The next day, with Ruby's help, Thilan met Huna.
From her appearance, Huna seemed to be of mixed heritage. Her hair was dark, but her eye sockets were deep-set, and the inner layers of her hair were dyed red, giving off a rebellious vibe. Her slightly elongated eyeliner accentuated the upward curve of her eyes, exuding a sense of aggression and impact.
"So, you're Thilan? I've heard of you, the girl who's always with Dolores," she said, crossing her arms and giving the black-haired girl a somewhat challenging look.
The three of them were currently in a rose garden on campus, filled with roses of various colors, predominantly black and blue.
"Do you need something? I doubt it's anything good," Huna frowned slightly.
Although the girl in front of her didn't seem aggressive, she didn't like her. From her demeanor, it was clear they weren't cut from the same cloth.
Some people are like that. The light they radiate can sting those standing in the shadows—whether it's envy, jealousy, or disgust, these emotions naturally arise because their existence highlights one's own failures and steals the attention that should have been theirs.
Huna didn't like people like Thilan—those well-behaved, top-performing students, innocent yet hypocritical. But she also knew that, in the eyes of society, such girls were more popular, which only deepened her dislike and resentment.
"Uh, although this is our first meeting, I don't think we have any grudges against each other," Thilan spoke up.
"We didn't before, but now we probably do. My intuition is pretty accurate," Huna turned her face away.
It seems that trying to reason with her is wishful thinking, Thilan thought.
"Actually, I came here to persuade Huna to leave the Indigo Cornflower Club," Thilan decided not to beat around the bush and stated her purpose directly.
"Oh, bold of you. Are you trying to provoke me?" Huna frowned, while Ruby, standing beside them, remained silent, trusting that Thilan would find a way to convince Huna.
"No, I just want to say that staying in this club isn't a good choice right now."
"My business is none of your concern."
"The academy won't interfere with students' freedom to participate in activities, but the actions of the Indigo Cornflower Club have clearly affected the academy's reputation and the futures of other students. This isn't just about you anymore."
"Everyone has to take responsibility for their words and actions. Because of the academy's protection, we don't have to worry about external pressures, but many students will graduate and face various challenges in society. If the academy's reputation is tarnished, they'll have a hard time too," Thilan carefully chose her words, though she felt the chances of success were slim.
"Their futures are none of my business. If they work hard enough to get into prestigious universities, who cares which high school they went to?" Huna clearly wasn't buying it.
With that, she turned to leave. Watching her walk away, Thilan didn't stop her, which surprised Ruby.
"Aren't you going to stop her?"
"No, let her go," Thilan sighed.
She hadn't expected today's negotiation to go so poorly. Huna had been hostile and resistant from the start, making it impossible for Thilan to use the arguments she had prepared.
The power of words is weak. If mere words could change everything, wars and violence wouldn't exist.
Should she threaten Huna? She could certainly do that, whether by leveraging the academy's authority or using Lady Isabella's connections in the music and entertainment industry.
However, unless absolutely necessary, she didn't want to resort to such measures, simply because she despised such behavior.
"Let's go see Pecosy instead. Hopefully, that will go more smoothly."
That evening, Thilan and Pecosy sat in a warmly lit restaurant on campus.
Pecosy had long golden hair, though compared to Evony's, hers was a softer chestnut shade. The young lady was dressed in a light blue and white outfit, appearing much more gentle and polite than Huna.
"I think I know why you're here, Thilan. I can agree to leave the club," Pecosy said, surprising Thilan right from the start.
"However, I hope you'll give Sesaron a chance to redeem herself," she added, gently cutting a piece of cake and offering it to Thilan.
"Why do you say that?" Thilan was puzzled.
"You probably don't know this yet, but you're likely to take over Amorth's position, right?" Thilan didn't deny this.
"I know. You're practically the designated next student council president. Not only that, but several top first-year students are already gathering around you, and the teachers speak highly of you," she explained slowly.
"Barring any surprises, in the next few years, you'll gradually become the leader among the students, and everyone will rally around you. Sesaron, on the other hand, will be ostracized and disliked because of this incident. Once she graduates, she'll lose the academy's protection and find it hard to fit into her peers' circles. She'll likely have a tough time."
"This isn't me being malicious; there are plenty of precedents, especially for someone like Sesaron, who has offended many people during her time at the academy. Her family background isn't strong enough to fully protect her either."
"If Pecosy knew this beforehand, why didn't she stop her?" Thilan asked.
"I tried to persuade her, but you know, even as a friend, there's a limit to how direct and harsh you can be. I couldn't stop her; that's just her personality."
"Because her family isn't at the top, and her father's company is gradually declining, she's more desperate than the average student to seek attention. She's also hoping to build connections through the club to prepare for life after graduation."
"Surprising, isn't it? Despite her arrogant and domineering appearance, she's actually very anxious and particularly sensitive about her pride. She can't tolerate anyone challenging her and always seeks to maintain an advantageous position," Pecosy revealed what she had long understood.
"People can be strange like that. If I hadn't seen through her true nature, I might have disliked her too. But because I understand the anxiety and vulnerability deep inside her, I can be more forgiving of her flaws," Pecosy finished her cake in small bites, then set down her fork and looked at the girl across from her.
"Originally, I thought about trying to persuade her to change her style or take her on a trip to avoid the public backlash. But since you've come to me, I'll let things take their natural course."
Pecosy, truly... Thilan found it hard to describe the girl in front of her. She seemed gentle but also exceptionally rational, without a competitive or confrontational spirit, as if everything should follow its natural course, with only a little guidance.
If I didn't have the expectations and responsibilities given by the academy, I might have acted similarly, Thilan thought.
Shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, Thilan agreed.
"If Sesaron can sincerely apologize and reform, I can give her a chance to redeem herself. I won't let others bully her easily either."
Pecosy watched Thilan's response, then slowly stood up and bowed slightly.
"Thank you, Thilan. Please give me three days. I'll do my best to persuade Sesaron."
"As for the public apology, I'll accompany her. It'll make it easier for her. As for Huna, I hope you won't take her words to heart. She has her own struggles. Her mother, after the divorce, raised her alone and placed high expectations on her, constantly pushing and guiding her. The only time she can relax is when she's having fun in the club, so she's very resistant to the idea of disbanding it."
After saying this, Pecosy waved goodbye and left in her hovercar.
Although Sesaron's behavior was inappropriate, having a friend like Pecosy by her side was truly something to envy.