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 help me put it

necklace to him and packed her

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

skin had a major role

her to put on the necklace.

soft…' He thought to himself

her forehead had a pink shade despite his knock

very delicate.' He found himself laughing internally until he was

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

do

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

looks good on

smile formed on her face and she

you didn't mean for something like this to be

that too?!' Rey wanted to pull his hair

time, though, he said nothing to confirm her

this and giggled a

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

she was very

that fine by you?" She cocked her head to

that point, Rey knew he was only presented with two words

"Yes" and "Yes."

struggled in his mind to come up with

but Rey figured out the perfect

"I guess so."

What's that response?" Esme nearly snickered as she covered her mouth and laughed out

was only until he heard her laugh

just gone with one

*********

a bit of time passed, and Rey found

butterflies in his stomach disappeared, and he found himself enjoying her company so

It felt amazing!

different, yet they got along so

Alicia and I had books and

Esme, everything was so

what made things so much