Meeting with Beatrice the next morning proved to be unusually stressful. It had nothing to do with Beatrice herself, but more so a looming anxiousness about what could potentially happen during the day.
Professing his love to the student council president had been his biggest blunder yet. Subaru admonished himself for not listening to Beatrice's advice at the time. Now, he had the subconscious urge to constantly look over his shoulder.
Their walk to school had been quiet for the first few minutes, but Subaru was conscious of her gaze. She could see straight through him, and her eyes never left his face.
Subaru was unable to discern her thoughts, nor could he think of anything to say. Luckily, he didn't have to, as Beatrice broke the wall of silence between them. "You won't need to worry, I suppose."
He stopped walking, looking down at her as she stopped, too. Their gazes met as he asked, "What do you mean?"
"If you have any trouble, Betty will take care of it!" Beatrice boasted, letting out a prideful humph as she smiled and puffed her chest. "As your friend, it wouldn't be right to let you deal with any problems alone, in fact!"
His chest tightened as his heart skipped a beat. Emotions tugged at his very soul, and it took Subaru a few moments to realize just how deeply her words had affected him. Small droplets began to form in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away.
Beatrice faltered slightly at his reaction, but her smile remained. Her expression softened, her voice carrying a gentler tone as she said, "Trust Betty. You can rely on me, in fact."
Subaru couldn't hold himself back from giving her a hug. Although stunned, Beatrice didn't hesitate to return the embrace. He smiled, already feeling lighter than before.
"Thanks, Bea," he murmured. "I'll tell you right away if I have any problems."
Her grip on his school uniform became a little firmer. "Is that a promise?"
Without hesitation, he replied, "It's a promise."
They stayed in their embrace for another few seconds before pulling apart, their grins one and the same. Subaru was reassured by her words, and Beatrice was glad that he had accepted her help.
After moving forward their walk to school, Subaru's mind stayed stuck on their interaction. His heart had been moved by Beatrice's desire to help him. After being alone for so long, it was heartwarming to have the support of a true friend.
In the back of his mind, he wondered if Beatrice felt the same way. Despite her confident bravado, Subaru could hear the trickles of doubt in her voice — the trepidation and fear of not being accepted.
He understood that feeling all too well. It was one of the reasons why he believed in her with every fiber of his being.
They were best friends. They understood each other better than anyone else. He would never doubt her.
Subaru could tell that she was giddy, sparing a few glances at her as they walked. Her happiness was radiant and infectious, putting him further at ease.
With his gaze lingering a little too long, Beatrice took notice. She looked up at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
Not having expected her question, he averted his eyes and stammered a reply, "A-Ah, w-well … I was just thinking that I should be thanking you a lot more. You do so much for me, and it feels like I'm just leeching off of you at this point, so—"
"Really?" she interrupted, humming thoughtfully. "Betty was just thinking that she should be thanking you, I suppose."
Subaru looked astounded. "For what?"
With a heartfelt smile, she said, "For being Betty's friend."
Taken aback by her statement, he could only stare at her. While his heart thumped in his chest, Beatrice huffed lightly to herself and gazed away.
"Betty is surprised that you've only now noticed your leeching habits." She gazed up at him with a smirk. "Well, I suppose that you can continue to leech off of Betty if you want. Betty will just have to keep supporting you, I suppose."
"That just makes me sound pathetic! I can take care of myself, you know!"
They continued to laugh and banter all the way to school. Subaru's worries felt miniscule compared to moments like these. Words couldn't describe how thankful he was to Beatrice for her help, and he strove to support her in kind.
Before long, they finally arrived at their destination. As they approached, an upcoming commotion stopped them in their tracks.
Several girls were attempting to surround a purple-haired boy. The boy had a notably handsome face, greeting and waving to people with a courteous smile as he made his way into the building. The mere sight aroused Subaru's ire.
"He's quite the good-looking guy, I suppose," Beatrice offhandedly commented.
Subaru scowled and crossed his arms, glaring ahead. "Oh, so you think that guy's good-looking, huh? You wanna go confess?"
Displeasure quickly crossed her features. Beatrice took some offense at his words, looking up at him with mild annoyance. "Being pretty does not equate to being attractive, in fact," she said. "For example, Betty can say that you're mean-looking, but that doesn't make you undesirable, I suppose."
