Project: Socialize (Chapters 1-197)

153. Intermission

The advent of winter break really didn't mean much to me as most of the day I spent holing out in my house in general. In the morning, I would wake up, brush my teeth, and then get on with life in general. Sometimes I would watch television or simply watch shows that're streamed from the many major video playing sites on the internet in my room. Occasionally, I would also play video games to pass time, and by the way, the game that Muria had bought for me as a birthday gift was a great game.

As for Loriana, it would appear that her research had gradually came to a close and would most definitely be finished before the end of the year. Therefore, she'll be able to spend more time at home than the half year that had just passed. According to her, the research topic is a confidential one that relates to national security, therefore, even I cannot know about it. Whatever the case maybe for the research topic, all that it related to me personally was that Loriana was able to come home a lot earlier than before as she does not have to teach any classes and any work on her research that she does takes place early in the day so she'll often be home by three in the afternoon. Once it's all finished, she should be able to enjoy at least a week weeks of her winter break in peace and serenity.

Before I knew it, half of the break has passed, and in these two weeks, I never left my house to meet up with the others. We kept in contact through our group chat, although for me it was mostly me reading what they sent and never actually sending anything in there. Apparently, everybody has been doing their own thing lately. Noah had passed his retake exam of Physics and was finally able to enjoy himself. As for Zaksus, he had made it to the finals of the Winter League Tournament and will be playing the final match the day before New Year's Eve. Irina seemed to be extremely busy with her occupation as I would occasionally see her on the many variety or game shows on television. Apparently, she's also filming a drama series at the moment as well. As for Muria, I occasionally see her when I go out to buy some snacks from the convenience store or something like that, but we didn't talk much. However, it would appear that she was extremely happy to be able to spend so much time with Mura. I guess she just loves her older sister a ton. Oh and... apparently Loyd and Luna's dating now? I don't know the specifics but Loyd just sent that message into the group chat that Saturday the two went out.

When I saw that message that they sent as well as a picture of the two of them standing happily together, I don't know exactly how to describe the feeling that I had. That night, after seeing that notification pop up on my phone, I simply calmly set my phone back down on my computer desk, moved the curtains out of the way from the doors, and looked out the sliding glass door and at the outside city with its vibrant lights that was filtered with snowfall. I was surprisingly calm, but for some reason there was still a bitterness deep down within me that I just seemed to be able to ignore now. Maybe it's because I'm so used to that feeling that it has become numb for me and no longer holds as great of an effect. Time is the best medicine because after being pained by something, one would just get used to the pain and live life with it. This bitterness is nothing else. I can handle it. All I have to do is toss it deep down in the abyss of my heart and keep it concealed from myself then. In this prison cell of mine, there's none of that to be seen.

The time for Christmas soon came by, and other than simple messages in the group chat, there really weren't any major events planned for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Everybody just wanted to be with family and the only person who was bored and lonely enough to contact me was Noah, who begged me to come down to his floor or allow himself to come up to my floor so that he can escape being alone with Emilia. Since I had nothing much to do, I declined him. I didn't want to deal with certain things as much as he does , and I wasn't really in the mood for any of that celebration stuff or casual conversation anyways. Everything just appeared so bland and boring to me with the only colors I see being the illuminations from the beautiful nighttime city outside of my bedroom.