Chapter Text
"Someone's Birthday Tomorrow!"
"Ooh, is it Scara's birthday tomorrow?"
Scara rolled his eyes. That date, the one he wished everyone would forget, was somehow remembered by the twins. He turned his focus back to his laptop screen. His fingers danced over the keyboard, pr'etending to be busy with the algorithm assignment due tomorrow. He tried to ignore the weird, warm feeling slowly tingling in his chest.
"Scara! What are we eating tomorrow?" Aether suddenly asked, his eyes sparkling with hope, clearly expecting a treat.
"Home-cooked. I'm broke." Scara answered shortly, not looking away from the screen. As if the assignment could be a shield against the feelings starting to creep in.
“Aether, Scara's cooking is really good, you know.” Lumine said from the sofa where she was lounging. Scara caught her sweet smile from the corner of his eye.
Aether nodded in agreement. "True. His food is amazing."
Scara glanced at the twins, who were now happily discussing the soup he made yesterday. Without realizing it, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. They were talking about his cooking.
And his birthday would be spent with them there.
That was more than enough.
The sky was starting to change color when they arrived at campus. The faculty building buzzed with students coming and going. Even though Aether and Scara were in the same major while Lumine was in a different one, their class schedules ended at the same time today, so they'd agreed to go home together.
After class, Scara and Aether walked side by side toward Lumine’s classroom. A vague feeling pushed him to get there quickly.
"She's probably packing up her bag." Aether said while climbing the stairs.
Scara just gave a quiet hmph. In his heart, there was this little routine he always looked forward to. Seeing Lumine smile from behind the classroom window or finding her hurriedly organizing her bag because she knew they were coming.
Today was supposed to be the same.
But it wasn’t.
As soon as they reached the second floor, in the corridor filled with event posters and competition announcements, Scara's steps suddenly halted. His breath caught in his throat.
In front of Lumine's classroom door, Lumine was talking to a guy. Tall, handsome, with a confident smile.
And Lumine was smiling back. Not her usual smile, but a wide, beaming one that made her eyes crinkle.
"Huh, I wonder what they’re talking about." Aether mused, curious.
Scara froze. His whole body tensed up. His usually impassive gaze sharpened, locked onto that unfamiliar figure. He watched how comfortably Lumine and that guy were chatting.
A strange, painful sensation clawed its way up his chest. Seeing that smile directed at someone else felt… wrong.
He didn’t know what this feeling was.
All he knew was that seeing Lumine smile at another guy pissed him off.
Really, really pissed him off.
"Lumine, let’s go home." Aether called.
Lumine turned, then shook her head slowly. "Sorry. You guys go ahead. I've got something to do."
"Something to do?" Aether frowned. "Do what?"
Scara felt the same confusion. Lumine almost never turned down going home together. And do what? With whom? With that guy?
Before Lumine could answer, the words had already slipped from Scara’s mouth.
"Can’t you see?" His voice was cold. "Clearly, she's got business with this dude."
The tone was too sharp. Even Scara didn’t dare to look at Lumine. His gaze shifted to the side, as if ashamed of himself. But it was too late.
The air around them turned heavy.
Lumine and Aether fell silent. Lumine's eyes were wide with shock and hurt. They hadn’t heard that tone from Scara in months. It was the tone of "the old Scara." The aloof, dismissive loner from the early days of their friendship.
Lumine’s face flushed, a mix of sadness and hurt. "Scara, I was just—"
"Aether, let's go." Scara cut in quickly. He turned and walked away without waiting for Lumine's reply.
Aether hurriedly said a quick goodbye to a visibly hurt Lumine, then chased after Scara, who was almost at the end of the stairs.
"Hey! What's your problem?" He pressed.
Scara shook his head. How could he explain a feeling he himself didn’t understand? How could he admit that Lumine’s smile felt like a betrayal? That he wanted to pull Lumine away from that guy?
Aether looked at his friend. Scara's usually controlled aura now felt heavy and tense.
"Scara.." Aether said. "Are you.. Jealous?"
But Scara remained silent and kept walking.
Aether sighed. He recognized that look. Now wasn’t the time to push. Reluctantly, he let Scara walk ahead, saving his questions for another day.
Scara kept walking, swallowed by the crowd of students heading home. But he felt utterly alone.
Only one thought was etched in his mind.
Lumine, smiling, with someone who wasn’t him.
And for the first time, Scara realized there was something more painful than loneliness. watching the person you want most shine for someone else.
This wasn't just being pissed off. It was more than that.
It felt like a thousand tiny needles relentlessly pricking his heart.
So this is what jealousy feels like.
And the most painful part? He was aware he had no right to feel this way. None at all.