Dreambreaker : The extra from 2393

Chapter 32: Elective [2]

A little boy fidgeted impatiently on the sofa.

His small fingers twisted a plastic toy that squeaked with every turn.

The ambrosial aroma of agarbatti flooded the surroundings, cozying up the milieu.

Beep-Beep

Suddenly, a shrill beep startled the boy, and he jerked his head towards a man from where the noise had come.

The man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties looked at the smartphone in his hand ; a frown creasing his forehead.

Click!

"Hello?"

...

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'll arrive momentarily", the man spoke abruptly, his voice filled with urgency.

"Where do you think you're going?" a woman spat out.

The woman also appeared to be in her mid- thirties. Her beautiful black Auburn Hair was styled into a ponytail, and her slender figure betrayed her alluring body, which didn't correspond to her age.

"Ciao, Acacia. My team needs me," the man interjected dispassionately, his voice chafing against the ears like coarse sandpaper scratching wood.

"No,. no. You need rest John!"

Acacia rebuffed, her voice austere, the line of her mouth etched into a frown that detailed the strain of concern furrowing her brow.

"Acacia, it's 'urgent'," John retorted, emphasizing the last word, indicating the presence of young one in the room through his gaze.

Upon hearing his response, her countenance shifted from anger to a tinge of melancholy.

She traversed towards him, her strides soft and subtle, barely audible on the carpeted floors.

With graceful tenderness, Acacia gradually approached him, extending her dainty fingers to touch his arm.

Despite the shift in her disposition, her touch radiated warmth and solace, overwhelming him with her presence.

Their gazes intertwined, and in that wordless exchange, their hearts spoke volumes, surpassing any words their lips could utter.

Without warning, the little boy vaulted from the couch, clutching his plaything firmly.

Dud Dud Dud Dud!

He scampered over to John and wrapped his arms around his leg.

"Papa, papa, where are you going?" he inquired innocently.

"Aren't you sick?"

"My duty calls, son", the man placated, glee ringing clear in his affirmative response.

"No need for concern. I'll make sure to grab Noah a brand-new toy when I return!"

"Duty? What's that, papa?" the child prompted, tilting his head curiously.

John's hand rested on the boy's head in an affectionate pat, and his eyes softened.

"Duty is something important that I have to do"

"It's a responsibility God-" pointing towards the ceiling like a sign, he continued ,"gave me"

The little boy furrowed his brow.

"Responsibility? But aren't you sick? Why can't papa rest for today?"

John's face relaxed into a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.

"Duties and responsibilities 'must' be followed, remember that son"

In the quiet of the room, the sunlight spilled through the window, casting a warm glow on everything it touched.

The delicate rays illuminated John's face, cascading down in a cascade of light that seemed to invigorate his tired body.

'Duties and responsibilities must be followed'

...

My father taught me that duties and responsibilities must be followed, not only with his words but also by his actions.

But I was never able to fully grasp the profound significance of it.

I was a fool. I am a fool.

Through my creative endeavors, such as the characters I crafted in my stories, I aimed to convey the importance of fulfilling one's duties.

My heroes, like Aeravat, and villains, like Zephyr, all shared this common trait.

But as some one who failed to live up to this standard myself, who was I to try and impart such a lofty meaning onto others?

As a lowly fool, how could I ever expect others to comprehend ....what I myself never valued?

I miss him..

-------------------------------------------

With a forlorn sigh, Aurora queried ,"...whatever, so decided on which elective you gonna join?", placing an emphasis on the word 'which'.

Takahashi's response was curt, "Not really, I was thinking of joining a combat-related elective since nothing particular caught my fancy."

They were in the middle of a discussion while making their way towards A-15 section.

There they could pick an elective from a plethora of choices in clerk's office.

With the aloof demeanor, Takahashi concealed his emotions, stashing his hands in his pockets.

Aurora, with a quizzical tilt of her head, listened intently while her hair cascaded gracefully over her uniform blazer, which was a perfect complement to her regal appearance.

