The week passed quickly. The afternoon sun hung high over Europe, casting a golden light across the ancient rooftops of the School of Shadows. Yet deep within the quiet walls of the library, Javi and Rukawa remained stuck—still grinding through the unforgiving textbook titled Basics of Deductions.
They were currently on Chapter 7: Micro-Expressions and Body Language (Pages 151–180).
Javi groaned, rubbing his temples like he was massaging logic into his skull.
"Man... I didn't think the basics could be this complicated."
Rukawa didn't look up. His eyes remained locked on the page, voice calm and unreadable.
"Are you giving up already?"
"I'm not giving up," Javi muttered, letting the book fall shut with a dull thump. "It's just... a lot to take in. These micro-expressions, body language—it's like this entire secret language everyone's fluent in but me. The human mind is this tangled mess I never paid attention to. I knew I was kinda oblivious before, but this? This feels like a slap from the universe."
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling like it held answers. "How am I supposed to master something I can't even recognize in real-time?"
Rukawa finally spoke again, voice smooth and quiet.
"Your mind isn't here, Garcia. It's somewhere else."
Javi frowned, meeting his gaze.
"Is it that easy? Just focus and I'll get it? I can barely understand myself, let alone decode someone else's twitchy eyebrow or fake smile."
He shook his head. "You don't get it. You're naturally... well, stoic. I'm a mess of reactions and sarcasm. You're built for this."
Rukawa raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"That's an excuse. You're not failing because you're bad at this. You're failing because you keep zoning out. When was the last time you focused fully on anything? Stop being a dumbass."
Javi blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness.
The truth stung—he couldn't remember.
He sighed, quieter this time.
"It's hard, okay? Everything's changed. In my old school, life was simple. I miss my friends... my family. I didn't sign up for this whole 'mind-reading' curriculum."
Rukawa nodded.
"I know it's not easy. You're in a new place, isolated, surrounded by strangers. Missing home is normal. But dwelling won't help. The past is gone, and you can't go back. The only way is forward."
He glanced at Javi. "Also, stop skipping meals. You're starting to look like a ghost."
Javi scoffed, lifting an eyebrow.
"Seriously? Coming from you? Mr. Silent Lurker who disappears every mealtime like he's on a fasting retreat?"
Rukawa rolled his eyes.
"I'm on a strict diet. Discipline. Clearly, something you lack."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips—a rare sight.
"What are you, a ninja? A samurai?" Javi shot back, grinning.
"And for the record, I have been behaving."
Rukawa didn't even blink.
"Are you certain about that? Because I'm aware of your… complicated relationship with Ms. Watson."
Javi groaned.
"Don't remind me. She's the grumpiest person I've ever met. Always glaring. Like I personally insulted her ancestors."
"Her glare is sharp," Rukawa mused. "But interesting. She has control over her emotions. That alone is worth studying."
"Yeah, well, I hate that glare. Makes me feel like I'm being dissected in real-time. And I don't even know what I did to earn it!"
"And yet... you return the same energy," Rukawa observed.
Javi shrugged, arms crossed.
"Fair's fair. She glares. I glare. We're stuck in this mutual cold war of annoyance."
"You're childish," Rukawa said, matter-of-fact.
"And you're annoying," Javi shot back. "Which brings me to another topic—Mr. Graves. The man is allergic to joy. We're the only ones stuck in this lonely island of chapters while the others attend actual classes!"
He slumped over the desk.
"At this point, I'm this close to sneaking a peek into class—just to see what we're missing out on."
Rukawa raised a brow.
"We are forbidden. That is the rule. We are rookies—and we finish this book first. No shortcuts."
"Ughh…" Javi groaned, forehead against the table. "It feels endless. My brain's on the verge of combustion. I just want to know if I'm actually learning anything or just memorizing words for the sake of it."
There was a long pause. Then Rukawa closed his book slowly.
"In that case," he said coolly, "come here for a second."
Javi straightened, curious.
"What is it now?"
Rukawa picked up his notebook and began writing.
"We've completed the following so far:"
---
PART I: Foundations of Deductive Reasoning (Pages 1–150)
Chapter 1: What is Deduction?
