Few days passed. Alaric still wondered why Caelin had suddenly moved out and changed classes.
Lost in thought during class, he rested his chin on his hand, staring out the window.
Even if he moved out… why end up in the same room as Simon? They had conflict in the past. This made no sense. The thought lingered, irritating him.
"Alaric… Alaric."
Someone was calling him. He snapped back and looked over. It was Graneth.
He cleared his throat, slightly nervous but respectful. "Ehem… can I sit here?"
Alaric shifted a little to make space. "Sure, go on. Rare for you to come talk to me," he said casually.
Graneth nodded. "Since you beat me in that duel, I've been watching you. Even in the arena, you fight well. I should respect your skills."
Alaric laughed. "Man, you're too serious. Drop the formality. It makes me uncomfortable." He tapped his shoulder lightly.
Graneth gave a small nod. "Alright."
From a distance, Elara and Lalanat watched them, feeling relieved that Alaric finally had someone else to talk to besides them.
A few days ago.
Simon rushed toward the office, complaining about having to share a room with Caelin. While he argued with the teachers, Caelin walked in.
"Is there a problem?" he asked, looking at Simon from behind.
Simon turned quickly. "As you know, we don't get along. So what's this about sharing a residence?"
Caelin walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. You're right, we don't get along… and that's exactly my goal. So don't cause trouble, and neither will I."
He tapped Simon's shoulder and walked past him to speak with the teachers.
Simon stormed out of the office, hands shoved into his pockets. "What the hell is this guy thinking? He keeps getting on my nerves," he muttered as he walked away.
Soon after Caelin entered his new classroom, he could tell most of the eyes were on him.
He placed his belongings on one of the seats, then walked toward Simon and his group.
As he approached, some of them straightened up, while others made space for him to pass. Simon sat in his seat, and the moment their eyes met, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
Caelin slowly leaned toward him.
Simon stiffened a little. "Wh-what?"
Caelin smiled. "Let's forget about the past and try to get along, okay?"
Simon blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Ah… sure," he said slowly, still unsure.
Caelin straightened and added, "I'll be spending my last year here in this class, so I don't want any problems with anyone. Hope we all get along."
His classmates quickly gathered around him, throwing questions one after another. Laughter followed, and soon the room filled with chatter.
After a while, the teacher entered and told them to head to the hall. There was a farewell ceremony for the second-year students who were leaving after finishing their term.
Simon watched Caelin from behind, lost in thought.
Maybe he's afraid of me now… especially since Alaric isn't here anymore.
A small smile formed on his face.
I guess… since he's being polite and all, I should accept him.
He felt a quiet sense of pride in that decision.
Caelin was walking alone when suddenly someone wrapped an arm around him from behind.
He turned slightly. It was Simon.
Simon shrugged. "What are you looking at? You're the one who said we should get along."
Caelin looked at him for a moment, then let out a small laugh as they continued walking.
Together, they made their way to the hall.
A few days ago, that was all it was.
Now, Caelin sat in class, staring ahead.
Troubled by the thought, Caelin wondered whether he should tell them why he had changed his classroom and residence.
Should I?
But what if they think I'm selfish… choosing my dreams over them?
The thought weighed on him.
"Caelin?" Simon called.
Suddenly, Caelin stood up, hands in his pockets, and walked outside, his expression slightly tense.
Simon watched him leave. "What the hell is wrong with him…?" he muttered, before going back to mind his own business.
As Caelin stepped outside, the thought returned.
Should I?
Maybe they'd understand… they're my friends.
For a moment, he considered telling them.
Then he saw them.
Alaric, Elara, Lalanat, and Graneth, all together.
Elara and Lalanat were laughing, while Alaric and Graneth argued about who was taller. The four of them teased each other, their laughter easy and natural.
Caelin stopped.
Oh… maybe I shouldn't.
His gaze dropped slightly, as if something inside him had quietly given up.
He watched them for a moment longer… then turned away.
And walked off.
