A Glimpse of Feelings

Tuesday, January 9th, 18 NE. 06:45 AM.

I woke up later than usual that morning. The faint sound of Alysha's voice outside my door roused me from sleep, and as I opened it, I found her standing there, arms crossed and looking amused.

"What's up, Alysha?" I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Nothing," she said with a smirk. "I thought you weren't awake yet, so I came to wake you up."

"Well, I'm awake now. Thanks," I replied, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Good. If you take too long, Vio and I will start breakfast without you," she teased, walking away toward the dining room.

I sighed but smiled as I made my way to the bathroom. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, I joined Alysha and Violet at the dining table. They were already halfway through their meal, chatting lightly.

This was a slightly different morning. For one, I hadn't had any "nightmares", which was rare. And having Violet join us for breakfast was new. As I sat down to eat, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't as strange as it should've been. Maybe it was because I rarely ate with anyone last year.

The three of us left for school after finishing our meal. Since there were no student council duties in the morning, we ambled, enjoying the fresh air.

We arrived at school on time and went our separate ways once we reached the classrooms. Alysha and I parted with Violet, who gave us a small wave before heading to her class.

When we arrived, Violet parted ways with us to head to her own class. Alysha and I walked into ours, where she greeted her friends warmly.

"Good morning," she said, smiling at the group near her seat.

"Morning, Alysha." "Good morning," they replied in near unison, their camaraderie evident.

Watching their easy interactions, I realized how much time I'd spent keeping to myself. Unlike Alysha, I hadn't made an effort to bond with anyone in the class yet. Feeling slightly out of place, I chose to observe from my seat for a while.

After a while, some classmates approached me. Most were boys, while the girls seemed hesitant to talk to me directly. Still, their friendly questions about my previous school and other topics eased my initial awkwardness.

Chris and Kyle joined the conversation, their familiar faces making the transition smoother. Slowly but surely, I felt myself settling into this new environment.

The first lesson began, and the lively chatter of break time gave way to a more serious atmosphere. I focused on the teacher's explanations, diligently taking notes on important concepts. The material turned out to be engaging, and I found myself enjoying the class more than I had anticipated.

When the lesson wrapped up, the sharp ring of the bell echoed through the room, signaling our break. Students began to shuffle towards the hallways, their animated conversations rising as they made their way to the break area.

As planned yesterday, Alysha and I made our way toward the student council building. Or rather, I was being dragged there by my overly enthusiastic twin sister.

"Alysha, let go! I can walk by myself," I complained, trying to free my arm from her grip.

"Are you sure you won't run away?" she asked skeptically, her eyes narrowing at me.

"No, I won't run away," I said firmly.

She didn't seem convinced. Alysha had good reason to doubt me; usually, I would've found an excuse to slip away from anything that felt even slightly uncomfortable. But today was different.

If Violet hadn't been there, I probably would have run away. This responsibility weighed on me, and the idea of leaving things unresolved didn't sit right. Running away now would guarantee my nightmares would only get worse tonight.

Alysha stopped in her tracks, finally releasing my arm, though her eyes remained locked on me. "For some reason, your words feel unusually convincing this time. Why?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Why? Of course, it's because of Violet," I replied casually as if it were obvious.

Her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Heh~," she teased, her eyes sparkling.

I groaned. "I guess you already knew? Why are you teasing me?"

Her grin widened, confirming my suspicion that she was up to something. "Let's just go," I muttered, brushing past her.

As we approached the student council building, I suddenly felt someone else's presence behind us. I stopped in my tracks and turned around to find Violet standing a short distance away. Her short hair framed her flushed face, which she tried to hide behind her hands.

"Uhm~... E-Edina? Since when have you been there?" I asked, startled.

Violet's eyes darted away, her cheeks growing redder. She didn't respond. Instead, she turned abruptly and dashed toward the student council room without a word.

Seeing her run off, my heart sank. The realization of what she might've overheard left me frozen in place. I instinctively moved to chase after her, but Alysha grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

"Wait, Brother! Don't chase her yet. Let me go first," she said firmly.

"Eh?! Why?! Isn't this misunderstanding bad if it's not resolved?" I protested.

Her expression softened, but her tone remained resolute. "Just trust me. I'll handle this 'misunderstanding' for you."

Her words filled me with unease, but there wasn't much I could do. Alysha had a way of handling people that I didn't. And since Violet was clearly flustered, it might be easier for her to talk to Alysha than to me.

"Okay," I relented with a sigh. "I'll trust you."

"Good," she said with a reassuring smile. "You wait outside. I'll call you when it's done."