Chapter 2: Deduction vs. Induction
Chapter 3: Classical Logic and the Syllogism
Chapter 4: Cognitive Biases and Fallacies
Chapter 5: The Principle of the Simplest Explanation (Occam's Razor)
Chapter 6: Memory and Mental Mapping Techniques
---
Javi raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I know that. What's your point?"
Rukawa looked up.
"We still have Chapters 7 to 15 to finish. Roughly 250 more pages. We have three weeks left, but that time is precious. So here's my idea—though I doubt you'll like it."
"Risky?" Javi said, instantly wary. "That's your tone when you're about to say something insane."
Rukawa gave a faint smirk.
"We push our limits. Ten chapters per week. We condense and summarize each chapter together. Focus only on core principles, real-life applications, and deduction triggers."
Javi stared at him like he grew two heads.
"T-ten?! Ten chapters? That's fifty pages a day!"
He flailed slightly.
"Are you out of your mind?! You want us to cram deduction like we're studying for a math test?! This is deduction—the art of logic!"
"We're not cramming," Rukawa said, unbothered.
"We're distilling. There's a difference."
Javi groaned.
"You sure we won't miss anything vital?"
"We don't cut. We compress. I'll handle most of the technical breakdowns—you handle the pattern recognition examples. That's your strength."
Javi blinked.
"You think I have strengths?"
Rukawa didn't reply right away. Then:
"You're better than you think. But self-doubt dulls your senses. Sharpen your mind, Garcia. Or you'll stay behind."
Javi stared at him, then nodded slowly.
"Alright… fine. I'll try your crazy plan. But if this backfires, I'm blaming you."
Rukawa replied calmly.
"Then let's agree. No distractions. No slacking. Total commitment."
"Yeah… you got it." Javi took a breath. "I commit. But don't make me regret this, okay?"
Rukawa gave a rare nod.
"Daijobudesu… 自分のことを心配する."
Javi blinked.
"What was that?"
"Don't worry about me," Rukawa translated. "Worry about yourself."
Something about the way he said it—calm, unwavering—sent a chill down Javi's spine. A whisper of unease coiled at the back of his mind. But he pushed it aside. He'd already made his choice.
"Alright," Javi said finally, squaring his shoulders. "Let's see how this partnership turns out."
Rukawa looked at him, cool and calculating. Then, like a general before battle, he said:
"Then let us begin."
Javi muttered under his breath as he picked up the book again.
"I've got a bad feeling about this..."
Rukawa heard that.
"Don't worry. You survived the first week. I'm pretty sure you'll survive the rest."
He smirked faintly, then stood up and moved toward the blackboard. Picking up a piece of chalk, he wrote with sharp, decisive strokes.
Javi blinked, watching him go full military strategist.
"You sure you're not a machine?"
Rukawa didn't look back, but his voice carried a rare edge of teasing.
"If I were... you wouldn't catch up."
Javi sighed and dragged his chair closer, fixing his gaze on the board as words formed.
---
At the board:
> MISSION: Complete Basics of Deductions within 1 month
Save the final week for the evaluation task
> OBJECTIVE: Finish 10 chapters per week
> RULES:
• NO DISTRACTIONS: INCLUDING GWEN, SIMON, RICHARD—EVEN DIANA
• BREAKS = STRICTLY 10 MINUTES
• AFTER EACH SUMMARY: TAKE A QUIZ
• POSSIBLE ANTICIPATION: Mr. Graves might spring an early task
---
Javi's forehead creased as he read it.
"No distractions," he repeated, his frown deepening. He cast a sideways glance at Rukawa—equal parts irritation and disbelief.
"You know this sounds an awful lot like a boot camp."
Rukawa capped the chalk and stood back to examine the board, arms crossed.
"More like a training ground for detective-level skills."
Javi slumped slightly in his chair.
"Right. Because nothing says 'relaxing training experience' like a rigorous, no-nonsense schedule with minimal breaks and constant testing."
He rolled his eyes, tone saturated in sarcasm.
"Remind me again—are we solving crimes or preparing to go to war?"
Rukawa glanced at him, face unreadable. Then the corner of his mouth twitched.
"Same thing... if you're doing it right."
Javi groaned, covering his face with his hands.
"This partnership's gonna kill me."
Rukawa turned, already opening the book.
"Then die smart."
Then they dove in.
