The following week arrived and Veneri's seat was empty.
At first, no one said anything. Conversations went on like usual yet the absence sat there anyway, visible in the space beside Greshina's desk. She noticed it far earlier than she wanted to admit to herself. The seat felt as if it had never truly been claimed. Whispers began before classes officially started.
"Did he transfer again?"
"Maybe he skipped school."
"I heard he got into trouble."
Greshina said nothing. The image of skin sealing itself shut replayed in her mind with irritating persistence. When the homeroom teacher finally entered, the room fell into its usual attentive hush. He set his things down, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.
"Before we begin, I need to inform you all about one of your classmates."
The murmurs stopped.
"Veneri Clementine will not be attending school this week."
A few soft gasps from the girls who had hovered around him was evident.
"He has been hospitalized due to a chronic condition. Chronic anemia, is it? His condition worsened after arriving in the United States and he has been under observation for several days now."
"What?"
"He looked fine!"
"Anemia?"
"How bad does it have to be to get hospitalized?"
Greshina's fingers tightened slightly against her sleeve.
She knew exactly what that meant. Still, something felt off. The teacher raised his hand for silence and waited until the noise died down again.
"I understand this comes as a shock, especially since he appeared healthy. Conditions like this are not always visible. For those who wish to visit him, he is currently admitted at Saint Aurelius Medical Center. "
That name landed differently for Greshina.
Saint Aurelius Medical Center was not just familiar. It was where her parents worked... no, owned.
The school day passed in a blur after that. Notes were taken and questions were asked, though Greshina participated on instinct rather than awareness. Her mind stayed fixed on one thing, turning it over from every angle.
Chronic anemia did not explain regeneration.
By the time classes ended, her decision was already made.
That evening, the familiar gates of Saint Aurelius opened without delay as her family's car pulled through. The building rose in pristine white tiers. Inside, the air was clean and sterilized. Doctors and staff nodded respectfully as Greshina passed. No one stopped her. No one questioned her presence.
She belonged here.
Her shoes echoed softly against the polished floor as she walked deeper into the hospital where past wards she had grown up around and past offices where conversations about incurable conditions and experimental treatments happened behind closed doors. Chronic anemia was one of their specialties. If anyone understood it fully, it was her parents. And yet, even they had never spoken of a case like his.
She stopped at the reception desk and offered a polite smile.
"I'm here to visit Veneri Clementine."
The nurse checked the system, glanced up, then nodded.
"Room 614."
The elevator ride felt longer than it should have. Greshina stood alone with her hands clasped behind her back. Her reflection stared back at her from the mirrored walls. The girl wearing a white blouse and black skirt looking at her seemed calm and perfectly in control, though beneath that surface, questions churned violently.
By the time the elevator doors opened, she stepped out, walking down the quiet hallway until she reached the door marked with his name. She paused there. Her fingers hovered just short of the handle. Something did not add up but Greshina Emberforge was never good at letting mysteries remain unanswered.
She pushed the door open.
Greshina stepped fully into the room and let the door close behind her with a soft click that felt far louder than it should have. The hospital room was bathed in amber light that only appeared when the sun hovered just before sinking completely. Veneri sat upright on the bed with the window at his side. His gaze was fixed on the sky beyond the glass as though he were watching something far more important than the city below. For a moment, he did not notice her at all.
His eyes widened just a little, enough for her to catch it. It was enough to tell her that the surprise was genuine.
"You? Out of everyone, you're the last person I expected to visit me."
Greshina crossed her arms reflexively.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not here because I was worried."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a thick notebook. Its pages were visibly packed with neat handwriting and colored tabs marking sections with obsessive precision. She held it out to him.
"This is a week's worth of notes. Everything you'll be missing is here. I organized them by subject. You can copy them later."
Veneri stared at the notebook for a second before taking it. His fingers brushed the edge of the cover as though he were afraid it might vanish. A small laugh from him made her tilt her head.
"You're meticulous. I figured you were, though."
"I'm not the top student for nothing."
He opened the notebook, flipping through a few pages.
"You didn't have to do this."
"I know. That's why I did."
She moved closer and took the chair beside his bed, sitting with her back straight. Her eyes briefly turned to the IV line connected to his arm before she looked away again.
"So, are you okay?"
Veneri leaned back against the pillows. His gaze drifted toward the ceiling.
"Yeah, I'm fine. This kind of thing happens sometimes. Not often at least. Chronic anemia isn't dramatic most days. It just… catches up to me when I move between places too fast or push myself too much. Most of the time, I just pass out. Other times, I end up here. You don't need to worry. I'm used to it."
Greshina nodded, then hesitated before speaking again.
"The teacher said people could visit. So… I did."
"I'm glad. Thanks for coming though, even though I have not exactly been normal to you."
"Eh, it's nothing."
The sunset faded into deep violet and for a brief moment, Greshina felt oddly at ease sitting there. She drew a breath, preparing herself to finally ask the question that had haunted her since that evening outside the school.
"About your—"
"Why are you such a tsundere?"
The question landed out of nowhere. She turned sharply toward him.
"A what?"
"Never mind. Forget I said anything."
"No I won't. What does that mean?"
He waved his hand dismissively, still smiling.
"It's nothing important."
She frowned, clearly offended by the evasion, though she said nothing as he continued speaking.
"You know, I really didn't expect to talk to a rich girl like this. Especially not you."
"And why is that supposed to mean something?"
"All the other girls were loud and very interested. None of them came."
That gave her pause.
"So they were faking it."
"Looks like it."
"All girls are the same. Except for me of course. They see a cute boy and chase after the idea of him. The moment there's suffering involved, they disappear. They're looking for a perfect prince, not a real person."
Veneri looked at her for a long moment before nodding.
"That sounds about right."
The silence that followed felt different this time. Greshina leaned back in her chair. Her arms were no longer crossed. Her gaze turned towards the darkened window.
"This wasn't so bad. Guess I should say get well soon? Either way, you'll be fine. I assure you the doctors in this hospital know what you're doing."
He smiled but she didn't see it.