Chapter 1.3 : Meeting The Original Protagonist

The next day, Joey's usual routine felt a little different. He had been making strides with Rael, but there was a nagging feeling that he was missing something important. Rael's walls were cracking, bit by bit, but Joey knew there was more to the story. If he was going to help Rael heal, he needed to understand his past—everything about it.

It was during lunch when he met them—the original protagonist and heroine.

Scene 1: The Encounter

Joey sat down at his usual spot in the cafeteria, his eyes scanning the room as he unwrapped his sandwich. As always, he spotted Rael at the far end of the cafeteria, sitting alone with his book. But today, something else caught his eye—two figures approaching Rael's table.

The first was a guy, tall with messy brown hair, dressed casually yet with an air of confidence that screamed "leader." The second was a girl, her long hair flowing behind her as she laughed softly at something the guy said. She was beautiful, with an aura of elegance, and Joey immediately recognized them.

They were the original protagonist and heroine—the ones whose fates, in the original plot, had been intertwined with Rael's.

The girl was Maya, the female protagonist, and the guy was Rishi, the male protagonist, who had once been close to Rael.

Scene 2: The Unspoken Tension

Joey watched as Rishi and Maya approached Rael's table, their smiles bright, but there was an undercurrent of something uncomfortable in their interactions. The way Rael stiffened when they sat down—his posture tense and guarded—spoke volumes.

Rishi and Maya greeted him with warmth, but Rael's response was polite and distant. Joey could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging between them, the history they shared clearly not all sunshine and rainbows.

Joey's curiosity got the better of him, and without thinking, he stood up and walked over to the table. He hesitated for a moment before he cleared his throat.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" Joey asked, giving them a friendly smile.

Maya turned to him first, her expression neutral but not unkind. "Oh, Joey. No, go ahead."

Rishi, on the other hand, eyed Joey with an unreadable expression. There was a subtle flicker in his gaze, something that Joey couldn't quite place, but it was enough to make him wary.

"Thanks," Joey said, sitting down next to Rael. He gave Rael a quick glance, but Rael didn't even acknowledge him. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on his plate, and his fingers drummed anxiously against the edge of the table.

Joey, sensing the tension, decided to break the ice. "So, what's up, guys? Rael, still reading that book?"

Rael's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't respond. Maya smiled faintly, clearly trying to bridge the awkward gap. "He's always reading," she said, her tone light. "I think it's his way of escaping everything around him."

Joey nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I get that. Sometimes it's easier to just lose yourself in a good story than deal with everything else."

Rishi's gaze flickered toward Joey, and there was something about the way he looked at him that made Joey pause. "You're getting close to Rael, huh?" Rishi said, his tone casual, but there was an edge to it.

Joey felt his pulse quicken slightly, but he kept his smile in place. "I'm just trying to be friendly. He's a quiet guy, but I think there's more to him than people give him credit for."

Maya nodded, but there was a shadow in her eyes. "You're right. Rael has always been a little... different. He's not like the rest of us. He carries a lot of weight with him."

Joey glanced at Rael, who was still silent, his gaze distant. "I can tell," Joey said softly. "But I think he's stronger than he lets on."

The conversation drifted, but Joey couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he wasn't being told. He could sense that Rael's connection with Rishi and Maya was far more complicated than he had realized. And that was saying something, considering the tragedy in Rael's past.

Scene 3: An Unanswered Question

As lunch came to an end, Joey walked with Rael toward the exit, trying to keep the atmosphere light. He wanted to ask Rael more, to dig deeper into what had happened between him and the original characters, but he didn't want to push him too hard.

"So, those two... Rishi and Maya," Joey began casually, glancing sideways at Rael. "You guys seem pretty familiar with each other."

Rael's posture stiffened, but he didn't say anything. Joey waited, but it was clear that Rael wasn't going to open up about it.

"They're... important to you, aren't they?" Joey pressed gently.

Rael stopped in his tracks and looked at Joey, his eyes full of something—hurt, maybe. "Not anymore," he said quietly, before walking off without another word.

Scene 4: The Reflection

Joey stood there for a moment, the weight of Rael's words sinking in. There was so much more to their story than he had realized. Rishi and Maya's presence had stirred something in Rael—something painful. The walls were still up, but Joey felt even more determined now. He needed to understand Rael's past to help him find the happiness he deserved.

Later that night, Joey sat in his room, mulling over the conversation. Rael had never once spoken about his family, and now, the complicated relationships with Rishi and Maya were adding another layer to his mystery.

Joey's heart ached for Rael. The more he learned, the more he realized that fixing Rael's heart wasn't going to be as simple as it seemed.

But Joey wasn't going to back down. He had his mission, and he was going to see it through—no matter what it took.