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✦ ENTRY NO. 013
✦ TIME LEFT: 4 DAYS
[y᥆ᥙr ᥱᥒtry f᥆r t᥆dᥲy hᥲ᥉ bᥱᥱᥒ ᥉ᥱᥒt... ]
✩ ◛ .⋆
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𓆩⟡𓆪
╰┈➤ 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 only hear the slow heavy steps of my own shoes as I reluctantly walked down familiar halls. It was impossible for me to deny Mr. Yang after he so genuinely congratulated and praised me.
As I drew near the student council room, memories of my last encounter with Kafka and her cohorts flooded my mind. When I was there the atmosphere inside was suffocating—and her seemingly friendly demeanor hid sinister intentions.
Eventually, what I didn't want to see most was in front of my eyes. A room at the end of the hall, labeled in big letters still,
'STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM'
I carefully approached, taking caution to not make any noise just yet. Then with a deep breath—I slid the unlocked door wide open. My attention immediately darted to the front desk— I was relieved to see the infamous student council president was actually no where to be seen.
Only Silver Wolf and Blade were occupying the otherwise empty space. The treasurer was still sitting in the same place and position I saw her in during my last visit.
"Oh, it's you." Blade calmly stated, looking up from one of the numerous magazines piled at the coffee table. Silver Wolf hardly spared a glance from her game console as she got up to walk over to me.
"Hey newbie, what do you think I should do?" She shoved the console in my face again, impatiently waiting a reply.
"Um—maybe choose that option?" She turned the psp back around, looking at where I had pointed. I watched as her brows furrowed, and she gave me a small frown.
"Are you trying to get me killed?" I watched as she then pressed the option I hadn't picked—nonchalantly blowing a bubble from her gum as she strolled back to the couch. I felt a little irite over the fact she kept asking me for advice, but then scolding me for choosing the bad one; like I even knew anything about her game in the first place.
"I saw your finished painting." Thankfully, my attention was diverted when Blade spoke up—offering me a spot to sit on the other end of the 'L'-shaped sofa. As I settled into the seat, I watched him read for a few moments.
"I did finish it. I've been wanting to thank you, the advice you gave me really helped." After a brief second of contemplation, I found the courage to ask, "I'm curious, but where exactly is... the student council president?" Despite my hesitation, I couldn't deny feeling a sense of ease that Kafka was nowhere to be found.
"She's making copies in the office." A sigh escaped me, and I felt the little remnant of stress I had prior leave my body completely
"Well I suppose that means I can hang out with you a little longer." Blade put his magazine down, a somewhat worried expression dawning in his face—but I had regrettably ignored it.
"Actually you should g—"
"Oh I almost forgot!" I unintentionally interrupted him, since he spoke in a low tone, "Mr. Yang wanted me to drop off these papers, I'll just put them on Kafka's desk over here..." I began to cheerfully walk over to the table, placing the big stack on a different open spot than last time. However as I was putting them down, a sudden chill befall my whole body. All the peacefulness I had vanished, as I heard a familiar voice come through the doors.
"Bladie~ I'm back~" Blade promptly rose from his seat to greet her, attempting to make a diversion. I could sense his effort to create an opportunity for me to slip away, but I wasn't fast enough to do so. Kafka's perceptive eyes locked onto me, catching my presence before I could even reach the doors. "My, where's my favorite sister trying to head off too? Come sit—I just got some snacks from the vending machine."
She placed the bag down and sat behind her desk, wearing that emotionless smile that always sent shivers down my spine. Her lifeless pupils scanned me as I seated myself, making me feel like an open book once again, exposed and vulnerable.
I accepted a packet of chips from Kafka, in an attempt to finish my encounter with her early—but she kept me trapped. Trying to act casual, I asked,
"So, Kafka, how are you today?" There appeared to be an evident shaky smile across my lips. She smirked and replied,
"Oh, it's been alright. Bladie has been helping me these past few days with the culture festival. But even he knows, it's all about planning ahead—right?" She accentuated the last parts of her sentence, narrowing her eyelids. Feeling a small chill, I cautiously answered,
"Yes, definitely. Being prepared is—crucial."
Kafka leaned in, her gaze unwavering, "Speaking of which, have you ever experienced deja vu, like you've been in a situation before?" I gulped, trying not to give her any unnecessary information,
"Well, sometimes I get that strange feeling, but isn't it something everyone experiences at least once or twice—?"
She seemed satisfied with my response, but her grin told me she knew something was up. I needed to be more careful.
Trying to divert her attention, Blade interrupted, "Kafka, we still have a lot of work to get done—"
She put her hand up in a dismissing manner, effectively silencing her companion. "We have plenty of time. I'm just trying to bond with my friend here~" A few beads of sweat formed at my temple—even Blade couldn't help me get out of this now. I decided to try and switch topics,
"Well, I am excited for the upcoming culture festival, I've never been to one. I've only seen them in movie—" I abruptly stopped my sentence; praying she didn't catch my slip-up.
Her eyes locked onto mine, and I knew that I had definitely messed up.
"That's quite disheartening to hear. I can't help but wonder though—how is it you've never been to a culture festival, despite living in this area all your life?"
My heart raced with anxiety. I had made the mistake of telling her I came overseas last time, hoping she wouldn't think much of it. Kafka, being who she is, most likely went through my student records—I was stupid to overlook that part. Trying to hide my panic, I replied,
"My parents are just overprotective!"
"But no one has ever seen your parents—"
"Kafka, that's enough," a stern voice echoed through the halls behind us. Her piercing eyes on me lifted, and I quickly turned to see a completely unfamiliar man stepping forward. "Why are you speaking to this student with such a malice-filled gaze?"
He entered the room fully, and I noticed another young male hiding behind him. The boy popped out—flashing me a big grin.
"Oh, Principal Jing Yuan, it's lovely to see you," Kafka's attitude completely switched, and she put on a feigned sweet smile. I could hear Blade audibly sigh.
With Principal Jing Yuan's presence, the tension in the room seemed to ease a bit, but my heart still raced from the intense encounter with Kafka and her unsettling questions moments prior.
"Ah, the new student, right?" The principal now directed his attention to me, a warm smile gracing his face. "I believe this is our first time meeting, and I apologize for not being able to properly welcome you to the school."
The boy behind Jing Yuan ran up to my side, eyeing me very curiously.
"You're the new second-year?" I replied with a short nod, which brought about another grin from him.
"It's nice to finally meet you, I'm Yanqing!" He extended his hand for a handshake, and I shook it with slight hesitation. "Hey, you're friends with that Dan Heng guy, right?" I could've sworn I heard a small 'Tch' from Blade upon the mention of Dan Heng's name.
"Oh yes—actually I believe I've seen you spar with him once. You are very skilled with swords." My compliment seemed to make Yanqing burst with happiness, and his eyes practically shined with stars
"You think so?!" I nodded again, glad to have a pleasant conversation with him—anything was better than "talking" with Kafka
Jing Yuan took notice of our quick friendship and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I'd like to speak with the student council in private. Could you take your new friend outside for a bit?" Yanqing immediately obeyed, moving with a sense of determination akin to a swordsman obeying his general's command. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the suffocating atmosphere, leaving all my stress behind—much to my relief.
"Hey hey, do you like swords new pal? Come on, I'll show you all of my collection!"
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╰┈➤ EDITED ✦
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A crumpled notebook page from the trash
Hearts entwined as one,
Love's embrace, a tender bond,
Eternal, it blooms.
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