When I entered through the familiar sound of the apartment door, all the day's fatigue settled on my shoulders. My reflection in the hallway mirror caught my eye for a moment. The wide, brown coffee stain on my shirt chest gleamed like a small medal. I remembered the black stain that had caused me to notice Felissia a few days ago. The inner distress I felt at that moment, the sharp panic created by losing control and my perfect plan falling apart, now seemed so distant and meaningless. Back then, the stain was a crack in my armor. This one... this was just a dried coffee stain.
I smiled to myself. "No matter how stained I get," I whispered to my reflection, "I would make the same choice again." I would prefer a thousand more stains rather than see Ella's fear at that moment, the collapse of her shoulders. This stain was the mark of a right choice, not a failure.
When I retreated to the silence of my room, my thoughts shifted to the future, first to the nearest danger, then to the next day.
The day after tomorrow: Professor Flavia.
I sat at my desk and stared at the blank wall. Flavia's ice-cold voice echoed in my mind: "Preparation is the refuge of the weak." Maybe she was right. But being unprepared was also a fool's gamble. And I had never gambled in my life. Still, this time something had to be different. There was truth behind her challenge, behind those contemptuous looks. Just learning, just memorizing solutions and theories found by others was no longer enough. I had to produce my own ideas.
"I'll study again," I said with determination. "But this time not to repeat like a parrot." This time I would read the books in the library to stand on their shoulders and see beyond. To understand enough to produce my own methods, my own solutions.
But before that reckoning, there was tomorrow. Basic Programming. Professor Quentillus Ventorius.
The simple question the man had asked in class came to mind. "Do you know four languages?" I couldn't help but laugh. Four? I had stopped counting languages years ago. Learning a programming language was like learning a new dialect for me; writing cout instead of print, using function instead of def... Meaningless syntax details. The real issue was being able to establish the logic behind that language, the algorithm that could solve problems by breaking them down into their most basic parts.
Uncle Alaric had taught me this when I was only nine years old. In an old language called Cobra, where data structures weren't that important, he would have me make simple snake games. His voice was still in my ears as he pointed at the screen with his finger: "Learn to think first, Octavian. Solve the problem in your head. Let your fingers go to the keyboard last."
After that day, other languages had become just tools for me. I had used them most in mathematics. While preparing for high school exams, I had written small code snippets that checked my answers, algorithms that could perform complex integral calculations in seconds. No, I wasn't the least bit afraid of Quentillus's class. He just wanted me to be logical, to accept that the world consisted of 1s and 0s. And logic was my oldest, most trusted armor.
My thoughts returned to people, to the new equations I was trying to establish. Luna... My plan for Marcus to either win her with my help or see her true face had to work. This was the next move on the chess board; careful, calculated, and strategic.
But Ella... She wasn't part of a plan. She was an unexpected variable that changed the equation itself. She had said she was afraid of computers in tomorrow's class. Her drooping shoulders, that slight worry in her voice made something ache inside me whenever I remembered it. Even her being stressed upset me. I had to help her tomorrow. Not just so she could pass the class, but to support her in overcoming that fear. This wasn't a plan. This was just something I had to do.
"Octavian! Dinner's ready!"
I snapped out of my thoughts at my mother's voice. When I entered the kitchen, she had set the table, and the steam from hot soup filled the air.
"Welcome home, my son," she said, smiling. Then her eyes caught on my shirt. "What's wrong with that shirt of yours?"
"Coffee spilled, mom, it's nothing important," I said with a sincere smile.
My mother paused for a moment, studying the expression on my face. "If this had happened before, you would have been sour-faced," she said in surprise. "You're growing up, I guess."
I shrugged. "Maybe."
The next morning, when I woke up to the alarm, my mind was clear. I quickly got ready, had breakfast, and as I was about to leave the house, my mother called after me.
"Octavian, be careful."
I turned and looked at her. In her eyes was the usual maternal concern.
"I will, mom."
