The Paranormal Investigation Club's Day Off
"Where the hell is Aurora?"
Day four of the break. I'd already spent time getting closer with Elaine, Rone, and even Rozalia, making the most of their availability. Now, I was scouring the academy for Aurora to have a chat with the last one on my list.
But she was nowhere to be seen.
On the first day, I'd bumped into Elaine by chance outside the academy. The second day, I'd caught Rone right after her lecture ended. Rozalia had approached me first on the third. Aurora, though? She was proving elusive.
We hadn't set a time to meet at the club room like usual, and today there were no classes of mine anyway. This is what happens when you don't know where your students hang out during their free time. What an irony. I wanted to learn more about them by talking one-on-one, but I couldn't even track them down because I didn't know them well enough.
I'd combed through the classrooms, lounges, and even the vending area in the 1st Main Building. No sign of her anywhere—not even a shadow.
Did we cross paths? Or was she never here to begin with?
With a sigh, I stepped out of the building. If she was somewhere inside, I might have a shot at finding her. But if she had no classes today or they were already done and she'd headed back to the dorms, this was a pointless hunt.
It would've helped if she had a bunch of friends I could ask. But no such luck.
As I pondered my next move, my eyes caught a notice on the bulletin board at the edge of the academy plaza: "This Month's New Library Arrivals."
The library, huh... I wasn't much of a reader, but Elaine had recommended a book the other day. Maybe I'd swing by, see if there was anything else worth suggesting to her. She had me beat on occult knowledge, sure, but in other fields, I could probably recommend a thing or two.
I gave up on Aurora for the day and headed straight for the academy library.
Shelves of books stretched out like a labyrinth, the air thick with that familiar paper scent—similar to the old bookstore I'd visited recently, but better maintained and buzzing quietly with student life. Unlike some dusty shop in town, this place felt alive in its hush.
I slipped past the students without a word and made for the academic section. Between the cool aisles of bookshelves, in a dim corner where sunlight barely reached, I spotted a familiar head of golden hair.
"Aurora! There you are!"
It was her, all right. Who would've thought I'd find her here? I called out a bit louder than I meant to, excitement getting the better of me.
"Shh."
She didn't even look startled—just shot me a cool, icy glance and pressed a finger to her lips, silencing me.
Embarrassed, I lowered my voice at her gesture.
How can she be so cold?
"Hiding out here, huh? I was looking everywhere."
She turned her head back to her book and replied curtly.
"I was studying. The library's quiet—perfect for focusing alone."
She adjusted her glasses as she spoke. Even in the club room, she acted like studying was her one and only hobby. Elaine had bolted for her hobbies the moment break started, and Rone and Rozalia had hung out with friends. But Aurora? She studied nonstop, club activities or break or not.
"So, what's up? You went out of your way to find me. Something important?"
"Nah, nothing huge. Just figured as a teacher, I should know how my students spend their time here."
"...Is that really all?"
"What, you think I'm playing favorites? Don't worry—I already met up with Elaine, Rone, and Rozalia during the break."
She stared at me impassively from behind her glasses. After a moment, she turned back to her book with a frosty expression.
"...I see."
It was borderline rude for someone a teacher had sought out specially, but I knew why she acted this way now.
Her Gift.
The Fascination that bewitched others regardless of her will. It drew unwanted suitors from guys and jealousy from girls. Worse, she couldn't tell if affection toward her was genuine or twisted by her Gift.
Her prickliness was probably her testing if I was truly here as her teacher—or just making excuses under her influence.
Those non-prescription glasses, her plain ponytail, her preference for quiet, secluded spots—they all screamed self-protection, born from her Gift's curse. Her sharpness wasn't aggression; it was a hedgehog's spines.
"If you're worried I'm affected by your Gift, don't be."
"...What do you mean?"
"Found out recently—my Observation seems to correct perceptions or emotions distorted by others' Gifts or ghost stories, at least to some degree."
First time I'd noticed was with old man Brandon's ghost story. Hypnotized into thinking I was dessert, until Elaine's words prompted me to Observe him. Reading that status window snapped my mind back to normal.
Observation didn't resist contamination outright—you got hit, no blocking it. But reading the status window afterward corrected the tainted info.
My theory: The window delivered pristine, "normal" data straight to the brain—like imprinting concepts, not just reading words. It overwrote the distortion.
Not like Elaine's mental fortitude, which blocked attacks cold. This only reset cognition and emotion post-hit, leaving mental shock intact—a remedial fix, clearly inferior. But as a bonus to Observation's main function, damn useful.
"...So, short-term, your Gift might work on me. Long-term? Nah, it won't stick."
