Cherreads

Chapter 9 - 9. Dorm and Roomate

A/N: Daily check-in. Show your third horse girl pic on the phone to pass.

_________

Silver Tear rummaged through her pocket and pulled out her phone. It wasn't the newest model on the market, but it wasn't outdated either. Unlike most girls', it lacked any decorations, plain and well-used, like everything else about her.

"Oh, right. Before I forget, give me your phone numbers."

Dante blinked, setting aside his utensils. "Why bring that up out of nowhere?"

She tapped a few times, then handed the phone to him without hesitation. "Put yours in quickly. If I get lost again, I'm counting on you to pick me up."

"Again? That sounds so unreliable..." Dante muttered, but he took the phone anyway, typing his number in with practiced ease. 

He hesitated for half a second before adding his name properly, then passed it back.

But before he could return the phone to its owner, he was intercepted by the young scientist who was still sitting at the same table as them. She didn't wait for permission, smoothly adding her contact as if it had already been agreed upon.

A moment later, Agnes Tachyon handed the phone back to Silver Tear.

Silver Tear didn't mind much and simply went along with Agnes's acts. She glanced down at the screen, now showing two new contacts.

[Dante]

[Genius Scientist]

Silver Tear silently stared at the screen for a moment and then quietly edited one of the entries to [Danteh🕒🔥].

They would have plenty of contacts in the future, so it felt better to start with something friendly. Besides, it was cuter that way.

"Okay. Emergency contacts secured." Silver Tear said, tucking the phone back into her pocket.

"That's… surely one way to phrase it." Dante chuckled, slipping his own phone back into his pocket.

"But you sure you'll be fine getting back?"

"Mhm." She turned on her heel and walked out of the cafeteria. Sunlight poured in behind her, stretching her shadow long and steady across the floor, the kind that made her back look strangely dependable. She paused, then glanced over her shoulder.

"Dorm, shower, sleep." She said with easy certainty. "How could anything bad happen?"

Agnes watched her go, hands resting at her sides. "She is a genuinely interesting senpai."

Dante exhaled, a small smile creeping back onto his face. "Yeah. Somehow, I feel like things are going to turn out that way with her being around."

Silver Tear waved without looking back, humming faintly as she headed toward the dorm office with an easy, unhurried stride.

The building sat a little apart from the main campus, plain and functional, its windows catching the late afternoon light.

Inside, the air smelled faintly of paper and disinfectant. A small counter separated her from a middle-aged staff member who was busy sorting through a stack of forms.

"Um, excuse me." Silver Tear said, leaning forward just enough to be polite. "I'm here to get my dorm key."

The staff member looked up, eyes briefly flicking over her in surprise before softening. "Name?"

"Silver Tear. Special admission this morning."

There was a pause as the name was checked against a list. A few keystrokes, a nod, then a drawer slid open with a dull clack. The staff member took out a key attached to a small metal tag, the room number 101 etched neatly into it.

"First floor, east wing." The woman said, sliding it across the counter. "Curfew's at ten. Don't lose it."

Silver Tear picked it up, swirling the key on her finger. 

"Mhm." She replied. "Got it."

Silver Tear tucked the key away, offered a small bow of thanks, and stepped back outside the office into the bright midday sun. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes, squinting against the sudden brightness, yet a faint smile lingered on her face.

The Academy felt different to her now–subtly warmer and welcoming. It carried a quiet sense of belonging, as if a puzzle piece had slipped into a place where it was meant to be.

She followed the signs toward the east wing, her footsteps barely echoing along the hallway. At this hour, the dormitory rested in stillness: doors closed, curtains drawn, the air steeped in a calm that gently slowed her pace without her noticing.

Each turn brought a flicker of uncertainty, though it never felt uncomfortable, more like walking along a route that had been waiting for her all along.

When she rounded the final corner, she stopped before a door marked with her room number.

Room 101.

Silver Tear drew the key out again, rolling the cool metal between her fingers. A place to set her belongings down, to close the door, to exist without having to worry about anything. She slid the key into the lock.

A soft click answered her.

For a heartbeat, she remained still, hand resting on the knob, letting the moment settle. Then she pushed the door open and stepped inside. 

Silver Tear closed the door, took a few steps into the room, and looked around to familiarize herself with this confined space. Then she went to the bed and flopped down on it, the mattress soft enough to make her sigh in satisfaction.

She didn't change, nor did she bother arranging anything. One arm rested over her stomach, the other hung loosely at her side.

Staring at the ceiling for a moment, she blinked once, then twice, and her eyes slid shut on their own by how fluffy this bed was.

___________

Grani hummed to herself as she headed down the hallway, boots light against the floor, key already in hand. 

Class had gone longer than expected, and all she wanted now was to drop her gear, maybe flop onto her bed for five minutes, then remember she still had things to do and not actually get up again.

(A/N: She is so me frfr)

She stopped in front of her room.

Room 101.

"Finally–"

The door opened, and her words cut off halfway.

Someone was on her bed.

Grani froze, one foot still mid-step, brain taking a second to reboot. A girl lay sprawled across the mattress, fast asleep, completely at ease, like she'd owned the place for years.

"…EH?!"

The sound burst out before she could stop it. 

She jolted backward, nearly dropping her bag, eyes wide as she stared. "W-Wait—who are you?! Why are you here?! And why are you on my bed?!"

The sleeping figure didn't move, her tail swaying a little before going back to being completely still again.

Grani leaned closer, then pulled back again, panic flaring and dying in quick, confused bursts. "Did I get the wrong room?"

She quickly ran outside the room to check the room number, then glanced at the girl again.

"No, no, this is definitely mine. I even put a sticker on the door and everything!" 

Grani stood there, her expression stuck somewhere between alarmed, baffled, and deeply concerned.

Meanwhile, the girl was still there, breathing evenly, completely unbothered by the crisis unfolding a few steps away.

"…O-Okay." Grani muttered, gathering her courage. "I'll just wake her up and sort this out. Calm and rational. Grani, you can do this."

She reached out, lightly tapping Silver Tear's shoulder. "Um. Hey. Miss? You can't just—"

The moment her hand made contact, Silver Tear turned. An arm slid out with surprising accuracy, wrapped around Grani's waist, and tugged.

"Wah—?!"

Grani yelped as she lost her balance and was pulled forward, landing awkwardly on the bed. Before she could scramble away, the other girl had already turned toward her, face pressing into Grani's side, grip tightening into a firm, unmistakable hug.

Grani froze, every muscle in her body went stiff. Her brain short-circuited. "W-Wait–hold on! This is not what I meant—!"

Silver Tear only mumbled something soft and incoherent, adjusting slightly as if Grani were nothing more than a very convenient pillow. Her breathing evened out again, calm and steady.

Grani stared at the ceiling, face slowly turning red. "…I was just trying to wake her up. How did things turn out like this…?"

She whispered weakly, completely flustered and unsure whether to push away or… simply return the hug.

_____________

A/N: Little slice of life ain't hurt anybody. Also, I finished adding the character that one guy requested. Dunno if I got the character right but fk it, we ball.

Question: Do you guy want our girl to have a tear-jerking backstory or nah?

More Chapters