The day of the trip finally came.

I was in a foul mood from the start—mainly because Ryen, convinced I'd try to skip out, dragged me out of bed and hauled me to the academy at an ungodly hour.

"Hey, everyone. We already met briefly at orientation, but let me properly introduce myself this time. I'm Aric Aakala, head of the travel club Horizon Walkers. I'm a third-year, majoring in swordsmanship."

After a short wait, the senior stepped forward. He had a solid build and a confident air that immediately drew attention.

"Some of you freshmen might be worried about this trip, especially since it's right before midterms," he said with a grin. "But honestly, written exams aren't that big of a deal here. So instead of stressing, just treat this like a day with no homework. Relax and have fun."

A few chuckles spread through the crowd. He clearly knew how to handle gatherings like this, casually tossing out jokes that cut through the morning stiffness.

"Our club's motto is simple: relaxation." His tone shifted slightly, carrying more weight. "Not everyone here will walk the path of a hero, but most of you probably will. And with that path comes responsibility. The kind of responsibility that directly ties to people's lives."

He paused, scanning the group. "When you carry burdens like that, it's easy to lose your peace of mind. If you're always tense, always pushing yourself, sooner or later, you'll break. That's why we exist—to remind you that before being heroes, before being superhumans… we're still human beings."

His voice carried naturally, steady and powerful, drawing nods from the students. Even I had to admit—it was the kind of speech that stuck with you.

The students seemed to ease up after his words, a few even chuckling quietly among themselves. Aric's smile widened, clearly pleased with the reaction.

"Alright, enough of my rambling. Let me explain how today will go."

He paused, scanning the crowd—third years at the back, second years in the middle, and us, the first years, sitting right up front like sacrificial lambs. Then, as if rehearsed, he flashed a charming smile that felt completely out of place on him.

Well… maybe it was just me, but it didn't suit him at all.

"We usually take a plane for overseas trips, but this time we'll be staying in the country. A bus will do just fine."

Practical words from someone who looked like a hopeless romantic.

"Our destination is the Bloomlight Festival. Now, don't get the wrong idea—we're not just going there to wander around and have fun. We'll be helping with patrols in exchange for reserved seats and a few other perks. You all read the notice beforehand, right?"

Thankfully, the first stop hadn't changed.

I hadn't bothered reading the notice myself, since I was sure Ryen had it memorized, but how hard could it be?

Aric clapped his hands together, grinning. "And before we go, a little warning. The Bloomlight Festival is famous for its flowers—and it's also very popular with couples. So if any of you are in a 'vague' relationship, maybe this is your chance to take it further! Just saying, I confessed here last year! Mina, I love you!"

"Hey! You crazy idiot!"

A third-year girl shouted, her face burning red. The others burst out laughing, some clapping while others whistled.

So they were together, huh?

I hoped they broke up. Preferably at the exact same spot where he had confessed.

That would be hilarious. A perfect memory, really.

I slouched back in my seat, watching Aric ham it up like some romance protagonist who'd been handed a microphone.

The way Mina shrieked at him only made the whole thing look more scripted. Maybe they were one of those couples who thrived on public displays of chaos.

Gross.

If they broke up right there, in the middle of a glowing flower field, with everyone watching?

That would be art.

The kind of thing you'd want framed in the academy's yearbook with a gold plaque: "The Place Where Love Died."

I almost smiled at the thought. Almost.

Instead, I yawned and shifted my gaze to the others.

Leona—no, Leon—was sitting stiffly, pretending to be unbothered, but I caught her lips twitch when Aric confessed.

Probably fighting the urge to laugh too.

Keira was giggling without restraint, poking Leona in the ribs every few seconds like she'd just discovered a new toy.

Ryen, naturally, wore that annoyingly calm smile, as if he'd already anticipated every word Aric would say.

