Erica in her new form was irresistible, a young college girl, charming and elegant, her hair shimmering in the sunlight, her eyes reflecting unwavering confidence. Everything about her was so perfect that some students started whispering:
- "Who is this? New?" - "No way... could she be Ryuichi's girlfriend?" - "What is this super luck?"
As for Ryuichi, he was trying to bury his face in the collar of his jacket.
- (whispering) "Aura... save me... this is so embarrassing."
- [Aura]: "I warned you yesterday. Heroic entrance, huh?"
Erica, with a soft smile, turned to him and whispered: - "Try not to look so confused, Ryuichi. We're just... colleagues, right?"
He shook his head awkwardly, as a student surreptitiously snapped a photo with his phone.
With a flurry of glances and snickers, the two made their way into the building, where the lecture hall was beginning to fill up with students. Ryuichi sat in his usual seat, while Erica sat comfortably next to him, making everyone curious.
Ryuichi whispered to her:
- "You're really good... That technique fooled everyone."
- [Aura, in amazement]: "Your mirror technology is more accurate than I expected... even the optical waves are modified."
- [Erica, proudly]: "I told you... I'm a professional, and I don't let anyone doubt my age."
At this point, the professor begins to enter, threatening to bring the focus back to the lecture, but some eyes still stare silently at Erica...
The students sat relatively quietly as Professor Tanigawa-Sensei, a man in his mid-forties, known for his rigor and his knack for connecting modern scientific concepts with real-world applications, entered the room. His gaze quickly settled on the faces, and then he said:
- "Today, we're going to delve into the interactions of nanoparticles with cell receptors... let's get started."
He opened his computer and started the presentation, and the moment the first analytical question appeared on the screen, he said:
- "Can anyone explain how the degree of ionization of molecules affects how quickly they integrate with membrane receptors?"
There was silence. Some students exchanged glances. Ryuichi started to get nervous, but Aura quickly interjected with a calm voice:
- [Aura]: "The answer depends on the degree of ionization in the cellular medium. The higher it is, the greater the electrostatic repulsion... Tell them that, but in simple terms."
Ryuichi took a deep breath and raised his hand.
The professor was surprised and said:
- "Yes, Mr. Ryuichi?"
- "The answer depends on the degree of ionization. The higher the degree, the greater the electrostatic repulsion between the molecules and membrane receptors, which may slow down the rate of fusion."
The professor raised his eyebrows in admiration:
- "Accurate and concise answer. Well done."
Some of the students looked at Ryuichi in surprise, while he turned away in shame. But Erica's gaze beside him was not like any other... it was focused, questioning, and with a shadow of confusion.
- (she whispered to herself): "I haven't seen him open a single book... is this on his own, or is someone guiding him?"
Ora, noticing those looks, commented shrewdly:
- [Ora]: "My old lady is starting to get suspicious. We'll have to be more careful later."
Ryuichi secretly replied: - "You mean even in lecture time you have to be feisty?"
Aura smiled inwardly and said: - "Of course, that's part of my excellent service."
The lecture continued, and with each question, Aura would whisper a piece of information or an explanation, while Erica watched and took notes, beginning to formulate her own hypothesis...
The students staggered out of the lecture hall, discussing the difficulty of the questions, some whispering about Ryuichi's answer. As he walked down the corridor, trying to blend into the crowd, he felt a soft hand firmly grasp his shoulder. He turned around, and Erica was looking at him with a look that was a mix between a smile and a question.
She said in a low but firm voice:
- "You were witty and clever in the lecture, Ryuichi. But... how did you manage to answer most of the questions?"
He stammered for a moment, then replied with a shrug:
- "Uh... maybe I was just reviewing the lessons before, nothing special."
She blinked at him slightly, the look of someone who wasn't at all satisfied with the answer.
- "Really?" Even Tanigawa-sensei himself was amazed. Your style was like that of someone who receives information in the moment... not a student who has studied in advance."
He frowned even more, looking for any excuse to end the conversation.
- "Huh, it could be luck, or just... concentration."
But Aura, inside his head, didn't miss the opportunity to complicate things further:
- [Aura]: "Ryo, your lying is really bad. If you were in a lie test, you'd fail."
Ryuichi secretly whispered:
- "Ora, stop it, don't make things worse."
Erica smiled lightly, then leaned toward him and whispered:
- "You're not a very good liar, Ryuichi... but it's okay, I won't pressure you now. Just... watch your step."
She let go of him and stepped forward, and he felt a chill run down his spine, as if her words weren't just a joke.
Aura commented:
- "Her sense is strong, we have to be more careful in the future..."
Ryuichi was standing near the outer gate of the college, trying his best to look normal after Erica had left him for a moment. Suddenly, he felt a strong palm patting him on the back, almost knocking him down.
- "Ryuichiye, son of luck!!!"
The voice was unmistakably familiar, and when he turned around, he found Ryoko grinning and next to him was Jihan, who looked as embarrassed as ever.
