Download App
28.97% Project: Socialize / Chapter 80: Staying with the Moon

Chapter 80: Staying with the Moon

Sitting there in the corner of the ballroom with nothing to do except watching the other students as they had fun indulging themselves with alcohol and socializing, I decided that it was time for me to leave. I had no further obligations here and after checking my phone, it was already pretty late at 11 PM.

With nothing else on my mind, I got up from that seat and slowly made my way to the exit of the ballroom. My destination was the changing room where I had borrowed the tuxedo I was wearing from. There, my school uniform was stored in one of the cabinets. I walked down the lonely hallway, and in the background, the muffled noise of the music being played in the ballroom could be heard. I was sluggish from the day, and that muffled music acted like a lullaby as well as an annoyance at the same time; it's soft enough to lull my tired self near a state of drowsiness, but the music being played wasn't fit for sleep.

With a yawn, I slowly made my way to the changing rooms. By coincidence, when I brought my hands to the door handle of the men's changing room, the door to the women's changing room opened. From it emerged the two girls that I was fairly familiar with. Both Muria and Irina had changed back into their school uniforms, and as for Muria, she appeared quite relieved after escaping that revealing evening dress. On their faces was a look of surprise, but that look of surprise soon died down.

"You're heading home?" I asked after seeing that Irina had dressed herself in her school uniform.

"Yeah," Irina responded. "It's getting kinda late for girls to stay out."

"It is nearing midnight," I said after recalling the time. "I'm heading home as well," I then added. "You need someone to walk you home?"

"Sure," Irina answered with a relieved smile. "It'll be a lot safer with a boy with us."

"I mean Palisia is fairly safe," I said.

"It's still much safer if there's a guy with us at night," Irina smiled.

"Are you sure it won't be more dangerous, Irina?" Muria chimed in in her usual, cold manner.

"..." I stared at the girl who had just said that to me, and I then recalled how she had acted earlier. I remembered that shy and defenseless look she had on her face and chuckled. "That's the Muria I know."

"What do you mean?" she said, blushing a bit from being reminded of her state from earlier.

"Come now." Irina turned me around and pushed me into the men's changing room. "Hurry up and get changed."

I was forced into the changing room and the door was soon closed behind me. I stared at the closed dark wood door for a few seconds, dazed and thinking about what had just happened. Then, with a sigh, I walked over to the cabinet where I had kept my school uniform, took my clothes out, and started stripping myself of the tuxedo I had on. I carefully folded them and laid them on top of the cabinet after putting on my own clothes. Then, I exited the changing room.

Outside, Muria and Irina were both waiting for me as promised. After seeing me, they greeted me once again and we started on our way towards the elevators. On our way, we passed by the ballroom entrance, and inside, it would appear that things were slowly becoming wild as the music was now being blasted on the speakers. It's gotten to the point that I was actually glad that I had left before the music had became this ear-rape.

The elevator was located in an opened area near the wide-pane windows at the side of the building. We had arrived at the elevator area from the right side, and there was also a hallway that intersected the one we had arrived in. On both sides of that hallway were doors leading into hotel rooms.

Once we arrived in the elevator area, I saw a familiar figure standing before the wide-pane windows and staring at the nighttime city outside. Her silvery-white hair seemed to sparkle underneath the illuminations in the hotel and her beautiful face was reflected slightly in the window glass before her. This reflection confirmed to me that this was Luna, and she saw us approach due to that reflection as well.

"Luna, you came to the party as well?" Irina sounded surprised when Luna turned around to greet us with a smile. "I'm so surprised!"

"I'm not that rigid of a person," Luna laughed. "Or am I someone like that to you?"

"No," Irina blushed.

Luna surveyed the three of us with her eyes. "Are you three heading home?"

"Yeah," Irina answered.

"How lucky of you," she laughed once again as she made eye contact with me for a second and ended it shortly after. "You have a personal escort."

