a smile on your face

The academy gradually regained its familiar rhythm as we returned to our daily lives. Hallways buzzed with students laughing, talking, and running late to class; professors resumed their lectures, warm sunlight gently filtering through tall windows, restoring a sense of normalcy. Yet, beneath the cheerful surface, subtle changes lingered—moments of quiet introspection, meaningful glances, and soft gestures that hinted at deeper emotions blossoming quietly in the background.

After classes ended, I found myself back in the Gardening Club alongside Lillian, Tessa, and Claire. The club garden was peaceful as ever, lush greenery thriving beneath our careful attention. Today, the gentle sunlight illuminated Lillian's pastel-pink hair, creating an almost ethereal glow as she hummed softly to herself, tending carefully to the blooming flowers.

Claire bounded up beside me, violet eyes bright with mischief. "Looks like someone's enjoying her daydream."

I rolled my eyes lightly. "Be nice."

"I am," Claire insisted, nudging my shoulder playfully. "You know, I missed times like these—peaceful, quiet, no monsters threatening to eat us."

Tessa sighed dramatically from nearby, brushing dark hair away from her sharp crimson eyes. "Claire, you're jinxing it again."

Claire scoffed, feigning offense. "I'll have you know my predictions are flawless. We're officially monster-free."

Tessa gave her an amused glance. "We'll see."

Lillian smiled warmly, glancing up from her flowers. Her eyes met mine gently. "I think we've earned a break from trouble."

Her gaze lingered softly, holding mine longer than usual, my heart fluttering lightly under her attentive warmth.

I quickly turned my attention back to the plants, cheeks faintly flushed. "Let's hope it stays that way."

A comfortable silence settled over us until Diana, gracefully poised as ever, approached the garden. Her golden-blonde hair shone radiantly under the sunlight, emerald eyes sparkling with mischief and calculation.

"Gardening again?" she asked, a gentle tease coloring her voice. "At this rate, you'll become experts."

Claire grinned brightly. "Of course! Student council presidents need hobbies too, Diana."

"As vice president," Diana replied smoothly, "I should remind you of our meeting tonight. You haven't forgotten, have you?"

Claire's eyes widened dramatically. "Of course not! …Maybe."

Diana sighed lightly, giving me an affectionate glance as she spoke. "I'll make sure she remembers. Perhaps you can spare Sera for the evening, ladies?"

Tessa arched a brow, lips quirking slightly. "Do we have a choice?"

"Not really," Diana admitted pleasantly.

I shook my head, smiling despite myself. "I'll be there."

"Wonderful." Diana smiled gracefully. "Until then."

She left as elegantly as she'd arrived, leaving the garden quieter, yet somehow warmer in her wake.

Claire exhaled exaggeratedly. "She's terrifyingly efficient, isn't she?"

"You chose her as your vice president," Tessa reminded dryly.

"I was naïve," Claire said with mock despair, before breaking into a bright laugh. "But I'll survive."

As evening fell, I tidied up the garden with Lillian, quietly enjoying the soft serenity. She glanced at me warmly, her eyes gentle beneath the fading daylight.

"Will you join me again tomorrow?" she asked softly, her tone quietly hopeful. "There's something special I wanted to show you—a flower that blooms only at twilight."

My heart skipped slightly, and I nodded warmly. "I'd love to."

Lillian's soft smile illuminated her expression. "I'll look forward to it, then."

We parted ways after tidying up, and I made my way toward the Student Council room. Diana was already there, seated gracefully at a table scattered with documents, books, and notes. She glanced up at my arrival, expression warm yet quietly calculating.

"You're early," she noted approvingly, voice gentle. "I appreciate that."

I took a seat beside her, smiling slightly. "Claire?"

"Late, obviously," Diana replied with quiet amusement. "Which means we have a moment to ourselves."

The gentle yet purposeful tone of her voice made my heartbeat quicken subtly. She held my gaze warmly, emerald eyes searching mine gently.

"Is everything alright?" I asked quietly, sensing a depth beneath her calm façade.

Diana hesitated briefly before speaking, her usual playful confidence softening into vulnerability. "I've been thinking, Sera… We've faced so much together lately, haven't we? It's made me realize how important certain things are—certain people."

My throat tightened gently as she continued, her voice softening further. "It seems I'm not as good at handling these matters as I thought. Especially when it comes to you."

Her words, honest and gently vulnerable, made my pulse quicken, the quiet intimacy between us growing warmer.

Before I could respond, the door burst open. Claire entered breathlessly, her arms filled with scrolls and documents, completely oblivious to the gentle tension in the room.

"I'm here!" she declared dramatically. "Sorry I'm late!"

Diana exhaled softly, slipping back into her usual composed demeanor, yet her eyes lingered warmly on mine for another heartbeat before returning her focus to Claire.

"Perfect timing," she said smoothly, though I sensed a faint regret in her voice. "Let's begin."

As we dove into council tasks, the quiet weight of Diana's almost-confession lingered in my chest. I glanced quietly toward her when she wasn't looking, wondering when she'd speak again, and if I'd have the courage to share my own feelings honestly in return.

But even amidst these gentle tensions, I couldn't help but feel comforted. Each subtle interaction, each lingering glance, every shared moment—it felt right. Slowly but surely, we were finding our footing in a new normal, richer and more meaningful than ever before.

For now, I let myself enjoy this warmth, trusting that, in time, we'd find the courage to embrace fully the deeper truths we each held within our hearts.

