She scurried off him like a startled rabbit, landing on all fours in the snow.

"I...I..."

She tried to speak, but then she saw the giggling Nova, and White, who simply had the corner of his lips shifted slightly in an amused grin.

"I’m sorry..."

She whispered.

"It’s fine."

Nova said, and they both watched her rise to her feet,

"See you in class."

She said, disappearing into the distance.

Nova did not attempt to follow, clinging harder to White.

"You sure it’s okay?"

He whispered into her ears, as her eyebrows fluttered open once more.

"She missed you... just like I did. So, it’s okay... just this once."

She added, and White chuckled.

A girl without jealousy?

That didn’t exist... definitely not on Earth.

"How’s Xtremecyber been in the last half a year?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Any problems with an instructor, or is there another Rukun lurking around the students?"

White asked.

"What did you plan to do if there was?"

She asked.

"I’d strangle them."

Nova laughed before replying.

"You know Instructor Mimura?"

She asked, and White paused.

"The... angry twin?"

He asked as she giggled.

"Yes. That angry one."

"She is my tutor. She chose me to be her student after she relayed the news of you dying."

"Wanted to help me recover from that, but the point is, I don’t have any problems at all with the instructors."

She said as White nodded slowly.

"The closest thing to a problem I have is the guys trying to court me."

She said, and a grin appeared on the corner of White’s lip as he asked,

"Did any of them manage to catch your eye?"

To that, she tilted her head slightly to look at him from below before asking,

"Did any girl manage to catch your eye since our last night together?"

White thought about it, and his answer was an obvious no.

The first three girls he had met in Xtremecyber, he had ripped off their heads, and the Supernatural lady he had danced with on the ship?

He had blown up the ship after most likely killing her.

So, no, there was no one in his heart after.

"You have your answer..."

Nova said with pride, and it took only a second before White understood her reference.

It was a no.

"Tell me about you... what you’ve become."

She said to him, as one of her fingers lightly traced his sharp jaw.

"It was supposed to be a simple Interschool Exchange."

White began his explanation.

"But the school was destroyed by the Supernaturals."

"Vice Mimura told me everyone died."

Nova said.

"Almost everyone. I survived, fell into the sea after an explosion, and a Humanity Ascension Powerhouse picked up on my energy."

"My body was dying and beyond repair, so they separated my soul and consciousness away from it."

"It took six months before my soul was able to recover, after which I was fused with this body."

Though he left out some parts, the summary was still enough for Nova to get the full picture.

"You’ve been afraid, weren’t you? Afraid I wouldn’t want this new you?"

Nova asked.

"You hesitated to touch me... twice."

She added, and White didn’t respond, a silent affirmation.

The truth was, he had indeed been afraid.

The officials back in Humanity Ascension had a scowl on their faces at the sight of him, though that also had something to do with Commander Zoltan.

Still, it wasn’t exactly a good thing for White.

When he had come to the academy, he did indeed have a twist in his stomach.

What if she wouldn’t accept him?

He knew the hard history she had with the Supernaturals.

Why would she ever accept someone who looked exactly like one, if not even worse?

He was scared of it, and that was why he had chosen to appear quietly and hesitated to touch her after.

"The only thing I wouldn’t accept, White, is something without your soul."

"If you keep it, then irrespective of where it is residing in... you’ll always be the choice."

She said to him, feeling a louder pulse from his heart in that moment.

It resided after a while as he replied,

"I’ll try to keep it."

They were simple words, but they were beyond reassuring to Nova.

She shifted up to him, her eyes looking deeper into his.

The last time she had seen them, they were dark in color.

This time they were blue, just like hers, though a shade thicker.

Still, she could see the same eyes even when they possessed different colors.

This... this was truly him.

She leaned down closer, pausing for a second before leaning fully.

Their lips touched, sending a pulse of shock through her body.

It was a comforting shock, the most comforting ever, and it continued for a time she couldn’t count before finally shifting back lightly.

"I’ve missed you."

"I’ve missed you too..."

White admitted.

"So promise me..."

Nova said, both her hands shifting over to the side of his head, as she held him in place with her lower body.

It forced him to concentrate on her, though White, for reasons inexplicable, felt his heart beating harder as her lips parted open to utter the words.

In panic, he reached his hands forward to stop her, but her wings suddenly grew, appearing and pushing his hands down.

"Promise me you won’t leave me again..."

"I..."

"Nova... I..."

He tried to say something, but no words came out of his mouth, and her gaze didn’t waver at all.

In the end, he could only shut his eyes, turning his face to the side.

"So, you’re leaving me... again."

she said, getting off him.

"Nova... it’ll be..."

"Vice Mimura told me about Humanity Ascension..."

Nova said, cutting him off.

"They’re a Powerhouse obsessed with control, and everyone working directly with them is more or less a slave."

"I’m guessing the new body they gave you didn’t come for free, did it?"

Nova asked, stepping away.

"No one controls me..."

"Then stay."