Annouhe following chapter(s) will focus on Runebelle

  In the midst of Runebelle’s despair she heard the trasting voice of the System tio cheerfully resohin her mind. It was as if a ray of light had pierced through the darkhat surrounded her.

  “Project Rune, Project Project Ru sang.

  Runebelle, still shrouded in fusion, whispered, “Who... who are you?”

  The System’s was sistently upbeat as it replied, “I am your System, your panion on this journey, Project Rune.”

  Runebelle struggled to grasp the meaning behind these words. “System? What do you mean?”

  The System, as if bursting with excitement, excimed, “Project Rune, I am here to assist you in unlog your true potential! We’ve collected 50% of your data, which means it’s time to activate Project Ruransformation without System destru! It’s a power that lies within you, waiting to be unleashed!”

  Runebelle, her curiosity momentarily overriding her sadness, asked, “Project...Ruransformation? What is that, and how do I activate it?”

  The System, with its cheerful demeanor, seemed momentarily fetful of Runebelle’s curreional state. It replied, “Oh, Project Rune, you see, it’s a remarkable power that ge the course of your destiny! But, um, I must admit, I’ve fotten a few details. It’s been so long since we’ve been able to talk.”

  Runebelle responded, “Wait a minute. You say it’s been a while since we’ve talked but we’ve alked before. Who are you really, and what is this ‘Project Ruransformation’?”

  The System’s cheerful tone wavered slightly, as if it had just remembered something important.

  “ht! My apologies, Project Ru seems I got a bit carried away. You see, the Project Ruransformation is a key to unlog your true potential, a power hidden within you. But, well, I ’t just tell you everything all at o me show you something that might help you uand.”

  With a burst of enthusiasm, the System projected a fragmented memory into Runebelle’s sciousness. It was a se from her past, a moment she thought she knew well, but a peculiar sensation hihat there might be more to the story than she realized.

  Enced by the System, Runebelle tentatively observed the memory. It revealed a time in the past, a moment when her friendship with Mica was still intact. The se pyed out, and Runebelle found herself witnessing a happier time, a moment of shared ughter and camaraderie.

  However, as the memory unfolded, Runebelle’s heart began to ache. She reized it in being the past, a time before their friendship had shattered. Uo bear the resol of the memories, she looked away and whispered, “It’s too sad...”

  The System, still maintaining its cheerful demeanor, offered a gentle reminder, “Remember, Project Ruhis is just 50% of your story. There’s another 50% you don’t know about. Before you make any judgments, see the full picture.”

  Runebelle hesitated, but then she felt a gentle nudge from the System. The cheerful presehin her mind seemingly made an effort to lift her spirits. “e on, Project Rune! You’ve got this! Just a little peek, and you might discover something amazing!”

  Runebelle, swayed by the System’s optimism, took a deep breath and turned her gaze back to the memory. She watched the se unfold revealing more moments from her past with Mica. Laughter, shared secrets, and a sense of belonging filled the memories.

  As Runebelle watched, she couldn’t deny the warmth that these recolles brought to her heart, even though they were tinged with bittersweet nostalgia.

  The System, sensing Runebelle’s ging mood cheered on. “That’s it, Project Rune! Keep watg! You’re about to uhe missing pieces of your story!”

  As Runebelle tio delve into the fragmented memory, she found herself transported ba time, a year before her mother’s departure. She now stood ieenage years, a period when the world still seemed to shun her unique appearance. People’s avoidance had bee a stant presen her life.

  In this particur memory, Runebelle found herself outside the door of her home. The voices from within reached her ears, and she reized one of them as her mother’s. tally, the others beloo someone known as Ms. Lorraine.

  Runebelle’s curiosity got the best of her and she couldn’t resist the urge to listen. She stealthily crept closer, positioning herself in a hidden er where she could eavesdrop on the versatioween her mother and Ms. Lorraine.

  From her cealed vantage point, Runebelle straio hear the words exged betweewo women, her heart heavy with anticipation and a hint of ay

  Runebelle huddled in her hidden er listening ily as her mother ehe room, apanied by the soft-spoken tones of Ms. Lorraine.

  “I just don’t know what to do anymore, Lorraine,” Runebelle’s mother, Rune, sighed heavily. “Runebelle’s grades are suffering because of the eople treat her at school. I ’t bear to see her so unhappy.”

  Ms. Lorraine passionately replied, “I uand, Ru’s not easy when our children face difficulties. You know, my daughter, Mica, she’s been having a hard time too, but she’s in a different school.”

  Runebelle’s ears perked up at the mention of her mother’s friend having a daughter named Mica

  Rune tinued, “I just wish Runebelle could have a friend who uands her, someone ts her for who she is. But it seems like everyone avoids her because of her... unique appearance.”

  Ms. Lorraine offered a sympathetic response, “It’s a difficult situation, Rune. Sometimes, it takes just one person to make a differen our children’s lives. Maybe one day, Runebelle will find that friend who sees her for the wonderful person she is.”

  Runebelle, hidden away, listeo the versation with mixed emotions. She now had a glimpse into her mother’s and her desire for Runebelle to find acceptand happiness. The mention of Mica added an intriguing yer of plexity to her uanding of their past.