Chapter 7: Micro-Expressions and Body Language (Pages 151–180)
The room fell into a focused hush, broken only by the sound of pages flipping and pens scratching across notebooks. Javi scribbled a rough outline, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
Javi muttered, "Okay, so a micro-expression is a brief, involuntary facial expression that reveals a person's true emotion... lasts less than half a second. Got it."
Across from him, Rukawa's handwriting was immaculate—each word measured, crisp. He didn't speak much, but his notes were already organized into columns: emotion, muscle movement, likely triggers.
Javi leaned over and squinted.
"Dude, are those arrows? Color-coded?"
Rukawa didn't look up.
"Efficient recall. You're wasting time talking."
"You're wasting joy by being a robot." Javi retorted, but he kept writing.
Minutes passed. They built a chart together, Javi surprisingly good at translating dense sections into simple bullets, while Rukawa refined phrasing and clarified technical terms. Their styles clashed at first—Javi too casual, Rukawa too exact—but slowly, their notes began to complement each other.
Javi tapped his pen.
"So, fear shows through widened eyes, raised upper eyelids, horizontal wrinkles across the forehead… basically what I look like when Gwen walks into a room with that 'I'm going to kill you' stare."
Rukawa smirked faintly.
"Or when you realize you've forgotten to prepare for a quiz. Which will happen... in 5 minutes."
Javi blinked.
"Wait—what? You said after the chapter!"
"We finished summarizing."
"Barely!"
But Rukawa was already flipping to a blank page. He slid a freshly written quiz across the table. Javi stared at it like it had personally offended him.
"You had this ready?"
"Always be two steps ahead." Rukawa replied calmly.
"I'm going to regret this month, aren't I?"
Rukawa handed him a pencil.
"You'll survive."
QUIZ #1 – Micro-Expressions and Body Language
Instructions: Answer in less than two sentences.
Question 1: What is the duration of a micro-expression, and why is it important in deception detection?
Javi:
"Less than half a second. It leaks the truth when someone's trying to lie with their face."
Rukawa:
"Micro-expressions last approximately 0.04 to 0.2 seconds and often reveal concealed emotions, making them critical in lie detection."
---
Question 2: Which facial muscles are primarily involved in expressing anger?
Javi:
"Eyebrows go down, eyelids tighten, lips press. Basically, Gwen on a Monday."
Rukawa:
"Anger involves the lowering and drawing together of the eyebrows (corrugator supercilii), tightened eyelids (orbicularis oculi), and compressed lips (orbicularis oris)."
---
Question 3: How can you differentiate between genuine and fake smiles?
Javi:
"Real ones crinkle around the eyes. Fake ones stop at the mouth—like the smile I gave Graves when he asked if I was 'adjusting well.'"
Rukawa:
"A genuine smile activates the zygomatic major and orbicularis oculi muscles. A fake smile engages only the mouth."
---
Question 4: What's one reason people often miss micro-expressions?
Javi:
"Because they're fast as hell and no one's watching that close unless you're a weirdo. Or Graves."
Rukawa:
"Due to their speed, micro-expressions are often overlooked unless the observer is trained to recognize them."
---
Javi leaned back in his chair, tossing his pencil on the table with a groan.
"Done. That was brutal."
Rukawa reviewed both their sheets. He didn't say anything at first. Then—
"Your answers lack structure. But... your instincts are accurate."
Javi smirked.
"Is that your way of saying I passed?"
"You didn't fail," Rukawa replied, already prepping their next task.
(Chapter 8: Environmental Observation Techniques — Pages 181–210)
The room was quiet except for the steady scribble of pens. Rukawa sat straight, annotating with surgical precision. Javi leaned on one elbow, flipping pages and muttering half-formed thoughts under his breath.
Javi squinted at a diagram.
"Wait, so you're telling me the position of a trash can can tell you if a room's been disturbed?"
Rukawa didn't look up.
"When placed with intent, everything has a reason. Anything out of place may indicate interference."
"Man, this chapter's like Sherlock Holmes on steroids."
"This chapter is about imprinting environments into memory. Like mental snapshots. Focus."
They both copied down the key points from the chapter into their notebook:
---
Chapter 8 Summary — Environmental Observation Techniques
Baseline Awareness: Every space has a natural order. Establish it quickly.
Entry Scans: Upon entering a room, note positions of furniture, doors, exits, items of interest.
Point of Focus: People often focus on areas they interact with or tamper with—watch for signs of recent movement.
