Zoe boarded the bus ahead of Sam.
With the woman gone, Sam could finally breathe a little easier.
Her invitation seed alluring, as it always did. Any invitation from her naturally carried a certain temptation.
But Sam didn’t think this was necessarily a good thing; it was just a ans to imrse oneself in endless desire.
The world was on the brink of corrupting his mind, which remained undying, and here he was, struggling and floundering amidst temptations strewn everywhere, making his arduous way forward.
Yet before the bus to school arrived, sothing slightly different from his usual life occurred.
It all started with a man carrying a briefcase who made a phone call next to him. The abrupt sound made Sam turn his head.
And from this angle, he saw an unexpected scene.
A figure in a black pleated skirt, stunningly beautiful, appeared in his view.
It felt unfamiliar.
Unfamiliar because this figure shouldn’t be in such a scene, at least Sam had never seen her there before.
With an indifferent expression, she exuded an aura of ’keep out,’ as if anyone who ca close would be frozen.
Sophie...
She saw Sam too, a rare look of surprise flickering in her eyes before vanishing.
It was as if their gazes crossed inadvertently, like a beautiful illusion that never truly happened.
Although they lived unexpectedly close to each other, Sam couldn’t recall ever encountering Sophie on the sa bus.
It was strange, really. Ever since he found out they lived near each other, Sam had thought about such a possibility, but when it never happened, he gradually let go of any expectations or thoughts.
Why et in such an awkward situation now?
He wondered when she had arrived and whether she had seen Zoe, who had been by his side just five minutes earlier.
But it probably didn’t matter if she had seen Zoe or not. After all, he was a man with many ’debts’, and the misunderstandings this girl had about him were no longer surprising.
Besides... it wasn’t exactly a misunderstanding, was it?
It was just that beyond the facts, this girl naturally harbored so prejudices against him.
Now that they had unexpectedly t... what should he do?
Sam was at a loss. It wasn’t like he could just wait for the next bus, right? That would an being late.
And it would be a waste of ti. When the bus arrived as expected, and the waiting crowd began to board, Sam decided to get on as well.
Whether the other person would follow was not for Sam to consider.
He got on the bus, found no seats available, and so he stood by the window.
From this vantage point, he saw Sophie at the end of the line, reluctantly boarding.
Just as he had thought.
No one wants to fight with ti, and sotis you have to endure feelings you shouldn’t have to.
The two of them were separated by a distance, and once she boarded, it seed they couldn’t see each other anymore, which made it less awkward, but...
As the bus slowly started towards the school route, there were still stops along the way, with people getting on and off, but eventually, more people got off than on.
So the bus quickly emptied out a bit.
And Sam could see Sophie standing in the opposite direction, their backs to each other.
It seed she had deliberately chosen this, which was in line with her character.
Sam didn’t do anything more deliberate. He just watched the sunlight shift outside the window, casting shadow after shadow, all silhouettes of ti.
The mottled dust on the walls.
The traces of graffiti on the streets.
The streetlights still in their morning slumber.
And the people hurrying by.
Seemingly always visible, commonplace, and worthless.
But then again, what really deserves to be rembered deeply? Is it the girl behind him?
Sam chuckled to himself.
When the bus stopped not far from the school gate, he got off.
He didn’t leave with the girl; it seed Sophie deliberately waited for him to get off before she slowly followed.
Walking to the shoe-changing area, he saw her as calm as ever, changing her shoes. It was then that it seed nothing had changed, and perhaps this wasn’t their first ti on the sa bus.
Could it be that Sophie was just too good at hiding her presence, blending in like a passerby, making Sam unaware of her?
Who knows.
The shoe cabinet seed to be the last place they encountered each other.
Once back in the classroom, all those scenes vanished.
Familiar faces, the familiar classroom, and the familiar blackboard.
But now, to Sam, these people all seed mundanely. It’s often said that everyone is unique, but it’s undeniable that so people are special. And after eting such a person, even having profound interactions, how could one rember the dust?
There was nothing special about today’s classes. Alice didn’t seek him out particularly, and Angel didn’t rush over to his classroom right after class like a typical lovestruck girl, eager to claim her territory.
Nothing special happened.
Until after school, when Sam headed to the club room.
Opening the door, this ti he only saw Isabella, sipping coffee in small sips at her usual spot.
"Hey? Sam’s taking the initiative to co to the club? Is the sun rising from the west today?"
Listening to Isabella’s sarcastic remark, Sam walked in irritably and dropped his backpack. The spot beside her was empty, with no sign that Sophie had been there.
"What do you an ’taking the initiative to co to the club’? Was there ever a ti when I was dragged here?"
Isabella smiled and said, "That’s not it, but surely you didn’t co here just to contribute to the club, did you?"
"That kind of talk is a bit hurtful, you know. I’m totally dedicated to the club’s well-being."
"Oh~ is that so? I thought you were here for Sophie." She continued to tease Sam.
Annoyed, Sam retorted, "It’s precisely because you, senior, keep making such weird comnts that Sophie didn’t co, right?"
Isabella blinked, feigning surprise, "Sam, you really have a thick skin, don’t you? Who she doesn’t co for, don’t you have any idea?"
"I don’t know."
Sam shalessly denied it.
Because he always felt that Sophie, being such a smart girl, wouldn’t do such a thing.
If she avoided coming because of Sam, wouldn’t that be tantamount to admitting she cared about him a lot? Her pride would never allow such a situation to happen.
