"Everyone! We're heading to the court in 20 minutes."
Yi Yeonghan, the class president, took the opportunity to remind everyone about the next class. Who knows, maybe someone hadn't seen the announcement?
Theo stood up from his chair, ready to leave.
"Urrm?! Wait, I'll go with you."
Nayun also stood up quickly.
"I think it's better not to..."
Before she could ask why she couldn't go with him, a familiar voice called her from behind.
"Nayun! Can I talk to you?"
As soon as she heard that voice, she immediately realized who it was, and to be honest, she didn't like it one bit.
"Uh! You... Jonghak!?"
Nayun, with a slightly displeased tone, got straight to the point. She really wanted this to end as quickly as possible.
I, who was still by her side, glanced at the scene. I noticed the discomfort in her posture: tense shoulders, hesitant hands fiddling with the hem of her blouse.
'Uh! Is she worried about me? Afraid I'll misunderstand? What a complicated girl...'
I let out a short sigh and averted my gaze. Maybe Nayun thought I'd be bothered seeing her talk to another guy, but that wasn't really the case. Not that I was completely indifferent, of course, but that didn't mean I was some jealous lunatic.
My voice sounded again.
Before Nayun could finish her sentence, I gave a slight smile. I placed my hand on her shoulder naturally and spoke telepathically, reassuring her...
-Don't worry. I won't stop wanting you just because of him.
Surprised and embarrassed by my attitude, Nayun glanced at me sideways, noticing the calmness in my expression. It was as if I wasn't the least bit concerned about Jonghak's presence.
I turned and left the room, leaving Nayun to deal with the situation. As I walked down the hallway, I thought to myself.
'She needs to learn to relax. This kind of thing isn't as serious as she thinks... Of course, if we take our relationship to the next level in the future, I'll have to have a brief talk with Jonghak.'
No one would want to see their woman talking to a man who harbored feelings for her. That would be like waving a green flag over your own head, and I, obviously, would never do that...
Back in the room, Nayun took a deep breath, trying to contain her irritation. Jonghak smiled slightly, but before he could say anything, she crossed her arms and stared at him directly.
"So, what do you want?"
Jonghak hesitated for a second, seeming lost at her direct tone, but he quickly composed himself and got straight to the point.
"I want to talk to you about that guy, Theo Sagan."
After a 20-minute break, everyone from the Veritas class gathered at the Novice Field. With 100 people present, the place seemed incredibly crowded. The cadets murmured nervously, sharing their expectations with their friends, while excitement and restlessness filled the air.
Amidst all this was me...
I wasn't alone. By my side, a certain girl with long, dark purple hair tied in a ponytail had been accompanying me since we left the Veritas classroom. Her eyes observed the scene in front of us with an almost cynical disinterest.
Yeonha asked, her voice carrying a neutral tone but with a slight hint of curiosity, perhaps hoping to soften the cold atmosphere between us.
I replied, crossing my arms indifferently, my voice filled with a confidence that seemed to either irritate or amuse anyone who heard it.
Yeonha slightly raised her eyes toward me. After a few seconds of staring at me, as if assessing my seriousness, she let out a muffled laugh, almost imperceptible.
"Confidence, when excessive, tends to turn into unchecked arrogance, which will trip you up at the first opportunity..."
She said, lightly shaking her head. Her voice was calm, but there was a provocative tone in the way she pronounced the words, as if challenging me to prove her wrong.
"Confidence is necessary. You just have to know when to stop."
I found it funny to hear that from her, someone who always admired confident people and even had a thing for someone quite prideful. The hypocrisy of the world never ceases to amaze.
I said, with a corner smile that she noticed immediately.
Yeonha arched an eyebrow, interested but cautious.
"Something like that."
"But what do I get out of it?"
Her question came with a suspicious look, as if she already expected some absurd condition.
"Let's say I can lend you my abilities."
She repeated, tilting her head slightly to the side, clearly intrigued.
"Don't tell me you thought having superhuman strength or being able to create and summon weapons was the only thing I could do? Tsk, your sense of observation is far too lacking..."
I replied with feigned indignation, my playful tone contrasting with the curiosity growing in her eyes, as sharp as blades ready to strike.
Yeonha stared at me fixedly, her lips pressed into a nearly imperceptible line as she reflected on the words I had just spoken, words laced with insinuations, calculated to leave a faint spark of doubt. After all, that was her essence: an ambition that burned incessantly for power, wealth, status, and above all, success.
It was evident that her mind was already working in silence, analyzing, weaving possibilities.
When Yeonha found someone she deemed useful for her goals, she never wasted time. She always crafted intricate plans, elaborate enough to manipulate circumstances in her favor.
She sighed, but despite her neutral expression, her eyes shone with that intriguing mix of interest and caution.
"Fine! My victory is a loan. My defeat..."
She hesitated, narrowing her eyes as if weighing every word that would come out of her mouth.
"Nothing outrageous, okay?"
"Of course, of course."
I replied, raising my hands in a theatrical gesture, feigning innocence.
My expression was one of pure calm, but the mischievous curve of my lips revealed how much I was enjoying this. And then, without missing a beat, I played my card.
Yeonha choked on the word, her eyes widening as she took a step back, completely caught off guard. The blush that began to tinge her cheeks was something rare to see, almost worth all the effort.
"I want to go on a date with you."
I declared, this time in a more serious tone, though the smile still danced on my lips.
She tried to formulate a response, but the words seemed to escape her, leaving her stammering and averting her gaze as if searching for something to focus on.
"Don't worry. It's just a date."
I added, my voice softening as I watched her reaction.
Yeonha sighed, somewhat annoyed with herself. Where was her head at to be listening to this guy? It almost seemed like she was the one being manipulated. What a joke, this was just a business meeting, yes, that's all it was...
"I'll take your silence as a yes."
I concluded, my provocation sounding light but hitting the mark.
Hearing my words, she simply huffed, as if trying to shift the focus, and we quickly changed the subject, talking about trivial topics as time passed. However, even as we spoke, I could tell Yeonha was still processing my proposal.
As we continued talking and waiting for the test to begin, I heard light footsteps approaching. The presence was so subtle it almost went unnoticed, but the unmistakable voice cut through the air like a murmur carrying a faint tone of curiosity.
"Theo, Yeonha, what are you two doing here?"