Chapter 6: The Interview That Could
The school hallways buzzed with the familiar energy of the first day back, a symphony of chatter and laughter, the scent of freshly sharpened pencils and nervous excitement. Eiña navigated the throngs of students, her backpack heavy with textbooks and a growing sense of dread.
She had spent the last week trying to avoid Nethan, to ignore the gnawing guilt and the nagging feeling that she had messed everything up. She had tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing, giving him space, letting him cool down.
But the silence between them was deafening, a constant reminder of the gap that had opened up, a chasm that seemed to be growing wider with each passing day.
She had tried to distract herself, to bury herself in her studies, to immerse herself in the world of HUMMS, but nothing could quite erase the weight of his absence.
And now, here she was, face-to-face with him again, in the crowded hallway, his eyes meeting hers, a flicker of recognition in his gaze.
"Eiña," he said, his voice a soft murmur, a hint of something that sounded suspiciously like... apology.
Eiña froze, her heart skipping a beat. She wanted to run, to disappear, to avoid this encounter at all costs, but something stopped her.
"Hey," she said, her voice flat, a thin veil of composure covering the storm of emotions raging inside her.
"Look," Nethan said, his voice hesitant. "I… I'm really sorry about the other day. I overreacted. I was just… I don't know. I was being a jerk."
Eiña couldn't help but feel a flicker of relief. He was apologizing. He was reaching out. She wanted to smile, to tell him that she was sorry too, to tell him that she missed him, but the fear was still there, a nagging voice whispering doubts in her ear.
"It's okay," she said, her voice still flat, her gaze avoiding his.
"No, it's not okay," Nethan said, his voice firm, but there was a vulnerability in his tone that she hadn't heard before. "I was wrong to snap at you. I was just… I was scared."
"Scared?" Eiña asked, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Scared of what?"
Nethan hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Scared of letting myself get close to someone," he said, his voice a mere whisper. "Scared of getting hurt."
Eiña's heart ached. She understood. She was scared too.
"I… I understand," she said, her voice soft, her gaze finally meeting his.
"Good," Nethan said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Because I have something to tell you."
Eiña's stomach dropped. What was he going to say? Was he going to tell her about CrimsonRose? Was he going to finally tell her the truth?
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely a breath.
"Well, we're both in HUMMS, right?" Nethan said, his voice regaining its usual playful tone. "And our big project this semester is to interview some STEM students. Right?"
Eiña nodded, her mind still reeling from the previous conversation. She had forgotten all about their HUMMS project, caught up in the turmoil of their personal drama.
"And guess what?" Nethan said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You have to interview me. Because I'm refusing to cooperate with any group unless I get interviewed by you."
Eiña's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're blackmailing me?"
"Not blackmailing," Nethan said, his smile widening. "More like a gentle persuasion."
"And what if I refuse?" Eiña asked, her voice laced with a touch of defiance.
"Then you're going to miss out on the most fascinating interview of your life," Nethan said, his eyes twinkling. "I'm a wealth of knowledge, you know."
Eiña couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't deny that he was tempting her, that she was curious to see what he was hiding behind that sarcastic facade.
"Fine," she said, raising an eyebrow. "But I'm going to ask you some hard-hitting questions. I'm not going to let you get away with easy answers."
"Bring it on," Nethan said, a playful smirk on his lips. "I'm ready for anything you throw at me."
They found a quiet corner in the library, surrounded by towering bookshelves and the scent of aged paper. Eiña set up her recorder, a feeling of excitement mixed with nervousness bubbling inside her.
"Okay, Nethan," she said, her voice professional, but she couldn't help but feel a twinge of something more. "Tell me about yourself."
Nethan shrugged. "What do you want to know?"
"Anything," Eiña said, trying to think of the right questions. "Your hobbies, your passions, your aspirations."
Nethan chuckled. "You know, I'm surprised you didn't ask about my favorite video game."
Eiña's heart skipped a beat. He was referencing Genshin Impact, their shared world, the virtual realm that had brought them together.
"Oh, I'm getting to that," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But first, tell me about something you're really passionate about. Something that makes your heart beat faster."
Nethan's gaze turned serious, his eyes taking on a faraway look. "Honestly," he said, his voice softening. "I'm passionate about understanding how things work. The mechanics, the systems, the complexities of the world around us. That's why I chose STEM."
Eiña was surprised by his answer. She had expected him to talk about his love for video games, his passion for the digital world, but he was talking about something deeper, something more profound.
"That's fascinating," she said, her voice genuine. "I never thought of STEM in that way."
"It's more than just equations and formulas," Nethan said, his voice regaining its playful tone. "It's about solving problems, making a difference, using knowledge to build a better world."
Eiña nodded, intrigued by his perspective. She had always seen STEM as a dry and detached field, but he was making it sound exciting, inspiring.
"And what about your hobbies?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation back to a more personal level.
Nethan shrugged. "I like coding, playing video games, reading sci-fi novels."
Eiña smiled. "That's… that's a pretty good mix."
"What about you?" Nethan asked. "What are you passionate about?"
Eiña hesitated, a little hesitant to reveal her own passions. She had always felt a little self-conscious about her love for poetry and theater, afraid that it wouldn't impress him.
"I... I'm passionate about storytelling," she said, her voice soft. "About using words to create worlds, to inspire emotions, to connect with people."
Nethan's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" he said, his voice laced with genuine interest. "I never would have guessed."
"Why not?" Eiña asked, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"I just… I always thought you were more into, you know, dance parties and spontaneous adventures," Nethan said, his voice a bit sheepish.
"I do love those things," Eiña said, her smile widening. "But storytelling is my passion, my true calling."
