I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 353  [Nyrel Loyster] Flashback [6]

”Come on, Nyr! Get up!” Epheraʼs voice rang out as she tugged at Nyrelʼs hand, urging him to rise from his seat.

As soon as the class ended, Ephera made a beeline for Nyrelʼs desk, determined to get his attention.

”Why?” Nyrel asked, neatly stowing away his belongings while trying to maintain a facade of normalcy, aware of Jayceʼs piercing glare from behind.

”I need to buy something, and I donʼt want to go alone!” Ephera explained.

”But your brother—” Nyrel began, only to be cut off abruptly.

”Oops, I have to go!” Emric said, swiftly making his exit.

Nyrel was left speechless by the sudden turn of events. It seemed Emric was under the impression that Ephera harbored romantic feelings for him so he decided to help his sister by not coming between them. Meanwhile, Nyrel was convinced that Epheraʼs persistent attempts to be close to him stemmed from her fatherʼs twisted and unsettling fixation on him. Despite it having been two years, Ephera showed no signs of letting up. If anything, her clinginess only seemed to intensify with time.

Normally, Nyrel would have rebuffed any woman exhibiting such behavior and hidden intentions, but inexplicably, he found it difficult to harbor any negative feelings towards Ephera.

”Pretty please?” Ephera pleaded once more, her hands clasped together. With her captivating beauty, it was hard for any man to refuse her, and even more so for Nyrel.

Any other woman displaying such clinginess and ulterior motives would have been swiftly rejected by Nyrel, possibly even angering him. Yet, for some reason, he couldnʼt bring himself to feel anything but a strange fondness for Ephera.

She seemed genuine around him.

”Do you want to come, Shayna?” Nyrel relented, turning to ask Shayna, who was hurriedly packing her things.

”Ah, sorry, Nyr! Today Iʼm going to see my little brother! He must be waiting for me!” Shayna exclaimed happily. Despite feeling a pang of envy towards Epheraʼs relationship, Shayna couldnʼt bear to miss her reunion with her adopted brother, her only family.

As Nyrel looked at Shayna, he recalled what Marcel had said.

Shayna had killed her adoptive parents and had undergone a similar reeducation process as him. However, over the past two years, Nyrel had learned a lot about Shayna, and one thing he was certain of was her deep love for her adoptive brother, and it seemed the feeling was mutual; otherwise, they wouldnʼt be allowed to meet.

If Shayna had committed such a serious act, Nyrel thought, there must have been a reason behind it. He had no intention of severing his relationship with Shayna just because of that. After all, she was the first friend he had made here and he knew that in some situation, even the greatest saint might be overwhelmed by hatred. ”Come on!” With a cheerful grin, Ephera tugged on Nyrelʼs arm, coaxing him out of the classroom with a contagious enthusiasm that he couldnʼt help but succumb to, albeit with a resigned sigh trailing behind him.

As they stepped out into the schoolyard, Ephera halted abruptly, her eyes gleaming mischievously. ”Hold on a second!” she exclaimed, positioning Nyrel in front of the school building.

Nyrel raised an eyebrow in mild exasperation. ”Whatʼs going on now?” he asked.

Epheraʼs grin widened as she reached up to remove Nyrelʼs glasses, eliciting a protest of ”Oy.” from him.

”Just wait a moment!” Ephera insisted, as she proceeded to adjust Nyrelʼs attire, loosening his tie and smoothing down his shirt that had ridden up, then deftly fixing his tousled hair.

After a minute or so of fussing, Ephera stepped back, nodding to herself in satisfaction. ”There, much better!” she declared triumphantly.

Nyrel couldnʼt help but roll his eyes, as he replaced his glasses with eye contacts. ”Whatʼs gotten into you?” he questioned, though there was a tinge of softness in his gaze as he met Epheraʼs grin.

”You donʼt have to put on a facade with me,” Ephera said earnestly, her blue eyes alight with sincerity. ”You can just be yourself, no need to conform to anyone elseʼs expectations.”

Nyrel looked at her silently. Since the loss of his family, Ephera had been a steadfast source of care and understanding, a rare beacon of light in his darkened world as much he tried to deny it.

