Victory
"Haa…"
After parting ways with Rina, I let out a deep sigh and spoke toward the empty, darkened roadside.
"Senior. You can come out now."
No sooner had the words left my mouth than the roadside undergrowth rustled and stirred, and a moment later Bella Senior emerged looking thoroughly flustered.
A few leaves clung to her hair, and dirt was smudged here and there across her clothes.
Apparently she'd been hiding the entire time Rina and I were talking, eavesdropping on every word.
I narrowed my eyes and looked her over.
The way she stood there, clearly caught red-handed and with no idea what to do, was rather entertaining.
"…You heard everything, didn't you?"
When I asked it teasingly, Bella Senior awkwardly averted her gaze and cleared her throat.
"W-What are you talking about! I was just… out for a walk! We ran into each other by chance!"
She tried her best to make excuses, but that trembling voice carried no conviction whatsoever.
It was so ridiculous I couldn't help it.
I let out a short laugh.
For just a moment, the heavy worries that had been filling my head felt a little lighter.
She'd been wrestling with whether it would be all right to tell Rina the truth about Yeon, but she couldn't reach a conclusion on her own.
In the end, just as she was about to head for Yeon's dormitory to discuss it with her directly—
She spotted Rina and Yeon walking together toward the dorms.
Rina was talking about something with great enthusiasm, while Yeon only nodded now and then or gave short replies.
…What are they talking about?
Without quite realizing it, Bella found herself following after them.
Keeping a careful distance, moving cautiously so she wouldn't be noticed.
Even she didn't understand why she was doing this.
The sight of the two of them together simply bothered her in a strange way, and she was curious about the conversation they were having.
After walking for some time, they reached the fork in the path that led to the dormitory. Rina suddenly stopped and turned to face Yeon.
Bella, too, hid herself in the undergrowth, held her breath, and watched them.
And Bella saw it.
The moment Rina poured out her true feelings to Yeon.
"…I like you, Yeon."
A trembling voice, but eyes that did not waver.
A confession so earnest it seemed to stake everything she was as a candidate Saintess.
And then the vow that followed.
"Even so… I won't give up. Never. I'll make sure you atone for the wrongs you've committed and walk toward the light. I swear it."
Hidden behind a tree, Bella could only watch the breath-stopping scene unfold.
"…You heard everything, didn't you?"
At Yeon's teasing question, Bella couldn't hide her fluster.
She'd never dreamed she'd be caught so easily—and by Yeon herself, no less.
Come to think of it, even if her level was lower, Yeon was far stronger than she was.
Perhaps she'd noticed the tailing from the very beginning.
"W-What are you talking about! I was just… out for a walk! We ran into each other by chance!"
Bella tried her best to make excuses, but her voice was shaking.
"Hmm~ Must've been quite a vigorous walk, then?"
Yeon teased her, pretending to brush the leaves from Bella's hair and clothes.
"Dirt all over you, too."
Despite Yeon's playful tone, Bella could still read the lingering confusion on her face.
Rina's sudden confession must have been a considerable shock to her as well.
Those unsettled eyes. The subtly tightened set of her mouth.
And that confusion reached Bella as fear.
What if… what if Yeon accepts Rina's confession?
The thought that Yeon might decide to be with Rina plunged Bella into an unbearable anxiety.
Rina was a candidate Saintess.
Bright, kind, powerful—and she even shared a past connection with Yeon.
In every respect, she was far more suited to stand at Yeon's side than someone like Bella.
If she truly wanted Yeon to be happy, then rationally she knew that being with Rina might be the better choice.
She knew Rina had more right to stand beside Yeon than she did…
And yet, greed took root.
A selfish, foolish greed.
The desire to stay by her side. To protect her. And perhaps… to become someone special to her.
She, too, felt something for Yeon…
As Bella hung her head, tormented by the swirl of complicated emotions, a voice reached her.
"…Senior, are you okay?"
Yeon's worried voice.
When Bella lifted her head, Yeon was looking at her with a puzzled expression.
The confusion from Rina's confession was nowhere to be seen—instead, she was watching Bella with concern in her eyes.
Seeing that, Bella snapped back to her senses.
