Chapter 14: Re-logue

In a way I, Mark Emrys, loved earphones.

Small, innocuous, they helped me whenever I felt surrounded. Music would follow me everywhere I went, blocking out everything in the world as I hid into my lone self. And to me, the act of untying my earphones became something ritual, something to help myself calm down.

Like now, for instance.

"Mr. Emrys, may I ask for some private time to talk with you?"

The voice was the same. So was his face, his hair, his physique - everything was familiar to me. If I didn't know better, I would've thought I was Myrddin and back early inside the world of Fate Online. However, this time it was not so. This was the real world, and what I was seeing was a real face, a face that I recognized from what I've experienced in the past few days.

I recognized it all... except for that empty expression and the dead look in his eyes that contrasted the bright twinkle in my memories.

Valiantly but failing, I tried to ignore the whispers that started inside our class as he came up to me during lunch.

"O-Okay..." I stuttered, eyes immediately looking for my feet. "W-Where d-do you want to go?"

His reply was toneless, unlike the cheery lilts that I was used to hearing.

"Inside the cafeteria." He jerked his head to the side, pointing at one of the exits. "After you."

I raised my head. Our eyes met again, and I felt a chill go down my spine.

Rain's brown irises met me without a hint of light in them.

"Well," He raised a brow, so eerily reminiscent yet so different from who I knew. "Are you going to move?"

I almost ran at how fast my feet brought me outside the door.

My name is Mark Emrys, handle 'Myrddin' inside the world of Fate Online.

I love music and singing, and I hate the taste of eggplant on a Saturday morning. For the past few weeks, I had entered the famous VRMMORPG Fate Online as per what one of my cousins had suggested to me, only to end up as a failure of a Swordsman instead of the Bard I wanted to become.

I also have Anthropophobia.

In a strange sort of sense, the reason I even entered Fate Online was to help myself through my fear of conversing with people I didn't know. Rain had even once asked me about my choice of avatar at one point - I mean, after all, why would I choose to have such a terrifying visage when I shook on my feet at almost everything?

The answer was, "I had hoped that I could become brave."

Right now, in the men's bathroom instead of the cafeteria that was promised, I wanted that. I wanted to become Myrddin again, because after all, who other than Myrddin would be able to talk to this strange Rain lookalike?

"So, this is..." The man who looked like my friend started, "You, right. You're Myrddin?"

My heart jumped into my throat at the mention of that name.

"S-So... You r-really are R-Ra-"

A strange redness went up against Rain's cheeks.

"A-Ah, yes. That's right, I'm Rain, or Brian Walter in this world."

Brian Walter... It felt strangely normal compared to 'Rain', but then again my name was the same. However, ordinary name or not, the confirmation that this man... this strange impassive person was the person I knew, the person I had somehow befriended even with all the flaws I had, made the tension inside me break apart.

Almost like a puppet with its strings cut, my legs felt weak beneath me and I had to lean over one of the sinks to prevent myself from falling down to the floor.

"Are you alright?" Brian looked at me almost worriedly for a second before his face closed off again. "Do you have a sickness or condition? I can help you to the Nurse's Office if you'd like."

"No..." I caught myself before I stuttered again. Real world or not, this was Rain. He, of all people, Brian or not, wasn't about to judge me. "I'm fine. I'm just in a bit of shock. I mean, who would've thought I would meet you in reality, Rain?"

An expression that looked like a crude attempt to form a grin covered Brian's face.

"That's supposed to be my line..." He murmured almost tiredly, suddenly leaning his back to one of the walls. "Myrddin, did you know I had thought of you to be an Adventurer? Now, to see you, the person I once feared of dying, in this world and that kind of appearance... it's kind of jarring."

Maybe Brian hadn't noticed himself, but his hands shook as he said those words.

So, that's why he was so worried about me during that fight inside Darkling Woods...

I shook my head, a smile almost forming on my face at the thought. If there was a need for irrefutable proof, this was it. Only Rain would be that worried for someone he barely knew.

The last remaining bits of tension left me. Brian maybe far more stoic and awkward than the Rain I knew, but deep inside he was still the same person who introduced himself to me with a staff in my face. He was still the same Fool that saved me inside that battle and introduced me to the children of the Grimm Orphanage.

"Is that why you never asked me to be part of your party?" I asked, my tone almost casual as if we were both inside the virtual world again. "Because you feared for my safety?"

Brian opened his mouth to say something, only for the ring of the bell to interrupt him just in time.

It was startling to watch, what happened afterwards.

Almost as if a figurative mask was being set into his face, Brian's eyes immediately lost the light inside them that I recognized as Rain's. His jaw set into a stern figure, the grin that almost formed on his face suddenly cut down into an emotionless expression.

I knew then and there that 'Rain' was gone.

