17: Axel Slyvius

After exiting the student council room, I notice Raven waiting patiently outside. I approach her with a curious expression on my face, wondering why she's here."Hey, Raven." I greet her, my voice tinged with curiosity. "Were you waiting for me?""Of course I am. We'll be walking home together, remember? Well...? Did it went well?" Raven says as she appears to be worried on what happened in the student council office.I smile reassuringly at Raven and nod, trying to ease her concern."Yeah, it went okay... Axel has been suspended as president because of his negligence, and I... well, I actually quit the art club."I pause for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "It just didn't feel right to stay, you know?""It didn't feel right?" Raven mutters softly. " Why's that? Did someone told you that you don't belong there? Are you being bullied again?"I shake my head and hurry to reassure her."No, no... it's nothing like that, I swear. It's just that, I don't think I'm really cut out for the art club, you know? I can't paint or draw like the old.. me did. It just wasn't the same."I pause for a moment, my expression becoming wistful."And... I don't want to tarnish that..""..!" Raven seemed to be in awe with what I said but I was too busy looking away.I avoid direct eye contact, feeling a mix of embarrassment and resignation."Yeah.. you understand, right? I can't just live up to some version of me that I don't even remember.."I let out a heavy sigh, my shoulders slumping."What do you mean by that?" Raven asked, silence filling the hallway before Axel storms out abruptly and glares down at me before walking away.Nomase sighs as he leaves the office."U-umm, we'll be taking our leave now." The former art club members say before looking at me."It's great to see someone with the courage to speak up to the issue. Thank you for letting us help you. " They say and walk away as Nero exits as well."Estelle, you'll be signing some paper for leaving the art club room. So be sure not to forget that. " Nero reminds me as he looks at me with the same stoic expression.I nod at Nero, acknowledging his reminder."I won't forget. Thanks, Nero."After the other people leave, I turn to Nomase, noticing his gaze on me."Umm.. thank you for your time." I mutter."Your welcome, Estelle Zeller." Nomase states, he's just as stoic as Nero.I fidget a bit under Nomase's unwavering stare, feeling a tad intimidated by his stoic demeanor."I guess I'll get going then." I say, mustering up a small smile."Umm.. you with the black hair." Nomase calls out to Raven who is beside me."Yes..?" Raven tilts her head to the side as she looks back at Nomase after she pauses for a moment."I.. apologize for my past behavior on the gate.. about the skirt length and such. It took me awhile to realize that even a friend of mine had the same thing going on, but either way. I showed a unprofessional behavior towards you in front of everyone. Again, I apologize. " Nomase says softly as he looks at her with a serious expression."... " Raven remains quiet as she looks down at Nomase.I look back and forth between Nomase and Raven, surprised by Nomase's unexpected apology. His serious facade seemed to soften for a moment, making him appear more human. I remain silent, letting the two sort out their brief conflict."It's okay. You already apologized that day. Are you gonna keep apologizing to me when you see me?" Raven says with a neutral expression as she speaks softly.Nomase's expression doesnt change, but his eyes narrow slightly as he responds."No. I just.. felt it necessary to reiterate my apology, considering how I acted."He pauses for a moment before continuing. "And... thank you for graciously accepting the apology. I won't be bothersome again."Before Raven can turn away again to walk out, Nomase speaks up again."Actually, just one more thing..." Nomase adds hastily, catching Raven off guard.Raven looks back at Nomase, her expression remaining neutral, while I shift slightly, curious to see what Nomase is about to say.'He won't confess here or say something like 'You are pretty' right? No, that would be too out of character of him, haha..' I think to myself as I watch the two together."Will you.. allow me to know your name?" Nomase asks, his serious gaze fixed on Raven.'RIGHT. THEY NEVER EVEN EXCHANGED EACH OTHER'S NAME. Raven is the only one who knows his name.' I internally say to myself as I look at Raven who is staring at Nomase.Raven hesitates for a moment, contemplating her response. She then finally speaks up, her voice soft yet confident."It's Raven. You can call me Raven."A faint smile tugs at Nomase's lips for a moment before he regains his stoic expression."Raven.." Nomase repeats her name, as if testing the sound of it. "It fits you."Raven nods, a hint of a smile appears on her face before it disappears just as quickly. We stand there in a moment of silence, but I can sense an almost electric charge between them, as if a silent understanding has been reached.As me and Raven walks away from Nomase, I couldn't help but overthink again.'I guess it's fine to just let them end things in good terms, right? But, Nomase asked her name. That means he's probably eager to meet her again. God, I remember that one scene where he announced her name to make her head to the student council office just to see her. It really made Maxine upset and bully the heroine herself.' I think to myself, worried for Raven if she does end up choosing to be with Nomase."Say.. Raven, what do you.. think of Nomase?" I asked her."Hard to trust." Raven answers almost instantly."Eh? Why do you think that? You've only met him twice.""He seems to be the type to get swayed by other people's opinion. Those are the types of people I