  Overwhelmed by the emotions that had surged within her, Runebelle felt a strong desire to embrace her main, to let her know that she had heard her heartfelt s. She trembled with the urge to move from her hidden er, to step into the room and seek so her mother’s f arms.

  However, just as she was about to make her presenown, the System intervened. “Wait, Project Rune,” it whispered within her mind. “There’s more to this versation, more to uand. If you interrupt it now with your own desires, you may never uhe plete truth.”

  Runebelle hesitated being now torween her longing to fort her mother and her growing curiosity about the versatioween Rune and Ms. Lorraine. With a deep breath, she chose to remain hidden and tio listen.

  As Runebelle tio listen, her mother, Rune, spoke once more. “Lorraihere’s something I o ask of you, and I hope you’ll uand. I apologize for even bringing this up.”

  Ms. Lorraine, her toentive, replied, “Of course, Rune. You always t on me. What’s on your mind?”

  Ruook a deep breath before speaking as if steeling herself for what she was about to say. “Lorrai’s about my job. They gave me a one-year notice. In one year, I’ll lose my job, and I don’t know how I’ll manage everything.”

  Ms. Lorraine, her eyebrows furrowing, responded, “A one-year notice? That sounds very sketchy, Rune. Are they trying to push you out?”

  Rune sighed with worry. “I don’t know, Lorraine. But the thing is, it’s Gemine’s pany. He’s the owner, and I’ve been w there for so long. I just… I don’t know if I hahis on my own, especially with Runebelle...”

  Ms. Lorraine’s expression shifted from to a hint of anger, born out of her deep care for her friend. “Rune, you ’t be serious about this! You’re not alone, and you won’t have to abandon Runebelle.”

  Rurembled. “I know, Lorraine, but Gemine’s already gone. After the divorce, it’s just Runebelle and me. I o be sure she’s taken care of, no matter what happens.”

  As Runebelle tio eavesdrop on the versatioween her mother and Ms. Lorraine, a sudden realization washed over her. She remembered that in the past, she had run out of the room before she could hear the ey of this versation as opposed to now. It almost seemed like her memories were slowly pieg together the missing fragments of her past.

  Runebelle was transported to the following day in her past, she found herself once again in the familiar surroundings of her school. The day unfolded much like any other, with her cssmates going about their business while she remained isoted in her solitude.

  At lunchtime, Runebelle sat alone on a bench outside, as she often did. Her sadness seemed to be a stant panion, one she had grown aced to. She stared down at her untouched lunch, lost ihoughts and feelings of isotion.

  However, on this particur day, something ued happened. A girl with yellow hair tied in a bun approached Runebelle on the bench. The girl wore a friendly smile on her fad had a pleasant flower-like st, “Hi, I’m Sarah. What’s your name?”

  Runebelle, still enveloped in her sadness, remained silent, her eyes downcast while listening to Sarah’s friendly greeting. She didn’t offer a response being unsure of how to react to this ued iion.

  Uerred by Runebelle’s initial silence, Sarah tinued her efforts to reach out to the girl sitting on the bench. With her vibrant appearand warm demeanor, she wanted nothing more than to break through the walls of sadhat seemed to surround Runebelle.

  Sarah sat dowo Runebelle and tio speak in a gentle and reassuring tone. “You know, this bench is kind of our secret spot. I e here to escape the craziness of school sometimes. It’s o have a peaceful pce to think.”

  As Sarah made an effort to ect with Runebelle, her words were kind and uanding, as if she could sehe girl’s iurmoil. Runebelle looked up momentarily, but Sarah tinued, “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. Sometimes, it’s nice just to have someoo sit with.”

  However, their moment of e tly interrupted by the arrival of a group of teenage girls, each of them dispying bratty attitudes. They approached Sarah and began to speak with a tone of gossip and judgment.

  “Sarah, what the heck are you doing here with her, girl?” one of the girls asked,

  Anirl chimed in, “Yeah, she’s the weird oh the multicolored hair, right? Everyone avoids her.”

  Sarah, surprised by their hostility, tried to defend her choice to sit with Runebelle. “I’m just talking to her, okay? She’s not that weird, you know.”

  But the group of girls ersistent, and they began to pull Sarah away from Runebelle, their influerohan her desire to ect with the girl who had been sitting alone in her sadness.

  “I never saw her again” Runebelle thought to herself.

  However, the System, always eager to provide a more plete perspective, chimed in, “That’s irely true, Project Rune. I take you back to that moment if you’d like, but there’s something else here to see, something that might shed light on your story.”

  “Follow the girls,” the System urged Runebelle, its cheerful tone emphasizing the importance of this decision

  Runebelle, fueled by a newfound desire to uand her past, rose from the bend quietly followed the girls at a distance. She kept her emotions in check, ready to uhe truth that had remained hidden for so long.

  Runebelle discreetly followed the group of girls, she watched in astonishment as they threw Sarah in front of another person with yellow hair, who bore a striking resembo her sisters, Risebelle and Roselle.

  “Sister?” the word echoed in her mind like a distant memory, a possibility she had never dared to eain. Could this person with yellow hair be ected to her in a way she had never imagined?