Chapter 22- Campus tour

The gentle tapping of Lucien's finger against the leather-bound book reverberated in the stillness of his room. Each tap was steady, almost hypnotic, filling the silence with a rhythmic pulse. The late afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the polished wood floors, while a faint scent of aged paper and ink lingered in the air.

Chapter 2: Blooming Love

Noah's life at the academy progressed exactly as he had dreamed. For the first time, he felt genuine happiness, as though he finally had the life he had always yearned for. Though his relationships with Lucien and Jane remained as distant as ever, Noah had found a source of comfort elsewhere: Theodore.

Noah had always been the kind to blindly trust anyone who offered him even a shred of affection, and this time was no different. Theodore, with his calculated charm, seemed to care for him—or at least acted the part convincingly.

Whatever might have been running through Theodore's mind, his actions provided Noah with the sense of belonging he desperately craved. Noah felt as if he were living a dream, a blissful, weightless existence.

But dreams, as beautiful as they are, can quickly become nightmares. That was his greatest mistake.

Lucien's finger stilled mid-tap, hovering above the smooth surface of the book. His golden eyes narrowed, the faintest flicker of disinterest coloring his expression as he studied the text. He released a quiet sigh, his slender finger running along the arch of his brow nonchalantly.

'Why am I even bothering to read about someone else's romantic escapades?' he mused, a faint, humorless smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The idea was as absurd as it was tedious.

Leaning back in his seat, Lucien resumed reading, his sharp eyes skimming over the next section.

Theodore and Noah's bond only deepened with each passing day. Slowly but surely, the sly boy became the one Noah trusted the most, following his every word with an almost childlike obedience.

Noah, with his unguarded innocence and unyielding admiration, became the perfect marionette. Theodore's commands were the strings, and Noah followed willingly, unaware of how tightly he was being controlled.

Their growing closeness did not go unnoticed by Jane. If she had harbored a hatred for Noah before, that feeling now burned even fiercer within her. To Jane, Noah's presence threatened everything she believed belonged to her by right. And Jane was not one to watch idly by while someone else claimed what she had always considered her own.

Lucien's brow lifted slightly, his golden eyes glinting with faint amusement as he leaned back further against the chair. The corners of his lips twitched, forming a quiet, sardonic smile.

"Jane likes Theodore, huh? Well, that's unexpected," he murmured to himself, his voice low and laced with sarcasm.

His finger began tapping again, this time slower, more deliberate, as though he were piecing together the drama in his mind. The room was silent except for the faint echo of his rhythmic taps and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

His gaze flicked toward the clock, its steady ticking reminding him of the task ahead.

With a quiet sigh, he snapped the book shut and set it down on the desk, its weight landing with a soft thud.

He gracefully rose from his seat and adjusted his coat with measured movements, the fluidity of his actions exuding an air of effortless composure.

Today, he had the task of showing Noah around the campus. The thought didn't fill him with excitement, but it was a duty he would carry out without complaint.

With one last glance at the closed book resting undisturbed on the table, Lucien turned and stepped out, leaving the room in serene silence.

- - - - - - -

Dressed in his neatly pressed clothes, Lucien arrived at the academic building. The faint shine of his polished shoes caught the light with each step, echoing softly against the cobblestone pathway. The campus was unusually quiet, the typical hustle of students absent due to the holiday.

Aside from a few students scattered here and there, mostly heading toward the library to study, the campus felt almost deserted. The occasional rustle of leaves or the distant echo of footsteps was all that broke the stillness.

Lucien's path was deliberate, leading him straight to the main garden where he had instructed Noah to meet him. The manicured hedges lined the stone pathway, their edges trimmed with meticulous precision, and the fountain at the garden's center bubbled softly, its water sparkling under the sunlight.

As he neared the designated spot, Lucien's sharp golden eyes caught sight of a familiar small frame seated on a wooden bench beneath a sprawling oak tree. The boy sat quietly under the shade, his gaze fixed on a small flock of birds pecking at the ground nearby.

