A new sester, a new beginning.
It felt like the sumr vacation passed in the blink of an eye, not leaving any ti to react, just like a speeding train that really arrives at its destination the mont it’s supposed to.
Returning to the familiar school, the air was filled with the vibrant spirit of youth.
Sumr had passed, and autumn was on its way, although the temperature in Kuhang remained quite high. Everyone was still dressed in their sumr uniforms.
Sam entered the school as usual and, of course, could feel more and more gazes converging on him.
Standing in front of his locker, Sam suddenly had a strange feeling, as if he had acquired the ability to foresee the future.
For instance, at this mont, he would suddenly think that the instant he opened his locker...
"Snap!"
Sure enough, a pair of hands familiarly patted his shoulder.
It was exactly as Sam had anticipated.
And then, what followed was...
"Sam! Long ti no see, did you miss your bro?"
Turning around, it was indeed Louis with his honest face.
It wasn’t so magical foresight; it was rely a habit.
It seed Sam was also getting used to certain things around him, as precise as the workings of a clock.
Sam, holding his shoes, turned to look at Louis.
"You scared , can you not be so sudden next ti?"
Louis looked at Sam curiously.
"Were you really scared? You didn’t even shake. I have to shake it off twice when I pee".
"That’s because I didn’t even have ti to react. I admit my reaction ti isn’t as quick as yours, are you satisfied now?"
This made Louis very pleased.
"Ha ha ha ha! Now you realize the difference between us. I told you, you can’t be without flaws."
Seeing Louis’s hearty laughter, Sam felt a bit envious of such a boy.
Who says living simply in one’s own world is foolish?
At least it’s simply joyful.
"Seems like you’re quite happy. Did you have a good sumr break?"
Sam asked while changing his shoes.
Louis was also changing his shoes beside Sam, and it seed that over the sumr break, he had beco stronger than before.
"Ah, don’t ntion it. I thought I’d spend the sumr break playing gas at ho, but then my dad’s friend’s kid ca to stay with us for the vacation. Don’t get started on how noisy kids are these days, always pestering to play basketball with him!"
Just then, Louis stood up and slightly shrugged his shoulders, allowing Sam’s gaze to pass by him to a familiar spot.
A familiar girl was changing her shoes there.
She seed to notice his gaze, gave him a look, and then, as usual, turned and left.
This had beco sothing of a routine, seemingly happening every day.
Of course, the love letters that slipped down from that locker were as nurous as ever.
"Ha, still pretending! I know all about it. You went to the Sumr Camp Experience a few days ago, right? And Sophie was there too. I heard you tead up with Sophie, and so complicated and bizarre story ca out of it..."
"What story? We just tead up for a ga... Wait, where did you hear this from?"
Sam suddenly felt uneasy.
He knew that his teaming up with Sophie might get out, but he didn’t expect it to spread so quickly. School had just started today, were people really so gossipy?
Louis blinked.
"The class discussion group, didn’t you see?"
Sam didn’t have the habit of checking the class discussion group. Too much information, too ssy. Anyway, if sothing important ca up, Alice would always find him, so he didn’t bother joining those discussions.
"I really didn’t see it."
Sam felt a sense of foreboding; he could already anticipate many things.
But Louis seed unconcerned.
"What’s with that look? It’s nothing. The school isn’t going to bother about it, and besides, our school doesn’t regulate student relationships, as long as it’s not too over the top... You should know many people are envious you got to play gas with Sophie."
Envious, my foot.
Was Sam worried about the school? He was concerned about a presence far more daunting than the school.
Sam could already foresee how difficult his new sester, which hadn’t even fully started yet, would be.
It felt like he was standing in a quagmire, struggling to move forward...
What Sam didn’t know was that, before he could face the situation head-on, soone had already taken the first step towards a confrontation.
It happened in the hallway, an unexpected encounter that caught Sophie off guard.
The surrounding footsteps and bits of conversation did not affect the mont of their eting.
They almost instinctively stopped in their tracks, tacitly choosing not to just walk past each other. Or rather... at this mont, to walk past each other would be to show cowardice and avoidance.
