15: The Quiet NPC

I continue to look at Raven from the distance as Rogue is next to me.'This train ride feels longer.' I think to myself as I sigh heavily.I look out the window as the train continues its journey, my thoughts shifting from Raven's description of her ideal type.'Can be boring, as long as they're genuine, huh? Do I know any other guys in the school? None of these love interests really match cause they always got something going on.'It's just then that we finally reach our stop. I look around quickly for Raven, and she takes off so I follow behind her.As we both got out the train, I noticed that Rogue remained inside.'Huh.. I guess he only follows her until here.' I assumed before turning back to Raven."Oh yeah, how's your club exhibition going on? Were you able to paint something?" Raven asked.And as she looked at me with a curious gaze I start to grin, the art club in mind and Axel who passed all the work to me."Hehe, you'll see. " I say confidently as we make our way to school together.Time flies by and I meet Axel in the hallway while me and Raven are on our designated lockers.While his fangirls were at the side letting him change his shoes, he gasped and looked at me with surprise."HUH?! What do you mean you're quitting art club?!" Axel said, his surprised expression making me more eager as I rest my hands on my hips."Ya heard me! I. Quit." I said confidently once again, everyone in shock with my decision."E-estelle..?" Raven is also shocked with my decision and I turn to her as I smile."Let's go to class, Raven." I happily said as I brush my long blonde hair away with contentedness."H-huh--? Uh, sure." Raven follows alongside me and we both left Axel dumbfounded on the hallway.As we make our way to our next class, Raven glances at me curiously."Estelle, why did you decide to quit the art club all of a sudden?" She asks, breaking the silence between us.I take a moment to think about her question before responding."Cause the club president sucks." I say as I diss Axel."..." Raven was taken aback but soon enough she cracks in a smile."Well, I guess that's one way to put it." She chuckles as she and I laugh together.We continue walking to class while laughing.Time flies by as we remain in the classroom listening to the teacher discussing, though as I remain quiet I was actually thinking of any potential love interest for Raven.A new love interest that could be better than any of the supposed love interest in the game.'All these male classmates here are barely a character I can even understand. It'll take too long for me to even try to get to know them, and somehow they always just avoid me. Seriously, is my role as a support character that low?' I sigh.As I stretch, my pen rolls off the desk and before I could pick it up, someone did for me as it rolled to their direction."..." It was Nero, the quiet NPC who I worked over the group project with."Oh, thanks." I said with a smile and he just nods and goes on to listen in class again.'Huh, he doesn't really talk much but he's a nice guy.' I think to myself as I look at him before turning my gaze back to the pen I'm holding.'Wait, hold on. Boring guy who seems genuine. Ah! ' I turn back to face Nero, his expression neutral as he is listening in class.'I think I found a new love interest for Raven!' I clench my fist proudly as I smile at the thought."..." Yet, somehow as I loosened my grip, I start to feel a wave of emotion in me.As I think back to Raven smiling at me, I look down to my desk.'Come on, she's a game character heroine, meant to have a happy ending with someone else in the same world as her.''Don't think about anything else.' I take a deep breath before exhaling slowly.I let the time pass on and when lunch time came around for the second bell, I go on over to Nero."...?" Nero looked at me in confusion, still not speaking."Hey, Nero. I see you're always alone so.. wanna eat lunch together with me and my friend Raven?" I asked him and he appears to just be blinking, his expression still neutral."Estelle, are we going to the cafeteria or.. what?" Raven approaches me as I remain standing in front of Nero who's still sitting."Erhm, here. This is Raven, one of our classmates. Do you remember her?" I asked as I continue to keep an optimistic smile."..." Raven and Nero looked at each other in silence as I try to play match maker on them."Estelle, are you bothered with something?" Raven asks."Ah-- well.. I just.. you see, me and Nero worked in our pair project over our professor last week, right? And well, he and I are.. umm, well we aren't exactly friends yet so I wanna get to know him!" I say as I try to hide my nervousness."... " Nero still seems neutral with everything that's going on."Well, if you say so." Raven seems adamant on my explanation but goes on to greet Nero. "Hi." She says softly, not showing much interest in him.I fake a cough and put my hands on my hips together as I smile at them. "Let's go together!" I say optimistically.Me, Raven and Nero walk together to the cafeteria and all I could think about is how awkward the atmosphere is as we are walking down the hallway together, passing by a few other students enjoying their break.'This is okay, right? An NPC and a heroine? Well, who knows. It's better than nothing! It'll be lonely if Raven is left alone again with no happy ending, so Nero can just be my second option here for her. Friend to lovers would work well for them!' I think over as I look up and down to Nero.His purple hair and his bangs blocking his sight.'I need to do something about him though.. ' I think to myself and as I ponder, I clear my throat as we arrived at the cafeteria together."Say! What will you order Raven?" I ask her."Hmm.. I guess I can go for some fried chicken." Raven answers softly as she's looking at the food displayed at the front."What about you, Nero?" I asked and looked back at Nero.Nero appears to already be paying for his meal as he's on the line.'T-this guy.. is he really just going on like a mindless NPC with no regards to me and Raven being around him?! He should've at least said something! That was so rude!' I frowned at him as he appears to make his way to the line."Guess we should go in line too." Raven says as she walks to Nero and make her way to pay