[Nova Mei Quinoa]
I hate the ugly things being said about Clayrin Aisfine Ezz around the university.
It's outrageous that anyone would dare to spread lies about someone as kind as her.
I have a strong suspicion who's behind it—the same girl who once barged into the clinic and loudly declared her love for Jow.
I scratched my head in frustration as I walked down the hallway of the HumSS floor. When I reached their classroom, I wasn’t surprised to find Clayrin inside, surrounded by her classmates. They hovered around her, trying to comfort her, while she brushed them off with a composed smile.
She was pretending it didn’t bother her.
Like she was above it.
I clenched my teeth.
I stepped into the classroom and strode straight toward her.
“Clay, come with me. Just for a bit,” I said curtly.
Without waiting for a response, I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out.
“Where are you taking her?”
“Nova, what are you planning to do?”
“Let her go!”
Her classmates tried to stop me. I glanced over at Jovenyl, who stood frozen, clearly torn.
“I’m not going to hurt her. We just need to talk,” I told her firmly.
“Let them be, guys,” Jovenyl finally said to the others, though they still gave me dagger looks—especially the boys.
But no one blocked our path as I led Clay out of the room.
She didn’t say a word. She just followed.
We walked to the far end of the hallway, where it was quiet—just a railing on one side, a stairwell and bathroom on the other. No one usually lingered here.
“Your eyebrows are already knitted and the day just started. You can let go now,” Clay said, pulling her arm free from my grip. She leaned against the railing and looked down at the slowly growing crowd of students below.
“You know who started those rumors, don’t you?” I asked, stepping beside her.
She suddenly burst out laughing. “Clay!” I called, annoyed by her reaction.
She turned to me and flicked my nose lightly.
> “What are you doing?”<
“It doesn’t bother me. Why would I stress over lies?” she said, stretching with a yawn. “It’s still too early. I’m sleepy.”
> Is she really just brushing this off?<
I let out a heavy sigh. “Clay... I never told you this before, but I think you need to hear it.”
“Hear what?” Her eyes sparked with curiosity, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
“I knew your brother… Cruzecrin. And of course, Eyeden Ylliard Hayle. The three of us…”
Her eyes widened. The blush faded. Her eyebrows lowered, and the small smile on her lips disappeared.
“What are you trying to say?” she asked coldly.
“You said you're aromantic, right?”
“What does that have to do with anything you were saying earlier?”
“Ruffa didn’t say anything bad about Jow. She loves him—of course she wouldn’t. But you? She’ll say anything to make Jow back off from you. She wants him for herself.”
I gave a short laugh. “What a clueless girl. She doesn’t know a thing about Eyeden Ylliard Hayle, and she thinks her little rumors will work? If someone were spreading lies about Jow, you’d be furious, wouldn’t you?”
Clay didn’t respond.
> Bingo. I hit a nerve.<
“You see… I remember something Cruzecrin told me once.”
---
(Flashback)
Back in Grade 8, the peak of my rebel phase. That was the year I ran into the most dangerous guys in San Juanita.
Jow Ylliard Hayle. Shinatsu Yugara. Takemy De La Valderino. And Cruzecrin Allein Ezz. They were always together—tight as a fist—and often hung out at a scrapyard.
They scrounged for usable parts to modify and fix up their motorcycles. They were craftsmen in their own way—turning trash into thunder.
I rode into the scrapyard one day. The place was enclosed by towering iron sheets held up by tall wooden posts. Inside, it was a graveyard of broken cars, refrigerators, washing machines—metal mountains with stories.
The yard was owned by the Cruel Sun Gang. It was where people dumped their junk.
I spotted Shinatsu inside an old truck, digging around. Eyeden and Takemy were on top of a wrecked BMW, sparring like it was their daily warm-up. Cruzecrin sat on his bike nearby, smoking, watching them with lazy eyes.
He noticed me.
“Yow, baby girl,” he called out with a grin.
I glared and tried to kick him, but he slipped off his bike before I could.
Laughing, he stepped back and shouted, “Yo, three eggs! Nova’s here!”
Eyeden and Takemy stopped fighting and climbed down. As they walked toward me, Eyeden’s face twisted with irritation.
“You again?” he said. “What are you doing here, girl?”
Takemy grinned and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You must have a crush on one of us.”
I grabbed his wrist and elbowed him hard in the gut.
He stumbled back, coughing. “What the hell was that for?”
Eyeden burst out laughing.
Cruzecrin stepped beside me and ruffled my hair. “Glad you’re okay,” he said gently, flicking away his cigarette.
Then he yelled at the truck, “Shinatsu! Quit hogging the food! I swear, I’ll wreck you!”
Turned out Shinatsu wasn’t searching for parts—he was snacking.
“Stupid Jap!” Eyeden and Takemy shouted in unison, rushing toward the truck to steal food from the plastic bag Shinatsu had.
“Jow!” Cruzecrin called. Eyeden looked over and nodded. He grabbed something from the bag and tossed it.
Cruzecrin caught the balut and turned to me. “Have you eaten?”
“Of course! It’s ten in the morning. I ate before coming here.”
I threw punches in the air. “My hits are getting stronger, right?”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Slightly. Are you doing push-ups?”
“Nope. I carry water, chop wood, and do sit-ups every night.”
“Sit-ups won’t help your punch strength.”
“I want a strong core first! My punches come next. I’ve been hitting the banana tree in our backyard. Just a few more hits and it’ll fall.”
He chuckled. “Rest in peace, banana tree.”
“Yeah, sooner or later.”
“By the way, how’s the Blue Tigress Gang? That boss of yours got a boyfriend yet?”
My cheeks turned red. “Why don’t you just ask her out?”
He looked away. “I can’t… not before my sister finds someone first.”
“What? Why not?”
“She says she’s aromantic. If that’s true, then she’ll always be alone. I don’t want her to feel left out or empty while I move on. If her heart really can’t love anyone... then what do I do?”
I glanced at Eyeden and Takemy who were now fighting over food.
“If one of them falls for your little sister,” I said, “maybe she’ll realize she’s not aromantic after all. Maybe she’s just never met the right person.”
---
(End of Flashback)
By the time I finished, Clay’s face was bright red. Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine.
“W-What are you suggesting?” she asked.
“You’re in love with Eyeden Ylliard Hayle, aren’t you?”
“You idiot, I am not!” she snapped before storming off.
I called after her. “Tell him, Clay! You’ll never have peace until you do! You can’t outrun what’s building in your heart!”
She let out a frustrated scream and ran off.
I slapped my forehead.
“Cruzecrin, you don’t have to worry anymore. Your sister’s going to beat you to getting a boyfriend,” I muttered.
Just like Lean May said, everything’s starting to fall into place.
To be continued.