Chapter 2: A Faithful Encounter
"Here he comes, guys... The Genius."
Sometimes, I can't help but laugh when I hear people whispering about me as I walk down the street. It happens all the time-whenever I pass by someone I know, they always have something to say. I suppose it's only natural. After all, I'm famous for my so-called intelligence. People admire me, envy me. They think I'm brilliant. But they don't know the truth.
It's déjà vu, in a way. No-this is more than that. It's the second time, after all.
"Horace! Horace! You got another perfect score on the exam?! How the fuck do you do it, bro?!"
I hear Shawn's voice before I even see him. As he catches up to me, panting, I smirk slightly at his exasperation.
"Is that really surprising, dude?" I ask, shaking my head. "You act shocked every time I ace an exam."
"Of course, I'm shocked! You barely study, man. You just cruise through life, chilling like nothing matters. Meanwhile, I study my ass off, and I still can't get a perfect score! It's so damn frustrating!" He groans, ruffling his already messy hair. "And on top of that, you look good enough to turn heads everywhere you go. How the hell are you this lucky and smart at the same time?! It's like you're the incarnation of perfection itself! Life is so fucking unfair."
I chuckle. If only he knew the real reason behind my success.
"You flatter me too much, bro. I'm not that great."
"Fuck off with that humble bullshit, Horace. It's pissing me off."
I laugh at his frustration. He's always so animated about this, but I can't exactly explain my situation to him.
Right now, the two of us are strolling through the mall, just killing time. We're not here to shop, just taking a break from the suffocating pressures of school. Or rather, he needs a break. I'm perfectly fine.
"So, what should we do?" Shawn asks after a while. "We've been walking for ages. Wanna grab something to eat?"
I don't answer. Instead, I lead him to a nearby buffet restaurant.
"You're paying, rich guy," he announces proudly before heading to the cashier.
I let him handle it while I grab a plate. The buffet is self-service, so I scan the spread, looking for something appetizing. My eyes land on a seafood dish in the center of the table. As I reach for the serving spoon, another hand brushes against mine.
A sudden jolt runs through me, like an electric shock. It's brief but intense, sending an unfamiliar sensation through my body. Startled, I turn to look at the owner of the hand.
A girl.
She has long, silky brown hair and delicate features. But it's her eyes that capture me-the way they widen slightly in surprise, mirroring my own reaction. For a brief moment, we just look at each other.
"...I'm sorry, you go first," she says, pulling her hand away.
"Oh, sure. Excuse me." I quickly take a serving and return to my table, my heartbeat slightly erratic.
Shawn is already eating when I sit down. He raises an eyebrow. "That's all you're getting?"
I nod. "Yeah."
"Well, I'm gonna get more. Be right back." He gets up and heads toward the buffet.
I stare at my hand, still tingling from the unexpected contact. What the hell was that? My heart hasn't calmed down yet. I take a subtle glance at the girl-she's now seated at a table with a friend, laughing as she eats.
"...Damn, this feels strange," I mutter under my breath.
"What feels strange?"
I nearly choke on my food as Shawn suddenly reappears, plopping into his seat. "Dude, what the hell? You scared me!"
He smirks. "You were zoning out. What's up?"
"Nothing," I say quickly.
But Shawn isn't buying it. His eyes follow my gaze, and then-
"...Oh." He nods, like he's figured something out. "Her name is Yue."
I blink. "Who?"
"The girl you keep sneaking glances at." His grin is downright smug. "You're interested in her, aren't you?"
I force my expression to remain neutral, but my widened eyes betray me for a second. I recover quickly. "Not really."
"Bullshit."
"I'm serious. Not that much," I insist before standing up. "I'm gonna grab more food. You?"
"Nah, I'm good."
I walk away, needing a moment to collect myself. Yue, huh? Why did I react that way when I touched her hand? It wasn't just physical-it was something else, something unfamiliar. Something I haven't felt before, even with my abilities.
After eating, Shawn and I decide to check out a bookstore. As we pass by the restaurant's glass window, I instinctively glance inside. Yue is still there, chatting with her friend.
"Not interested, my ass."
I shoot Shawn a bored look. His smug expression is irritating, but I can't even deny it. I am interested. I just don't know why.
"...Just shut up and walk, dude." I drag him into the bookstore.
But even as we browse the shelves, my mind keeps drifting back to her. Yue. The strange jolt. The unfamiliar feeling.
Shawn, as if reading my thoughts, casually says, "If you're that curious, why not visit her school? She goes to the university next to ours."