I wasn't sure if she was talking to Irina and Muria about my presence or talking to me about the two of them. It was probably the first option since if it was the latter, then wouldn't she be implying that Muria and Irina are prostitutes aka escorts?

"Are you leaving as well?" Muria asked after noticing that Luna was dressed in her school uniform.

"I was going to," she said, "but I'm kinda tired so I was resting for a bit before heading home."

"Then how about we head home together?" Irina suggested. "It's safer if it's the four of us."

"Hmm..." Luna gazed out the window as she pondered over the suggestion. Then, with a smile, she declined. "I think I'll be resting for a bit more before I head home," she said after turning around to face us. "You three can go ahead without me. It would be bad if I keep you here any longer than needed."

"But—"

Irina was about to say something but was interrupted by Luna.

"It's fine," Luna said. "I can manage myself."

Her denial led to a frown being formed on Irina's face. She wasn't damaged by the denial, but rather she was worried and concerned for Luna's safety. I know that because Irina is someone who would worry about others. Within her lies a kind and gentle heart, one that had existed even before my efforts of freeing her from her troubles.

"Then how about this," Irina finally said after thinking for a way to guarantee Luna's safety."Alevian, can you stay behind and walk Luna home? If that's fine with Luna..."

Luna looked over at me for a second, and then smiled. "I'm fine with that," she said. "I think heading home later won't bother Alevian as much."

"Then it's decided," Irina smiled happily, knowing that her suggestion had helped.

What about me? I thought. I didn't agree just yet.

However, I kept those thoughts concealed within me, knowing that if I were to talk, that would probably result in a scolding by Irina. Besides, spending some time with Luna isn't as bad as staying behind in that loud ballroom. So, I don't have much reason to decline.

"What about you two then?" I asked. "If the two of you were to walk the other person to their house, the person still not home will have to head home all alone. It's nearing midnight so..."

"It's fine," Irina smiled as she hugged Muria. "Muria said I can stay the night at her place."

"Irina, too close..." Muria had a troubled expression on her face as Irina wrapped her arms around her. However, she made no real effort to push the girl away.

"Then that shouldn't be as bad," I nodded.

"Then see you two tomorrow," Irina said as the elevator arrived at the floor we were on and the two entered it. "Don't do anything weird to Luna!"

"I'm not a pervert," I sighed.

Upon seeing that reaction from me, Irina chuckled. Then, the elevator doors slowly slid to a close and took the two girls down towards the ground floor, leaving only Luna and I standing before the elevator.

"So I'll walk you home," I said to Luna.

"Thank you," Luna smiled and nodded in my direction.

Then, she turned to gaze out the window once again. On her face was that same smile, but in her eyes there were a sort of content admiration as she watched the nighttime city. However, her countenance was also affected by fatigue, and her eyes displayed less vitality and was of a pale color.

I remained silent as I just stood there, accompanying her. Without much to do, I took my phone out from my pant pocket and began surfing the internet. However, that was when I noticed a notification on my phone that I must've missed due to the loud volume in the ballroom.

----------

Continuous Objective:

Spend time with Luna.

----------

What? That's it?

My eyes were wide with shock as I read the mission over and over again from the Socialization app.

Continuous Objective... what's that?

I navigated the app in search of an explanation for this mission, but there seemed to be nothing there. I was confused by this mission since I never had it before, and in addition, there's no SP reward or time limit set.

Continuous Objective... so does that mean it's a mission over a prolonged period of time?

My time to comprehend and think over the mission was interrupted by the sudden arrival of the theater club president, who appeared quite hyped for some reason. There were no signs of fatigue on his face, and from that slight redness, I could tell that he had some to drink.

"Whatcha doing here?" he asked when he saw us. "Alevian, with the President..." A perverted smile then appeared on his face. "I know what's going on... Good job, Alevian!" He patted me on my back, congratulating me for something that I wasn't sure about. "Picking up the President of all girls. Good job."

