Feeling the gazes from the people around her, Kiana felt a little uncomfortable.
Of course, with Kiana's personality, the opinions of the people around her wouldn't affect her too much. But more than the outside opinions, what troubled her the most was the torment from within her heart.
On the podium, the math teacher was, as always, talking about an incomprehensible heavenly book.
And Kiana sat in the classroom, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the textbook.
In her mind, the scene of Van falling into the abyss to save her kept replaying. Clearly, this was a fictional video, but the feeling of loss was so real, as if a blunt knife was repeatedly cutting her chest.
After class, Raiden Mei and Bronya also noticed Kiana's state, and both guessed the reason for her absent-mindedness.
"Kiana, are you alright?" Raiden Mei gently patted her shoulder, her eyes full of concern.
Kiana raised her head and forced a bright smile, "I'm fine, Mei, maybe I just didn't sleep well last night, a bit tired."
"Don't lie to us, you've been distracted since this morning."
Bronya leaned in and whispered, "Still feeling bad because of that video? Kiana, there's still no evidence proving the video is real, so don't take it too much to heart."
Kiana nodded, but her heart still felt heavy. She knew her friends meant well, but she couldn't explain that inexplicable pain. That kind of feeling was as if she had really lost something very important.
The bell for class rang. Kiana took a deep breath, trying to focus on the blackboard.
However, her thoughts still drifted restlessly. At that moment, she felt someone gently poke her back from behind.
She slightly turned her head, and a neatly folded note was passed to her from behind.
Kiana froze for a moment, took the note, and quietly opened it.
On the note was a line of neat handwriting, [Don't be sad, let the past be the past. You still have the present and the future.]
Seeing the words on the note, Kiana's heart suddenly jumped.
She instinctively turned her head slightly for a glance, only to see the boy sitting behind her seriously looking at the blackboard, as if nothing had happened.
The boy's side profile under the sunlight looked particularly gentle.
In that moment, Kiana seemed to see the figure from the video, smiling at her and saying, ("Raise your head, and turn this imperfect story into the one you long for.")
Thinking of this, Kiana's eyes began to heat up. That familiar feeling surged again in her heart, as if something inside her was quietly awakening.
She took a deep breath, tried hard to calm her emotions, and once again focused her attention on the lesson. This time, her mood seemed much lighter.
Though the faint pain still lingered, she knew she was not alone. Whether it was her friends' concern, or that sudden note, it all brought her a bit of warmth.
———
As soon as the morning classes ended, Van began packing up, ready to make his escape.
He always felt that Himeko's eyes on him today seemed a bit off, as if she might grab him for "interrogation" at any moment.
To avoid such an awkward situation, he decided to slip away quickly before anyone noticed.
Van quietly tiptoed out of the classroom, looked left and right to make sure no one in the hallway was watching him, then quickened his pace toward the stairwell.
He was secretly pleased, 'Good thing I'm clever, slipped away early. If Himeko had caught me, it would've been trouble.'
However, just as he reached the entrance of the teaching building, he ran straight into a familiar figure. She was standing at the doorway, as if waiting for someone.
Van's heart tightened. He instinctively wanted to turn and walk around, but it was too late.
"Yo, isn't this Van? Why are you sneaking around, where are you off to?"
Ji Xuanyuan crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows, and spoke with a teasing tone.
Unlucky timing made the corner of Van's mouth twitch slightly. But thinking about the crisis he was about to face, he couldn't bother arguing with Ji Xuanyuan.
"I'm just... going for a walk, getting some fresh air."
Ji Xuanyuan clearly didn't believe his excuse. She squinted her eyes and stared at him. "Going for a walk? I think you're avoiding someone, right? What, did something shady and afraid of being caught?"
Van's heart skipped a beat, but he pretended to be calm, "I'm a law-abiding, hardworking student, how could I possibly do something shady?"
Ji Xuanyuan snorted coldly, a trace of displeasure in her voice, "Really? A law-abiding, hardworking student wouldn't ask a girl to cook for him at his house."
Van was momentarily speechless, just thinking about how to explain, suddenly, a cold voice came from nearby, "Xuanyuan, what are you two doing here?"
Both turned their heads at the same time, only to see Fu Hua standing not far away, looking at them calmly.
Seeing Fu Hua, Ji Xuanyuan's expression immediately turned cheerful.
"Fu Hua, you're here~ We were waiting for you to eat together."
Fu Hua nodded, her tone still calm, "Then let's go to the cafeteria together. If we're too late, there won't be any seats."
Ji Xuanyuan looked at Fu Hua, then at Van, seeming like she still had something to say, but in the end, she just nodded, "Alright, let's go~"
Fu Hua turned to Van and said, "Van, you should go eat early too. Don't miss the afternoon class."
Van felt relieved and quickly nodded, "Okay~ Class rep, I'll go right away!"
Watching Fu Hua and Ji Xuanyuan walk away, Van let out a long sigh of relief, feeling lucky in his heart, 'Good thing Fu Hua showed up in time, or I really wouldn't know how to deal with that little troublemaker Ji Xuanyuan.'
He sat down in a corner, still thinking about what just happened. While shoveling food into his mouth, he muttered, "Life is getting harder and harder. Fu Hua, Ji Xuanyuan, and Himeko... one by one, all like Conan, who did I offend?"
Just as he was deep in thought, a familiar voice suddenly came from beside him, "Van, what are you muttering here by yourself?"
Van looked up, it was Fu Hua. She held a lunch tray, standing beside him, with a faint smile on her face.
Van quickly waved his hand, "Nothing, nothing, I'm just... talking to myself."
Fu Hua sat opposite him, her tone calm, "How is Teacher Himeko's condition?"
Van gave a bitter smile, "Probably like you, remembering everything from the past."
"Then what are you planning to do next?"
Van shook his head, "She doesn't know that I also have memories of the past. And right now, I don't plan to tell her any of it. Honestly, I don't know how to face her…"
Fu Hua glanced at him, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, "Aren't you quite good at handling things? The past you could shoulder the responsibility of saving the world all by yourself. What, are you scared now?"
Van sighed, "The past is the past, the present is the present. If this continues, I really can't take it anymore."
Fu Hua chuckled lightly, a teasing tone in her voice, "Then you better be careful in the future, don't go around provoking people."
Van helplessly shook his head, "When did I provoke anyone? It's clearly them coming to me."
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