Aleza ran all the way back to her apartment, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She leaned against the main gate, gasping for air, her hand pressed firmly against her chest as her mind spiraled into a whirlwind of confusion.
What was that? she thought, her eyes wide with lingering shock. Why did Rayzon hold me like that? Does he truly feel remorse for what he did to Sofia in the past? And more importantly... why did my heart race so fast? I'm supposed to be in love with Kaito Izumi, not Rayzon!
She took a long, shaky breath and forced a smile, trying to stabilize her trembling voice. "There's nothing to worry about, Aleza. You could never fall for someone like Rayzon. Never."
She walked into the lounge and moved toward the table where she usually kept her school bag. Her eyes caught sight of something new—a beautifully crafted card lying there. Curious, she picked it up. "An invitation? A party? How did this get here?"
But the moment she opened the card, her expression shifted from curiosity to pure, unfiltered rage. Her eyes turned a burning shade of red. With a low growl, she crushed the card in her fist, tearing it into tiny fragments before hurling them into the trash bin.
"Everything is fine," she whispered to the empty room, trying to regain her composure.
She went to the washroom to freshen up, and after grabbing a few snacks, she flopped onto her bed. To distract her mind, she began scrolling through funny memes, hoping for a laugh to break the tension. By 7:00 PM, exhaustion set in. She stretched with a long yawn. "I need to start jogging tomorrow morning. I have to stay fit."
Before sleeping, she checked her bank account, and her cheeks flushed with a sudden warmth of joy. She hugged her phone to her chest. "Thank you, Mom. You're the best."
Feeling energized, she went through a quick 30-minute workout session before settling down to finish her studies. For dinner, she treated herself to a burger and pizza, enjoying every bite. But as she finally lay down to sleep, the events of the day came rushing back.
I still haven't decided on Kaito Izumi's offer, she pondered, staring at the ceiling. Should I actually run for Student Council President against Mami-chan? I've known about her for five years. Back when I was in 7th grade at The Royal Guardian High, she wasn't around—or maybe I just didn't notice her during those eight months. How could I have known then?
She rolled over, clutching her pillow. Mami-chan is the Vice President. Beating her will be nearly impossible. She has every student's record, a powerful team, and she's the most beautiful girl in school.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in her mind—Rayzon's voice. "Take my hand. I'll help you beat Mami-chan."
Aleza sat bolt upright. "Rayzon asked me today... he offered to form a team to take her down. Maybe I should talk to him. But..." She looked down, her gaze darkening with sorrow. "I wanted revenge on you, Rayzon, not a partnership. You put me through so much pain during those eight months. But if winning means joining forces with you... just this once, to crush Mami-chan and become President... maybe I'll do it."
The next morning at 5:30 AM, Aleza was already out in her jogging suit. As she made her way through a picturesque park, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure. She froze in her tracks.
Panicked, she quickly unscrewed her water bottle and tilted her head back, pretending to drink deeply, hiding her face behind the bottle until the boy jogged past her.
Once he was clear, she wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I had no idea Rayzon jogged this early! If he had seen me without makeup, he would have realized I'm Sofia, not Aleza!"
She stole a glance back. Rayzon was sitting on a distant bench, calmly drinking water. Aleza turned and bolted in the opposite direction.
Rayzon watched her retreating figure, a faint, knowing smirk playing on his lips. So, Sofia... I finally saw you without the mask today, he thought. You tried your best to hide, but you can't escape my eyes. I'll keep playing the fool for now, just to see what you do next.
By 6:30 AM, Aleza was back home and headed straight for the shower. As the water cascaded over her, her mind wouldn't stop racing. Did he see me? Did he recognize me? She shook her head vigorously. "I'm overthinking. There's no way he recognized me without the makeup. I'm just being paranoid." She smiled to herself. "But I'm not letting Rayzon scare me away. I'll go back to that park tomorrow. I won't stop."
After breakfast, Aleza transformed into her "Aleza" persona. With her violet eyes and carefully applied makeup, she looked breathtakingly unique. She arrived at school and took her seat, but the chair next to her—Rayzon's chair—was empty.
She checked her watch. "Still early."
Thirty minutes passed. The chair remained vacant. Aleza kept glancing at the classroom door as students filtered in, but there was no sign of Rayzon. With a huff of feigned indifference, she stared at the ceiling. "Only ten minutes left until class starts. Where is that idiot?"
The final bell rang, and the teacher entered, closing the door. Aleza glared at the empty seat. He was perfectly fine this morning in the park! What happened to him?
"Students," the teacher announced. "Rayzon Frochu will be absent today. He called to inform me that he caught a cold and fever from the morning air while jogging. Please keep your classmate in your prayers."
A shadow of sadness crossed Aleza's face. She quickly turned her head away, her attitude resurfacing. "Why should I care? It's his own fault."
Yet, throughout the day, her eyes kept drifting back to his empty desk. Even during lunch, as she sat on the school roof, her appetite was gone. She suddenly slapped both her cheeks. "What is wrong with you, Aleza? Why are you being so moody over him? I don't care about Rayzon!"
She let out a forced, awkward laugh, but soon slumped back into silence, picking at her food.
The moment school ended, Aleza packed her bag with lightning speed and sprinted out of the gates as if her life depended on it.
On the other side of town, Rayzon lay in his grand, luxurious bed, shivering with fever. His servants were attending to him, but the house felt cold. He had long since distanced himself from his true family.
He stared at the ceiling, his voice raspy from illness. "No one is coming for me... but if only you would show up, I'd be cured instantly."
As if on cue, the doorbell chimed.
Rayzon's eyes snapped open. Despite his weakness, he scrambled out of bed and rushed to the door. When he pulled it open, his breath caught.
There stood Aleza, still in her school uniform, her bag clutched in her hand. She was out of breath, her cheeks flushed a deep pink from running.
Rayzon smiled weakly. "If I had made a wish for anything else, it probably would have come true too."
Aleza didn't speak. She lunged forward, pressing her head against his chest, her small hands clutching his shirt. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. "You idiot... because of you, I felt so lonely at school all day. It's all your fault!"
Before Rayzon could lift his hand to stroke her hair, she jumped back, her face turning fierce with anger. "If you ever miss a day again, I'll make you regret it! Now... how are you feeling?"
Rayzon scratched the back of his head, grinning. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it. But now that you're here, I feel perfectly fine. By the way... how did you find my house?"
Aleza tossed her hair back with an air of superiority. "I'm sharp. I can find anyone's location if I want to. Understand?"
Rayzon chuckled and gestured for her to enter. "Are we going to keep talking at the door? Come in."
Aleza turned her head away, her eyes closed in mock annoyance. "Your house is big, sure, but don't think I'm impressed or that I even wanted to come inside!"
"Aleza? Is that you?" a female voice called out from inside.
Aleza froze. She opened her eyes to see Mami-chan standing in the hallway.
Her heart dropped. Why is Mami-chan at Rayzon's house? she thought, panic surging through her. Is there something between them? If they're connected... then what happens to me?