章節 20: what are you hiding
The next day, Mateo groggily woke up, rubbing his temples as he stumbled into the common area.
"Hey, guys, what's up? What's the date today?" he asked, his voice still raspy from sleep.
The boys froze mid-discussion, turning to him with curious looks.
"You don't remember the date?" Ziven asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Uh… no," Mateo replied, scratching the back of his head. "I feel like I slept for weeks. Why does my head hurt so much?"
Arven grinned mischievously. "Well, let's see… yesterday you went off with Cior for some 'extra training'—and came back unconscious, with swollen lips. Care to explain?"
Mateo's eyes widened, and his face turned beet red. "W-What are you talking about?! That didn't happen!"
Amias raised an eyebrow. "Oh, it definitely happened. You're just conveniently forgetting."
"I don't even know what you're all on about!" Mateo said, growing defensive. "Why would Cior—wait, Cior!" He glanced around the room, suddenly flustered. "Where is he anyway?"
"Probably off plotting his next mystery act," Ziven said casually, leaning back. "Don't change the subject. What did he do to you?"
"Nothing! I don't think…" Mateo trailed off, his thoughts hazy. Why can't I remember clearly?
Arven smirked, leaning closer. "Mateo, my friend, are you sure you weren't dreaming about something… scandalous?"
"Shut up!" Mateo snapped, face burning. "I swear, I don't know what happened!"
The boys exchanged knowing looks, their teasing smirks only deepening Mateo's embarrassment.
Meanwhile, in the corner, Cior appeared, calmly sipping tea with a devilish glint in his eyes. "Good morning, Mateo," he said with a grin.
Mateo flinched, his eyes darting to Cior. His head was spinning, his memories fuzzy, but the sight of Cior made his stomach flip. "G-Good morning..."
Cior tilted his head, innocently. "You okay? You seem tense."
Mateo forced a smile, sweat dripping down his temple. "I'm fine. Just... had a weird dream, I guess."
Cior's grin widened as he sipped his tea. "Weird dreams, huh? Must've been something interesting."
"Y-Yeah, something like that," Mateo stammered, avoiding Cior's gaze as the teasing and his fragmented memories tormented him the rest of the day.
Mateo's confusion only grew as the day went on. He couldn't remember anything from the past two weeks, and every time he tried, his head ached as if his brain was actively resisting.
Amias and Ziven exchanged concerned glances as they watched Mateo struggle.
"Hey, Mateo, are you sure you're okay?" Ziven asked, frowning.
"I said I'm fine!" Mateo snapped, but his tone betrayed his frustration. He rubbed his temples again. "I just… I don't understand. It's like a whole part of my life is missing."
"You don't even remember the training you were doing with Cior yesterday?" Amias pressed gently.
Mateo hesitated, looking genuinely distressed. "No, nothing. I just woke up feeling weird… and apparently, you all think something happened. But I don't know what!"
Amias crossed his arms. "That's not normal. You're not the type to just forget things. This isn't like you."
Ziven nodded, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a serious expression. "And if it's just two weeks… that's oddly specific. Something's up."
"Do you think Cior—" Amias began, but Ziven quickly interrupted, "Let's not jump to conclusions."
"Jump to conclusions about what?" Mateo asked sharply, his frustration boiling over.
Amias and Ziven glanced at each other again, neither wanting to voice their growing suspicions.
"Let's just say we're worried about you," Amias said carefully. "You're acting weird, and this whole memory loss thing is concerning."
Mateo groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, thanks, but I'm fine. Just give me some time, okay?"
But as the two boys watched him walk away, they couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right—and that Cior might have the answers they were looking for.
Ziven and Amias exchanged skeptical glances as they stood in front of Cior, their expressions serious, though there was a hint of hesitation in their eyes.
"Y'know, what's going on with Mateo? Care to explain?" Amias asked, his tone casual but with an undercurrent of concern.
Cior raised an eyebrow, playing it off with a shrug. "He fell and lost his memory. What's my fault in that?" she said, feigning innocence.
Ziven wasn't buying it. "Okay, and can you tell us what happened that day?" he pressed, crossing his arms.
"Nothing. He fell from the tree," Cior replied nonchalantly, looking as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Bro has a weak memory, what can I say?"
Amias' eyes narrowed. "What about his diary missing pages?" he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.
At this, Cior's dramatic side flared up. She put a hand over her chest, her face an exaggerated portrait of hurt. "Why are you guys talking like you're blaming me?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising dramatically. "Do you think I do anything wrong? How can you betray our friendship like this?" She spun around, pretending to wipe away a nonexistent tear.
Ziven and Amias exchanged a glance, both of them trying not to break into laughter at Cior's antics, even as the tension remained in the air.
"Okay, okay, enough with the drama," Ziven said, rubbing his temples. "But seriously, something's off here."
Amias sighed, clearly not convinced. "We'll get to the bottom of this, one way or another."
Days passed, and the incident seemed to fade into the background. The boys had gotten back to their usual routines, and life at the academy continued as normal.
"Well, all's well," Cior thought to herself, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watched her friends go about their day, unaware of the subtle tension she still carried with her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that everything had returned to normal... or at least, as normal as things could get in a school full of secrets and unspoken truths.
But deep down, she knew that the calm was only temporary. There were still questions, suspicions, and a few too many close calls for her comfort. For now, though, she would let the peace linger, savoring it for as long as she could.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票