Temporal Clues: Dust patterns, temperature, smells, and even lighting offer clues about how recently someone was present.
Sound Mapping: Auditory cues (like floor creaks, hums, or silence) can also give away changes in an environment.
Sensory Layering: Observe with all senses, not just sight.
Anchoring Techniques: Use fixed objects to mentally 'lock in' the layout of a space.
Sketch Memory: Practice drawing or mentally recreating rooms within minutes of leaving.
---
Javi stared at his messy bullet points. Then looked at Rukawa's clean grid-lined page full of diagrams and color-coded notes.
"Do you color-code your life too?"
Rukawa didn't even blink.
"Yes. Makes the chaos predictable."
"You're terrifying."
But Javi smirked as he wrote down the final line: "Next up: quiz."
QUIZ 2: Environmental Observation Techniques
Rukawa set down his pen and slid a hand-drawn floor plan toward Javi.
*"Scenario. You're in a library reading room. You enter and notice the chair near the center table is pulled out, but there's no one there. A lamp is still warm. A book on forensics lies open. No footprints, but there's a faint smell of smoke. What's your deduction?"
Javi leaned back, tapping his pencil against his lip.
"Okay. Chair's out—someone left recently. Lamp's warm—real recent. The open book? Maybe they were researching. But smoke smell? That's weird. Either someone lit something, or it came from their clothes... I'd say someone was trying to cover up being there."
Rukawa nodded slightly.
"Satisfactory. You made three environmental links: warmth, positioning, scent. Now—my turn."
Javi grinned. "Okay, hotshot. Your scenario."
He cleared his throat dramatically.
"A small office. One desk. One chair. You enter and the trash bin is full of torn-up notes, yet the table is spotless. Window's open, blinds fluttering. A faint trail of mud across the carpet leads to the vent. What happened?"
Rukawa answered immediately.
"Someone was here under duress. The torn notes suggest panic or last-minute disposal. Clean desk implies intent to erase presence. The open window and mud suggest someone entered or escaped through it—possibly small enough to crawl through. The trail to the vent? A mislead or alternate exit. I'd search both."
Javi blinked. "Okay... that was creepy fast."
Rukawa smirked faintly.
"Environmental reading. It's not just about what you see—it's about what doesn't belong."
Javi grumbled, mock-defeated. "You just had to flex on me."
"Consider it motivation." Rukawa calmly turned to the next chapter.
Chapter 9: Behavioral Patterns and Anomalies (Pages 211–250)
By the time they opened to Chapter 9, the sun had started its slow descent behind the dormitory windows. Golden light faded to blue, and the lamps in their room cast long shadows across the desk. The air was getting cooler, quieter—except for the constant scribble of pens and the occasional sharp inhale when a section twisted their brains.
Javi rubbed his eyes.
"Okay, who wrote this chapter? A robot? This is twice as dense as the last one."
Rukawa didn't look up.
"It's denser because it's foundational. Recognizing a lie from a twitch is useful, but knowing why someone lies? That's behavioral mapping."
Javi muttered under his breath.
"Great, psychological warfare. Exactly how I wanted to spend my afternoon."
They pushed on. The chapter dove deep into identifying routine behaviors, creating baseline profiles, and spotting subtle changes—everything from the way someone sets down a glass to the frequency of blinking under pressure. Rukawa absorbed it like a machine, jotting down concise summaries in clean bullet points. Javi tried to keep up, occasionally throwing in a joke or comment just to stay awake.
"Here's one," Javi said, stabbing his pen at the text.
"Subject A goes to the vending machine at exactly 4 PM every day. Then one day, he doesn't. Do we freak out or nah?"
Rukawa raised an eyebrow.
"We ask why. Missed bus? Overslept? Or... did he already know something was going to happen?"
"Paranoia: unlocked," Javi groaned.
"Man, I'm gonna start suspecting people for switching shampoo brands."
By 6 PM, their stomachs growled in unison, but neither moved from their seats. The window now showed only their reflections.
"We'll stop after the quiz," Rukawa said, tone sharp with fatigue but unwavering.
Javi raised an eyebrow.
"Oh wow, the machine feels tired?"
*Rukawa didn't answer—he just handed Javi a notecard.
Rukawa spoke, voice calm but with a hint of finality.
"This will be the last one for today. So be ready. Hold on."
