From South to North

16 | Echoes of the Past

Nastia stood face to face with her childhood friend, a friend who had vanished from her life without explanation. she could feel the intense atmosphere, as if an invisible dark cloud had settled over her. Her old friend's words were piercing, echoing in her mind like an unanswered question. 

"I have to leave," he declared abruptly, his words pierced through the air like a dagger.

His words left Nastia confused and hurt. "Leave? But why? What do you mean?" She struggled to understand the meaning behind his sudden disappearance.

Ignoring her request, he turned around, walking further away with every step. Panic surged within Nastia as she ran after him. "Wait! Don't go!" she cried out desperately.

"Why did you leave?!" Nastia screamed, her voice filled with sorrow as she tried to reach him.

But he ran away, disappearing into the shadows, leaving her alone, abandoned, with no friends. The sense of betrayal and confusion was heavy in the air as she shouted, "What kind of friend are you?!"

In that vulnerable moment, as Nastia fought with the emotions brought by her dream, a voice interrupted, pulling her back to reality. "So, we meet again."

Nastia's eyes snapped open as she jolted up in her bed, her heart pounding. The vivid dream had shaken her to the core, digging up old wounds she had buried long ago.

"Why did I dream that?" she grumbled as she sat up, her head still spinning from the vision of the dream. Her old friend, the one who had disappeared without a trace years ago, reappeared in her subconscious. Could this be a sign? Would their paths cross again? She knew thinking on it was useless. He had left her without any clear reasons, and she had learned to forget about him.

With a heavy heart, Nastia prepared for the day ahead and went to school. The weight of that dream still lingered in her heart. She couldn't shake the feeling that something had resurfaced, something from the depths of her past, and it made her feel uneasy. The encounter with her old friend, the questions that had been unresolved for years, it all felt like a puzzle missing important pieces.

When she arrived at school, Clara and Aron, the relentless tormentors, made their presence known once again. They surrounded Nastia, taunting her as they had done many times before.

"Look who's here, it's Nastia the loner," Clara sneered, her voice low.

Aron joined in, his tone just as cruel. "Yeah, who'd want to be friends with her, anyway?"

Just as Clara and Aron's words seemed unbearable, unexpected saviors came quickly to defend her. Kirako, along with Red and Reynold's protective instincts kicked in as they confronted the bullies.

"Hey, back off!" Red asserted, his voice filled with a fiery determination to protect Nastia from harm.

"Yeah! Keep your nose out of her business!" Rey added, his expression reflecting Red's determination.

The bullies, undeterred by the intervention, questioned their motives. "Ha! And who are you? It's not like you're her friends!"

Kirako stepped forward, her calm demeanor contrasted with the tension in the air. "Well, yes. Maybe she sees us as her classmates instead of friends. But still, she will always be our friend, and we will always treat her as a friend and family."

Nastia, sensing the rising tension, tried to ease the situation. "Guys, just let them be," she urged.

Red, unable to contain his disbelief, questioned her response. "But they always talk behind your back and insult you. How can you not be mad?!"

Nastia, in an effort to share some of the wisdom she had gained through her own life experiences, explained, "When someone insults you, it's better to ignore them. Let it flow like water. Don't use that insult as fuel to light up your fire of rage! Because once that fire is lit up, it will be hard to extinguish it. And I'm not just talking to you, Red. I'm talking to all of you. Just let it go into your right ear and let it out of your left ear."

"Hmph! Nonsense! Come on, Aron!" With a huff, Clara and Aron turned around and left them.

It was then that Sean strolled by, appearing casual but clearly intrigued about what was going on.

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's going on here?"

Red couldn't contain his frustration and explained, "Clara and Aron are bothering Nastia again, as usual."

Sean's expression shifted from curiosity to genuine concern. "What? Are you okay, Nastia? Did they do something to you?" His voice was filled with worry as he stepped closer to Nastia, his eyes searching hers for any signs of distress.

Nastia, taken aback by Sean's unexpected intervention, felt a mixture of emotions. His worry touched her heart, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a little hope that not everyone in this new world was like Clara and Aron.

"I-I'm fine, Sean," she answered, trying to reassure him. "Their words don't bother me anymore."

But as Sean continued to look at her, a question slipped from her lips before she could even stop it.

"Why are you so kind?" Nastia asked. She knew it was a stupid question yet her mouth still blurted it out.

Sean paused for a moment, considering his answer. He chose his words carefully, wanting to get his true point across. "What do you mean? I'm just being me."

But Nastia felt there was more to it than that, there was a hidden truth behind his words. She knew there was something deeper that was driving his kindness.

As for Sean, he wasn't just being kind because it was his nature, There was a longing within him to be accepted for who he truly was, away from the looming shadow of his parents' fame. Sean longed for connections, for a chance at a normal life filled with friendships, love, and shared experiences.

The weight of his parents' expectations had been a heavy burden on his shoulders for far too long. Sean's desire for freedom, to live life on his own terms, to escape the expectations that had defined his childhood, was clear.

"I have to go to class," Nastia said as she broke the silent between them, "see ya!"

Sean watched Nastia walk away, her words about heading to class broke the silence between them. He nodded, a smile formed on his lips. "Sure, see you later."

As Nastia left, Reynold moved closer to Sean and nudged him on the arm. "I'm completely lost! How did you two get so close all of a sudden?" he couldn't help but asked.

Kirako chimed in, curious as well. "I heard there was a cat involved in this, is it yours?"

Sean chuckled, feeling a bit self-conscious about the attention. "Well, it's a long story, but I just wanted to help Nastia out. She seemed like she needed a friend." He paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And as for the cat, yes, it's mine. Her name is Storm Cloud."

Red raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He knew from the start that Nastia had a cat named Cloud. This meant that Nastia had finally started to open up again. "Storm Cloud, huh? That's an interesting name," he commented.

Sean smiled, clearly fond of his feline companion. "Yeah, she's a little ball of energy. But she's great company."

As they walked together, Sean couldn't help but wonder about the dynamics between Clara, Aron, and Nastia. "So, what's the deal with Clara and Aron? Why do they target Nastia?" he asked out of curiosity.

Red, Reynold, and Kirako exchanged knowing glances. Reynold decided to explain, "Well, it all started back during an inter-school competition between our middle schools. Clara and Aron's school was the rival team, and things got pretty intense."