A handsome young man stood in front of the main gate of Zeris Academy. His cheerful smile seemed to bless the world and the people around him. A young woman with short hair wearing a hat stood beside him.
"Phew... we're finally here, Leon!" Anna smiled sweetly at her childhood friend. Leon sighed upon hearing that, responding to Anna. "You're right! I can't wait for the new school year to start!"
The two of them had returned to their hometowns during winter break and came back a little early to avoid the crowds along the way. Even though they arrived early, there were already many students in front of the Academy who had returned from their winter break.
The air wasn't as cold as last season, but there were still a few patches of snow here and there. Leon and Anna stepped into the Academy, greeted by an unusual sight: plum blossom trees beginning to bloom.
"Wow! I can't wait for them to bloom fully…" Anna murmured in awe. Leon chuckled and continued, "I heard they'll be in full bloom in three days."
They continued walking side by side until they reached a small garden with a temporary resting area, which was often used by students or visitors to take a break given how vast Zeris Academy was.
"Aren't they here yet? Oh, there they are!" Leon beamed with a smile as he looked at his three female friends arriving at the spot they'd agreed on earlier. Ellen, Chelsey, and Cecilia walked gracefully toward Leon and Anna. But then, Chelsey took a sprint.
"Leeoooonnn!!"
"Huh— ouch!?"
Suddenly, Chelsey tackled and hugged Leon, pressing his head against her chest. "Hehe~ It's been a while, nyaa~"
"Mmmfghh?! Mpphmh!?"
Leon struggled to breathe with his face pressed against Chelsey's ample chest. Ellen came to his rescue by pinching Chelsey's scruff and pulling her up like a person lifting a cat.
"Geez! Give it a rest, Chelsey! Leon can't breathe, you know!"
"Fufufu~ As always, Ellen acts just like Chelsey's mom~"
Ellen gently scolded Chelsey for her reckless hug, while Cecilia laughed softly in amusement. Leon was wheezing and catching his breath. A faint blush appeared on his cheeks, slightly embarrassed by Chelsey's affectionate behavior just now.
His blue eyes gazed at someone not far behind Cecilia. "Hey, who is that girl, Cecilia?"
Cecilia just realized and was about to introduce Elsie. "Oh~ I almost forgot. Let me introduce you all to her—this is—"
"Hey, hey~ I'm Elsie! I'm a new student at the Academy~ Please guide me, Seniors~!"
Elsie's slightly eccentric and cheerful manner of speaking left quite an impression on Leon and his friends as a first impression, and then they all briefly introduced themselves to one another.
Elsie observed the girls surrounding that boy, and finally she realized something and acted mischievously.
"Oh my, oh my~ Senior Leon, don't you know or at least realize~?"
"Hm? Realize what, Elsie?" Leon tilted his head in confusion. Cecilia, Ellen, and Anna widened their eyes as they watched Elsie grin and chuckle.
"Actually—"
Cecilia and Ellen covered Elsie's mouth, while Anna frantically closed Elsie's eyes. All three of them had a blush on their cheeks, and they firmly yet nervously told Elsie to be quiet.
"E-Elsie~ Be a good junior and shut your mouth~"
"Wa-wait, Elsie! Not now!"
"Hehe... I didn't expect a newbie like you to be so bold...!"
Leon and Chelsey had big question marks over their heads, but assumed the four of them were just joking around. Elsie broke free from her three seniors' grip, but was still mischievous.
"Well~ If you keep it to yourselves, don't say I didn't warn you when someone else snatches him up~ Hehehe!"
After chatting for a while, the six of them finally decided to get to know each other better by walking around the Academy while having a light conversation.
***
A beautiful girl walked toward the main library at Zeris Academy. She was neatly dressed in her Academy uniform, her footsteps bouncing across the cobblestones. Silvia exhaled softly, gazing up at the grayish-blue sky.
At the crossroads, she spotted Alex. They both looked at each other, before Alex finally spoke first.
"Hello, Miss Silvia."
"Good day to you, Sir Alex."
They both stood in silence, staring at one another. Alex's heart was racing, he was so happy to see Silvia again. Meanwhile, Silvia was confused as to why Alex was looking at her like that, but her feelings at that moment weren't discomfort—rather, curiosity and surprise.
"Ahem... we should head to the library like Dianne and Cornelius said," Alex said, trying to break the awkward silence. "You're right, they must be waiting for us."
Silvia gave Alex a small smile. "After you, Miss Silvia." The two of them walked side by side in silence. Along the way, several students who had already returned to the Academy were surprised and squealed with delight upon seeing the two of them.
Alex felt a little shy inside but cleverly masked it, while Silvia wondered why the students were acting so happy to see her walking with her close friend.
Soon they arrived at the main library. Alex opened the door and let Silvia go in first. The girl with long silver hair nodded and smiled, making Alex jump in his heart.
They went to the third floor, to the very back row of seats. Cornelius was already sitting there reading a book, he was quite surprised to see Alex and Silvia walking together.
"Ahhaaaa~ I hope your relationship lasts, you two~" Cornelius said teasingly. Alex froze, and Silvia just shook her head.
"You're already teasing people this early in the morning. Looks like winter break hasn't changed you a bit..."
"Heheheee~ What can I do? It's me, after all~" Cornelius shrugged lazily in response to Silvia's lighthearted comment. The two of them took their seats and asked.
"Has Dianne not arrived yet?" Alex asked, looking around. Cornelius nodded and started the conversation. "That tomboy should've arrived yesterday. Maybe she overslept~?"
Silvia smiled slightly, recalling that her close female friend had a hard time waking up early. "She could be."
Cornelius shifted in his chair, adopting a serious expression. "Have you heard about the attack and kidnapping of Dianne's younger brother?"
Alex and Silvia nodded slowly, their faces tense. Cornelius continued, "I've received some inside information about the incident. At first, I didn't believe it myself, but after sending my people to investigate, it turned out to be true. Listen to me…"
That morning, in a corner on the third floor, all that could be heard were the whispered gossip of Cornelius and his close friends.