Ch. 24
A Chance Encounter After Class
The afternoon passed in a blur.
Classes went on as usual the monotone voice of the lecturer, the scratching of pens, the hum of the air conditioner. Yet Selene's mind wandered back to the gym earlier. The noise, the cheers, that random guy tripping because of her, she almost snorted remembering it.
I just looked. What's wrong with these people?
When the final bell rang, everyone rushed out of the room like prisoners set free. Selene decided to stop by the comfort room before heading home. She walked down the empty hallway, her footsteps echoing faintly, the fluorescent lights flickering every now and then.
As she pushed open the door, the faint sound of someone sniffling made her pause.
Inside, the mirror reflected a girl standing by the sink hair drenched, uniform soaked, and her hands trembling as she tried to wipe her face with tissue.
Selene froze for a moment, blinking. It was the same girl she saw earlier at the gym the one holding the water bottle and smiling shyly at the basketball player.
But this time, she looked... completely different.
Her light aura from earlier was gone. Her eyes were red, lips trembling. Even her shoulders shook slightly as if she'd been trying not to cry for a while now.
The sound of dripping water filled the silence.
Selene's instinct told her to just walk away, not my business, she thought.
But something about the girl's trembling hands stopped her. Selene hesitated for a moment, then quietly reached for the tissue box on the counter. Without saying a word, she handed it to the girl.
The girl startled, her teary eyes darting up to Selene. For a second, confusion flickered in her expression— like she couldn't believe someone had actually approached her. Then, hesitantly, she accepted the tissue with both hands.
"...Thank you," she whispered softly, her voice trembling just as much as her hands.
Selene only gave a small nod, leaning against the sink beside her. She didn't say anything just crossed her arms and waited as the girl dabbed her face dry. After a few quiet moments, the girl finally spoke, trying to force a small, shaky smile.
"Someone poured water on me... I think it was an accident."
Selene arched an eyebrow.
"You think?" crossing her arms.
Is she dumb?
"Because that doesn't look like an accident to me."
The girl blinked, taken aback.
"It's fine, really. I don't want to cause trouble."
Selene sighed softly, shaking her head.
"You really shouldn't let people treat you like that."
"I'm used to it," the girl whispered.
That made Selene pause.
A small, bitter sigh escaped her lips.
She knew that kind of answer it was something she herself used to say long ago, when she thought enduring things quietly made her stronger.
She grabbed a few more tissues and handed them again, this time with a little more insistence.
"Here. Dry off properly before you catch a cold."
The girl accepted them with a small nod.
"Thank you... again."
"Selene," she introduced briefly.
She stepped closer, careful not to startle her. The girl blinked.
"Huh?"
"My name," Selene added, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"It's Selene."
The girl froze for a moment like the name echoed in her mind. Her lips parted slightly, a faint flicker of recognition in her eyes.
"Selene...?" she repeated, almost under her breath.
That name... sounds familiar.
"Nice to meet you, Selene. I'm Liana Cerez, I'm really sorry for the trouble."
Selene just gave her a small nod.
Silence filled the room for a while, just the sound of tissue rustling and the dripping faucet. Then Liana spoke again, voice softer this time.
"You're the girl who watched the game earlier, right?"
"Yeah. And I saw you cheering for someone who missed five shots in a row."
Selene smirked slightly.
Liana's face flushed pink despite her soaked hair.
"Y-You counted?"
"Hard not to," Selene said dryly, but there was amusement in her tone.
Liana laughed weakly, and for a second, her expression brightened.
"Yeah, that guy really missed his shots!"
For a few moments, the silence between them wasn't heavy anymore, just calm.
But Selene didn't know that this quiet, soaked girl she just helped... wasn't just a random student.
But another key character in Love Illusion.
And her story was only beginning to intertwine with hers.