friend chapter 16

I wasn’t completely unprepared for this, but…

Hearing it from Mary was still absurd. Edward liking me? That’s impossible.

The Edward I knew from the original story was incapable of love. Everyone feared and hated him, so he, in turn, scorned everyone. He claimed to love Jade, but from what I saw, it wasn’t love. It was an obsession tainted by possessiveness. If he truly loved her, he would have made her happy, not clipped her wings and caged her.

I didn’t believe Edward was capable of liking anyone. His interest in me was… well, just curiosity. A brave noble lady with a one-sided love for him. That’s probably all I was to Edward.

“You said you liked me, right? You better be prepared to take responsibility for those words.”

Edward’s eyes had been full of amusement when he said that. I’m sorry, but I can’t take responsibility. Because I never liked you in the first place.

“Oh, I’m late. Sorry, Mary. Let’s talk later!”

Leaving Mary’s protests behind, I left the classroom. I hadn’t gone far when I saw Edward leaning against the hallway window, waving at me as if he knew I was coming. Rubbing my aching head, I faced him.

***

The meeting agenda was the executive training camp. The official schedule was set by the academy, so the student council had no authority to change it. Our task was to plan the recreational activities. The official schedule was so dreadful that we needed to have some fun at least during recreation time. When Hannah first told me the official schedule, I thought I’d misheard. Day one: mountain climbing with the professors. Day two: volunteer magic lessons at the orphanage…

I thought the purpose of the training camp was to foster camaraderie and discipline among the student council members. The orphanage volunteering was understandable, but I had no idea why mountain climbing with the professors was included. Just in case, I asked Hannah, “Did Professor Ias add this?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

My suspicions were confirmed. Hannah seemed to have given up already and was pinning all her hopes on the evening recreational games. Unfortunately, our student council was full of people who didn’t know how to have fun, so no good ideas were forthcoming. Hannah rejected every suggestion that came up, and understandably so.

“How about playing dead?”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“We all lie down like corpses.”

“…That’s it?”

Jade nodded confidently. Hannah smiled gently and said, “Rejected.” Jade grumbled, “But Luna likes that game.”

It seemed like it was my turn to step up. I decided to use my knowledge from my past life.

“How about this game? We write a word on a piece of paper, one person describes it, and the other person guesses the answer.”

“Wow, that sounds fun! Is that a real game? I’ve never heard of it.”

“I made it up.”

“Lumina, you’re a genius!”

That’s right. A genius of lies. Of course, I hadn’t invented the game. It was “Speed Quiz,” a popular game from my previous life. I suggested various drinking games as ideas. They were all new to this world, so every time I suggested one, Hannah gasped and covered her mouth with both hands. I felt a strange sense of pride, even though it was nothing to brag about. 

Before I turned twenty, I’d memorized drinking games from the internet. Back then, I was confined to a hospital bed, but I was filled with a strange hope. I hoped that my illness would be cured and I could be discharged when I became an adult. I dreamed of going to college and playing drinking games with my friends. Just imagining it made me happy, even though it never came true.

“Luna, what’s wrong? You look pale.”

Jade tugged at my sleeve with a worried expression. I must have been lost in old emotions without realizing it.

“It’s nothing.”

It was nothing now. I had a healthy body, a loving family, and precious friends. I gave a bright smile to reassure him.