He stepped away from the desk and moved toward the small whiteboard they'd been using for impromptu notes. The dying light outside had turned amber, casting long shadows across the room. He clicked on the lamp with a soft flick, its glow sharp against the deepening dusk. Javi rubbed his eyes as Rukawa picked up an index card and read from it with the same precision he used when taking notes—every word clean, every pause measured.
"Quiz Three: Behavioral Patterns and Anomalies."
Rukawa's eyes flicked to Javi.
"First question. A student usually sits in the far back of the cafeteria every lunch. One day, he sits near the exit and keeps checking his watch. What's your analysis?"
Javi leaned forward, tapping his pen rhythmically against the desk, trying to stay awake. His brows furrowed as he mulled it over.
*"Alright. Change in seating position suggests a change in behavior, maybe even strategy. Near the exit? He wants to leave fast—emergency, maybe a secret meeting. Checking his watch repeatedly? Could be nervous anticipation. Definitely planning something, or waiting for someone. I'd mark him for surveillance—pattern deviation's too strong to ignore."
Rukawa gave a slow nod, eyes unreadable.
"Bonus detail: he left his food half-eaten."
Javi's eyes widened slightly. He sat up straighter.
"Then he's not just planning. He's anxious. That's a physical cue. Appetite loss? Might be emotional—fear, excitement. Or he's in a rush. Something's coming, and he's bracing for it."
Rukawa allowed a faint smirk, barely there.
"Good. Your instincts are improving."
He flipped to another index card and, this time, didn't read. He looked at Javi instead, voice lower.
*"Scenario: A student who's normally loud and expressive in class suddenly goes quiet. He stops raising his hand, avoids eye contact, and skips three social events in a row. Analyze."
Javi let out a long breath, then rubbed the back of his neck.
*"That's a classic withdrawal pattern. Baseline deviation's emotional. Loud to quiet, expressive to reserved—he's either ashamed or afraid. Avoiding eye contact could be guilt or hiding something. Skipping social stuff? He's isolating. Could be a personal loss. Or..." he paused, his voice darkening slightly, "...he's scared people found out something."
Rukawa tilted his head.
"Continue."
*"We'd need to cross-reference academic changes, recent punishments, rumors. He might be hiding a secret. Something big. Something that makes him afraid of being seen."
Rukawa gave a slow nod, his tone thoughtful.
"And if he starts avoiding only certain people?"
*"Then it's targeted. He's not just scared—he's protecting himself. Or he's avoiding confrontation with whoever knows what he did."
A beat of silence passed. Outside, the sky had faded to violet. Shadows pooled in the corners of the study room.
Javi dropped his pen dramatically, letting it roll across the desk.
*"Tell me that's the last of it. Please."
Rukawa stood and stretched, bones cracking subtly beneath his skin.
"Done. For today."
Javi collapsed into his seat with a groan, throwing his arms over his head like he'd just survived a war.
*"Three chapters. Three quizzes. A thousand mind games. My brain's soup."
Rukawa walked over to the board and calmly erased their goals for the day, the chalk lines vanishing one by one under his firm strokes.
*"One-fourth of the book. Complete."
Javi peered at him from under one arm.
"You know, the scary part is how satisfied you look saying that."
Rukawa looked over his shoulder, lips quirking upward.
"Tomorrow's another quarter. You should rest."
*"Rest," Javi muttered, dragging himself out of the chair. "He says that like I won't have nightmares about you turning every snack break into an interrogation drill."
Rukawa didn't answer. He just picked up the next book, tapped it once against his palm, and set it down on the desk—perfectly aligned.
*"Sleep well, Garcia. You'll need it."
Javi narrowed his eyes as he headed for the door, but his lips twitched into a reluctant grin.
*"You're lucky I respect your terrifying work ethic."
*"And you're lucky I tolerate your distractions."
Their eyes met briefly—teasing, competitive, and just a little proud.
As they stepped out of the library, the building exhaled a calm hush. The hallway was blanketed in silence—not the eerie kind, but a gentle, lived-in stillness that seemed to hum with the quiet rhythm of the evening. The walls, aged with history and stories, echoed faint footsteps as a few lingering first-years passed by, nodding greetings. Javi and Rukawa returned the gestures with simple nods, nothing more, nothing less. The students disappeared around the corner, and the corridor felt like theirs again.