We parted at the entrance of the student council building. Alysha went inside while I sat on a nearby bench, leaning back and staring at the sky. 

"What should I do now?" I muttered, feeling the weight of the unresolved situation in my chest. I replayed Violet's embarrassed expression and her sudden retreat, realizing that if she misunderstood me, clearing it up would be challenging.

When Violet arrived at the student council room, she quickly closed the door and leaned against it, her head bowed. Her heart raced as she tried to calm down, but every time she remembered Naozumi's words, her panic returned.

"…Vi… Vio… Violet!!"

A sudden voice startled her. Looking up, she saw Senior Imelda watching her with concern.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Imelda asked, stepping closer.

"N-no, I'm fine," Violet stammered, though her flushed face said otherwise.

Imelda studied her carefully, trying to pinpoint the issue. "Are you sick? Hungry? Did something happen?" she asked, receiving the same vague "I'm fine" each time.

(Wait… is she feeling shy? Could it be…)

Imelda smirked, deciding to test her hunch. "Vio… did Nao do something to you?"

Violet froze, her hands clutching her skirt as her face turned crimson.

"S-senior, it's not like that!" she stammered.

Imelda chuckled softly. "Relax, I was just guessing. But judging by your reaction, I'm not wrong."

She often teased Naozumi, but Violet's flustered response piqued her curiosity. "Whatever it is, take your time. I'm here if you want to talk."

While Imelda chuckled and Violet sat flustered, the sound of someone trying to open the door interrupted them. But with Violet leaning against it, the door didn't budge.

"Vio, open up!" came Alysha's familiar voice from the other side.

Violet froze, unsure how to respond. If Naozumi was with her, she didn't know how to face him after what had happened. Instead, she remained silent, hoping Alysha would go away.

"Vio, it's just me. Don't worry, my brother isn't with me," Alysha called again, her tone reassuring.

Relieved, Violet let out a small breath and slowly opened the door, allowing Alysha to step inside. As Alysha entered, she glanced at Violet, noting her flushed face and uneasy demeanor, then turned her attention to Imelda, who sat at her desk observing the scene with mild curiosity.

The three of them soon settled on the sofa, with Alysha sitting beside Violet while Imelda leaned back in her chair.

"Apologies, Senior Alysha," Violet began, her voice soft. "It wasn't my intention to eavesdrop earlier. I'll make sure to apologize to Senior Naozumi as well."

Hearing this, Alysha raised her hands in protest. "It's okay, really! If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I know you are there but I didn't think my brother would say something like that."

Violet tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Would you be so kind as to clarify, Senior Alysha?"

Imelda, noticing the confusion on Violet's face, decided to step in. "Let me explain something about the Ishimaru family," she said with a small smile. "It might help clarify things."

"The Ishimaru family has some unique traits," Imelda continued. "These are separate from their Magic or Esper abilities. For instance, Alysha has an incredible hearing and sense of taste, which is why she is so aware of her surroundings and always seems to know more than she lets on."

"Really? That's amazing!" Violet exclaimed, her previous nervousness momentarily replaced with awe.

Alysha grinned at the praise, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Well, it does come in handy and also burden sometime."

As Violet processed this revelation, her thoughts drifted toward Naozumi. "By the way, does Naozumi have a similar ability?"

Hearing her question, Alysha and Imelda exchanged knowing smiles. Violet, noticing this, quickly tried to backtrack. "I mean... I don't want to trouble him if he does. I was just curious."

"Don't worry, Vio," Alysha said, her tone gentle. "We'll talk about my brother's traits another time. For now, let's focus on the main issue."

The sudden shift in Alysha's tone made Violet sit up straighter, her nervousness creeping back. "Main issue?" she repeated hesitantly.

"I hope I'm not being too forward," Alysha began, her expression soft but serious. "But I want to know how you felt after hearing what my brother said earlier."

Violet's face turned bright red, and she fidgeted with her hands, struggling to meet Alysha's gaze. "W-what do you mean, Senior Alysha?" she stammered, unable to form a coherent response.

Sensing Violet's hesitation, Alysha leaned in slightly. "Let me rephrase. What's your answer to what I asked yesterday?"

Violet froze, her mind racing as conflicting emotions swirled within her. She wasn't sure what she felt, or if her feelings were even valid. Still, deep down, she couldn't bring herself to deny the question outright. Her hands tightened in her lap as she lowered her head, her cheeks burning.

Meanwhile, Imelda, who didn't know the question Alysha had asked, became a bit confused and curious about what the two of them talking about.

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