I looked over my shoulder at Luna and discovered that she was remaining silent, which was quite odd since she usually could handle situations like this. Even though she kept her head low, I could see a slight paleness on her face. Maybe she was tired? But in any case, it would appear that it will be me that's responsible with handling this guy.

So that's what he's talking about.

"You had too much to drink," I said, escaping from him so that he wasn't able to slam me in my back.

"A little," he laughed. Then, he reached a hand into his pocket and took out what appeared to be a key card. "You're gonna need this." He showed me the card.

"What's this for?" I asked him.

"Fun," he said, stepping to the side, turning around in order to gaze at the hallway with hotel rooms, and finally finding an example. "There're about to have fun."

My eyes looked where he was looking, and to my surprise, I saw Loyd being dragged into a hotel room with three girls. His face was red, and I wasn't sure if it was from alcohol or from him blushing. However, when they entered a hotel room, I finally understood what the club president had meant by fun. Then, I suddenly want to curse Loyd.

"We're not that!" I exclaimed. I then glanced over my shoulders, hoping that Luna wouldn't be mad that we were mistakened.

"Oh," the club president ignored me while keeping his eyes down the hallway. "There's another one. Hey, it's Zaksus."

I looked out of curiosity where the club president looked in and discovered Zaksus with three girls. The four entered a hotel room as well, and then I cursed that guy.

What the f*ck... These people are getting laid so easily... And it's more than one person!

"Alevian man." The club president brought his hands to his waists and shook his head in disappointment. "I had high hopes for you when I saw you headed this way with Muria and Irina. When I saw the President, I was like 'Oh man he's a player'. But now... it's only one instead of three..."

"We're not that relationship," I sighed once again and shook my head.

"Anyways," the club president said as he grabbed me and then Luna by our wrists. "Go and have some fun."

He dragged us over to a hotel room with what great strength that I wasn't able to free myself out of. Then, he unlocked the door with the key card, opened the door for us, and pushed us in there. Then, he threw the key card into the room as the door slowly closed.

"Have fun," he said, waving to us as the door closed.

What the hell happened in that last few minutes? I saw Loyd before he's about to have a foursome, Zaksus before he's about to have a foursome, and now I'm mistakened to be ready to have a one-night stand with Luna... Nothing's gonna happen between Luna and I, but Loyd and Zaksus...

I sighed and shook my head, mourning the fact that those two had left this world of virgins. I then looked over my shoulders and at the silent girl who kept her head low.

I am in a hotel room with Luna... This is bad...


Chapter 81: Two Truths, One Lie

A long silence continued on as I stood there facing the closed hotel room door with Luna behind me. It was an awkward and tense moment for me. Luna stood behind me with her head low as if something was on her mind, but it was that thought that bothered me. Her silence made it almost impossible for me to initiate conversation of any sorts. In addition, the idea that I'm now in a hotel room with a girl made my heart race and clouded my train of thought.

I looked down at the key card the theater club president had thrown on the ground and picked it up. I then inserted the key card into the card slot by the door in order to activate the power in the room and summon the lights and air conditioning. Then, I waited.

The door could be opened from our side, so it wasn't like we're trapped here. However, it will be awkward for me if I were to take the initiative. Open the door, and Luna might feel offended by the possibility that I didn't find her attractive. But suggest we stay some more time here might make it sound as if I was after her body. Therefore, I'm in a bad situation, surrounded on all sides with no real options except wait for her to make her decision.

I glanced over my shoulders at her, taking in that troubled expression on her face. She seemed to be thinking about something at the moment and wasn't ready to say anything. Therefore, I must continue to wait for her. In the meantime, I must stand still and not attempt anything because if I were to make my way further into the room, then that will basically imply that I want to stay longer.

