Volume 1 / Chapter 41: The Empty Classroom
A rainy day.
No golden sunset to soften the skyâjust a steady fade into darkness, until night quietly swallowed the horizon.
In the city, lights flickered on one after another. Civilizationâs glow kept the metropolis radiant even after dusk. There was never a fear of darkness here.
But in contrast, the school at night was cloaked in shadow.
Most students had gone home long ago. Even the boarding students were gathered in a single lit classroom for evening self-study.
By eight o'clock, even that light would go out, and the students would return to their dormitoriesâleaving behind silence.
This was Class 2 grade 10's homeroom.
The windows along the corridor had all been shut, but one by the field-facing side remained ajar, letting in a breath of cool wind. It stirred the air in the otherwise sealed classroom, carrying with it the scent of rain and a slight chill.
Class monitor LÇ WÇnyĂĄn sat quietly at her desk.
She still hadnât gone home.
The lights were off.
She sat in the dimness, alone, nibbling slowly at a piece of pork floss bread.
It had been handed to her earlier in the day by GÄo YuĂĄnâwell, technically, it had been "confiscated" by her.
Tears slid down her cheeks as she chewed. The salty bitterness of sorrow mixed with the breadâs sweetness, making each bite harder to swallow.
By the faint light from outside, the tear stains on her face were just barely visible.
She took a deep breath, trying to will the tears to stopâbut instead hiccuped uncontrollably.
In this empty classroom, she bore the weight of everything on her own.
Soft footsteps echoed in the hallway, followed by the gentle creak of the classroom door opening.
A tall, sunny-looking boy, around 1.7 meters tall, stepped inside, frowning curiously as he murmured to himself, âHuh? Did the class monitor forget to lock the door today?â
As he spoke, he casually flipped on the light switch.
Click.
The classroom lit up instantly.
The sudden brightness stung LÇ WÇnyĂĄnâs eyes, and she instinctively shielded them with the back of her hand.
âEh?! Monitor?â The boyâs surprised voice rang outâit was Än RuòsĂš, a boarding student from Class 2 grade 10.
ââŚMm.â LÇ WÇnyĂĄn responded softly, bowing her head, clearly embarrassed.
âYou havenât gone home yet? Why were you sitting here in the darkâŚ?â Än RuòsĂš asked, puzzled. âWhatâs wrong?â
âNothingâŚâ
âThen⌠why arenât you going home? Donât want to?â he continued, walking to his seat and pulling out a workbook from the desk drawer.
âMm.â
âEh? Wonât your parents worry?â Än RuòsĂš looked at her, eyes clear as glass, genuinely surprised.
To him, the class monitor always came off as disciplined and dependableânot the type to run away from home.
âI donât want to go backâŚâ
âWhy not?â
âBecause thatâs not my home anymore,â LÇ WÇnyĂĄnâs voice trembled, as if dredging up something terrifying.
âWhat happened? No matter what it is⌠you should try talking to your family.â He walked over, workbook in hand. â...Do you want me to get a teacher?â
âNo.â She shook her head firmly. âJust let me stay here alone for a while.â
âAlrightâŚâ Än RuòsĂš scratched his head. After all, they werenât exactly closeâjust classmates. The emotional distance between them kept him from pressing further. When gentle persuasion failed, all he could do was step back.
Inside, LÇ WÇnyĂĄn felt torn.
She wanted people to leave her aloneâbut at the same time, desperately hoped someone would comfort her.
But the invisible wall she always put upâher aura of resistanceâpushed people away.
Anyone trying to approach her would inevitably be pricked by those unseen thorns.
And most people feared pain. When you're not close to someone, why suffer for them?
After all, from Än RuòsĂšâs perspective, this really had nothing to do with him.
ââŚCould you turn off the lights before you go?â she asked softly just as he reached the door.
âOhâsure.â He nodded, switched off the lights, and gently closed the door behind him.
Darkness returned, enveloping the classroom once again.
In that stillness, LÇ WÇnyĂĄn sat motionless in her chair.
She wasnât sure if she was asleep⌠or wide awake.
It was like being trapped between two worldsâreal and unrealâand unable to escape either one.
âMonitor? âŚMonitor?â
The voice broke through the fog.
When she blinked awake, she found herself slumped over the deskâsomeone had draped a large men's jacket over her shoulders.
It smelled faintly of a young manânot unpleasant, not particularly fragrant, but somehow⌠comforting.