”Youʼre too clingy,” Nyrel said lightly, a feeble attempt to mask what was welling within him as he turned away, hands slipping into his pockets.

Epheraʼs pout was swift to follow as she sidled up to Nyrel, nudging his shoulder playfully. ”Hey, donʼt leave me behind!” she chided playfully.

”You are noisy.” ”Only toward Nyr.”

”Iʼve already told you, your attempts at seduction wonʼt sway me anymore. Maybe itʼs time to try a different approach,” Nyr said wearily.

Ephera fell silent, her lips parting slightly as she absorbed Nyrʼs words. She couldnʼt help but notice the subtle shifts in his demeanor towards her, changes that were becoming increasingly apparent. And strangely, it delighted her to see these new facets of him, reserved solely for her.

She reveled in the satisfaction and sheer happiness that surged within her at the realization that Nyr was opening up to her in ways he hadnʼt before. Although she couldnʼt deny a twinge of envy at the thought of Shayna, who had once received similar expressions from him. But now, it seemed, Nyrʼs attentions were more focused on her.

As whispers fluttered around them, Ephera glanced around, noting how all eyes seemed to be drawn to their dynamic. She was no stranger to admiration; her own beauty often garnered attention. Yet, it was Nyrʼs presence that seemed to captivate everyone as much as her.

A smug grin crept onto her face as she stuck close to Nyr, reveling in the attention they commanded together.

Nyr furrowed his brow slightly, a hint of awkwardness flickering across his features as Ephera persisted in playfully nudging his shoulder, attempting to tease him. He had asked her to stop such antics before, but she seemed to have a penchant for ignoring his requests. Nevertheless, he had grown accustomed to her playful gestures, and they no longer bothered him as they once had.

”Where are we going?” Nyr asked, steering the conversation back to their original purpose.

”Weʼre buying a game,” Ephera replied nonchalantly, her tone betraying no hint of hesitation.

Nyrʼs reaction was one of sheer disbelief. He had never pegged Ephera as a girl who would be into gaming.

Despite her penchant for teasing him relentlessly, she exuded a distinctly feminine aura, leading Nyr to assume her interests lay more in traditionally girly pursuits. While he certainly didnʼt subscribe to the notion that gaming was exclusively for boys, it was still somewhat surprising to learn of Epheraʼs enthusiasm for it.

”A game?” Nyr echoed, his raised eyebrow conveying his skepticism.

”Yes, a game!” Ephera affirmed vehemently, nodding her head.

”Are you serious? Youʼre not pulling my leg, are you?” Nyr questioned, suspicious.

Ephera shook her head adamantly. ”No, Iʼm dead serious. And no, Iʼm not calling you out as a nerd who can help me with this,” she retorted, a hint of playful exasperation in her voice.

Nyr grimaced at the mention of the word ʼnerd,ʼ reminding him of the taunts he had endured from Jayce and others in their class, who often mocked his appearance and interests.

”You know Iʼm not a nerd, right? Then why me?” Nyr asked for clarification as they boarded the crowded bus.

”Then why not you?” Ephera countered, her gaze fixed on him with a curious intensity, her proximity to him increasing due to the lack of space on the bus.

Nyr shifted uncomfortably, grasping onto a nearby bar for support as he avoided meeting Epheraʼs gaze directly. ”Youʼre putting me in a bit of a tight spot. Jayce has been quite pissed off toward me for two years now,” he said.

Ephera rolled her eyes, a smirk playing at her lips. ”Why are you bringing up Jayce now? Are you scared of him?” She teased, her tone laced with amusement.

Nyrʼs expression darkened slightly at the mention of Jayce.

Ephera smiled, noticing that.

From the outset, she had known that Nyr wasnʼt one to back down from anyone, least of all Jayce. She was pretty sure that the only reason he wasnʼt retaliating to Jayce was because the latter was the son of a bigshot.

”Huh...?” Nyrʼs voice cut through the hum of the bus, drawing Epheraʼs attention.

His gaze was fixed on a figure at the far end of the bus, a black-haired man with dark eyes. In that fleeting moment, he bore a striking resemblance to Leon.

”Nyr?” Ephera called out, but he seemed oblivious to her.

”Excuse me, move, I need to pass,” Nyr said, as he pushed his way through the crowd, determined to reach the end of the bus.

