Beatrice blinked in surprise at her stern voice.
"Oh," she realized that it was not because of her words that Harmony reacted this way.
Instead, because of her voice and the way she looked. She was able to tell because of how all of them are looking at her.
"Uhmmm, I really did not mean it in a self-deprecating way. I mean, I may look like it and may sound like it. But I seriously just felt that you are amazing and that I should strive for more."
Beatrice struggled to find a way to explain herself.
"Well, I think I do understand what Beatrice meant," Justin stepped forward and spoke up.
"You are amazing, and even though a part of us felt jealousy and inferiority, we are not seeing it negatively. Instead, it gave us a boost. That's what I think Beatrice meant."
He looked at Beatrice, and Beatrice nodded her head vigorously.
"That's what I mean," she added.
Harmony thought for a bit.
"You know, everything is not about talent. Both of you have it, be glad about that. What you can do now is to just keep on improving what you already have."
She then added with a solemn look, "Don't try to run after me, I am stopping now. I won't improve anymore."
Before anyone could speak, she once again said, "I think I need to go to the bathroom. I will be back."
She left without waiting for any of them to say anything, and once she was inside the bathroom, she couldn't help but fully sigh in relief.
She was expecting more anger or indifference, yet she received such a reaction. She actually did not know what to feel because this was the very first time she tried reaching out to others in her whole life.
The connections she has were all for the purpose of gaining something from one another. None of it was genuine.
She looked at her phone when a message arrived.
'And?'
She found herself chuckling before replying.
'It seems I actually found such genuine, wonderful people.'
'Be careful.'
She pursed her lips.
'I know. No one must know, especially because of the Lockhart young master.'
'Together with your plan. Are we pushing through?'
She turned serious.
'That will never be changed. I will push through with it no matter what happens.'
Even if she had decided to reach out, her plan would have pushed through because she wouldn't give up on her future no matter what.
Soon, all messages were deleted.
'Cold,' she thought.
'Ice seriously suits you more than me.'
Ice and Hymn were the names they came up with as their code names, childish as it may seem, but it is better than using their names.
On the other hand, after she left the room…
"I guess, she never had a talent in the end."
They looked at Gabriel, who spoke.
"Her words meant that she had put a lot of effort into allowing her to become as good as she is in everything that she does."
"I suppose all those times she looked pale are the times she had pushed her body to its limit just so she could keep up with the expectations surrounding her," Shawn followed.
There was this heavy air surrounding them, realizing that Harmony must have her plate full all the time. As they focused on only one thing, she focused on many.
"Anyway, there is one thing about her words," Gabriel added.
They looked at him.
"The future is uncertain. She wants to reach out to us in the present, but that doesn't mean the future would be the same."
"Indeed," Shawn also realized this now.
She had spoken those words from the very beginning.
The future for her is uncertain in this aspect.
"So you also needed to decide regarding this matter," Gabriel reminded.
"On how much we can bet on this friendship with her, is what you are saying, right?" Kathrine replied.
Gabriel looked at her.
Kathrine smiled, "It doesn't matter whether the future she can offer us is unsure, right now just as what she had said, I feel that it is worthwhile to treat her genuinely despite the limited time we could spend with her."
"I agree to that," Beatrice followed.
Kenneth and Justin looked at one another before nodding their heads.
"Indeed, even with that, it is fine," Kenneth said.
Gabriel and Shawn looked at one another before smiling.
They were the ones who had wished to seriously befriend her. Though they won't compare it to Beatrice and Kathrine's desire, but at the very least, they were able to remind the rest of them of what may happen with their relationship with Harmony.
Soon, Harmony returned, and they spent time together for dinner, except for Beatrice, who had something else she needed to do and ended the call after bidding them goodbye.
As the three of them were on their way back to City D, Harmony fell asleep.
"I will support her no matter what, that's the decision I came up with after pondering over everything I realized about her," Shawn said to Gabriel while looking at the sleeping Harmony.
"I see. I will keep watching then," Gabriel replied.
Though he felt the same, especially when he started seeing her as a younger sister during the times they spent in the library.
The more he interacted with her, the more he felt like watching over her.
That is why he will keep on watching, whether Shawn would become another pressure on her or would he really be able to help her this time.
Gabriel will keep on watching.