âYouâll catch a cold if you sleep here like that.â Än RuòsĂšâs voice was so gentle it made her want to cry.
ââŚYou came back?â she mumbled, eyes still half-closed. âDid you forget something again?â
âNo, I figured you probably didnât eat dinner, so I went to the dorm and got you a cup of instant noodles. Uh⌠itâs already cooked. I added two sausages and a marinated egg.â He set the steaming container of beef-flavored noodles on her desk. âEat it while itâs still hot.â
LÇ WÇnyĂĄn stared blankly at the noodles, her gaze slowly drifting upward to Än RuòsĂšâs face.
She looked straight at him until he awkwardly cleared his throat and turned away.
Even though the lights werenât on, his eyes somehow looked luminous in the darkness.
It was then she noticed the candle.
A single candle, flickering gently in a glass cup. The flame danced as if it might go out at any second.
She couldnât help but reach out and hold her hand above it, soaking in its warmth.
âOh, thatâuh, I didnât want to turn the lights back on in case the duty teacher or a guard noticed something strange. You didnât want the teachers involved, right? So I pulled the curtains shut and just lit this candle.â
ââŚWhere did you get it?â she asked, eyeing the makeshift holderâa repurposed drinking glass with thread marks around the rim. It clearly used to have a lid.
âI made it myself. Got a new cup recently, so I melted some candles in a pot and poured the wax in, stuck in a cotton wickâfigured it might come in handy during a blackout or something.â He looked a little proud as he explained.
ââŚDidnât expect you to be this good at DIY.â
âAhaha⌠just a little hobby,â he scratched his head, then redirected her attention. âQuick, eat up. Instant noodles get soggy fast.â
ââŚMm.â LÇ WÇnyĂĄn took a deep breath and forced a smile. âThanks.â
âNo problem. Thatâs what classmates are for.â He paused, then added, âYou just seem⌠different today.â
âHow so?â
âYouâre usually so⌠serious. Kind of strict too. Especially with those thick-rimmed glassesâyou look really mature.â
âDo IâŚâ she murmured, lifting the lid on the noodles.
Steam surged upward, carrying a rich, meaty aroma.
For someone who had survived on a single piece of pork floss bread all day, it was a feast.
Yet her thoughts drifted back to the warm homemade dinners she used to haveâthe handmade noodles her mother cooked.
Her throat tightened. Tears welled up again.
âSo⌠what happened at home?â Än RuòsĂš finally asked.
ââŚMy fatherâs a drunk and a gambler.â
âMm,â he responded patiently.
âHe racked up so much debt⌠people came looking for him. When he couldnât pay, they beat him.â
âThatâs⌠definitely illegal.â
âBut⌠paying debts is just⌠how the world works, isnât it?â
âIf itâs loan sharks, then technically youâre not obligated,â he replied, surprisingly well-informed.
âI donât know. My mom called the police, but they just filed a report and left. Nothing happened. Then one night, my dad got drunk againâand started hitting my mom.â
âSo⌠he takes out his frustration on your mom?â
ââŚAnd me. He hits me too. Heâs never liked me since I was little. Lately, I feel like he hates me more and more.â
âMaybe it wasnât on purposeâŚâ
âNo, he meant it. My eye ached all night⌠I could barely open it.â She gently touched her left eye. The bruising had mostly faded, but traces still remained.
Än RuòsĂš fell silent. He had no experience with domestic violence and didnât know what advice to give.
Calling the police would be the logical choice, but in this era⌠they rarely acted on domestic abuse cases.
âAnd those debt collectors are getting bolder. They camp out in front of our door. Block us in. Beat my dad when they see himâŚâ The always-strong LÇ WÇnyĂĄn whispered through tears, her voice shaking, âMy mom and I⌠weâre both scared.â
âWhere is your mom now?â
âOne morning, I woke up⌠and she was gone. Just disappeared.â
âMaybe⌠she didnât abandon you. Maybe she had no choice?â
âI donât know. I donât want to believe sheâd leave me behind. She always treated me so well. But⌠facts are facts.â
âSo now itâs just your dad?â
âHe left the day after my mom disappeared. I donât want to go back to that place. People are always outside, pounding on the door. That place⌠itâs not a home anymore.â
She took a deep breath and forced a smile. âThank you. But⌠please donât tell anyone about this.â
ââŚOkay.â Än RuòsĂš noddedâthough his voice wavered just a little.
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