"Kiss me, and you will see how important I am." - Sylvia Plath
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
"Attention all students! A valuable golden ring has gone missing within the university. To conduct a thorough search, we kindly ask everyone to remain in their dormitories until further notice. Please cooperate and stay in your designated areas while our staff, alongside security personnel, search all common areas. Report any information or suspicious activity to the dormitory office immediately. We appreciate your understanding and support. Updates will be provided through subsequent announcements. Thank you for your cooperation. Stay safe and remain in your dormitories until further notice."
Freen and I exchanged glances upon hearing the announcement blaring through the speaker in the cafeteria. Heng, visibly annoyed, tossed his jam-covered slice of bread onto his plate and abruptly left. Saint turned to us, silently inquiring if we should head back, but Freen simply continued eating.
"What's the deal with the golden ring, Saint?" I asked.
"The former headmistress owned it. She was an Ophiuchus. Her husband crafted the ring to shield others from her powers. It prevents the absorption of abilities from other constellations. Only another Ophiuchus can wear it, and they would gain immense power since the ring contains all of her abilities," Saint explained.
"So, did her husband betray her?" I questioned. "I mean, he's the one who gave her the ring, right?"
"No, it was for her protection. With that ring, she was rendered immortal. However, she disappeared, and some say she perished. No one knows what truly happened," Saint shrugged and excused himself.
Turning to Freen, I inquired if she knew anything about it, but she merely shrugged.
After finishing her meal, we made our way back to the mansion. As I entered the room, my heart sank at the sight before me. It was an absolute mess—a chaotic jumble of scattered belongings, as if someone had desperately ransacked the place in search of something. Books lay strewn across the floor, their pages crumpled and dog-eared, evidence of hurried perusal. Papers, crumpled and forgotten, covered every available surface, marking the intensity of the search.
The usually organized and focused desk had transformed into a battlefield of disorder. Half-open drawers spilled their contents onto the floor—pens, notepads, and random trinkets forming a haphazard pile. Discarded clothes littered the chairs and bed, abandoned in the frenzy of the search. It was evident that no corner had been left unturned, no potential hiding spot overlooked.
Once-meticulously arranged shelves now displayed a collage of misplaced items. Precious photographs mingled with mementos and knick-knacks, displaced and forgotten in the relentless pursuit of answers. The room seemed to hum with an electric energy, a tangible sense of urgency that lingered in the air.
As I surveyed the scene, I couldn't help but feel a profound connection to the room's occupant. It was as if their unwavering determination had imprinted itself on the very walls, leaving behind a trail of scattered belongings and displaced objects. The disorderly room spoke volumes about their restless curiosity and insatiable hunger for knowledge.
"Who would dare enter this sacred mansion?" Freen asked, scanning the room. She picked up a book, dusted it off, and furrowed her brow. "That person wasn't here just to search for something."
Startled by her words, I turned to Freen and observed the book she held. Its title caught me off guard: "Ophiuchus and other Zodiacs. Written by: HXX." I read aloud. "Who's HXX?" I questioned.
Freen's gaze shifted towards the window, her eyes taking on a golden hue, before she abruptly leaped out, momentarily unnerving me.
Damn, I forgot about her beast-like abilities.
Freen must be chasing someone, so I allowed her to go alone. I would only hinder her if I tagged along. With that in mind, I turned my attention to the book and carefully opened its pages. To my surprise, it was completely blank, except for a concealed compartment. Inside that hidden space lay the coveted golden ring.
Is this what they're searching for?
Suddenly, loud knocks on the door jolted my racing heart. I was unsure whether I should conceal the ring, as even if I revealed the truth, it was unlikely that they would believe me.
Who would set me up for this?
"Rank 6. Gulf, a Sagittarius," someone stated behind the door before it was forcefully kicked open from outside, shattering it.
I tightly gripped the ring, feeling a surge of energy coursing through my veins. It overwhelmed me, and I struggled to comprehend what was happening. The pressure was unbearable, and I couldn't endure it.
"Remember, Becky, true strength isn't solely about physical prowess," Freen's voice echoed in my ears.
"What are you doing?" a man's voice interrogated me, causing me to glance up at him.
He studied me with furrowed brows, then swiftly grabbed the ring from my hand, instantly alleviating the overwhelming sensation.
So, it was the ring that had been overloading me with energy.
"Don't tell me you experienced something while holding this," the man inquired, attempting to place the ring on my finger, but Freen intervened, slapping his hand away.
"Becky is undergoing training, which is why she's exhausted. Don't put that ring on her to obtain her fingerprints and frame her for something she didn't do," Freen exclaimed.
The man appeared shocked upon hearing Freen's voice. She rolled her eyes and was about to deliver a finishing blow when Seng intervened, grabbing the man's head, causing him to stagger and collapse to the ground.
"What did you do?" I asked Seng.
"I erased a certain memory from his mind," he replied, then turned to Freen. "Why are you so reckless? Your voice alone could have killed a student!"
Freen rolled her eyes, retrieving the ring from the man's grasp. She handed it to Seng and gestured for him to leave.
"Why did you do that?" I inquired as soon as Seng departed with the man. "Were you going to kill him simply because he heard your voice?"
"My voice, my lips, my saliva, or anything connected to my mouth has the potential to kill people unintentionally when I am mad. It's easier to explain that I ended him with a punch rather than my voice," Freen retorted, frustration evident in her voice.
"What about me?" I questioned. "Why am I healing? I thought it depended on whether you intended to harm or heal."
"I lied. Sometimes, things happened just because I said it. Not all the time I could kill but not all the time, I could heal. I don't know what's this ability of mine. I'm also afraid of it," Freen admitted, lowering her head as she let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry," I apologized. I approached her and revealed the bruise on my arm caused by the ring's energy. "Can you help me heal this?" I asked.
Freen regarded me with tired eyes. As she neared, her gaze filled with compassion, and her touch on my tear-stained cheeks was gentle and warm. My heart fluttered. Then, her lips brushed softly against mine, a tender and soothing kiss that seemed to possess the power of healing.
Yet in that moment, something deep within me stirred. A desire, dormant and unrecognized, awakened with a sudden intensity. Without fully comprehending Freen's intentions, I found myself instinctively responding, moving in sync with her, as if an invisible force pulled us closer.
The kiss deepened, and I surrendered to the whirlwind of emotions coursing through me. My hands naturally found their way to Freen's waist, drawing her nearer, as if an invisible thread bound us together. It was a newfound longing, a flame ignited by this unexpected connection.
Amidst the chaos of the room, the outside world faded away, leaving only the intense bond between us. Freen's lips became a language of unspoken desires, and I willingly embraced it. Our breaths intertwined, creating a rhythmic dance that synchronized with the beat of our hearts, as if we existed in our own timeless universe.
Lost in the moment, I allowed myself to explore the depths of our connection, moving in harmony with Freen. It was a collision of emotions—confusion, desire, and the fear of what this meant for us. Yet, in that fleeting instant, I abandoned myself to the fire that blazed within.
As our shared passion peaked, we reluctantly broke apart, our chests heaving with shared breathlessness. The weight of misunderstanding settled upon me, casting a shadow over the tenderness we had just shared. Uncertainty clouded my vision, and a pang of regret tinged my heart.
When our eyes met, I saw the same confusion and regret reflected in Freen's gaze. In that shared understanding, I realized that we needed to unravel the complexity of our desires, to find clarity amidst the tangled emotions that led us to this point.
"I'm sorry," she uttered, then abruptly left the room.