"Tch," I clicked my tongue in annoyance, glancing at her. "Where are you going?"
"Evelyn called," she replied, her gaze flickering towards me briefly.
I stepped beside her, nodding in understanding. "Then let's go."
But Grace halted, giving me a stern look. "No, go to your class. Stop bunking them."
"Aren't you doing the same?"
"I was called for... You are going uninvited. There's a difference."
"It's the same. She called you, that means she called me."
Grace slowed her pace, her expression thoughtful as she looked at me. "That's a weird thing to say."
"Then don't smile, Grace."
Her curled up lips in a small smile, quickly returning her features back to their usual composed state. "I am not smiling."
"Yeah yeah you are not." I replied as I rolled my eyes, before I walked with her to the management committee.
We quickly arrived at our destination, and Grace knocked on the door before waiting for a while.
"Come in," a soft voice beckoned from inside, and we entered the room.
My eyes immediately landed on the spread of cake, pudding, and tea arranged neatly on the table.
Then, my gaze shifted to the scarlet-haired girl seated at the head of the table, a pudding in her hand.
"You'll get fat if you keep eating that much," I teased, approaching her with a grin with Garce walking beside me.
"Don't say that. I'm not eating that much," she retorted before taking another spoonful of pudding.
"....Right." I replied taking my seat beside Grace.
She glanced at me once but didn't move.
"...Why are you here?" one of the girls sitting beside Evelyn asked.
Well...
I hadn't even noticed them.
"Ahem, Eden, why are you here?" Evelyn also asked, her tone curious as I just stared at the girl, making her uncomfortable.
"Well... I had free time—" I began.
"He bunked his class." Grace interjected before I could finish my sentence.
"You too?" Evelyn asked, her eyes widening, but she fell silent when Grace shot her a stern look.
"....You shouldn't do such things, Eden. Classes are important, and you should study more," Evelyn stated, taking another spoonful of pudding.
"...You bunked your class as well?" Grace asked, looking at Evelyn, who averted her gaze.
".... Anyway, let's get to the main topic," the girl sitting—I don't know her name—said, taking charge of the conversation.
"Crown Prince is coming back," Evelyn stated, her gaze shifting between me and Grace, "he will resume his role as the vice-principal for the academy."
Anyway, I need to stay sane because if I make even a single mistake, it's the end for me. Time isn't constant, and the moment I try to change its course, a chain reaction is bound to happen.
"Eden," as I continued to read, I heard Grace's voice.
"Yeah," I replied without looking at her, focusing on the book.
"I am going back to Aunt Sophia's room," she said, and I felt her gaze on me.
"Okay," I replied halfheartedly, still immersed in the book.
"Don't come to her apartment for a few days," she added.
"Okay."
"Are you listening?"
"Yeah, I am."
"I'm going then."
"Bye." I said as I focused back on the book, while Grace's footsteps echoed softly as she left the room.
After a few minutes, another person's footsteps echoed, but I still found myself immersed in the book.
Before I could even complete a third of the book, I had a plan in my mind on how to work on my time affinity.
Instead of focusing on all the nodes, I need to focus on one node at a time. But the thing is, it's time-consuming.
"Okay, let's try it," I said as I stood up, stretching my body, only to notice that only Evelyn was in the room.
"You're done, Eden?" she asked, smiling at me.
"You waited?" I asked, glancing outside the window to notice that the sun was about to go down.
How many hours have passed?
"Yeah, you were focusing too much, so I didn't try to disturb you," she replied as she also stood up.
"Thank you," I said as I walked beside her.
"Don't mention it," she replied, tipping-toed before patting my head while complaining, "why did you get so tall? You were nice when you were a child."
"Don't do that," I said, moving away.
She pouted before saying, "now go home, it's getting late, I also need to lock the door."
"Bye," smiling, I said before I walked out into the fading daylight.
"I am hungry," I mumbled as I made my way towards the teachers' apartment.
Hmm, maybe I should make something to eat today.
Thinking about it, I walked faster, and before I knew it, I arrived at the door.
Taking out the keys, I opened the door before entering.
"Hmm~ hmm~"
But just as I entered, I heard the stopping of the shower and someone humming with an eerily familiar voice.