Upon hearing Takahashi's retort, she rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, aware that something was amiss.

Aurora and Takahashi had previously decided on either 'Magic Topology Elective' or 'Dungeon Course' ; his sudden change of heart caught her off guard.

After the sparring session, Takahashi's usual vibrant demeanor had become muted and unemotive.

Aurora had a notion as to why this transformation had occurred.

Without losing his composure, Takahashi merely remarked in a placid, even tone, "It just feels like the right thing to do at the moment"

"Yea, right..you're totally not upset about losing the match to Aeravat"

Takahashi flinched at Aurora's remark, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise to his face.

"H-how did you-?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's written all over your face, dummy!" Aurora exclaimed with a teasing grin, causing Takahashi to look away and focus on the ground beneath his feet.

He frowned slightly at Aurora's remark. It may not be a big deal for others but to Takahashi who never lost once in his life it was a big shock.

"Hey, mind if I join in?" Suddenly Sophia chimed in their discussion.

"Oh, hey Sophie!" Aurora replied in her usual cheerful tone while Takahashi acknowledged her presence with a slight nod.

"Are you guys headed to the clerk's office?"

"Yes, but we haven't decided on which elective to choose..what about you?"

Swatting away her hair from her forehead Sophia replied "I am thinking of joining, either the dungeon course or Combat elective's to choose from"

Aurora raised her brow and asked, "You too? Why do you want to join combat courses? Even Takahashi was thinking of doing the same. Don't we already practice in training sessions?"

Sophia tilted her head, intrigued by the question. "Is that so?" she asked.

As they walked, Sophia noticed a pale-complexioned boy walking towards them from the opposite direction.

The group immediately recognized the boy - after all, he was the 'misfit'. How could anyone not recognize him?

Aurora had a bad impression of him at first, but after the sparring session, her impression of him slightly improved.

However, she still didn't wanted to associate with the boy because of all the bad rumors surrounding him.

The boy walked past them without so much as acknowledging their presence.

His behaviour caused Sophia to frown, "What's up with him? Does he think he's a big shot or something?"

Aurora, comforted her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Leave him be Sophie, he's just a loser anyway."

...

Noah made his way towards the chemistry lab, his demeanor was serene and serious.

His usual carefree body language was replaced with an aloof and emotionless appearance.

His mind preoccupied with thoughts...thoughts he did not wish to entertain.

The sound of his footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, their rhythm steady monotonous.

The smell of the freshly-polished floors mingled with the scent of the disinfectant used to clean them.

He felt an odd sense of detachment from his surroundings, as if he was walking in a dream.

The fluorescent lights overhead hummed a steady tune, their light casting a sterile hue across the hallway, making everything seem lifeless and artificial.

.....

The cold tiles beneath my feet echoed with each step I took, the sound reverberating through the silent corridor.

Step-step-step-step

My eyes remained fixed on the ground, as if I was searching for an answer, any answer to the questions that plagued my mind.

But try as I might, I couldn't find any solace.

My mind was in turmoil, awash with thoughts and feelings that threatened to overwhelm me.

I tried to push them aside, but they clung tenaciously, refusing to be ignored.

I remembered what someone had told me once, that the hardest thing in life was to control your own mind.

And as I walked towards the A-18 section, I knew that to be true.

"Duties and responsibilities huh?" I muttered to myself, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"What duty and responsibility do I have? I am just a lost soul, I have nothing, no past, no future..."

With each passing second, the weight of my own insignificance seemed to grow heavier.

But I pressed on, driven by some unknown force.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I reached my destination.

The wooden door loomed before me, its surface marred by age and use.

The words "Chemistry Lab-A1" were written on a sideboard above it, taunting me with their simplicity.

"Huff"

I took a deep breath, trying to clear my mind of all the useless thoughts that had plagued me.

And then, with a sense of trepidation, I pushed open the door.

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