I glance at him. This dude knows too much.
But visiting her, huh?
Let's see.
****
The next day, I don't actually know what's gotten into me, but here I am-standing outside her school, waiting for her.
Just what the hell is wrong with me today?
After my last class ended, I rushed over here without thinking. I didn't even tell Shawn where I was going. I just moved on impulse. Why? I have no idea. Something is definitely wrong with me.
The rational part of my brain keeps telling me to leave before I embarrass myself, but my feet won't budge.
What am I even expecting? That she'll somehow sense my presence and walk out right away? That she'll magically appear in front of me as if fate itself is pushing us together?
I let out a sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. This is stupid. I don't even know when she'll be coming out, or worse-if she's even here today.
Minutes pass. Then more minutes. The longer I stand here, the more ridiculous I feel.
Am I actually... stalking her?
I shake my head. No, no, that's not it. I just want to talk to her. That's all. But what do I even say? What kind of excuse do I have for waiting for her like some creep?
Just as I'm contemplating leaving, I spot a nerdy-looking guy standing near the gate, seemingly waiting for someone. Maybe he knows her?
Screw it. I don't have any other leads.
I approach him hesitantly. "Uh... excuse me?"
The guy flinches as if I just pulled a knife on him. "Y-Yes?!"
What the hell? Am I that intimidating?
I raise an eyebrow but continue. "I just wanted to ask... do you, by any chance, know someone named Yue?"
Before he can answer, a voice speaks up behind me.
"Are you perhaps looking for me?"
I swear, my soul nearly jumps out of my body.
I turn around, and there she is-standing there with a bright, amused smile on her face.
Goddamn it. That scared me.
For a second, I forget how to function. She looks at me expectantly, her head tilted slightly. I should say something. Anything.
Why am I not saying anything?!
"So?" she prompts, still smiling. "What can I do for you, mister?"
Crap. Crap. Crap. I completely forgot what I was going to say. I didn't even plan this far ahead. I feel like an idiot.
Think, brain. Think!
"I-It's just..." I stammer, cursing myself internally. "I just... I wanted to ask..."
She raises an eyebrow, waiting patiently. Damn it, why does she look so relaxed while I'm over here malfunctioning?
Screw it. Just say something. Anything.
"Would you please go out with me?"
...
Oh, fuck.
I said the wrong words.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Her eyes widen in surprise. The people around us-because of course, there's an audience-turn to stare. Some students are whispering. Others outright gawk.
Kill me.
"I-Isn't that... a bit too sudden?" Yue asks, clearly taken aback.
Yeah. Well done, Sherlock. Great first impression.
This isn't what I meant at all! I was just going to invite her for coffee or something! Can I rewind time right now? Please? This is the perfect time for my ability to kick in!
I open my mouth to use my time leap, but before I can get a word out, Yue suddenly grabs my hand and covers my mouth with the other. Without warning, she drags me away from the crowd, hurrying into a nearby café.
When we finally settle into a quiet corner, she lets go and sighs. "Well, that was unexpected."
I groan, rubbing my face. "About the confession... That was a misunderstanding. Please, let it slide."
She blinks, then laughs softly. "I figured as much. You looked too panicked for it to be serious."
I stare at her, a bit dumbfounded. She's not creeped out? No awkwardness, no disgust-just amusement?
"...You're not weirded out?"
She shakes her head, still smiling. "No, but I am curious. Why were you looking for me?"
I clear my throat, trying to regain my composure. "We met at the buffet restaurant yesterday, and... I guess I just wanted to get to know you. My name is Horace. Horace Fibel."
There. That's the truth.
I brace myself for her reaction. I mean, if a random guy showed up at my school and said that, I'd think he was a weirdo.
But instead of looking creeped out, Yue simply tilts her head and studies me. Then, to my surprise, she chuckles.
"Don't be so nervous," she says, her voice light. "I understand."
I blink. "You do?"
She nods. "It's not every day someone gets so flustered just trying to talk to me. It's kind of cute."
My ears burn. Did she just call me cute?
Before I can dwell on it, she extends her hand toward me. "Yue Shino. Nice to meet you, Horace."
I hesitate for a second before shaking it. The moment our hands touch, that strange jolt from yesterday returns-less shocking this time, but still there, buzzing faintly beneath my skin.
I look up to see her staring at me, as if she felt it too.
Neither of us say anything about it.
For some reason, though, my heart beats just a little faster.
"Likewise," I murmur.