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ORIANA had run recklessly for too long. As she aimlessly darted across the school grounds, the sun set completely, bathing the place in darkness. Her visibility was severely limited, and every pathway and garden looked the same. She had no idea where she’d managed to wander off to. What could be more pathetic than spending four whole years here and still managing to get lost? Nothing, that’s what.
Since she wasn’t wearing her robe, she didn’t have a magic lantern with her either. She tottered along, using the streetlights dotted along the pathways as her guide. As she walked beside a building, anxiously peering from side to side, she slammed right into something.
“Oof!” Oriana grunted.
“Mm? Sorry ’bout that… Oriana?”
Her nose smarted, but she was at least relieved to find Miguel. He was carrying a lantern, which illuminated his face. She’d wandered around a corner at the same time Miguel was walking forward, hence blindsiding the both of them.
“Whatcha doin’ here? Not good, y’know. You shouldn’t be wandering around these parts alone. Don’t tell me Vincent dragged you here?”
“Huh?! Oh, no! Nothing like that, but…phew, you saved me. Say, Miguel, where exactly is this?”
Seeing her desperate, pleading look, he burst into laughter. “Are you seriously telling me you’re lost? Inside school grounds? Even I gotta chuckle at that.”
“Aw, don’t laugh. Help me out.”
“This is the boys’ dormitory.” He motioned at the very building she’d been wandering along this whole time.
At least that answers why I didn’t recognize it. I never even go near the boys’ dormitory. It wasn’t as though there was a rule against it, but it wasn’t the most approachable spot for female students.
“Welcome back from your trip. Looking at you, I get the sense it wasn’t a very good date, eh?” Miguel lightly patted her on the head before ruffling her hair. He’d refrained earlier since she was going out, but there was no longer any reason to hold back.
“It was a good trip, but…I ruined things in the end.” Her voice was so heavy with regret that it was hard to push the words out of her mouth, and by the time she finished speaking them, she bit down on her lip.
“Hm.” Miguel groped around inside his pocket. “Tah-dah!” he exclaimed as he produced one of his usual lollipops. “Look, see? I’ve got candy. Why don’t you come with me, little girl?”
Oriana burst out laughing at his joke. “Sadly, I was taught not to follow strangers, even if they promise to give me candy. But I guess I can make an exception for you since you’re not a stranger.” She smiled and took the candy. The tears she’d been holding back began trickling down her cheeks. Much to her relief, Miguel didn’t point it out, instead pretending not to notice.
“Let’s go then. Hm, what should we do… How about grabbing a light snack and setting up a spot on the lawn so we can have a picnic?”
“Nice idea! That sounds like fun.”
As Oriana held the lollipop, Miguel pressed his hand against her back, ushering her along. She always knew he was tall, but it wasn’t until walking beside him like this that she realized how much he towered over her, almost like Azraq. If she wanted to look him in the face, she had to crane her neck.
“Oriana!” cried a breathless voice.
Surprised, Oriana jerked her head around to find Vincent, winded and hunched over. He held an arm over his mouth as he tried to catch his breath, a magic lantern dangling from his hand.
“Vincent…?”
Even after all the running I’ve seen him do before, he’s never been the least bit winded, she thought.
Through the dim light of his lantern, she could see the way he gasped for air, his whole body trembling each time he gulped more in.
“Thank goodness,” he wheezed. “When I asked Miss Mahathin…she said you still…hadn’t gone back to your room…”
Seeing how much he struggled to get the words out made her heart squeeze. He must have been searching for her the whole time after she ran away, scouring the school grounds once he confirmed she hadn’t gone back to her room.
He searched so desperately he ran himself ragged? Oriana stepped forward, intending to go to him, but Miguel stopped her. He yanked her wrist back and pushed her behind him.
“What is it, Vincent?” Miguel asked.
“Miguel… I’d like to…talk to Oriana for a bit.”