Javi smirked, breaking the silence as he extended his hand.
"Thanks, by the way... Ice partner."
Rukawa raised a brow. He didn't take the hand, not out of rudeness—just Rukawa being Rukawa. Instead, the corner of his mouth twitched upward, almost a smile, as he tucked his book smoothly into his bag.
"Don't get too cocky," he said coolly. *"We're only a quarter into the book."
Then, with a slow tilt of his head, he fixed Javi with a calm stare.
*"And this isn't just about reading. We're not here to pass. We're here to break through."
"I was just thanking you for the day," Javi replied, caught somewhere between amused and exasperated.
Rukawa rolled his eyes, that half-smirk never leaving.
"I know. I'm just messing with you."
He turned, starting toward the stairs with his usual casual grace, bag slung over his shoulder.
"You're too easy to tease, you know that?"
Javi scoffed.
"What am I, your entertainment?"
"No," Rukawa said flatly. *"You're a live lesson in emotional vulnerability."
"That's called being human. Look it up sometime."
Rukawa smirked faintly.
"You say that like it's something to be proud of."
Javi raised his brows, walking alongside him now.
"It is. Unlike someone who treats feelings like a virus."
Rukawa let out a quiet scoff—his version of a chuckle—and stopped at the split where their paths diverged.
*"See you tomorrow, García. Don't forget everything you've learned."
"Have a nice rest, Mr. Emotionless-Mc-No-Feelings."
Rukawa raised a hand and casually flipped him off as he walked away without another word.
"You too."
Javi stood there for a moment, watching his retreating figure disappear into the hallway shadows. He shook his head, a grin tugging at his lips.
"He's definitely a weird one."
Turning toward the direction of his dorm, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Beyond the wide windows, across the backyard, the night sky stretched out like a canvas brushed in navy and silver. Stars blinked back at him, bold and clear, unpolluted by city lights. He wandered over, drawn toward the glass.
His breath hitched a little. The stars looked brighter than they had in years—each one like a distant lantern suspended in time.
"How cool... I've never seen anything like this before."
He whispered it as if the stars might hear him.
"Admiring the skies now, huh?"
The voice startled him enough to make him flinch. He turned sharply to find Richard leaning against a nearby pillar, his usual grin already in place.
"You scared the crap out of me," Javi muttered, placing a hand on his chest.
"Didn't mean to give you a heart attack," Richard said, raising both hands innocently. *"I just figured I'd come pick you up."
Javi frowned.
"Pick me up? What am I, six?"
"Relax," Richard chuckled. *"I'm just keeping track of my favorite roommate. Didn't want you to get lost again—not after that mess on day one."
Javi narrowed his eyes.
"Ha. Hilarious. I'm more than capable of finding my way now."
"Oh, totally," Richard nodded mock-seriously. *"You're practically a human compass now."
"It happened once."
"And yet, the legend lives on."
Javi groaned, rubbing his face. Then, under his breath:
"This is that woman's fault."
Richard blinked.
"Woman? Are we talking about someone with piercing gray eyes and a superiority complex?"
Javi tensed, slightly flushed.
"I didn't say who. You said that."
"Ahh, but you didn't deny it either."
Richard leaned in, voice lower.
"Little crush, huh?"
"Shut up."
Richard raised his eyebrows, whistling lightly.
*"Okay, okay. No teasing. Promise."
A pause passed between them before Javi finally spoke up again, softer this time.
"Hey... is there a place around here with a better view of the stars?"
He gestured toward the night sky, his voice more thoughtful now.
Richard followed his gaze, then nodded slowly, that playful gleam returning to his eyes.
"You really want the best view?"
"Yeah. Just... something peaceful. I need a minute to clear my head."
Richard pushed off the pillar, stretching a bit.
"Alright then, stargazer. I think I know just the spot."
He jerked his head toward a side path that led around the courtyard.
*"Come on. You're gonna like this."
Javi hesitated for a beat, then followed, the sound of their footsteps fading into the night. Above them, the stars waited—quiet, distant, and full of stories.The grass rustled softly beneath their feet as Richard led Javi down a narrow trail behind the east dorm wing—one Javi hadn't noticed before. Trees lined the path, their leaves whispering secrets to the evening breeze. A few lanterns flickered along the walkway, casting golden glows against the encroaching blue of twilight.
