It’s still crystal clear. It hasn’t faded from my mind.
The crescent moon, illuminating the world with its bright moonlight.
A biting cold so harsh that most people wore gloves and scarves.
And this year’s monumental first snow.
As I recall, there was an urban legend circulating that if you confessed your love in a narrow alley on the night of the first snowfall, your love would surely be reciprocated.
Shirai and I must have been so naive back then.
Shirai had regained her long-lost vision with Yuren’s help and confessed that she had fallen for him because of that.
I was absolutely certain that I would win.
Yuren and I had been childhood friends for over a decade. I never imagined I would lose to some fleeting friendship that had only lasted a few years.
“Sorry, Judit.”
For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.
‘Is this some kind of hidden camera show?’ I wanted to ask.
“Shirai, I’m not sure when it started, but… I like you.”
Right before my eyes, he confessed to Shirai.
It was humiliating. I felt so much resentment toward Shirai.
The instant they hugged, I fled the narrow alley. A searing pain overwhelmed my chest, and tears began to well up in my eyes.
I decided to let everything go. I wouldn’t see those two again. I had heard that if the body grew distant, so would the heart.
I wanted to erase my feelings for Yuren and my hatred for Shirai as quickly as possible and move on with my life.
But it wasn’t that simple. My unrequited affection of over ten years shattered into pieces, all because of another woman.
I couldn’t bear the pain, so I stopped my steps in some unknown place and burst into tears.
What kind of affection did he have for Shirai that he even created a universal remedy for her?
I had tried to deny it all until the confession, but now I had no choice but to accept the truth: Yuren Star Dust liked Shirai, not me.
The more I thought about it, the more resentment welled up in my chest.
I wondered if the outcome would have been different if I had pleaded just once, or if I should have confessed sooner. These regrets only made my crying worse.
“Uwa?”
Then, a voice I knew all too well echoed in the distance.
Mate Daylight, the man who had been like a savior, helping me resolve my family issues.
I had concealed my feelings out of guilt, but I couldn’t help but think how much better it would have been if he, not Yuren, had been the one for me.
He sincerely consoled me as I sat there sobbing.
Even when I had secluded myself in the dormitory all day, overwhelmed by sadness, he visited me, missing class to comfort me.
Whenever I showed even a slight sign of a fever or a cold, he would wrap a cold towel around my forehead.
If I wept for Yuren, he would gently pat my back to comfort me.
Even a fool could tell.
Ah, he must like me.
To win my heart, he resolved my family issues, cooked for me, and skipped class just to be my companion.
Whenever I subtly showed signs of being in a bad mood, he noticed, and it was endearing.
His face was more than satisfactory, and he had taken care of my family problems. I felt that he could make me happier than Yuren ever could.
The moment I decided to move on from Yuren and start flirting with him, everything unfolded exactly as I had planned.
When I reached out to hold his hand, his ears turned bright red, and when I leaned in slightly, making my chest brush against his arm, I could feel it trembling.
Each time, I couldn’t help but tease him more, and as our connection grew stronger, a new love began to blossom while my feelings for my childhood sweetheart faded away.
It was a certainty that I would be happy forever.
“…”
Judit woke up in the dormitory and immediately checked the alarm clock next to her bed.
It was 5:00 AM, still too early for the sun to rise.
Judit sighed in relief and laid back down in bed.
She pulled the blanket up over her head and rested her head on the pillow.
But just as she closed her eyes, a question from a girl replayed in her mind.
– Did he ever do anything wrong to you?
“…”
– He’s the one who stepped in to solve your complicated family problems and even canceled important engagements to celebrate your birthday.
This was the dormitory of Lumere Academy—obviously, no one but herself should be here.
But whispers, like hallucinations, echoed in her mind.
“…Shut up.”
Judit tightly closed her eyes and completely blocked her ears with her hands.
She had to escape these stubborn auditory hallucinations.
*
Princess Judit and Prince Yuren.
Apparently, both of them skipped class.
By now, Princess Nipia must be smirking in the student council office. This is a great opportunity to weaken the standing of the first-year students.
The freshmen are restless because they’ve been banned from the snack shop.
Although most of the first-year students criticized Yuren and Judit, there were also quite a number of supporters.
