"Why didn't you tell me there was a serial killer lurking around the university before?" Noah asked worriedly, glancing at Sirius and Neriah from the corner of his eye.
"…We forgot," Sirius and Neriah said in unison, guilt and foolishness written all over their faces.
"How could you forget something this important..." Noah thought to himself, sighing in frustration and disappointment.
Noah then looked toward the crowd in front of him, which was starting to disperse. The girl who had been with "Ellie's" body was now on her knees, staring blankly at the ground in silent despair without shedding a tear.
Noah noticed among the crowd Luo Yan standing with what seemed to be her friend. For a split second, Noah and Luo Yan's eyes met, and they silently stared at each other once they realized the other's presence.
"Hmm... Noah?" Luo Yan thought to herself as soon as she noticed him — but she was surprised when she saw fear reflected in his eyes.
Luo Yan stayed silent for a moment, feeling a strange tightness in her chest. She then started walking toward him, followed closely by her friend. When she reached him, she stood a few feet away, unable to ignore how affected Noah looked from this close distance.
"Noah, are you okay?" Luo Yan asked, her voice filled with tension, clearly worried about Noah's mental state.
"Me? I'm fine?" Noah answered, confused by Luo Yan's concern, not understanding it at all. He thought a question like that should've been directed toward the girl sitting nearby, the one who appeared to be the deceased's friend.
"You... don't seem fine," Luo Yan said worriedly. Just then, her friend interrupted by wrapping an arm around Luo Yan's waist, pulling her closer.
"Who's this?" the girl asked curiously, her voice soft and sweet.
"Livia, you're annoying..." Luo Yan grumbled, trying to push Livia's arm away, but Livia only pulled her closer in an uncomfortable hug.
"I guess everyone has that one annoying friend..." Noah thought to himself as he glanced at Sirius, sighing irritably before turning his eyes back to Luo Yan and Livia.
Noah noticed Livia's gentle smile. She was just as beautiful as Luo Yan, with sky-blue hair and deep ocean-blue eyes. She was slightly taller than Luo Yan, with a well-proportioned, alluring figure and an air of calmness around her.
"Livia, this is Noah Grace, the new student I personally brought in," Luo Yan said, introducing Noah to Livia. Noah nodded silently in greeting.
"Oh, so this is him. I'm Livia van Astrid. It's an honor to meet you, Noah Grace," Livia said, extending her hand for a handshake.
Noah remained silent for a moment, looking at her outstretched hand before finally reaching out to shake it.
The moment their hands touched, Livia felt a strange sensation — not from Noah himself, but from the intense, burning gaze she sensed from behind her. Glancing from the corner of her eye, she saw it: a fiery, jealous look coming from Luo Yan.
Livia smiled faintly and quickly withdrew her hand after the handshake.
"How can someone smile at a time like this?... Even Sirius didn't—" Noah thought silently, before glancing at Sirius and seeing that same stupid, goofy smile plastered across his face, totally oblivious to the situation.
"I take that back," Noah thought, then turned his attention back to Luo Yan and Livia.
"Why didn't you tell me there was a serial killer roaming around?" Noah asked curiously, wondering how such crucial information could be kept from him.
"I'm sorry... I didn't want to worry you about it. Also, Professor Mei Renho told me not to tell you," Luo Yan said, her voice full of guilt and regret.
Noah remembered when he first arrived — back when Professor Mei Renho had intervened in a fight between Luo Yan and Cyprian. She had told Luo Yan not to reveal something to Noah since he was still new and didn't need to be burdened.
"So that's what she meant back then," Noah thought, recalling the memory vividly.
Livia looked between Noah and Luo Yan, feeling awkward about the situation. She smiled a little, then leaned close to Luo Yan's ear and whispered gently:
"Want me to leave you two alone for a bit?" she teased with a playful smile.
"W-What are you talking about?! Don't forget there's just been a murder! Take it seriously," Luo Yan whispered back sharply, giving Livia a light kick on the leg, her cheeks flushed red.
