A/N: Hi people of the internet!! here is the short story for you!
I also already posted the rewrite versions of chapter 17,18 and the Interlude(now chapter 18.5).
so if you haven't saw it please do check it out!
a small warning as well, the chapter 18.5 is a time skip in Teyvat Arc. Since if I write the other arcs it will be over hundred chapters just before we I can proceed with the other volumes.
Anyways! please do enjoy this chapter and the rewrites.
thanks,
J is out!
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The sun rose gently over Saint Freya Academy. Birds chirped beyond the windows. Life moved on. But for two people that morning… something is different.
During breakfast with Theresa, Himeko, Noah, and Kiana, there was an awkward silence between the two younger ones. Ever since they came back from their walk last night, they hadn't really spoken. There was a strange distance between them. Not a physical one, but something emotional.
Kiana kept her head down, eating, her eyes avoiding Noah entirely. But hoping he might say something.
Noah quietly set down what was probably Kiana's second.... third? Or maybe fourth?....... Anyways, her, who knows how many servings without a word. He kept eating, but every now and then his eyes drifted her way, just for a second. Maybe hoping she'd speak up.
But neither of them said a word.
Theresa and Himeko shared a glance, both thinking the same thing: the two looked like an old couple mid-fight but clearly still cared for each other and just too stubborn to talk it out.
Theresa, who had finally had enough of the awkward air, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Alright. What's going on with you two?"
Kiana tensed. "...Nothing."
Noah's face didn't change. "We're fine."
"Uh-huh." Theresa shot them the most unimpressed look imaginable. "Sure you are."
Kiana looked away. Noah stayed silent.
Himeko tried to lighten the mood with a smirk. "What, did Noah get rejected?"
"He is not!" Kiana snapped.
"I'm not," Noah replied at the same time.
Himeko stared at them both, then gave Theresa a look. They were equally baffled.
Before they could ask anything more, a sudden alert rang from Theresa and Himeko's terminal. The screen flashed: Top Priority. Theresa quickly accepted the call.
"Good morning, Principal Theresa. Sorry to interrupt your breakfast, but we've picked up an unusual signal," the operator reported.
"It's alright. Go ahead. Himeko is with me," Theresa replied.
"Yes, ma'am. Around 0500 hours, we detected a repeating signal near the forest around Mount Fuji. At first, we dismissed it since there were no Honkai signatures... but it hasn't stopped since. It's still active, and when we tried decoding it, well, it looks like an SOS signal."
Theresa and Himeko exchanged a glance.
And from the side, Noah, who had been listening, felt a faint stir in the Force.
"Understood. Prepare the Helios. I'll check it out myself," Theresa said after a brief consideration.
"Yes, ma'am. We'll start the preparations right away," the operator replied before the call ended.
Himeko raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want to go personally, Theresa?"
"It's either me or you. And with your body's condition right now… I think we both know the answer," Theresa said with a glance at Himeko.
Himeko folded her arms, not arguing, but clearly not thrilled either.
"Excuse me, Theresa-san," Noah spoke up, breaking the moment.
"Hmm? Yeah?" Theresa blinked, only now realizing the two younger ones were still in the room. Ah, right! These two are still here!
Even Himeko twitched slightly, caught off guard by the reminder.
"About this mission... would it be alright if I came along?" Noah asked calmly.
Kiana perked up beside him, her attention snapping toward him.
"...Why?" Theresa asked, visibly confused.
"It's hard to explain, but… I've got a feeling. One of my abilities is telling me that this isn't just some random signal. I need to be there."
Himeko and Theresa exchanged looks, waiting for more details. But this time, Kiana spoke up.
"It's okay, Aunt Teri. You can trust Noah on this. It's just his weird 'tingle thing' acting up again. It's saved us more times than I can count," she said matter-of-factly.
Noah gave her a surprised look, caught off guard by the support. That, in turn, made both Himeko and Theresa blink.
"...Please don't call Force Sense the 'tingle thing.' My master will get me a hell out of it.," Noah muttered with a small grin.
"Pfft, just keep it simple. Why complicate things," Kiana shot back, her eyes betraying a hint of amusement and some relief. They were talking again, after all.
Theresa sighed but nodded. "....Alright. I'll trust you both."
Himeko raised a brow at her but Theresa just shook her head, signaling not to argue. Himeko grumbled but accepted it.
"Get ready. We leave as soon as possible," Theresa stood up, already shifting into work mode.
Noah and Kiana rose as well, heading off to get ready. Himeko stayed behind at the table for a beat longer.
"Sigh... what has become of my life," she muttered before standing to prepare too.