The next day, everyone in school, including the three siblings who had just walked through the school gate, had received the news that there would be an event taking place in the hall after school.

Desmond looked reluctant to leave his sisters’ side. During the car ride, Erica had told him everything that had happened because she was very worried about Luna’s well-being.

“Big brother, if you still don’t go, you’ll be late.” Luna lightly scolded, while Erica stayed silent.

“...You girls stay safe and contact me if anything goes wrong, okay? I'll be here in a jiffy."

“We will.” Luna reassured him.

Erica nodded as well.

Desmond rubbed the top of both their heads before leaving for his faculty. Then, the sisters parted ways as well.

After class, when Erica exited her classroom, she found Luna standing by the wall and reading a book. Nobody paid her any attention.

“Hold on.” Erica told her friends, then she went to Luna. “Big sis? What're you doing here?"

"Ah, you’re done with class. I'm taking a break from studying today to hang out with you, or is that not okay?" Luna raised her eyebrow and wore a small grin.

"Really?!" Erica's eyes brightened. Because of Luna's hardworking nature, they hardly got to spend much leisure time together. "Hold on, I'll let my friends know."

After she came bounding back to Luna's side, she informed Luna, "Everyone seems interested in finding out about the event in the hall, even my friends are, so they're all headed there. The entertainment building will probably be empty because of that. Where should we go?"

"How about the mini aquarium? Pretty sure it'll be much better now without all the couples in the school flocking there." There was a little laughter in Luna's voice.

Erica burst out laughing and agreed with Luna. "Great idea! Let’s go!" Erica linked arms with Luna and walked with a skip in her step.

The aquarium was indeed much more peaceful than usual.

Erica's eyes sparkled as she talked on and on about marine animals that the school's aquarium had and the ones that she wished they could have.

Unfortunately, they did not get to relax for long.

Unbeknownst to the excited Erica, Lucas had appeared behind them.

Luna was the first to notice his presence.

‘I knew it.’

Luna locked gazes with Lucas for a good few seconds before she greeted him curtly, "Mr Wu."

Erica's head snapped around.

Lucas did not seem surprised that a stranger would know his name. He knew that he was well-known in the school in his own way. "Excuse me, but I'm here for your friend."

He then shifted his gaze onto Erica, who now has a scowl on her face. "Miss Lee, your presence is needed in the hall."

Lucas did not care if she would listen to him or not. He had plans and ways to make her do his bidding. He simply wanted to be cordial at the start.

"Excuse me, Mr Wu, but I'm her older sister. Also, I'd like 10 minutes of your time, please."

"I can see you after I'm done with your sister."

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"If I wasn't clear enough, that wasn't a question."

Luna then faced Erica again. "Erica, please be patient and wait here for me till I'm done with my talk with him, okay?" Her tone was a lot gentler when talking to Erica.

Erica looked worriedly at Luna. She was not keen on heeding Luna's instructions.

Understanding how Erica must be feeling, Luna patted Erica's head and whispered, “Be good and trust me.” Then, she walked off without waiting for a reply.

Lucas stared at Erica who obediently but sadly stood by the tank waiting, looking like an abandoned puppy. Thinking that it might give him more material to slap Erica's face with, he decided to comply to Luna's request this time.

Luna led Lucas out of the mini aquarium.

As soon as the door shut, Luna got straight to the point. "You're here to get Erica to the hall for some sick humiliation play, aren't you?"

He looked at her, eyes wide with surprise, but it quickly turned into a sharp glare. "I have no need for excuses or bribes."

"I'm not here for those. I'm asking to take Erica's place."

Lucas was slightly taken aback again. Normally, people would at least flinch under his glare. Not only did Luna not flinch, but her expression also stayed the same. A strange feeling like he had met his match began to sprout within him.

‘How have I never noticed someone like her before?’

"Why?" He asked.

"She's my sister."

"And you think you're helping her by doing this? You're only spoiling her."

"I’m not. She's not a bad person. She doesn't normally act like this. Her hatred and anger this time were irrational and beyond the charts, so my family forgives her for that. Hate the sin, not the sinner. I know that others would not though, so I'm asking to take her place in her punishment."

Lucas gritted his teeth hard. The thought that Erica was let off the hook so easily ticked him off. He took one heavy step at a time towards Luna, forcing her to back off until her back was against the wall. He stopped when he was a mere foot away from her.

Before she could react, he bent down to pull up her dark blue skirt, just enough to reveal a slender but badly scarred thigh. "She caused this. Yet you're willing to forgive her without a single punishment?"

Luna looked down at his hand on her bunched-up skirt and her exposed scar.

‘...So much for my effort of washing away the acid. This guy’s a monster detective.’

Luna calmly and firmly pushed his hand away then brushed her skirt down. "Do you have to punish someone for them to realise their mistake and learn from it?" She questioned him casually.

His attempt at ruffling her feathers had failed. Lucas began to recognise Luna as quite the force to reckon with. When someone could stay this level-headed in a conflict, it would be harder for anyone to gain control over them.

"She should still learn to take responsibility for her actions and not push everything onto her sister, don't you think so? So, you ARE spoiling her." He continued to challenge her.

"I would, of course, let her bear the consequences of her actions if she had done this willingly."

Lucas caught onto her implication. His brows creased deeply together. "Are you trying to say that someone forced her?"

"Rather than someone forcing her, I'm questioning whether she truly had any free will in what she did this time. She has always been a good girl. Why would she suddenly become some villain upon entering this school? I'd say that some people's existences are just made to go against each other, no matter how hard they try to avoid or fight against it. Isn't it the same for you?"

"What do you mean?" His voice became deep and threatening. This talk about lacking free will and being controlled triggered Lucas. He had worked so hard to enter this school, then even harder to excel, to be in control of his fate. Yet, here she was, telling him that he was still at the mercy of someone?

"Tell me, when you first met Rina, what did it feel like?”

Lucas frowned and thought back as she told him to. Rina was the only person whom he found had interacted with him with a pure heart and mind. His impression of her budded into a yearning to protect this purity from being corrupted by the world.

“Was it love at first sight?” Luna continued without waiting for his response. “Does that really exist? Why're you doing what you're doing for her? Why're you doing what you're doing now? Is everyone just slaves to their emotions, or is there something more and bigger than anyone could imagine, that's playing out and controlling all our actions and decisions?"

Again, Luna continued without giving Lucas a chance to speak. "You tried hard to let go of your love several times, didn't you? Did it work? Or did you pick the sword back up for her each time?”

Lucas’s eye twitched. She had hit him below the belt, and he could not say anything in his defense.

“You seem to exist just to love and protect a certain someone. The same goes for Rina and Victor. They don't even need to do anything for drama to follow them. It's as if they exist just to create some school drama for the populace."

"You-"

"Am I wrong?" Luna looked at him dead in the eye, clearly challenging him.

Lucas found himself tongue-tied for the first time in his life. Although it was worded very weirdly, he could not deny a single thing she said. Ironically, he was the one whose feathers were getting ruffled now. Without her knowing it, Luna had found his sore spot.

"Suffer in her place like you wished for then." He growled then dragged her away by her wrist.

/Erica, please wait there till I’m back./