Mistake!

After coming back to the cottage he processed all the information Chisato gave him some minutes ago. Trailing all the things, while remembering her unmoved pulse and sincere expression, told him that she might be telling the truth.

But he couldn't bring himself to believe her. Not now, until he doesn't find anything solid to either dismiss all this like shit or approve it legitimately.

After thinking for hard 10 minutes he left the topic and for a change, he called Sasha.

He talked with her about 80 minutes before disconnecting the call. They mostly talked in minute details about their day like a married couple and despite Sasha being the older one, Subaru always reminds her about taking care of her health and stuff.

After that, he also called Fubuki and like always they didn't talk much. Just some casual chats about here and there. Even Fubuki has confessed her love, she still feels embarrassed to talk like a couple with Subaru and he also doesn't force her. But it wasn't like Subaru had let this matter go just like this, and won't punish her the next time they would meet.

It was already nighttime when he checked. As everyone get their dinner at their cottage, no one had to leave their house and stay inside until the information of their new assessment or class wasn't notified.

Subaru glanced at the food and compared to the food he made, it was considerably better but he won't admit it.

After eating dinner and researching on a new spell he got tired. Checking the time it was 10 in the night. For a change, he teleported to Ririka's cottage and found her sleeping soundly.

He stayed there for some minutes, continuously staring at her beautiful calm sleeping face before teleporting outside of the cottage.

No one was allowed to leave the cottage on their accord until any emergency happened and to ensure this rule wasn't violated, several surveillance were planted in that area.

After covering himself with a barrier, he started walking leisurely. The island had a balanced temperature so he didn't feel cold even it was late January. He walked on the stone path passing by the silent bird sanctuary and a small park, he arrived near the fountain which was on the diversion.

He saw someone standing there and with the faint mana leakage and hair color, he knew who she was.

Yuno was leaning on the fountain railing with her had draped inside the water, zoning out.

Subaru walked toward her quietly and stood beside her. Yuno didn't react as she also detected him approaching her. Well, she was panicking inside due to this unexpected meeting. How much she acted tough and bold in front of everyone, she still was a teenage maiden in love.

Yuno was staring at the water trying to see Subaru's reflection in it somehow but it was all futile.

Subaru also leaned on the railing while maintaining some inches between them.

"Can't sleep?" He asked while staring at the fountain.

"It's more like, I don't want to". He raised his brows but before he could have asked something more she suddenly spoke up.

" Subaru can I ask some truth?" She asked after looking over her shoulder in his direction.

Subaru also looked at her calmly before responding.

"Yeah sure". After resisting a lot she finally gave up and turned her head back toward the water. Subaru's icy gaze always drives her crazy and invites her to do something which she would probably regret.

"The day we met in the cave, you called me with my name even I never introduced myself nor I am a renowned hunter. Can you tell me how did you know about me?" Subaru knew this question would be brought up in the future when he got back home that day after saving Yuno. After stammering inside his mind for fraction of a second he opened his mouth.

"Actually the first time I saw you a memory related to you came into my mind. How your parents abandoned you and how you always struggled alone in the world surfaced in my mind and when I met you at the helipad those memories suddenly started darting back and subconsciously I said that you know.." He was a bad liar that was for sure but his voice was so confident that anyone could have believed him.

What about Yuno?

She already realized he was lying since the moment he started to speak. She can easily judge with people's pulse and their body language whether they are lying or not. But she didn't point it out.

Reason?

She loved this lie and she wanted to believe it wholeheartedly.

"Maybe our fates were intervened somehow". She chuckled and Subaru realized that she had caught him but since she didn't point it out then why should he?

" Maybe..and I am sorry I said something embarrassing in front of everyone that day you know.." Yuno turned her head instantly toward him.

"No don't say it like that. I didn't feel embarrassed its more like I ah..I felt secured". Her tone died down in the end.

" Oh..ok ". Subaru didn't know what to say so he kept his mouth shut after that.

A brief moment of silence spread around them before Subaru heard the girl beside him speaking again.

