WFCA 08

Chapter: 08

She had actually been curious for a while. It was the very question that had filled Sonnet’s mind on her way to this classroom.

Aiden met her eyes and spoke gently.

“Because you’re selfish.”

At the completely unexpected answer, Sonnet’s eyes widened.

Watching her reaction, Aiden gave a strange smile. His gaze somehow grew even more vivid.

“And you don’t care about what other people think.”

Caught off guard, Sonnet couldn’t respond right away.

Most people disliked that side of her. Because of it, no one ever bothered to come near her.

Unable to believe it, Sonnet asked again,

“You really like me because I’m selfish and don’t care about others?”

“Yeah.”

Aiden lifted the corner of his handsome lips.

Sonnet stared at him blankly. It was strange enough that he had accepted her confession so readily—but his reason for liking her was even stranger.

Does he have so much that ordinary things don’t interest him, so he’s drawn to unusual ones instead?

For some reason, she felt like a very odd person had firmly set his sights on her.

Still, she didn’t want to break things off right away. Her pride wouldn’t allow it when she hadn’t even begun the plan she had so carefully prepared.

It was already too late to admit she might have been wrong.

She hadn’t uncovered a single secret behind how Aiden kept ranking first, and instead of hindering him, she’d only wasted precious time. She couldn’t retreat like this.

Fixing her thoughts on first place, Sonnet kept her eyes glued to the photo materials in front of her.

She could feel Aiden’s gaze beside her, but this time she didn’t waver.

As she focused on the character arrangement of the ancient document discovered in the temple, the whispering around her—already present for a while—gradually grew loud enough to reach her ears.

“She’s not even embarrassed. Acting like that as a commoner.”

“She’s falling behind Aiden in studies, so she’s probably sticking close trying to leech off him.”

Sonnet turned around sharply, eyes blazing.

The group Delre belonged to had always looked down on Sonnet. Among them, Delre in particular made no effort to hide her dislike.

But Sonnet wasn’t the type to stay quiet either. Just as she was about to fire back—

A long pen suddenly flew toward Delre’s shoulder.

Startled, Delre’s eyes went wide as she turned toward where it had come from.

Then she froze in even greater shock.

It was Aiden who had thrown the pen.

With not a trace of a smile, Aiden spoke in a low voice.

“My pen must’ve slipped that way by accident.”

“….”

“Pick it up for me.”

His tone wasn’t forceful, yet there was an unmistakable arrogance in his voice.

It was nothing like the gentle tone he had used with her earlier.

Sonnet looked at him, startled by how cold Aiden appeared compared to when he was with her.

When Delre only stared blankly, Aiden fixed his gaze on her and spoke again.

“You’re not picking it up?”

At his chilled voice, Delre flinched and hurriedly bent down to look for the pen.

She fumbled around for quite a while, scanning the floor, but couldn’t find it.

Aiden watched the entire scene without missing a thing.

After some time, Delre spoke in a trembling voice.

“I’ll later—”

“Forget it. I don’t like things touched by people like you.”

“What about what you said earlier—”

Aiden let out a short scoff.

“You knew Sonnet and I are dating, so why talk like that?”

“….”

“And loud enough for us to hear.”

The smile vanished completely from Aiden’s face. Under his icy gaze, Delre hurried to speak.

“S-sorry. I…”

“You should apologize to Sonnet too. Your voice probably dirtied her ears.”

Delre quickly turned toward Sonnet and spoke.

“Sonnet, I’m sorry. What I said earlier was really thoughtless. I’m sorry.”

Sonnet turned her head forward instead of answering. Aiden leaned down, his lips near her ear.

“Are you okay?”

Along with a refreshing mint scent, his breath brushed her neck.

Sonnet flinched inwardly but nodded as if nothing was wrong, forcing herself to look at him.

Aiden smiled faintly and faced forward again.

A strange feeling stirred in Sonnet’s chest. In the past, she had always had to fight situations like this alone.

Not that she had felt lonely living that way—but having someone fight on her behalf felt unexpectedly comfortable and reassuring.

Is this why people date?

Sonnet glanced sideways. Even in the dim light, Aiden was reading a weapon book. The open pages were filled with sharp, silver blades.

Before, she would have scoffed at him.

But now, the ridicule didn’t come.

Instead, Aiden seemed a little impressive.

Even though his grades were already excellent, he was still studying books like that.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Sonnet quickly turned back to the front. Her brows twisted briefly.

At this rate, I’ll fall for Aiden before I ever reach first place.

Fixing her thoughts firmly on first place, Sonnet deliberately stopped looking at him.

By the time the veins in her eyes stood out and began to ache, the surroundings brightened.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Sonnet rose from her seat.

The audiovisual lecture was over, and after lunch, the day’s classes would be finished.

Which meant she wouldn’t have to stay glued to Aiden anymore.

Sonnet hurriedly stood and grabbed her bag.

Just then—

“Where do you want to eat lunch?”

“Huh?”

“We should eat lunch.”

As she slung her bag over her shoulder, Sonnet wondered what he was talking about.

When people date, do they normally eat lunch together and stay together all the time?

While she was lost in thought, Aiden spoke again.

“You’re not eating?”

“No, I am.”

Almost as if bewitched, Sonnet followed after him.

The moment they stepped out of the classroom, Aiden turned and stopped in front of her.

“I heard the roasted carrot sandwich at the student cafeteria is good. Have you tried it?”

“No.”

Aiden smiled brightly and took Sonnet’s hand. It was already becoming natural.

“Then let’s go eat that.”

Unable to refuse, Sonnet headed to the student cafeteria with him. It was already crowded with students.

“Wait here a moment.”

After handing Sonnet his bag, Aiden went to place the order. Looking around, there were no empty seats.

Normally, Sonnet didn’t eat at the cafeteria.

She usually bought a carrot sandwich from the shop in front of the school and ate on a nearby bench.

The cafeteria was always crowded and noisy at lunchtime—like a world of its own.

While waiting for the order, Aiden seemed to run into acquaintances and chatted with the students who gathered around him.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he talked with easy composure even in the chaotic atmosphere.

Soon the order came out, and after greeting them, Aiden brought the sandwiches back.

As soon as he reached Sonnet, he said,

“Let’s eat in front of Lake Dallent.”

“The lake?”

“Or do you want to eat here?”

“Aren’t there no seats?”

“I do have a place where I usually sit.”

Aiden gestured with his eyes toward a certain door near the counter.

A private dining room too?

Since she hadn’t expected that at all, Aiden felt unfamiliar—and yet somehow, it also felt fitting.

“Want to go there?”

Aiden studied her reaction.

Sonnet shook her head.

Rather than being alone in a room with Aiden, she’d rather be out by the wide-open lake.

Whenever they were alone, she felt like she might unknowingly fall under his spell.

Aiden held out one arm.

“Give me your bag.”

When Sonnet handed it over, he took it lightly. His other hand still held the two sandwiches.

As Sonnet reached to take them, Aiden lifted his arm slightly.

“I’ll carry them.”

He gave her a smiling look and left the cafeteria.

On the way to Lake Dallent, many people greeted Aiden warmly.

True to his good reputation, he treated everyone kindly—completely different from how he had dealt with Delre in the audiovisual room.

Following behind him, Sonnet narrowed her eyes.

Is he really sincere?

No matter how much he claimed to like selfish people who ignored others, Sonnet still couldn’t understand why Aiden liked her.

He must be plotting something.

Thinking he surely had some hidden motive, Sonnet continued to follow him.

Lake Dallent was one of Rossfield’s famous attractions. It was so beautiful and romantic that even tourists visiting the area came specifically to see the lake.