"Hello," Eugenio said with a gentle, almost mysterious tone as he settled next to Seraphina. His voice was careful, as if he were treading on unfamiliar and uncertain ground.

"Um... Hello?" Seraphina replied, turning her face toward Eugenio. Her voice was timid and hesitant, but with a touch of curiosity.

"My name is Eugenio," he introduced himself, adding a hint of pride to his voice. He extended his hand towards Seraphina, guiding it to hers. After all, since she couldn't see, he needed to be as convincing and gentle as possible.

"Um... Could you please let go of my hand?" Seraphina requested, her voice soft and somewhat insecure. "Nice to meet you too," she added, the tone of her voice revealing a mixture of surprise and confusion.

It was the first time someone had addressed her without an apparent reason. Seraphina never had many friends or people talk to her outside of her family. The sudden interaction left her embarrassed but also intrigued. She could tell by his deep and jovial voice that he was a boy. She couldn't remember the last time a boy had approached her to talk without her having to ask for help in some way. The experience was new and a bit strange, but also a little exciting.

"Oh, I apologize," Eugenio said, his voice filled with genuine remorse as he gently released Seraphina's hand. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with my gesture."

Seraphina, with a slight blush coloring her cheeks, responded, "No, it's not that you offended me, Eugenio. It's just that... Well, I'm not used to this." She felt a knot in her stomach, wondering if he would back away because of it. Secretly, she hoped he wouldn't.

Eugenio, sensing the girl's discomfort, hurried to ease the situation. "No problem at all, Seraphina," he assured her, his voice gentle and understanding. "I was a bit hasty; I should have explained my intentions before taking your hand. I apologize for that." Internally, he was eager to change the course of the conversation. His interest in Seraphina was clear, and he was growing impatient with the formalities of polite conversation. But he knew he needed to proceed with caution not to scare her away.

Awkwardly trying to change the subject, Seraphina asked, "So, what do you think of the class?" She felt lost, not knowing exactly what to say or do. She had never had to lead a conversation before, and the pressure was starting to give her a slight headache. Still, she was determined to try.

"She's an amazing teacher, your sister," Eugenio began, his tone of voice distant, as if he were lost in thought. His gaze wandered around the classroom, not fixating on anything particularly interesting. Clearly, he wasn't absorbing anything from the class. After all, his attention was focused elsewhere – on Seraphina, to be precise.

Seraphina smiled, despite the evident confusion on her face. "Yes, my sister is a good teacher. I've learned a lot from her over the years. I'm sure all of you will benefit from her lessons." The memory of her sister struggling to get this job made her smile widen. She knew the difficulties and tribulations her sister had gone through to get where she was now, and she was sure she would give her all to succeed.

For some reason, Eugenio didn't respond. Instead, he was looking at her with a serious expression, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. Suddenly, a holographic screen appeared in front of him, displaying various information:

{Name: Seraphina Houses

Age: 20

Height: 1.67m

Family: Alex House (father), Amelia House (mother), Evangeline House (sister), Daniel House (brother), Victoria House (half-sister)

Likes: romance, drawing, listening to sounds.

Dislikes: fake people, lies, being blind.

Emotional state: happy, curious, apprehensive

Current thought: "Why did he go silent? Did I say something wrong? Should I talk to him... But where do I start?"

Warning: something bad is about to happen.}

"What the hell is this materializing in front of me?" Eugenio questioned internally, perplexed. Was he a victim of some kind of hallucination? His eyes widened as the information appeared on the holographic screen, and he felt a wave of confusion wash over him.

"Sorry?" Seraphina's voice interrupted his thoughts. She seemed as lost as he was. Did she think he was talking to her? Seraphina had no way of knowing, but the question seemed to have been directed at her.

"Oh... Sorry, it's not about you," Eugenio hurried to clarify, his voice showing a mixture of surprise and slight discomfort. "Something intruded into my vision, but I've removed it." He explained, trying to remain calm. If that holographic projection was correct, Seraphina was happy to talk to him. That meant his chances of winning her over might be higher than he initially thought.

"Ah... Okay." It was the only response Seraphina could muster. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. The confusion on her face deepened, but she tried to hide it, pressing her lips into a thin, straight line. She didn't know what to make of Eugenio's strange interruption, but the fact that he was trying to clarify the situation made her feel a little more at ease.

"Well, what do you like to do in your free time?" Eugenio asked, his voice casual, as if he were throwing a question to the wind. "I, for example, am quite fond of the art of sleeping. I spend most of my time immersed in dreams," he revealed with a light sense of humor, as if he had shared a precious secret.

"So, are you the lazy type?" Seraphina asked, sounding more curious than accusatory. She quickly added, "No, I don't mean that as a criticism! I... I really have no right to criticize anyone." Her voice was soft, almost hesitant, as if she were treading on delicate ground.

