Chapter 202 - Switched

Monday

The second period just ended and entered the morning break.

"Teren, can you follow me?"

Dehian asked, making Teren anticipate and nervous at the same time. Knowing that 'Iesa' is no longer herself, he was only filled with anticipation because they will have time together.

It's stupid.

And that's the point.

'She's making my heart beat faster... it hurts...!'

Now that he thought about it... he felt what he had done was redundant. Iesa led him to the emergency stairs.

As usual, they had the spotlight.

"Ahh! It's making me so mad!"

"Teren is the luckiest man in the whole world, I want to beat him up!"

Since it's a shared feeling, the students have gained the freedom to let their mouths be loose. To the point that they would badmouth Teren openly. This started a long time ago but now that the news about Teren and Iesa going out, their jealousy peaked.

"What's with all the rage? Pun unintended."

One of Lina's friends commented which the second replied.

"The boys are always about Iesa and Iesa. Heh! I'm kind of glad that girl got a boyfriend. Those boys deserve to suffer."

"But is this really alright? I still think that Teren doesn't deserve Iesa..."

This was the point that Lina was waiting for. She had been silently listening from the start and now, she will speak teasingly.

"What? You girls don't know?"

The two girls immediately jumped towards her.

"What? What?"

"Lina, what is it that we don't know about?"

'Fufufu, look at these gossip velociraptors. They live for gossips which is understandable why their lives are just trash. I can't believe I'm friends with these garbages. But still, they are like the intelligence center in here, only the trashy kind. Now, I'm going to make the most use of them. They know everything from trash to shit. Maybe that's also why their breath stinks since all they consume is trash...'

Lina internally snickered. Toxic thoughts were an endless train of thoughts inside her head. Of course, she answered groundbreaking news to these gossip-hungry students.

"Iesa and Teren already broke up."

""What!??""

...

Meanwhile, within the emergency stairs, Teren felt a resisting force all over his body.

"Didn't think I would come back so early?"

Dehian smiled while she sat on one row of stairs. She stared down upon Teren.

"..."

"Oh yeah, you have no idea. Sorry, I want to tell you a few things before but seeing your traitorous face any longer might've made me kill you!"

She uncontrollably became sharp with her words. Soon, her demeanor became calm again.

"But after a night of thinking, I have come to terms with myself and now, I'm able to face you without trying to stab you. So anyway, what I wanted to say was..."

Dehian paused as she looked around.

"Are you lucky or unlucky?"

She stood up and walked down towards him.

"Lucky that I can't kill you yet. The Five Houses still has their guard on me. If you're alive, they will think that I'm still not a threat. Unlucky that I can't kill you but torture you until you've become useless."

Dehian then grabbed Teren by the neck. It seemed gentle but Teren felt it was unstoppable.

"But don't think you can up me. I've brought control over my power along with my return. In short, I've become a fully-pledged psychic, Teren."

"Urgh..."

Teren felt his neck get squeezed.

"Meanwhile, you're just a psycho. A mentally ill person. Do you remember when you choked me here? Were you having fun back then? I bet not, you can't feel fun nor sadness."

Dehian stared at Teren for a while. It doesn't seem like he will be talking soon while she strangles him. Therefore, she let go.

"You can't fool me. Although I still can't read your mind, which is... oddly strange. I know that you still have the strength to fight back. If not, you couldn't fully 'tamed' the Spirit of Healing."

She said after turning around.

After coughing while Dehian climbs upstairs, Teren asked, making her stop.

"Is it him who told you that?"

"Yes, a 'great' person like you will never be powerless... but I've been speaking too much. Being with you here will let that naive girl, Iesa come out. See you, next class. Don't talk to her... too much."

The emergency stairs closed, leaving Teren behind. After a few moments, he exited and saw Nick standing there.

There was a brief pause before Nick asked.

"Are you fine?"

"Eh? Why do you ask?"

Teren stretched his neck as if nothing happened.

"Nothing..."

Nick passively looked to the side. Something seemed to be bothering him.

"It doesn't seem like nothing though."

"Ugh... sorry, but I heard that you two broke up. But now, she called you out here so... I asked."

'Is this dude worrying about me?'

Teren thought but didn't take this thought very seriously.

"You know what, I'm hurt. Why don't we grab some snacks?"

"Sure, you don't need to treat me this time."

"Don't worry, here, I'm your lackey."

Nick walked side-by-side with Teren. He glanced and thought-

'Teren seemed to be different than before.'

He couldn't explain it but talking to Teren now seemed to be much easier. The two of them went to the canteen and strangely, met people who looked at Teren with mocking faces or with pity.

"What's happening...?"

Nick muttered but Teren just went to the counter to buy snacks. He doesn't seem to care. With his boss like that, Nick couldn't help but not give a fuck about the others too.

After the morning break, Teren was back in his seat. He glanced to his side.

'Now that I think about it, what should I call her? Maybe I should ask her later.'

He felt excited, thinking about it. However, Iesa seemed to evade him every chance he got until school ended.

"Come on, Teren, let's go stress-eating. Unfortunately, we can't drink your sadness away yet. We're still minors."

Seeing Teren's new side, Nick felt more lax towards him.

"No, I have something, I should go first."

"Where?"

"You know the school they call Public?"