The last bell rang.
Students rushed to leave, some getting warned by teachers not to run in the hallways.
At the school gate, Caelin and Alaric crossed paths. They looked at each other from a slight distance, too far to speak.
Before either of them could say anything, Simon, Katy, and Silvia showed up, surrounding Caelin and inviting him to walk home with them.
Alaric watched quietly.
Soon after, Elara and Lalanat arrived.
For the first time, they went their separate ways.
That night, during dinner, Alaric spoke up.
"Earlier today, before we left, I saw Caelin. He seems to have new friends now." With food still in his mouth,
Elara hummed softly. "Hmm…"
Lalanat asked, "Did you guys talk?"
Alaric shook his head. "No. He was surrounded, I couldn't. It's like he's changed. I can't explain how. He looks the same… but something about him isn't."
He stared at his food.
Elara dropped her spoon and sighed softly.
"There's a saying in an old book… we don't meet the same person twice in life. Not even in the same person. I think that's what you're going through."
She went back to eating.
Alaric looked at her, confused.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It means both of you have changed. Not just him. You too," she said casually.
Alaric frowned slightly.
"But I still want him as my friend… he's my first real friend."
He kept staring at Elara as she ate.
Elara glanced at him.
"What? You think I have all the answers to your questions? That's too personal for me to answer. I'm not Caelin. He's the only one who can give you that answer."
She returned to her food.
Alaric leaned back, folding his arms, a little annoyed.
"Why does change always come with a cost…" he muttered, staring at the ceiling.
Lalanat spoke quietly,
"Change can be scary, but it's the only way people grow. Even if we want to stay the same, time drags us forward anyway. So we either adapt… or get dragged along. And when people cling to the past, they look at those who move on and feel left behind. That's what hurts."
Both of them looked at her.
She suddenly noticed and panicked.
"Ah— I mean… that's just how I see it."
She laughed, trying to brush it off.
Alaric picked up his spoon, staring at it.
"I don't fully get it… but that's not a bad way to think about it," he said.
For a while, the room was quiet.
Lalanat hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder who his roommate is besides Simon."
Alaric replied, "I think it's Silvia and Katy from Class Seven, but that's all I know."
Elara cut in, "Both of them are from Caelawyn Nation. Silvia is academically strong and has a good personality, while Katy is more average in studies but playful."
Alaric looked impressed. "Wow, you know a lot."
Elara gave him a slightly annoyed look. "Yeah, yeah. Just finish your food."
Lalanat smiled at them, then suddenly turned to Elara. "By the way, about the homework—"
"Homework?" Alaric interrupted.
Both of them looked at him and sighed.
"Oi, come on, just tell me," Alaric complained.
Elara rolled her eyes. "We don't attend knight academy here. Start paying attention in class unless you want to repeat the year."
Alaric groaned while Elara kept poking at him, and Lalanat laughed quietly.
The room filled with arguing and laughter.
On the other side,
Caelin was helping Katy and Silvia wash the dishes, despite insisting he didn't need to.
Katy smirked and nudged him lightly.
"Hey, Caelin… have you ever had a girlfriend? Or someone you liked? You're tall and handsome, I bet you've dated a lot already."
Silvia quickly interrupted,
"Hey, come on, don't ask that kind of question. You'll make him uncomfortable.
"What? There's nothing wrong with wanting to know more about your roommate," Katy said casually.
Caelin smiled faintly. Both of them stopped arguing and looked at him.
Still focused on the dishes, he spoke quietly,
"When I was around nine or ten… before I even understood what love was… there was someone I didn't want anyone else to have but me."
He paused, taking a breath. Both of them watched him, curious.
"But… I lost to someone I had never even seen. Since then, I haven't really gotten close to people. I've just been like this."
He let out a small, dismissive laugh.
Katy leaned in, intrigued.
"Was she from your nation? Do you still like her?"
Caelin's expression softened.
"She was a guest at our house, during a meeting between nations. I might still like her… or maybe it's just something I can't let go of."