Eugene chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Seraphina. I don't mind that kind of thing. Now, tell me, what do you like to do?" He asked, his voice curious and encouraging. Internally, he was still full of surprise about the information that had materialized on the holographic screen. How on earth could a blind person draw?

"I... I like music," Seraphina began, her voice low, as if she were sharing a secret. "That's it, I guess. It's not like I can do much more than that..." She added, a touch of melancholy weighing on her voice. She didn't mention her other interests, like drawing or watching movies. She feared that it might trigger laughter or disbelief from him. Seraphina was tired of being mocked, the target of cruel jokes. She preferred to keep her talents hidden rather than risk being ridiculed again.

"But, do you really only like music?" Eugenio asked with an intrigued expression. The words left his lips with innocent lightness, but they were filled with almost palpable curiosity. "I'd like to know more about what you enjoy."

Seraphina hesitated, her voice taking on a defensive tone. "I've already said I like music. There's nothing else I enjoy." She closed her mouth, knowing she was lying. However, she didn't see how he could discover her other interests without her revealing them.

Eugene leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know, I hate it when people aren't sincere," he said casually, but the intensity of his gaze pointed to a deeper truth. Of course, it was ironic, considering he was lying to her himself.

Seraphina frowned, confused. "Why all this interest, Eugenio?" She questioned, suspicious. While she appreciated his aversion to dishonesty – a feeling she shared – the lie she had just told made her feel like a hypocrite. However, she preferred to betray her own principles than risk being ridiculed again for her personal preferences.

"You know, Seraphina..." Eugenio began, hesitating for a moment before taking a deep breath and letting out the words that had been hammering in his mind, "I... I'm in love with you." He wondered what her reaction would be. Would she be shocked, or perhaps flattered? It didn't matter. What really mattered to Eugenio was winning his bet and, consequently, the video game he so desired. For that, he needed to win this young girl's heart, no matter what it took.

"I... what?" Seraphina stammered, her voice sounding more like a whisper than anything else. Her surprise was so great that she forgot to breathe for a moment. She shook her head, trying to clear the confusion that was clouding her thoughts. "Eugene... you... are you serious?" She asked, her voice almost inaudible.

Eugene, realizing her shock, tried to soften the blow. "Yes, Seraphina, I'm serious. I know it may seem strange, but it's true. I really... like you," he said, trying to make his voice as soft and reassuring as possible. He didn't want to scare her, but he also didn't want her to doubt his words.

Seraphina, still processing his words, fell silent for a moment. She felt her heart beating fast in her chest, as if it were trying to jump out. A mix of emotions was flooding her being, leaving her speechless. She was surprised, a little confused, maybe even a little scared. But above all, she was... excited?

"I... I don't know what to say," Seraphina finally managed to murmur, her voice still trembling and uncertain. She had no idea how she should react. No one had ever confessed their feelings for her before, and she had no idea how to handle it. "I... I need to think about this," she added, hoping Eugenio would understand. He seemed sincere, but she was still afraid. Afraid of being hurt, afraid of being deceived. She needed time to process everything.

Eugene, realizing she was uncertain, decided to give her the space she needed. "Of course, Seraphina, I understand. Take all the time you need. I just wanted you to know about my feelings," he said, his voice calm and understanding. Despite his internal anxiety, he knew he needed to be patient. After all, he didn't want to scare her. He wanted to win her over.

Seraphina abruptly stood up, the chair protesting with a creak. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it in her ears. She swallowed hard, trying to calm her accelerated breathing.

"Panic" was a small word to describe what she was feeling at that moment. It was as if a million butterflies were flying uncontrollably in her stomach, each one representing a fear, a doubt, an insecurity.

She wondered if Eugenio was playing a prank on her, if all of this was just a cruel joke. Or maybe he was confusing friendship with love? And what if he was just taking advantage of her vulnerability?

Thoughts continued to pile up in her mind, each one scarier than the last. She was so absorbed in her own confusion that she didn't even realize how close she was to the corner of the table.

With a muffled scream, Seraphina stumbled, her feet caught in an invisible line. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized she was about to fall.

But before she could crash to the floor, Eugenio was there. He moved with surprising speed, his arms wrapping around her in a firm embrace as he cushioned her fall.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice filled with concern. He helped her to her feet, keeping an arm around her to ensure she didn't fall again.

Seraphina, still trembling with fear and surprise, only nodded, unable to form words. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to feel. All she knew was that, in that moment, she was safe in Eugenio's arms.

Evangeline, who had been writing on the board, had stopped abruptly upon hearing Seraphina's muffled cry. She turned quickly, the chalk stopping in the middle of a word, a cloud of white dust floating in the air. Her eyes widened at the sight of Seraphina in Eugenio's arms, an expression of shock and relief on her face.

"Seraphina!" Evangeline exclaimed, running toward them. "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly with concern.