“Sadly, much as I’d like to help you out, I happen to be Oriana’s friend, too.” Miguel stood firm in front of her, as if blocking Vincent. For his part, Vincent likely never dreamed his friend would reject him. He stared at Miguel, eyes wide as saucers, while Miguel gazed nonchalantly back.
Still standing in her taller friend’s shadow, Oriana was flabbergasted. She gawked at the two, not entirely understanding what was happening. Could it be… Is Miguel trying to protect me from Vincent? The moment that possibility popped into her mind, she was aghast.
Flustered, Oriana tugged at the hem of Miguel’s shirt. “M-Miguel! I’m not scared of Vincent or anything!”
“Really? He didn’t try to do anything to you?”
Oriana quickly shook her head. “No! Oh God, no! I’m totally fine.”
Miguel glanced down at her. Apparently, Miguel was on guard after finding her wandering alone here because he assumed Vincent had put his hands on her, or at least something similarly offensive.
There’s no way he would ever do such a thing. Sure, they had gone on a date together, but Vincent wouldn’t put his hands on her like that. Especially since Oriana was nothing to him, least of all a lover. She suddenly felt extremely guilty toward the both of them—Miguel, for making him regard his best friend with such suspicion, and Vincent, for putting him on the receiving end of that.
“I won’t do anything to scare her. I swear that. After running all over the school, I have already cooled down quite a bit,” Vincent said stiffly, still trying to regulate his breathing.
Miguel quirked a brow at Oriana. “Well? I can run him off if you’d prefer.”
“That’s not necessary,” Oriana said, shaking her head again. “I’ve calmed down some too, so I can finally apologize.”
Miguel stroked the top of her head. He tousled her hair with even more force than he had a moment ago. Thanks to that, her once perfectly braided hair was probably beyond salvation by this point.
“Okie-dokie. But if he tries anything funny, be sure to yell for me.”
“Vincent isn’t the type to try anything like that.”
“Okay, well in that case… Vincent, if Oriana tries anything funny, be sure to yell—”
“Yeah, yeah. Would you mind leaving already?” Vincent grumbled.
“Tch.” Miguel’s lower lip protruded in a pout as he waved goodbye to Oriana and took off. Judging by what he’d said, he probably planned to linger somewhere close by.
Oriana felt nervous once it was just the two of them standing there facing one another. It made her realize how naturally Miguel had managed to keep the air light and easy. Even so, she was the one who’d decided to apologize.
Plucking up her courage, she blurted, “Vin—”
“Oriana.”
Their words overlapped. Surprised, they finally looked into each other’s eyes. Vincent seemed to have something to say; he kept opening his mouth only to close it again.
“Do you…mind if I go first?” he asked at last.
“S-Sure.”
After hesitating, Vincent said, “I shouldn’t have been so gruff with you earlier.”
“No, I should be apologizing for acting like a fool in front of Miss Beezel and not explaining myself properly.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
Oriana shook her head emphatically. “Th-That wasn’t the only thing. Today was a lot of fun, and yet I pretended like none of it ever happened…I’m so sorry for that.” The tears welled in her eyes as she spoke.
You’re going to cry after apologizing? How hopeless, Oriana inwardly berated herself. She turned her face away. Considering how her voice trembled at the end, Vincent might have already realized she was crying. She didn’t want him to think she was so underhanded she’d use her tears to coax forgiveness out of him. “Sorry, just a moment…”
“Oriana, I want to see.”
A gentle thud resounded. It took her a few moments to realize it was Vincent putting his lantern down, and by then, he had already wrapped his arms around her, trying to pull her face back toward him. Her breath caught in her throat, and the tears only fell faster. She could feel his warmth on her back.
“Show me.”
Vincent finally managed to turn her head. Oriana scrunched up her face, trying to hold back the tears, which probably only made her more unattractive.
“D-Don’t look…”
“Hahaha. You sound like a child.”