Chapter 11

Harensys spoke, his pupils dilated.  

“It seems like our bodies only move on their own at moments when you and I met in the past, or when we were involved with each other.”  

So, she wasn’t the only one who remembered. No, more importantly!  

“Wait, then at the moment I die, my body will move on its own, won’t it!”  

She cried out in despair. The fact that she couldn’t avoid death was crushing. She covered her face with both hands in the dark, grim reality.  

Then Harensys squatted down, looking up at her with reassuring eyes.  

“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll find a way, and even if not, I’ll save you, Prezia.”  

The darkness faded, and light returned. The only light that could save her from the edge of the cliff.  

“…Thank you.”  

Sniff. She felt saved, and tears welled up. After letting a tear slip, her heart felt lighter, and she lowered her hands from her face.  

Once she felt better, Harensys spoke again.  

“I think if we try to move, maybe we’ll be able to.”  

“That could work. It’s better than doing nothing, so let’s try!”  

Shaking off her sadness, she stood up and clenched her fists, determined to do whatever it took not to die.  

She kept trying to move her body freely, but it didn’t work. Before she knew it, the lunch bell rang loudly. As soon as it rang, her body jumped up from the chair.  

“Lea, I want to eat lunch with the person I fell for at first sight today, so I’ll go ahead! I’ll make it up with snacks!”  

“I hope you get to eat with your savior. If not, come to me anytime.”  

Lea winked at her. She seemed to strongly believe it wouldn’t happen.  

‘She’s right.’  

She didn’t know where this confidence came from. She’d always thought she was pretty, but instead of shrinking in front of someone she liked, her confidence overflowed, which was odd and ridiculous. Thinking about how she’d soon be rejected made her shake her head.  

Her body moved on its own to Harensys’s desk. She held out her hand to him.  

“Do you want to eat together?”  

“No.”  

As expected, Harensys refused sharply. She could almost see him pounding on the door in his mind, wanting her to leave.  

Smiling faintly inside, she put her hand on the desk and tossed her hair.  

“Oh, well, then I’ll just sit next to you. Don’t misunderstand. I’m only sitting here because it’s a good spot for eating, not because I want to eat with you.”  

“…Do as you like.”  

“Okay!”  

She took his words at face value and followed Harensys and his friends. After waiting in line, she sat down for lunch, and Mel and the others glanced at her.  

Come to think of it, did Mel remember anything?  

“Enjoy your meal!”  

She was curious, but her mouth moved on its own, greeting everyone with a big smile. Her lips seemed to be hooked by a fishing line, constantly pulled up.  

She didn’t mind liking Harensys, but it was uncomfortable that her body wouldn’t obey her.  

“Yeah.”  

Harensys answered reluctantly and began eating. She took a bite and watched Harensys eat with satisfaction.  

“Just eat, and don’t bother Harensys.”  

But Mel seemed to lose his appetite at the sight. Harensys quietly ate, but Mel picked a fight anyway. Well, looking back, she was partly to blame.  

“I watch because I like him. And Harensys doesn’t care about me, so it’s fine.”  

She was shameless and cheerful back then. She could immediately tell Harensys didn’t like her, just from his actions. But she kept pestering him, thinking, ‘Someday he’ll look at me.’  

“Pfft!”  

Surprised by her words, Harensys spat out his food a beat late. The chewed bits landed all over her face.  

Ah. Positive thoughts.  

‘It’s okay, Prezia. He was just startled by my confession. How cute.’  

Love makes people blind, but she was truly blind back then. Of course, she still liked him now. If her words didn’t move on their own, she’d have demanded an apology angrily.  

“I’m fine.”  

She didn’t just smile and say she was okay.  

“……”  

Harensys’s pupils darted around in confusion, but he didn’t apologize. He probably apologized a thousand times in his mind.  

“Wow, she’s tough.”  

“That’s something to get angry about, no matter how much you like him.”  

“Agreed, nothing to say if you curse at Harensys.”  

“She must really like him. Is Harensys finally getting his first girlfriend?”  

“You don’t even know how popular Harensys is? He’s been confessed to several times, but he rejected them all. And those girls were pretty!”  

“That girl is popular too, known as the crazy goddess.”  

Mel and Harensys’s friends looked at her in awe, whispering.  

‘Hey, I can hear everything.’  

Why not just say it out loud?  

Everything they said was true. Harensys’s cold demeanor and big, dignified appearance made some dislike him, but others loved him.  

