Fragments of us

Chapter 13

Rumiya stood alone, shivering slightly in the crisp night air, her arms folded tightly around herself. She hadn’t planned to come here—not really. Yet here she was, standing awkwardly in front of the male dormitory. She glanced around nervously, hoping no one had noticed her. But everyone obviously

What am I even doing here? she thought, frowning at her own foolishness. I shouldn't have come here. What did I even hope for?

The stillness of the night was broken by a low, sharp voice.

“Out for a midnight stroll, are we?”

Rumiya froze and turned toward the sound, her heart skipping a beat. The familiar voice cut her ear like a knife. Damien Flamer emerged from the shadows, his piercing gaze fixed on her. His presence felt suffocating, the darkness seeming to thicken around him.

“You know this isn’t the place for you,” he said coolly, taking a step closer. “Shouldn’t you be back in your dorm, following the rules like everyone else?”

Rumiya opened her mouth to respond but found herself unable to speak. Something in Damien has always scared her, maybe it could be his sharp red eyes, maybe his aura, which appeared to be pressing everyone around.

Damien raised an eyebrow. “Cat got your tongue?”

Rumiya took some steps back, even though he was her friend's boyfriend, she could never speak to him. Never. She didn't want gum to be around. Suddenly, she saw Damien raising his hand. He tried to reach out for her.

“Damien,” another voice called, cutting through the tension. “Don’t you think that’s more than enough?”

Rumiya turned to see Joon approaching, his silver hair glinting under the moonlight. His relaxed posture contrasted with the sharpness in his eyes.

“Joon,” Damien said, his tone dripping with disdain. “This doesn’t concern you. I have just met Rumiya next to the male dormitory."

“I think it does,” Joon replied smoothly. He stepped between Damien and Rumiya, crossing his arms. “It was me who called her here. I wanted to talk to her. Now, why don’t you let it go?”

The two boys locked eyes for a tense moment before Damien finally backed off with a scoff. “Whatever,” he muttered, turning and disappearing into the shadows.

Joon glanced back at Rumiya, his expression softening. “You okay?”

She nodded, though her voice was still shaky. “I… I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Come on,” he said with a small smile. “Let’s get out of here before someone else shows up.”

The library was quiet and dimly lit, the faint glow of magical orbs casting a soft light over the rows of bookshelves. Joon led Rumiya to a secluded corner, where they sat across from each other at a small table.

“Better?” Joon asked, leaning back in his chair.

Rumiya nodded, though she still felt a little uneasy. “Thanks for… earlier. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Of course I did,” he said easily. “What kind of person would I be if I didn’t help?”

Rumiya lowered her gaze, her fingers tracing the edge of the table. “Still… thank you.”

"So, why were you there? I don't think you came there with no reason." - Joon opened one of the books, but yet didn’t even start reading it. Instead of it, he looked directly at her eyes.

"I wanted to meet one person. My old... friend. "

"Old friend? So, we are looking for a boy." - He smiled. Rumiya did even react, she just nodded and sighed. - " Hey, Rumiya, we have just become friends. I still have so many questions. I hope you don’t mind."

They fell into a conversation—nothing too serious, just idle talk to pass the time. Joon asked about her favorite books, her thoughts on the academy, and her impressions of the other students.

Rumiya answered cautiously, giving short, reserved responses. Joon didn’t seem to mind, though. He listened patiently, occasionally teasing her just enough to make her smile.

As they talked, Joon found himself watching her more closely. There was something familiar about her—the way she spoke, the way she carried herself. It tugged at the edges of his memory, but he couldn’t quite place it.

He didn’t mention it, though. He didn't want to think about past anyway.

The clock struck midnight, and Rumiya glanced up, startled. “It’s late,” she said, standing abruptly. “I should go back.”

Joon stood as well, but before they could leave, the sound of footsteps echoed through the library.