"It's time for us to head back into class, I think." Toneless. Like a musical instrument that suddenly lost its owner. "Let's go, Mark."

I took his reference of my first name to be a good sign and left without saying a word.

The moment we arrived to class and stares once again focused on us both, I bowed my head to hide myself behind my bangs. Inside my pockets, I fiddled with my earphones as I walked, wearing them the moment I arrived to my seat in order to surround myself with the sounds of acoustic music.

Now, I was never a good student, so instead of listening to my professor I directed my attention as subtly as I could towards Brian in class as he studiously jotted down notes from the blackboard. Of course, every now and then I had to feign giving attention to Professor Brunnings like the rest of my classmates, but that was little matter - Brian utterly failed to realize I was watching him.

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Honestly, considering the image I had of Rain, it was all a bit confusing. If Rain was spontaneity, cheerfulness, and foolhardiness personified, Brian was the utter opposite - he was stern, calm, and stoic in one neat package. One could even sense the serious air he had around him - very much unlike the sunny feeling I received around Rain. People would really be surprised to find out that Brian literally acted like a Fool inside a virtual world...

...Doubt gripped at my heart like a low sonata.

What if it was all really just an act? What if 'Rain' was just a pretense? Were we even 'friends'?

A poke behind my back broke me off my sordid thoughts.

A bit annoyed, I almost snapped at the person behind me - only for to choke on the words that failed to leave my lips as I remembered that I didn't know this person.

She - for yes the person was a female, which only added to my apprehension - turned to me with a note of annoyance on her face. She opened her mouth, and I failed to hear anything. It was only a few seconds later did I remember I was wearing my earphones on.

"-hey, are you listening?"

"S-Sorry." I stuttered, remembering to keep my voice low. "I w-was distracted."

She sent me a look as if she was questioning my intelligence. Immediately, I felt like a sack of rocks was dropped on me.

"I was asking about what happened earlier." She murmured slowly, as if I was a child. "What was that about you and Mr. Perfect during lunch?"

One had to notice the depth of her sarcasm as she said the word 'Perfect'.

"P-Perfect?" I asked, even though I knew just what she meant. "W-Who?"

She rolled her eyes. "Why of course, that Brian Walter you idiot."

A slight bit of rage entered my mind at that. Whether it was because I was insulted or because Brian was insulted, I didn't get to know as before I managed to open my mouth to send back a scathing remark Professor Brunnings practically teleported between us both.

"Is there..." The Professor pronounced his words as if they were distasteful, "anything you would want to announce to the rest of the class, Ms. Sanchez?"

Vilified, the girl behind me went red but kept quiet. Shaking her head, she pursed her lips before turning back to the blackboard. I quickly followed, my anger dissipating into nothing. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Brian look at me with the slightest degrees of worry.

Giving him a short nod and a mouthed 'I'm alright', I turned back to the blackboard, subtly turning up my music again in my ears as I did.

Doubts or not, whether Rain considered me as his friend or not, it still didn't change the fact that I still felt indebted to the guy. Not only had he talked me through into picking up singing again, he had also led me to leveling up faster than I ever managed to do alone, plus helping me out the forest I was trapped in for more than a week.

That alone, was enough for me. For now, there was no use in overthinking things - the best thing I could do for now was to just listen to music as I always did.

It was enough, really...

Thus, the entire class period passed and I ran for the doors the moment we were dismissed.

User detected. Myrddin, welcome back to Fate Online!

Like always, the feeling of being a body different from mine felt strange for the first minutes as my mind reacquainted itself with the virtual body of a Syren. As per habit, I went through a series of stretches to make the transition easier, humming Ode to Joy as an exercise for my vocal chords.

And if the exercise also meant delaying my upcoming talk with Rain, then so be it.

Status WindowName:MyrddinLevel:56Class:SwordsmanRace:SyrenGender:MaleTitle"Singer (Your songs have a 100% chance of catching a listener's attention.)-Health:10959/10959Mana:3120/3120Strength:68 + 15Dexterity:70 + 15Intelligence:39 + 15Endurance:86 + 15Wisdom:38 + 15Luck:152  + 15Vitality84 + 15Charisma:61 + 15Equipment Effects:Hellion Equipment Set. + 15 to all stats, + increased hostility from monsters.Stat Points Available: 0

Early on, I had dumped all my status points into LUK, but recently ever since I've met Rain I had placed them properly into combat-viable stats instead of just being used as a gimmick to survive through occasional gambling here and there.

Now, I was capable of fighting. Or whenever I got the courage to unsheathe my sword again at least.

...I just hoped I would get said courage.

A familiar voice came up from behind me.

"Hey, Myrddin!"

Casual and friendly. Just as what one could expect from Rain. The serious words that came afterwards... not so much.

"We need to talk."

With a sigh, I gave in, turning to him.

I suppose... this is the point as to I find out whether he is really my friend after all.