Chapter 17: Chapter 17 • Class 3-A
I'm sorry I'm an hour late posting this, as it's my birthday and I was getting things in order.
Asia lived in a discreet apartment, divided into three distinct rooms: her bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen which, although compact, overflowed with her essence. The place didn't have the opulence of larger spaces, but for her, it was a haven of pure contentment.
The bedroom, simple and functional, was a sanctuary of personal tranquillity, where every object was an extension of her identity. The kitchen, although modest, was the scene of small culinary triumphs and gastronomic experiments that became a source of uncomplicated joy in her routine. These were the joys that, trivial to some, for Asia were small but constant flames that warmed her days.
A sudden need woke her up - an urgent natural call. Asia murmured to herself, aware of the triviality of the moment, but captive to its call.
Once the need had been met, she went to the sink for her morning hygiene routine. In front of the mirror, the reflection of her face surprised her; her normally lively eyes were clouded by a sudden haze of sadness.
Without warning, tears welled up, flowing silently. "Why am I crying?" she asked herself, her voice almost a whisper, as her fingers brushed away the moisture on her cheeks.
The answer eluded her, lost perhaps in a forgotten dream or a hidden emotional trigger.
The tears were like a dammed torrent that finally broke free, carrying with it sobs that echoed in the silence of the apartment.
The cold floor of the bathroom became her involuntary refuge as she let herself sink down with the unleashed emotions, her body convulsing in a cry that seemed to carry the weight of unexpressed emotions.
The soft sounds of her struggle to find calm resounded in the confined space...
Almost thirty minutes passed; the storm of her sadness gradually gave way to calm. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together, the confusion giving way to a sense of emotional release.
Her mind, once clouded by the waters of despair, now seemed as clear as a sky after rain.
With a sigh, Asia stood up, the coldness of the floor reminding her of physical reality. With trembling hands, she washed her face, the drops of cold water like a balm on skin swollen by the traces of crying.
"It's okay, I'm fine..." she assured herself, in an internal dialogue as she massaged her temples, trying to revitalize herself.
In the kitchen, her movements were automatic: a glass was removed, the jug of water, moved from its cold place in the fridge, was used to refill it. Two glasses were drunk in silence, hydrating the body and calming the mind.
The glass, now clean, was returned to the cupboard, and she remained there, static, lost in reflections that sought to understand the source of her nocturnal vulnerability. No matter how much she analyzed the depths of her mind, the reason for her emotional distress remained elusive.
Overcome by a suddenly overwhelming tiredness, Asia retreated to the refuge of her bedroom, longing for the temporary oblivion that sleep could offer. Lying down, she surrendered to the struggle against the waves of incessant thoughts, each one trying to decipher the mystery of that night. In the end, tiredness won out and she allowed herself to be carried away by the current of sleep...
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[Kuoh Academy, Class 3-A, Third Year]
Rias, automatically writing down the words the teacher was writing on the board, found her thoughts drifting.
Confronted with an enigma that deeply disturbed her convictions, she had the firm impression that the boy under her observation possessed an unusual peculiarity.
However, a bizarre event challenged this perception...
'There's a serious mistake here...'
Contrary to all expectations, the boy was not only ordinary, but turned out to be noticeably below average.
'Issei Hyoudou should at least have Sacred Gear, Twice Critical, shouldn't he?' Rias thought with her mind a whirlwind of confusion and frustration at the apparent disappointment.
However, what could she do? She had already turned him into a reincarnated devil, making him part of her peerage. She couldn't simply eliminate him for his lack of usefulness, could she?
Sighing, Rias rested her head on her left hand, her scarlet hair pouring down like a flaming waterfall, strands delicately obscuring her eyes.
His gaze eventually settled on the tall, brown-haired and brown-eyed student.
'He always comes first in the evaluations, right?' She held Light in considerable esteem, especially after suspecting that he had been invited by Sona to join her peerage.
Her eyes narrowed, inspecting him more closely. 'I perceive something threatening... An aura that goes beyond the sacred energy I detect in the crows... What causes such a sense of threat when I observe you?
Readjusting her posture, Rias intensified her gaze in Light's direction.
As much as she frowned and tried to see through him, Rias could only feel a chilling energy that made her feel threatened; but apart from that, she couldn't discern anything else about him.
'How curious...' She thought, intrigued.
So absorbed was she in her ramblings that she had almost forgotten her recent disappointment with Issei.
Suddenly, Light turned his head, catching her gaze.
'Ah, damn...' Rias felt momentarily captured, like a mouse under the watchful eye of a feline, but promptly reproached herself: 'Why do I have to get so worked up just because I was caught looking at him?
Recovering her posture with a glimmer of her usual dignity, she faced him once more, finding him offering her an enigmatic smile...
'What's the reason for your smile?' wondered Rias. 'Have you been charmed by my appearance?
She was indeed remarkably beautiful; it wouldn't be absurd if he was mesmerized by her...
With that thought in mind, she couldn't help but smile. 'How lovely,' she thought, returning the smile lightly.
"Light Yagami!" The teacher's voice erupted suddenly, accompanied by the sound of a book hitting Light's head, surprised in the act that he was turned around looking behind him.
"Well done, Hahaha!"
Witnessing the scene, like the rest of his classmates, Rias let out a restrained laugh, but with his characteristic grace and refinement.
With his gaze back on the teacher and a conciliatory smile, Light said: "I beg your pardon, Honekawa-sensei."
"Apologies aren't enough, come over here and sort it out!" Honekawa-sensei showed a glimmer of irritation; after all, Light, the most promising student, was expected to be exemplary. But when he saw him distracted by a classmate, he felt compelled to teach him a lesson.
Light stood up naturally and, going to the board, answered the equation of the question without the slightest error.
In fact, his answer was even more precise and detailed than the teacher's...
"It's done, Honekawa-sensei," said Light, turning to him calmly.
Somehow, seeing his sincere gaze and hearing his respectful voice, the teacher couldn't hold a grudge against him.
In no way was it because he felt inferior as a teacher when he saw that the student's answer was even better elaborated than his own?!
Sona, who already had her answer formulated, saw Light's answer and rewrote her own...
'How does his mind work?' Sona thought, curious.
Although she didn't feel inferior to him, she still respected his intelligence, especially after losing to him in a game of chess.
Time passed very quickly and soon the lunch break arrived.
When everyone was getting ready for lunch, Rias stood up and stopped in front of Light's desk.
When the students in the class saw this, especially those who had noticed Light smiling in Rias' direction during the lesson, some cast interested glances at what was going to happen. Why had Rias Gremory come to Light and what were they going to talk about?
Was she going to scold him for looking at her during the lesson?
Or would she tell him not to stare at her?
Maybe she was interested in him?
Well, that's what the boys least expected; in fact, many were already mentally cursing Light at that very moment.
"Do you need something from me, Rias Gremory?" Light looked at her and asked with a charismatic smile.
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