Underneath the Silhouette-Chapter 76: Unveiled Flairs

Eirin gulped. Her curiosity’s making her itch. "I know this might be an uncomfortable question—no shit why am I asking—I mean, what’s your Flair?"

Coleen burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "I can’t believe this," she said, collapsing onto her bed. "How could I act all friendly to you without even telling you about some minor detail about myself?" The young girl giggled. Her bright eyes sparkled as she extended a hand to Eirin.

"I have the ability to manipulate things with my mind—or, to give it a name, my Flair is Telekinesis."

The teenage girl’s mouth fell open, then slowly, a smile spread across her face. "That’s amazing! If you could only control that, you’d be unstoppable." Her words, brimming with sincerity, left Coleen in awe.

Somewhere in Coleen’s mind, she’d braced for disappointment to appear on Eirin’s face, but there was none. "Maybe it’s because you’re not from here... but it’s the first time anyone hasn’t shown dissatisfaction upon hearing what my Flair is," Coleen said, nervously fiddling with her fingers.

Eirin tilted her head. "What? Why would they show disappointment?" This left the teenage girl confused, but Coleen drop the subject.

"Never mind that, Ei. You should go wash up, then we’ll eat dinner."

Eirin took a bath, and afterward, the two of them walked to the cafeteria, hand in hand, ignoring the whispers of other students about them. Coleen looked at Eirin as they took their seats near the window of the cafeteria. It was as if she couldn’t hear anybody else except for her friend. She used to feel wary of everyone who was looking at her, but now it didn’t seem to matter.

"I’m so glad you’re my friend, Ei."

Eirin saw the warmth in Coleen’s round winter gray eyes. "I should be the one saying that. I’m thankful for you, Coco."

The two giggled, the sound light and airy between bites of their meal. Coleen’s unrestrained glee reminded Eirin of how her flushed face and nervous chatter around Link that morning.

"I have something to ask," Eirin began, her voice a little hesitant. "But you don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I’ll answer it," Coleen chirped, her smile bright and unwavering. "Since we’re friends now, we don’t have to keep secrets from each other."

Coleen’s bright smile sent a pang of guilt through Eirin. A prickle of unease threaded through her, and a question arises in her head. Had Link been pushed aside because she’d become Coleen’s friend?

"Did something happen with Link?"

Coleen paused, a spoon laden with strawberry gelato halfway to her lips, and tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"It’s just... you two seemed so distant after the mission. I can’t help but wonder what happened."

Coleen shrugged, a subtle tightening around her lips. "It’s just...everyone loves Link, so I figure they should have him." A glint of pain crossed Coleen’s features, too quick for anyone but Eirin to catch.

A thousand questions sprang to Eirin’s mind, but she swallowed them back, sensing Coleen’s reluctance to share more.

When they finished their dinner, they went back to the dormitory. Coleen, energized by dinner, suggested they play cards until she fell asleep. Eirin, however, watched the clock anxiously, waiting for her roommate to finally drift off.

’I didn’t want to bother her more than I already had,’ Eirin thought as she changed into her training clothes: a black tracksuit, a gift from her best friend Ava, careful enough not to wake Coleen up.

Eirin slipped out of the room, tiptoeing down the hallway. The clock showed 11 P.M. A few students still lingered in the common areas, but the training ground was deserted. The teenage girl scanned her surroundings. The moment her foot touched the training ground, the lights flared to life.

"That surprised me," Eirin murmured, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Her fingers brushed against something in her pocket—a pair of leather gloves she didn’t recall owning.

"This reminds me of Shade’s gloves," she muttered. freēwēbnovel.com

Eirin took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. For five minutes, she focused on her breath, inhaling deeply, exhaling slowly. The night wind swirled around her as she stood resolute in the center of the ground.

"Feya."

The wind before Eirin intensified, whipping fallen leaves into dizzying swirl before it parted, revealing Feya, the pixie.

"You have called, master?"

Eirin opened her eyes to the pixie’s brilliant, eager smile. The pixie’s round amber eyes glowed in excitement as she swirled around the teenage girl.

"I want you to guide me in my training. Would you, please?"

The pixie giggled, darting playfully around Eirin’s head. "Of course, master. I am but your humble servant."

