“Are you saying you’re meeting tomorrow?”
“Yeah, that’s what they said.”
Late at night on the rooftop, listening to Tana’s words, my heart felt heavy once again.
We agreed to meet, but thankfully, Eve asked for just a little more time, so we planned to meet Charlie tomorrow.
“I think it’s better to go and talk to them first.”
“That sounds good.”
Sighing, I noticed Sen beside me; she was slightly smiling with her arms crossed.
“I found out about the counselor. Sean Porche. He’s affiliated with the royal family, but his recent performance has been poor, so he might have a hard time renewing his contract next year.”
“……”
“I guess that’s why he’s coming out without much consideration.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem, it’s my duty.”
“……”
Ignoring what Sen said, I told Eve I’d be back and headed towards her room.
It was late, so there wasn’t anyone in the corridor, but due to the previous incident with the female students, the surveillance had gotten stricter.
Thanks to Tana and Sen drawing attention, I was able to knock and get in easily.
“Phew, the professors are really tightening the watch, huh?”
I thought I should have just hopped in through the window from the rooftop.
“Daniel, you’re here.”
She greeted me as if she knew I would come, speaking bluntly.
She had an emotionless vibe like Sen. I felt her condition was getting worse.
‘Romance Reader Syndrome.’
Tana said that because of the trauma caused by Charlie, something must have broken in her due to the romantic elements.
“Eve, aren’t you tired?”
“What?”
“Isn’t it hard to keep running away like this?”
In the end, she was just running away.
“Run away? I’m meeting Charlie tomorrow.”
“No, you’re running away. You’re suppressing your emotions and acting like what’s happening in front of you isn’t yours.”
“You’re saying the same thing as Tana.”
“That’s your current state.”
Slowly sitting on the bed, Eve clasped her hands tightly and murmured quietly.
“I just need to hold on until tomorrow. Then I’ll go back to my normal life.”
“And the original Eve will be even more broken.”
“……What do you want to say?”
I chuckled softly at her slightly furrowed brow.
“I told you, isn’t running away hard?”
“I’m not running away……!”
“You are.”
When I firmly answered, Eve’s eyes turned slightly red. When her emotions flared, her tears flowed like a waterfall.
“No, I’m not! I’m fighting! I’m going to meet that person tomorrow. I’ll reconcile, forgive! I’ll fight so those people won’t bother you anymore!”
“Yeah, you’re making excuses to yourself. You know that’s the easiest way.”
“What do you know, Daniel?!”
Eve jumped up, tears streaming down her face, stomping towards me.
“You’re strong! Stronger than anyone! You can say that! I’m just an ordinary 18-year-old girl. This is the best I can do! I can’t take any more!”
Standing there, she covered her eyes with her hands and sobbed. I gently placed my hand on her head.
“I know, you don’t know what to do. You must feel unfair, angry, and frustrated. But what I can do is limited. My abilities end there. So you’re telling yourself you’ve made that decision.”
I was looking at myself in Eve.
More precisely, my first life.
When I was getting expelled.
“But, unexpectedly, there are many ways. I’ll teach you from now on.”
At that time, I also thought being expelled was the best option. I thought escaping from those pointing fingers was the only way to protect myself.
But that wasn’t it.
After a long time, I regretted so many things.
What if I had done it this way?
What if I had done it that way?
The regrets that everyone has when recalling the past were also deeply buried in my heart.
So I didn’t want this kid to go through that.
When I had a second chance after death.
In reality, there were more solutions placed in front of me than I expected, and I could only admit I lacked courage.
‘I hope you do what I could only do after I died.’
My little Eve.
Suddenly, I remembered what Ares had said.
“Precious, and because it’s precious, you can’t give up.”
“……”
I smiled at Eve, whose eyes were turning red.
“Sorry, even if you get hurt. I won’t give up, because you’re that precious.”
After that, I told Eve to wash up and change her clothes.
“Hah, hah! D-Daniel?”
“It’s okay, let’s try again.”
Our sweaty night deepened like that.
*
“Wow, a cafeteria, huh?”
Counselor Sean was eager to leave this academy as quickly as possible. Those cheeky brats were always picking fights and had foul mouths.
“Seriously, Aios is dead.”
For your information, Sean was from Pales Academy. It was a prestigious school said to rival Aios Academy.
But after visiting himself, he was certain that Pales was crushing Aios in terms of student quality.
Just look at the current situation.
No matter how limited the space, they wanted to conduct counseling in the cafeteria.
According to the dean, it was necessary for Eve and Charlie to keep their distance, so it was thought that holding it in the spacious cafeteria would be best.
“Weren’t there any classrooms left?”
Or did they just not want to give one to him?
Anyway, Sean led Charlie to the cafeteria.
“Charlie, please go in and take a seat first. The people inside have all been cleared out, so there shouldn’t be anyone.”
“Yes, thank you.”
As Charlie entered the cafeteria, Sean cautioned Demerk, who followed behind.
“Those kids might do something. If the counseling goes wrong, who knows how long we’ll have to stay here?”
“That’s why I didn’t bring anyone else and brought everyone with me today.”
“Good, I’ll finish this quickly.”
Looking around, there were about ten students left.