“Curfew,” Rumiya whispered, her eyes wide. “What if it’s a teacher?”

“Over here,” Joon said, grabbing her arm and pulling her behind a row of bookshelves.

They crouched low, listening intently as the footsteps grew louder. Rumiya’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

Joon peeked out from their hiding spot, his expression unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” she hissed.

“Take a look,” he whispered, gesturing for her to peek out.

Rumiya hesitated but eventually leaned forward. Her panic turned to confusion when she saw Harabi walking casually down the corridor, carrying a tray laden with cookies and fruit. For a second she looked at the library and continued her way.

“She’s… what is she doing?” Rumiya whispered.

“Midnight snacks,” Joon said with a grin. “Didn't know, she had this kind of side. Let's go, Rumiya."

They followed Harabi at a distance, curiosity getting the better of them. As they turned a corner, Joon suddenly leapt forward, startling Harabi.

“Boo!” he said, laughing.

Harabi jumped, nearly dropping the tray. “Joon!” she scolded, though she was laughing too. “What is wrong with you?”

“Sorry,” Rumiya said quickly, bowing slightly. “We really didn't want. And Joon, he suddenly.... I am so sorry."

Harabi waved it off. “It’s fine. I needed the adrenaline boost anyway.”

Harabi looked at Rumiya for a second longer and then smiled. She asked them: "So you were together here. Hey, I am going to the roof to watch the stars. I want you to join me. "

Joon nodded and then grabbed Rumiya's hand again, before she left the place, and smiled: " We both agree."

The three of them made their way to the roof, guided by Harabi’s suggestion. “The west wing is always empty at night,” she explained. “No one will bother us there. Eiles, my good friend, told me about this place. "

Once on the roof, Joon closed the door behind them, sealing out the faint sounds of the academy below. He lifted his hand, summoning a small orb of light that hovered above them, casting a soft glow over the rooftop. The night air was crisp but not uncomfortably cold, carrying the scent of damp stone and the faint fragrance of night-blooming flowers.

Harabi set the tray down, revealing neatly arranged slices of fruit, a variety of cookies, and a small thermos of tea. The three of them sat around it, the light flickering gently above their heads.

Rumiya exhaled softly, gazing up at the vast, star-speckled sky. "It feels so open here," she murmured. "Like the whole world is stretching out in front of us."

"It does," Joon agreed, leaning back on his hands. "I used to come up here alone sometimes, just to clear my head. The academy feels quieter from up here."

Harabi picked up a piece of fruit and tilted her head, studying the stars. "It’s strange… I thought the sky would look the same no matter where you are, but it doesn’t. The constellations shift, and some stars that were familiar before are hidden now."

Joon glanced at her, interested. "You know about constellations?"

She nodded, a small smile formi

ng. "A little. My mom used to tell me stories about them when we were younger. Like that one—" She pointed toward a cluster of stars. "See those three bright ones in a row? That’s part of a constellation called the Hunter. Some believe it’s a warrior searching for something he lost."

Rumiya followed her gaze. "I’ve never really paid much attention to the stars before. I guess I never had a reason to."

"They’ve always fascinated me," Harabi admitted. "There’s something comforting about them. No matter how far you travel, the stars are always there, watching over you."

Joon smirked. "That’s a nice way to look at it. But does that mean you feel like a stranger here? Since the stars aren’t exactly the same?"

Harabi hesitated, then let out a quiet laugh. "I guess so. Everything’s different here. The academy, the people, the magic… I still feel like an outsider trying to find my place."

Rumiya nodded in agreement. "Same here. It’s overwhelming. The way everyone already knows each other—it feels like we’re running to catch up. And also hiding."

Joon studied them for a moment before speaking. "You’ll get used to it. It’s always like that at first, but eventually, this place will start to feel like home."

Rumiya glanced at him. "Did it feel that way for you? When you first got here?"

