CH 37

How To Remember Someone (1)

The study room was so silent that even the sound of coughing was a disturbance. The bright moonlight shone through the window. When I lifted my head, everyone was concentrating on their studies. Leto had been reading a book for two hours already, and Senior Jimbo didn’t stop spinning his pen.

‘Bona is only fiddling with her nails.’

On the other hand, Vivian was sitting upright and making notes diligently like a good student. I stared at the clock and rose when the second hand pointed to twelve. Finally, the long study session was over. Bona was already by the door, probably waiting for the time to end as well.

“That’s all for today.”

Senior Jimbo said slowly with sleepy eyes, appearing tired.

“It’s late at night. Let me go with you.”

Vivian packed his stuff and suddenly approached me. I felt Leto’s stinging eyes, but I nodded. We left the room with all of our books and went down the stairs. The students who had studied in the other study rooms were also taking the stairs down indicating they had also finished.

The stairs were full of students, similar to when we had classes in the morning. Then, the lights in the library suddenly went out.

“Kyaa!”

“What’s going on?”

The students stopped walking and looked at the ceiling from the sudden blackout. The library, without any lights on, was pitch black that it was impossible to see anything. I might have burst into tears if I was alone, so I was glad that there were many students now.

“The magic circle suddenly extinguished! Please wait for the lights to turn on!”

The voice of the librarian was heard from below. Only then did the students, who were panicking by the sudden blackout, became relieved.

“Are you okay, Bree?”

I heard Vivian’s voice next to me.

“Yes. And you?”

“Same. Leah?”

“…….”

Leto didn’t say anything at Vivian’s call. When he made no movement, I reach my hand out worriedly and soon caught Leto’s cold arm. His arms were trembling. Then, when I got used to the darkness and could see Leto’s face slightly, I noticed his stiff expression.

Just like previously in the haunted house, Leto didn’t like the darkness. Remembering this, I reached for his hand. When our fingers touched, Leto became startled and immediately looked at me.

“Are you okay, Leah?”

When I asked, Leto nodded. I tapped on Leto’s finger to reassure him. Then, Leto grabbed my little finger and held it tightly. I was surprised for a moment by the sudden grip before a smile appeared on my face.

It was cute to see Leto trusting me.

“Come to think of it, it’s that day soon.”

“Right…Could this also be the curse?”

It had been quiet until I heard the voice of the students beside me. At first, I listened to it in one ear and let it out through the other, but as time passed by, many students began to talk about the curse.

“A curse…I guess it’s really true.”

Even Vivian muttered, apparently aware of the curse too.

“Curse?”

I was scared, but I couldn’t resist my curiosity and asked Vivian.

“Ah, well you know……”

“Oh my, don’t you know the curse?”

I thought it was just me, Leto and Vivian here, but it seems that Bona happen to be next to Vivian too. I thought she had already left since she went out first. I couldn’t hide my joy when I heard Bona’s sharp voice. Maybe Leto felt the same as the trembling on his hands completely disappeared.

“You know about it, Bona?”

“Of course. My sister is a Lexley Academy graduate. She was an excellent student. She would often tell me about the Lexley Academy, so I heard about a lot of things before I entered.”

“So what’s the curse about?”

“It meant the date of the death of a Lexley Academy graduate. He was a top student and a popular senior because of his good looks. But he committed suicide. It is not known why, but since then, the graduate’s soul would appear on May 29th. I heard strange things would happen.”

It was a creepy yet tragic story.

“By the way, he fell from this library and died.”

Bona’s words gave me goosebumps. May 29th was only three days away.

“There’s really nothing you don’t know. I didn’t know that either.”

“Of course.”

When Vivian spoke in pure admiration, Bona replied in a confident tone.

“But when will the lights turn on?”

I wanted the lights to turn on quickly. I wasn’t sure if Bona’s words were true or false, but hearing about the curse made me feel uncomfortable and chilly. As if they read my mind, the lights flickered and soon turned on. The whispers of the students also ceased for a moment. When the lights were completely on, the students who had been waiting to go back to the dormitory hurriedly went down the stairs.

“Ack!”

The problem was that someone pushed me as I was walking down. I lost my balance from the sudden bump on my should and my body naturally fell forwards. Shocked, Leto pulled on my pinky harder, but it wasn’t enough to hold on to me as my body fell forwards.

I thought I was going to fall at this rate, but someone quickly grabbed me by the waist.

“Careful.”

When I turned my head, it was Senior Jimbo. Contrary to the tone of his voice, he lifted me by the waist with a worried expression and placed me in his arms. Senior prevented the students from hitting my shoulder as they went down the stairs recklessly.

