World After Worlds

The approaching summer vacation was in reality a very busy time for the upcoming seniors, which was them. The town was not a big city, it was not enough to uphold its population. Despite the fact that it was covered in magical things, the difference between rural and urban was too huge. Azkin's town was deeply rooted in the past, people who stayed in the town valued the tradition and some of the younger generations were not willing to be tied in such practices. Many of them were yearning to travel or leave after graduation to start their life outside the town.

It was rare for them to accept foreigners who were interested in sorcery or witchcraft who wanted to live in the town. Nevertheless, the number of those who moved out was not that strange. More than half of the students who graduated were always set off to begin their adulthood journey on the outside. Life on the outside was uncertain for anyone, but the thrill of the new kind of environment never failed to encourage everyone to evacuate this boring place.

Because that was the case decades ago. The academy had been strict to prepare the students on dealing with the harsh life outside the town. They even copied the curriculum of the outsiders that students must go on various training with multiple preparations for them to pass. During the summer of the third-year students, they must go on and do countless training and classes on how to cope with foreigners. Their summer vacation was in fact not for fun but for packed lessons and activities from the academy. It was required to be certified to leave the town.

Those who were determined to stay in the town until they had their last breath would naturally not be invested in those training and classes. The main leads were one of them, they never took the class or any of the training so the plot around that period was not too hectic. It was where Tiana was receiving favor from the two the most. They would often ask her out and they were given separate opportunities to date her, make her heart race, or something like that.

In the original's memory, she was so desperate to bring Tiana into the ruins that she was not attending classes anymore. During the time when she was so inclined on reading taboo magic and lethal potions. She was obsessed with finding the best curse to implement on the three and made them suffer even just for a moment.

There were short occasions that she was tempted to just escape from the situation and the people and the pain. However, she was too wounded because the three could not be able to 'just' forget what happened like how they forgot about her. And it was not like anyone was giving her peace at that time, Ejai and many others were too overbearing and would not stop cornering her and tormenting her. Because the original never fought back, they never stopped. They thought it was fun to see her cowering and being pitiful all the time.

Yanarym stared at Kraig, one of the worst times the original had would become a trifling moment. A vacation with her boyfriend? That would be exciting. However, that was not part of her schedule. They would date on the weekend but the summer vacation was too long.

Her smile disappeared as she stared at Kraig, "I can't." She said in a whisper that he could only hear. Kraig smiled and remained but his eyes staggered. It was a surprise for him because he thought that she would be too happy and would instantly say yes and be grateful that he was spending his free time with her.

"You can't?" She hummed and slowly nodded her head. "Why?"

"I have to go to classes in the summer and do the training. I don't have time for the vacation, I'm sorry." She softly explained that it made Kraig pause to process what she said. Of course, he knew about the training and lessons in the summer but he never thought Yanarym was one of those who wanted to leave this town.

"Oh." Kraig could only say this to react, he was not sure what kind of expression was displayed on his face at the moment because he was too flabbergasted. Something weird just squeezed his chest when he realized Yanarym did not discuss her plan with him.

So, she wanted to leave the town but never told him? He had long expressed to her that he would remain here but she was thinking of leaving? Did that mean she saw no future for them?

Kraig gasped for cold air as he felt his lungs contracting with the notion. He widened his smile to hide the uncomfortable feeling invading his senses. Well, he always had the thought that they would not last together but realizing she had the same thought was… it didn't feel good. He was disturbed. He did not want this feeling.

Yanarym fixed her eyes on Kraig, he looked like he was in a state of anxiousness. She hid her smile seeing the reaction she wanted to see for a long time. It seemed to her that it was time for starvation for Kraig, the feeding time was almost over. She wondered how much pain she could inflict on him. Nonetheless, if he was already this affected from this moment where she did not even intend to cause him aggravation. How could he handle the incoming heartbreak she would give him? She was merely giving him back what he did to her during the time they were together. What does it feel like to be ostracized by your very girlfriend? She was never included in his plans. It would just be fair that he was not in any of her plans as well.

"What about we just do a day trip and return at night?" He said, stashing the emotion he was feeling, "It would not be too difficult to skip class for one day, right?" She gave him a reassuring smile and gave a nod. The uneasiness that bloomed from their conversation did not disappear.

"I think that is possible." She uttered. He was about to say another word but halted when the pot of potion she was brewing overflowed from boiling. She turned off the fire and carefully concentrated on stirring it.

"So," he said but did not know what to say after, it was just that he wanted to keep on talking to her. He wanted to know what else was on her mind. "Where would you go after graduation?"

"Hmm, Marcus told me that the central city on the Vortrion would be a good place to settle in."

"Will you leave Professor Lena here?"

"No, the mother will come with me. I think it's time to start a life without the shadow of this town. I guess Marcus will be with us as well."

He was really not part of it. She did not mention him at all.

"Why do you want to leave?" She only smiled and did not answer him. Kraig narrowed his eyes to her. He could not imagine that she could be happy without him… could she live without him? Was she thinking of replacing him? "What about me?" They both froze when he asked the question in his mind. He did not intend to ask or voiced out his thoughts. He felt his heart was dragged down as his feet and hands became cold, afraid that she heard it and answered him with no hesitation.

"Hmm?" She glanced at him and stared at him with innocent eyes. Kraig gulped and could not look away. For that second he felt so terrified about what would be the next word that would come out of her mouth. She would say sweet things to him, but she would never filter her words.

"I mean, if you leave, what about us?" He joked to lighten the thing weighing on his heart, but it did not help. Nothing else was circulating in his mind. He wanted to hear the answer at the same time he wanted to cover his ears. He was nervous and he cussed at himself for the way he was acting right now.

"What do you mean?" She asked. He opened his mouth to say something to her but upon perceiving her expression he could not say a word. There was no trace of reluctance in her eyes and the way she smiled was so ignorant. As if she had really no idea what he meant by his question. He thought that her answer would increase the discomfort he was feeling but seeing how she ignored the question brought more dishevelment to his mind. She pushed the pot in front of him. "That is done as well, should we do another potion to make it fifty in total?" She asked.

Kraig forced a smile because he was too speechless to say a thing to her.