As I walked toward the bus stop, I breathed in Apexia's cool morning air. The sky was cloudless. Today I had algorithms to solve and a friend to help. As Minerva Institute's massive columns appeared in the distance, I quickened my steps.
[Same Moment - Inside the Building - Cassius's Perspective]
From one of the institute's windows overlooking the courtyard, I watched Octavian and Luna's entrance. Even in Octavian's walk was that familiar attitude of calculating everything. It wasn't hard to see the plan behind the study group he had set up to show Marcus Luna's 'true face'; he thought he was making a clever move on the chess board. He thinks he's protecting his friend, but life isn't a chess game and people aren't predictable pawns. By misdirecting Marcus, he's pushing not only him but unknowingly himself into dangerous waters. These are theoretical maneuvers that ignore the complexity of human nature, perfect on paper but destined to end in disaster in practice.
I'm barely restraining myself from opening my mouth to warn him. I could explain one by one why his whole plan won't work, what Luna's dynamics include that he hasn't calculated. But this would be a betrayal of his development. He must see his own mistake himself. He must experience that moment when theory crashes against the wall of reality, so that he understands what an "expert opinion" or experience means. That's why I'll wait. But know this: when he crashes into that wall, I'll be there to clear the wreckage. As long as he comes to ask for help himself.
Still, not every step is wrong. This Ella matter... Watching the dynamic between them is enjoyable. There's no plan there, no strategy; just a pure, instinctual bond. This is the healthiest breach opened in his analytical armor. Perhaps his real growth lies in those unplanned and incalculable moments. My friend is walking on the right path without even realizing it; he just can't yet distinguish which path will carry him to the precipice and which to the summit.
[Same Moment - Inside the Building]
The moment I got off the bus, I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Good morning, Octa."
When I turned around, I was met with Luna's bright smile. "Good morning Princess Luna, did you put a device on me to find me?" I teased as I started walking.
"Let's just say my timing is good," she said, linking her arm with mine. As we walked toward the institute's massive doors, she had adopted that familiar clingy attitude again. But this time no alarm bell was ringing inside me. I won't fall for these things, I thought to myself. But I'm not bothered anymore either. Touching her wasn't a problem; I could keep this at a level that wouldn't disturb Marcus or send the wrong signal. This was a kind of social algorithm after all.
When we entered the courtyard, we saw Cassius. He waved at us and came over. Luna released my arm at that moment.
"Are you ready for class, genius boy?" Cassius said, laughing.
"As always," I replied. I looked around. "Where are Gaius and Marcus?"
Cassius shrugged. "Neither of them is coming today. They're going to football team tryouts."
"Wow," I said. "So it's just us two guys hanging out today."
"Exactly," Cassius smiled. "Let's take Ella to lunch too," he added.
Just then we saw Ella walking toward the institute steps ahead. I quickened my pace and called out to her. When she saw us, she stopped and waited. When I reached her, I took out a small, silver-wrapped chocolate from my pocket.
"This is for you."
Ella took the chocolate in surprise. "Why did you bother?"
"My uncle sent it from Heroica, I don't really get along with sweets. You came to mind, I hope you like it," I said as naturally as possible.
Ella's cheeks flushed slightly. "Yes, I like them. Thank you," she said, unwrapping it and taking a bite. The innocent happiness on her face at that moment made me feel I had done the right thing.
"You have some left on your face," I said, smiling.
Ella tried to wipe the corner of her lip with the back of her hand, but only managed to spread the stain around.
"Wait," I said, taking out a clean tissue from my pocket. "Let me," I added slowly. When she didn't object, I gently wiped away the chocolate stain.
After a moment of surprise, Ella's cheeks reddened even more as she frowned. "I could have wiped it myself," she mumbled, her voice coming out both slightly reproachful and shy.
I smiled slightly at her reaction. "Sorry, I just wanted to help." At that moment, Cassius had seen a friend from another group and said, "I'll go say hello and come back," leaving us.
As we headed toward the stairs, Felissia passed by us. She nodded coldly in greeting.