She’d seen girls confess to him before.  

They were sad about being rejected, but glad they got to talk to him.  

‘But me, a crazy goddess….’  

She couldn’t argue; it was true.  

She was crazy enough to talk about her ideal type to the whole school. But even as a weirdo, her personality was good and she was considered a goddess, so she’d been confessed to more than Harensys.  

“Quiet.”  

Harensys snapped at his friends, making them shut their mouths.  

“Harensys, you like strawberries, huh.”  

She loved strawberries too, and since Harensys did, she was happy to give him some.  

With trembling hands, she picked up a strawberry and brought it close to Harensys’s mouth.  

She felt the stares of Harensys’s friends and others. She could even hear the sound of their hearts pounding.  

‘Wow, I was really blinded by love. Embarrassing to try this in front of so many people. Of course, I want to do this with Harensys, but…’  

Harensys stared blankly at the strawberry, then turned his face to his tray.  

“I don’t want strawberries.”  

“Oh, I see.”  

She sat back down, wearing a bitter expression.  

The strawberry went straight into her own mouth. Chewing, she watched Harensys, who was eating with trembling hands, his brow slightly furrowed.  

Inside, Harensys probably wanted to take the strawberry but couldn’t, feeling disappointed. He was truly adorable, whoever’s lover he was.  

Feeling delighted by his cuteness, she enjoyed her meal. Afterward, she strolled along the path, as if going for a walk.  

Her body followed Harensys closely. Maybe he was bothered, because inside, Harensys glanced at her and sighed, scratching his head.  

‘Oh, I have jelly in my pocket.’  

Sweet and tangy fruit jelly rolled around in her pocket. Since it was tasty, Harensys would probably like it too.  

Thinking that, she took out the fruit jelly and quickly walked to Harensys’s side.  

“Harensys, do you like jelly?”  

“No. I don’t like it, so stop following me. Mind your own business.”  

“Oh, you’re annoyed. Got it.”  

She stopped chasing after his long strides. Standing there with jelly in hand, she silently watched Harensys walk away, unable to catch up.  

‘No matter how far he goes, I’ll keep trying to reach him.’  

That effort would pay off someday. And thankfully, it did.  

Managing her emotions well, she turned and headed for the classroom.  

Then, as if by magic, her body started moving as she wished again.  

‘I can at least make my hands tremble now, but I’m still far from moving my body freely.’  

She worried about being able to move her body at will until the day of her death. Forcing herself to think happy thoughts, she ran into Loren on her way to the classroom.  

“Prezia!”  

“Loren, do you want to eat jelly together?”  

Perfect timing. She couldn’t finish the already opened jelly, so she handed it to Loren. Jelly was sweet and tangy, but too much could be overwhelming.  

“Sure, I’d love that.”  

Loren, a jelly fanatic, brightened and they shared the jelly happily. While enjoying the chewy texture, Loren watched her closely. She wished he’d just speak instead of hesitating.  

Soon, Loren finally spoke up.  

“Hey, I heard a strange rumor. I’m curious if it’s true, can I ask?”  

She already knew what rumor it was. She’d heard it before.  

“Is it the rumor that I’ve fallen for a guy?”  

She guessed immediately, and Loren’s eyes widened in surprise. He nodded.  

“Yeah. I heard you tried to seduce Harensys by giving him strawberries.”  

“It’s true. I like Harensys. I’m going to keep trying to win him over. Not now, but soon he’ll be totally into me.”  

Since it was true and she was destined to keep trying, she confessed. Loren probably thought she was just boasting.  

Loren covered his mouth and asked with wide eyes.  

“Wow, really?”  

“Really.”  

“Are you sure you’re not mistaking your feelings because you don’t know what love is?”  

Loren was so suspicious. She figured she needed to explain in detail. Shaking her head, she replied,  

“No. My heart races, I want to see him all the time, I think about him, I want to talk to him—what else could it be but love?”  

“Wow, unbelievable.”  

Loren had always doubted her. He couldn’t believe she’d fallen for someone, constantly questioning and thinking she was lying. Back then, she’d used this method.  

“If you keep doubting me, I’ll just leave. Aren’t we longtime friends? Can’t you trust me?”  

They were eating on a bench at the end of the hallway, so she stood up from the bench. Loren quickly grabbed her arm.  

“No, no. I believe you, it’s just hard to accept.”  

When she sat back down, Loren released her arm with a sigh of relief.