What on earth had she been thinking just now?
Jealousy? Possessiveness?
This was no time to be swept up in such petty feelings.
Right now, discussing Rina with Yeon was far more important than her own emotions.
"Ah—no. It's nothing."
Bella carefully composed her expression and spoke.
"I just… came to find you because there was something I wanted to discuss."
"Something to discuss?"
Yeon echoed, a questioning look on her face.
Bella took a brief breath to steady herself.
Whatever feelings she might hold for Yeon, right now Yeon needed even one more ally she could trust.
And someone of Rina's caliber would be a tremendous source of strength for her.
And yet…
Why didn't Yeon seem to have any intention of telling Rina the truth?
If anything, it almost looked as though she was deliberately trying to push her away.
That was why she needed to discuss it first.
There might be a reason she didn't know about.
"Yes. It's about Rina."
Bella carefully opened her mouth.
Yeon showed no particular change in expression, only giving a slight nod as if to say, go on.
"So… about telling Rina…"
Bella started to speak, but strangely, the next words wouldn't come.
Tell Rina… tell her what, again?
"…That…"
Bella hesitated for a moment.
She'd clearly meant to tell Yeon something important about Rina, but suddenly her mind felt blank, as if wiped clean.
Uh… about Rina…?
There had been something important. She was sure of it.
"So, Rina… I was definitely about to say something…"
Bella began to panic.
The thoughts that had been crystal clear in her head just moments ago had suddenly scattered like mist.
"Rina…"
Bella tried desperately to dig through her memory, but nothing came.
Only the name "Rina" and Yeon's face circled in her mind—she couldn't remember at all what she'd been trying to say.
"……."
"……."
An awkward silence settled between them.
Yeon still waited expressionlessly for Bella's next words, while Bella broke into a cold sweat, frantically trying to recover the memory.
Huh? Wait. Why am I like this?
Just a moment ago she'd clearly had something to say, but it had vanished without a trace—as if someone had erased the contents from her mind.
Something… was wrong.
Bella looked at Yeon with a confused expression.
"…Senior, are you sure you're okay?"
Yeon asked, concern written on her face.
"Uh… um…"
Bella stammered, flustered.
I definitely had something to say…
Her mind was still fogged over, hazy and indistinct.
"Hmm~ Wait, is this… jealousy, by any chance?"
Yeon narrowed her eyes and asked teasingly.
"Rina and I looked too close, so Senior wanted to join in—but then you ran out of things to say?"
"N-No! Not at all—!"
Bella flailed her hands in alarm, waving the idea away.
Jealousy? That was absurd.
Though, well—just a tiny bit, the very tiniest bit, it had bothered her.
"…Really."
Bella spoke with a serious expression.
"I definitely had something I was going to tell you, but suddenly I can't remember any of it."
Seeing that serious look on Bella's face, Yeon stopped teasing and grew earnest.
She took a step closer and asked worriedly,
"Are you really okay? Maybe you're not feeling well? Have you been pushing yourself too hard lately?"
"No, it's not that."
Bella shook her head. Her body was fine. So why, all of a sudden…
And right then, as if a fog had lifted, Bella's mind suddenly felt clear.
But she still couldn't recall what she'd been trying to say.
…If I can't remember it, it probably wasn't that important.
Bella forced herself to think that way, trying to settle the uneasy feeling in her chest.
Then, to reassure Yeon, she put on a strained smile and said,
"Well, given that I suddenly can't remember it, it must not have been anything that important. Don't worry about it."
Seeing Bella like that, Yeon's expression eased with relief—then promptly shifted back into a face full of mischief.
"Aww, what a letdown."
She started giggling and teasing Bella again.
"Senior, don't tell me… at your age, you've already got dementia? Oh no, should I start packing you medicine?"
"Aaah! You little—!"
Unable to take it anymore, Bella lightly smacked Yeon on the head.
Yeon winced as if it stung a little, but she kept laughing as though nothing could be more amusing.
Bella snorted a laugh of her own at the sight of her—but in one corner of her heart, an unresolved question still lingered.
I'm sure… it was something really important…
In the first place… what was I even trying to talk about?