With a satisfied smile, Sean entered, and Eve along with the dean showed up soon after.
“Dean, could you step out for a moment?”
“……Really?”
“Huh? Umm, yes. Charlie might feel pressured seeing the dean.”
“Alright, thank you.”
The dean waved his hand and left without a fuss.
‘What’s going on?’
From what I had seen of the dean, she would typically fight to stay, but she retreated so easily?
It felt strange, but nevertheless, Sean proceeded with the counseling.
In the center, where there was a bit of distance between the two.
“Alright, Charlie. You have something to say?”
“Yes, Eve, I’m really sorry for what happened last time. I impulsively committed a crime out of my overwhelming feelings for you. I’m truly sorry.”
Good.
He spoke concisely and clearly as I had trained him, mixing in that it wasn’t intentional.
As Sean recorded, he smiled inwardly. He planned to wrap this up as soon as Eve said it was okay.
There was no need to drag this out.
If he accepted his impulsive apology, it would itself be evidence that Charlie hadn’t planned the crime.
‘After all, he’s a timid kid. He’ll answer soon enough.’
The Eve I had seen so far was gentle-hearted but too naive. She was easily swept away by the flow.
She was easy to manage.
Yes, if it was the Eve I had seen so far.
“Did you really love me?”
“Huh?”
Slowly standing up, Eve looked intently at Charlie, who momentarily panicked and nodded.
“Yeah, I love you. Actually, I still do. Eve….. you’re really beautiful.”
“Don’t say unnecessary things!”
Sean hurriedly cut in to stop Charlie, panicking. This damn brat was messing everything up by suddenly spouting nonsense.
“Actually, I came here even forcing myself to meet you, Eve. I made a contract with that bitch Hara just because I wanted to see you.”
“What are you saying, Charlie?!”
Sean tried his best to intervene, but Charlie was already out of control.
“Eve! You’re close with Daniel, right? Do you like him? But let’s be clear. The Daniel you first met was me. I was Daniel.”
‘This crazy bastard!’
Sweating nervously, I tried to cover Charlie’s mouth, but Eve slowly approached Charlie as he pushed Sean away and headed towards her.
“Guh!”
Sean collapsed, hitting his head on the table.
He wasn’t unconscious, but there was a slight trickle of blood—what a strange force.
“Eve, you understand too, right?”
“I talked a lot with Daniel yesterday.”
“……”
Mentioning Daniel made Charlie’s expression change instantly. But Eve continued speaking.
“Charlie, you must know your libido is strong, right? How thrilling is it to spend the night with someone you like?”
“Y-You didn’t sleep with him, did you?!”
Veins bulged in Charlie’s forehead as he shouted, and Eve shook her head.
“No, I spent the night practicing. I thought I was going to die from it.”
“P-Practicing?”
“Can you give your testicles for your friend, Charlie? Of course, I wore a protector.”
“W-What?! I can’t follow what you’re saying.”
“I’ll forgive you.”
With a gentle smile, Eve stretched one leg back and then.
“You’ll never be a man again!”
Her foot, akin to a soccer kick, landed squarely on Charlie’s groin. It must have been so powerful that his body momentarily lifted off the ground.
“Daniel’s Special Move: Mandatory TS!”
“Ugh, ughh!”
“Head! Head! Head!”
But that wasn’t the end; Eve started stomping Charlie’s head on the floor.
“Because of you! Because of you! Do you know how much I’ve suffered? Because of you! I ended up with a strange trauma, smiling while other girls cling to the guy I like!”
“S-Save me……!”
“Shut up! Do you know how many times Daniel let me hit him so I could use my special move on you?! Did you know how it feels for someone you like to tell you to kick him in the balls with a smile?!”
Thud, thud, thud!
“Forgive Punch! Forgive Kick! And this one…… Ugh, whatever. Another Forgive Punch! Forgive Kick!”
Eve’s relentless barrage rained down mercilessly.
*
Forgive Punch! Forgive Kick!
As I unintentionally snickered at Eve’s desperate screams echoing in the cafeteria, Elise, beside me, wore a sulky expression.
“You could’ve just told me. Then it would’ve been settled in one go.”
“You’re hiding that you attend this academy, right? I thought there was a reason, so I didn’t bother asking.”
Only me and my maid Bertia knew she was a princess in this academy, so I didn’t want to borrow trouble.
I thought she might have her reasons for hiding it.
Then Elise looked at me with teary eyes, deeply touched.
“As expected! My master! You speak harshly, but you truly do cherish me? But it’s okay. This Elise, anytime for you……!”
“Enough, I’m leaving now.”
“Oh, how disappointing.”
The soldiers waiting calmly outside the cafeteria were about to rush in at Charlie’s screams, but.
“……You again?”
“You know our girl is forgiving inside, just wait, you hot-headed brats.”
Demerk frowned at me blocking the entrance.
“Blocking here is a public obstruction. Dean, please give a word.”
Demerk warned the dean, who pretended not to hear anything and ignored him, aggravating his temper.
Sigh, you better not get hurt, kiddo.
I looked at Demerk, who was cracking his shoulders and coming toward me, smiling brightly.
“Okay, then it’s settled. I won’t mind if I get hurt either?”
