Chapter 3: Art room

"Why are you so cold now, but not when you saved me?" I asked, confusion evident in my voice.

"Me? Well, it depends on my mood," he replied, leaving me even more perplexed.

"Depends? You know, you're super rude!" I exclaimed, frustration creeping into my tone.

"So now I'm the rude one? Did you ever say thank you when I saved your butt?" he shouted back, causing me to blush uncontrollably. My mouth hung open, unable to form a coherent response.

"Y-yes, I did. But you were gone. And if you're talking about when you saved me when I was a baby, well..." I stammered, my voice trailing off. "I'll say thank you for protecting me."

"Rude," he muttered, his voice laced with annoyance.

I bit my lip, growing more and more exasperated. "Fine! Just get out of my room and be gone! I never want to see your face again! I hate you!" I spat out, my patience wearing thin due to his moody behavior.

"I hope you won't regret what you said," he retorted, With a blink, he vanished into thin air before my eyes.

"Why would I regret it?" I shouted in response, frustration seeping into my voice. I jumped back onto my bed, closed my eyes, and drifted into a fitful sleep.

***

"Wake up!" Ren shouted, abruptly interrupting my slumber.

"Are you awake?" Ren asked, stating the obvious. "No, I'm not," I sarcastically replied, feigning annoyance.

"Oh, you're joking?" she chuckled. I couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback. What was happening?

"Ren, are you feeling sick?" I asked, becoming concerned. I instinctively checked her temperature, finding it to be normal. So, what could be wrong?

"What? No, I'm not sick," she assured me, seizing my hand. "I was worried about you. I overheard you and grandma crying last night.

So, I thought something might have happened. By the way, we're running late," she informed, displaying genuine concern. The weight of her words threatened to bring tears to my eyes. I bit my lower lip, resisting the urge to cry.

"Don't worry. I'm fine, so there's no need to worry about me or grandma," I reassured her, feeling grateful for her care and affection. She hugged me tightly, and soon after, Ron entered the room, joining our embrace.

"I don't know why you two are hugging, but let me join," he chimed in, wrapping his arms around both of us. I tenderly patted their heads, savoring the precious moment of warmth and love.

A few minutes later, as they prepared to leave for school, I realized that we rarely had the chance to go to school together. Due to their popularity and fan base, I didn't want any unnecessary trouble.

Thus, I had devised a plan for us to meet separately in school, ensuring that none of our fellow students knew about our family ties.

"Are you ready?" Grandma called out, perched upon her chair in the living room. "Almost," I replied.

"Feelings come and go, so remember to always stay calm, my dear. You never know what your words might do to someone or what might happen to you," Grandma advised, her words resonating deep within me. I nodded, although I wasn't entirely sure what Grandma wanted me to understand.

I darted towards her, planting a kiss on her forehead. It struck me that my backpack was still at school. "See you later," Grandma bid farewell, waving at me with a warm smile. I reciprocated her wave, sprinting out of the house.

This area was devoid of neighbors, as it was our ancestral property, passed down through generations. Grandma had always been adamant about preserving it, so the twins and I planned to build our own palace within its vast expanse.

***

As I heard the school bell ring, I raced up the stairs to the second floor. It was the first time I had been late, and the thought alone made me cringe with embarrassment.

Arriving at our classroom door, I swung it open, causing the professor to pause mid-sentence. All eyes were on me, and I couldn't help but notice the twins laughing at my expense. Ignoring their amused expressions, I shot them a glare that conveyed my annoyance.

"Are you going to say anything, Ms. Ymarez?" the professor inquired, his gaze fixed on me.

"Good day, Professor, and to my fellow classmates. I sincerely apologize for interrupting your discussion and for arriving late," I addressed the class, my voice filled with a mixture of nervousness and humility.

"And?" the professor prodded, his eyes piercing into mine. I swallowed hard, mustering the strength to maintain a smile despite my embarrassment.

"May I come in?" I asked, seeking permission to enter the classroom. The professor nodded, returning his attention to the equation he was writing on the board. As I made my way to my seat, I noticed my seatmate smiling at me.

I averted my gaze, not wanting to engage with him. Instead, I turned my attention towards the window. However, what I beheld was not what I expected.

"Transferee?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"Are you going to sit down, Ms. Ymarez?" the professor's stern voice echoed throughout the room as he directed his disapproving gaze towards me. I quickly settled into my seat, my eyes still fixed to the boy, who was seated near the window.

He had his legs crossed, resting his head against the wall. The light from the window illuminated his striking eyes, which held a dreamy quality that caught me off-guard.

"What am I thinking!?" I muttered under my breath, biting my lower lip as I shifted my focus to the blackboard in front of me.

****

The class ended as the bell rang. Ron turned to look at me, followed by Ren. Ron stared at my seat mate who quickly left.

"Stop staring at him!" Ren scolded Ron, giving him an angry look.

"I'm not!" Ron denied, but it was obvious that he was lying. "Yes, you are!" Ren insisted, keeping her eyes fixed on him. I couldn't help but laugh at their sibling disagreement.

"Oh, by the way, I heard another rumor." Ron said with excitement, a big smile on his face. I felt my heart tense up. "Another rumor?" I asked cautiously, and Ron nodded.

"There's this empty room in the school, it used to be an art room, but it got locked up by the principal," Ron explained, sending a shiver down my spine.

"They locked up that art room, but one night, the school security guard was patrolling when he heard strange noises. He became curious and decided to take a peek through the window. To his surprise, he saw eerie paintings appearing on the walls. It might seem hard to believe or not too scary, but the blood used for those paintings was real. What's even more unsettling is that some of the paintings depicted a beheaded principal and other teachers," Ron explained, causing Ren and me to exchange worried glances.

"The room had been locked in the past because a teacher tragically took thn ife there," Ron continued, abruptly standing up and startling both Ren and me.

"Hey, that's not funny!" Ren scolded, hitting Ron on the back. I let out a sigh of relief, placing my hand on my pounding heart.

"Instead of talking about rumors, shouldn't you be studying?" The boy suddenly appeared behind me, startling me once again.

"What?"

Ren replied, giving the transferee a skeptical look.

"Just so you know, I'm not looking for your approval. Just take the advice and study," The transferee responded calmly before walking away, his hands casually tucked in his pockets.

"What's his problem?" Ron wondered aloud, his eyes fixed on the boy as he walked away.

"New transfer students can be quite rude these days," Ren grumbled, rolling her eyes with a hint of frustration. Ron nodded in agreement, and they celebrated their unity with a high-five.

"What's his name?" I asked, genuinely curious. Ron and Ren burst into laughter, but they quickly composed themselves when they noticed my serious expression.

"Oh, right, you're late... His name is Yan Manrique. He's the new transfer student," Ron explained, sharing the information I was seeking. The name Yan struck a familiar chord in my mind, but I couldn't quite place it.

"Shall we head to the cafeteria?" Ren suggested, attempting to change the subject. However, I had a different idea in mind. "How about we go to that abandoned art room?"

"Ron?!" I raised an eyebrow, giving him a questioning look. Ron simply laughed cutely and playfully placed his hand on Ren's shoulder. "Gross," Ren muttered, swatting away Ron's hand in jest.

"You're mean," Ron pouted, pretending to be hurt. Both Ren and I chuckled, finding Ron's expression utterly adorable.

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