Eillya smiled faintly and accepted her(Eva) hand. Together, they walked down the stairs. Their steps were still slow, but they felt much lighter than before.
Their footsteps echoed softly through the hallway. Eva and Eillya walked side by side down the stairs. They weren't rushing, but they were fast enough not to be late for class. Along the way, Eva glanced at Eillya out of the corner of her eye, trying to catch any lingering expressions on the girl who had just poured out her emotions on the school rooftop.
But Eillya returned to her cold face—calm, withdrawn, as if nothing had happened. The traces of her tears had vanished, sealed away along with any fragility that had surfaced. She was back to being the "Eillya" everyone knew.
When they opened the classroom door, the previously lively atmosphere instantly fell silent. The few students who had been chatting fell silent, frozen like statues. Their gazes fell simultaneously on the two figures who had just entered the room: Eva, smiling brightly, and beside her—Eillya, the girl with the reputation of being cold and unapproachable.
Eva could feel the atmosphere of the classroom shift. Quiet whispers began to emerge from various corners:
"Eh… she's with Eillya?"
"Crazy… seriously? Isn't Eillya—"
"Icy Maiden…"
"She never goes out with anyone, you know! She rarely even talks. Or… never?"
Eva simply smiled slightly, then walked quietly to her seat—as if all the stares and whispers were just a passing wind.
Eva glanced over at the occasional nickname her classmates were throwing around.
"Icy Maiden, huh… it suits your present personality," she thought. A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
She glanced at Eillya, who walked straight to her desk without looking at anyone. Her expression remained cold and unwavering. And of course, she ignored all the whispers… as usual.
Eva followed and sat down in her own seat. The atmosphere in the classroom remained tense for a moment, until the next teacher entered and immediately captured everyone's attention.
"Okay, let's start the next lesson," the teacher said firmly.
Throughout the lesson, Eva occasionally stole glances at Eillya. Although the girl's face looked calm and cold, her expression blank, Eva knew—behind that icy wall, there was something unfinished. Something she understood more than anyone else.
And one thing was certain for Eva: she would remain by Eillya's side. "No matter how cold Illya becomes... it doesn't apply to me," she thought with a faint smile, then returned to her notebook.
The atmosphere in class 1A returned to silence. Only the sound of chairs scraping and the slow turning of pages replaced the previous din. Eva and Eillya seemed focused, as if nothing had happened on the school roof.
Time passed slowly but surely. Lesson after lesson rolled by—Math, History, Language Arts, and even Chemistry. Teachers came and went, delivering the material with the enthusiasm and firmness typical of a school as strict as Rosendale.
Eva followed them all intently. Her notes were neat, her answers confident, and she showed no signs of losing focus.
Meanwhile, Eillya remained her usual self—calm, cool, and rarely making a sound except when asked to answer a question. Her presence still created a sense of distance among her classmates, so none of them dared to approach.
Finally, the final bell rang, signaling the end of school. The sounds of bags being packed, chairs being pulled back, and students pouring out of the classroom—bringing with them both fatigue and eagerness to go home.
Eva walked out of the school building alone, seemingly enjoying the afternoon breeze that swept across the Rosendale courtyard. But soon, several students from her class approached. One of them approached with unconcealed curiosity.
"Eva!" one of them called out, quickening her pace.
"Uh... excuse me, I just wanted to ask... were you walking with Eillya this morning?"
Another student quickly chimed in,
"That's cool... but also weird. You've only been here a day, how come you're so close to her? She's like... 'unapproachable,' you know?"
Eva paused for a moment, then smiled slightly.
"Ah, that? It was just a coincidence," she replied lightly.
"We just came in from the same direction and walked together. Nothing more."
The girls looked at each other. Some nodded, still looking confused, but they accepted Eva's answer without further inquiry.
"Then... be careful, Eva," one of them said, half-jokingly.
"She has a nickname, you know... 'Icy Maiden.' There's this cold aura that always seems to surround her. We have a hard time talking to her because of that," another said.
Eva just chuckled in response, not explaining further. Deep down, she knew Eillya was more than just a nickname.
After that, they parted ways at the school gate, and Eva continued her journey home—carrying many thoughts, but also a little hope.
She paused when she saw someone standing not far from the gate. The figure was none other than Eillya, standing with a calm face and her arms crossed in front of her chest, giving the impression of not wanting to be approached. Several female students passing by glanced at her curiously, but none dared to ask further questions.
