Remember Me (Illumi x reader) (Modern)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 3

 I found myself dozing off halfway through class, a predicament I had anticipated given how heavy my eyelids felt. Concentration seemed elusive, and my mind kept drifting. Eventually, I squinted and lifted my head, feeling the mark left by my hand on my face as evidence of my brief slumber. Stretching out my arms, I noticed a piece of paper that had probably been slipped underneath me while I slept.

A smile crept across my face as I recognized the neat handwriting on the paper, prompting me to read it with curiosity;

"I noticed that you'd fallen asleep during class. I'll give you the notes to copy down later. I'll be waiting at your locker.

-Illumi"

I glanced at the time and almost choked in shock. He had been waiting for thirty whole minutes! Frantically gathering my belongings in my arms, I swiftly pushed in my chair upon standing and bolted out of the empty classroom. Racing through the lengthy corridors at top speed, the realization that I had only five minutes left spurred me on. Negotiating sharp corners with quick maneuvers, I finally caught sight of my locker ahead.

Illumi leaned casually against my locker, his hands tucked in his pockets as he gazed up at the ceiling.
Coming to a stop in front of him, panting slightly from the sprint, I met his gaze as he withdrew a hand from his pocket and handed me a small notebook.

"The notes," he stated matter-of-factly. I offered a breathless smile of gratitude and accepted the notebook. As he moved away from my locker and retrieved his phone, he reminded me, "You've only got three minutes left, you know." Letting out a resigned sigh, he added, "I'll meet you in class," and silently waved before striding off with his books to our next lesson.

I hurriedly grabbed my remaining books, hastily stashing the notebook Illumi had given me into my bag. With a slam, I shut my locker and dashed off towards class. Racing up a flight of stairs, I paused briefly to catch my breath before resuming my sprint. By the time I reached the classroom, my heart was pounding in my chest.

As I entered, I noticed my classmates staring at me, some with amused expressions and others with looks of confusion. I could feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment, realizing that my mad dash had attracted more attention than I had intended.

I glanced around the classroom and spotted Illumi in his usual spot in one of the back corners. However, another figure caught my attention—the boy I had bumped into earlier. Silently making my way to my desk, I set down my books and observed him as he meticulously organized workbooks on the tall wooden shelves at the back of the room. This was my chance to get a better look at him, something I hadn't been able to do before.

He possessed dark eyes, possibly a shade lighter than Illumi's, although it was challenging to discern from where I stood. His black hair was noticeably long, not quite reaching Illumi's length but enough to curl at the base of his neck and frame his forehead, adding a certain charm to his features. His complexion was also strikingly pale, devoid of any blemishes it seemed.

However, what truly caught my attention was the thick white bandage encircling his forehead. It stood out starkly against his pale skin, looking out of place and prompting me to wonder if it concealed a recent injury or wound of some kind.

My focus shifted as the teacher raised his hand for attention. "Class, attention please," he called out, commanding the room's focus. "Today, we have a student who will be assisting us. Please welcome Chrollo Lucilfer," he announced, gesturing towards Chrollo who had been the one organizing the books in the back.

Chrollo turned around with a swift motion, offering a friendly smile to the class. "Hello, everyone," he greeted politely.

I returned Chrollo's smile and gave a small wave before refocusing on my textbook. As the class progressed, Chrollo moved around the room, offering assistance to those who needed it. Eventually, he stopped next to my desk and lowered himself to eye level with a friendly smile. I returned the smile and whispered, "No, it's okay. I don't need any help."

He chuckled softly and pulled up a chair to sit beside me. "Ah, yes. I know," he replied with a knowing smile. I couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. If he knew I didn't need help with my work, why had he chosen to sit at my desk?
I tilted my head slightly, prompting him to continue with my expression. He folded his arms, resting his elbows behind my book with an amused look before speaking in a lowered voice, "I wanted to ask if you were hurt at all. You bumped into me quite harshly earlier, but it seemed like you were in a rush, so I didn't have a chance to ask."

I nodded understandingly and waved a dismissive hand, offering an awkward smile. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm perfectly fine," I reassured him, trying to alleviate any concern he might have had.

I could sense his relief as he let out a sigh upon hearing my response. "That's good to hear. Well, I should probably focus on helping those who actually need assistance," he remarked with a grin, his eyes briefly darting to something behind me before he stood up and neatly replaced his chair.
Turning back to me, he flashed a charming smile. "I hope I'm the only one you've collided with today. It wasn't exactly comfortable, you know," he joked, rolling his shoulders back playfully.

He then approached me and lightly placed a hand on my head. "I'm just joking," he reassured me, likely noticing a hint of concern or offense in my expression.
Finally, he moved away to assist someone else, and I couldn't help but feel glad as he left me to my work.

Suddenly, I felt a prickling sensation at the back of my neck, as if someone's gaze was fixated on me. Turning my head, I was startled to see Illumi behind me, looking unusually tense and gripping his pencil tightly.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, concerned by his uncharacteristic behavior. For a moment, it seemed like he hadn't heard me, his focus unwavering. However, his intense demeanor gradually softened, and he returned his attention to his work. His grip loosened, and the pencil fell back onto the desk with a muted thud.
I couldn't deny feeling a slight sense of discomfort. Illumi was typically composed and collected, with any deviations from his usual demeanor being brief and fleeting. However, this instance felt different, leaving me undeniably unsettled.

The rest of the class progressed without any further incidents, and soon the bell signaled the end of the period, prompting us to transition to our next class. I gathered my belongings and hurried to catch up with Illumi, who was already heading out of the classroom.

"So, what was that all about?" I inquired, my gaze fixed on him as we walked. However, he kept his eyes focused straight ahead, not even sparing me a glance.

He shrugged nonchalantly and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about," he stated bluntly. I raised an eyebrow, letting out a frustrated chuckle. "Seriously? You don't remember? That weird, spooky phase you went through in class. It looked like you were ready to snap," I remarked jokingly, expecting him to at least roll his eyes at me like he usually did. However, his expression remained serious as he stopped walking and looked down at me, his eyes dark and hollow.

"I was feeling a bit tense, I suppose. The work was challenging," he shrugged, maintaining a steady pace towards our lockers. I couldn't help but internally scoff at his explanation; there was hardly a scenario where Illumi found anything genuinely challenging. However, sensing his reluctance to elaborate further, I decided not to press the matter any further and simply accepted the response he gave me.

Upon reaching our lockers, I carelessly tossed my books into my bag and retrieved the ones I needed for the next class. I could sense Illumi's gaze on me as I did so.

"What now?" I asked with a tinge of exasperation, already anticipating his criticism. Illumi pointed at the books I had haphazardly thrown into my bag, a disapproving expression on his face. "You're too careless," he began.
"You don't know if you're damaging important documents by shoving things in without checking," he continued, his tone firm.

I rolled my eyes and closed my locker with a dismissive sigh. "You say that every time," I groaned, leaning back against my locker. "And every time, you don't listen," he retorted, smoothly organizing his books in his bag before grabbing the ones he needed for his next class. This was the only class I didn't share with Illumi and it never failed to dampen my mood, it was really the only one in my schedule I disliked.

As he finished closing his locker, Illumi waved goodbye, and we went our separate ways. I navigated through the bustling hallways of the school, feeling the strain in my arms from carrying the weight of the heaviest book I had.

Suddenly, a familiar voice chimed in, "Here, let me help you with that~"