[Music Recommendation: "Tiptoe Thru The Tulips" by O'Neill Brothers (instrumental only)-available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

"This… is the cafeteria?" Marie asked, with her mouth slightly open. "This is a fancy restaurant."

"Yeah. I always wondered why they call it cafeteria when it's obviously a restaurant."

"It's expensive here. We can go somewhere else."

"It's alright. They have great food. I'm sure you'll love it."

"You must be rich."

"Ahm… just average."

"If you're average then I'm a pleb."

"What? No. It's just… My other friends eat here, too. So we kinda meet here everyday during lunch. We didn't think of going to other cafeterias since it's the closest one for everyone."

"Your friends must be a bunch of rich people, too. I can't eat here everyday," she sighed. "But thanks for the treat. I will forever remember it."

'Oh no. Am I upsetting her? I can't tell from her expression. But I didn't mean to—it's not what I wanted to say at all. That's not how I wanted it to come out. Ugh. I didn't think this thoroughly enough. I need to get some friendship building lessons with Crystal. I desperately need one.'

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… It wasn't my intention to brag or anything. I just really wanted to invite you over. I didn't think you'd—I'm really sorry," I sighed and apologized as we walked inside, towards our usual spot.

"It's alright. You're not bragging. You're just telling me the truth. There's nothing for you to be sorry about. I'm the shameless one for asking for free lunch. And I'm asking because I forgot my wallet and I was told to suddenly enroll here."

"Huh? Why? What happened?"

"Sorry. I'm not allowed to tell."

"Oh, it's okay. I thought you were studying here because you wanted the course. It seems that you were forced to take it instead. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. It's part of the—"

"Sena! Here!" Hora called us from afar.

Everyone was already at our usual spot. It seemed that all that talking made us walk slower. We walked faster towards them and I introduced everyone to Marie.

"Marie? What are you doing here?" Crystal blurted out, with a confused look on her face as she pointed towards Marie.

"You know each other?" I asked, also confused. How in the world would they know each other?

"Yeah, she's—"

"Hello, Marie! Nice to see you," Callan interrupted. Then, he sat beside Crystal and hugged her from the side, making her blush and unable to say anything anymore.

"Nice to see you, too, Mr. Callan, Miss Crystal," she bowed to them.

'Sir? Miss? Why is she calling them that? This is so weird.'

"Nice to see you, too, Mr. Verrill, Mr. Kaiden."

'She knows them, too? How? Why?'

"Ah, Mr. Kaiden, I left my wallet due to rushing here. I need my adva—"

"Nice to see you," Kaiden interrupted. Then, he turned to Callan and asked in a smile, "Callan, the thing I ordered wasn't properly set up. I need you to work on it ASAP."

Callan's face paled up. The thing Kaiden ordered? Was that why he took Callan away yesterday? And why was Marie telling Kaiden she left her wallet? She needed her adva—what?

"Y-yes boss. It was urgent so I wasn't able to—"

"I don't care about the reasons. Deal with it ASAP."

Somehow, behind Kaiden's smile towards Callan, I felt a chilly and scary atmosphere. Uh-oh. Poor Callan. He would need to deal with that order or else he'd be toast.

"Anyway, Marie, you can sit beside us," I told her and pointed to the seat beside mine. "Callan, go to the other side. Stop clinging to Crystal. You can do that later."

"Hello Marie, I'm Hora—just Hora, no need to add Miss," Hora introduced herself and extended her hand. "Please take care of Sena for me. I would if she was my classmate but unfortunately, I'm not."

"That's the plan. Nice meeting you, Hora."

And so, after the rowdy and confusing introductions, we ordered food and ate lunch. To my surprise, Marie was a foodie. It didn't show on her thin appearance at all. But it was cute seeing her eat so happily. Her eyes sparkled everytime she ate a new dish. Somehow I wanted to invite her for lunch everyday and keep on feeding her. Would that be rude? She could consider it a bribe or a thanks for her talking to me and being how she was.

While we ate, I noticed Hora whispering something to Crystal. It was so soft I didn't manage to understand anything she said. Stingy Hora. Because of that, I decided to ask her instead.

"Hey, Hora. What is it? Tell me, too."

"Ke-ke-ke… Sorry, Sena but it's a secret," she mischievously said, snickering at me. Now, where in the world did she learn to be mischievous like that? I didn't teach her to be like that.

"You're keeping secrets to me now? I thought we're not allowed to keep secrets?" I complained.

"Don't worry, Senara. You'll know sooner or later," Crystal said, trying to pacify me.

Pouting, I continued eating my food. I tried to think what it could be but I had no idea. These kids, trying to keep secrets from the old me. Hmf! Yeah, I'd figure it out sooner or later.

Click!

As I was lost in my own thoughts, someone took a picture of me. Looking up, I saw it was Kaiden.

"So you're the new Crystal now? Taking pictures as you please?" I squinted my eyes towards Kaiden.

"Ha-ha! Sorry, you just looked cute. I'm gonna use it as a reference."

Wanting revenge, I took my phone and took a picture of him laughing.

"Revenge," I said, smiling cheekily at him. Did his vengeful soul rub off on me?

We were about to start bickering when Hora and Crystal giggled beside me that I lost the urge. It was then that Marie began to speak again.

"You seem close to Mr. Kaiden. Are you his girlfriend?"

And… I froze up. Callan and Verrill were both surprised with the question. Of course, they wouldn't know. Only Hora and Crystal were grinning since I already told them. And Kaiden was… smirking. Of course, he'd enjoy seeing me struggle to answer her with all these people present.

"I—ah…" my cheeks felt hot. What was I supposed to say? And how should I say it? I hope she wouldn't suddenly lash out on me like my other classmates. Was she a fan of Kaiden, too? Maybe I should have asked that first. Ugh…