"Well, do you have class?"
She shook her head.
She was on her way home since she was done with her classes for the day.
"I met Gabriel a while ago and had some coffee with him. Do you think you can join me for a meal? The rain is not yet letting up anyway."
Before Harmony could answer, her stomach grumbled.
She pursed her lips, "I suppose I can join you for that."
Justin smiled, "Then do you have any recommendations? This is your university after all."
She shrugged and led him to the restaurant she frequents.
They both ordered and ate for a good few minutes in silence.
Justin felt like inviting her since she didn't really look good. But compared to the girls, Gabriel, and Shawn, he and Kenneth weren't as close to Harmony. That is why he couldn't come up with anything to talk about.
"You look different," Harmony decided to begin a subject instead.
Something unusual, but she could feel that Justin was feeling a bit awkward. And it was starting to rub off on her.
Justin looked at her before he suddenly started laughing.
She furrowed her brows.
"Sorry. It's just that I heard those same words from Gabriel moments ago."
He chuckled before finally replying to her statement.
"I had a lot of changes happen in my mindset, I suppose. The reason why I look different."
"It looks like you've experienced a really good one," Harmony replied.
Justin smiled wider, "It is. Beatrice's influence was amazing. Because she improved so much, I found myself wishing to improve as well. And then things followed, and now I feel like I can embrace my violin even more."
Harmony nodded, "Good changes indeed. I'm happy for you."
Justin slightly tilted his head to the side. He felt like Harmony was speaking from a different perspective.
"You know, Shawn and Gab were right. You really feel like you are acting in this world. As if we are in a story and you are a part of it," he couldn't help but say.
"…"
Justin blinked, Harmony had a look he'd never seen before.
A look of shock, as if caught doing something bad.
"I… should get—"
"I did not mean to say it to reprimand you or pry!"
Harmony was about to stand up when Justin stopped her by the arm.
"I'm sorry if that came off in a bad way. But really, let me continue at least."
Harmony slowly sat back down.
Justin sighed, "Me and Kenneth never thought of getting closer to you the way the others wanted. And it is true that we started feeling that way when Shawn and Gab spoke about it. But… I could say that you were, at the very least, genuine with the support you are giving us. I am confident that that was not part of a play."
He still didn't find it in him to seriously befriend her, but he did feel that her support towards Beatrice was commendable.
"I see," was all she could say.
All this time, she was debating whether to continue with this or not.
To keep in touch with them or to cut off ties already.
But whenever she wanted to end it, she found herself getting even closer to them.
Her college life was much more peaceful, almost the same as when she started high school. It returned to how she had planned it to be.
The only difference this time was that she had people she kept in contact with.
To be honest, when she joined them on that one-week vacation, she was made to do a whole load of things. While also listening to them berating her.
A whole load of things had happened as well after she returned.
The one person she relied on asked her if it was worth it.
'It was. In many ways, more than one,' she answered.
It was the truth. it was worth it more than just being there with Beatrice.
"The rain has stopped. Where will you be going next?" Justin asked, changing the subject.
He noticed how she looked uncomfortable about it, so it was better to stop there. Even though he spoke about it because he was grateful, if it made her uncomfortable, then it was better not to talk about it.
"No more classes," Harmony replied.
"You going back to your place then?"
She nodded.
"Come on, I'll walk you to the station. It's time for me to return to City S as well."
Harmony did not reject since they were going the same way.
"You really should rest when you get home. You don't look good at all. At the same time, you barely ate. You'd surely collapse if you keep this up," Justin said to her as she rode the train.
Just as the doors were closing,
"Thank you," Harmony replied.
Justin watched the train depart.
"I wonder just how much is she hiding behind all her acts," he wondered.
He shrugged before walking toward the train for his return home.
There are a lot of things to do since he knew his goal for the future better. What he could do now is train more.
'If I'm not mistaken, Teacher will arrive in two days. He would surely ask me to play a piece by then. I have to show him what I learned from this short journey,' he thought, looking outside the window as the train sped toward City S.
He felt excited as he knew that he had improved a lot. He wanted to know what Lucius would think about his improvement.