don't really understand. " Raven adds to her explanation as we continue walking down the hallway and reaching the classroom.Raven and I proceed to get our school bags as we are alone together.'Huh, I guess the incident at the gate really got her to get a sense of what he is in the future. But, I see. The heroine herself with her own mindset is pretty relieving to hear.' I sigh in relief."I see..." I reply thoughtfully to Raven's assessment of Nomase. I can understand her sentiment."Yeah, he doesn't seem very easy to read. You have a knack for reading people's character, don't you?" I say, smiling slightly at Raven.We finish gathering our items and head on out the classroom to walk to the hallway and outside the school building."What about you, Estelle? What do you think of Nomase?" Raven asks in return.I shrug, my expression thoughtful."Well, he does come off as a bit... distant and reserved, which makes it harder to really know what he's thinking. But at the same time, he doesn't seem like a bad person. Just.. different."I pause, then chuckle softly.'Although the Nomase in the game who plays a love interest role for Raven is frustrating, there are times he did try to side with her. If.. no one was interfering, maybe.. maybe Nomase would have been the ending Raven deserves to get.' I think to myself.Slowly, feeling a slight heartache inside me.'Just thinking of Nomase and Raven makes me feel.. odd. Come on.. you're not a love interest, she's a heroine in her own game. Don't even think of anything.' I convince myself internally as I walk together with Raven out the school building."Are you okay?" Raven asks me as she leans to look at my expression.I blink a few times, realizing I had spaced out for a moment. Then, I look at Raven's concerned expression and quickly smile."Yeah, I'm fine. Just got lost in thought for a second, sorry." I reassure her, hoping she won't notice my momentary unease."You know, on another topic..." Raven says as we continue walking side by side through the school gates until we reach the sidewalk outside of the school. Her tone is light, but there's a hint of curiosity in her eyes, as she looks at me."Can I ask you something?" Raven asks, her voice soft.I nod curiously. "Sure, go ahead. What's on your mind?" I reply, looking back at her with a smile.Raven takes a moment to gather her thoughts, her expression becoming a bit more serious. "It's about Axel..."I furrow my brow, confused and a bit concerned by the mention of Axel's name."Axel? What about him?" I ask, curious to hear what Raven has to say.Raven hesitates for a moment before continuing."Well... it's about his reaction earlier."She glances at me, gauging my reaction. "He seemed pretty.. upset."I nod slowly, understanding what she's referring to. "Yeah, he didn't take it too well when I told him I wanted to quit the art club."I let out a sigh, remembering the tension in the room. "He got all defensive and angry."Raven nods, her expression thoughtful. "Yeah, I noticed that. But it was more than just being defensive.. he looked almost.."She pauses, searching for the right word. "Panicked."I knit my brows together, surprised by her observation. "Panicked? What do you mean? Like... he didn't want me to quit?"I think back to the way Axel acted, his agitated demeanor and his insistence on me staying in the club. It did seem a little over the top.Raven nods, her eyes widening slightly as she puts together her thoughts."Yeah, that's what it looked like to me. Like.. he was really worried about something. I don't know, it just seemed like there was more to his reaction than simple disappointment."She glances at me again, looking as if she had more to say.I pause for a moment, mulling over Raven's observations. It made sense, considering Axel's behavior. He did seem unusually adamant about me staying in the club."You may be onto something..." I say slowly, my tone contemplative. "But... why would he act like that? What could be so important about me staying in the art club?"Raven shrugs, looking slightly puzzled herself. "I'm not sure. But from the way he acted, it was like losing you as a member was going to be a big deal. Like, really big."She frowns slightly, obviously just as confused as I am.Axel's POV'I listened to it.''To the screen that tells me to do my job.''I try to distract myself from it by talking to every other people I come across.''It was an ominous warning.''Don't let the pretender out of your sight.''Who was it?'Thinking back to Estelle who started behaving differently, I concluded to that.And yet, I failed to that ominous warning."What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?" I panicked as I walk back and forth in the empty hallway in school.But as I get restless, I heard it again.The same sound where the message would appear in my head.'You have failed your role.'"W-why.. is this happening to me?" I mutter to myself as I gripped tightly onto my pants.'Do you wish to redeem yourself?'"Redeem.. myself?" I say softly as I look at the screen.'I don't understand any of this. But, deep down, I think I knew. I'll be killed if I don't comply to what it says.'I look down, feeling all the nerves in my system panicking."I.. I wish to.. redeem." I answered weakly, and before I knew it.Everything froze.I was no longer myself.Axel's? POV"Hm.." I look at my hands, my body that I now possess and the empty hallway."I guess in the end, I'll have to just do everything myself." I mutter to myself as I walk in the hallway.The reflection in the window showing a glimpse of my new identity.The new Axel Slyvius.A character I had once created.A failure.In order to get what I want to this world, I have to do it all myself."My dear heroine. I'll give you, your perfect ending."TO BE CONTINUED