"You sure we're not sneaking into a forbidden area?" Javi asked, squinting ahead.
Richard glanced back, smirking.
"If we are, just blame me. I'm good at playing innocent."
The path opened suddenly, like a curtain pulled back to reveal a hidden world. Javi stepped out behind Richard—and stopped in his tracks.
A wide, open cliff stretched before them, the land dropping away just beyond a line of jagged rocks. From this height, the School of Shadows lay tucked beneath layers of trees, roofs like dark chess pieces scattered across a velvet board. But it wasn't the school that caught Javi's breath.
It was the sky.
The stars seemed impossibly close here. Like they were right above him, watching. Dozens, hundreds of them, each one clear and sharp against the ink-black sky. The moon hung low and full, casting a silver glow over the cliff, brushing the grass with light.
"Woah..." Javi murmured, stepping forward slowly. *"It's... beautiful."
Richard grinned.
"Told you. Most students don't bother exploring much the first year. But I found this on accident during my second week here. It's my thinking spot."
Javi chuckled.
"Your 'thinking spot'? That sounds like something from a children's book."
"Don't knock it," Richard replied, plopping down on a flat rock near the edge. *"You'll thank me later."
Javi followed suit, settling beside him. The air was crisp but not cold. It smelled like pine, earth, and something old—something timeless.
A few moments passed in silence. The kind of silence that doesn't demand to be filled.
"Back home," Javi said quietly, *"you couldn't see the stars like this. Too many lights. Too much noise."
Richard glanced at him.
"Missing it already?"
Javi shook his head.
"No. Not really. It's just... everything's different now. Quieter in some ways, louder in others. Sometimes I feel like I'm supposed to be someone I'm not here. Like I'm acting."
"Everyone's acting, Javi," Richard said, voice softer than usual. *"Some of us are just better at hiding the script."
Javi looked at him, surprised at the sudden insight.
*"Didn't expect that from you."
Richard shrugged.
"Hey, I'm not just comic relief. I have depth. I'm like... an onion. Layers and all that."
Javi snorted, shaking his head.
"Thanks for this," he said after a beat, more sincerely. "I didn't know I needed it."
Richard smiled, not looking at him.
"Anytime. Just don't tell anyone I have a soft side. I have a reputation to uphold."
"Deal," Javi said, grinning.
"But I might use it as blackmail if you annoy me."
"Then I take it all back."
Richard sighed, eyes on the stars.
"You know, my father always says... 'Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.'"
Javi tilted his head, curious.
"What does that mean?"
Richard gave a small shrug, a faint smile on his lips.
"Just a way of saying the world reflects our moods, I guess. Like, when you're happy, everything feels vibrant—like the sun shines just for you. But when you're down, even the brightest day feels gray. Makes sense to me, but... my dad's kind of a weird guy, so."
Javi hummed in thought.
"It makes sense. After all, we all came from one Creator."
Richard nodded slowly, the stars reflecting in his eyes.
"Yeah... I guess we did. Still, sometimes I wonder. The world's so big, so chaotic. Hard to believe one being could design all this."
He let out another sigh, softer this time.
"But maybe that's not the point. Maybe we're not supposed to understand it all. Maybe the point is to find our place in it—to find a reason to keep going, even when nothing makes sense."
Javi chuckled, dry but not without warmth.
"So, a reason to live, huh?"
Richard grinned sideways at him.
"That's a start. What about you?"
His voice lowered a notch, more sincere now.
"Have you found your 'purpose' yet?"
Javi paused, his smile fading just a little. The words lingered in the air, heavier than expected. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face. He glanced at Richard—playful, clever, but suddenly... open. Trusting.
Could he tell him? About Jane? About the things he'd seen and forgotten—and maybe hadn't forgotten at all? About the ache that never quite went away?
He looked back up at the stars.
"I don't know," he said finally, voice quieter. "Maybe I'm still looking. Or maybe I'm just trying to remember."
Richard raised a brow, his curiosity piqued.
"Remember what?"
Javi stared at the sky for a moment longer, the stars flickering like echoes of a past he hadn't spoken about in a long time. Finally, he looked at Richard, voice low.
"Can I trust you on this? Like, really trust you? This doesn't leave the cliff."
Richard's playful smirk faded. His expression turned solemn, grounded.
"Whatever it is—I'm ready. You have my word. My lips are sealed."
