Chapter Text
Private academies became more common nowadays. Parents wanted their children to be more independent (or they just really wanted to get rid of them). In one of those academies far away in the north ended up Lumine. Her parents sent her unbelievably early at the age of 11( most of the kids were sent to those schools around the age of 14-15) her class only consisted of about 10-15 people every year and they were always the only class per entire grade. However, this helped the girl to excel in all of her studies and even more and by the time she was a freshman she skipped 2 grades and ended up in junior classes that’s when she met Ajax. Lumine was always the nerd kid in her class and often got picked on by her fellow classmates when it came to any of the class activities.
Also because she was younger the classmates usually picked on her for being a “show off” and even physically pushed her a lot when the teachers weren’t around. The teachers were aware of this situation but always chose to do nothing…. What could they do about 16-year-olds who were twice their height and their parents paid grants to get into this school, Lumine was the only one with a scholarship it didn’t matter if she left or stayed in the class. Nevertheless, Lumine was an extremely persistent student and no matter the bullying always stayed on top of the class. Back to Ajax. He joined the school when Lumine was a Freshman and he was a sophomore, but because she skipped a class they ended up in the same grade as well as many similar classes because both of them wanted to take business and finance in university and the school offered a lot of business-related subject to boost their AP and chances of getting into the university. First of all, Lumine saw Ajax as a rival, even though he paid grants to get into the school he never bragged about his parents' wealth and was always at the top of the class(after Lumine but he never told his parents that.)
After about a month or two of being in the same classes, Ajax started noticing how tough Lumine’s life was and how cruel were their classmates. The first time he saw Lumine being beaten up in the hallway he didn’t do anything and just walked through. The second time, however, he absolutely snapped and beaten up the bullies and offered Lumine a hand. Her eyes were still filled with tears but for the first time, Ajax saw her smile. Some kind of butterflies filled his stomach at that second and he felt some sort of weird heart pain? But it was a nice feeling he couldn’t explain and decided to ignore. Lumine stood up and sincerely thanked Ajax for his help. “Is it okay… To give you a hug as my thank you? I also can treat you for dinner sometime if you wish? I saved up some money this month and wouldn’t mind going out… with a friend for us… You see I don’t have many” She started staring down at her feet and with her left hand put one of her pieces of hair behind her ear. Ajax was awestruck. This girl was unbelievably cute and honest how could anyone bully her?! He really didn’t want her spending his money, if he tried spending all his money himself it’d take centuries, he didn’t need anyone paying for him.
“Hmm,” Ajax said out loud. “How about I treat you to dinner instead? Like a date, if you don’t mind” His face was all flustered. Did he really just say that. Lumine’s cheeks turned as red as beetroot and her eyes started running on the walls, she was so cute. “Um… If you want to? This isn’t a trap right?... I’d love to though….” Ajax grabbed one of her hands in both of his and said “Yes! Yes if that’s alright umm can I have your number” Lumine took her phone out and put some numbers in and then handed it over to Ajax, he entered some numbers in and kissed her digits he was holding in both of his hands. “Well if everything goes well I’ll see you this Friday evening!”
Lumine walked away from this encounter with a smug on her face. Even though she pretended, for the most part, to be innocent and all flustered she wasn’t at all. What many didn’t know Lumine took taekwondo classes outside the school grounds in a club that none of the people from the school attended, yes it was a bit further away but it was cheaper and she didn’t have to see any of her classmates there. One of the other reasons she never fought back was for no one to realize what she was up to. “Talk less and smile more” was her ultimate strategy for no one knowing what she was again and what she was for. First of all her “date” with Ajax she saw more of a business opportunity, she knew he was the second top kid in class but she also knew that just like her he was mainly a lone wolf. No one ever would beat him up though. Ajax was an extremely intimidating member of the archer club in the school and was an excellent shooter that has performed on a national level before, he dropped it all for his career in business but still continued to take the classes to leave it as a hobby of his. Ajax hasn’t noticed it but Lumine always kept an eye on him, there weren’t many classmates around who were so mature (she would never admit it out loud but she did think he was handsome) and she didn’t understand why he chose the lone wolf status when so many people around him wanted to be his friend. Lumine didn’t pick the lone wolf status she was forced into it, if she did have friends she’d be more open with them about her goals and beliefs but she didn’t even have anyone to share her dorm with!! That was very unfair.
(Ajax’s perspective)
Lumine caught Ajax’s attention on the first award night when she got the subject award in Business in her Freshman year. Lumine’s blonde hair and amber eyes really drawn Ajax’s attention towards her persona, but upon further investigation of her personality, he realized how much people hated her and for no reason at all. Being smarter and more mature wasn’t a very good reason to have such strong loathing towards someone, was it? He wanted to become friends with Lumine but thought that she must push him away from her, so he decided instead of confronting her and asking her one on one, Ajax could help her out in some way and when he saw his classmates beating her up he took the chance.
Never in his life, Ajax prepared for the date as much as he did for Lumine’s date. He felt that this was like winning over an enemy territory that has never been explored before and he doesn’t know the weaknesses or strengths of. Ajax was very spooked and terrified but he went on multiple dates before and thought that a nice glaze Lilly would do the job. He absolutely adored those flowers and thought they’d look really nice in a wreath on her forehead. Ajax couldn’t stop imagining Lumine in an amber-colored wrap dress with her hair out and glaze lily wreath on her forehead. One thing lead to another and he imagined her spread on his bed, Lumine’s hands on her shoulder level splayed out in a shape of a “w” and his hands intertwined within those, he would kiss her and start taking Lumine’s dress off… He should stop that, he was a man after all but Ajax shouldn’t have those thoughts before their first date even begun.