My name is Xavier Orlando, son of Mr. and Mrs. Orlando, one of the richest people in the country. Not trying to brag or anything, just saying. Anyways, just because my parents are rich doesn't mean anything if you're the third child in the family… and yes, I am the last child—although not for long.
Today wasn't how I expected it.
You see, I study in a prestigious school called Skylark Academy, an institution that covers all possible classes—from daycare to middle school, high school, and university. It has college and all branches of education that you're looking for, and as expected, it has high requirements.
There are both boarding and day schools, and it's easy to get lost if you're not used to the layout, especially because the school is literally a whole city… with lots of rich sponsors, of course. Because it's a prestigious school for the rich and wealthy.
And yes, I am the narrator.
Anyways, today I woke up feeling great 'cause I was gonna meet Ran Ran. She's the great-granddaughter of the director of our school. Her name is Ranelle, but I call her Ran Ran—only I can call her Ran Ran! She's a cute, beautiful girl in my class and also the class assistant. I'm the class representative. She's one of the toppers and a very gentle girl.
Haaaaa~ just thinking about her makes all my worries go away. But that's not the issue here.
The thing is, I died today—of all days—the day when Ran Ran and I were supposed to get engaged.
And yes, engaged. We are in our last year in high school, and we've been childhood friends since we were little. We started dating when we both accidentally confessed to each other in middle school.
Flashback
I can remember that day as clear as yesterday.
I had finally accepted the fact that I couldn't get her off my mind, and when I asked my older brother, he teased me and said I was in love—which I vehemently denied, like every other teen would. But I guess the taunts got to me, and I ended up writing the cringiest, most embarrassing love letter ever. It was literally a 999-word letter, and I wrote 70% of it just appreciating her existence. But yeah, I did end up saying it. And following the advice my older sister gave, I bought 999 roses and left them in her dorm.
But when I got back to my dorm, I saw a cake with a letter from her.
I'm not gonna tell you what she wrote, but compared to mine, it was way better—it wasn't as cheesy as mine, and to me, it carried more weight.
We met up at the rooftop, which was our usual spot. Under the stars and all—it was so romantic. Especially with the way her hair swayed in the wind, the slight redness of her cheeks… I knew she was probably embarrassed. I was too. But just looking at her fidgeting there made my heart do loop-de-loops. And when we kissed, her soft lips pressed against mine—it was so magical.
No, I'm not a simp. I'm just a man who appreciates true art—and she is a work of art.
End of flashback
Anyways, back to what I was saying. Today is a school day unlike any other. It's the anniversary of Skylark Academy, which coincidentally is also the birthday of Ran Ran. To celebrate, the school hosted a gala for us—the people in high society—to mingle and build connections. But it was also the grand birthday bash of our beloved Ran Ran and her coming-of-age ceremony. She's finally 18. I'm so happy.
As per both our requests—which our families approved—we were to get engaged on her coming-of-age ceremony, which is her official debut into high society. We had rushed through classes with everyone eagerly anticipating the event, and all I can say is, it was worth it. Every bit of it. There was music, celebrities, and food—but most of all, the star of the day, Ranelle.
She was dressed in a navy blue gown, trumpet-length, with a halter collar. Around her neck, she wore pearl necklaces and earrings. She looked heavenly, especially with the gold-colored cocktail hat and the golden T-bar heels she wore. When I arrived, she was descending down the stairs, the chandelier light making her look even more stunning.
I was dressed in a white suit and blue shoes. Yeah, it was plain a bit, but it was special 'cause Ran Ran specially chose it for me.
Anyways, you're probably wondering—how did I die?
Well, let's skip to it.
The gala was in full swing, and people were mingling and having fun. I wasn't with Ran Ran; she had other matters to attend to, but still, she was within my range of sight. That was what assured me—until there was a blackout. I thought it was some kind of show, but then I heard glass shattering and screams. I panicked.
The thing is, Ran Ran was pretty popular, so she had a lot of boys vying for her. But she chose me, which made a lot of them angry and made the guys hate me. But as I said, my parents were pretty wealthy, so they couldn't do anything but swallow their anger.
And as for Ran Ran, she was perfect, and so she had girls who envied her.
So what happened next wasn't surprising.
I noticed a glint in the midst of the darkness and the sound of glass breaking. People began to run, scared for their lives. It was normal to send assassins to kill your enemies and for people to get killed by their enemies. But to so blatantly attempt to assassinate her during her coming-of-age and birthday celebration was beyond despicable.
I was furious, and before I could stop myself, I found myself in a tight embrace with her. A sharp pain in my head and chest. The lights flickered on—dim and unsettling. Everyone looked at me with horror, and gasps followed.
I wrapped my arms around her as blood trickled down my head and chest, warm and sticky. She was so perfect in my arms.
I felt my strength leaving me at an astonishing pace.
Looking down, I noticed she was crying, trying her best to hold me while screaming for someone to call the doctor.
I felt weightless, and soon I collapsed on the ground, my white suit now painted crimson like a canvas.
"Ran Ran, what's going on? Why are you crying?"
"No, don't talk. Save your strength," she said, wiping her tears and giving a weak smile. "Y-you got hit in the head and chest. I-I'm sorry you got hurt 'cause of me."
She buried her head in my chest, her hands stained with my blood. My vision darkened, and the last thing I heard was my brothers and sisters storming in and shouting my name. I felt glad—even in death—that I had protected her, and that I was still loved.
A cold feeling enveloped me, and I found myself plummeting into the abyss