Love Letter From The Future

Inside the Academy grounds, a population of tens of thousands lived. This included not only students but also faculty, staff, and various management personnel, all cohabitating in the same space.

With so many people living in such a place, the Academy was always bustling. Moreover, more than half of the residents were spirited youths. The outdoors was filled with friends to meet, making their appearances even more frequent.

However, no matter how crowded the Academy was, it was impossible for crowds to gather everywhere. The Academy was vast, and naturally, there were some secluded spots.

For instance, the Southern Forest of the Academy and the backyards of old buildings located on the outskirts were such places. They were areas that students had no need to visit and were distanced from the Academy’s center.

These places gradually became meeting spots for delinquents like the Tean gang. As a result, students’ foot traffic steadily decreased, and it eventually turned into a secret spot known only to a few.

The place where I called out to Ceria was one of those spots.

Along the road leading to the forest were several old buildings. Once used as research facilities long ago, they had been marked for reconstruction over time or had fallen out of relevance in their respective fields.

It seemed that the academic affairs office was devising some plans to utilize this building, but like most administrative procedures, progress was slow. Thus, this place became a frequent choice for students who wanted to engage in covert conversations.

It was also a suitable place for Ceria and me to talk. I stood behind the old building in the remaining clearing, looking at Ceria.

She was fidgeting. It seemed she didn’t know how to approach me.

For her, I was her first friend. Having no experience with how to act when a friend is angry, a small sigh escaped my lips.

I hadn’t been genuinely angry at Ceria. Rather, I might have needed an excuse to cool down, having been somewhat sensitive lately.

I thought I should comfort her, so I opened my mouth.

“Ceria, you’ve been following me since this morning, haven’t you?”

Ceria flinched at my remark. Her eyes fell to the ground, shimmering with a sorrowful tremor.

It was indeed true. Since this morning, right after I had gotten angry, Ceria had been shadowing me.

Even after I entered the dormitory, it seemed she had been loitering in front of it. As soon as I stepped outside, she secretly followed me again.

In truth, I had noticed even before that. Although Ceria had tried to hide, my senses, now finely tuned from heightened sensitivity, quickly picked up on her presence.

Ceria hadn’t genuinely suppressed her presence either. In the bustling daylight of the Academy, trying to conceal oneself would attract strange looks from others.

She had been following me for so long. It was natural for her to have something to say. I stared silently at Ceria for a moment before softly asking.

“Do you have something you want to say?”

Ceria cautiously lifted her gaze to gauge my reaction. When our eyes met, she was startled and quickly lowered her head.

To me, it was no big deal, but she seemed to think my anger hadn’t subsided.

This was troublesome. I only had the option to ponder how to soothe her. If I waited for Ceria to speak first, I might end up late for my next class.

So, I took a step closer to her. Ceria’s body trembled slightly. Her flustered gaze turned to me.

However, there was still some distance between us. I stopped in my tracks and looked at Ceria again.

It was a signal to express herself. If not, I could simply get closer then; at that point, I could comfort her appropriately. Still, I wanted to hear what Ceria wanted to say.

It was a precious opportunity. I couldn’t always take care of her just because of her immaturity. She needed growth in her own right.

Ceria squeezed her eyes shut. A trembling voice flowed from her mouth.

“S-sorry, s-s-sorry….”

‘Apologies’? It seemed she was trying to apologize.

It wasn’t a bad choice. After all, offering an apology without dissecting right or wrong is helpful for resolving old feelings of resentment.

Of course, some people do exist who, after hearing an apology, respond with resentment, insisting the fault still lies with the other party. Such individuals are somewhat emotional, so it’s best to take more time to improve the relationship. Otherwise, one might sever ties.

Fortunately for Ceria, I was not one to harbor grudges for long. More importantly, I also thought I had done wrong.

If she apologized to me as I listened and then I admitted my fault, that would resolve the matter. Then we could return to our previous selves, training and chatting together as normal.

It was perfect. I inwardly smiled at the blueprints of the future I envisioned.

Ceria would come to realize today that friends might quarrel but also resolve issues, strengthening their bond in the process.

However, Ceria’s next reaction surpassed my imagination.

“S-s-s-sorry, please… p-pardon me….”

Her aquamarine-like eyes welled with tears.

Tears fell like crafted jewels, shattering upon striking the ground. I was so taken aback by Ceria’s reaction that I was rendered speechless.

Was she crying?