"If you don't mind me asking, can I ask something?" she said, hesitating. Her gaze went back and forth between me and Ella. "What is your relationship? I mean, are you close?"
With this unexpected question, Ella's face turned beet red. "Y-yes, we're close," she stammered. Then she pulled herself together and added in a clearer voice, "He's my closest friend."
Hearing this answer created a strange warmth inside me. Felissia just said, "I understand. I apologize if I misunderstood," and quickly walked away from us. Ella's embarrassment still hadn't passed.
"Come on, we'll be late for class," I said, changing the subject, and we entered the Basic Programming laboratory together.
We sat at two computers side by side. As I was settling my bag, I noticed some movement. Felissia was sitting at the computer diagonally across from us. We made eye contact but she immediately looked away.
What is this girl planning? She's not running away today. She'd been avoiding me for days. Why is she sticking close now? What's going on?
My thoughts were interrupted by the laboratory door opening and Professor Quentillus Ventorius entering.
Professor Ventorius's entry into the laboratory immediately cut off the whispers in the environment. The man's very presence was like a command for silence. His eyes moved with the emotionless precision of a compiler scanning lines of code, passing over each student one by one. He went to the podium and projected a problem onto the main screen without saying a single word.
The problem was simple: "Explain step by step how a librarian can sort ten books randomly placed on shelves according to the numbers written on them (from 1 to 10) with the minimum number of moves."
With the problem appearing on the screen, I felt Ella tense up slightly. Her shoulders had dropped, and she was looking at the screen with worry. For her, this was much more than sorting books; this meant leaving the art and emotion-filled colors of her world and entering a merciless realm of logic where everything was as clear as 1s and 0s.
"You will think about the problem for ten minutes," said Professor Ventorius's metallic voice. "Then we will discuss your solutions. Remember, what I want is not code, but logical flow. The most basic, purest form of commands to be given to a machine."
While Ella stared blankly at the screen in front of her, she was tapping rhythm on the table with her fingers. After a few minutes, she turned to me desperately. "I don't understand anything," she whispered. "I don't even know where to start."
I leaned toward her. "Don't think complicated," I said in a calm voice. "Just imagine you're a librarian. You have book number 1 in your hand. Where do you put it?"
"At the beginning, on the first shelf," she said immediately.
"Good. But there's another book on that shelf, let's say number 7. What do you do?"
"I switch their places."
"Great. That's the first step. Now you have book number 7 in your hand. Where should you take it?"
Ella paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "To the seventh shelf!"
"Exactly. Each time, put the book in your hand in its correct place and continue with the book you took from there. Until the book you pick up already has the correct book in the place where it belongs. Then the cycle ends and you start a new cycle from the next mixed-up book."
This simple analogy seemed to have parted the veil of fog in her mind. The worry on her face slowly gave way to an expression of understanding. Just then, a voice came from diagonally across from us.
"What if two books have the same number written on them?"
The voice belonged to Felissia. She had narrowed her eyes and was looking at me with a questioning expression. This wasn't a curiosity question; it was a test.
"Then the librarian uses a secondary parameter," I answered calmly. "Like the time the books were first placed on the shelf. If there are two number 5 books, the one placed on the shelf earlier takes precedence in the sorting too. This is called 'stable sorting.' Logic is always built on eliminating uncertainties."
Felissia didn't seem satisfied with my answer but couldn't find anything else to say and turned to face forward. This brief dialogue had caught Professor Ventorius's attention.
"Octavian Corvus," the professor said. "It seems you have a solution. Would you explain your approach to us?"
I didn't stand up, just started speaking from where I sat. "Of course, Professor. We can think of the problem as a series of closed loops. Each book is a link in a chain pointing to another book in the place where it should be. Our goal is to complete all loops with the minimum number of swaps by following these chains."
As soon as I finished speaking, the girl sitting at the other end of the classroom, whom I had noticed before drawing diagrams in her notebook, raised her hand. The professor gave her the floor.