After standing there for about a minute, I heard a soft chuckle from Luna. Turning my head to check her reaction, I saw a faint smile on her pale face as she gazed into my eyes and made eye contact. Those amber eyes of her's were extremely absorbing as it seemed to force all of my focus to be directed to her. However, what's weird is that in her eyes, I saw a strange determination that I wasn't sure where it had stemmed from and for what purpose that it served.

"Let's rest here for a bit," she said, her words causing my heart rate to increase and blood to flow to my face as they might contain a secondary meaning. "It's better than standing outside."

I let out a sigh of relief as she turned and walked further into the hotel room because the latter part of her sentence revealed to me that her intent was simply to have a place to sit and recover before heading home. Therefore, knowing her decision now and having her consent, I followed her further into the hotel room.

There was a large king sized bed in the center of the spacious hotel room up against the far left wall. Beside the bed were two bedside tables. The on one further from us had a telephone placed on top of it, and both had table lamps on their surfaces. In the space opposite of the bed was a drawer with a large television framed on the wall above it. In the corner of the room further down on the side the television was located was a small bar with a refrigerator filled with drinks. Opposite of the bar was a small round table with some comfortable looking chairs surrounding it. Then, on the wall furthest from the doorway was a large window showing the nighttime view of the city.

Luna had walked up to the window and opened it before continuing over to one of the chairs surrounding the round table and sat down, and I followed after her. I was quite hesitant in each step I took since I was with a girl and alone in a hotel room. I worried that she might mistake every sudden move I make as an attempt on her chastity. Therefore, I made sure to make every single movement of mine appear extremely easy to identify.

I sat down on the chair opposite to the one Luna had sat down in. Then, I started looking around. The girl before me seemed to have a content smile on her face as she sat there with her eyes closed. She seemed to have given me plenty of trust to not do anything, or... does she want me to do something?

With a blush, I shook that idea out of my head and looked around the room. It was quite a spacious room with extremely modern furnishing and decorations. However, the lights were extremely dim in this room, making the room quite dark and moody.

"So," Luna finally opened her eyes after a minute and started speaking. "How's your day been?"

"It's alright," I responded in a boring manner out of nervousness. "It's just that I'm pretty tired from the day. I spent all morning with the others in my club at the Festival, and once we're done I'm dragged here..."

"That sounds pretty terrible," Luna laughed.

"How about you?" I then asked in order to keep the conversation alive.

"For me?" She said with a dreamy look on her face as she crossed her legs, revealing more of her white thighs, leaned towards her right, propping her right elbow against the arm rest of the chair and resting her chin on her right hand as she stared out the opened window and at the bustling city outside. "Today wasn't very interesting," she said. "But yesterday, when I was with you, it was."

"T-that's good to hear," I awkwardly replied.

"Alevian," she then said with a slight chuckle in her voice as if she's amused by my reaction. Although her face was still pale, but she seemed to be in a better mood and exhibited greater vitality. "What's your relationship with Muria and Irina?"

"I would say we're acquaintances," I responded. "Probably just that."

"Hmm? I would say you're more than that."

"Then I don't know..."

Luna then chuckled and remained silent as she stared out the window. However, an alluring smile continued to exist on her face as she sat there. Her posture was nothing sort of erotic, but for some odd reason it seemed to have an attracting effect on me, causing me to keep my eyes focused on her. It might be because she's someone of the opposite gender, but I believe it's not that reason. Rather, it felt like it's something with those eyes of her's... something about her being the complete opposite of me. Her freedom was something that I never dreamed of having, and yet, it intrigued me to the point that I can't move my eyes away.

"Come to think of it," she continued speaking, her voice exhibiting the effects of fatigue once again. She turned her face away from the window and back towards me, and that was when I first realized how light her skin color was. It was to the point that the neon lights from the outside world splattered on her face as if it was a white canvas. "I've only started speaking with you yesterday, not counting the few times during the Committee meetings."

"Right," I nodded, confirming her statement.