" After our first meeting I followed what you said. I made some connections with people and yeah you were right. Strength can bring people closer". She knew a lot of people back in the home, who respect her but only out of fear. The bond she wants to make, the relationship she wants to develop was still unfulfilled.

"That's great. I mean even I don't know you much, I am pretty sure that you are a good person and people are bound to be attracted to you". Subaru said with a faint smile on his face.

" I wish I could be the same person you think of me". Subaru blinked with a questioning look on his face.

"The time before I met you was the darkest period of my life. When I awakened my power, the first thing I did was kill my biological parents. Well, I don't regret it even a second of my life but..." Subaru didn't interrupt her and sensed the change in her expression. It was the first time he saw her like this.

"..I killed innocents. Those who didn't have anything to do with me were killed mercilessly just because I felt jealous of them. I was insane and I would have stayed like that even now if I didn't have met you that day Subaru. " She gave a smile with sad eyes which was heart-wrecking for him. He just wanted to hug her and soothe her emotion but he held back and listened to her.

"I always thoughts that the screams and shadows I see in my dreams belong to my parents but no, it was those people who these hands had slaughtered". She looked expressionlessly toward her palms which were drenched.

"I don't deserve your attention Subaru nor this life I am living. It's just, I am too scared to end myself and only trying to find a reason to keep dragging". Subaru saw the drop of tears falling on the railing before he lost his cool and pulled her in a hug.

He gently pressed her head against his chest and another hand on her back, rubbing it gently.

" Shh, it's okay. I know what you have gone through but I can't say that I can understand how you feel. No one can. Only you know how hard it was. But Yuno, you can't think like that, not in my watch."

"I understand that you have done something unforgivable but we all do mistakes. You were aimless before meeting me, hostile toward everyone you came across because of the people you spent your life with. But you can't change your past, however, you can make your future better. It's in your hands what you do with yourself. " Her hands were clutching his shirt tightly with her eyes closed and silent tears continuously flowing out of them.

"So instead of finding a reason to drag your life, you should find a reason to make it better ". She felt her world flipping upside down. Butterflies rampaging inside her stomach with her mind going bubbly. This kind of feeling was new to her and she didn't know how to react to it. She even forgot to breathe for some moments, just listened to the calm heartbeat near her and felt the warmth Subaru was emitting.

It was the first time when someone didn't blame her but told her 'It was okay' being like she was. And she loved this feeling more than anything.

______________________________________

The next morning almost half of the first years were gathered inside a big room. Long desks were arranged for students around the class with a small stage and a board at the front of the class.

Subaru with Ririka and Theo beside him was sitting in the middle of the center row. Subaru glanced around the room and didn't find Yuno. After comforting her last night he didn't spot her anywhere since the morning.

The students around them were over-enthusiastically discussing something.

" What are they so energetic about?" Subaru asked with a little frown as he was getting irritated due to the bustling.

"Oh, you don't know. Those who took the magic as the primary subject made a big ruckus about the professor. According to the sources, the professor was so easy to understand and patient with the student that they got lost in her admiration. Ah yes, she is beautiful too, so of course, it is also a factor of this liveliness around us.". Theo said while tilting his head toward Subaru.

Subaru raised his brows and didn't respond.

Ririka also heard something about it but since she didn't have much of an interest in magic she didn't care. Her choice of subjects was obviously influenced because of certain someone.

Suddenly a person walked inside the room creating a weak clattering sound of heels. A beautiful lady in her early thirties entered the class. Chocolate brown hairs which were tied in a ponytail were bumping in mid-air as she walked elegantly toward the podium. Her curves and body proportions were on the spot which can make any girl admire and boy swoon on her.

She walked behind the big cabinet box and faced all the students. Her eyes were the same colors as her hair, with fair white skin and a tint of redness spread across her fluffy cheeks.

She blinked her eyes cutely before she started to speak.

" Good morning everyone. I am your new professor of sorcery and you can call me Natasha. I hope to get along with all of you". Her smile at the end of words made various students' hearts skip a beat.

But unlike others, someone had an amused look on his face, in the whole class with eyes fixed on the professor.

'You ended up coming here after all '.