I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 451  [Nyrel Loyster] [Flashback] [8]

"That's all for today. Make sure to review the material thoroughly once you're home; otherwise, you'll likely be lost in the next lecture," the professor said. He closed his book, draped his coat over one arm, and exited the stage, leaving a faint silence in his wake.

Ephera let out an exaggerated yawn, stretching her arms above her head. "Wow! I didn't understand a single thing!"

"Are you… proud of that, Ephera?" Emric, seated one row ahead, sighed as he closed his books with a resigned shake of his head.

"It was really difficult, big brother!" Ephera's tone was somewhere between frustration and playful complaint.

"Would you stop calling me that in public…" Emric mumbled, a faint blush of embarrassment rising to his cheeks.

Ephera leaned toward her friend. "It was hard, right, Shayna?"

Shayna chuckled softly, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Um… yeah, just a bit. I think I got maybe half of it."

"Well, we're heading toward our final exams of second year—did you think it would be easy?" Gladys, seated on Ephera's other side said. She cast a sidelong look at Ephera, her mouth quirking into a small, knowing smile.

But as she spoke, Gladys felt a cool gaze lingering on her from across the aisle. It was Nyrel, seated beside Emric, his expression unreadable as he observed her. Though she'd been part of their group for over a year now, Nyrel still maintained a guarded distance. He was quiet, reserved, often keeping his thoughts and feelings tightly sealed. Even after all this time, it was clear that he still harbored doubts about her, trusting her only as much as he trusted anyone Ephera vouched for—which, for Nyrel, wasn't much.

Gladys shifted uncomfortably, lowering her gaze, her fingers nervously brushing the edge of her notebook. She knew why Nyrel watched her so guardedly.

The day she started following Nyrel…

What was she trying to accomplish?

At first, it had been about revenge. Leon's accident had left her reeling with anger, with disbelief. She couldn't accept that he'd simply been drunk, that he'd just recklessly crashed into another car. No... she knew Leon too well to believe he'd ever act that irresponsibly.

The memory surfaced vividly in her mind. That day, she had been assaulted. The fear still clung to her memory, murky and fragmented. But she remembered the last thing she saw before everything went black: Leon's face, his expression contorted to frightening fury. When she finally awoke in the hospital, she learned he was also also hospitalised but he was a criminal being treated for gunshot wounds inflicted by a high school student. The news was shocking and surreal. Even worse, she wasn't allowed to visit him; he'd slipped into a coma, and any contact was forbidden.

Yet, despite the anger and confusion that had drawn her toward Nyrel initially, Gladys found herself doubting the suspicions she once held. Spending time with him over the past year had worn away her resolve and her certainty. Nyrel wasn't what she'd expected. His cold exterior masked a subtle kindness, a gentleness he rarely showed but which she noticed in small, fleeting ways.

He even helped her in a few occasions. It seemed that Ephera's faith in Gladys seemed to lend Nyrel some measure of tolerance.

"Alright! How about we wrap up the day with a nice dinner at a good restaurant?" Ephera said, clapping her hands on the desk with enthusiasm, her eyes bright with excitement.

"No, thanks," Nyr replied, already standing and preparing to leave.

"Yeah, same here," Emric added, ready to follow Nyr without a second thought.

Ephera, unwilling to accept defeat, swiftly climbed onto her desk, leaning over to wrap her arms around Nyr's shoulders, locking him in place like an insistent child. "Oh, no you don't! You are definitely coming with us!"

Nyr grimaced. "Annoying."

"Hey, that's rude! What are you—" Ephera's words trailed off as her face softened, her nose hovering close to Nyr's neck. "Wait… you smell so good, Nyr…" she murmured, almost absentmindedly. Her relaxed, cozy gesture sent a ripple of shock through their friends, who exchanged wide-eyed glances.

But most of their classmates were used to this by now. After a year of watching Nyr and Ephera's unusual friendship—a relationship that seemed to teeter playfully on the edge of something deeper—their unique dynamic was no longer surprising. At first, it had caught everyone off guard; Nyr's aloof and serious demeanor didn't seem remotely compatible with Ephera's warmth and spontaneity. But when Ephera had finally broken through his icy exterior, he'd reluctantly dropped the aloof act. And since that moment, his popularity had surged. No longer the isolated nerd they once knew, Nyr had become a quiet handsome guy.

 "I see you two are as close as ever."

As Ephera remained comfortably draped over him, a voice from behind drew their attention.

Emric turned and practically stumbled over his words as he saw Lucy, her blonde hair glowing like spun gold under the classroom lights. "O-Oh, Lucy…" Ephera couldn't resist grinning at her brother's flustered expression. "Hey, Nyr, look—he's completely head over heels for her," she whispered with a playful smirk.

Nyr looked at Emric calmly. "I noticed that about a year ago."

Lucy was the new girl who had transferred in, quickly catching Emric's eye. She was warm and friendly, sociable but not overly clingy—certainly not to Ephera's level. And yet, her quiet grace made her an easy favorite, especially for Emric, who had been captivated from the start.

"You two sure you're not a couple?" Lucy asked, her smile light as she took in Ephera's clingy hold around Nyr's shoulders.

"No," Nyr replied, while Ephera only grinned without denying it.

Before the atmosphere could shift, Emric cleared his throat and seized the moment. "Hey, Lucy, we were about to go grab something to eat. Want to join us?"

The invitation made Nyr raise an eyebrow at Emric, and Gladys shot him a similar look of surprise. Even Shayna appeared mildly confused, given Emric's earlier indifference to the idea.

Lucy glanced over at her two friends, who exchanged glances before giggling in unison.

"Go for it!" One urged, while the other gave her a little nudge.

