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Chapter 28
“Am I a friend you can’t even buy with Archel’s money?”
“Don’t!”
Goosebumps prickled over my shoulders, and I wrapped both arms around myself. Maybe my glare amused her—Rena smiled faintly and gently patted my back.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Seeing Rena coldly remark that he needed to fix his habit of trying to solve everything with money only made me think about Aven even more.
Perhaps she noticed my sinking mood, because she kindly changed the subject.
“Come to think of it, where do you go every morning?”
“Morning?”
Thinking this might be my chance, I looked at her with brightened eyes. Rena immediately took a step back.
Even as she pushed at my forehead and told me not to make any weird requests again, I rushed in anyway.
“I’ve been attending dawn prayer. Want to come with me, Rena?”
“No.”
She didn’t hesitate for even a second. I scrunched up my nose.
“Why is it that whenever I ask you something, the answer is always no?”
It was at the point where I’d barely finished asking before she rejected me. It was getting suspicious.
‘Is she not even listening to my questions?’
When I narrowed my eyes, Rena shrugged.
“I’m tired. I need to sleep. I can’t wake up that early.”
Well… it’s not easy to get up at that hour every day. Disappointed, I lightly tapped the floor with my toes.
‘In that case, I’ll just have to get close to Johan and somehow make him meet Rena.’
“By the way, did you know? On the way from the chapel to the main building, there’s a flower bed full of wildflowers…”
By the time I finished telling her about what happened with Professor Lily, we had reached the dormitory.
Out of habit, I slipped my hand into the mailbox. The faint rustle of paper brushed against my fingertips.
“What’s this?”
As I pulled out the envelope, a long-awaited word caught my eye.
[Tersen Patent Office.]
“Why now…?”
A sigh slipped from my lips.
‘I was going to discuss it with Aven once the mood lamp patent came through.’
Suddenly, the image of his hurt puppy-like face resurfaced in my mind.
My heart grew unbearably heavy.
“My back feels like it’s burning.”
“….”
Rihart looked at me with interest.
“Did something happen between you and Aven?”
“Who knows.”
I stared at the alphabet letter that stuck out awkwardly at the end of my sentence before finally reaching for the eraser.
The charity event meeting had clearly vanished without a trace from Rihart’s mind.
‘Or maybe he just thought it was a simple disagreement.’
Which wasn’t wrong.
I pretended not to notice the steady blue gaze boring into my back.
Aven had been staring at me even before he entered the classroom. Considering the way he’d been watching me since I arrived at school, he’d probably been following me even earlier.
‘Not that I really wanted to know.’
But even if I didn’t want to, I couldn’t help knowing. Because Aven was popular.
Truly.
“Aven! About that trade investment our family is starting—”
“Aven, regarding the deposit limits in our case—”
“You have to come golfing with us this weekend. Everyone’s been looking forward to it.”
“Roeters! Our family’s pushing a new product this time—”
Aven tried not to let me notice, but the people around him wouldn’t leave him alone.
No matter how strangely he hid—behind bushes, in the corner of stairwells—people would find him like bloodhounds. Even if I didn’t want to, I could tell he was lingering around me.
Whenever someone called his name, he would glance at me first before reluctantly joining the conversation.
‘I discovered a surprising side of him.’
With that clear, bright smile as he listened, he looked like the type to be taken advantage of and give away everything.
But he wasn’t.
He shared information within reasonable limits, yet smoothly brushed off anyone trying to take advantage of him. When faced with requests that offered no benefit, he declined kindly and skillfully shifted the topic.
‘I’m getting tired just watching him.’
Especially that golf club group—they trailed him relentlessly all week.
Which also meant it had been a full week since Aven started trailing behind me.
‘Was it some kind of gathering for people who worship finance?’
At that rate, I’d have gone just to stop the nagging. But Aven replied in a refreshing voice, promising “next time.”
“Ah, it’s free period.”
I stuffed my notebook and textbook into my bag. Rihart stood up as well.
“I’ve got Political Science. How about we take all the same electives next semester?”
Is that necessary?
The thought flashed through my mind—but if Rena and Rihart took the same classes, they’d have more opportunities to interact.
Not bad.
“If you adjust to my schedule.”
After glancing once at Aven, who was still trapped by classmates, I left the classroom.
‘I need to talk to him.’
If there’s a misunderstanding, clear it up. If there’s lingering resentment, resolve it. Anyone else might be different—but this is Aven.
He’s my classmate, a member of the student council, a male lead candidate, and my employer!
‘But can we even talk in that state? He freaks out just trying to make eye contact.’
Thinking of Aven hurriedly covering his face with whatever he was holding made me snort.
‘He’s kind of cute.’
Shaking off the stray thought, I headed toward the student council room. I’d just snack on something and review my notes.
When I opened the door, the now-familiar scenery greeted me.
Warm sunlight streamed through the large windows, blending with the brown furniture to create a cozy, almost peaceful atmosphere.
I approached the babbling plant sitting on the center table.
The sign stuck into its soft soil read: It will not rot no matter how much water you give it. Please pour generously with affection.
“Ugh.”
Cassel had said that over time it would grow beyond syllables and start forming proper words and sentences…
“Long way to go.”
Still, I’d grown attached to it, so I filled a one-liter bottle with water and poured it in.
“Blegh!”
“That means you like it, right? I’m doing this because I care.”
Watching the plant greedily absorb the water was oddly refreshing.
I set down the now-empty bottle and rested my hands on the smooth wooden table.
After glancing around, I cleared my throat.
Only after carefully confirming no one else was there did I quietly speak.
“Aven, do you want to talk with me?”
Even though it was just practice, my whole body tingled with embarrassment.
It wasn’t like with Rihart, where I could snap at him. I couldn’t just grab Aven by the collar either. I had to talk it out.
“Ahem.”
In the end, I scratched my head awkwardly and returned to my seat.
On the desk lay the courage test proposal I hadn’t finished yesterday.
I’d thought it was nothing—but it turned out to be something, and that’s why I’d been upset.
“Well, everything takes effort.”
Nothing in life comes free.
Holding back tears, I picked up my pen—when the door opened.
“Hi.”
Without lifting my head, I greeted whoever it was.
No answer came.
I finished my sentence as footsteps approached, mentally running through the student council members’ schedules.
Who doesn’t have class right now?
‘…Aven Roeters?!’
Sure enough, when I looked up, a head of water-blue hair filled my vision.
Aven, eyes lowered, was watering the babbling plant. How did he have such long eyelashes without even having double eyelids…
“Blegh!!”
The plant sounded displeased, but Aven diligently sprayed water from the mister anyway.
Since neither of us spoke, the only sound in the room was the soft psshh psshh of the spray bottle.
With the faint sputtering of air mixing into the dying spray as background noise, my lips moved soundlessly several times.
“Aven, do you want to talk with me?”
…W-what?
I hadn’t made a sound—so why did I hear my own voice?
There was no one else in the room except Aven and me.
Stunned, I slowly lifted my head.
Aven’s face was flushed red.
His cheeks twitched, dimples deepening, before he finally answered in a small voice.
“Okay…”
Clatter.
The pen slipped from my hand and rolled across the table.
‘What is that babbling plant?’
“Blegh.”
Even though there wasn’t a single breeze, it felt as though the green leaves trembled once or twice.