Eva smiled slightly and approached her.
"Eillya? Are you waiting for me?" she asked lightly, though her tone was full of warmth.
Eillya simply nodded once and began walking without further ado. Eva followed beside her, realizing they were heading in the same direction.
"So... do you want to go home together?" Eva murmured, half-joking.
"Our house is right next door," Eillya replied quietly, as if stating a common fact. But her eyes glanced at Eva briefly before returning her gaze to the front.
They walked side by side in the afternoon sunlight. A gentle breeze occasionally blew, carrying the scent of leaves and warm earth. Their steps were in sync, calm and unhurried.
A moment of silence enveloped them, until Eva broke it.
"Do you still remember when we played in the small park near the river? We played until our clothes were all wet... and then my mom scolded us together."
Eillya held back a faint smile, her eyes staring straight ahead, but there was a flash of warmth that couldn't be hidden.
"I remember you fell into the river first, then you pulled me, and I fell in too."
Eva chuckled. "Yeah... and you were the one who apologized first... even though I started it."
"Because you were crying all the time," Illya replied softly. Her tone, for the first time that day, sounded a little warm.
Silence fell again, enveloping them in a comfort that didn't require many words. Then, in a low voice, Eva asked:
"Illya, do you still remember what you said before? About... the world and your singing?"
Eillya didn't answer immediately. Her steps remained calm, her gaze fixed straight ahead, as if the question had opened a door that had long been locked.
"…Do you still remember?" she finally asked, barely a whisper, as if afraid the answer would hurt.
Eva nodded slowly. "That's what brought me back."
There was no answer. But in that silence, something seemed to change—warming, flowing, reconnecting a bond that had once been severed. It might not have been perfect, but it was enough to allow them to walk together once more.
Their footsteps finally reached the end of the street, where two houses stood side by side—Eillya's and Eva's.
Eva walked toward her house, but before entering, she turned and raised her hand, waving her fingers slightly at Eillya.
"Bye~," she said cheerfully, the smile on her face seemingly never losing its brilliance.
Eillya remained silent, her gaze not entirely blank, but not entirely unreadable either. She gave a slow nod, then stepped into her own house without returning the wave. The door closed slowly behind her.
Once in her room, Eillya placed her bag on a chair and stood silently in the middle of the room for a few seconds, as if contemplating something. Then, silently, she walked to the bathroom. The warm water began to flow, filling the tub with a soothing steam.
She soaked quietly, letting her body sink into the temperature, making her mind feel a little lighter. But that tranquility wasn't entirely free from distractions.
"That promise is what made you come back, huh..."
Eva's words replayed in her mind. She stared at the bathroom ceiling, empty, but deep within, something stirred.
Was that promise really that important?
She wasn't sure herself, a desire that had almost died. But Eva's tone, the way she spoke, her gaze... all of it seemed to make Eillya want to once again grasp the desire she had put away, gathering dust.
After her shower, Eillya put on casual clothes. Her hair was tied up casually, allowing it to dry on its own. As she was about to go to the kitchen to get some water, the doorbell suddenly rang.
"Who?" she muttered softly, walking towards the front door.
When she opened it, Eva was standing there—still with her signature smile, but this time her expression was more serious.
"Illya, have you eaten?" she asked quickly.
Eillya tilted her head, slightly confused, then answered curtly, "Not yet."
"Exactly. I cooked, okay?"
Without waiting for permission, Eva entered Eillya's house as if it were her own.
"Huh? Wait, this is my house…"
"Don't worry, I just want to borrow the kitchen. I can cook without burning the house down," Eva replied quickly, even taking off her shoes and heading straight for the kitchen like someone who knew her way around.
Eillya just stared at her helplessly, then closed the door and walked into the dining room. She sat on a chair with her arms crossed over her chest, watching Eva busily open the kitchen cabinets, grab whatever ingredients were available, and start setting something on the table.
"Hmm... okay, I'll just make a simple home-cooked meal, okay?"
Eva talked to herself as she rummaged through the contents of the small refrigerator. Her hands were agile, her face serious yet relaxed, as if she were truly enjoying the process of cooking.
Eillya stared from afar, then turned her gaze out the window. The house was usually quiet… very quiet. But this time, the sound of the pot being touched, the smack of the knife chopping vegetables, and the aroma of the onions starting to fry made the place feel more… alive.
Several minutes passed. Eva was busy, occasionally humming a tune, as if the kitchen were her stage.