[Nighttime, inside Van's apartment.]
After the video ended, the expressions of the three people present were all different.
After a long time, Himeko got up to say goodbye, using the excuse that it was getting late, and Van also got up to send her out.
At the apartment elevator entrance, watching the constantly changing floor numbers, Van and Himeko fell into silence.
Van stood behind Himeko, his gaze fixed on the numbers on the elevator door, feeling a bit uneasy in his heart. He didn't know what he should say, nor did he know what Himeko was thinking at that moment.
The conversation in the living room just now still echoed in his ears. Especially Himeko's decision to make him the academic exchange conference's student representative made him feel very uneasy.
"Van."
Himeko suddenly spoke. Her voice was very soft, yet it broke the silence.
"Hm?" Van raised his head and looked at Himeko.
Himeko didn't turn her head, still staring at the elevator door.
"If… this world is really like in the video, what do you think would happen to us?"
Van's heart tightened, but on the surface, he still pretended to be relaxed and said, "Teacher Himeko, why are you suddenly asking that? Aren't the things in the video all fictional? So don't think too much about it."
Himeko turned her head slightly and glanced at him, her eyes carrying a trace of complex emotion. "Is that so? But some things… look too real, so real that people can't help but doubt."
Van rubbed the tip of his nose, trying to change the topic, "Teacher, have you been too tired recently? How about taking a break and asking for leave?"
Himeko sighed, her tone somewhat low, "Maybe… it's just that sometimes, when I look at those images, I always feel an emptiness in my heart."
Van looked at Himeko's downcast side profile, and he felt a little soft-hearted.
He hesitated for a moment and then softly said, "Teacher, let the past stay in the past. No matter what happened, aren't we doing fine now?"
Himeko was slightly stunned upon hearing this, then the corners of her mouth lifted in a faint smile, "You're right. Maybe I've just been overthinking."
The atmosphere eased a little, and Van also breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as he was about to say something lighthearted, Himeko suddenly turned her head, her gaze locking onto him, "Oh right, Van, there's something I want to tell you."
"What is it?"
Himeko smiled, her tone relaxed, "Actually, about the academic exchange conference in a few days... I noticed your concerns, so I've decided to give the spot to someone else."
Upon hearing this, Van didn't feel relieved like someone escaping danger, but instead became even more nervous.
'Himeko is testing me…'
Van wasn't stupid. Such an obvious test, there's no way he couldn't see it.
Sure enough, before he could respond, Himeko suddenly stepped closer, approaching his ear.
The warm breath made Van feel like ten thousand cats were scratching inside his heart.
Himeko continued speaking with a kind smile, "After all, compared to us from the 'current civilization', you from the previous civilization… should be more aware of Mobius's terror, right?"
At this moment, the elevator gave a "ding", and the door slowly opened.
Himeko took a step back, turned, and walked into the elevator, still wearing that kind smile, "Alright, I'll be going now. Get some rest early and don't think too much."
The elevator door slowly closed, and Van stood in place.
Watching Himeko's figure disappear behind the doors, his heart remained restless for a long time.
Inside the elevator, Himeko leaned against the wall, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared.
She lowered her head and looked at her own hand, whispering, "Since it's already been confirmed, then the next things to do are very simple…"
———
The next day. The weather was sunny, with not a single cloud in the sky.
A gentle breeze blew through the window, swaying the classroom curtains. Sunlight poured over the desks, casting a patch of warm light and shadow.
Whether it was an all-nighter playing games again last night, or doing something else, Kiana was still sleeping at the last row from the back in the classroom, nodding off, her head bobbing as if she might collapse onto the desk any moment.
Everything looked just like usual, but Van didn't think so.
He sat at his desk, pen in hand, pretending to listen to the lesson attentively, but his thoughts were completely elsewhere.
The conversation from last night with Himeko kept replaying in his mind, and he kept thinking about how to deal with this matter.
And more troubling for him, he could clearly feel that Himeko's gaze from the podium would occasionally, intentionally or not, fall on him, with a faint smile at the corners of her mouth.
Finally struggling through the end of class, Van was about to leave at lightning speed.
Just as he walked into the courtyard, he happened to run into Himeko walking over, holding a document in her hand.
"Van, wait a moment."
Himeko walked up to him, her tone light, "Regarding yesterday's home visit, teacher has roughly understood your family's situation. For students like you, St. Freya Academy actually has a support policy for impoverished students. Fill out this form…"
Van took the form with a complicated expression. Because according to what he knew, St. Freya Academy didn't have any such policy.
Which meant this so-called support and this form were really Himeko paying out of her own pocket.
The setting sun spilled across the corridor, and the breeze brought a hint of warmth.
"Himeko, why are you doing this…" Van gripped the form and looked up at Himeko.
Himeko smiled at him, her eyes carrying a bit of ambiguity, "Van, I don't understand what you're talking about~"
"Don't pretend, Himeko. If you really don't know what I'm talking about, then explain to me, what kind of impoverished student support form asks for zodiac signs, hobbies, and ideal type?!"
Faced with Van's complaint, Himeko couldn't help but laugh.
"After all these years, your mouth is still just as annoying." Himeko smiled brightly. "But even so, I still want to say… I finally found you."
To this, Van also let go of his inner worries and smiled in response, "Mm, I'm back."
"Welcome back," Himeko said.
Just as the atmosphere was gradually becoming ambiguous, a cold voice came from behind the two of them, "Van, you haven't left yet?"
The two turned their heads and saw Fu Hua standing not far away, holding a book, quietly looking at them.
Van, "..."
Fu Hua walked over, glanced at Himeko, and spoke blandly, "Teacher Himeko, so you're also here."
Himeko smiled calmly, "Yes, I came to chat with Van. Student Fu Hua, is there something you need?"
Fu Hua shook her head, "Nothing much, just saw Van hadn't left yet, so I came to ask what he wants to eat tonight."
The atmosphere instantly turned a bit delicate.
Van stood between the two of them, feeling like even the air was thinning.
"Um… Himeko, Fu Hua, just standing here and not leaving isn't great, so how about we walk and talk?" Van tried to ease the awkwardness.
Himeko smiled and nodded, "Alright."
Fu Hua didn't object either, silently walking beside Van.
The three walked out of the school together, the sunset casting its afterglow on them, stretching out their shadows.
Himeko and Fu Hua didn't speak again, but there was a subtle tension between the two. Van walked in the middle, secretly lamenting in his heart.
He looked up at the sky, and just happened to see the rooftop of the school building…
That was the place where Kevin once fought.
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