Chapter 112: Chapter 105: "The Weight of Silence"

Morning sunlight filtered through the dorm windows, painting golden streaks across the wooden floors. The usual chatter and laughter were absent as the group gathered for breakfast in the common area.

Amber stirred her tea absentmindedly, Venti picked at his toast without making a single joke, and Ayaka glanced at the door every now and then, as if expecting someone to walk in. Albedo sat quietly with a thoughtful expression, while Aether—his cheek still bruised from the punch—focused on his plate, jaw tight with irritation.

Lumine entered last, Snowball perched delicately on her shoulder. She looked tired, dark circles under her eyes betraying a sleepless night. She paused at the entrance, her gaze scanning the room as if looking for someone.

But Scaramouche wasn’t there.

“Morning…” Lumine greeted softly as she sat down next to Amber, Snowball jumping into her lap.

Amber gave her a small smile. “Morning, Lumine.”

The group tried to carry on as usual, but the air was thick with unspoken words.

Finally, Venti broke the silence, his voice unusually serious. “So… is he not coming?”

Aether scoffed, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. “Probably hiding somewhere. Coward.”

“Aether.” Lumine’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension. Aether’s eyes flickered to his sister, but he said nothing more.

Albedo, ever observant, pushed his plate away and stood. “Regardless of what happened, we can’t leave things like this. We’re a group. A team. And right now, we’re falling apart.”

Amber nodded hesitantly. “Yeah… Scaramouche might’ve crossed a line, but—”

“But what?” Aether interrupted, his voice low. “He punched me. You expect me to just let that go?”

“No,” Albedo said calmly. “But avoiding each other won’t fix anything either.”

The table fell silent again, tension crackling in the air.

Lumine looked down at Snowball, her fingers lightly stroking the kitten’s fur. “I saw him last night… in his cat form.”

Everyone turned to her.

“He… He came to my room,” she continued softly. “Didn’t say anything, obviously, but… I think he’s feeling just as bad about this as we are.”

Ayaka’s expression softened. “Then maybe… he’s waiting for one of us to reach out?”

Venti sighed, his usual playful demeanor nowhere to be found. “Great. Now we have two stubborn idiots in one group.”

Amber giggled faintly at that, breaking some of the heaviness in the room.

Albedo nodded. “Then we’ll give him time. But Lumine… if you see him again, let him know he’s still part of this group.”

Lumine gave a small nod, her fingers still idly stroking Snowball.

---

Meanwhile, far from the dorms, Scaramouche sat in his cat form under a tree on the edge of campus. The cold wind ruffled his dark fur as he stared blankly at the ground. His bruised knuckles—now small, delicate paws—twitched slightly as he replayed the scene in his head.

The punch, Lumine’s face, Aether’s glare—it was a mess, one he didn’t know how to fix.

He could’ve stayed in his human form and faced them, but the weight in his chest wouldn’t let him. It was easier this way. Easier to hide.

But despite the biting wind, despite the ache in his chest, one thing stayed clear in his mind:

Lumine’s gentle touch on his fur.

Her soft words, her warm gaze—it had been a fleeting moment of comfort in a storm of regret.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to go back. Not yet.

The day stretched on, and the campus was alive with students walking to their next classes. But Scaramouche stayed hidden, tail curled tightly around himself, lost in his own silence.