"Loop analysis is the most efficient way to mathematically minimize the number of swaps, I agree with that," the girl said, her voice clear and confident. "However, the problem talks about a librarian, not a computer. Considering the human factor, finding the smallest numbered book that isn't in its correct place at each step and putting it in its proper shelf—that is, 'selection sort' logic—might be an algorithm that's cognitively easier to follow, even if it requires more swaps."
There was a moment of silence. Professor Ventorius was looking at the girl with his expressionless face. I was amazed. The girl had gone beyond my pure efficiency-focused solution, considering the context of the problem—the human element—and presented a completely different but equally logical perspective.
"An interesting approach," the professor said with a rare tone of interest in his voice. "Octavian Corvus's solution is the most efficient for a machine. Your solution is the most intuitive for a human. Both are valid logical frameworks. Congratulations."
Caelia turned to me and bowed her head slightly. This wasn't a challenge, but an expression of respect. There was an intelligent sparkle in her eyes.
This girl... thinks differently, I thought to myself. She understood not just the mathematical essence of the problem, but its practical application too. Clever.
The rest of the class was spent discussing these two basic logics. Ella, having grasped the basic logic with my help, participated in the class with renewed confidence. Felissia was silently taking notes, occasionally glancing at both me and Caelia.
When the class ended, there was a strange peace inside me. There had been neither conflict nor tension. On the contrary, there was a sense of satisfaction brought by an unexpected intellectual exchange. This was one of my most painless and intellectually invigorating days at the institute.
When the class ended, I started gathering my things with the sweet fatigue in my mind. As we left the laboratory, Cassius came up to me and patted my shoulder. "We owe you a feast in the cafeteria today, Professor Octavian," he teased. "For that dual logic lesson."
Ella also laughed as she walked with us. "Really, I understood the lesson thanks to you. Thank you."
"A feast might be a bit much, but I won't say no to coffee," I said, smiling. As we walked toward the end of the corridor, I noticed Felissia walking alone a few steps behind us. Her gaze was on the ground and there was no trace of her usual confident posture.
Ella must have noticed her too, because she slowed her steps and looked at me hesitantly. Then she took a deep breath and turned around. "Felissia! Why don't you join us?"
Felissia looked up in surprise. For a moment she didn't know what to say. "Me?"
"Yes," Ella said with a warm smile. "We're going to the cafeteria."
Felissia's eyes went back and forth between me and Cassius, as if looking for some kind of trap. What is this girl trying to do? I thought for a moment. It would be strange for her to accept this invitation after her recent cold attitudes. But then I shrugged. Whatever she does. I don't have the energy to think about this right now.
After a brief hesitation, Felissia slowly nodded and joined us. The four of us walked silently to the cafeteria. When we found an empty table and sat down, Felissia suddenly turned to me.
"Octavian, what's your zodiac sign?" she said, with unexpected excitement in her voice.
Both Cassius and Ella looked surprised at this question. "Why did you ask?"
"I was just curious. You have an analytical and mysterious aura," she said. Then, as if lost in her own thoughts, she continued. "Actually, I find these old zodiac names very bland. I design more suitable ones for myself. For example, instead of Libra, I say 'Aequus,' meaning Balance. Instead of Scorpio, something like 'Nox's Needle.'"
I liked this idea. "An interesting approach," I said and turned to Ella with an idea that came to mind. "When is your birthday?"
"Exactly three months from today," Ella said, her cheeks slightly flushing. Cassius immediately jumped in, "Mine is two months and 10 days away, don't forget my gift."
I made a mental note of both their birthdays. I can buy gifts for my friends for the first time. This thought awakened a strange, warm feeling inside me.
"Do you know about horoscopes?" Cassius asked curiously.
"A little," I replied. "My mother is very interested, I picked up some things from her. I also know palm reading."
This last statement drew all the attention at the table to me. Ella asked curiously, "Really?"
"Of course," I said and turned to her, extending my hand. "Would you like me to read yours?"