- "Mashallah, Mashallah, Mashallah! How long have you been dating beauty queens? Who's that beauty standing there? Is she from this world?"
Ryuichi's face reddened with embarrassment, and he waved his hand in quick denial:
- "No, no, no, no, she's not... I mean, it's not what you think..."
But Ryoko didn't wait for an answer, and continued, posing as if in a dramatic scene:
- "Oh Ryuichi... How innocent you were, a child who studied silently, and now you're a man and ahead of all of us! Teach me your way, Master!"
Embarrassed by the looks of the students around them, Jihan quickly intervened:
- "Ryuu... Enough, stop this nonsense!"
Then she whispered angrily to him:
- "You might get him in trouble with that..."
But Ryoko whispered back:
- "I'm not doing anything, I'm just telling the truth... Look at her! She's charming and rides in a fancy car! Even you were jealous, admit it."
Jihan crossed her arms and muttered:
- "These idiots..."
As for Ryuichi, he stood frozen between laughter and panic, with Aura hanging inside him:
- "Good choice of friends... Is that a clown or a warrior?"
After Ryoko's joking comments about Erica, Ryuichi decided to respond in his own way. He looked at Jihan with a slight smile, then turned to Ryoko and said in a confident tone:
- "Well, don't get too cocky, Ryoko... I'm also dating a pretty girl."
Ryoko looked at him, concern creeping into his features:
- "Hey, who are you talking about?"
Ryuichi pointed at Jihan, saying in a semi-serious tone:
- "Jihan."
In the next moment, there was no time to react or laugh.
Jihan gasped in shock, and didn't wait any longer, quickly raising her hand to try to slap him. But at the same moment, an internal voice sounded in Ryuichi's mind, Aura's voice, sharp and clear:
- "Ryo! Attack coming from the right! Dodge immediately!"
There was no time to think. His body moved automatically as if programmed, ducking quickly and in a fluid motion to avoid the slap that would have sent him flying. Jihan's hand brushed across his cheek and almost left a whistling sound in the air.
Jihan froze, her eyes widening:
- "Uh... Huh?!"
As for Ryoko, his laughter had stopped, and his face showed a look of silent shock. He looked at Ryuichi with a completely different look, devoid of humor, as if evaluating him with a different eye... a warrior's eye.
Aura whispered to him with a slight sneer:
- "Well done. Your 'slap dodging' skill has become second-rate."
Ryuichi tried to feign innocence, taking a step back:
- "Oh... sorry! It was just a joke! No need for violence, I'm fragile now, you know!"
Still surprised, Jihan whispered:
- "How did you... move so fast?"
Ryoko remained silent for a moment, before smiling lightly, but inside there was an aura of concentration:
- (That was no ordinary movement... what's going on with you, Ryuichi?)
Jihan said, blushing, anger mixed with confusion:
- "Idiot! I'm Ryoko's sister! How dare you say something like that in front of us!"
Ryuichi froze in place, his eyes slowly widening:
- "...Huh? Sister Ryoko?!!!"
He then looked at Ryoko with genuine surprise:
- "Since when?"
Ryoko replied, clutching his stomach in laughter:
- "Since we were born, genius!"
Aura inside him commented sarcastically:
- "Analyze: IQ at this moment = very low."
Ryoko then added, patting Ryuichi on the shoulder:
- "Don't worry, a slap means you're close to her heart... or death line, I can't tell the difference anymore."
Everyone laughed for a moment, while Ryuichi remained surprised, saying:
- "That slap contained pure mana..."
After a few moments of tension and unfinished laughter, Ryoko turned to Ryuichi, his gaze becoming more serious:
- "By the way... how's your mom? What's the news about her?"
Ryuichi froze for a second, the glint of humor disappearing from his eyes. He looked down for a moment, then whispered in a sad tone:
- "She... She's still in a coma. Nothing new yet."
There was a short silence. Even Aura didn't say anything. Only a faint pulse deep inside Ryuichi, heavy and painful.
Ryoko softened his tone, placing a hand on Ryuichi's shoulder:
- "I know it's hard... But if your mom is as strong as you are, I'm sure she'll come back."
Ryuichi looked up, smiled faintly, but said nothing.
Jihan also softened her gaze, and nodded silently in sympathy.
- "I'm sorry, Ryo," Aura whispered, "If I could do anything more than analyze and help, I would."
On their way to the cafeteria, the atmosphere was a little lighter than before, but the talk of Ryuichi's mother still lingered in the air. They arrived at the cafeteria door, and entered amidst the bustle of students and the sounds of tables and chairs being moved.
Ryuichi approached the counter, looked at the menu, and said:
- "I think I need a cup of coffee now..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Ryoko suddenly grabbed his arm and said in a serious tone mixed with sarcasm:
- "Hey, stop right there, caffeine lover! Did you forget that it hits your mana center? Do you want to go back to bed?"
Ryuichi's eyes widened in mild surprise, and then he gave a semi-guilty look:
- "Uh... right, I forgot."
