Chapter 32.2

SIDE STORY – Gloria Lupinus (6)

The Academy was the same as ever after I returned a year later. Sure, there were many new faces, but the atmosphere was still warm, bright and full of energy. Perhaps because I left and returned in the same season, the scenery seemed to not have changed a jot.

Though I was chewed out by the housemaster for not wearing my next time, as soon as I returned.

It was for sure the handwork of that thickhead, Noah. The bastard, even if he couldn’t say hello to me after not seeing me for a whole year, why screw me over like that?

As I ground my teeth in annoyance, I heard a high-pitched voice from somewhere.

“Ria!”

“Oh dear.”

I grabbed Flora, who almost fell flat on her face from running, by her waist and smirked.

“Look at this. Running in the corridors without any dignity? Truly unladylike.”

“What are you saying? Did you become a true noble lady during your time at the Seminary?”

Flora covered her mouth as she giggled.

“I missed you.”

We laughed, looking each other in the face, before hugging the other tight. As Flora patted my back, she turned her head and said.

“Hey, Noah. Come over and say hello.”

Good heavens. How long has he been there?

I startled, removing my hands from around Flora.

“Hey.”

“. . . . . .”

Such a curt and rude greeting. Still, I laughed and put my arm around his shoulder.

“Yeah, you weren’t lonely while I was gone?”

“No.”

“Tsk, you heartless thing.”

Then, I turned and smiled brightly at Flora.

“You said you were going to start a book club. How is that going?”

“Mhmm, it is, thankfully. There’s this really cute junior named Kate in the club.”

Flora nodded as she said, smiling with satisfaction.

“You know, Flora…”

I stood, tapping a finger on my cheek and still smiling brightly.

“…I want to join too.”

* * * * * *

After meeting my fave at the club’s first meeting of the year, ironically, I returned to my dorm room feeling forlorn.

Kate… Kate was scared of me.

Why, just why are you avoiding me, kitten?

She even advised me that I was not suited with that kind of guy.

Feeling sad, I put a piece of candy into my mouth. Immediately, I could taste the cloying, artificial sweetness. I had given one of the same brand to Kate. To think that she ate such a thing in such a cute way, and even said that it was delicious. I want to feed her all the desert from my house right this minute. So, pretty baby, would you like to come to my house?

No, things shouldn’t be like this.

“Do I look scary?”

I scrutinised my image in the mirror, my face glum. The mirror held the image of a pretty, but severe, sharp face. The expression on the face… that sharp expression did look like fierce, like I was about to torture someone.

“Whoa.”

Have I lived too recklessly all this while? Did that give me a bad reputation?

“I don’t think so.”

My childhood aside, I have never caused trouble while at the Academy. I have also not made any enemies, nor did I plot against and torment others behind their backs like the original Gloria did.

So why is she avoiding me like that?

“How strange.”

I laid on my bed, my head tilted to the side, lost in thought.

* * * * * *

I tried to become friends with Kate, with not an ounce of cool. But each time, I failed. Kate always seemed to be scared of me. Although, she was still as adorable as ever.

Come to think of it, it seems she’s a bit interested in Noah. How is Noah better than I am? So annoying.

After swordsmanship class one day, I was walking along the corridor, wooden sword in hand, when I saw Noah and Kate standing together. At first, I paid it no mind. But then, their conversation seemed to be going on longer than I’d expected.

As I stood behind a column, listening to their conversation, I caught a glance of Noah’s face and was so astonished that I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from shouting. I nearly fell to the floor in surprise.

This is crazy! Who are you, and what have you done with Noah?

As the heavens are my witness, in the eight years I have known Noah, I had never seen such a look on his face. Even when Flora and I were with him, he’d never had such an expression.

The look on his face was completely different. Flushed cheeks, fluttering eyelids and an at loss gaze; no matter how I looked at it, it was the look of someone who had fallen in love.

Bruh, what is with that melodramatic look?

That was not all. There was so much excitement hidden beneath his look, as he stared at her.

I was 100% certain. Noah Yurielle was in love with Katelin Blair. And Katelin was unaware of it.

“What in the world?”

I held my forehead as I laughed. What in the rom-com setting was this?

I don’t even care about the original novel: the entire plot had already gone off on a tangent anyway. The problem was, it seemed both of them were in love with each other, while under serious illusions about the other person. Kate received all of Noah’s flirting with a resigned face, while Noah was still smiling softly.

My doll was completely clueless, while my childhood nemesis was a complete airhead.

I shook my head at the crazy situation, my hair tousling.

“Hmm, how interesting……”

Let’s keep watching for now, shall we?