Though Ella hesitated for a moment, she slowly extended her hand. I gently held her palm. This would have caused me to panic a few days ago, but now I felt surprisingly comfortable. I slowly traced over the lines with my thumb.
"Hmm... Here, at the beginning of your life line, there are small breaks. You've had stressful and difficult times in your relationships with people in your youth. But look, the line becomes clearer and deeper toward the future. This means you'll become someone who can express yourself more comfortably over time, someone who can break out of your shell."
Ella listened to me silently, seeming affected by what I said. When I finished my words, her eyes were sparkling as she slowly withdrew her hand.
"Could you read mine too?"
The voice came from Felissia. She had leaned forward, looking at me expectantly. I turned toward her but didn't make a move to hold her hand. Instead, I took out a pen from my pocket.
"Extend your hand," I said. When Felissia extended her hand, I pointed to the main lines in her palm with the tip of the pen, without touching her skin. "Your fate line is very prominent but frequently intersects with your mind line. This shows that your goals and logic are constantly in conflict. While your desires pull you in one direction, your mind continuously forms sentences starting with 'but.'"
Cassius burst out laughing. "Read mine too! Especially tell me when I'll get rich, so I can plan accordingly."
I winked at him. "You don't need fortune telling, Cassius. At this rate, you'll turn the corner in your thirties."
"Thirty? Come on, you're making it up!" he said, laughing. This cheerful banter that started at the table had completely dispersed the tension and relaxed all of us. For a moment, we had become just four young people enjoying the moment, freed from the institute's competitive and heavy atmosphere.
After the meal, as we left campus, Cassius and Felissia went in another direction and Ella and I were left alone. After walking silently for a while, Ella spoke.
"Today... was really enjoyable," she said, her voice sounding sincere. "Your help in class, then those moments in the cafeteria... It was nice to see that you're not just smart, but also fun. I'm glad I messaged you that day and that we became friends."
Her words caught me off guard with their sincerity. I paused for a moment. "It's the same for me, Ella. I'm glad too."
When we reached the bus stop, we said goodbye. As she got on her bus, I watched after her. Today was a day when I acted just like myself, outside of my logic and plans. And it hadn't felt bad at all.
When I got home, the sweet fatigue of the day gave way again to strategic thoughts that occupied my mind. I sat down next to my father, who was reading news from his data pad in the living room.
"How was school?" he asked without taking his eyes off the screen.
"Busy," I said simply. After a moment of silence, I got to the point. "You know about what happened with Professor Flavia."
My father looked up, looking at me with an interested expression. "Yes, your mother mentioned it. She said she was pushing you."
"More than pushing. I didn't act according to her expectations and paid the price. But still, spending days working on that subject wasn't a mistake, was it, dad?"
My father put the data pad aside and turned completely to me. There was neither disappointment nor anger on his face; just calm understanding.
"Son, you know best what's right. Sometimes, even if mistaken, you should walk the path you believe is right. That's how experience is gained. The effort you spent provided you with data for your next move. This is never a mistake. All I ask of you is not to put yourself in overly risky situations. I'm not saying stay in the safe zone, but don't let the step you take push you off a cliff."
His words had given me the approval I needed. I nodded. "I understand."
When I retreated to my room, my father's words were spinning in my mind. Safe zone and risk. The Flavia matter was important but not urgent. The priority was tomorrow's study group. Everything must go according to plan, I thought. This wasn't just a study session; this was an experiment designed to show Marcus the truth.
I sat on my bed and took my phone, writing a message to Marcus:
"Marcus, I'm sending you the archive I prepared for tomorrow's study session and my notes from last week. Prepare as if you'll be explaining the topic tomorrow. Your confident posture is important; you need to make them feel that you're in command of the subject. Meet me early before our gathering, I'll give you a few tactics to impress Luna."
As I sent the message, a slight smile appeared on my face. This was a guiding move toward him, yes. But it served my purpose: protecting Marcus. I had thought through every detail for the plan to work perfectly. Now all I had to do was wait for tomorrow.