The days continued to flow by gently, the warm, peaceful rhythms of academy life gradually reestablishing themselves around us. Still, amid the routine, quiet moments of tender uncertainty lingered in my mind, adding layers of soft tension beneath the surface.

True to her word, Lillian met me at twilight the following day, her smile radiant yet softly shy as we stood together near the edge of the gardening club's lush flowerbeds.

"I've been looking forward to this," she said quietly, voice like music drifting softly through the evening air. "This flower is one of my favorites."

As the sun dipped lower, bathing everything in soft violet hues, I watched curiously as a small, unassuming flower began to open slowly, petals unfurling delicately, glowing softly under the last traces of daylight. My breath caught quietly in my throat.

"It's beautiful," I murmured, genuinely touched.

Lillian smiled gently, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. "It symbolizes hope, renewal, and quiet courage—qualities that remind me of you."

I felt heat softly rush to my cheeks, my heart fluttering lightly. "That's… that's too kind, Lillian."

Her emerald eyes met mine tenderly. "It's simply true."

Before I could respond, footsteps approached, breaking our quiet moment.

"There you two are," Camille called softly, her platinum-white hair shimmering in the gentle twilight as she stepped closer. Her calm gaze flickered briefly toward the softly glowing flower, warmth evident in her serene expression. "The Drama Club just finished our meeting, so I thought I'd join you."

"Glad you did," I replied softly, my heart steadying slightly. "How was your club?"

Camille smiled quietly. "Good, but busy. We're planning a performance soon—a play about the heroes of Fiore. It's a bit…strange, given recent events, but exciting nonetheless."

Lillian tilted her head, intrigued. "That sounds lovely. I'm sure you'll be perfect in whatever role you choose."

Camille's calm demeanor softened, a quiet blush coloring her pale cheeks. "Thank you. I'll do my best."

As we stood there quietly, Tessa approached, carrying a basket filled with carefully cut herbs. She paused, glancing at us curiously. "Did I interrupt something important?"

"Not at all," Lillian reassured gently. "We were just admiring this flower."

Tessa's crimson gaze settled softly on the delicate bloom. "It's rare. Not many people know about it."

Lillian nodded warmly. "My mother showed it to me long ago, when I was a child. She told me it bloomed only for those who genuinely seek it."

"Romantic," Tessa replied quietly, her voice slightly teasing yet genuinely appreciative. "But I can see the appeal."

Claire burst into view suddenly, waving excitedly, her dark hair bouncing energetically. "Hey! What are we all standing around for? Did something exciting happen?"

Tessa exhaled softly, shaking her head. "Claire, your timing is always impeccable."

Claire grinned brightly. "It's a talent!"

We laughed softly, tension easing comfortably. As the twilight darkened gently around us, the quiet moment turned playful and warm, each girl sharing their stories and laughter, the closeness of the group filling me with gentle warmth.

Later that evening, I wandered alone through the quiet halls back toward my dorm. Moonlight poured softly through windows, the academy now quiet, peaceful. A familiar figure stood quietly near one of the large windows overlooking the courtyard, illuminated gently by the moon's glow.

"Diana?" I asked softly, approaching slowly.

She glanced toward me, emerald eyes thoughtful yet warm. "Sera."

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, sensing the quiet contemplation behind her gaze.

She exhaled gently, smiling faintly. "I'm just thinking. With everything we've faced recently, it feels strangely surreal to have moments like these—quiet and peaceful."

I nodded softly, stepping closer. "I know. Sometimes it feels like any moment, something could disrupt it again."

Diana gently turned to face me fully, her eyes reflecting quiet vulnerability. "Does that scare you?"

I hesitated briefly, voice quiet but sincere. "Yes. Because now, I have too much to lose."

Her gaze softened deeply, understanding coloring her expression as she stepped gently toward me, closing the distance between us. Her voice lowered to a quiet murmur, the intimacy of her words resonating softly through me.

"Then, perhaps that means you finally found where you belong."

My pulse quickened softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe I have."

Silence settled gently, soft moonlight washing over us, highlighting the tender warmth in her emerald eyes.

Before either of us could speak further, faint footsteps echoed softly down the hall. Diana stepped back slightly, composed once more, yet her eyes lingered warmly upon mine.

Claire appeared soon after, carrying a heavy stack of books and scrolls, completely oblivious to the gentle tension.

"Oh, there you are! Perfect timing," she announced cheerfully. "I was looking everywhere!"

Diana shook her head softly, smiling despite herself. "Your sense of timing remains impeccable, Claire."

Claire grinned brightly. "I keep hearing that."

We walked back together, Diana quietly at my side, occasionally sharing meaningful glances that warmed my chest deeply.

Returning to our dormitory, Claire stretched dramatically, yawning. "Tomorrow's going to be busy. We have more festival planning to do."

I glanced warmly toward her. "I'm looking forward to it."

As I settled into bed later, the day's quiet yet meaningful interactions replayed gently in my mind. The gentle tension, quiet confessions, subtle gestures—each moment deepened the quiet certainty in my heart.

The road ahead still held uncertainty, challenges, and perhaps more secrets lurking quietly beneath our peaceful days. Yet tonight, I let myself trust the warmth around me, gently comforted by the knowledge that whatever came next, I wouldn't face it alone.

Because, for the first time, I truly believed—this was exactly where I belonged.