An Extra’s POV

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it."

Esme's voice woke Rey up from his drawn-out thoughts.

He turned behind and saw her slowly rising to a seated position too, a friendly smile written on her face as she rose.

"A-ah, it's—!"

"I understand. It's about a girl, right?"

"W-what? How can you be so sure!" As soon as Rey said this, and also saw Esme's smile widen, he realized the ugly truth.

'I've been tricked! Damnit!'

It was too late to realize it at that point, though. He had been careless, and now the price had to be paid.

"I just made a guess. But it seems like I was spot-on."

Rey wanted to ask Esme for the reason behind her guess this time, but before he could say anything, she told him.

"That man… Asher… he referred to you and I as a couple the last time."

Rey remembered how he noticed Esme's face twitching back when it was mentioned.

She didn't say anything after then, but since she was mentioning it now, Rey knew he had to vindicate himself.

"I told him we weren't a couple. No, it wasn't even that! It was—!"

"This isn't meant for me, is it? It's meant for the girl you're thinking of." Esme brought out a necklace from her pocket.

There was a ring at the center of the silver-like chain.

It was the White Ember—or, something similar.

The ring this time still had a frosty white surface, but the gem at the center peered more aqua than ember.

It was a glowing blue gem.

"They designed something a little different for me. It matches my eyes, don't you think?"

"Y-yeah…" Rey managed to say.

the ring

you help

him and packed

me a choice in the matter?' Rey wondered as he stole a good look at her delicate,

had

the necklace.

to himself as

forehead had a pink shade

He found

done, she flailed her hair back into place, using her fingers

How do

inches apart maybe—and her surprisingly stoic face as she asked the question made his

looks good

on her face

Even though you didn't mean for something like this to be made for me,

too?!' Rey wanted to pull his hair out with the way the girl

though, he said nothing to confirm

noticed this and

wary. This isn't a gusss. I know the White Ember was meant for someone else. But since this

she

that fine by you?" She cocked her head to the

knew he was only presented with two words as

"Yes" and "Yes."

mind to come up with a third option, until he finally

Rey figured out

"I guess so."

snickered as she covered her

her laugh at him

one

*********

passed, and Rey found

his stomach disappeared, and he found himself enjoying her company

It felt amazing!

different, yet they got along so

with Alicia all over again. No… Alicia and I had books and a bunch of

was so strange and

what made things