Isabella took a sip of her coffee.
"The biggest flaw people have is playing dumb, and on that front, Sam, you really excel."
"I still think it’s because Senior Isabella likes to tease her too much."
Isabella looked at Sam as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Isn’t that obvious? There are only three of us in the club. If I don’t tease you guys, who will I tease?"
"Then why don’t you recruit more mbers?"
Isabella huffed lightly.
"No way. I’m a person who prefers quality over quantity. The idea that ’the more, the rrier’ doesn’t apply to our club. Having you two is enough."
"What if, after today, there are only two people left?"
Sam asked tentatively, considering the current situation, Sophie’s threat to leave the club might not be an empty one.
Isabella smiled.
"Don’t worry, that won’t happen. If Sophie were to quit the club, it would an admitting she’s bowed down to so difficulties. Rest assured, I understand these things very clearly."
Just then, the club’s door suddenly opened, and Sophie’s figure appeared at the doorway.
Isabella and Sam both looked towards the door.
There stood the girl, her face calm, even a bit gloomy, overall more downcast than usual, and sohow more intimidating.
Sophie walked step by step up to Isabella.
Without speaking, she pulled a form out of her backpack and handed it to Isabella.
Isabella was taken aback, then picked up the form. After a glance, her face turned to shock.
"You’re quitting?"
Sophie nodded calmly.
"Yes, I’ve given you a heads-up before. I’ve thought it over, and I’ve decided to quit."
Sophie’s calm words surprised Sam as well. It seed different from what Isabella had said. But what was the real reason?
Was it truly because of Sam, or did she feel the club wasn’t right for her? Were the events that had occurred not what she wanted, and was she worried about similar issues arising in the future, prompting her to prepare to leave?
Isabella looked troubled as she faced Sophie.
"Sophie... does it really have to co to this? We haven’t done anything particularly offensive to you, have we?"
Sophie shook her head, her gaze indifferent.
"There’s nothing particularly hateful, it’s just my personal feeling. I don’t want to waste my ti on these matters, and they affect my mood to a certain extent. I’m not used to it, so it’s better this way."
"But... you know that if the club doesn’t have three mbers, it faces the risk of being forcibly disbanded by the school..."
"You can just find soone to fill the spot. After all, no one is irreplaceable. As for the rest, that’s for you to consider, not my problem."
"But..."
Isabella wanted to say more.
But Sophie had already turned away, seemingly unwilling to waste more words.
She was coolly unreasonable, showing little regard for others’ feelings, and hadn’t even glanced at Sam who was standing by.
Of course, Sam knew that silence was the best option at this mont, so he had no intention of speaking up.
As Sophie walked towards the door without any sign of attachnt, and Isabella struggled to find words to make her stay, frantically signaling to Sam, who remained indifferent.
Sophie opened the door but stopped unexpectedly.
Her expression changed.
"Why are you here?"
She frowned and spoke in a tone that sounded quite displeased.
Just as Isabella and Sam were both puzzled. They heard a familiar voice.
"Excuse ."
That voice...
Sophie instinctively stepped back.
Then a figure slightly taller than Sophie appeared at the door, walking in with an air of nobility that seed to tower above others.
"I heard you’re quitting the club?"
The noble girl asked with a disdainful smile.
Sophie frowned at the girl who was disagreeable to her in every way.
"What’s it to you?"
Sam’s eyes widened. Why was Angel here?
Angel had walked in, said with a smile.
"Indeed, it’s none of my business. But your club only has three mbers, and if you quit, doesn’t it an it will be disbanded? That doesn’t concern you?"
Sophie frowned.
"Since I’m quitting, this place is no longer my concern. Besides, what does it have to do with you showing up?"
For so reason, Sophie had a bad feeling in her heart. She couldn’t shake the sense that this woman had co here to stir up trouble.
Then Angel, smiling as she stepped closer to Isabella.
"It’s nothing, I just think it’s such a pity for such an interesting club to disband like this, don’t you agree? So..."
"So?"
"Snap."
Angel pulled out a piece of paper and slapped it down on the table in front of Isabella.
Isabella instinctively grabbed the paper and looked at it. Then her eyes widened.
"An application to join... Angel, you want to join our club?!"
Isabella couldn’t believe her eyes, and neither could Sam. What was this all about? This girl joining their club? It had to be a joke, right? There’s got to be a limit to making a scene!
Sophie’s expression changed in an instant as well.
It seed she finally understood what was happening. Angel was actually planning to do this!
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Angel nodded with a smile, provocatively looking at Sophie.
"That’s right, I’m applying to join. There shouldn’t be a problem, right? Are you going to accept or reject ?"
Isabella made a snap decision.
"How could we possibly refuse? Having Angel join us is sothing we could only dream of..."
Then Angel continued, looking at Sophie with a smile on her face, who was clearly not pleased.
"What a pity, it seems that soone knew in advance that I was coming and chose to leave... How should I put it? I’m grateful for your self-awareness. Otherwise, being in the sa club and getting overshadowed by in every aspect would be quite embarrassing, wouldn’t it?"
Sophie looked at Angel, fully grasping her intent.
She took a deep breath, her expression calming down.
Then she walked over to Isabella, took the resignation application she had just submitted from the table, and tore it up in front of Angel.
"Who said I was quitting? It was just a joke."
"..."
Angel and Sophie’s gazes collided in the air.
Only Sam was looking out the window with a helpless expression, as if even the sunlight had dimd.
Was this really just a joke?
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