Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]

Third-person POV

The rooftop of Elysium High was quiet, except for the distant chatter of students far below and the occasional rustling of the wind against the metal railings.

Yuna stepped on the rooftop, her dark hair whipping slightly in the breeze as she took in the sight before her.

Iris was already there, leaning against the railing with her arms crossed, her blue eyes scanning the skyline as though she was deep in thought. There was something about the way she stood—relaxed yet completely aware of her surroundings—that made Yuna certain this wasn't just a casual meeting.

A smirk crept on Yuna's lips as she took confident strides forward, clearing her throat just loud enough to catch Iris's attention.

Iris turned her head, her gaze locking on Yuna's. There was a flicker of something in those sharp blue eyes—recognition, amusement, intrigue. The corners of her lips curled into a slight smirk as she pushed herself away from the railing, standing tall as she faced Yuna fully.

"Do you recognize me?" Iris asked, tilting her head slightly.

Yuna arched a brow, mirroring Iris's expression. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

Iris chuckled, a light sound that carried in the wind. "Well, as far as I know, we've never met in this life."

Yuna crossed her arms over her chest. "We haven't." She took a step closer, lowering her voice slightly. "And yet, when our eyes met earlier in class, you basically signaled me to meet you here. Funny how that works, don't you think?"

Iris's smirk deepened, her gaze twinkling with something unreadable. "Oh, so you did notice that."

Yuna let out a scoff, shaking her head. "Let's stop pretending, Iris. We both know the truth. We might not have met in this reality, but we've met in a different one, and from what I remember, we weren't just acquaintances. We were allies—friends, even."

At this, Iris laughed, a low, knowing sound. She extended her hand, her fingers curling slightly as she spoke.

"Iris Aurelian," she said smoothly, as if reintroducing herself for the first time.

Yuna eyed her for a moment, then reached out, grasping Iris's hand firmly in hers. A sly smile played on her lips.

"Yuna Ashwyn."

The handshake lingered just a second longer than necessary before Iris finally pulled away.

"Well then," Iris mused, "shall we get reacquainted?"

Yuna's smirk widened. "Let's."

"But first," she added, tilting her head, "how about you tell me why you're really here in Elysium? Because I highly doubt you came all the way here just to be a good little student."

Iris chuckled, her sharp blue eyes glinting under the sunlight. "You're right," she admitted, wasting no time with pretenses. "I have one reason for being here, and one reason alone—to burst Electra Vale's bubble."

The words were spoken with such certainty that Yuna felt something inside her stir—curiosity, amusement, and above all, intrigue. She arched a brow, folding her arms tighter against her chest.

"Oh?" Yuna smirked. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that? I mean, you're just the new girl. You understand that challenging the established queen of Elysium is not an easy task, correct? Or are you just reckless?"

At Yuna's words, Iris let out a dry laugh—low, cold, and devoid of any amusement. The moment the sound faded, her face darkened, her expression shifting into something that made Yuna's instincts flare.

It was a look that confirmed what she had already begun to suspect, both here and in the other reality where she had first encountered Iris.

There was something off about Iris Aurelian. Something almost… inhuman.

Yuna had long suspected that Iris was hiding something. Much like herself, Iris didn't seem entirely human, but she couldn't quite place what Iris was.

"You know," Yuna mused, watching Iris closely, "there's something different about you. You're not just some ordinary little girl, are you?"

Iris's lips curled slightly, though the amusement didn't quite reach her eyes. Instead, she leaned in slightly, her gaze locked on Yuna's as if she were assessing her, measuring her worth.

"What do you think, Yuna?" She asked smoothly, her voice laced with something almost hypnotic. "Do I look ordinary to you?"

Yuna chuckled darkly, pushing herself off the railing. "Not one bit."

For a moment, there was silence—just the two of them standing there. Then, with a shift of her posture, Iris casually glanced toward the school grounds below before speaking again.

"I plan to do what I came here for in less than two weeks," she said nonchalantly, as if she were discussing the weather rather than declaring war.

Yuna's smirk widened. "Two weeks, huh? That's ambitious, but I have to admit, I'm curious—what exactly do you plan on doing to our dear Electra Vale?"

Iris let out a sigh, folding her arms over her chest before speaking. "I'm sure you're already aware of how weak Electra currently is—especially physically."

Yuna's eyes darkened as she thought back to their recent confrontation after the car accident. She had expected Electra's to be as menacing as it had always been, but what she saw had been… unsettling.

Electra looked the same—fierce, unapologetic, with that infuriating smirk always tugging at her lips—but Yuna had noticed the subtle shifts. Her movements had lost their usual grace, her frame seemed a fraction smaller than before, and most telling of all, there had been something behind her eyes, something off.

It wasn't just exhaustion. It was something worse, almost like a beast on the verge of collapse, clinging to whatever strength it had left.

Yuna nodded slowly. "Yeah, I noticed. Whatever's wrong with her, it's eating her up, and fast."

Iris's lips curled ever so slightly. "Exactly. Which means we don't have to do much—just give her a push in the right direction. She's already slipping."

Yuna tilted her head, studying the redhead in front of her. She knew that Iris wasn't just talking. There was intent behind her words. Iris wanted something—no, she planned something.

"So," Yuna said, her voice laced with intrigue, "what exactly do you want to do? I already have my own plans, but if you're certain and you need my help, I'd be more than happy to get rid of Electra much quicker."

Iris turned to her fully then, her blue eyes glinting with something unreadable— something chilling. Slowly, a smile stretched across her lips.

"Then prepare yourself, Yuna." Her voice was smooth, deliberate. "Because in a few days, you'll be doing to Electra what she did to you. Consider it a perfect payback."

Yuna's brows lifted in intrigue. "You mean…"

"Yes," Iris confirmed, that same cryptic smile playing at her lips.

A slow smirk spread across Yuna's face as she let out a dry chuckle. "So, you're telling me there's going to be poison involved in whatever you have planned?"

Iris didn't confirm nor deny, only tilting her head ever so slightly, her smirk deepening.

"Lunch break is over," she said smoothly, shifting her weight as she turned toward the door. "It's time to get back to class."