Advent of the Three Calamities

It was an awkward couple of seconds.

Shortly after my words, the surroundings turned quiet as neither one of us spoke.

’Fuck

I wanted to curse myself.

Of all the things that I could’ve said, those were the words that left my mouth.

Seriously?

I wanted to bash my head against a wall, but right as I was about to do so, I paused and realized something.

Am I even wrong?’

Realistically speaking, she was undeniably beautiful—so much so that one might even think she was an alien of sorts. And the truth was, she knew it, so technically, there was nothing wrong with what I had said.

’Right, she should be used to this. She’s probably unfazed by my words.’

I was just about to double down when Delilah spoke,

"…Can you say that again?"

"Hm?"

I raised my head and looked at her.

She was staring at me with her usual, intense gaze. No… it looked even more intense than usual.

In fact, her mouth appeared to be open, the edges of her lips pulled into a weird, yet creepy smile.

Was that a smile…?

Uh, goosebumps. I’m feeling goosebumps.

Whatever she was doing, it was sending chills down my body as I unconsciously stepped back.

"Again. Say it."

"You’re… pretty."

"…."

Delilah didn’t say anything and just scratched the side of her face while looking down slightly.

The weird smile widened, and I took another step back.

Crazy goosebumps.

"Again."

"….I’d rather not."

"You wanna die?"

"Right now? I don’t mind."

Anything to get me away from that creepy expression of hers.

Thankfully, my words were enough to cool her weird expression down, and soon, she became expressionless again. Though, at least, that was how she appeared on the surface. I could read the faint traces of disappointment in her gaze.

Looking at me with her usually indifferent gaze, she dismissed me with her hand.

"Okay, go."

"…Yes."

I didn’t say anything else and prepared to turn around and leave.

I just reached the door to feel the cool touch of the door knob when I suddenly paused.

I pursed my lips tightly, recalling the subtle hint of disappointment I’d noticed in her otherwise indifferent gaze, and let out a sigh.

"You know…"

"What?"

Delilah’s voice was somewhat cold.

"…I wasn’t lying when I said you’re pretty."

"Eh?"

"For a moment.... You had me entranced."

I didn’t really know what came over me. Perhaps it was the visible disappointment on her face moments prior, or just a stupid whim of mine, but I found these words slipping out of my mouth.

By the time I realized what I had said and to whom I had said it, it was already too late.

Nonetheless, I pretended to maintain my cool and managed to slip out of the room.

Clank—

As I closed the door behind me, I waved my hand in the air, dismissing the multiple notifications in the air.

What an annoying bug.’

Although, at heart, I knew it wasn’t a bug.

"So fucking dangerous..."

For me.

***

Tap. Tap.

Delilah’s diary was speckled with dots as she absentmindedly tapped her pen against the pages.

She had been like this for the past hour, trying to force herself to write but unable to do so.

Her mind was currently overwhelmed by a single scene, one that kept replaying over and over again.

’You know

’What?’

I wasn’t lying when I said you’re pretty.’

’For a moment... you had me entranced.’

Like a broken record, the words kept playing over and over in her mind. No matter how hard she tried to clear her thoughts, they just wouldn’t fade away.

Delilah lowered her head to stare at the diary once more, scratching the side of her cheek.

She continued to do so until she finally stopped, her brows creasing as she moved her hand away and looked at it.

"Hm?"

Since when did she used to do this?

Rather, wasn’t this Julien’s thing?

Or was it?

"Hmmm."

Delilah found herself massaging her forehead. She was finding herself acting weirder and weirder these days.

Was this a good thing or a bad thing?

Tap. Tap.

Tapping onto the paper once more, she looked down and started writing a new bullet point.

—Dangerous. Very dangerous.

For me.

***

’Kiera, clean up your room. It’s such a mess.’

Aigh, why are you such a slob? I knew I shouldn’t have let you stay with your aunt. The more I look at you, the more you start to resemble and take after her.’

’Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Haa... you’re supposed to be my child, and yet you resemble her more than me.’

’Hey Ki, I like spring.’

’I really like spring.’

"….."

Opening her eyes, Kiera stared at the familiar empty ceiling. Images flashed through her mind as she woke up, and as she looked around, she saw that she was in her room.

’What time is it?’

Checking the time, Kiera saw that it was still quite early.

She was just about to get ready to dress when she stopped herself and realized that their Academy wouldn’t start until a few days from now.

"Ah."

Kiera stood up and walked towards the balcony, feeling the cool, yet piercing air brush past her skin.

"…It’s getting warmer. Is it already spring?"

She mumbled, staring towards the empty academy grounds beneath.

She reached up and gently brushed her hair behind her ear.

"How suffocating…"

The incoming heat.

The incoming humidity.

Everything about spring.

She hated.

Especially since it was also the same season her life turned around.

"Shit."