"I feel like we should get to know each other more," she smiled in an energetic matter that seemed odd when compared to that lightness of her skin.

"How will we do that?" I asked, thinking of the many ways one could get to know the other person more.

So through more conversation? I thought. Like asking each other questions about what they like and hobbies and stuff?

"Let's play Two Truth, One Lie," she said with a voice filled with vigor and enthusiasm along with a smile that complemented it.

"W-what's that?" I asked, surprised by the suddenness of that suggestion and the fact that I've never heard of that game before.

"You've never played it?" she looked at me with a blank expression of surprise. "The rules are, each person says three statements about themselves, and two of them has to be a truth, and one of them has to be a lie. Then, the other person has to guess which one of the three is the lie."

"I see," I nodded my head as I comprehended the simple rules. "Doesn't sound too difficult."

"Alright," Luna smiled. "You start."

"Me?"

I was surprised that she wanted me to be the first to start the game. However, based off that smile on her face and that nod, it would appear that I have no way out of this. Therefore, I began brainstorming two truths and a believable lie about myself. It's actually quite difficult when I started trying because it really makes you look at who you are yourself. This game really works as a way for someone to recognize themselves.

"I don't have any friends," I started. "I usually stay home, and I had a girlfriend in the past."

"Hmmm?" She stared me in the eye as she thought over my three statements in search of the lie. Then, she closed her eyes and frowned, as if trying to decide on which one, which surprised me since I thought it shouldn't be that hard. "The first one?"

"Wrong," I responded. "It's the third one."

"You've never had a girlfriend?" she sounded quite surprised by the reality that she had discovered. "I thought guys like you that're pretty interesting would definitely have had a girlfriend. Besides, you have friends, don't you? Like Loyd."

"I never had a girlfriend," I sighed. "And as for Loyd... I don't know if I can truly consider him a friend now even though he was one in the past. We're just so different from what we were back in the day..."

"You got me," she said in a frustrated voice, although there weren't any real hints of frustration on her pale face. "Now it's my turn."

I sat up straight and focused my attention on what she was about to say. It was quite odd how much effort I was giving this simple game, but for some reason I felt like it's actually quite fun, a feeling that I thought I would never experience with someone else.

"I'm still under eighteen," she said while gazing into my eyes.

That's believable. She seems quite young.

"I actually don't have many close friends," she said her second statement.

That's the lie. That has to be it. Someone like her should be able to make plenty of friends.

"And lastly," she paused and a smile appeared on her face. "I suffer from a terminal illness."

"Huh?"

Her last statement surprised me and confused my brain with how strong of a statement it was. However, while I appeared surprised, my mind was furiously working and trying to find which one of the three was the lie. For some reason, no matter how I spun things, I keep coming up with the same conclusion: I want the third statement to be the lie.

"Haha," I laughed as my heart rate increased out of my own anxiety. "That's a bad joke to make."

I observed her face and took in that smile of hers. It was a smile that troubled me, one that seemed to be veiled by so many mysteries yet it appeared as if it wasn't so at the same time.

"The lie," I started speaking. My voice lost its confidence and started to tremble. "The third one is the lie."

"Wrong," was her answer.

Her one word answer, so simple and yet so powerful, echoed in the silence that ensued us. A gentle breeze blew in from the world outside, moving her hair about and concealed her amber eyes. On her face was a countenance so calm that it seemed to brought with it a chilling effect on the world for I felt extremely cold as if my body had started losing its warmth. The world seemed to fade to white, leaving only her existence still being detected by my eyes.

"I'm going to die soon..." she whispered in a cold, and calm voice.

Then—no... there's no more then. For some odd reason, I felt as if my whole world crumbled.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
NightLightLuminus NightLightLuminus

So that’s it for Vol 1. I’m kinda tired after posting all these chapters, so I’ll post the rest in the future.

Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C80
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank 200+ Power Ranking
Stone 0 Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT