The Love Hunter

Chapter 19

Facing Jasper, The Rogue Illusionist

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Isa sa mga bagay na pinaka-ayoko—being outsmarted. Sure, nagkakaroon ako ng friendly rivalry with Elias, at si Theo, lagi na lang akong tinutukso, but nothing, nothing compares to what I just experienced today.

It was the first time I'd met someone na hindi ko mabasa. Hindi lang basta guarded, but Jasper—he was on a whole other level.

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Nagsimula ang lahat sa isang ordinaryong hapon sa Crystalveil Academy. Akala ko, just another day of attending lectures, dealing with pranks, and, of course, playing mind games. Pero then, dumating siya—Jasper, the rogue illusionist.

The moment he entered the room, there was something off about him. Mahaba ang kanyang dark hair, halos tumatakip sa kanyang emerald green eyes. He walked with an air of confidence, like he owned every step he took. 

I could sense something—some form of power swirling around him—but it wasn't the same kind of aura as Rylan's fiery intensity or Theo's playful telekinesis. It was something far more slippery.

Nang subukan kong basahin ang iniisip niya, I was immediately thrown off. Usually, people's thoughts come to me like a gentle wave—sometimes chaotic, sometimes clear—but Jasper's mind? It was like stepping into a labyrinth made of smoke and mirrors.

'What the...?' I pushed harder, trying to break through. Then, all of a sudden, I heard his voice in my head.

"Having fun, Lyra?"

I jolted back in my seat. That's when I realized it—I wasn't reading his mind. He was projecting an illusion straight into mine.

Napatingin ako sa kanya, and he smirked, that smug grin plastered on his face like he knew exactly what I was thinking. No, scratch that. He did know.

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For the rest of the class, tinangka ko siyang pag-aralan. He didn't speak much, kept mostly to himself, but there was always this flicker in his eyes, like he was constantly thinking of ways to play with people's minds. Every now and then, I'd catch him glancing my way, as if daring me to try again.

But I wouldn't take the bait just yet. Hindi ako basta-basta sumusugod nang hindi nakahanda. That's one of the lessons I've learned sa buhay ko. If you're going to play a game, you have to know all the rules first.

After class, there was a social gathering in one of the academy's courtyards. As usual, everyone was mingling, and I was busy keeping an eye on my love interests—Elias, who was still subtly trying to one-up Theo with his pranks, Rylan, who was brooding in the corner pretending not to care, and Darian, who was quietly observing everything from a distance.

Everything seemed normal, until I saw him.

Rylan was walking toward me, and I could feel the familiar rush of thoughts coming from him. I smirked, knowing full well that I had the upper hand—he was jealous again, probably over something Elias said or did. As he got closer, I could feel his emotions shifting, his thoughts becoming clearer. 

"I need to talk to her. Maybe it's time to tell her..."

My heart skipped a beat. 'Tell me what?' I thought. This was it. Maybe he was finally going to open up to me.