Trr—

It was then that her communication device sounded. It was a new one she bought after recently breaking her old one. Lowering her head, Kiera glanced at the message.

It was from Aoife.

"Ugh."

Just seeing her name made her wince. Braving through her disgust, she looked through the message, only for her to regret the decision immediately.

—Remember the exams that we took before leaving for the Kasha? The results are out. We can go and collect them now.

Kiera nearly threw her communication device.

The only thing holding her back was her wallet. She simply couldn’t afford to spend money on new communication devices.

"Haa."

She let out a long sigh, gazing up at the blue sky before closing her eyes.

At that moment, a soft breeze whispered past her. It was warmer than usual, reminding her once again that spring was coming.

"How suffocating..."

Everything about spring.

She hated.

*

Clank—!

"Oh, are the three of you here to collect your final grades?"

Upon entering the classroom, Kiera, Aoife, and Evelyn were greeted by the Professor, who sat by the desk, holding onto a stack of papers.

She adjusted her oval-shaped glasses and tucked her silky brown hair behind her ears, then offered a warm smile to the three of them.

"I only just recently got done marking your papers. Given everything that has been happening recently, I just barely managed to correct all of them."

"...I wish you would’ve taken longer."

Kiera muttered quietly to herself, thinking her words were quiet enough to not reach the ears of the people in the room. Unfortunately for her, they were loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"Kiera..."

Aoife was the first to react, her lips twitching slightly. She seemed rather conflicted. On one hand, she agreed with her, and on the other...

"I also wish the same, but a job is a job."

Seemingly used to Kiera’s character, the professor merely smiled and handed them the papers.

"Overall, not bad. All three of you."

She looked at Kiera meaningfully while handing her the paper.

"...I was rather surprised by your score. Not bad."

Kiera’s brow rose in surprise. Taking the paper, she quickly looked at her score before her eyes widened.

"No way..."

"What? Why are you reacting like that?"

"What did you get?"

Noticing her reaction, Aoife and Evelyn grew curious and moved closer, eager to glimpse her score. But before they could, Kiera quickly covered it and pulled the paper away.

"Fuck o..."

Pausing, Kiera glanced at the quietly sitting professor and pursed her lips. She then shoved the other two back.

"Go away."

"No, show me."

"Hurry!"

"Hey, no!"

Kiera quickly stepped back, but Aoife and Evelyn were relentless, clinging to her like octopuses, their hands exploring every inch of her body.

"I think I got it! Uh, why does it feel so soft?"

"Oy—!"

Kiera hastily pulled back as she looked at Aoife.

"Where do you think you’re touching?!"

"That..."

Aoife lowered her head to stare at her hand. She squeezed the air a couple of times before mumbling,

"Cow."

"I’ll kill you."

"Relax."

Evelyn stopped Kiera before she could go on a rampage.

"Wait, come on... You can’t react like that and expect us not to be curious."

Evelyn suddenly said, her gaze falling on Aoife.

"Look at her. She’s barely containing herself."

By now, Kiera and Evelyn both understood Aoife very well.

She was the type that couldn’t hold her curiosity.

A busybody.

"....She’s trembling."

Indeed she was, but for a different reason.

Kiera glanced at her paper and then at Aoife.

She looked pitiful.

Riiiip—!

So she ripped her paper.

"Ah..."

Evelyn stopped, and Aoife froze. Even the professor looked surprised, but then again, she didn’t really mind. After all, her job was done.

Kiera proceeded to rip the paper further, prompting Evelyn to raise her voice.

"Wait, have you lost your mind?! I get that you didn’t want to show us your score, but to go as far as ripping it like that..."

"If I asked you to show me your tits, would you?"

"Uh? What sort of comparison..."

"See?"

Kiera shot a proud smile at the pale-faced Aoife, whose thoughts shifted away from the previous interaction and onto the paper. There was nothing that bugged Aoife more than not knowing something.

Kiera knew that, and she exploited that.

In all honesty, her score was quite good. She didn’t mind showing it off, but knowing Aoife’s personality, she felt compelled to do this.

As expected, seeing the current state of Aoife, it felt like she had made the right decision.

"Are the three of you done?" Experience more on

Breaking the chaos was the Professor’s words.

She glanced at her pocketwatch.

"I think it’s about time the three of you head back. You’ve created enough chaos already."

"Well, fair."

Kiera didn’t seem to object to her words.

She also felt like there was nothing else for her to do here. After all, she had basically been dragged over by the two of them to collect her paper—she hadn’t even wanted to be here in the first place.

"Oh, right."

It was just as she was about to leave that the Professor recalled something.

With a soft smile, she looked at Kiera.

"Congratulations on your new sibling."

Kiera’s face faltered slightly.

Turning around, she saw Aoife and Evelyn look at her with surprised expressions.

She forced herself to remain composed as she looked back.

"Thank you."

Those words...

It made her want to puke.