Livia took a step back, grinning mischievously.
"Not on my watch — I'm the best wingwoman at the university!" Livia thought determinedly. A new idea sparked in her mind.
"Classes will probably be suspended today. The university will contact the deceased's family and deal with a lot of paperwork... Oh, I just remembered something important I have to do. Luo Yan, I'm leaving!" Livia said, giving Luo Yan's back a playful slap.
"Spend some time with your friend," Livia added with a wink before walking away, waving goodbye.
"That idiot really left me alone with Noah like this... She must've gotten the wrong idea," Luo Yan thought with an annoyed sigh before turning back to Noah. She then noticed his friends standing behind him.
"Are those your friends?" Luo Yan asked curiously, pointing at Sirius, Neriah, and Enel. She already recognized Enel from the last time she met Noah, so she figured they were his friends.
Noah glanced back where Luo Yan pointed and saw his group standing silently and worriedly, watching him and Luo Yan.
"Yeah, they are," Noah answered. He couldn't help but notice that Enel seemed to be doing better — standing there anxiously but in better condition, perhaps already used to such horrific scenes after witnessing the beginning of the murder spree.
The group approached Noah and Luo Yan, standing beside Noah. Sirius tilted his chin up arrogantly, clearly displeased with Luo Yan's presence. Enel, meanwhile, hid behind Neriah again, not having a positive impression of Luo Yan from their first meeting. As for Neriah... his gaze was strangely intense.
"Noah, who's this girl?" Sirius asked arrogantly, looking down on Luo Yan slightly, which annoyed her.
"Yeah, I didn't know you knew any girls at this university..." Neriah added, shooting a condescending look — but it was directed at Noah, like he was a traitor, while his eyes were soft and admiring toward Luo Yan.
"Oh, she's—" Noah began to introduce Luo Yan but was interrupted by Enel.
"S-She's his girlfriend," Enel blurted out nervously, his tone full of tension and embarrassment — just his natural shy self.
An awkward silence fell over the group the moment Enel said that, shocking both Noah and Luo Yan.
"W-What?" Noah stuttered in bewilderment.
Luo Yan's cheeks flushed a deep red as her heart raced, a wave of heat rising through her body.
Just then, Neriah placed a heavy hand on Noah's shoulder — so tight it hurt — and Noah turned to see a tear rolling down Neriah's cheek.
"You motherfucker..." Neriah said with a genuinely sorrowful voice — not exaggerated or joking, but truly sad to the point of crying.
"What the fuck?" Noah thought, bewildered.
Then Sirius collapsed to his knees, wrapping his arms tightly around Noah's waist, hugging him fiercely, his head resting against Noah's stomach.
"How dare you betray me, Noey-kun?!" Sirius cried sorrowfully, his voice trembling, tears streaming silently down his face.
"You're dating a girl without even telling me?! Even though you know I'm a poor, lonely soul whom girls run away from the moment they see him!" Neriah added dramatically, wiping his tears and releasing Noah's arm.
"I didn't know that, but I'll definitely remember it for the future," Noah thought silently.
"Even though I gave you all my love, you betrayed me with a girl?! A girl?!" Sirius sobbed, clinging even tighter to Noah like a heartbroken child.
The scene caused such a commotion that it attracted the attention of the surrounding students, all reaching the same conclusion — Noah must be a horrible person. Maybe their natural bias against him played a part, or maybe it was the conversation they overheard, but everyone came to the same judgment: Noah had betrayed Sirius with Neriah's girlfriend.
"What a jerk!" one student sneered, glaring at Noah.
"How could he do something so disgusting? Doesn't he have any shame?" a girl said angrily.
"Guys, someone literally died here — shouldn't we be more concerned about that?" another student said worriedly.
"Shut the fuck up, dude! Can't you see the drama happening right in front of you?!" another student snapped aggressively.
"For heaven's sake... I'm the victim here!" Noah thought miserably.