Eirin smiled as she extended both of her arms. "I’ll try to push out the wind I inhale, so you must tell me if I’m about to become full with mana again."

The pixie nodded, a serious expression briefly replacing her mirth, and Eirin began her training.

’Just imagine the wind flowing through my body,’ Eirin thought with her eyes closed. She inhaled and the wind swirled around her.

The pixie’s jaw dropped, then her lips curved into a wide, delighted smile. "That’s right, master! You’re doing it."

Eirin concentrated, her awareness sharpening until she could finally feel the distinct current of wind flowing through her arms. "I’m doing it!" she exclaimed, eyes snapping open. "Now, all I have to do is push the wind out."

When she tried to push the wind out, her muscles strained, her jaw clenched, but nothing happened. The energy remained stubbornly trapped within.

"Master, I think you should go and get some rest for now. It is not good to overwork yourself," Feya said.

A heavy sigh escaped the teenage girl’s lips as the acrid scent of her own sweat hit her. "There’s no way I would go to sleep smelling all sweaty like this."

A sudden rustling in the leaves made the teenage girl whip her head around, but she saw nothing. ’Must have been my imagination,’ she thought and shook her head.

Back in the dorm, Eirin tiptoed in, took a quick bath, and then collapsed onto her bed. Even so, sleep remained elusive. Eirin lay awake, staring at the cloud design on the ceiling, her eyes wide.

’I can’t sleep.’

.....

"Ei? It’s time to wake up."

The teenage girl groaned, rolling over before her eyes fluttered half-open. Coleen’s face was the first thing she saw as she stretched both of her arms. Coleen was already drying her purple hair and was wearing her uniform.

"It’s time for breakfast. We’ll be late if you don’t get up now."

Eirin bolted upright, her gaze darting to the wall clock. ’Already!?’

"I’m sorry Coco. If you want, you could go first."

Coleen smiled. "I don’t want to go there so I’ll wait for you."

Due to Eirin waking up late, they barely avoided Ms. Hockenbury’s wrath; the professor had arrived long before them.

Eirin gasped for breath, her gaze drawn to Shade Cromwell’s empty seat behind her.

"Are you trying to find Shade?"

Eirin’s brow furrowed, a stark contrast to Link’s infuriatingly bright smile. "Good morning, Eirin. And to you too, Coleen."

Coleen flinched after Link greeted her like that. Surprise left Eirin’s mouth agape as her gaze darted back and forth between Link and Coleen. ’What happened between these two? The atmosphere is killing me!’ Eirin clamped her mouth shut, the silence between Link and Coleen an obvious weight.

How had they even ended up in such a situation?

The teenage girl wondered as her eyes landed on Shade Cromwell’s seat. ’I wonder what happened to that guy as well.’

The day unfolded as usual. Eirin remembered her training partner, Pierre Blouin, wouldn’t be around, leaving her designated training room at Kara Fontana’s mercy.

"It’s lunch! Ei, let’s eat together."

Eirin scratched her cheek. "I’m sorry, I don’t feel so good today. I’ll rest in the infirmary for a while," she mumbled, the lie tasting like ash in her mouth.

Coleen’s smile slowly vanished as she stared at her fingernails. "Is that so? I guess I’ll be eating alone today."

"Aren’t you going to ask me to eat with you, Coco?"

Eirin and Coleen glanced at Link’s smiling face as he rested his chin on his palm. Link’s bubbly tone, jarring in the silent classroom, made Eirin’s curiosity prickle. What was truly going on between them?

"I’ll take you up on that, Link. Please, eat lunch without me for now, guys," Eirin offered with a strained smile, then rushed from the room, leaving the two of them behind.

Coleen pouted as she took her strawberry milk out of her bag and started walking down the stairs.

"Aren’t you going to wait for me, Coco?"

They were the only ones left in the classroom now, and Coleen’s glare fixed on Link. "Stop bothering me! Didn’t you say I don’t need you anymore? Why are you bothering me?"

As it turned out, the two had a simple argument after their summons to the Director’s office.

"I didn’t say it like that. I just wanted you to enjoy your time with Eirin since it’s been a while since you had another friend."

"What are you trying to say? That I have no friends!? You might be right! Ei is the only one I need."

Coleen dashed towards the door, but before she could escape, Link slammed his hand against it, sealing their exit.

"I need you, though."

Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l