Subaru took a steady breath as his cheeks tinted red. He relinquished his agitation, relaxing his arms but keeping his gaze narrowed. "Fair enough. It's just annoying how that guy gets so much attention."
"Why do you even hate him so much?" Beatrice furrowed her brows as the guy in question finally entered the school, moving out of sight. "Did he do something to offend you, I wonder?"
"What hasn't he done?!" Subaru exclaimed with gritted teeth. "That bastard, Julius. He always acts so high and mighty. He even has that harem of girls following him around!"
Beatrice spared him a glance before readily stating, "He's also on the student council."
"What?!" Subaru turned to her in shock. He held his chest, trying to recover from that fatal blow of new information before solidifying his glare. "Damn him. He thinks he's so much better than me. I'll show him!"
"At least you're much livelier now." Beatrice patted his arm a few times before walking forward, not looking back as she muttered, "Never change, I suppose. Never change."
By the time Subaru snapped out of his daze, Beatrice was already several steps ahead of him. He scurried to catch up. "W-Wait, Bea—!"
Subaru stumbled as he bumped into someone. Slightly jarred, he gazed up to meet the eyes of a very apologetic red-haired individual. The guy's expression looked mortified as he corrected his posture, quickly bowing his head to Subaru in shame.
"I deeply apologize," he said. "I was not paying attention to where I was going."
Somewhat put off by the guy's overly professional demeanor, Subaru awkwardly raised his hands and shook his head. "It's fine, dude. Don't worry about it."
The guy raised his head with a small, thankful smile. "I greatly appreciate it. Please, have a good day."
He gave Subaru one last bow before continuing on his way. Beatrice, who had seen the interaction, returned to his side and watched the red-haired individual as he left.
"What a strange guy," Subaru commented. "He's nice, and undeniably handsome, but still strange."
"Reinhard is typically like that, I suppose," Beatrice remarked. "Betty prefers to keep her distance from him."
Subaru gave her a curious look. "Do you have a bad opinion of him?"
His question drew her gaze. She replied, "Not at all. Your earlier assessment was the most accurate, in fact. Betty just has weird feelings about his presence. You two would probably get along, I suppose."
Her words made him fall into deep thought. His eyes turned to where Reinhard had walked off, wondering if he should try to approach him later on.
Aside from Beatrice, he never found the courage to try befriending anyone else. If even she thought that they would get along, then Subaru had no reason not to try.
Before he could sink any deeper into his thoughts, Beatrice smirked again and teased, "Betty bets that you're disappointed; if only Reinhard had been Emilia, I suppose."
He nearly choked on air as his face turned red. Grumbling, Subaru slouched and shuffled forward. "Let's just go in before we're late."
Subaru held hope that the day would be normal — that he was simply overreacting and that his worries were unjustified. As time passed, however, his anxiousness built up again.
His peers seemed to glance at him whenever he wasn't looking. It made Subaru want to shrink and hide, not knowing if he was imagining things or not.
They had to be judging and whispering about him. He was sure that it wasn't everyone, but it still made him feel uneasy.
Rumors had the ability to spread like wildfire. Subaru knew that. It didn't matter how it happened; all he knew was that he should've been more careful from the start.
It was a shame that he couldn't spend more time with Beatrice throughout the day. Since they weren't in the same year, they could only reliably meet during their lunch break. At the very least, he could look forward to when that time came.
Subaru typically kept to himself during the breaks between classes. There was nobody to talk to, so he was content to pass the time by doing his own thing. He didn't typically mind the loneliness, but today it was suffocating.
While mindlessly strolling the halls, he was forcefully grabbed and slammed against a wall. The grip on his shoulder was rough, and the impact made him wince. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as his heart raced, his eyes focusing on the face that hovered inches away front of him.
"You sure are full of yourself, aren't you, meatbag?"
Subaru stared into crimson red eyes, nearly trembling at the sight of his aggressor's wicked smile. Quietly, he asked, "Who are you?"
The girl clicked her tongue, her grip on his shoulder tightening as she glared at him with contempt. "How dare you? How dare you?! How can you not know me, the beautiful, illustrious Capella?!"
He only blinked after hearing her name. His apprehension quickly faded as his mind scoured through memories, trying to find any correlation with her name. Before long, his face lit up with realization.
"Oh! I know you!" he exclaimed, momentarily disregarding his predicament. "You're that girl that always brings guys back to her house!"
