"Whichever timeline or branch of this universe, the warm and soothing radiance will appear to bring new colors of life and hope."
There are despairs and cries of sadness, then darkness.
Mary wakes up and finds herself inside a casket and in a chao...
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The greenhouse was quiet, no chattering nor distractions; only the floating mixture leafy and floral scents coming from the flowers and plants in there. This spot was gorgeous in its own way, added to that were those few trees grown already and providing an aesthetic shade.
"Classes are only held here in the morning," Leona stated after leading the redhead inside the greenhouse. He released her wrist, "That's why I always dropped by in the late noon." Then he gave her a sharp glance, "Now you know doesn't mean you will intentionally barge in when I nap here, okay?" Though there was no real bite to his words.
Mary only nodded but her attention was directed most to the surrounding, she walked towards a line of pots with large blooming flowers—ranging from yellow, blue, orange, red and carnation. Butterflies fly around too, they had a soft glow around their gorgeous-patterned wings.
Leona observed Mary from behind, he leaned against the trunk of his favorite shady tree, his forest green eyes staring. "Why are you pretending to be in a relationship with Riddle?"
The question brought Mary a jolt and she became visibly startled. "We are not--" She turned around to face him.
"You can drop the act, fawn, because really, it's terrible." The Savanaclaw Dorm leader snorted, huffing and rolling his eyes. "He was the terrible actor, you were into him but he doesn't return the feelings. So why are you in that kind of setup?"
She was into him, Mary repeated those words in her head and it spread a hurt again in her heart. The truth underneath it all—she wasn't acting, she became genuinely drawn to the possibility.
Mary glanced to the side, a frown on her face. "...He said it was to please his parents and..." Her voice trailed off, shaky. But she forced herself to say what Riddle revealed. The painful truth. "...that I too was benefiting from it."
"He does have a point." Leona plopped down the grass, "You weren't bothered again ever since you two were seen together, right?"
Tears silently streamed down Mary's cheeks and she sobbed. "I don't want it." She faced Leona, face contorted into both sadness and heartache. "I rather get picked on again than be in something fake."
A mild flash of surprise on Leona, he had this impression this fawn was just as fragile as she appeared but perhaps that wasn't entirely the case. He chuckled, "Heh." And got off the grass, approached Mary to pinch her cheek. "And here I thought you're toothless, fawn."
---
Grim was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen with the three ghosts of Ramshackle Dorm when Mary finally arrived, he was still wearing a white apron and holding a cookbook when he greeted her.
"Oh, Mary, I thought you are eating with—arccgkkk!" Dust of subtle pink crept on Grim's cheeks and he didn't finish the rest of his statement. "Mary, what has gotten into you?!"
