Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation

"Let me say, listen to me. There is a green light, where is happiness?"

"Unlike any meaning, you are the green light, so unique."

...

Uh, who is that person standing on stage, holding a microphone, and screaming in exaggerated poses...

I was shocked as soon as I opened the door. I'm sure he must be a classmate from high school, but it's been so long I can't remember his name for now.

"Isn't this Flynn? You finally came."

I had just entered the room when someone found me. Astrid hurried over and led me to an empty seat in the room. I was still relatively familiar with her since we were high school classmates and went to the same university. We had just met recently.

"I thought you were going to stand me up again, but Reilly was very sure you would come, so everyone is waiting for you!"

"Why did you say 'again'? How could that be? I said I would definitely come!"

I strongly argued, took a deep breath, sat down calmly on the soft sofa, picked up a berry from the fruit platter on the coffee table and put it in my mouth, and asked her in a low voice, "Who's the one pretending to sing on stage?"

Astrid rolled her eyes at me with a smile and said, "That's Jaxon, our former math class representative! Don't tell me you've forgotten everything?"

"Oh, I remember now."

With her reminder, I immediately had an impression. This guy was the fourth in our class rankings. He was always ranked fourth in exams, never breaking into the top three. No wonder he looked so familiar. I suddenly remembered that after graduation he got together with Lennox, the arts class representative. The two of them even posted a lot of lovey-dovey photos in our class group at the time. Speaking of which, Lennox was quite pretty. The two of them were a match made in heaven. I wonder how they are now.

"I heard he recently broke up because Lennox cheated on him and he caught her on the street. Lennox didn't even come today!"

"Pfff..."

"Are you okay?"

Astrid was startled and asked with concern.

"Cough cough cough cough...I'm fine! I almost choked on a seed..."

I quickly waved my hand and secretly glanced to the side of the stage.

The first person I saw was Reilly. At this moment, he was holding forth in the middle of another sofa, with several female classmates from high school on both sides, listening intently to his years of study abroad and travel stories.

It was still the familiar style, unchanged. I couldn't help but feel emotional. Sensing my gaze, Reilly smiled casually and nodded, which counted as a greeting. I nodded back and didn't bother him.

There were indeed many classmates today. This was the largest ktv suite, but it still felt crowded. I think there were about 30 people in our high school class. Now it looks like at least more than half have shown up. I could immediately call out most of their names when I saw their faces. But there were still a few that I just couldn't remember no matter what.

After all, it's been four years...

I was a little hungry. For someone like me who only eats one meal a day, the food in my stomach should have been completely digested long ago. Usually at this time I would already be in bed and asleep. After all, when you're asleep you don't feel anything.

But now it was different. Looking at the variety of fruit plates and snacks in front of me, although they were just snacks, they were no less than a full meal to me.

Hmm... it looks like I can finally replenish some nutrition tonight, I thought happily. I had actually relaxed a lot, because after looking around, I didn't see the person I was concerned about, so she didn't come either?

Since the biggest psychological burden was gone, of course I wouldn't be polite anymore. I reached out and grabbed a cream cake I had been eyeing. It looked really delicious!

But at this moment, another hand suddenly reached out from the side, slender and delicate, and it was aiming for the same target as me.

Huh? I looked along that hand to its owner, and I was dumbfounded. It felt like being struck by lightning and my whole body froze.

Quinn! How could it be her?

I had searched the whole room earlier and didn't find her at all. But the moment I let my guard down, she appeared.

This gave me quite a shock. My hand shook and I quickly retracted it.

She had been so close to me all along, actually sitting in the seat one person away on my right. Perhaps because she was hidden from view, including when I first came in and sat down, I didn't notice her at all.

"Quinn... classmate, long time no see!"

I almost couldn't help but use that term of address from the past, and then I forced my stiff facial muscles to squeeze out a smile.

There seemed to be a flash of surprise in her eyes too. Her arm hung in the air for a good while, stunned. But then she regained her calm, nodded to me with a smile, and responded:

"Long time no see, Flynn."

Our eyes met, and we just stared at each other for a while.

The atmosphere seemed to have become awkward.

