Lavender

Three days had passed, and by now, no one seemed to care much about Iris. People didn’t even try to talk to her or get close.

Most of the rumors about her had died down, replaced by whispers that she was nothing more than a "fake succubus beauty." Some even suggested the original rumors were wildly exaggerated.

After all, how could anyone judge her looks when she wore that mask and those ridiculous glasses all day?

Was her supposed allure so powerful that she had to cover her face to stop people from falling for her?

Pfft—how cliché. And funny.

Anyway, I’m still unbeatable in the looks department. No need to worry... for now.

But what if she is hiding an otherworldly beauty that could outrank me? What if I’m replaced? The horror! The injustice!

Heh. No. Surely, next to me, she’d look like nothing more than a squid.

"I bet she's actually a goddess," a voice whispered in my ear.

I nearly jumped from my seat. Great heavens, Juno! With that voice, I could get into a lot of trouble!

"She’s probably just plain-looking," I scoffed.

Of course, Juno loved mysteries and anything remotely interesting. And now, it was clear—he found Iris fascinating. How frustrating. I had to stop him from uncovering her face, though I was confident she couldn't outshine me.

"That reminds me," Juno said, leaning in closer. "Didn’t you once say you'd only date someone more attractive than you?"

What a childish thing to say. That was middle-school me. I’m a senior now.

"Oh please, I only said that to get those girls off my back." I waved it off, embarrassed by the memory.

"Still, wouldn't it be exciting to uncover her face? Just thinking about it gives me chills." He grinned, sounding downright creepy.

Honestly, I didn’t know how I’d fallen for this weirdo. He even blushed and panted when something thrilled him. Is it a fetish?

***

The cafeteria noise grated on my nerves, so I decided to retreat to my usual spot—the one only Juno and I knew about. Our little secret hangout, or as I liked to call it, our “date” spot. Hihi.

It was a small, unkempt garden by the old warehouse, and I loved it. I usually hummed and daydreamed as I made my way there, imagining Juno and me on a real date.

"Kyaaah!" I yelped when I spotted someone sitting on the old, cracked cement bench beneath the withered tree.

"Ms. Caleum?" I called out, unsure. But that messy brown hair could only belong to Iris.

Wait, hold on. Was she here... alone?

Was she... not wearing her mask? Ugh!

Why was I suddenly nervous? I’m confident in my looks. No one has ever outranked me!

Still, my chest tightened with anticipation as she slowly turned to face me. My heart pounded—just one blink, and my world could change.

"Aha! I knew... it...?" My excitement deflated as soon as I saw her still wearing the mask. "Oh, you're... still wearing that."

Why?! Just take it off and let me rate your looks already! Let me see if your face lives up to the rumors!

"...Um, who are you?" she asked.

Eh?

EH?!

I stood there, frozen, my mouth hanging open. We’ve been in the same class for three days, and she still didn’t know me? I’m the talk of the campus! How is she blind and deaf?!

A strained smile tugged at my lips. "O-oh, I’m Lucian. We’re in the same class."

The disappointment and frustration I felt were immeasurable. Who in their right mind wouldn’t recognize me?

"Oh, I see," she said, sounding genuinely oblivious. "I’m not really good at memorizing faces."

With those glasses that practically cover your eyes, of course, you wouldn’t be!

"Um, are you adjusting well?" I asked, trying to recover my composure. After all, as a class representative, it’s my duty to check on my classmates. A harmonious class is my top priority, no matter how frustrating this encounter was.

She nodded in response, offering no other words, and stood up to leave.

As she walked past me, I caught a lingering scent. The earthy smell of the garden was briefly replaced by a sweet hint of lavender.

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