The War Of Hearts
Chap 1 - Strange Occurrences.

There are two things I don't understand. Why did Mama leave the house when I was 7 and the reason behind the two ungodly men approached me just to make friends.

Two months ago. Yes, two months ago Ethan and Melvin came as freshmen to this class. My whereabouts are rarely noticed and realized by people, strangely by the two of them I am so contested.

Isn't that weird? They are like two camps who have a certain reason behind their desire to make me a friend. If I didn't have to choose, I'd be friends with both of them.

But, if you had to choose one between the two, how could you? Uh, this is really annoying. Because of them, I was often the center of attention of many people. My identity as a tomboy girl is almost known throughout school.

“Jan!”

“Jane!”

My eyes blinked a few times. The call instantly emptied my daydream. Not yet had my head turned to the source of the voice, my body had been shaken by someone. His broken breath was clearly heard in the ears.

“Eh, what's up? What happened?” My body was already pointing to the side, facing off against Lyman, my close friend who called me impatiently earlier.

“Two guys who approached you lately are making a fuss on the stairs near the perpus. This time it is quite severe, you have to go there to break them, Jan,” he said while trying to stabilize the breath, the sweat so flooded his temple.

I hissed for a moment, grumbling in my heart, why would I bother taking care of them? It's not once or twice that I've had to get involved in their showdown that I don't know what the point is.

Standing up from the chair, I walked slowly outside the table. Stepping gontai towards the place that Lyman was told. Without looking back, just hearing the rhythm of the shoes behind, I knew Lyman was walking after me.

About a distance of five meters before TKP, my view was already filled with a busy sea of humans flocking to watch. Walking through the crowd, my shortened body slipped between the reluctant human bodies shifting to give way.

I breathed greedily as I managed to separate myself from the horde. I hurriedly came to two guys who seemed to still be clashing on the stairs down there.

In a hurry, I went down the stairs. My eyes were perfectly rounded, a little shudder with goosebumps when I saw Ethan was already sitting helplessly in a bloody state.

While the perpetrator, Melvin, as usual he always put on a flat face. Though at this time both of his palms were already filled with a deep red liquid that smelled fishy. There was no look of regret, Melvin just stared at Ethan blankly.

“Melvin!” I shouted while pulling his shoulder, his body turned towards me. We were facing off, my head was a little off because Melvin was so tall.

I glared, this time I can't just shut up. “Are you crazy?! What mistake did Ethan make until you could hurt him in this way?”

Melvin mute. Even his eyeballs didn't move, whether he saw where. Now he looks like a life-giving puppet. With the structure of his face so perfect, Melvin can be said to be a handsome guy.

Unfortunately, if he was indeed a lifeless puppet, he was more worthy of being called a demon puppet. Given his nature and behavior that is no longer human.

“Jan, we better take care of Ethan first. We'll take him to the UKS. Let Melvin we hand over to the teacher,” Lyman's proposal, I forgot that he's been following since.

Shifting my eyes, I nodded. Staring at Melvin at a glance, I showed her a sense of disappointment. Walking past Melvin's body, I accidentally hit his shoulder to make his tall body sway.

My hand was sticking out at Ethan, the white guy looking at me timidly. Body shakes. The blood coming out of his nose and ears was rushing over his white uniform.

“Come, I'll take you to UKS to be treated.”

Ethan accepted my offer. Plunging his hands on his shoulders, I led him slowly towards the UKS. While Lyman, he takes care of Melvin who is still waiting to be escorted to the teacher's room.

Before walking down the stairs, I saw Melvin's eyes trailing my movements. For some reason, the cold gaze from him always instilled a feeling of horror. It was as if there was a dark aura accompanying his figure.

The boisterous whispers of the students watching still sounded, strangely why did no teacher come? Do they not care or do no students report?

Arriving at the UKS room, I immediately laid Ethan's body on top of the gurney. Waiting for the PMR member on duty to check on Ethan. I was planning to leave, wanting to approach Lyman, curious about the continuation of this matter.

But my butt had not yet ascended perfectly from the seat, Ethan's cold hand holding me back. He looked at me with a sad look, so I felt sorry.

“Jane, can you accompany me here?”

I nodded resignedly. Sitting quietly again, he looked at Ethan who had started to be treated. “Can I ask?”

Ethan replied with a nod.

“Actually what happened between the two of you? What is the big problem that you have to wrestle so badly?” Really, I've been wanting to ask you about this for a long time.

Ethan let out a heavy breath, he lowered his gaze. Nibbling his lower lip to hold the pain. “Not me, Jan. But he has a grudge that I don't know for what reason. He's always looking for me. He wanted so badly to hurt me, and if he could maybe he wanted to kill me.”