I stood still for a moment. If it wasn’t for Senior Jimbo, my body would have already rolled down the stairs and broken my bones. I couldn’t even lift my lips at the frightening thought, but Leto grabbed my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“I, I’m fine.”

Senior Jimbo let go of my waist after all the students had gone down.

“Be careful, you little klutz.”

“…I, I’m sorry.”

Senior Jimbo knocked me on the forehead and went down. Only after senior went down did Vivian and Bona ask me if I was hurt. I kept saying I was fine, all thanks to senior who had caught me. Unlike the two of them, who were relieved by my words, Leto tried to hold my hand out of concern.

“Show off……”

Leto murmured as he stared at the place Senior Jimbo was.

“Why aren’t you looking straight? Hold my hand.”

Then, he clasped my hand. I felt cold as his fingers dug through mine. Leto, who refused to have any contact with me before, held my hand first. When I stared blankly at Leto, he turned his head away with a red face.

Seeing his shy face indicated that he hasn’t gotten used to this yet. We went down the stairs and out of the library. When we, the last of the students to leave, left the library, the bright lights instantly switched off.

“It’s a little scary, isn’t it?”

Vivian smiled awkwardly.

“What’s so scary about that?”

“Bona doesn’t seem to be afraid.”

“Of course. This sort of thing…Aah!”

When Vivian was in pure admiration again, a branch flew in Bona’s direction. Bona, who screamed in the middle of her sentence, unconsciously grasped Vivian’s shoulder. Apparently, she was scared as well. In the first place, Bona, who never walked to the dormitory with us, was clinging to us today.

She must have been…very scared. Bona like that was so cute that I had to hold back my smile. Leto’s hand, which was holding mine while we walked towards the dormitory, gradually began to loosen. When I turned my head slightly, he removed his grip with a nonchalant face and walked ahead of me. I was a little disappointed.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Can you walk alone?”

The men’s dormitory was further behind the women’s dormitory. Vivian, who was the only guy (although, obviously Leto was a guy too), bid us farewell at the intersection. When I asked if he was bothered by the commotion, Vivian shook his head, implying he was okay.

From looking at his face, Vivian doesn’t seem to be afraid of the dark, unlike us. Rather, he had his usual expression as he waved us goodbye after smiling brightly.

“See you tomorrow!”

He waved to me, Leto and Bona. The three of us headed to the dormitory. When Vivian left, the atmosphere quickly became quiet. There was nothing to talk about, and Leto and Bona didn’t get along very well. I began to realised how much influence Vivian hold.

While we were walking, Bona and Leto stopped and looked behind.

“Huh?”

Unlike the two of them who became alert, I was the only one there standing blankly.

“W-What’s wrong?”

“I think someone is watching.”

“You think so too, Leah Arsene?”

Apart from me, the two seemed to feel a strange presence. I was still nervous from hearing about the curse, and now someone was watching us. At that moment, a strong cold wind blew. There was no one behind me, and the surrounding was dark so I couldn’t see well.

No matter how much I stared, I didn’t feel anyone watching. Let alone feel anyone’s presence.

“By the way, where’s your dorm?”

“We live at Rodante block.”

Bona frowned at my words.

“My block is at…Robelia.”

“Then, we should separate here.”

Leto spoke bluntly.

“Bye, then.”

“H-Hold on…!”

When Leto was about to leave, Bona grabbed him in a hurry. Leto asked what the matter was and stared at Bona with an annoyed expression.

“A-Aren’t you guys scared? How about you guys walk me home?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be walking us home?”

“If you walk a little further, your fear will disappear.”

“What a strange thing to say.”

Bona ignored Leto and grabbed my wrist.

“Bree! How about you? Walk me home!”

“You’re scared, aren’t you?”

“Who wouldn’t…!”

Bona unconsciously responded to my sudden remark. Bona hastily stopped her words, but Leto and I had already figured it out.

“Let’s go together.”

“Sigh. So troublesome…”

Even after saying so, Leto followed me and Bona.

“T-This won’t happen next time.”

“As if.”

It was pretty entertaining to watch Bona and Leto bicker. As I was walking towards the Robelia block, I felt someone staring at me. A chill went down my spine and I immediately turned around.

“Bree?”

“What’s wrong, Briseis?”

…I thought someone was looking at us, just now.

“I thought someone was staring, but I think it’s better if I ignore it.”

“The more you pay attention to it, the more they’ll stare. Let’s just move quickly.”

“Aren’t you guys just weirdos?”

Bona smiled as if it was ridiculous but continued glancing behind her.