"Aw, it's so damn hot," I muttered under my breath, though even my own voice sounded oddly distant.
On sunny days like this, the temperature easily climbed past 30°C.
It was the kind of morning that made you regret ever stepping outside. And I, Solace Kim, was on my way to school for the first time in three months.
This was exactly why I hated going out. The sun was my worst enemy. My skin was naturally fair and delicate; why ruin that by baking under this furnace of a sky?
But there was no helping it.
Skipping any more classes meant failing the term, and that wasn't an option. I'd already wasted enough time as it was.
Unfortunately, money was tight, which meant public transport was a luxury I couldn't afford.
So, walking it was.
The streets were crowded with students, all hustling toward their own destinations. Bicycles weaved between pedestrians, and the occasional car honked impatiently from the side roads.
Tall trees lined the sidewalks, offering small patches of shade, though they did little to cut the heat. Shops and cafés dotted the streets, their signs swaying lazily in the light breeze.
The air smelled faintly of asphalt, coffee, and warm pastries from the corner bakery. Every few steps, the chatter of friends or the ring of a bicycle bell reminded me that life around me was moving, whether I was ready or not.
No matter how I looked at it, the outside world was alive and vibrant. Even the sky above was bright and clear. It almost felt overwhelming.
Scary, actually.
Even scarier was the unpredictability of the future.
Honestly, I'd be lucky if I hadn't already failed all my courses after skipping school for three months.
Did heavenly miracles even exist?
"Oh wow… the weather's beautiful today, isn't it? The sky's so bright… yet my future feels pitch black."
My spirits sank immediately. Trying to force cheerfulness only made it worse.
Having no one around to act as the straight man only deepened my sense of loneliness. Worst case scenario, if everything went south, at least I'd know I had tried my best.
I let out a sigh and continued my walk.
Lost in thought, someone suddenly bumped into my shoulder. The impact wasn't strong enough, but surprisingly, it was the other party who staggered before regaining her balance.
Looking closer, I saw a strange woman dressed in pure white.
Hold on… what is that dress? It looked as if she were wrapped in a white futon, or maybe it was a dress that just happened to resemble one.
Before I could get a proper look at her, she muttered under her breath:
"Sorry."
The strange woman moved hurriedly or rather, it felt like she was running from something. I tried to follow her silhouette with my eyes, but she had already vanished into the crowd.
I blinked.
"What was that about?"
I scratched my head and couldn't help but think she was… weird.
'Whatever. It's probably none of my business anyway '
Shaking my head, I let out a small, exasperated sigh and continued walking. Despite my attempts, I couldn't shake the white stranger from my mind. There was something about her that seemed almost out of place amidst the bustling crowd that left me bothered.
Weird… definitely weird. Strange… unsettling…
And somehow, fascinating.
† †
After what felt like forever, I finally reached my destination. The campus gates of Riverside University loomed ahead, buzzing with the morning energy of returning students. Groups of them moved in and out, chatting and laughing, dressed in every style imaginable — the academy didn't enforce a uniform policy.
For better or worse, it was just another ordinary day at school.
"Isn't this place lively? Everyone's moving with purpose, yet there's no chaos. Did the higher-ups design it to look this way? Even so, they really failed to consider the weather. Girls have it good… they get to wear short skirts."
"And here I thought that narcissistic voice sounded familiar. You finally decided to show yourself, huh?"
A laid-back male voice came from behind me. Turning around, I was greeted by the familiar face of my best buddy.
He was a rather tall individual with an athletic build, who looked effortlessly cool without even trying. His auburn hair was slightly messy, his eyes clear and blue like the morning sky, his ivory skin incredibly flawless. His jacket hung loosely over his shoulders, unbuttoned, and a lazy grin played on his lips as if nothing in the world could bother him.
Kai Ellis.
Just seeing him made something twist inside me. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, not that I'd ever admit it out loud. Come on, anyone would be jealous of this guy. He wasn't just one of the most handsome students on campus, he was also one of the nicest fellows you could ever meet, without the smallest trace of arrogance, cunning or entitlement on his pretty face.
In other words, Kai was the closest a normal person could get to meeting a real-life celebrity.
