Chapter 8.2

“But whether Kate stays or not, it’s her choice. It’s best if you leave the decision to her,” Noah added in a calm tone.

“Of course, naturally,” Flora said, looking over at me with an adorable, yet worried look in her eyes.

“Think it over during school break. Okay?”

“Okay… S-Sure,” I replied, stuttering.

“I guess I’ll be on my way then.”

“Yeah, enjoy your break! See you next semester!” Flora exclaimed, amicably waving her hands at me. Her mood seemed to have improved in no time.

“Bye.” I heard Noah say in a pleasant voice.

I awkwardly bowed to him before quickly picking up my feet to leave. However something stopped me.

“Uh.”

I noticed that the laces of my shoes had come undone. When I knelt down for a moment to retie them, I heard Flora say something in a curious voice.

“You two seem to have gotten quite close. What brought that about?”

“…!”

If he has any sense at all, he won’t say anything about me confessing my feelings to him.

I looked up at the sky and started silently praying to myself.

There was a moment of awkward silence as Noah searched for words to say.

Noah opened his mouth to speak. “Ask me later.”

I let out a sigh of relief and felt my beating heart start to calm down.

Noah’s quick on his feet. He’s really the best.

I would never let him tell anybody about any of that anyway, no matter what.

Feeling relieved, I finished tying my shoes and stood up. Noah was looking over at me.

“Eh, uhm.” I stumbled backwards upon hearing these sounds escape my mouth. I must have sounded like a complete idiot.

He was looking at me with a particular expression on his face as if he wanted to say, “Did I do well?”

I felt my headache starting to come back.

***

With great difficulty, I pulled myself away from Noah and set off towards the yard of the building in front of me.

I chewed on the bread that I was holding in my hand and stared vacantly around at the school grounds.

Birds were chirping in the sky and the summer wind was flowing through the tree leaves. As is usual for this time of year, it was a serene and warm summer.

“Should I just drop out of school?” I mumbled to myself as I munched on my bread. I let out a sigh.

“Why would you drop out?”

“Wah-ah!” I cried, startled by the sudden voice that came whispering into my ears. The bread I was holding fell out of my hand and onto the ground.

The person who frightened me was Arkhan. He was just standing there smiling at me.

“Could you please not sneak up on me like that? Are you practicing your stealth skills or something?” I grumbled, holding my hand to my pounding heart.

“Did I startle you?”

“Of course… Ugh.”

I picked at my ear and stared down at the bread that had fallen onto the ground.

“Ah, that’s unfortunate.”

I continued to look down at the dirt-covered bread and licked my lips in disappointment.

“The ants will eat it.”

Look at that. One has already arrived.

Arkhan knelt down and pointed to the bread.

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“That was my fault. I’m sorry. Would you like me to buy you another one?” he said as he looked up at me.

“That’s okay. It wasn’t good anyway. You shouldn’t even buy one for yourself,” I answered, waving my hands in the air to decline his offer.

Wait a moment. Why is he even here?

“Why are you here?”

Arkhan didn’t say anything but instead pointed somewhere. It was in the direction that the students from the swordsmanship department were sparring.

“Ah, you’re in the middle of class?”

I sat down on a nearby bench and rested my chin on my hands.

“Wait a minute, I don’t think that freshmen have class now,” I said, fiercely looking over at Arkhan. “So if you don’t have class, then what are you doing here?”

“You’re looking at it: just hanging out,” Arkhan replied, sitting down beside me with a brazen smile.

“You’re really… Ugh, whatever.”

“What is it? Come on, don’t give up on me.”

Arkhan rested his chin in his hands and let out a superficial laugh.

“What’s with your outfit?” I asked, glancing over at Arkhan whose eyes looked half asleep.

He didn’t have a name tag, he had one or two buttons undone on his shirt, and his necktie was loose. I couldn’t say it made him look bad, though.

“What are you talking about, huh? Do I look so strange?”

I clicked my tongue and fastened the buttons on his shirt.

Why would he expose his chest like this?

“… Don’t bring your face any closer,” Arkhan mumbled in a sunken voice as he hid part of his face with his hand.

What’s with him?

I finished fastening the buttons on his shirt and withdrew my hands.

“Are you really so stressed?”

It hasn’t even been one year for him yet.

I put my chin in my hands and let out a small giggle.

“Summer vacation is just around the corner. Oh, I really don’t like school.”

“Are you going to be hanging out with me then?”

“Are you crazy?” I murmured as I leaned on the back end of the bench.

Arkhan briefly studied my face before opening his mouth.

“… Kate, are you going to drop out?”

“Huh?”

My face creased up upon hearing his question and I looked over at him. He had quite a serious expression on his face.

“Is there something going on?”

“No, it’s just that… Well, everyone has that thought at least once while being at school, right? I wouldn’t actually do it,” I answered evasively and looked at the clock on the face of the building.

“I have to start class soon. You should get going.” I sat up on the bench and pushed Arkhan’s back.

However, Arkhan came to an abrupt pause as if he were about to say something.

“Don’t do it. Please don’t do it. Don’t drop out. You’re going to graduate and that’s all there is to it.”

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Annoyed, I swung my hand in the air at Arkhan who still had a serious face.

Finally, Arkhan loosened up a bit and turned around.

“Eh-hem.”

He had his back to me. I stared at him as I scratched my head.

What’s gotten into him? Do I actually look like I’m going to drop out or something?