gaze flicking from James to her sister with quiet interest.
"Sister, who's this man? Your boyfriend perhaps?"
The child's innocent tone clashed comically with the silence that followed.
James almost choked.
"No, Valeria."
Valentina sighed and gestured towards James with both palms flat.
"This is James a schoolmate and once classmate. Also known as 'The Creep.'"
James blinked, caught between panic and confusion.
But Valeria's face lit up.
"Ah! Like that song by Radiohead. Released September 21, 1992. Right?"
Her eyes sparkled like she'd just won a trivia contest.
James stared at her. Then at Valentina.
Back and forth. Forth and back.
'They're the same… but different,' he thought.
'Both blunt and intelligent—but one's like an ice-cold extrovert. The other's a cheerful encyclopedia.'
"Haha…"
James couldn't help it.
He laughed.
Awkward, confused, nervous but genuine.