Astray in love

Secrets from the past

The morning bus ride felt strangely quiet.

Haliana sat beside Azriyal near the back window while the city slowly passed outside. The cold breeze moved through her hair as she stared absentmindedly at the glowing timer on her wrist.

Only a few days remained before Friday.

Before Solue.

Before another judgment.

Haliana sighed softly.

“So if you’re staying with me now…” she asked quietly, “do I still have to go there every Friday?”

Azriyal glanced at her.

“Yes.”

She frowned.

“What do you mean yes? I thought maybe things changed.”

“They didn’t,” he replied calmly. “You still have to collect points. You still have to return to Solue every Friday for three months.”

His gaze darkened slightly.

“And on the final Friday of August, your soul will be judged.”

Haliana looked away nervously.

“If your soul turns white, you survive.”

“If it turns black…”

He stopped speaking.

“And if I stay blue…” she whispered.

Azriyal’s eyes met hers.

“You disappear.”

Silence filled the space between them.

Haliana swallowed uneasily before changing the topic.

“You said I already interacted with spirits before meeting you.”

Azriyal nodded.

“But I don’t remember anyone suspicious.”

She paused.

“…unless that kitten was secretly a spirit.”

A small laugh escaped him.

“Who knows?”

Haliana rolled her eyes.

“Be serious.”

“I am.”

He leaned back lazily.

“Try remembering carefully. Were you ever followed? Watched? Did anything unusual happen before your birthday?”

Haliana thought deeply.

Nothing.

Everything in her life had always been painfully normal.

Then suddenly—

Her expression changed.

“That spirit from before…” she said slowly. “The one you attacked after he tried talking to me.”

Azriyal sighed dramatically.

“I didn’t attack him.”

“You literally made him disappear.”

“I only sealed him somewhere.”

Haliana blinked.

“…Somewhere?”

“A prison,” he answered casually. “A place where weaker evil spirits are trapped.”

Her eyes widened.

“Wait— there are MORE spirits like you?”

Azriyal smirked.

“A lot more.”

“But I thought your only job was distracting souls.”

“Wow,” he deadpanned. “You really think that little of me?”

Haliana crossed her arms.

“Well, you ARE annoying.”

He laughed quietly before his expression slowly became serious again.

“Listen carefully this time.”

Haliana immediately sat straighter.

“The real world Illyis mentioned…” he began, “is called Wellusim.”

Haliana made the weirdest face imaginable.

“That sounds fake.”

Azriyal stared at her.

“It’s not.”

“What even is a Wellusim?”

“It comes from an ancient language.”

“What language?”

“One humans cannot speak.”

Haliana blinked.

“…That sounds racist against humans.”

Azriyal burst out laughing.

For a moment, even Haliana smiled slightly.

Then he continued.

“Wellusim is divided into two realms. One for white souls. One for black souls.”

“And blue souls?”

“They don’t belong there.”

His voice softened.

“That’s why Solue exists.”

Haliana repeated the name slowly.

“Solue…”

“It’s the world between worlds,” he explained. “A place where blue souls are tested before judgment.”

Haliana stayed silent, absorbing every word.

Then suddenly—

“Wait. Who’s Illyis again?”

“The woman who explained everything to you.”

“How do you know her?”

Azriyal rubbed his forehead.

“You interrupt more than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Because you explain things like an old wizard.”

He stared at her for a second before laughing under his breath again.

Then his expression darkened.

“Illyis isn’t just a white soul.”

Haliana frowned.

“She’s close to becoming a spirit.”

“What?”

“Souls and spirits are different. Spirits are far more powerful.”

His gaze turned distant.

“There are only a few top-tier spirits in existence.”

“And Illyis is becoming one?”

Azriyal nodded slowly.

“But only if she succeeds.”

Haliana looked confused.

“Succeeds in what?”

“In turning you into a white soul.”

The bus suddenly felt colder.

Haliana stared at him.

“…Why does everyone care so much about me?”

Azriyal didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he looked outside the window silently before speaking again.

“The one who successfully changes your soul gains power.”

Haliana’s heartbeat slowed.

“So she’s helping me for herself?”

“Yes.”

“No…” Haliana shook her head quickly. “She seemed kind.”

Azriyal’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Not every smile is kindness.”

Haliana fell silent.

“She warned you about me because if I help you become a white soul…” his voice lowered, “…she loses everything.”

Haliana looked down at her wrist nervously.

“But why would she hate me?”

Azriyal stared at her strangely.

“…You really don’t remember anything.”

Her brows furrowed.

“Remember what?”

Before he could answer—

The bus stopped.

School.

Students immediately began leaving noisily.

Azriyal stood up first.

“We’ll continue this later.”

“No!” Haliana grabbed his sleeve quickly. “You can’t just leave after saying things like that!”

For a second, his eyes softened while looking at her hand holding him.