Nethan nodded, a newfound respect glimmering in his eyes. "I get it," he said. "You're the creative one, the dreamer, the one who sees the world in a different light."
Eiña blushed. She had never been called a "dreamer" before, but there was something about the way he said it, the way his eyes held a hint of admiration, that made her heart flutter.
"And you're the logician, the problem-solver, the one who sees the world in terms of equations and formulas," she said, a playful smile on her lips. "We're a perfect match, don't you think?"
Nethan chuckled. "A perfect match? Maybe. But I'm not sure if our worlds are ready to collide just yet."
Eiña's smile faltered, a familiar knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. She had hoped that this interview would be a chance to bridge the gap between them, to rebuild the connection that had been so strong before their argument. But his words were a reminder that things were still complicated, that their paths might not be as intertwined as they had once seemed.
"Okay," she said, trying to keep her voice light. "Let's get back to the interview. So, tell me more about your favorite video game."
Nethan's eyes lit up, a spark of excitement replacing the seriousness that had settled over him. "Oh, Genshin Impact? Well, it's a masterpiece, you know? The graphics are stunning, the characters are complex, and the storyline is... well, it's Genshin Impact, it's impossible to describe."
"I know, I know," Eiña said, a smile gracing her lips. "I've played it. I even have a Klee."
Nethan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? You're CrimsonRose?" He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed with a hint of intrigue. "I always wondered who was behind that username."
Eiña felt a blush creep up her cheeks. She had been hoping to keep her in-game persona a secret, but now, it was out in the open.
"So, you're HeartbreakerSilverwood?" she asked, a playful smirk on her lips. "I knew I recognized that playstyle."
Nethan chuckled. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag. But I'm still HeartbreakerSilverwood, even in the real world."
Eiña's heart skipped a beat. She had always found his in-game persona intriguing, and now, she was starting to see him in a new light, a light that was both familiar and exciting.
"Okay, HeartbreakerSilverwood," she said, her voice playful. "What's your favorite thing about Genshin Impact?"
Nethan thought for a moment. "I like the freedom, the sense of adventure, the endless possibilities. You can be anyone, do anything, go anywhere. It's a world of magic and wonder, a place where anything is possible."
Eiña nodded, her heart warming. She had always felt the same way about the game. It was a world of escape, a place where she could be anyone, do anything. And now, she was starting to realize that Nethan felt the same way.
"And what about your favorite character?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Who do you play the most?"
Nethan hesitated, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. "Raiden Shogun," he said, his voice low. "She's strong, she's independent, and she's not afraid to break the rules."
Eiña felt a strange warmth spreading through her chest. She had always loved the Raiden Shogun, her fierce determination, her unwavering loyalty.
"I get it," she said, her voice soft. "She's amazing."
Nethan smiled, his eyes meeting hers. "She is," he said, his voice a touch too low, a touch too intense. "She's everything I want to be."
For a moment, they just stared at each other, the silence thick with unspoken words, the air charged with a newfound connection. They were both starting to realize that their worlds were a lot more intertwined than they had ever thought, that their paths were somehow destined to collide.
The interview continued, but it was no longer just about STEM or HUMMS. It was about them, about their shared love for Genshin Impact, about the unexpected ways they were starting to connect, about the possibility of something more.
Eiña couldn't help but feel a strange sense of exhilaration. She had never felt so alive, so intrigued, so… challenged by anyone before. Nethan was everything she wasn't – analytical, logical, reserved. But beneath that guarded exterior, she saw a spark of passion, a depth of feeling that resonated with her own.
"So," she said, her voice a little breathless, "Do you think you'll ever stop playing Genshin Impact? I mean, it's a pretty big commitment, isn't it?"
Nethan chuckled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Never say never. But I have a feeling that Genshin Impact will always be a part of me, just like… just like…” He trailed off, a flicker of something passing across his face.
Eiña felt a sudden urge to ask him what he meant, to push him further, to see what lay beneath his carefully constructed walls. But she hesitated. There was something about his vulnerability, his hesitant gaze, that made her want to be gentle, to tread lightly.
"Okay," she said, her voice soft. "Maybe we can talk about that another time. Let's finish the interview."
She continued to ask him questions, not about his favorite video game, but about his dreams, his fears, his hopes for the future. He answered her honestly, with a surprising openness, revealing a side of himself that he had never shown anyone before.
As the interview drew to a close, Eiña felt a strange sense of satisfaction, a feeling that she had finally gotten a glimpse behind the curtain, that she had learned something real about him. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to discover, that their journey was just beginning.
"Thank you," she said, packing up her recorder. "That was a really… interesting interview."
Nethan nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I'm glad you found it interesting."
They stood there for a moment, the silence between them charged with unspoken words. Eiña wanted to say something, to acknowledge the undeniable spark that had ignited between them, but the words wouldn't come.
"So," Nethan said, clearing his throat. "That's the end of the interview."
"Yeah," Eiña replied, her voice a touch too high, a touch too nervous. "It was... It was good."
"I'm glad you think so," Nethan said, his eyes meeting hers. "I think I enjoyed it too."
He hesitated for a moment, then took a step closer. "Look," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I know we had a rough start, but… I'm trying. I'm trying to be better."
Eiña's heart skipped a beat. He was actually apologizing again. He was actually trying to reach out.
"I know," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "And I'm trying too."
He reached out, his hand brushing against hers. Their fingers intertwined, a spark of electricity running through them.
"Maybe," he said, his voice a touch too low, a touch too intense. "Maybe we can start over."
Eiña didn't answer, she just stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes locked on his. She couldn't help but feel a sense of hope, a feeling that their journey, their "Traveler's Unexpected Quest," had just taken a thrilling turn.