It wasn't hard to imagine how many admirers he had, especially among the opposite sex. Perhaps even a few guys, too. Someone like me didn't exactly fit into the same picture as him, yet somehow, we had become great friends.
Come to think of it, it had been a while since I'd last seen this guy.
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
"Long time no see, Kai. You look as energetic as ever."
"Can't say the same about you. Have you been eating well?"
"I manage... somewhat."
"Ah, I see."
Kai's expression shifted, his usual easygoing demeanor faltering for a moment. He looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a brief silence, he finally spoke:
"Ryuji… I… I heard what happened to your dad. I'm really sorry…"
I forced a laugh, though it came out weaker than I intended.
"Ah, that. Don't worry about it."
Kai's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at me with that same damned pity I'd grown used to seeing. I hated it. That supposed sympathy.
Then he said quietly:
"You don't have to act tough, you know. It's okay to..."
"Drop it, Kai."
My voice was far more harsher than I intended. He looked taken aback, his lips parting as if to say something, then closing again.
What was with that pitiful expression?
A few seconds passed before I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap."
Kai shook his head.
"No, it's fine. I understand."
Of course he did. He always did. That was what made him both irritating and… oddly comforting.
The air between us grew awkward. It couldn't be helped. We hadn't seen each other in three whole months. Things were bound to feel a little tense.
What to do? What to do?
Trying to cut through the silence, I blurted out, perhaps a little too quickly,
"So… how's everything going? Now that I think about it, weren't you working on a new song?"
Kai blinked at me for a moment, as if surprised by the sudden shift in topic. Then, his usual grin returned.
"Yeah, that. I actually finished it last week," he scratched the back of his head. "Been thinking about performing it at the campus festival next month."
"Oh, the festival's coming up already?"
I pretended to sound casual. In truth, I'd completely forgotten about it. The university held one every semester. It was the kind of thing I'd always avoided.
Kai chuckled.
"You really are out of the loop, huh? Don't tell me you're skipping it this year too?"
I shrugged.
"Well, it depends honestly. I'm not much of an outside person and I really hate crowds. Buuuuttt... If the sun decides to take a day off, maybe I'll think about it."
He laughed at that. Finally, Kai said:
"Well, that's fine but you should come. I'm serious. You've been holed up for too long, man. It'd be good to see you out there again."
His words were simple, but the sincerity behind them made my chest tighten a little. I didn't know how to respond, so I just gave a small, noncommittal nod.
Before either of us could say more, the campus bell rang in the distance, echoing faintly across the courtyard.
Kai looked up with a hint of regret.
"Guess that's our cue. Truthfully, I'm really glad you're back but..." He trailed off reluctantly added, "...how are you going to face the professors?"
"Not really. But I suppose I don't have much of a choice."
A sudden chill ran through me, making my shoulders tense.
Just the thought of meeting that person again sent goosebumps crawling up my arms. Even the freezing shower I'd taken that morning couldn't compare to the cold creeping up my spine now.
Still, there was no avoiding it. Sooner or later, I'd have to face them.
On the bright side, at least I'd get to see everyone else again. The few friends I hadn't spoken to in months.
Surely, they must've missed me. Right?
I sighed.
"Maybe I shouldn't have come back."
Kai chuckled.
"Just like I thought, you haven't changed at all. Still as gloomy as ever."
"Tch. Says the guy who nearly failed math last term!"
"Yeah, yeah. You can brag about being a genius later. For now, let's just make sure you don't start your big comeback with a late slip, alright?"
"Why are you talking to me like I'm some kind of idiot? You looking down on me?"
"Forgive this old man and let it slide, will you?"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small grin tugging at my lips.
"Old man, huh? You're just two months older than me."
Kai laughed, slinging an arm over my shoulder as we started toward the main building.
"And yet, I'm clearly the more mature one."
"You're free to believe whatever you want," I muttered, but the warmth of his hand on my shoulder eased the tension I hadn't realized I was holding.
...Wait, what am I? A highschool girl?
For a fleeting moment, it almost felt like nothing had changed. Like the past three months had been just another bad dream.
Or at least, I thought it did.