Wasn’t she the prideful Ceria? Even though she harbored inferiority concerning her half-sister, her own sense of pride and dignity was genuine.

That’s why she had asked for another duel after losing to me; to regain her pride.

It was the second time I had seen her cry today.

The first time was when I saw Ceria being bullied; she desperately wiped away her tears then. Even though she must have felt miserable and pathetic, she didn’t want to show that side of herself to me.

Yet today, the tears falling seemed to surpass those from that day.

That indicated how intense her emotional turmoil was. I stood there, dumbfounded, unable to figure out what to do as I stared blankly at Ceria.

“S-s-sorry… p-pardon me… please… forgive me…”

The waves of emotion spread through not just her eyes but her entire body. She trembled slightly. It was a pitiful sight. Thus, I couldn’t help but approach Ceria.

The body sometimes conveys more than words. Ceria was now one of those instances. Her voice carried deep sorrow, but her trembling body communicated something more.

Anxiety, unease, and fear.

The thought that our carefully built relationship could collapse made this proud and dignified girl act submissively. I couldn’t bear it.

Ceria was bowing her head, apologizing to me. I took one of her tightly closed hands.

Ceria gasped, startled; her head lifted. Her tear-stained eyes filled with me.

I let out a sigh, wiping away her tears with my remaining hand. A scolding sound slipped out of me.

“…Are you an idiot? No need to cry over this.”

As I swiped at her eyes with my thumb, Ceria made a flustered expression. After a few more swipes, her tears finally ceased.

Ceria let out a confused sound.

“U-uh, I-Ian-senpai…?”

Her pronunciation faltered. Yet neither of us paid much attention to it. Ceria looked at me with wide, startled eyes as if she had the hiccups, and I was still in shock from her sudden outburst of tears.

I gazed at Ceria in silence for a moment, scratching my head.

“Why are you crying? Just because we had a little argument… How much more do you plan to cry like this?”

“B-but it was the first time you got angry, Ian-senpai…”

Ceria mumbled, lowering her gaze again. A hint of anxiety flickered across her eyes.

So that’s what she worried about. I couldn’t afford to express anger recklessly now. I chuckled somewhat incredulously.

“What’s wrong with getting angry? I was sensitive at that moment, Ceria. I’m sorry.”

Upon hearing my naturally flowing apology, Ceria lifted her gaze once more to gauge my reaction. Once she was convinced I wasn’t angry anymore, relief escaped her in a sigh.

Even so, a thin sheen of moisture lingered in her eyes. She kept glancing my way.

“…Are you still anxious?”

At my quiet question, Ceria offered no answer. However, the way she once more averted her gaze spoke volumes about her feelings.

I swallowed hard. I hadn’t thought that raising my voice once would lead to this situation.

After pondering for a moment, I cautiously asked her.

“Then what can I do to help?”

It was somewhat of a cowardly question. Unable to resolve the situation on my own, I was shifting the responsibility for a solution onto someone else.

Yet for now, this choice seemed best. I wasn’t skilled in comforting a crying girl, and more so, this was the first instance I had ever made someone like Ceria cry.

My experience in making girls cry was limited to a few instances with Celin during childhood. I initially had no idea why Ceria had burst into tears.

Why had Ceria been so anxious? Without resolving that question, I had no idea how to comfort her.

Caught off guard by my sudden question, Ceria opened her eyes wide momentarily before glancing away to contemplate. After a moment, however, her gaze set with determination.

Still, it seemed difficult for her to articulate her thoughts; her lips parted and closed several times. Finally, a little while later, she finally found her voice.

“…P-please hug me.”

It was another utterance that far exceeded my expectations, rendering me speechless.

Ceria’s skin radiated a sweet scent. Her moist breath, unclouded eyes, and slightly flushed cheeks.

A flowing curve was evident. An attractive silhouette unique to femininity. My head spun in a daze.

Crying girls have a peculiar allure. They possess a charm that draws men in and incites an impulse to sweep them away.

So, I couldn’t bring myself to speak carelessly. I merely gazed at Ceria, who was looking up at me in silence for a long while.

She was criminally beautiful. Including the exquisite curves of her form, it seemed she had unconsciously mastered the art of enchanting men.

When her soft breath tickled my nose, I jolted back to reality. It felt like waking from a dream; my once-foggy mind snapped to attention as if splashed with cold water.

And with my mind freshly returned, my initial thought was as follows.

…This audacious junior?

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