And Nora… well, she wasn't even listening. Her eyes were glued to Ryen, sparkling like a dog who'd just been told it was walk time. That girl could have Aric juggling flaming swords in front of her and she still wouldn't notice.

The Bloomlight Festival, huh?

I'd heard rumors. Lanterns, food stalls, a sea of glowing flowers that only bloomed once a year. Supposedly the kind of scene where people tripped over themselves to confess under the moonlight. A convenient backdrop for couples to pretend their love was destiny.

Honestly, it sounded like a nightmare.

Crowds, noise, and forced cheer. People dragging each other to stalls, squealing over sweets, holding hands like they'd die if they let go for even a second.

I could already picture it: the "perfect" romantic setup waiting to ambush me at every corner.

And if fate really had it out for me, someone would mistake me for being in a couple too.

Ugh. Just imagining it made my skin crawl.

I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand. "Bloomlight Festival… huh." My mutter got swallowed by the bus chatter, but I kept thinking.

If anything, maybe it would be entertaining watching others crash and burn. Like Aric and Mina—if the universe was merciful, they'd implode right there in front of everyone.

Yeah. That would make the trip worth it.

But knowing my luck… I had the sinking feeling this festival was going to drag me into something ridiculous.

---

The bus jolted forward, and the chatter around me picked up like we were heading to some grand pilgrimage. Which, I guess, we kind of were—except instead of holy relics, it was flowers that glowed in the dark.

I sighed. Nothing screams "future heroes" quite like cramming onto a bus to go stare at glowing plants.

Aric was still at the front, grinning like a proud parent sending his kids to summer camp. He probably thought this was the height of leadership. Deliver a motivational speech, crack a love confession, get a laugh, boom—instant charisma points.

If life were a stage play, Aric would definitely be cast as the over-enthusiastic side character who dies halfway through Act Two. The type the audience claps for when he goes down.

Meanwhile, Mina sat with her face buried in her hands, which, honestly, was the most relatable reaction I'd seen all morning.

I stretched my legs out, earning a glare from Leona, who was sitting right across from me.

She was still holding his "dignified boy" act like her life depended on it, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching whenever Keira nudged him. Poor girl.

That disguise was going to crumble one day, and I was already looking forward to the fireworks.

Nora? Still locked onto Ryen like a heat-seeking missile. If she blinked, it was only because Ryen blinked first.

Love really does make people stupid.

And Ryen himself? He was nodding politely at Aric's every word, as if taking notes on how to properly manage a crowd. Of course he was. If anyone here was secretly an alien learning human behavior, it was him.

I let my eyes drift to the bus window. The scenery outside was boring—just rows of trees and dirt roads—but compared to the circus inside, it felt peaceful.

The Bloomlight Festival. I could already predict how it would go:

Ryen would get dragged into helping the organizers because he's "responsible."

Leona would nearly blow her cover because Keira wouldn't stop pestering her.

Nora would stalk Ryen so hard she'd probably forget the festival even had flowers.

And me?

I'd be stuck as the unwilling babysitter for all of them.

Fantastic.

Still, there was a silver lining.

Festivals were breeding grounds for human stupidity, and if there was one thing I enjoyed, it was watching people trip over their own expectations. Confessions rejected, food spilled on expensive outfits, fireworks going off too early—pure comedy gold.

So yeah, maybe this wouldn't be a total waste of time.

I leaned back in my seat, smirking faintly to myself.

If nothing else, I'd at least get to watch people make fools of themselves.

And that… that was worth the ticket price.

The bus screeched to a halt after what felt like an eternity of bad jokes, Ryen's nodding, and Nora's obsessive puppy-dog gaze.

When the doors opened, we were hit with a wave of sound—music, chatter, vendors shouting over each other.

The Bloomlight Festival.

Colorful stalls lined the streets, lanterns swayed overhead, and in the distance, the famous glowing flowers shimmered faintly even under the daylight. It was festive, beautiful, and just a little overwhelming.

The perfect stage for humiliation.