He glanced at them, then straightened up.
"Alright, I'll head up. I've got some work to do."
Both of them nodded.
"Oh, okay. Goodnight."
He went upstairs.
Both of them watched as he went upstairs.
After a while, they returned to finishing the dishes.
"So… you know who he was talking about?" Katy asked, not looking at Silvia.
Silvia paused for a moment, then continued washing.
"I guess. It's always been about her… ever since we met him."
"I wonder how he didn't recognize you. Have you changed that much?" Katy asked, curiosity written all over her face.
Silvia dried her hands slowly.
"I don't know… maybe I did. We were much younger back then. We could barely even speak properly."
She let out a small breath.
"And people don't remember others as well as we think… unless we made a strong impact on them."
"Hm… aren't you going to tell him?" Katy asked.
Silvia stopped, the cloth slipping from her hand.
"I don't think I need to. I'm not that kid anymore… and he doesn't seem interested in the past. It wouldn't really change anything even if I told him."
Katy frowned.
"If he's not interested in the past, then why does he still talk about her? He cares. He just doesn't want to admit it."
Silvia smiled faintly and gently patted Katy's head.
"It's not the past he's holding onto… it's her."
She turned and walked out of the kitchen.
Katy stood there for a second, frowning.
"…What is she even talking about?"
She shrugged and followed after her.
After taking a bath, Silvia sat on her bed, thinking back to her conversation with Katy.
While drying her hair, she reached into a small box and took out a blue hairpin.
It pulled her back to the past.
A few years ago.
Silvia wandered through the castle, it being her first time there.
From a distance, she spotted a boy around her age, swinging a wooden sword. Sweat ran down his face, yet he was alone. She stayed hidden, watching longer than she should have.
"What are you doing?"
A maid's voice startled her. Silvia froze.
"I… I was wondering who he is," she said nervously.
The maid glanced over and smiled lightly.
"That's Prince Caelin. If I'm not mistaken, you two should be around the same age."
Silvia looked back at him.
"Doesn't he have friends? Why is he alone?"
The maid watched Caelin for a moment, as he swung his sword like he was in a real battle.
"It's not easy for him. He's strictly protected. He's the only child… and the future heir of the Bane kingdom. His safety matters more than anything."
Silvia stayed quiet.
The maid smiled again.
"It might be hard to understand now. But maybe one day you will. While you're here… try to be friendly with him."
Then she left.
Silvia slowly approached, careful with each step.
Caelin noticed movement.
"Who's there?" he said, pointing his wooden sword toward the sound.
Silvia stepped out, hands slightly trembling.
"Ah… sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you," she said quickly.
"I'm Silvia, from the Caewlyn nation… the youngest princess. I'm here with my parents for a meeting."
She bowed politely.
Caelin smiled.
"I see," he said, returning a small bow.
"I'm Prince Caelin. Nice to meet you."
Silvia didn't respond immediately. She just stared, quietly taking him in.
"…What are you doing?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
Caelin looked at his sword.
"I'm practicing. I want to become a knight someday," he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Wow… you already know what you want to be," Silvia said, impressed.
Caelin looked back at her.
"What about you?"
She hesitated.
"I don't know yet… I'm not really good at anything," she admitted softly.
Caelin stepped closer.
"I'm sure one day you will be. There's no need to rush."
For a moment, time felt slower.
Silvia couldn't think of anything to say. She just watched him as he got closer.
"Let me show you around," Caelin said.
He reached out and gently took her hand.
As he walked, he kept talking.
Silvia barely heard any of it.
Her eyes stayed on their hands.
Then she looked up… and saw him smiling back at her.
Slowly, she followed.
Snapping back to the present—
Silvia found herself smiling at the hairpin.
The feeling stayed… just for a moment.
"…Idiot," she murmured, almost fondly.
Then, carefully, she placed it back where it belonged.
-------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading.
I'll see you in the next chapter.