I narrowed my eyes, feeling weird about the answer. Wouldn't it make no sense for someone to hold a grudge for no reason? If they were in trouble earlier, Ethan should already know what caused it.

“Jan, I never reply or start first. You know yourself about that. And in hindsight, you have to make a decision immediately,” continued Ethan, it looks like he's trying to convince me.

My forehead is confused. “What decision?”

“You must choose between— akh.” Ethan's speech was cut off because the officer treating him began to attach a wet cotton swab filled with wound cleaning fluid to his bleeding ears, ah it must be sore and painful.

“You chose between me and Melvin. We both want you to be close friends. I had a feeling he hurt me so he could freely approach you,” Ethan explained later.

My mouth is clucking, my eyeballs are spinning lazily. “If that was the reason, then he could never be my friend. I hate arrogant troublemaker man and always behave arbitrarily like him.”

Both of my hands were kept in front of my chest, staring at Ethan with his chin slightly raised. “I still don't understand. What's the reason you want to be friends with someone like me? You and Melvin are always in the spotlight of many people, you are popular.”

I'm lazy to admit, but I have to say it. “I'm just an ordinary girl that not everyone knows. While around you today a lot of girls who crave you are even willing to beg just to be close to you. Then what good is it if we are friends?”

Ethan did not immediately reply, he stretched a smile to show his neat teeth. “I don't need the girls. There's only one reason I want to be friends with you. When I see two men who are always with you, I feel like being among you.”

Two men? Ethan is probably Lyman and Magani. Yes, they are both my best friends. For almost two years in this school, I only had them to say as friends.

Next to my eyebrows raised, my eyes narrowed to investigate through the question I was about to ask, “Why am I the only one you approach while Lyman and Magani don't?”

“I've been trying to get close to them,” replied Ethan loudly. “But they said the one who decided was you, Jane. That's why I'm so persistent in approaching you. Really, your friendship makes me envious.”

“... I was unlucky, because in my school I used to have a hard time hanging out with male friends. Being surrounded by many girls, I was often shunned. When I saw your friendship, my chest warmed up. So, can't I join?”

Pensive, I thought for a long time. Confused, I move on. “I'll think about it. To be honest, I am lazy to serve others. More new people like you.”

My body has turned around, ready to step away from the UKS room. But...

“More than that, I also have the same hobby as you guys.”

My feet stopped stepping. But I refuse to look back.

“As a person who believes in magic, I have many acquaintances and know some places we can go together to make an incredible journey.”.

I put on an annoyed smile, guessing that Magani the bucket mouth told me about it. Unwilling to reply, I chose to leave.

But who would have thought? Just walking a few steps, Melvin who had come from nowhere suddenly intercepted me. Putting on a somber look without a smile, he looked at me fixedly.

“Why are you here? Where is Lyman?” I asked in wonder. Several times I dyed, deserted because the break was over a few minutes ago.

“Can I be your friend?”

Oh, comeon. What kind of silly question is that? I didn't expect Melvin to be so relaxed about saying that after I went to hurt Ethan to a pulp.

“It's clear, isn't it? Even though I look like a school cramp, I cannot possibly want to be friends with you who can hurt someone just because of a trivial matter,” I replied sniffly.

“But I never hurt anyone. I didn't mean—”

“Crazy basics. Shut your. Besides not being stubborn, I am also not a dumb person that you can fool so easily,” my rent, then waltz away from before him.

“Jane!”

Her voice was familiar, but it wasn't Melvin's. I turned my head, my minimalist eyes flickering when I saw Melvin was no longer in his place. Just a few seconds ago, we finished talking, where did he go?

Instead of Melvin, all I saw was Magani. My close friend who is identical with her loud voice. She was running towards me, her hair covering eyes looking cute as it moved up and down. Slightly showed his narrowed eyes that were only in line.

“Lyman looking for you. Come on in class, you're done taking Ethan to UKS, right?”

My head nodded. “But how did the teacher respond to this incident? Did Melvin get a penalty?”

Magani shrugged, we walked together. “I'm not sure. But he was sent home a few minutes ago. There's a chance he's on suspension.”

“Eh?” My eyes are breaking. “He's been discharged?”

Magani reassures by nodding. “True, he was ushered in by one of the teachers he was responsible for. Too bad, isn't it? He's only been here a few months, but already got into serious trouble.”

“About how many minutes ago since he was sent home?”

Magani seemed to think, she rubbed her chin. “Perhaps about ten minutes ago. Know it? Looks like..”

Magani's words afterwards no longer entered into the ears, my mind instantly blackened. I clearly remember not being there five minutes ago I had a conversation with Melvin. I'm also pretty sure what I met earlier wasn't a ghost.

There's no way I'm hallucinating, is there?

***