The sunlight filtering through the tree's canopy dappled his pale skin, making him appear even more delicate.

Lucien approached silently, his presence announced only by the subtle click of his shoes on the cobblestones. "I hope you didn't wait long," he said, his deep voice carrying effortlessly in the stillness. His shadow stretched long over Noah, enveloping the boy's smaller form.

Noah looked up quickly, his crimson eyes lighting with recognition. "Brother…" he murmured, standing up almost too hastily. "Not at all, I just arrived."

Lucien's gaze swept over the timid boy, who was dressed in a crisp white shirt with a ruffled collar, neatly tucked into pale beige trousers.

His eyes landed on the paper bag Noah held tightly, its pastel green surface marked with elegant gold script: La Petite Brioche.

'Ah, the shop Theodore mentioned a few days ago,' Lucien recalled.

His eyes lingered on the bag for a moment before shifting back to Noah, who stood awkwardly, his head slightly bowed. From his vantage point, Lucien noticed the boy's long lashes fluttering nervously, casting faint shadows against his pale cheeks.

"Alright, let's start from the auditorium. Follow me," Lucien instructed, turning briskly on his heel.

Noah scurried after him, his hurried steps unsteady, like a small animal trying to keep pace with a larger one.

The auditorium was their first stop, an expansive hall with high vaulted ceilings and polished wooden floors that gleamed under the soft natural light streaming through tall windows. Lucien gestured toward the stage and the rows of seats, explaining its layout and the events that often took place there. Noah listened intently, his wide eyes scanning the room as he jotted down notes in his small notebook, the tip of his pen trembling slightly as he wrote.

They moved on to the academic wing, where Lucien detailed the building layout, pointing out the various departments and lecture halls. The walls were lined with old portraits of past professors, their watchful gazes seemingly following the two as they walked past. Noah trailed behind, his eyes darting from one detail to another, his notebook constantly in hand.

The cafeteria came next, where Lucien briefly explained meal timings and seating arrangements. Though the room was empty today, the space carried a faint warmth from the scent of coffee and freshly baked bread. Noah glanced toward the rows of neatly arranged tables, imagining the bustling crowd that would fill the space on a normal day.

After passing through various location, their final stop was the library, and the moment they entered, Noah froze in place. His crimson eyes widened, his lips parting slightly in awe as he took in the sight before him.

The place was a vast expanse of towering shelves, each crammed with books of varying sizes and colors. The faint scent of aged paper enveloped the space, mingling with the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the large stained-glass windows.

"This is… amazing," Noah whispered, almost reverently.

Lucien glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "You'll find most of what you need here," he replied simply before moving forward, gesturing for Noah to follow.

He led Noah to the counter, explaining the borrowing system and the importance of adhering to return dates. Noah jotted everything down earnestly, his small hands gripping the notepad tightly.

Lucien then guided him to a hidden section of the library, concealed behind an unmarked wooden door. Inside, the air seemed colder, the space filled with older and more mysterious books with spines embossed in faded gold lettering.

"This is a restricted section. Do not bring your friends here carelessly," Lucien warned, his voice dropping slightly. "The other members are particular about who enters, and their response to outsiders might not be pleasant."

Noah nodded obediently, his expression serious. "I won't, Brother. I promise."

Lucien watched him for a moment with a veiled expression before nodding once. The two stepped out into the corridor, the soft glow of the afternoon sun filtering through the arched windows, their footsteps echoing softly against the quiet halls.

Just as they rounded the corner, Lucien's stride faltered, his gaze narrowing at the figure standing in their path.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise," a smooth voice greeted.

Before them stood a girl dressed in an impeccably tailored black ensemble. An intricately designed coat framed her slender form, paired with a pleated skirt. She exuded an air of effortless elegance, her straight brown hair reaching her waist.

Noah blinked, startled by her striking appearance.

Lucien's face, however, betrayed a fleeting flicker of irritation before his usual calm mask slipped back into place.