Three days later, Tilan brought Ruby and Annelli to the activity room of the Indigo Cornflower club.
Compared to last ti, the place was significantly quieter. In the spacious floor, empty teacups surrounded tables, and so of the previously displayed ornants had been removed, leaving spaces empty and bare.
Deep in the activity room, Serasilence lay in Peikexi's arms with swollen, reddened eyes, as if she had just been crying. The female deacon seen before now stood quietly behind the two, waiting as usual.
"It's okay, Serasilence. After we graduate, we can still form a fun organization, and by then we won't have the pressure and constraints of the academy." Huna, sitting on the side, patted Serasilence's shoulder, trying to comfort her with kind words, but her gestures seed hurried and her own composure sowhat shaky.
When Tilan and her two companions arrived, Peikexi looked up and touched the Serasilence in her arms, "You're here, please wait a mont."
After speaking, she glanced at the female deacon behind her, who nodded slightly. She first led the three to sit at an empty round table nearby and then proceeded to a side tea room to prepare black tea for them.
It seed that upon hearing Peikexi's words, Serasilence did not want to rise from Peikexi's embrace, feeling unusually embarrassed and fragile that day and not wanting to see outsiders at all.
"Okay, you'll have to face it sooner or later. Serasilence, you're doing great today. With here, they won't speak harshly." Peikexi whispered comfortingly in her ear for a while until the normally flamboyant girl slowly lifted her head.
Noting the sowhat tense atmosphere, Ruby stood up and went over to say hello first.
"Good morning, this is the big star Ruby. I wonder if you all would be interested in taking a walk and having lunch with ?"
"Lunch? It's a bit early for that, but if you're talking about a walk in the nearby vineyard, I think that would be nice," Peikexi replied.
"Then it's settled~"
Following that, the female deacon brought over the tea, and they all took a few sips. After Peikexi on the opposite side had cald the emotions of the two beside her, the group rose and headed outside the room.
They took the elevator downstairs and passed through the long corridor to the vineyard lush with green leaves, where the mood gradually softened, and there was no need to speak directly to each other as they had indoors.
"The grapes are almost ready." The group stood under the pergola, looking at the bunches of green grapes hanging above their heads.
"After this is over, how about we co here for a picnic?" Peikexi continued to soothe the two by her side.
"Hmm..." Serasilence stared blankly at the sun-dappled, translucent fruit above her head, lost in thought.
"What about Huna?"
"? Any ti is good," Huna replied offhandedly, tossing her hair, but deliberately avoiding looking at Tilan and her companions not far away.
Tilan didn't mind, rely standing quietly not far from them, following along.
Afterward, the six sat down at a stone table in the vineyard. Serasilence had recovered a bit by now, her emotions gradually stabilizing, but she still didn't want to speak.
"When is the apology planned to take place?" Huna suddenly asked.
Annelli flipped through her clipboard and replied, "This Friday morning. There will be reporters from news agencies in good standing with the academy; it won't be too hard on us."
"But there'll still be plenty of sha to go around." Huna snorted, turned her face away, and then her expression also grew silent.
Although she usually acted quite rebellious, deep down she wasn't as carefree about such matters. Thinking about being exposed on the star net, knowing her mother and even her reputation would be affected, Huna beca visibly restless.
Sensing the various emotions stirring in the hearts of the three across from her, Tilan whispered a few words to Annelli, who then stood up and left with Ruby to wait outside the vineyard.
"It's June, and the snow of June at the Academy is about to bloom," the girl stood up, turned her back to the three of them, and gazed into the distance at the verdant plants.
"Ti slips away year after year, so people slowly grow up, while others slowly age, and many matters that once mattered are gradually forgotten. Perhaps next Friday will be tough, but there will co a day when it passes."
"Childhood friends, walking along then scattering; such cases are not few and far between..." she sighed.
"I wonder if in Serasilence's heart, montary embarrassnt is more significant or if treasured friendships are more precious," she said, then turned around.
"I used to carefully maintain friendships, but the other person didn't treat as a true friend, just soone to casually play with and make fun of."
"I greatly admire Serasilience. Although she has made mistakes, this uninhibited flamboyance has also attracted friends who are similar to herself."
"Cherish everything you have now, Serasilence, if you co to realize it."
After saying this, the girl also left the vineyard, slowly departing, leaving the three behind to slowly savor their swirling emotions.
——————
Three days later, a press conference was held inside a large building of the Academy, with nurous journalists arriving. Under the escort of teachers, Serasilence and three other girls took the stage, bowed deeply, and then apologized for the mistakes made over the past two years. They expressed their willingness to participate in six months of volunteer public service and announced a donation to improve dical projects for the poor. Lastly, they declared the dissolution of their club and their intention not to participate in or organize any similar activities.
Across from the three, a series of floating HD caras captured the entire process, and there were even reporters coming forward with questions.
"What made Serasilence suddenly co to a realization?"
...
"Did the high administration of Edith Academy threaten you, like with expulsion or not allowing you to graduate?"
...
"Can I ask what kind of public service the three of you are planning to do? Is it traveling around as promotional ambassadors for fun?"
...
Although many of the news outlets present had been briefed by the Academy, so reporters asked probing questions, leaving the young students at a loss for a perfect response.
Fortunately, the Academy's public relations departnt was prepared in advance and reminded the three through built-in earpieces how to respond, allowing them to conclude the entire press conference sowhat awkwardly but without obvious error.
"Journalists are scary," Annelli muttered softly.
"That's how journalists are, they always hope for chaos, trying to create so explosive news," Ruby was already familiar with this.
"Sotis, the best way to cover up or suppress certain news is to detonate an even more explosive piece of news and attract everyone's attention to it," she added.
"Forcing the temperature down often doesn't work well and is even more troubleso."
Then Ruby started to explain to the group various thods and common strategies for stirring up news in the entertainnt industry.
"Let's hope this apology achieves the desired effect," she said.
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