She listened, peering at me over her glasses. Her expression stayed nonchalant, but her gaze softened from that first chilly stare.
She hummed shortly—"Hm"—and returned to her book.
I didn't bug her further. I'd wanted to talk, sure, but not at the expense of her routine.
I pulled the occult novel Elaine recommended from my bag and started reading.
Me with my novel, her with her studies. The only sounds in the library were pages turning.
But we hadn't forgotten each other entirely. Every few minutes, we'd chat without looking up.
"An occult novel? Not very teacher-like."
"Elaine recommended it. Kinda weird, but it hooked me. Wanna borrow it later?"
"No thanks. Not my thing."
She shut that down flat.
"Fair enough."
"Yes."
Silence again. A few more pages, then I spoke up.
"Didn't peg you for that kind either."
I nodded at a book tucked amid her towering stack of textbooks. A romance novel.
"Thought your Gift made you avoid guy-girl stuff."
She followed my gaze, then looked back.
"I do. Obviously. I read it not to dream of romance—but to dodge it."
"Dodge?"
"Yeah. If it describes love between a man and woman, I can spot the patterns and avoid those situations. Keeps things uncomfortable-free."
"Clever."
"Eh, nothing special."
She shrugged it off and turned the page.
Quiet again. Pages rustling. Our sparse talk felt natural, the silence a sign of mutual respect, not awkwardness.
Aurora broke it this time.
"You have to keep your promise."
"Which one?"
"To get rid of my Gift. You said strengthening can replace it entirely with something new, right? Make it happen—or at least give me a way to turn it off manually."
She said it without lifting her eyes from the page.
"Of course I'll try. But you gotta pull your weight resolving ghost stories too. Need that resentment to strengthen Gifts."
"Naturally. That's why I joined this club—risking my life for it."
Her voice carried a hint of desperation and resolve, eyes still glued to her book.
Silence fell once more, broken only by pages.
We focused, but aware of each other.
I spoke first next.
"You're dedicated, huh? Studied nonstop in the club room, and now on break too."
"Not really. This is my normal routine—even before joining."
"Yeah?"
"Mm. I'm not as smart as Elaine."
"No need to bury yourself in books like this."
Wait, didn't we have this talk before? Déjà vu hit, but she pressed on.
"Can't make normal friends anyway, thanks to my Gift. And if someone calls me a talentless flirt someday? Gotta have ammo to fire back."
She gave a cynical chuckle.
"Ah, but if we nix the Gift later, guess it won't matter."
"Then post-upgrade, no more grinding studies."
"No. I'll keep at it. Proving myself through knowledge has nothing to do with the Gift—too late to quit now."
Her tone rang with unshakeable determination.
Our chats ebbed and flowed. By the time we left the library, orange sunset stretched long shadows outside, painting the sky in crimson and violet splendor.
Aurora grabbed her bag and paused to gaze at it.
"You wandered the academy looking for me, and all we did was read books all day. Kinda pointless, huh?"
"Nah, I don't think so. You?"
"..."
She fell silent at my question. No eye contact, just quiet reading and occasional talk—but far from worthless.
Most with her power would exploit it for selfish gains: love, wealth, power. But Aurora rejected it, cursing her Gift and fighting to erase it. Despite knowing her limits, she honed herself relentlessly with ambition and grit.
I'd known bits of this, but today deepened it—why she felt that way.
"If you're bummed to part ways, dinner's on me?"
"No. Never said I was bummed. Goodbye, Mr. Allen."
Her firmest rejection yet. I'd half-joked anyway, so I chuckled and turned.
"...You've gotten cheekier lately, y'know?"
I tossed it out on a whim before leaving.
"Me? Must be your imagination."
"Nope. Definitely sassier."
She'd been cautious even in the club room till recently. Now? Prickly. Probably since the festival ghost story, when I learned about her Gift.
She averted her eyes, guilty.
I'd guessed the shift. Like me dropping my academy mask in the club. Her sass? Her way of opening up to the Paranormal Investigation Club.
"Fine, if you say so. See you next week. Have a good weekend—no injuries. Whoa, that sounded super teacher-y."
I grinned and waved.
But before I took two steps, she called out.
"Mr. Allen."
I turned.
"Yeah? Dinner after all?"
Not even close.
"Being vague isn't good, Mr. Allen."
Her eyes locked on mine, deeper than usual.
"...Huh? What're you on about?"
"Dunno. But you can't ignore the students' feelings forever. For your sake—and theirs. Trust me, I know."
Her gaze pierced.
"..."
I had no reply. She was already walking away.
A chill spring evening breeze swept in.
And so the last day of break faded.