Instead of taking offense at his remark, Capella adopted a prideful look. "That's right! Me, the lovely lady that all men worship and love with their entire being!"
Subaru, no longer intimidated, laughed at Capella's blatant delusions. "Are you trying to add me to the list?" He glanced away, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm flattered, but sorry, I'll pass."
"How dare you!" Capella growled, pushing him against the wall harder before aggressively grabbing his collar. "You think you can deny me?! Be grateful that this lovely lady is giving you a proper chance to show your undying loyalty and make up for your mistakes!"
She moved her face closer to his. He visibly cringed at the smell of her breath, attempting to move his head away, only to be blocked by the wall at his back. Capella was ignorant of his discomfort, continuing with her rantings.
"You think you're some hotshot, don't you, meatbag?" she asked, her tone cold and threatening. "You think you can confess to her while ignoring this lovely lady?"
Narrowing his eyes, Subaru retorted, "How do you even know about that? And why do you even care?"
Capella cackled, rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of his question. "As this lovely lady so kindly stated before, I'm giving you a chance to do what you should've done from the start: prove your undying loyalty to me!"
"Not happening," came his immediate reply. "If you want someone to love and worship you, then fine, but it's not going to be me."
The tone of his response irked Capella, making her brow twitch. She slammed Subaru against the wall again, attempting to make her point clear to him. "You don't get it, meatbag. I'm not giving you a choice."
Her expression changed, becoming more diabolically seductive. She sized him up, gazing up and down before humming sultrily. Licking her lips, she leaned in close and put her mouth to his ear.
"Don't worry. This lovely lady is very generous," she whispered. "We'll start slow, then we'll work up to a good pace."
Her fingers danced along his chest, giving him chills. The implication of her words frightened him, and he looked around in hopes of seeing someone willing to help.
How was she so comfortable saying these things? Why wasn't anybody stopping her?
To his utter horror, he was completely alone with her. Though the hallway had been bustling only minutes ago, it was completely barren now.
He could only relinquish himself to Capella's grasp as she snagged her prey. His breath hitched as he wondered why Capella was so free to do as she pleased. Even if other people were here, Subaru was sure that they would refuse to help him — a loser that nobody knew.
He clenched his fists with visible frustration. Capella noticed, her grin widening as she pulled her head away. Menacingly, she said, "Offer this lovely lady your lunch for the rest of the week."
Subaru stiffened at the sound of her deeper, more serious tone. That wasn't a request; it was an order — an order that he was being forced to accept.
In spite of his overwhelming desire to refuse, he knew that he couldn't. If nobody stopped her before, she wouldn't be stopped now. If he fought back, it would be him facing the music, not her.
Begrudgingly, Subaru slowly nodded his head. Capella cackled with glee, finally relinquishing her hold on him. She expectantly held out her hands to him, her eyelashes fluttering cutely as she beckoned, "Well?"
Subaru wordlessly reached into his bag, grabbing his bento box and pulling it out. He slowly brought it to Capella's hands, looking away before his heart could sink any further.
Capella quickly took it from him as her lips curved into a wicked smirk. "Good job, meatbag! Don't forget to have my offering tomorrow, too!"
She laughed and turned her back to him, skipping away like she had done no wrong. Subaru could only stand in place; his gaze lowered to the floor in shame as he fought back the urge to cry.
It hurt to have his mother's handmade bento stolen like that, but he couldn't fight back. Doing so would just get him in trouble. He couldn't thrust that burden upon his parents.
Subaru walked away in defeat, conscious of every stare he received on the way to his next class.
Subaru had never walked into the library so crushed and unmotivated before. Beatrice, who was already there, looked up with initial excitement, only to pause and frown at her friend's miserable attitude.
His movements were slow and sluggish as he took a seat across from her. She waited until he settled himself, taking notice of his dead gaze and how unfocused he seemed.
Bothered by the sight, she asked, "What's wrong, I wonder?"
When he gazed up at her, Beatrice could see the hurt behind his eyes. Her expression showed pity and concern as she patiently waited for his reply.
His lips parted, but he hesitated to speak. Sudden chills coursed through his body, making him feel cold and alone. Instead of saying anything, Subaru chose to focus on Beatrice's eyes.
Aware of his trepidation, Beatrice shifted with nervous anticipation. She started to shake, but her gaze remained firmly on him, hardening with a sense of purpose.