Sophie looked up, her brows furrowed.
"Is there a problem?"
The girl standing in front of Sophie had a face as perfect as a goddess’s, combined with an incomparable noble aura that seed to emanate from her very marrow.
Angel looked at Sophie, and although their heights seed similar, she always managed to project a natural, superior deanor in the face of anyone.
"Got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Weren’t you having a lot of fun a few days ago?"
Sophie narrowed her eyes, instantly realizing that the other party knew sothing about the Sumr Camp Experience.
It wasn’t surprising that Angel could easily find out so things, but the purpose of her ntioning it was obvious... it was about that boy nad Sam.
Angel had appeared before Sophie a few tis, and it was always because of Sam.
Whenever it was about him, she showed an unusual level of interest, almost to the point of not bothering to hide it.
But now, Sophie wouldn’t avoid matters concerning Sam. Why should she retreat or shrink back just because of Angel’s presence?
Sophie had never been one to back down. Even though she considered her relationship with Sam to be just friendship, what did all this have to do with Angel?
It was as if Angel thought that nobody could approach soone she had set her sights on. Sophie was really annoyed by this attitude, even ignoring the gap in their statuses.
"I think it was pretty good, but what does that have to do with you?"
Angel’s gaze began to fill with pressure, as if she wanted to make her opponent cower with her eyes alone. However, Sophie t her gaze head-on, as if invisible sparks were colliding in the air.
Passing students seed to sense sothing strange in the atmosphere.
Your journey continues at .Côm
"What’s happening? I feel like I can sll gunpowder..."
"Isn’t it sumr? It’s 32 degrees today, why do I feel chills... This place must be haunted!"
At this mont, of course, the two girls paid no attention to the presence of those around them. Perhaps, at this mont, they only had eyes for each other.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a description of romance, but of war.
Angel sensed Sophie’s defiance and actually smiled, though her eyes remained scornful and dismissive.
"Is that so? It seems you’ve also noticed sothing special about that man."
This ti, Sophie didn’t feign ignorance but looked directly at her.
"I think you shouldn’t co after every ti because of Sam. Both he and I are free, not owned by anyone, nor controlled by anyone. Do you want him to live only for you? Forgive my bluntness, but that will only backfire."
Angel rely lifted her head to look at the empty ceiling, then lowered her gaze back to Sophie, taking a step towards her.
The intensity of the mont made Sophie feel an urge to step back, but she resisted, keeping her head high and eting the advancing gaze.
"You used to avoid topics about Sam, and now you’re saying these things to , even speaking on his behalf... It seems you’ve gotten along quite well this ti."
Sophie frowned.
"I’m not speaking for him, just telling you a simple truth. Not everyone needs to obey you, follow your ideas."
It was just a straightforward dislike. That was the unsaid part.
Angel’s laughter broke out, even audible, making Sophie think this girl was just plain crazy.
It seed children from affluent families weren’t quite normal after all.
Angel’s laughter gradually ceased, and then she slightly lowered her head, her voice dropping as she spoke to Sophie.
"Actually, I wanted to say that it’s not your place to comnt on my relationship with him... but never mind, you should understand this matter deep down. There’s sothing else I’d rather say."
Sophie didn’t respond, just looked at her, her gaze steady as if her fighting spirit was fully ignited.
Angel’s voice was soft yet clearer.
"I don’t see you as a threat between us. I’m just, out of the blue, kindly advising you. Don’t continue interacting with him; otherwise, you’ll hopelessly fall deeper. However, this fall is dood to be fruitless, because he is mine, and there’s no other possibility."
After saying this, Angel straightened up, apparently ready to leave after her statent.
Sophie remained silent.
She disagreed with every word the other had said.
Why should she believe she’d be hopelessly lost because of Sam?
And why should she believe that Sam truly belonged to Angel, without any other possibility?
As Angel was about to pass by her, Sophie heard her final remark.
"By the way, you might not know... he went back to his hotown with . I’ve t his parents and sister. As for what exactly happened... you can guess. Of course, you can also ask him directly, but I think, well, he might be too embarrassed to tell you."
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