her meal as well.'Well, at least Raven doesn't seem offended by it.' I sigh in relief.After we got our meals, I make sure to follow where Nero will sit, and it just happens to have two three empty seats.Raven takes a seat on the edge and just when Nero was about to the the other side, I made sure to be faster and sit there instead."Go on, Nero. Take a seat here." I say with a soft smile, being as friendly as I can and Nero just goes on to sit in the middle of me and Raven."This is great, yeah! The more the merrier!" I laugh as I try to keep the optimism going."You seem to be energetic today, huh?" Raven asked as she leans to the side, looking at me."A-am I? Well, that's not a bad thing though, right?" I respond as I lean to the side as well to look back at Raven.As Nero is in between us, he continues to eat, completely stoic and unbothered."S-say, Nero.. are you in any clubs?" I asked him."He's part of the student council, you know?" Raven says as she goes on to eat her meal."Eh?" I froze in shock."..." Silence filled the area and all I could do was stare in shock.As Raven swallows her food, she replies again. "He's the vice president of the student council."'H-how could I know something that's not part of the game!' I argued internally but as I did that I remembered a brief mention of the vice president Nero during a Nomase route."Nomase: Nero usually handles the papers when I'm not around, so it's okay to take my time. He's a vice president for a reason."'No, wait.. he did!''How am I supposed to know that when he's such a minimal character- no, more minimal than me!'I go on to take a bite on my meal as I hide my embarrassment."Haha.. my bad.. I guess I've just been stressing lately..?" I said as a chuckle nervously."... I guess the art club really got to you, huh?" Raven says worriedly.'Well, not really. I barely participated in it. But, whatever. I'll take that.' I think to myself as I play along."Yeah, that's right. The club president would always pass the work to me!""He must've just been slacking off, always letting the fanclub members in the clubroom and even announcing things in just one go with no regard for feedback."'Why did all of her assumptions just now had to be so detailed?' I think to myself as I chuckle nervously."... He passed his work on you?" Nero asks.In that short moment, I froze.Raven looks back at Nero as he appears to finally be talking."Yeah, he went to the classroom last Friday and told it to Estelle himself that she'll handle the club exhibition painting." Raven answers as she keeps a firm expression."..." I can only watch as the two converses."I see." Nero replies softly, his expression still stoic but at least he is finally talking back."There, there she is." A loud voice was heard from the side and when all three of us looked back, we see Axel tailed by a bunch of girls and Nomase.'Wha.. what the heck is going on now?!' I panicked internally as all the attention is on me and Axel who are face to face with each other."Estelle Zeller, huh? We meet again." Nomase says with a gentle tone, his gaze stoic like Nero's.'Are all student council members just this soulless and robotic?' I think to myself and fake a cough."U-umm, what brought you here, president?" I asked, unable to hide my anxiety from the tone of my voice."Axel Slyvius here mentioned that you have quitted the Art club. Now, doing that at the start of the school year with no proper meeting with the club president isn't a professional action to be taken at all." Nomase says with a calm expression."It's that girl! The one that announced it first thing in the morning without letting Axel even process things!" One of the girls said, clearly on Axel's side as he crosses his arms and looks at me with a victim-like expression."I was already dealing with the papers for the club exhibition and she just bailed on me." Axel says.'This guy...! ' I feel the rage in me seeping through as I glare at him."You.. you dumped all the responsibilities--" Before Raven could finish, Nomase speaks up again."It is a member's responsibility to comply on these things, and seeing as Axel himself is handling the paperwork, it is only proper for you, Estelle Zeller to do your part." Nomase says with a cold expression."... Tch. " I clenched my fist tightly.'What do I do? What do I do?' I feel cornered as the stares on me grows heavy, and before I could come up with any excuses to say, Nero gets off from his seat."Estelle already informed me on this." Nero says, his eyes showing as he keeps a serious gaze."..." Nomase seemed taken aback as Nero speaks up.'Nero.. ' I watched him take a step, face to face with Nomase as he repeats his words."Estelle already informed me about this, so.. I suggest we don't draw more attention to ourselves. We are in a public cafeteria. Guessing from the club president who always seem to publicly announce things, I suggest it would be wise as the president to keep the matters private, is it not?" Nero adds.Nomase finally speaks up after a moment of silence, his voice now calm and professional. "I see. Your point is valid, Nero." He says, acknowledging Nero's words."In that case, I believe we should discuss this matter privately. Perhaps after school?" Nomase says, his tone indicating that he will not accept any further discussion in the cafeteria."A-ah.. but.. " Axel was rendered speechless as he looks back at Nomase who he informed about my decision to quit abruptly this morning.Nomase holds up a hand to Axel, silently motioning for him to hush."Axel, it's clear that this situation requires a more private discussion." Nomase says, his voice firm but composed.Axel, feeling defeated and out of place, remains silent and glares at me with a look of annoyance."Fine." He mutters under his breath."Good. Then it's settled. After school in the student council office, we'll discus this further there." Nomase says, his gaze shifting from Axel to me."O-okay.." I reply softly as I watch Nomase turn away.As Nomase, Axel and his fangirls leave, a mix of relief and anxiety wash over me. Raven looked over at me, a worried expression on her face, while Nero remained quiet, his stoic expression unchanged.'I guess bringing Nero along was the right call.' I think over as I take a breath of relief.TO BE CONTINUED