Chapter 48 Glazed Light Spots

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After the city of Arpeggio entered lockdown, many underground factories had to temporarily halt operations. Some companies, seeing this, simply gave their employees time off to save on wages, making the residential areas livelier than before.

In the garden square illuminated by lights, several residents gathered—some chatting, some playing ball games to stretch their bodies, while others stayed home, savoring rare moments of rest.

In Hersia’s bedroom, the soothing sound of ocean waves occasionally played, and the ceiling reflected a shimmering blue wave pattern. Yet the girl lying on the bed remained deeply asleep, showing no sign of waking.

As you might guess, the girl was indulging in a long morning sleep, still in bed close to noon.

Black is a special color. The word itself hardly captures its nuances: the glossy black of a leather sofa, the glazed black of a hovering vehicle’s exterior, the delicate matte black, the rich textured black of high-quality fabric, and the black of a girl’s hair catching the faint morning light.

A few strands of hair fell across her fair collarbone visible between her pajamas, contrasting with her pale skin in perfect harmony. The scene exuded a sense of laziness and softness, drawing one into the subtle beauty of the moment.

Such a scene was like a "Canon" in music—you might find it hard to remember because it is so ordinary, gentle, and comfortable, lacking any stunning tales or dramatic turns. But if everyone’s life were like a Canon, how happy and sweet life would be.

Time flowed gently until the girl’s eyelashes fluttered softly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Propping herself up on her pillow, strands of hair slipped off her shoulders as Hersia shook her head and rubbed her eyes, gradually waking. She fumbled under the covers, grabbed a square personal terminal, and sat up to unlock the screen.

[12:32 PM]

“Oh, it’s already noon?” The girl hurriedly got out of bed, her toes brushing against the starry blue blanket before she hopped into her slippers at the bedside. After putting them on, she quickly went to the bathroom next to her bedroom to freshen up.

The sound of running water filled the room. After splashing her face, Hersia returned to her bedroom to change into the clothes she planned to wear outside. Then, with a steady pace, she went downstairs.

In the first-floor hall, Lysa was watching a projected show with Granny Ho, which happened to be a popular children’s comedy.

“Tilan’s awake now.”

“Hersia!” Lysa looked at the girl with delight.

“Going out?” Granny Ho asked, noticing the girl’s hurried demeanor.

“Yeah, I need to go to the police station to handle some paperwork, and tomorrow I have to attend a second-round exam in North District One,” Hersia explained her plans for the next two days.

“Be careful on the way.”

“Thank you, Granny,” Hersia replied. After changing her shoes, she stomped her feet lightly and stepped out of the house.

Crossing the lively streets of the residential area, she bought a box of biscuits from a corner supermarket as a makeshift lunch, then entered a nearby vertical elevator headed to the upper levels of Arpeggio City.

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Inside the dark red, rust-proof steel elevator stood quite a few people, though there was still plenty of space and it was not crowded.

“Hey, Hersia! You’re going to the police station today to handle your paperwork too, right?” A girl about Hersia’s age approached. She was wearing a pink plaid top and a white skirt.

“Yes, Cindy. You’re going too?”

Cindy had been Hersia’s elementary school classmate. Though their middle schools differed and they hadn’t met much in recent years, they used to be close because they lived nearby and often walked home together after school.

“Yeah, me too,” Cindy nodded, glancing over at Hersia.

Feeling a bit shy under Cindy’s gaze, Hersia turned her head and asked, “Is there something strange?”

“No, it’s just that you seem to have changed a lot,” Cindy winked.

“Changed how?”

As they chatted, the elevator doors opened and they walked toward the police station together.

“Hmm, how to describe it... It’s like a bud has blossomed. You’ve become much prettier, like a hidden charm that’s now gradually revealing itself.”

“No way,” Hersia said, reflecting on her usual mirror checks—it didn’t seem like much had changed.

“Well, you probably don’t notice it yourself, but others do. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Lynn and the others to judge.”

Lynn was also a former elementary school classmate who had moved to the upper district but occasionally kept in touch through group chats.

“Next time we have a gathering, you can ask everyone. Speaking of which, Hersia, you’ve missed several get-togethers lately. Everyone misses you.”

“You used to be the vice class president; the whole class liked you.”

“Vice class president? That was just because the teacher thought I had good grades and gave me the role. I didn’t really know much. Besides, it was elementary school—like playing house—nothing that important,” Hersia shook her head, her hair swaying slightly.

“Hehe, Hersia is still shy as ever,” Cindy laughed softly, covering her mouth.

“There’s no need to worry. Nobody’s going to eat you up. It’s probably just teasing. Besides, after graduating from middle school, we’ll all go to high schools in different places, so we might see each other less.”

“Don’t leave regrets behind.”

“Don’t leave regrets,” Hersia thought to herself.

“All right then, just let me know when you’re planning a gathering.”

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“Let me think. Usually, Eileen and Norc organize the gatherings. There will definitely be one during the holidays, probably mid-June.”

“Half a month to go.”

“Okay, it’s settled then. No skipping this time, Hersia.”

“All right, I won’t avoid it anymore,” the girl nodded slightly.

With that, the two entered the bustling police station and joined the queue alongside many other students to handle their paperwork.

After a long wait, it was finally their turn to fill in school applications and undergo verification.

“So, where is Hersia applying to?”

“I’m going to Eileen Academy... and I also have to attend a second-round exam at another academy.”

“Applying to two schools, huh,” Cindy said without surprise, filling out her own form.

“I’m also applying to Glaze Academy in North District Seven. Their glass artworks are quite distinctive. I guess that’s my last bit of stubbornness,” Hersia explained. Competition for high-end art schools was fierce, but glasswork was niche and less cutthroat.

“Not sure if you’ll end up starving on the streets, I’ve heard artists tend to be poor,” Cindy shook her head but still wrote down the name.

“If life really gets tough, I’ll have to rely on Hersia’s help. I believe you’ll become a famous doctor someday,” she said, submitting her form.

Though Hersia usually kept to herself, no one from elementary or middle school ever doubted her future as a doctor. Her personality and excellent grades destined her for that path, and it wouldn’t be too difficult.

“All done. Once it’s approved, we can go home,” they said, holding hands as they left the room and headed to the hall to wait.

Leaning against the gray-backed chair in the spacious but slightly empty hall, Cindy bought some smoothies to share. They talked about many past events, recalling joyful moments and, finally, catching up on their classmates’ current situations.

“Sol followed his parents to North District Four. Mackie got suspended and held back for fighting. Eileen passed her academy’s second-round early and is going south to study. Norc is preparing to apply to military school. Everyone’s grown up.”

“Yeah, we’ve all grown up,” Hersia stirred her fruit smoothie gently, the tiny ice crystals sparkling under the artificial sunlight above.

Memories in time are like transparent glass—often unseen but refracting colorful light when gently turned.