The plump school nurse had already taken hold of Justus' arm, pulling him out of the rest area while insisting that Justus finish the tale. Letting out a sigh, Justus continued with some reluctance, knowing that he had muddled together various fairy tales and forgotten many details while narrating for the two of them.As noon drew near, Justus headed to the cafeteria a bit early to grab his lunch. Watching everyone savor their meals stirred a complex mix of emotions within him. Once the antagonist, he now felt like a mere pawn in the game.No one else seemed to notice anything amiss with Justus, except for Lilyana. She observed him pushing his food around on his plate and cautiously asked, "Justus, what's on your mind?""Yeah, you seem a bit down," Azaria added. In just two class periods, Justus not only appeared noticeably fatigued but also had a slightly hoarse voice.Justus offered a wry smile and glanced at the plump school nurse and Daisy Bradford, who were seated in front of him
Justus composed himself, realizing the profound emotional distress he had inadvertently caused someone, even though the blame didn't entirely rest on his shoulders. With that statement, their conversation concluded, and henceforth, Justus limited his interactions with Lilyana, be it in class or after. In stark contrast, Azaria kept herself remarkably occupied. During her free periods, she diligently transcribed the morning's missed notes and humbly sought assistance from her desk neighbor. Despite the school year's early stages, Azaria had already fully immersed herself in her academic pursuits. What astonished Justus even more was that once Azaria had a solid grasp of the material, she generously handed over her meticulously organized notes to him. "What does this mean?" "I compiled these notes because neither of you attended the morning math class. I hope they help you catch up on what you missed," Azaria explained with a hint of apology, her tone sincere. Justus was momentaril
Justus proceeded towards Building C as indicated by the old lady and finally spotted a modest sign for Building C. The corridor was cloaked in darkness, prompting Justus to retrieve his phone and activate its flashlight as he cautiously ascended the stairs. Although he had been in Azaria's neighborhood before, he had never ventured into the building itself due to strong discouragement from the butler. Now, he finally understood why the butler had estimated that it would take a week to resolve things. This community had aged significantly, with many basic amenities falling below acceptable standards. If it weren't for Azaria residing in this building, Justus wouldn't have set foot in this eerie place even if someone paid him handsomely. Upon reaching the sixth floor, even Justus, who maintained a regular exercise routine, found himself slightly breathless. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a tissue and began searching for the keys to his new home. Before he could find the k
After going about his errands, buying groceries and climbing the stairs to his apartment, he had an unexpected encounter with Giovani Summers. Giovani Summers remained silent but had a somewhat disdainful and mischievous glint in his eyes. Justus found himself briefly perplexed, and as he ascended a few more floors, he gradually pieced together the reason behind Giovani Summers' peculiar demeanor. From the sixth floor, the lively chatter of people reached his ears. It seemed that the neighbor auntie, who had been engrossed in a party the previous day, had gathered a group of friends for another round of festivities. Recalling Azaria's reaction during that time, Justus couldn't help but grow annoyed. He entered his apartment and called the housekeeper. "Get a few people and come over immediately. If they persist in causing a disturbance, make sure they can't make noise again," Justus's gaze turned cold, no longer concealing his true nature. He had never claimed to be a saint, and h
Once he was sure Azaria had left, Justus slowly roused himself from bed. Despite brainstorming numerous plans, he remained unsure about how to create the perfect surprise. Which expression should he wear, and what words would make Azaria's beautiful face light up with a smile? Nevertheless, Justus was determined to navigate through this week somehow. Yesterday's favorability had remained unchanged, which made him question whether he was using the right approach to improve it. Justus promptly boarded a bus to the classroom. A quick glance revealed that Azaria was in high spirits. He stowed his backpack and initiated a conversation with her, saying, "You finally look normal today." "Was I not normal the past few days?" Perhaps it was the aftermath of the previous night's commotion, but Azaria's mood had suddenly improved. After a restful night's sleep, she wore a genuine smile on her face. "Yeah, you were acting rather unusual. The Azaria from the past few days seemed almost vampir
At lunchtime, as Lilyana ran to grab some drinks, Azaria finally struck up a conversation."Today, Raiden told me something.""Did he confess his feelings to you?" Justus quipped, trying to lighten the mood. He knew that even if a confession had occurred, Azaria's disposition wouldn't allow her to accept it, given the dramatic circumstances."No, but it's something of a similar nature," Azaria shook her head, her expression growing a tad more serious. Justus felt a pang of unease, worrying that Azaria might have uncovered something dubious about his intentions.Or perhaps, she wasn't the only one with memories of a past life.The more Justus thought about it, the more anxious he became. What was even more disconcerting was his need to maintain an appearance of innocence while concealing his anxieties."Raiden mentioned that back in junior high, there was also a guy named Justus Wallace.""Haha, quite the coincidence," Justus chuckled, feeling relieved, yet a lingering unease remained.
While Azaria still grappled with uncertainty regarding Justus's intentions, a sudden curiosity began to well up inside her. "Justus? He used to be like a wolf in sheep's clothing, but now..." Lilyana paused to reminisce about her middle school memories of Justus. Justus had been headstrong and willful, possibly due to losing his mother at a young age and his father's perpetual preoccupation and emotional distance. However, Lilyana now realized that Justus had undergone significant changes, previously unbeknownst to her. Suddenly, Justus exhibited a gentle demeanor and revealed previously concealed aspects of his personality. In any case, the current Justus exuded an enigmatic charm in every gesture. Lilyana momentarily got lost in thought, temporarily forgetting to respond. Observing Lilyana lost in contemplation, Azaria playfully waved her hand before her. "Why are you daydreaming like Justus? Anyway, what do you think of Justus now?" "I like him..." Lilyana couldn't help but b
"Raiden, Justus, Azaria, Lilyana, all four of you, please come with me to the principal's office."Freddy Drebin's icy stare fixated on Justus. Extensive research had been done on this mischievous character. Justus seemed capable of almost anything, stopping just short of committing serious crimes.That's why Freddy Drebin had planned to restore order in the class, starting with the rebellious soul, Justus, and Raiden. Yet, within just a week since school started, Justus had caused trouble twice.He appeared nonchalant, but as Freddy Drebin meticulously analyzed the situation, he realized it was a trap set by Justus from the very beginning—a sly elimination of those who posed a threat to him.In less than a week, Justus had even managed to win over his most promising student, Azaria. Such detailed planning was hard to comprehend for a high school student like Justus.Unbeknownst to Justus, Freddy Drebin had already given him an exceptionally high evaluation.The mastermind, Justus, ha