"We have some things to do anyway, so you're free to have fun!"

As her friends hurried away, Lucy smiled and looked back at Emric and the group. "Well, I suppose I could," she said, laughing softly.

...

...

"Remind me again why that guy is with us, Nyr?" Emric muttered, a bit irritated as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Don't ask me," Nyr replied.

"Oi, guys—I can hear you, you know," Yanis grumbled, rolling his eyes at their lack of subtlety.

The group, initially just planning a casual outing, had unexpectedly crossed paths with Marlene and Yanis near the campus gate. Yanis, spotting the group and intrigued by the lineup, had insisted on joining them. Marlene, however, had seemed more hesitant, not wanting to intrude, though she couldn't say no once Ephera, Yanis' gaming buddy, encouraged them to tag along. With her usual bright-eyed energy, Ephera seemed thrilled by the impromptu reunion.

"Oh, so you're in a different class?" Lucy asked Marlene curiously, a spark of interest in her eyes. "How did you all even meet?"

Marlene chuckled, remembering the somewhat chaotic start to their friendship. "Well, it's a bit of a story," she began with a smile. "Yanis here actually picked a fight with Nyr on a packed bus. Things got loud, and in the end, the four of us—me, Yanis, Nyr, and Ephera—got kicked off the bus."

She paused, and Lucy's eyes widened in surprise, but Marlene continued with a shrug, "And as if that wasn't enough, we ran into a group of drunk guys who decided to pick a fight with us. Nyr and Yanis managed to handle them… although pretty roughly."

"After that, we wandered to a game store together and somehow bonded over a popular game. It was such a strange day, but somehow we all got along after that."

Lucy looked mildly bewildered but laughed, sensing that Marlene was serious. "That sounds… intense, to say the least!"

"Hey, Marlene!" Yanis interrupted indignantly. "It was Nyr who picked a fight with me, not the other way around!"

"That's because you were trying to attack me, Yanis. Nyr just stepped in to save me like any boyfriend would," Ephera chimed in with a light blush coloring her cheeks.

Lucy giggled, glancing at Nyr with an amused look. "I never expected that from you, Nyr," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Right? He's more the type to sit back and observe—even if there was a murder happening right in front of him," Emric said, earning another laugh from Lucy.

"Get lost, Emric," Nyr shot back with a cold glare, though Emric only grinned back at him.

Lucy then turned to the quietest member of the group. "What about you, Shayna?" Shayna offered a timid smile, her gaze lingering on Nyr's back for a moment. "Nyr was actually my very first friend here," she said softly. "He helped me a lot… Ephera too," she added, glancing at Ephera with a warm look. "I'm really grateful to them both."

Lucy's expression softened, touched by the sentiment. "That's really sweet."

Nyr glanced at her for a moment before looking back ahead while Ephera beamed a smile at Shayna.

"Oi, Nyr," Yanis called out with a smirk, "since when did you start playing the role of a hero?"

"Shut up."

"Hey!" Ephera jumped in defensively. "Nyr isn't a hero. He's a villain—my villain!" Nyr grimaced at her possessive words, clearly regretting getting dragged into this whole conversation.

"A villain?" Lucy repeated, laughing. "That's… certainly an interesting way to put it."

"Forget it," Nyr sighed, shaking his head. "These two are practically brain-dead from staying up all night playing games."

"Who are you calling brain-dead, huh?!" Yanis groaned in protest.

"You, Yanis," Marlene replied.

As the group of eight young men and women arrived at the restaurant, the ambiance shifted. The moment they stepped inside, the waiter on duty, a cheerful young man, looked up and welcomed them with a bright smile. The clients already seated at their tables turned their heads, drawn by the sudden influx of youthful energy that seemed to fill the space. To the onlookers, the group resembled a gathering of celebrities or models.

"A table for eight, please," Emric asked.

"Yes, of course! Right this way," the waiter replied, regaining his composure and gesturing for them to follow him. With an air of professionalism, he led the group to a rectangular table that was perfectly situated in the center of the restaurant.

"Here we are," the waiter announced as he pulled out the chairs. Ephera wasted no time; she grabbed Nyr's arm and playfully guided him to a seat before settling down next to him.

Nyr scowled slightly at the suddenness of her action, yet when he caught a glimpse of Ephera's small smile and the sparkle in her blue eyes, something shifted within him. There was a warmth there that disarmed his irritation, and he found himself choosing silence over protest.

As the waiter came around to take their orders, the air buzzed with lively chatter. Nyr's green eyes scanned the table, taking in the interactions unfolding around him. Yanis was engaged in a spirited argument with Emric, teasing him about being shy around Lucy, who sat across from them. Meanwhile, Marlene joined in, her face lit with amusement as she exchanged playful jabs with Lucy.

At the far end of the table, Shayna was deep in conversation with Gladys. In that moment, Nyr couldn't help but reflect on how different his life had become. During his years in middle and high school, he would have never imagined he would find himself surrounded by so many people he could call even friends. 'Chloe would have been over the moon about this.'

Nyr thought for a moment about his younger sister bringing a faint smile to his lips. While he had managed to convince his parents that he was sociable and well-liked, Chloe knew the truth about her brother's life post-elementary school; she had seen the struggles he faced. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Despite his initial discomfort at being part of such a large group, Nyr realized that he didn't feel uneasy at all. Thanks to Ephera's endless positivity, people gathered around him. He glanced at her again, captivated by the way she seemed lost in her own thoughts, her expression softening as she stared into the distance.

"Nyr?" A voice suddenly called out, pulling him from his reverie.

Nyr turned his gaze toward the voice.

A young woman was standing there looking at him in shock.

"Huh?" Nyr froze on the spot recognising her.