Joon exhaled, running a hand through his silver hair. "Not right away. I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t sure if I even belonged here. But things changed. You meet people, get used to the routine, and before you know it, this place becomes familiar."

Harabi toyed with a cookie, thoughtful. "I hope so. Right now, it still feels like everything is moving too fast. I barely even know who I am in all of this."

Joon leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "Then don’t rush. Just take things one step at a time. You don’t have to figure everything out overnight."

A comfortable silence settled between them. The stars glittered above, the wind whispering through the stone walls of the academy.

Rumiya picked up a cup of tea and took a slow sip.

A sudden gust of wind swept across the roof, rustling their clothes and making the glowing orb above them flicker. Rumiya stood up instinctively, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. Instead of sitting back down, she took slow steps toward the edge of the rooftop, her gaze drawn to the vast horizon beyond the academy grounds. The wind tugged at her hair, carrying with it the scent of the distant forest and the cool stillness of the night.

Joon and Harabi watched her in quiet curiosity. The way she stood—still, yet somehow lighter, as if the weight of something invisible had just been lifted from her—was different from how she had carried herself all day.

Harabi tilted her head. “Rumiya?” she asked softly. “You okay?”

For a moment, Rumiya didn’t answer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs. Then, as if something within her had finally come undone, she ran forward and jumped — in that instant, something remarkable happened.

A faint shimmer surrounded her, delicate as stardust. Then, almost weightlessly, a pair of ethereal white wings unfurled from her back, catching the moonlight like they were woven from the night sky itself. The feathers gleamed, barely tangible, as if they weren’t quite of this world.

Joon and Harabi froze.

Rumiya opened her eyes, exhaling in quiet relief. And then, without a word, she lifted. The wind curled around her, carrying her effortlessly upward as if she had always belonged in the air. Her wings moved with graceful ease, like a natural extension of herself.

Joon blinked. “Did she just—”

Harabi, still wide-eyed, barely had time to process it before she let out a laugh—one of pure disbelief and amazement. “She did!”

Joon shook his head, breaking into laughter himself. “Rumiya, are you serious? You’ve been stressing about the academy all day, and now you just casually reveal you can fly?”

Rumiya twirled midair, laughing as she let herself glide above them. “I am sorry for surprising you. I just felt I needed to do it now. ” she admitted, voice carried by the wind. “I usually don't use my magic near the others. But I felt so comfortable..."

Rumiya landed gently, her feet touching the cool stone of the rooftop as her wings shimmered one last time before fading into nothing. She let out a quiet breath, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off an invisible weight.

Joon and Harabi watched her, waiting for her to speak. Finally, Rumiya gave them a small, almost sheepish smile before sinking down to sit with them again.

"Unfortunately, I can’t use them for long," she admitted, stretching her fingers as if trying to regain lost energy. "Even though it’s just ad-magic, it drains a lot of my power."

Harabi studied her for a moment before picking up the cup of hot tea from the tray and handing it to her with a warm smile. "Here," she said. "You’ll need this."

Rumiya accepted it, letting the warmth seep into her hands.

Harabi leaned back, gazing at her thoughtfully. "I found something new about you today," she mused.

Rumiya chuckled, blowing on the tea before taking a small sip. "Oh, you’re right," she said with a teasing smile.

Harabi tilted her head. "I hope this makes us friends?"

Rumiya looked at her, then at Joon, who was watching them with quiet amusement. A moment passed, then she let out a soft laugh. "I suppose it does."

Harabi grinned, and they both chuckled, the tension from earlier completely gone.

After a sip of tea, Rumiya glanced at Harabi again, her expression turning a bit more serious. "I apologize for my previous words," she said, her voice gentle but sincere.

Harabi waved a hand dismissively, smirking. "I already don’t remember them."

The wind whispered around them again, but this time, the rooftop didn’t feel so vast, so unfamiliar. The night stretched on, but instead of uncertainty, there was a quiet understanding between them—a beginning of something new.

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