ALBEDO "the way i loved you"

chapter two

"y/n, are you alright?" venti walked toward her, hand over her shoulder. "what should we do?"

she stared at him with annoyance but there was no hint of nervousness visible through her face. "what do you mean by that? why of course, go to the guidance. what else?"

"ah, i'm so afraid what if —"

"they will not do anything to me, venti. besides, who dares to expel the most outstanding pupil in this school?" she slightly glanced at albedo who was staring at the window, he may not have seen her victorious smile but she made sure that he heard her.

"y/n! that was so cool!" hu tao exclaimed with adoration, "i'm so glad that you are my friend!"

"hu, if you were her earlier, i bet you'd just use your knowledge about spooky things to scare him off!" lumine joked beside her, giving y/n a soft gaze. "we'll wait for you later, y/n."

"ha, you bet! our teacher looked like he was ready for the funeral when y/n fired back."

ever since, the four sticked together. and then one tuesday morning, their adviser announced something.

"class, what are your thoughts about albedo joining the feature writing then poster making contest afterwards?"

"we're cool about it!"

"ah, albedo! for sure we will win!"

"what about y/n, miss?"

"ah, y/n..." their adviser pursed her lips. "the faculty had decided not to let her join any contest for a while after that incident since mr. takiyama still cannot get over it."

"is he still emotional, miss?" y/n asked innocently but deep inside she wanted to laugh because of how the table had turned; shame on him for saying that women are too emotional when he himself still cannot accept the fact that a mere fifteen year-old won over him.

their adviser only smiled, "what you did was great, y/n. thank you for speaking up for us, i really think you deserve a spot to join the contest but mr. takiyama has the upper-hand since his father is a relative of the principal."

"no worries. though, can you let anyone join but albedo?" she pouted and her adviser laughed.

"ah, young people. i'm so honored to have two incredibly smart students in my class, i would appreciate it if you guys would support each other instead of bringing another one down – though i cannot blame you." she took a breath and then smiled again, her smile was bright and genuine like a morning during the first day of summer. "my husband and i started as academic rivals, i remember us just by looking at the two of you."

she gasped, obviously offended. she could feel her skin peeling off just by hearing that, she couldn't stand the thought of it! her adviser clearly meant something! "yuck! please don't think of that."

"ah, of course. the two of you are different, i just hope that the tension between you two would end soon. albedo and y/n of class a would've been unstoppable if they worked together." her adviser winked.

her cheeks turned red with embarrassment, she couldn't stand the whistles and teasing of her classmates let alone the way how albedo's lips curved upward as if he was enjoying being the center of attention — it seemed like he didn't mind at all when his reaction was supposed to be him scrunching his nose in disgust like her but as soon as their eyes met and the smile turned into a mocking smirk, she got what he meant by that! he was also teasing her to get that annoyed reaction! "that jerk." she blew a harsh breath, crossing her arms across her chest.

he was the most annoying person to ever exist; more annoying than that bald-takiyama! he really liked to see her annoyed reaction, he liked to see her frown, he liked to see her struggling, he liked to be ahead of her in any aspect, he liked to do anything that would annoy the hell out of her! she was incredibly angry, mad, furious — you name it! whoever finds him attractive must've had a screw loose in their heads — he was plain looking and annoying and all! she just wished that he wouldn't go to the same high-school with her but oh well, the saints must've hated her for being always mad and always blaming anything to them — because albedo definitely went to the same school as her and since first year, they were always in the same class. talk about luck — she ran out of it.

that's why in the beginning of her senior high life, she decided to buy this pretty small amulet necklace that was the color of light-blue which she found attractive. not only that this necklace would help her shove all the evil things away (including albedo) but would also help her with her aesthetic. oh dear, little did she know, a certain someone took notice of her 'light-blue' amulet.