Something about “love flight being justified.” Many found it romantic and thought it made for a good show.
Prince Yuren and Princess Judit going somewhere for fun is none of my business.
However, since Yuren as the top student of the swordsmanship club has been acting like this since the day after the entrance ceremony, it’s rather inconvenient for me.
The one who is supposed to set an example for the other students shouldn’t skip class just because he wants to play.
Yuren Star Dust and Alphin the Herta represent the dual peaks of the first year.
His academy life inevitably has a significant impact on the standing of the first years.
Lumere Academy’s dining hall.
A place where students from all grades gather for meals.
I bit into a sausage while curiously observing the amazing scene at the next table.
“Alphin, it isn’t going to work, right? Huh?”
“It’s too much to ban the snack shop starting the day after the entrance ceremony. We haven’t done anything wrong.”
“But even if you say that to me…”
“You’re a genius magician. If you ask the student council president to lift the ban, they won’t have anything to say.”
“We don’t have hope in anyone else anymore. To think that the prince we trusted would skip classes just to hang out with the princess…”
“The first year is doomed… really a degenerate generation…”
“Well, um… I’ll suggest it when I have some time.”
I sat close to Alphin on purpose to try to eavesdrop on his conversation.
Of course, the situation developed as I had feared. Moreover, the biggest issue now was Shirai transformed into an infant sitting to my left.
“Hey, Mate, quickly! Hurry up.”
Shirai, sitting there with her mouth wide open, demanded to be fed because she claimed her mana circulation was disrupted, making it impossible for her to eat by herself.
In the dining hall where all students of Lumere Academy gathered.
The rumor that a first-year Saint named Shirai liked a certain male student had already spread widely throughout the school.
Though I understand her feelings, it’s impossible to comply with her request under the watchful eyes of so many people.
“You should eat by yourself.”
“Ne-eh…”
Shirai surprisingly accepted it without resisting.
I can see her disappointment in her facial expression, but right now she takes precedence.
“Alphin.”
“Ke, keh!”
When I approached and spoke to him, he flinched and panicked.
Of course, his gaze was directed towards his spoon instead of me.
“I’m sorry for interrupting your meal, but I need a favor.”
Alphin, who is not merely unfamiliar with conversing with males but actively avoids it, was expected to flee with his tray.
“What, what is it…?”
I was more than a little surprised.
The day Alphin the Herta speaks with a male has finally come.
“Isn’t this a bit too rushed?”
“Ho, hokay.”
Though he says it’s okay, his trembling hands holding the spoon show he’s clearly uneasy, which makes me feel a little sorry for him.
I remember the day back then.
– I got rejected by Yuren.
“…”
Forget it.
After all, it’s a past that has become nothing but bubbles.
I sat next to Alphin and begged earnestly.
“After you finish eating, let’s go somewhere.”
“Wha… What?”
“There’s someone I know that we need to find before afternoon.”
I have a place in mind. The place where Judit and Yuren are likely playing around.
“Why do you need me…?”
“Let’s just say, if it doesn’t work out, we’ll have to resort to force.”
I tried not to interfere too much in their relationship, but skipping classes to go on dates is a problematic situation in itself. We should find them immediately and bring them back.
Alphin is the only first-year who can currently compete with Yuren.
But it wouldn’t be prudent to say that directly.
“Because you just popped into my mind.”
“…”
“Wouldn’t it work?”
Seeing that his hands are still trembling, expecting his consent would be a lost cause. Even having this conversation is already quite a significant progress.
At the moment I stood up after briefly giving my farewell, an unexpected answer came.
“Alr…ight.”
This is the response I wouldn’t dare imagine yesterday.
“Even if I don’t know what it is, I’ll just follow you, right?”
“Yes, you got it exactly.”
When two pairs of lovers gather in one place.
It reminded me of our first double date.
– Judit, look over there.
– Yuren and… Shirai?
– It looks like you guys are also out on a date. If it’s okay, why don’t we hang out together?
– A double date, huh? I’ve always wanted to try that!
I remember. Back then, I could see that Judit was enviously looking at Shirai.
‘I hope getting her wish fulfilled makes her happy.’
It’s time to see Judit’s face with my own eyes.
