Chapter 19: The Veil of Desire

I blinked, the edges of the classroom blurring as reality unraveled once again. My heart raced, already dreading what might come next. The last world, gluttony, had been a feast that left me hollow, its shadowy hunger still lingering. Now, another darkness was pulling me in, and I had no choice but to follow.

As the world around me reformed, I found myself standing in a dimly lit room bathed in crimson hues. Heavy velvet drapes covered the walls, the air thick with the scent of perfume and candle wax. The flickering light played across rich tapestries, casting shadows that seemed to move and breathe, dancing along the plush, dark carpeting.

I glanced down and felt my breath hitch—my school uniform was gone. Instead, I wore finely tailored clothes, dark and sleek, with a collar that felt too tight against my skin. I shifted, uncomfortable, hyper-aware of the fabric brushing against me. Every sense seemed heightened, every touch and scent sharper, as if the very air around me was charged with something electric.

A quiet murmur reached my ears, and I turned, spotting a figure near the far wall. Another me, leaning against the velvet-lined wall, gazing at himself in a gilded mirror. This Takeru looked… different. His hair was styled just so, his shirt unbuttoned just enough to suggest an easy, careless confidence. He moved with an unnatural grace, like every step was calculated, every look intentional.

He noticed me, a smirk curling on his lips. "Finally. I was wondering when you'd show up," he drawled, his voice soft and smooth, almost hypnotic.

I took a step back, feeling an immediate urge to keep my distance. "What is this place?" I asked, my voice wavering.

The other Takeru chuckled, pushing off the wall and approaching with a leisurely confidence that unsettled me. "This, my dear shadow, is where desires are given form, where every longing finds a home." His eyes gleamed, a knowing look that made my skin prickle.

I swallowed, forcing myself to hold his gaze. "Desires? You mean… lust."

He laughed, the sound low and mocking. "Don't be so quick to simplify it. Lust isn't just about… you know." He waved a hand dismissively. "It's the hunger for connection, the craving for validation. It's the need to be seen, to be wanted, to have someone look at you like you're the only person in the room."

His words made something in me recoil. I felt a strange, hollow ache open up, a longing I hadn't acknowledged before. This Takeru was… magnetic, charming in a way I'd never allowed myself to be. He embodied everything I kept buried, the parts of myself that yearned to be noticed, to be admired.

"Don't pretend you don't feel it," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "The desire to be more than just a shadow. You spend so much time looking at others, feeling envy and anger, but deep down… you want them to look back at you, don't you?"

I shook my head, backing away. "That's not true. I don't need that."

He tilted his head, his gaze sharp and piercing. "Oh? Then why are you here, hmm?" He reached out, his hand brushing against my shoulder, and I felt a surge of something—intensity, longing, desperation—all at once. It was intoxicating and terrifying, a desire that threatened to pull me under.

I forced myself to step back, wrenching free from his touch. "This isn't me. You're just another version—a twisted reflection. I don't need to be seen by anyone else. I'm fine being… alone."

The other Takeru's eyes darkened, a dangerous glint flickering in them. "You think you're so noble, don't you? Always denying yourself, hiding in the shadows, pretending you don't want the things everyone else craves. But it's a lie, Takeru. You're only human. And humans need connection."

His words hit me like a physical blow, dredging up memories I'd tried to ignore. The loneliness I kept hidden, the hollow ache of always being on the outside, watching others form bonds I couldn't bring myself to seek. He was right—I did feel it, that hunger, that desire to be seen, to be known.

But that didn't mean I had to surrender to it.

"You're wrong," I said, my voice steadier now. "Yes, I feel it. I want those things. But not like this. Not at the cost of who I am."

The other Takeru's expression shifted, disappointment flickering across his face. He took a step back, his confident facade faltering for just a moment, a crack in his perfect veneer. "Fine," he said softly, almost sadly. "Run from it if you want. Deny yourself the chance to feel alive. But you'll regret it. Someday, you'll realize that denying your desires only leaves you empty."

As he spoke, the room began to fade, the rich crimson hues dissolving into shadows. His figure blurred, melting into the darkness, but his words lingered, echoing in the empty space.

---

I blinked, my surroundings shifting back to the classroom, the familiar sight of desks and students grounding me. Piku was there, laughing with his friends, his face bright and open, unguarded in a way I could never bring myself to be.

For a brief moment, I felt a pang of something sharp and bittersweet. I'd returned to my own reality, but the emptiness left by the lust world remained, a reminder of the desires I kept hidden, the longing I'd buried deep.

This time, I was finally back to my original timeline, the root of envy. And I was ready to face it.