"Haha, you go ahead..."

I laughed dryly to break the silence, gestured at the cake to indicate to her, then quickly sat back in my seat.

Although I had mentally prepared various ways to respond to seeing her again along the way, the actual situation had become like this. All my efforts were basically wasted. I turned my face away, trying not to look in her direction as much as possible, but I still felt very uncomfortable, as if I was bristling. Indeed it was still a bit too close.

Astrid was still sitting to my left. She had seen everything that just happened. She seemed to have always known about my relationship with Quinn.

"Why are you so nervous? We're all old classmates."

She smiled at me understandingly and whispered to me.

"Quinn also studied abroad during college. I heard she found a boyfriend in the US and might immigrate soon."

"That's great, she's doing quite well, so I don't need to worry."

I nodded. This was not surprising at all. Given my current living situation, I felt that I couldn't find a more miserable person than me in the entire room. Of course, to save face, I still had to pretend not to care.

"Immigrating is a good thing. I hope she and her boyfriend can be happy."

I solemnly blessed them in words. I couldn't help but glance back at her again. Quinn didn't seem to be affected at all, laughing and chatting with other classmates, not paying attention to this side.

Seeing this scene, I suddenly felt complex emotions, seeming to contain a trace of relief, but also a trace of loss. I realized I didn't know how I felt about her now. In principle, that relationship had ended four years ago. But meeting again, I found I still couldn't adapt, and even had some expectations. People often say the feeling of first love is special. Is this what it is?

"Do you really think so? Then telling me this is useless."

Astrid smiled at me mischievously, with an expression of watching a good show.

"Why don't you just tell her yourself?"

"This..."

I was embarrassed. There was no way I could do that. My skin was not thick enough.

"It seems you still haven't seen through it after so many years?"

Astrid looked like she understood perfectly. She made me completely at a loss for words. Was I that obvious?

Finally I decided to just stick to my guns.

"No, of course I'm over it! It was just a few words. I'll tell her later. She's busy right now, I don't want to disturb her."

I figured that if it came down to it, I could just sneak out later. After all, I didn't really want to attend this reunion in the first place. The main reason was that I had promised Reilly, so staying in this place made me a little uncomfortable.

So I snorted, grabbed a glass of wine on the table and drank it in one gulp, pretending to be nonchalant as I started bragging:

"That was years ago, don't mention that to me again! Even if she's getting married now and wants me to attend her wedding, I would be totally fine with it, of course on the condition that she is willing to invite me then."

Astrid seemed incredulous: "Really?"

"Really!" I nodded firmly with false bravado.

"Really really?"

"Really really really!"

...

She stared at me speechlessly for a good while. Suddenly she raised her hand and called out to Quinn behind:

"Quinn..."

I was scared and quickly pulled her hand to stop her.

"Don't..." I didn't expect she would really do this. I had to admit defeat. "You win, you got me!"

Astrid picked up a berry smugly and put it in her mouth, crossing her legs.

"I saw through it long ago. Let me tell you a secret. Quinn actually regretted breaking up with you back then too. But she just didn't have the courage to find you, and you never went to find her either, so that was the end. What a pity..."

I looked at her sighing and shaking her head with black lines on my forehead. Astrid was deskmate with Quinn in high school, so her words were likely true. But it was useless to tell me this now that I didn't know before. Was she trying to get me to win Quinn back? Could I do something so crazy? It had already been four years.

I couldn't help but look at that spot again, but this time I was noticed by the other party. I saw her look surprised, and then we stared at each other again.

"Flynn, I think... we're not suitable, let's break up..." Suddenly Quinn's words from four years ago echoed in my ears again.

Still no, I can't do it, especially since she already has a boyfriend.

I lowered my head dejectedly. After all, I was too far away from her now. My heart was filled with complex emotions at this moment. Astrid next to me still kept nudging me lightly with her elbow, smiling like a little devil, and asked, "Any thoughts?"

"No thoughts!" Her mischievous look completely exposed that she was teasing me deliberately. I suddenly felt a little angry.

"It's all in the past. I'm going to the bathroom!"

Then I got up and strode towards the bathroom in the suite...