Just before he entered a daze, Beatrice reached across the table, putting her hand atop his. She did her best to give him a reassuring smile, his hesitation wavering at the sight.
Subaru quickly realized that he was being stupid for acting this way. Beatrice was getting worried for his sake, and she was trying her best to support him, just as she said she would.
Going back to school had been rough for Subaru. His lack of true friends throughout his life had taken a toll on him. He found himself becoming more self-conscious of himself and his problems out of fear that others would leave him behind for not living up to their expectations.
With Beatrice, he could be himself. He didn't have to hold himself back. She was his one true friend, and if he couldn't trust her, then who could he trust at all?
He also made her a promise — a promise that he intended to keep.
Taking a deep breath, Subaru told her everything. He told her the true extent of his worries — his regret of not listening to her the day before — and the full extent of what Capella did to him.
When he finally finished, Beatrice's expression froze. Subaru failed to discern her thoughts or emotions, and when she shook herself back to reality, she only stared at him.
She stood from her seat, her face blank as she walked around the table to his side. Without a word, she opened her arms and embraced him, her touch gentle and warm.
"Betty is sorry that you had to go through that," she said. "It must have been hard."
Although slowly, he returned the embrace. He smiled a little, his heart swelling with appreciation as he muttered, "Thanks for listening."
They were aware that they would look odd in the eyes of any potential onlookers, but they hardly cared. For the moment, they chose to bask in the comfort of their bond.
After finally separating, Beatrice was the first to speak. "Do you trust me, Subaru?"
"Without a doubt," he replied, causing Beatrice to adorn the brightest smile he'd ever seen.
She casted that happiness away in exchange for focus, her expression stilling to become more neutral and serious. "Let her take your lunch again tomorrow, I suppose."
Subaru's heart skipped a beat. He was ready to retort and argue against her suggestion, but the firm look in her eyes made him rethink that decision.
"I know that you won't like it," she began, putting a hand to her heart, "but I promise, after tomorrow, everything will sort itself out."
With some reservation, Subaru asked, "You think she'll lose interest in me? Just like that?"
Beatrice paused, seeming hesitant for a second before facing him with certainty. "Yes. Betty is positive that she will leave you alone after tomorrow, in fact."
Though he was doubtful, Subaru chose to place his trust in Beatrice's resolve. She seemed confident in her suggestion, and he knew that she would never intentionally try to hurt him.
Beatrice knew the school and the other students a lot better than him. If she was confident that Capella would lose interest, then he was inclined to believe her.
Despite that, he was still nagged by an immense guilt. It felt awful to willingly forgo his mother's bento.
Beatrice took a seat beside him. She reached for her bag from across the table, hoisting it up before rummaging through it and taking out her own lunch.
Subaru watched as she held a sandwich in her hands. She tore it in half with ease and offered it to him without a second thought. With a small smile, she said, "Betty will prepare more for you tomorrow, too, I suppose."
Stunned, Subaru was reluctant to take the offered half. Beatrice giggled, gesturing it to him in an attempt to coax him into taking it. Her expression shifted teasingly, causing him to eventually cave under the pressure. He grabbed it slowly before taking a bite, much to Beatrice's satisfaction.
The library was devoid of any activity, leaving them alone to eat together in silence. Once they were finished with their food, Beatrice offered him a tissue as she eyed him curiously.
"You have Mother's class after this, right?"
Subaru groaned, accepting the offered tissue before wiping his face. "Yeah, I do."
She sympathetically patted his arm. "Good luck, I suppose."
With a sigh, he grimly stated, "I really don't get what her deal is with me."
Echidna was one of the weirdest people he'd ever met. She was already a particularly odd teacher, but her actions toward him specifically proved that even further.
He was initially surprised to hear that Beatrice and Echidna were related. Beatrice revealed the truth to him upon his first visit to her house, where he subsequently witnessed Echidna in lax, casual clothing. The sight scarred him for life.
Beatrice explained that Echidna was her adoptive mother and introduced Subaru as her friend. Since that day, Echidna's actions toward him have changed. Subaru was even tempted to suggest that she had developed an obsession with him.
Echidna would insist that he become her private student. She claimed that he "had potential," but her words would always come across as weirdly flirty, coupled with a blatant inconsideration of his feelings and personal space.
