[Wait! Azariah, are you really going to jump?]
"Why are you panicking so much?" I grumbled in reply as I made my way towards the main academic building where the entrance ceremony was being held.
[Just stop doing things that will damage your body even more.]
"I can't be sure if I can do that, but I will try," I replied, shrugging off his words as I moved through the corridor of the building.
[You do rember how much ti you have left to live, right?]
"Ten years, give or take," I replied as I walked towards the gate of the hall where two guards stood, "maybe less than ten years."
[Wait, why are you saying that?]
"Open the door." Ignoring El's words, I ordered, looking at them.
"You are la—."
"Stop!" Before the younger guy could continue barking, his partner stopped him and bowed towards . "I will open it, sir."
I nodded my head as he pulled the handle of the door.
"Wait!"
But just as he was about to open the door, another voice resonated in the corridor, making us turn towards its direction.
And there he was, the protagonist of the ga.
With disheveled brown hair and a handso face, he ran towards us, breathing heavily, before stopping in front of the door.
"Sorry... I am... late," he said between breaths, his light brown eyes scanning us.
I didn't reply but just looked at him, and after taking deep breaths, he looked back at .
"Hi, I am Ethan Varon." With a bright smile on his face, he extended his hand.
"Azariah Noah Aljanah," I replied curtly, not bothering to return his smile.
Grip!!!
[AZARIAH!]
'Calm down, El,' I said as Ethan tightened his grip on my hand.
His expression faltered slightly at my na, but he quickly recovered.
But within that second.
I saw it....
Endless...
Boundless....
Hatred....
Hatred so deep, that if I hadn't been accustod to my mother's emotionlessness, even I would have feared it.
"Nice to et you, Azariah," he said, his tone slightly strained as he loosened his grip.
"Open the door." Ignoring the guy, I said to the guard, who nodded his head before opening the door.
[Why is he like this?]
El asked as I noticed the protagonist's damaged clothes and disheveled hair.
'I tried to avoid the cliche,' I replied, glancing at him as the door started to open up, 'this would have happened to as well if I didn't.'
[No, not that his react—.]
'later, El.'
Creak...
With a suitable 'creaking' sound, the door opened up, and all the people present inside the hall looked in our direction.
Every single pair of eyes was on us as Ethan stood beside .
[Oh boy.]
...I know, right?
As I slowly walked, a small murmur of the students filled the hall, and it didn't take long before it turned into buzzing among the students.
[...Are you sure you want to be here? Except for fear, hatred, and indifference, I don't feel anything from all of them.]
'Things we do to live, buddy.'
Like he said, within the hall, those who are present here either fear , hate , or don't care about .
That's all there is to it.
"Azariah," I heard soone call my na from the main stage.
"What are you doing here?" a blonde guy with a handso face asked as I walked, surveying the hall before my eyes landed on Ashlyn.
"Why can't I be here?" I retorted, making my way toward her, noticing she had saved a spot for beside her.
"There are rules and regulations in the academy," the blonde guy persisted.
"Ok, and?" I countered, taking my seat beside Ashlyn. "What does that have to do with ?"
"You—"
"Prince Johnathan," the slightly older man beside him interjected, "please continue."
"But—"
"Please," the older man insisted, and I settled into my seat beside Ashlyn.
"Why are you so late?" She whispered in my ear, but I didn't respond imdiately, my attention drawn to Ethan taking a seat nearby.
"There wasn't any other seat here," Ethan explained, catching my gaze.
"I am not that late," I finally responded to Ashlyn's whispered inquiry.
"You are," she insisted in a hushed tone.
"I am not," I countered once more.
"So as I was saying, we as the students represent the empire itself to the world," the Prince resud his speech, and all the students focused back on him.
[So...where is your fiancée?]
El's voice echoed in my mind as I glanced around.
'She isn't here,' I replied ntally, 'She won't be arriving here for at least a month.'
[Where is she?]
'Traveling,' I replied, refocusing on the Prince. 'She is traveling around with my sister.'
And the irony of the situation, here I am fighting for even a single day to live, and there she is living her life to the fullest.
[How is she?]
'Well... She is funny, and moody, and smart,' I took a mont to recall her before continuing, '... and beautiful.'
[Azariah..... Did you love her?]
'... People can love and still let go.'
"As the representative of the student council, I welco all of the new students to the academy," the Prince announced, but I barely registered his words.
Clap. Clap.
Clap. Clap.
The hall resonated with the sounds of clapping as the Prince continued.
"And now I would like to call the representative of the first year students." With a brief pause, he looked around until his eyes landed on the girl in the front row.
"The third princess of our Empire and my younger sister, Arianell Alea Pargoina!"
Clap. Clap.
Clap. Clap.
The applause gradually faded into silence as a girl in her academy uniform stepped onto the stage, capturing the attention of everyone in the hall with her ethereal beauty.
With hair as white as snow and eyes to match, she appeared like an angel amidst mortals, radiating an aura of purity and grace that left the audience in awe.
"Good morning, everyone," she greeted with a gentle voice, bowing slightly. "I hope my presence isn't too much of a disturbance."
"No, Princess!"
"Of course not!"
The room erupted with affirmations from so enthusiastic students.
[Look beside, Azariah.]
I followed El's instruction and glanced at Ethan.
He was looking intently at the princess as if trying to engrave her image into his mind.
[What's with this girl, now?]
'A [Main Heroine] of the ga,' I replied, looking back at her.
[So... you know her then?]
'Yep, after all, I am her first love,' I replied with a tired sigh. 'But last I rembered, I forcefully tried to kiss her, earning a slap from her.'
[.....]
'I know it's fucked up.'
It's very hard to make the person who once loved you co to hate you.
And...
Azaria—no, I, I did a great job making them all hate .
Leaving no way for them to find any redeeming quality, that they remain away from .
[... don't know if I should pity you or curse you.]
'h, do what you want,' I replied nonchalantly, my attention fixed on the girl on stage.
Unlike before, when I rembered her as my childhood friend, she had changed significantly.
She exuded a newfound gentleness, confidence, and an air of aloofness.
[...Is it or is she ignoring your presence entirely?]
'....Well, they can either hate , fear , or ignore ; there is no in between,' I responded, observing the girl as she continued her speech. '.....annnddd she is ignoring .'
But as her speech progressed, I felt a chill run down my spine.
Alert now, I scanned the room until I locked eyes with a pair of crimson orbs staring back at .
[....And now what's with this silver-haired girl?]
'Well, she is soone who hates the most,' I replied, eting her gaze evenly.
And she is soone whom I hate the most as well.
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