Banter of a New Duo

Zeke didn't know he's in for a world of surprises as soon as he met Noah.

In contrast to his recent conduct, this seatmate of his was the centre-of-attention type. Whenever a class period ended, some of their classmates would circle around him and engage in idle chitchats. Although the transfer student has quite an audience himself, he's able to decipher his words and expressions while being bombarded by questions, which were to be expected for a newcomer. He wasn't sure if Noah was faking that sunny smile or not, but then again, he didn't really know anything about him.

That is until three girls approached and asked him to teach them arithmetic.

As a slow learner whose waterloo is Mathematics, Zeke couldn't help but be amazed at how Noah explained the topic like a real professor. He's even more surprised when one of them called him the top of their class. His eyes were bulging in flummox, jaw slightly dropped, when Noah noticed him, making him stop from talking and turn to him.

"Do you also have the same problem? I can help you," the blonde asked with a generous smile.

That's when an insight dawned on Zeke. Then, with the look of someone who just had an epiphany, he leaned towards him and exuberantly commented without contemplating, "You know, you kinda remind me of Ms. Claes."

The moment he dropped that remark, the temperature in the room dropped as well.

Everyone around Noah, except for the ever clueless Zeke, seemed to notice not only the unforeseen change in atmosphere, but also his slowly dampening spirit. Since they've been with the blonde longer than him, they already sensed something portentous just by glancing at him.

The girls who're just enjoying themselves in Noah's company suddenly sweatdropped at the tension in the air. Then, with a tremulous expression, one of them voiced out, "O-Oh! We get it now. Thank you for teaching us, Noah!"

With that, the crowd scurried away and steered clear of the two.

A while ago, the girls were planning to use this subject as an excuse to converse with their classmate. Though disappointed at how short-lived it was, they're quite curious as to why Noah's mood suddenly changed. The impression that Zeke's comment sounded nothing but a sincere compliment baffled them even more. They couldn't figure out what's wrong with that statement or just who was this Claes girl to make the ebullient and good-natured Student Council Vice President react with dread.

And a compliment, it was.

Zeke meant well since he admired the upperclassman. Yet, for unknown reasons, each of their classmates suddenly acted like a deer caught in the headlight. It's as if they're avoiding a forthcoming storm. As he looked back at Noah, he's taken aback to find him in a foul mood. Even then, however, he didn't realized that his current demeanour was the cause of their classmates' strange actions.

Still oblivious that he's the offender, Zeke continued his speech, unknowingly provoking him more.

"Man, I still remember how the two of you brought me down with a single flip. Were you practicing karate together or something? Not to mention, you're both honour students and good at teaching. Then again, you're not just any ordinary people-"

Zeke suddenly paused upon seeing Noah scowling at him, clearly displeased.

That's only when it finally clicked in his head.

Without thinking, he then asked, "What? Do you have something against Ms. Claes?"

The way Noah flickered his venomous eyes at him before eventually evading his gaze delivered the message well. Zeke finally got what he wanted to imply all along – he just crossed the line.

"You're such an airhead, Mister~" the blonde mused out of nowhere, stupefying the young heir.

"Huh?"

"You're really slow to catch up. What kind of nonsense was that, anyway? Since I don't know her that much, I'm unsure whether you're actually praising me or not. For all I know, you're lumping me together with someone incompetent."

"No, I'm not."

"And Nile isn't just the only river in Egypt."

"That's not the point!"

The class couldn't follow what's happening. One minute, it looked like they're about to shed blood, then on the next, they're suddenly bickering like an old couple. Everyone was just confused at this point, but in order to stay in Noah's mercy, they chose to seal their lips.

Meanwhile, inside the library that's currently half empty, a certain bookworm had turned her fangirl mode on.

The librarian was sitting idly behind the counter while his companion was humming contentedly, head above the clouds. Though he isn't entirely clueless as for why she's like this, he remained dumbfounded.

"I'm telling you, Hal. I saw how they looked at each other! They're clearly in love," she enthused with the look of a hopeless romantic.

"And your basis?" he inquired, lifting an eyebrow in suspicion.

"It's definitely a rendezvous of some kind! I can't believe you're oblivious of your subjects' love lives."

"First of all, I haven't heard anything from Noah. Second, you're missing concrete evidences. And lastly, you sound like a stalker right now."

Eli only groaned at this while Hal gave her an unamused, deadpan look. She's really into the idea of treating them like some kind of celebrities. Unlike before when she had never even batted an eye on the ever famous Student Council, she's now acting like a prying paparazzi.

A passing thought then struck Hal out of nowhere.

While it's true that Eli never had an interest in others before, her sudden fixation on Noah in particular was also a bit odd. Changes may be inevitable nowadays, especially with the Empress around. However, he couldn't help but wonder if this was caused by mere curiosity alone.

Hal then found himself awkwardly considering the assumption that perhaps, the Empress was also behind this uncalled-for attention. After all, she and Noah had shared some kind of a bond in the past.

"Allen, how was it?" Eli asked all of the sudden, snapping him back to reality. Too absorbed in his train of thoughts, Hal didn't notice the Student Council President's arrival. Allen just entered the room with a box of silverware in hand, smiling amicably at the elated ash-haired girl.

"I think we're good to go. Shall we set up the table at the field now?" he replied, much to her delight.

A while ago, Eli suggested to hold the tea party at the flower field where she last saw Noah. She's quite proud of her discovery as she described the place to them ecstatically. Having nowhere to go, they eventually agreed to have it done outside.

"Oh, right. How about the others? Have they agreed to join?" she questioned all of the sudden, voice a bit nervous, while she fiddled with her fingers.

At this, both Hal and Allen only stared at her shrinking figure with a worried look.