Aura immediately interjected from within his mind, in an offensive tone:
- "Forgot?! Who told you I'd let you do that? I don't need your nerve repairing every time you drink that black potion!"
Jehan laughed lightly:
- "You mean if he drinks a cup of coffee, he goes back to revitalization? What a delicate body!"
Ryoko smiled and joked:
- "No, his body isn't sensitive... it's an upgraded beta version."
Everyone burst out laughing, except for Ryuichi, who smiled, trying to hide his disappointment over the coffee he didn't get. Then he gave a fake sigh and said:
- "Well... orange juice, you idiots."
Ryoko approached the counter and ordered confidently:
- "Royal pizza, please."
Jihan sat quietly, quietly ordering a cup of coffee.
Ryuichi noticed the cup in front of Jihan, and his gaze paused on it for a moment, clearly filled with desire, but he tried to suppress it.
At that moment, Aura understood his desire in Ryuichi's mind, and she sighed and said in a sharp tone:
- "Do you think that cup will get to you? Stop looking at it."
In a simultaneous sarcastic gesture, Jihan looked at Ryuichi sharply and said in a clear voice:
- "Stop staring at my coffee, even dreaming of taking a sip is out of the question."
The two exchanged sarcastic glances, and Ryuichi smiled sheepishly as he tried to take his eyes off the cup, trying to hide his desire.
As they sat in the cafeteria chatting, a handsome young man walked confidently into the place and made his way over to Ryuichi's table.
He approached them with a friendly smile and said:
- "Hello, may I sit with you?"
Ryuichi looked at him with an unmistakable smile and said:
- "Come in, Takeru."
Ryoko turned to Ryuichi, wondering:
- "Takeru? I've never heard that name before, who is he?"
Ryuichi smiled and said:
- "This is Takeru, a rather new friend, and he wants me to help him with a neuroscience project he's working on."
Jihan looked at Takeru with a welcoming smile and said:
- "Nice to meet you, Ryuichi didn't tell us about his friends."
Takeru smiled and said:
- "I'm happy to be here with you, and I'm looking forward to having a good time."
Ryoko looked at Ryuichi lightly and joked:
- "You seem to have a secret social life, Ryuichi."
Everyone laughed, and Ryuichi felt comfortable among them, while Aura watched carefully, following the wave of energy still emanating from Takeru.
Everyone sat around the table, talking quietly to each other, then Takeru looked at Ryuichi and said:
- "Are you still thinking about helping me with my neuroscience project for my graduation?"
Ryuichi sighed and said regretfully:
- "I apologize that I haven't communicated with you these days, I was in the hospital."
Takeru smiled reassuringly and said:
- "It's okay, it's important that you're okay. Health first."
Ryuichi nodded and said:
- "Yes, things are a little better. And I really want to help you with your project."
Takeru smiled and said:
- "That's what I was hoping for, thank you Ryuichi, I know you have a lot to manage."
Ryuichi said:
- "Don't worry, I'll do my best to help you. Just tell me exactly what you need."
Takeru continued:
- "I'll send you the project details and data soon, and I hope we can start working together as soon as possible."
Ryuichi smiled confidently:
- "Exactly, we won't let anything hold us back."
Ryoko looked at Takeru with a curious look and said:
- "You seem very excited about this project, can you tell us more about it?"
Takeru smiled and said:
- "Of course, the project focuses on the study of brain mechanisms, especially how certain chemical agents can improve memory and concentration."
Jihan looked seriously and said:
- "Does it require complicated experiments or special tools?"
Takeru answered:
- "Yes, we use advanced equipment to analyze the activity of neurons and rely on computer simulations to interpret the results."
Ryoko marveled:
- "This is an ambitious project, but do you think Ryuichi can help? He's not an expert in neuroscience, is he?"
Ryuichi smiled and said:
- "I may not be a complete expert, but I have some experience in mana and biochemistry, and I think I can provide support in some aspects."
Takeru said:
- "Exactly, having Ryuichi with us will complete the team, and I believe his expertise will be very useful."
Jihan smiled and said:
- "Well, it looks like we're in for an interesting collaboration."
Ryoko laughed and said:
- "I can't wait to see the results, and don't forget to invite others to try the project!"
After they finished talking about the project, everyone sat informally at the table. Ryoko looked at Jihan and said with a smile:
- "Jihan, I haven't seen you laugh like that in a while. I think the presence of Takeru and Ryuichi has revitalized the place."
Jihan laughed lightly and said:
- "It's true, new people always change the atmosphere. I'm glad we're getting to know each other better."
Ryuichi looked at everyone and said quietly:
- "I'm grateful that I'm not alone on this path. Your presence makes things easier."
Takeru said with a sincere smile:
- "We are one team now, and we will face all the challenges together."
Aura smiled in Ryuichi's mind and said:
- "And I will stay here to support you, no matter what."
Ryuichi smiled and said:
- "Thank you all. Let's start a new chapter together."