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.

as the ring attached to

mind, could you

and packed her long black hair

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

really pretty, and her skin had a major role to

put on the necklace. As he did

to himself as he did

no wonder her forehead had a pink

He found himself laughing internally until he

he was done, she flailed her hair back into place, using her fingers to push aside any stray hair that would block the necklace from being

do I

maybe—and her surprisingly stoic face

good on

small smile formed on her

didn't mean for something like

to pull his hair out with

though, he said nothing to confirm her

this and giggled a

meant for someone else. But since this isn't that, I think I'll be a

again, she was very

by you?" She cocked her head to the side

he was only

"Yes" and "Yes."

struggled in his mind to come up

Rey figured

"I guess so."

What's that response?" Esme nearly snickered as

until he heard her laugh at him that

should have just gone with one of the two options I

*********

Rey

disappeared, and he found himself enjoying

It felt amazing!

be any different, yet

I had books and a bunch of

was so

that was what made things so