Subaru would always refuse. He had no reason to accept, and her typical approach tended to give him a bad feeling.
According to Beatrice, Echidna was acting so enthralled with him because she found him interesting. Subaru couldn't bring himself to care, as her quirky nature creeped him out too much. He sought to avoid her company whenever possible.
Subaru typically refrained from visiting Beatrice's home for that reason. Whenever they wanted to visit each other, Beatrice was always the one to make the trip. She never minded that, even insisting that it was for the best.
Attending Echidna's classes wasn't an overly dreadful experience, but he was still reluctant to go regardless. At the very least, it could serve as another distraction from his ongoing issue with Capella.
Breaking out of his thoughts, Subaru thought to change the subject. One particular thing came to mind as he faced Beatrice excitedly. "Did you see the announcement this morning?"
"Of course." Beatrice looked at him proudly. "They're making our favorite anime into a movie, I suppose. How could Betty not have seen it?
With an eager glint in his eye, he asked, "Have you seen the preview?"
Wistfully sighing, she replied, "Alas, I have not, I suppose."
"Good, because I haven't either." He gave her a cheeky grin. "Wanna come over tonight and watch it with me?"
Beatrice turned to him happily and looked ready to agree, but she abruptly stopped herself. She glanced to the side for a second before adjusting her composure, stating, "Sorry, but Betty will be busy tonight, I suppose."
Albeit disappointed, Subaru hummed in acceptance. "Tomorrow then?"
"Tomorrow works great, in fact." She nodded confidently before turning and pointing a finger at him. "Will you be able to wait that long, I wonder?"
Slightly red in the face, Subaru tried to hide his embarrassment. "Of— Of course! I have the patience of a saint!"
With a light huff, she faced away from him. Beatrice crossed her arms before giving him a side-eyed stare. "Good. Watching it without Betty would be an unforgivable act, I suppose."
Subaru had no intention of breaking his word, but he still gulped under the pressure of her gaze. It was definitely going to be a difficult task, as the preview was bound to stir up plenty of conversation amongst the school.
Today may have been a free pass due to its fresh release, but tomorrow was open season. He and Beatrice would have to cover their ears in order to avoid any spoilers.
He casted those thoughts away, opting to give her a playful nudge. "You're definitely just as excited for this as I am."
"B-Betty is not that excited!"
She nudged him back with a bit more force. He just laughed and exclaimed, "You can't hide it! I know you too well!"
Beatrice groaned with faux annoyance. She tried to hide it, but the big grin on her face revealed her true feelings. Subaru just laughed some more, and the two continued with their banter until the lunch period came to an end.
Strangely, Beatrice walked with him all the way to Echidna's classroom. As he got settled in his seat, Beatrice and Echidna spoke by the door. After a minute passed, Beatrice left, and Echidna strode into the room with a demeanor that he could only describe as different.
Echidna acted in a way that was notably easygoing and pleasant. Her gaze found him frequently throughout the class, but she would never call on him. Instead, her smile would widen as she gave him a knowing look.
Subaru found it weird, as Echidna was a teacher who took knowledge and learning very seriously. This behavior during an active class was unusual.
Nobody else seemed to notice her subtle oddities. It made Subaru wonder if he was overthinking things, but as the class progressed, he was sure that he wasn't. Something was definitely up with her, but he couldn't figure out what.
The end of the day came sooner than expected. Beatrice was nowhere to be found — which he assumed was likely due to whatever business she had to do — so he found himself walking home alone. When he reached his house, he greeted his parents, talked to them for a while, and then unwound in his room.
His curiosity eventually got the better of him. He opened his phone, navigating to Beatrice's contact before his fingers danced along the keys.
"Your mother was acting weird during class today"
He sent the message, then waited. After a few seconds, he realized that it sounded bad without more context. His fingers dashed to type more.
"She kept looking at me funny. It was different than usual"
"Did something happen?"
He set his phone down and waited by occupying himself with other things. It took a few minutes for his phone to ding, but when it did, he hurriedly picked it up.
"Betty will tell her off for you."
Subaru just furrowed a brow at the response but didn't question it too much. He replied with a simple thanks before choosing to focus on his schoolwork for the rest of the day.
When night came, Subaru's anticipation for the next day had returned. Although he was worried for what was to come, he felt reassured by the support of his best friend. As long as he wasn't alone, he could face anything.