”Hey!” Protested the people he displaced, but Nyr paid them no mind, his focus solely on the figure at the rear.

”You...” Nyrʼs hand extended tentatively towards the person, his heart pounding in his chest.

”Eh?” The person looked up, revealing a young woman who appeared startled by Nyrʼs sudden approach.

An awkward silence enveloped the bus as all eyes turned towards Nyr and the woman.

”Is there something wrong?” The woman asked nervously, her eyes darting between Nyr and the curious onlookers.

”Maybe he wants your number?” A man from the neighboring seat said, eliciting a chuckle from those around him.

”Sorry, but this girlʼs taken,” a dark skinned young man said, wrapping an arm around the womanʼs shoulder with a grin.

”Y-Yanis! Donʼt embarrass us!” The dark skinned woman protested, her cheeks heating with embarrassment.

”Just being a protective boyfriend, Marlene. Canʼt have this guy getting any ideas,” Yanis said, his tone teasing.

”Thereʼs no need for that,” Ephera intervened, her voice tinged with a hint of coldness as she appeared behind Nyr, her grip firm on his arm, though her smile failed to reach her eyes.

Marleneʼs gaze drifted to Ephera, admiring her beauty like the others in the vicinity. ”Wow...” She breathed softly.

”Are you his girlfriend? Did he try to hit on my girlfriend while you were with him? Ahaha!” Yanis joked, earning a glare from Marlene.

”He didnʼt, did you, Nyr?” Ephera asked, turning to Nyr, who seemed bewildered by the turn of events.

He had been lost in his own thoughts, grappling with the unsettling realization that he had once again mistaken someone else for Leon. It wasnʼt the first time heʼd experienced such hallucinations, and each occurrence left him feeling more disconcerted than the last.

ʼAm I becoming mad…?ʼ

”Sorry...” Nyrʼs apology hung in the air, his gaze clouded with a mix of emotions.

Yanis regarded Nyr with a curious stare, while Marlene let out a weary sigh. ”He looks upset...”

”More like heʼs a few screws loose,” Yanis said with a chuckle that didnʼt please Ephera.

”Really? Look at yourself. All muscles and no brains, huh?” Ephera fired back, her words laced with sarcasm.

Yanis narrowed his eyes, his tattoos accentuating his dark-skinned, muscular frame, giving him a rough, intimidating appearance. Despite his rugged good looks, it was hard to fathom how the gentle and beautiful Marlene ended up with such a brash character.

”..what did you say?” Yanis narrowed his dark eyes.

”You heard me,” Ephera continued, before attempting to pull Nyr away from the escalating confrontation.

”Hold on a minute. Tell your messed-up boyfriend to apologize to Marlene first. Heʼs the one causing trouble,” Yanis insisted, his tone growing colder.

Marlene attempted to placate Yanis, but he brushed off her attempts, his gaze fixed on Ephera with a mixture of defiance and aggression.

Ephera met his stare with a snort. ”Looks like brains are clearly not your strong suit.”

”Youʼre asking for it!” Yanis raised his hand as if to push Ephera, but before he could act, Nyr swiftly intervened, grabbing Yanisʼs arm with a firm grip.

”Iʼve already apologized,” Nyr stated icily, his gaze cold as he locked eyes with Yanis.

Tension crackled within the confines of the bus as the surrounding passengers instinctively edged away, sensing the imminent confrontation.

”You brats! Get off my bus!!!” the driverʼs voice boomed angrily, the doors swinging open in invitation.

Without hesitation, Nyr and Ephera wasted no time in exiting the bus, the tension lingering in the air behind them.

Yanis clicked his tongue in irritation as he followed suit, Marlene trailing close behind, her expression a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

”Where the heck did that bastard drop us?” Yanis muttered, annoyed looking around him. There were a few houses around with a road ahead but that was all.

”Whose fault?” Marlened asked, crossing her arms angrily.

”R–Right.” Yanis scratched his hair awkwardly before his gaze went ahead.

Nyr and Ephera were walking ahead seemingly knowing where to go.

”Letʼs follow them.” ”DONʼT FIGHT.” Marlene said with a stare.

”I-I know!” Yanis retorted to his girlfriend.