Javi nodded slowly, biting the inside of his cheek. There was a long pause before he finally spoke. His voice trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the sheer effort of digging up everything he had buried.
"I grew up in this town called Beacon Hills. A small place in California… weird things always seemed to happen there, but for us kids? It was just life. I had this tight circle—Stiles, Scott, Lydia. We were practically inseparable."
His eyes softened as he spoke their names.
"Stiles was the crazy one, Scott was the heart. And Lydia..."
He let out a short laugh, the sound dry and distant.
"Lydia was my first love. Red hair, terrifyingly smart. She could make me nervous just by walking into the room. She didn't know how I felt—not really. But... it didn't matter. Being near her was enough back then."
His smile faded, his jaw tightening.
"Then everything shattered. My sister Jane—she got sick. We never really understood what it was. Something rare, something fast. And one day... she was just gone."
He paused, closing his eyes briefly. The memory clearly still raw.
"My parents were never the same after that. We weren't. They thought moving would help—new country, new life. So we left. Packed up, came to Europe. I didn't fight it. I didn't have the strength to."
He looked over at Richard, his eyes a little glassy in the dim starlight.
"But then... not long after we got here, something worse happened. My parents—"
Javi's voice faltered. He swallowed hard, steadying himself.
"They were murdered. The police said it was a break-in. A burglar. But the crime scene... it didn't make sense. Their bodies weren't just harmed—they were torn apart. Like an animal had ripped through them."
Richard's eyes widened slightly, but he stayed silent, listening.
"And the guy who supposedly did it? They found him too—dead. Mauled, like he got attacked by the same thing. They called it a wild animal attack, closed the case. But in my gut, I knew there was more to it."
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling shakily.
"I was alone after that. No family. Just me, grief, and confusion. Then the letter came. No sender, no explanation. Just this school—four-year scholarship. The School of Shadows. A date. A time."
Javi laughed bitterly, the sound hollow.
"And as if things weren't weird enough, a few days later, this man shows up—Mr. Graves. Clean suit, calm voice, eyes like he already knew everything about me. Said he was there to collect me."
He looked away, eyes back to the sky.
"At that point... what choice did I have? I had no home to return to. No one left. So I came here. Just hoping... maybe I'd find something. A reason. Answers. Purpose. I don't know."
He went quiet, letting the weight of his story settle into the night air. The stars twinkled silently above them, the cliff surrounding them in peaceful isolation.
Javi smirked, the weight on his shoulders easing just a bit as a glint of playfulness returned to his eyes.
"So… does that mean you're ready to share your story too?"
Richard rolled his eyes and dismissed him with a lazy wave of his hand.
"Nah. Maybe next time. You worry about finishing the basics first, storyteller."
Javi scoffed, crossing his arms dramatically.
"That's unfair. You bring up the basics now of all times?"
Richard laughed—a light, unguarded sound that felt like it could scatter the stars.
"Hey, fair's fair. Don't worry, Javi—I'll tell you mine soon enough. But let me say this—if I, Diana, Gwen, and Simon made it through the basics, then trust me, you can too."
Javi tilted his head, brow arching with mock suspicion.
"Are you actually trying to motivate me now?"
Richard took a step forward, smirk still on his face, but there was something different in his eyes—something grounded. Real. He lifted a hand and pointed it at Javi's chest, right over his heart.
"If you want to make your family proud… start by making yourself proud first."
The words landed like a quiet echo in Javi's chest. His breath caught slightly. It wasn't just what Richard said—it was how he said it. Like it mattered. Like he meant it.
For a second, Javi stood there, struck silent. The stars above shimmered, cold and eternal, but there was warmth in the moment.
Before he could respond, Richard had already turned, throwing a casual glance over his shoulder.
"You coming or what?"
Javi blinked, shook his head to clear the haze. Then, with a faint smile curling his lips, he called out—
"Wait—wait!! Hey, you can't just say something like that and walk off!"
He jogged to catch up, his footsteps light against the dirt path, the night breeze tugging at his jacket. Richard didn't slow, but he didn't speed up either—he just let Javi fall into step beside him.
And as they walked, two silhouettes against the starlit backdrop, the silence between them wasn't empty anymore. It was full of understanding. One of them carrying a little less weight. The other choosing to share his story… when the time felt right.