Then—

Allen suddenly appeared beside them.

“Are you two getting off or planning to live in the bus?”

Haliana immediately let go.

“W-We’re coming.”

Inside class, Haliana sat quietly in her usual seat near the window.

As always, the chair beside her remained empty.

But this time—

Azriyal casually sat down beside her.

Haliana lowered her voice immediately.

“You’re seriously staying here?”

“Relax,” he replied lazily. “Humans can’t see me.”

Haliana sighed.

Then the classroom door opened.

The teacher entered with a smile.

“Everyone, we have a new student today.”

Haliana instantly became interested.

Maybe this year wouldn’t be so lonely after all.

“Come inside.”

A girl stepped into the classroom.

Long dark hair.

Bright smile.

Beautiful enough to make the entire class stare.

“Hello everyone,” she said warmly. “My name is Sarah.”

The atmosphere instantly changed.

Girls admired her.

Boys couldn’t stop staring.

Even the teacher looked charmed.

But beside Haliana—

Azriyal suddenly disappeared.

Haliana’s eyes widened.

“Huh?”

Before she could react, his voice echoed inside her head.

“Don’t react.”

Haliana froze.

“Even if you see a mark on her wrist, pretend you saw nothing.”

Sarah slowly walked toward the empty seat beside Haliana.

And smiled.

“Hi.”

Haliana forced herself to stay calm.

“H-Hi.”

The moment Sarah sat down, Haliana subtly glanced toward her wrist.

And nearly stopped breathing.

There it was.

A mark.

But unlike hers—

Sarah’s mark was dark.

Almost black.

During lunch break, Sarah quickly became popular.

Within minutes she was already surrounded by students laughing and talking with her.

But Haliana noticed something strange.

Sarah kept staring at everyone’s wrists.

Searching.

Watching.

Looking for something.

Then Azriyal’s voice whispered again inside her mind:

“Leave the cafeteria. Now.”

Haliana quietly stood and headed toward the school grounds.

The moment she reached the empty bench—

Azriyal appeared beside her again.

“What’s happening?” she whispered urgently.

His expression was colder than usual.

“That girl is an evil spirit.”

Haliana nodded slowly.

“I figured something was wrong.”

“She’s searching for you.”

Haliana’s heartbeat quickened.

“She can’t see my mark though, right?”

“For now.”

Azriyal’s voice darkened.

“I’m hiding it with my power.”

Haliana stared at him.

“You can do that?”

“I can do a lot of things.”

She ignored the smugness in his voice.

“Why is she after me?”

Azriyal hesitated.

Then finally said:

“She has two goals.”

“To turn you into a black soul.”

Haliana’s stomach tightened.

“And the second?”

His eyes met hers.

“To finish what started in your past.”

Haliana looked completely lost.

“I don’t even know her.”

“You know more than you think.”

“There you go again!” she snapped. “Why do you keep acting like I forgot some huge thing?!”

Azriyal stayed silent.

Which honestly scared her more than any answer.

Finally he sighed softly.

“Forget it for now.”

Then suddenly his mood shifted completely.

A teasing smile appeared on his lips again.

“Instead…” he leaned closer, “why don’t we spend an entire day together in Solue?”

Haliana immediately looked away.

“You’re impossible.”

“I’m serious.”

His voice softened.

“I’ll explain everything there.”

For a second, the air between them became strangely quiet.

Dangerously soft.

Then Haliana cleared her throat awkwardly.

“So… no other spirits can enter if I have enough points?”

Azriyal nodded.

“The higher your points, the stronger the shield around you.”

“And Sarah?”

“She won’t get near you.”

Then slowly—

He leaned closer again.

“So it’ll only be you and me, my soul.”

And winked.

Haliana’s entire brain stopped functioning for a second.

Heat rushed to her face instantly.

She pushed him away aggressively.

“STOP DOING THAT.”

Azriyal laughed softly.

The school bell rang loudly through the campus.

Haliana quickly stood up.

“I’m going back to class.”

Before leaving, she turned around suddenly.

“Wait… if Sarah can’t see you, then why are you hiding from her?”

Azriyal’s expression changed slightly.

“Because if she realizes I’m protecting you…”

His voice lowered.

“Everything will become dangerous.”

Haliana stared at him silently for a moment before finally walking away.

Back inside class, Sarah smiled warmly at her again.

“Is something wrong?”

Haliana quickly shook her head.

“No. I just…” she hesitated softly, “…I’m not really used to people sitting beside me.”

Sarah’s smile softened.

“Well, maybe we can become friends.”

For a moment, Haliana almost believed her.

But then she remembered the dark mark on Sarah’s wrist.

And Azriyal’s warning.

Carefully, Haliana pulled her sleeve lower to hide her own wrist completely.

Because deep down—

She knew the protection around her wouldn’t last forever.