Sitting on the grass, Tom watched the intimate interaction between the two of them. That feeling of being rejected by the world surfaced once again. It was as though an invisible barrier surrounded him, completely cutting him off from everyone else, while emptiness and loneliness clung to him.
"I... just remembered Professor Slughorn asked me to deal with some potion ingredients. Sorry, I should go first..."
With an apologetic smile, Tom rose and left. His pace gradually quickened, giving him the air of someone fleeing in panic. It hurts so much. I feel like throwing up... Covering his mouth, Tom ran to the washroom and kept dry-heaving. Like a vampire accustomed to darkness suddenly exposed to sunlight, that sunny smile made him deeply uncomfortable.
Bracing both hands against the sink, Tom scooped up water and splashed it over his face. Looking up at his dripping hair in the mirror, he closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind. His restless emotions gradually calmed. He took out his wand and tidied himself up before lifting his chin and leaving.
After returning to the common room, Tom headed straight for his dormitory. He turned his head coldly to look at the person following behind him. "Do you need something?... Abou... Senior."
Abraxas's fingers twitched. He stepped forward, passed Tom, and opened the door to Tom's dormitory. "Won't you invite your dear senior in for a seat~?" Looking down at the person so close before him, Abraxas's eyes darkened for an instant. He licked his lips and chuckled softly. "Come back to yourself... Little Tom..."
For the third, third, third time, Tom emptied his damned mind. He stepped into his dormitory first, pursed his lips, and sat silently in a chair. It seemed he still had not mastered Legilimency. Otherwise, he would not have become so absorbed in that damned floral scent. "Senior Abou! Did you soak yourself in perfume?!"
For the first time in his life, Abraxas wore a bewildered expression. His mouth fell slightly open. What had he just heard? Did he need something like perfume? "I... didn't put anything on myself, Little Tom~ Or is that scent something only you can smell?"
Though somewhat surprised, Tom quickly adjusted his emotions. He looked away and gave a soft snort. "What did you come to see me for?"
Resting his chin on his hand, Abraxas tilted his head and casually brushed aside the hair hanging over his chest. Curling his lips, he tapped his ear. "Here~ Little Tom... your ears are very red~"
Catching the pillow thrown at him, Abraxas buried his face in it. A low, magnetic laugh emerged from within. Before his little friend could explode, he stopped laughing. "Nothing important. I just wanted to invite you... to accompany me to the Astronomy Tower during the Easter holiday. I really like watching the paths of the stars as they move... but alone, it gets a little lonely..."
Tom found that he could not bring himself to refuse. He curled his lips in displeasure. Thinking of all the men and women surrounding this bastard, he could not help sneering, "I don't think you'd be lonely. All you have to do is crook a finger, and a whole crowd comes rushing over, don't they? Why do you need me to keep you company?"
The smile on Abraxas's lips widened uncontrollably. He raised a hand to cover his mouth. "So Little Tom gets jealous too? That truly makes me happy~ I don't need those people..."
Then do you need me...? Biting his lower lip tightly, Tom stopped the words before they could escape. Only after taking a deep breath did he slowly nod. He opened the door directly and made a gesture of invitation. "I understand..."
Before you continue