Luna's words struck White like a blade.
"And there is one more person whose emotions have taken physical form—Zen."
"Zen… what do you mean?" White asked, worry creeping into his voice.
"Right. Perhaps you didn't know, since he stopped coming to school. But it's true. Because of the incident with his sister Aris, Zen became host to an emotion's creature—and that emotion is called Hatred," Luna explained, her tone calm.
She continued, "I told you before that emotions have their own colours—anger is red, sadness is grey, and so on. The creatures born from those emotions differ as well. For example, Shu is also a host. Her emotion is guilt, regret, and disappointment in herself for being unable to do anything—she feels helpless. And Zen's emotion is hatred."
White's thoughts raced.
'So, my guess was correct. Zen's emotions must have taken form, and if it is hatred… then perhaps it is directed at me, for lying to him. But I have to know more, so I can handle it carefully.'
"So, these emotional consequences are different too?" White asked, desperate to understand more.
"Correct. The emotion Shu holds will consume her, possibly taking her life or forcing her into decisions she'll regret forever. And in Zen's case, hatred often results in taking another person's life," Luna explained.
White frowned.
'I don't know if Luna has an answer for this. Aisha never gives me a direct way either—she only says being with them or creating something that makes them feel good can cure them. But dealing with two at once feels impossible for me.'
Leaning forward, his voice trembling, White asked, "I get it… but is there any way to cure this before it hurts someone?"
Luna looked downward, her hair covering her eyes, and spoke slowly in a whisper.
"It is… Unfortunately, I don't have an answer. I've never seen anyone overcome it."
"You must know something, right? If you have such ability, then you can solve anything, can't you?" White pressed, hoping she would guide him.
She lifted her head and looked toward him. Instead of the confident, smug face he was used to, he saw something different—tears in her eyes. Frustrated, she raised her voice for the first time.
"I said there is no way to cure it! I have tried… but in the end…" Her voice faltered, lowering again. "Maybe you should go now."
White was shocked, unsure how to reassure her in this moment of weakness. He had never thought she could break, always seeing her as an iron wall. Before leaving the clubroom, he looked at Luna, her head still bowed.
"I don't know what happened to you, but things won't change. Whether it is guilt or curiosity, you always help. So, for that—thank you. Don't worry about them. I promise, I will save them. And when the time comes, I will do whatever it takes."
—
Back in the classroom, everything continued as normal for the entire period, but White's mind was elsewhere, searching for a solution to help Shu and Zen. He tried to recall everything but failed. If Luna didn't have an answer, then his only hope was Aisha.
Since he had no clue about Zen, he decided to talk to Shu. Perhaps, while speaking with her, he could learn more about her present struggles. According to his plan, he asked her out for some snacks. At first, her face turned red and she tried to refuse, but he convinced her.
"So, where do we want to go first?" he asked.
"I don't know…" she said quietly, her face still flushed.
"Ah… I know! How about a café? They serve desserts—you'll like it," White suggested, hoping to cheer her up.
"Ahmmm…" Shu agreed with a small nod.
They chatted a little, but her words were sparse—only "hmm" or "okay" came from her. When they reached the café, they ordered and began talking.
"Now, I think this is the first time we've come together for snacks, right?" White asked, following the plan he had formed after speaking with Luna.
"Yes, it's the first time, so I'm a little nervous. Sorry," Shu admitted.
"Don't worry. Maybe it's because it was so sudden," White said to ease her.
"So, what did the President and you talk about after I left?" she asked curiously.
"Ah… nothing much, just a little about studying," White avoided, changing the flow.
"Sorry for the sudden question… What about your parents? I mean, are you all right?" he asked.
She was shocked at first, but then her nervousness shifted into a smile. "Everything is fine. There is nothing to worry about."
Seeing her smile, White thought,
'Maybe the President was mistaken—her smile doesn't feel fake to me at least.'
They talked more, but Shu denied everything, insisting she was living a normal life.
Time passed. As they stood to leave and approached where their paths would separate, Shu asked, "You two—I mean President Luna and you—seem close."
"Nah… she's just nagging me. Always bothering me, using her power to frighten me, always threatening me," White complained.
Hearing that, Shu chuckled. At the end, he couldn't hear what she said—only saw her lips moving as she tried to say something. Then she left.
—
White returned to his apartment, following his usual routine. He checked on his sister Elsa, who had just started her normal life again, beginning college and returning to normalcy. After that, he went back to his room.
Inside, he heard Bell and Aisha talking, smiling and chatting.
"Ah, welcome back, Papa!" Bell rushed and jumped on him. He almost lost his balance but managed to steady himself.
Aisha giggled. "Oh, you're here! What do you want? Dinner, bathing, or…"
"What are you now, my wife or something? It was better when you came mysteriously, spouted nonsense, and disappeared into thin air," White taunted.
"If you really want that, then okay, bye," she said with a pout, about to vanish. White stopped her.
"Wait! There's something I want to talk to you about—but after dinner, okay? So please wait."
She saw his serious face and nodded.
They had dinner. Bell told him about her day, and exhausted, she soon fell asleep. White laid her down in bed, then returned to where Aisha sat calmly, drinking tea.
He sat in front of her. "So, umm… I just want to ask something."
"You want to know if there is any shortcut to ending the emotionally formed creatures, don't you?" she said before he could finish, unsurprised.
"Yes, about that…" White began.
She interrupted, "Forget it. Like I said before, it's impossible to get rid of emotions once they take physical form. No matter how much you help, you can't save a person unless they save themselves."
"There must be a way to end this, right? Something I can do to help. Please, Aisha, I want to know," White begged.
"There is nothing you can do once emotions form. They can't be taken away by others. Well, if you really want to get rid of it, why not ask Bell?" she suggested, sipping her tea.
"I can't risk that. I know if I wish for it, Bell can get rid of those emotions. But if the price to pay is equal, then it just means passing the burden on. If I cure Shu, those emotions might be passed to someone else—and the price of saving Aris is still yet to be paid."
"Well, you're not wrong," Aisha admitted.
"So please," White lowered his head and pleaded, "Please help me. I will do anything—just tell me the answer. How can I save my friends? Please, Aisha. I beg you."
She sighed, chin resting on her hand. "You know, you're too greedy. Always asking this and that, never returning anything."
White bowed his head until she finally answered.
"Ok, ok," she said, handing him a pamphlet with a special dessert cake. "Bring me this, and I'll tell you."
"Ok, I will," White replied.
"So, the answer is—" His heart pounded as he awaited her words.
"The answer is still the same. You can't do anything to the emotional forms once they're created."
"What?! You said you would give me the answer, but you're saying the same thing," White complained.
"Didn't you hear me? I told you—you can't do anything. But the host of that emotion can get rid of their emotional form by accepting reality or the situation," she explained.
"What do you mean?" White asked, still confused.
"Just like you had to accept your death… and yet wished to live. No one could do it for you except yourself."
"That's all I wanted to say. I'm tired now." She yawned and vanished.
She always did that—never telling him the full answer, only giving riddles to solve. But maybe now he understood.
Even if he couldn't save them, he would fight beside them until they could save themselves.