How to be with you

" Hello. We'd like to reserve two rooms " she said

The receptionist looked at us apologetically.

"I'm sorry,but we only have one Royal Suite available ".

"It's okay. We'll take it, " I said

My friend turned toward me.

"Are you sure ?"

"Yes,of course. Why?"

She didn't answer.

Instead, she looked at me with that expression I had learned to recognize—the slight sadness in her eyes, the disappointment she tried so hard to hide.

And then remembered.

"Oh..."

I smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry. I forgot".

She said nothing.

The receptionist handed us the key.

We walked towards the elevator in silence.

Neither of us spoke.

She pressed the fourth button.

As always.

I watched the numbers light up one after another.

First.

Second.

Third.

Fourth.

We stopped in front of the Royal Suite.

She unlocked the door.

Then,as always,she opened it and stepped aside.

Letting me enter first.

I stood there for a moments.

Looking at the room.

At her.

At the familiar little ritual we had repeated so many time that neither of us needed to think about it anymore.

And suddenly, i wondered—

When had this become normal ?

When had we become this ?

Because there was a time when I didn't knew her.

A time when I didn't know the meaning of the Fourth button.

A time when the five of us could sit in the same room without knowing that one day...

We would becom eac other' weaknesses .

Three Years earlier.

"Oh no,I think I'm late!"

I checked the time again.

8:55 a.m.

My first day at westbridge university,and l was already late.

◇◇◇◇◇

The first thing I heard when I entered the department of Music was someone screaming.

I stopped walking.

For a second,I wondered if I should turn around and leave.

Then I heard it again.

A long,powerful note followed by another voice shouting,

"THAT WAS TERRIBLE "

it was powerful enough to make me jump.

I blinked.

"Okay," I said

"Maybe I had chosen the wrong department."

I followed the sound down the corridor anyway.

The department of Music was nothing like I had imagined. Students were everywhere carrying instruments, rushing between classrooms, sitting on the floor with sheet music scattered around them. Somewhere nearby, someone was playing the piano. Another room was filled with the sound of drums.

And then there was the screaming.

I reached the open door at the end of the corridor and looked inside.

A blonde girl was standing in front of a microphone,guitar hanging from her shoulder.

She looked completely unbothered.

"Say it again."

Across the room, a girl with a violin rolled her eyes.

"I said your timing was terrible."

The blonde girl grinned.

"You're just jealous." She said

"Of what?"

"My talent."

"But you don't have any."

A few students laughed.

The blonde girl put a hand over her chest.

"Cruel."

The violinist shook her head,but there was a smile on her face.

I couldn't help smiling too.

(So she was singing not screaming)

Then someone beside me whispered,

"Don't get involved."

I turned.

A girl was sitting on the floor with a notebook balanced on her knees. She looked elegant even sitting on the floor, her expression was calm and almost unreadable.

"Why" I asked.

"Because they do this everyday "

"Oh."

She closed her notebook.

"You're new."

"So you are."

"No."

She glanced at the clock.

"I've been here since eighth."

I looked at the time.

It wasn't even nine.

"That's unfortunate." I said

For the first time she smiled.

"Very."

Before I could ask her name,the blonde suddenly appeared in front of us.

"You"

She pointed at me.

I looked behind me.

(Is she talking to me?)

"Me?" I asked

"Yes you."

"What?"

"You laughed."

"I wasn't laughing at you."

"You were definitely laughing."

The girl beside me sighed.

"Kye, leave her alone."

(So that was her name.)

Kye.

Kye looked at the girl beside me.

"You're defending her already ?"

"I've known her for thirty seconds."

"Exactly. Suspicious."

I laughed again.

Kye narrowed her eyes.

"You're funny." I said

"I wasn't trying to be."

"Even better."

The violinist walked past us.

"Freshman" she said to me, "if you want to survive here, don't encourage her."

Kye gasped.

"May!"

"What?"

"You're ruining my reputation."

"You don't have one."

Kye looked offended.

Then she laughed.

I smiled.

And then—

The classroom door suddenly opened.

Everyone turned.

A girl stood in the doorway,slightly out of breath, her bag hanging from one shoulder.

She looked at the professor.

Then at us.

Then at the clock.

She frowned.

"What " she said, facing the professor.

The professor stared at her and said.

"You're twenty-five minutes late "

She looked at the clock again.

"It's not that bad."

Kye immediately burst out laughing.

"Oh, I already like her."

The girl rolled her eyes and walked into the room.

She stopped when she saw us.

Her eyes moved from Kye to May, then to the elegant girl sitting beside me.

Then they landed on me.

She stared for a second longer than necessary.

"You're sitting in my chair."

I looked at the empty chair.

"Your name isn't on it."

She smiled.

"It will be."

Kye laughed again.

"What's your name, " she asked

"Neona."

"The late one," May said

"The punctual one who arrived eventually. "

May raised an eyebrow.

Neona ignored her and dropped into the chair beside me.

Kye looked at her.

"You're already making yourself comfortable?"

"I am."

"You're annoying."

"You've known me for ten seconds."

"And I already know."

Neona smiled.

"Good."

I looked between them.

"Do you two know each other ?"

"No," the said at the same time.

I laughed.

The glared at each other.

The girl with the notebook finally stood up.

"Can we please sit down before the professor throws us out?"

She picked up her notebook and walked toward the piano.

Kye pointed at her.

"That's Raven."

Raven give her a look.

"I can introduce myself."

"Sure you can."

Raven ignored her.

She sat at the piano and placed her fingers on the keys.

The room gradually become quiet.

Then she played.

One melody.

Soft.

Precise.

Almost haunting.

I stopped talking.

So did everyone.

Even Kye.

When Raven finished, there was a brief silence before the professor spoke.

"Excellent !"

Raven simply nodded.

Neona leaned towards me and said.

"She's always like that ".

"Like what?"I asked

"Scary."

Raven looked over.

"I hear that."

Neona smiled innocently.

"You were supposed to."

Kye laughed.

May shook her head.

I smiled.

Five strangers.

Five completely different personalities.

And somehow, within less than an hour, I was already sitting among them as if I belonged there.

I didn't know their stories yet.

I didn't know their secrets.

I didn't know what they would eventually mean to me.

I didn't know that Kye would be the first to look at me differently.

That May would slowly become the person I trusted without talking.

That Raven would come closer to me for reasons that had nothing to do with friendships.

That Neona would become my—

And I certainly didn't know that the four of them would eventually become—

My weakness.

At that moment, they were simply four girls in my freshman class.

And I was simply Ticha.

A songwriter who had come to westbridge university believing that music was the only thing she needed.

I was wrong.

Very wrong.

~the beginning ~