Chapter 45: Torn Between Worlds

Chapter 45: Torn Between Worlds

After several autumn rains, the weather had grown cooler by the day, and before anyone realized it, deep autumn had arrived. The sunlight in late autumn was gentle, with a hint of chill, and the scenery at Sakura Academy became more serene and beautiful, almost indescribably so. The southeastern corner of the campus, where the sports fields were located, was a vast, open space that included soccer fields, basketball courts, and other athletic facilities, creating a clear and lively landscape.

During P.E. class, the athletic students were energetically engaged in various sports activities, sweating and exuding youthful energy and strength. The large sports field was filled with the lively sounds of their activity. However, when the crisp sound of the dismissal bell rang, the sweat-drenched but exhilarated students gradually left in groups, their laughter slowly fading from the now-emptier field.

The sycamore leaves, having been touched by frost, fell in a flurry, covering the ground in golden hues. Underneath one of the tall sycamore trees, a girl in a light green tracksuit was gulping down a bottle of water. Her bright, black eyes occasionally darted around, her lively gaze giving her otherwise plain face a burst of youthful energy.

After catching her breath, Lydia Moore took another large sip of water, her face still flushed from the exertion of her recent activity.

Although she had worked up quite a sweat earlier, Lydia Moore felt refreshed and invigorated after playing badminton. This feeling made her stretch out her arms, closing her eyes to savor the peaceful and serene atmosphere and the fresh scent of earth and trees in the air. Just as she was fully immersed in this pleasant state, a tall, lean figure suddenly vaulted over the high wall on the other side and landed gracefully on the golden sycamore-covered ground.

The sound of his landing caught Lydia Moore's attention, and she turned her head in curiosity. As their eyes met, both of them simultaneously let out a cry of surprise, "It's you—"

Why is it this idiot again? Aaron King frowned in annoyance, unwilling to believe that she had shown up at the most embarrassing moment. But he quickly recovered, pretending nonchalance as he barked out before she could fully react, "What are you doing here?"

"I just finished gym class, and I'm resting here," Lydia Moore replied, gesturing with the water bottle in her hand. Since his birthday, she had only heard from Ava Blue and others that he had been busy with magazine shoots and runway shows, and she hadn't seen him around campus much. She hadn't expected to run into him here today, and the unexpected encounter made her mood lift. However, there was one thing she couldn't figure out: "Why did you climb the wall?" she asked, blinking in confusion.

"None of your business! This young master just likes to exercise this way, alright? Idiot!" Aaron King shot back, trying to avoid the truth. D*mn it! Couldn't she just pretend nothing had happened? She really was a brainless fool.

Exercise? Lydia Moore was taken aback. Who exercises like that? Was he lying to her? But if he could easily scale such a high wall, he must have experience with this kind of "exercise." Sensing the intensity of his anger, Lydia quickly nodded in agreement, giving a sheepish smile. "Oh, I see, just exercising. I thought you were avoiding someone, haha."

But no sooner had she finished speaking than a voice that sent shivers down her spine rang out from not far away. Lydia Moore turned to see the source, and upon recognizing the person, she couldn't help but shudder in the autumn wind. Aaron King, standing beside her, looked thunderous, his fists clenched, veins bulging, as if barely restraining the urge to commit murder.

"Aaron King, I finally found you." A figure dressed in a strikingly red, sequined, tight-fitting top, red-framed glasses, and a silk scarf, with a face heavily made up with garish makeup, came running up to the scowling Aaron King, whining in a coquettish tone, "Why do you keep avoiding me? You made me search all over for you. If I hadn't gotten a map of your school, I wouldn't have found you." As the figure spoke, they playfully tapped Aaron King's chest, using the opportunity to sneak in a touch. After being pushed away several times, they pretended to be shy and averted their face, but their hands kept moving.

Lydia Moore felt like she was about to be suffocated by the overwhelming scent of perfume emanating from the figure. And the way they kept saying "I" in such a sickeningly sweet tone made Lydia's skin crawl. She repeatedly made gagging motions, trying to draw attention to herself, but the person flirting with Aaron King didn't seem to notice her existence at all. Realizing this, Lydia could only hang her head in despair. It seemed that Aaron King's charm extended far beyond just attracting women—he even had an unfortunate knack for drawing the attention of… others as well. Still, the sight of him being harassed, looking both flustered and embarrassed, was somewhat amusing.

"Get lost, you freak!" Aaron King finally snapped, shoving the person away as if they were something vile and repulsive, and indeed, rino's clingy antics had become more than he could bear. For the past week, rino had been hovering around him like a persistent fly, constantly trying to touch him, causing Aaron King to have nightmares every night. But no matter how many times he threatened, warned, or tried to get rid of him, rino remained undeterred, sticking to him like glue. Aaron felt like he was on the verge of being driven insane by this freak.

"I'm telling you for the last time: don't ever show your face in front of me again," Aaron King growled, his voice dripping with loathing, his eyes burning with an uncontrollable rage.

Despite being intimidated by Aaron King's dangerous aura, rino, with the resilience of a cockroach, stubbornly protested, "Aaron King, how can you tell me to leave? I'm your best assistant and partner! Who else in the fashion world is more professional than me?" rino boasted, the crow's feet around his eyes crinkling like blooming chrysanthemums. "Is there really anyone better suited for the job than me?" he asked confidently, a smug smile curling his overly red lips.

As rino asked this question, Lydia Moore couldn't shake the feeling that an ominous cloud had settled over her head. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she began inching sideways like a crab, hoping to quietly slip away from the impending disaster.