Discrepancy? Negotiation? Tea? (6)

"Are you a stalker?" I asked.

"Maybe," Wake shrugged.

Huh.. I'm surprised he admitted it so easily.. what is with this anyways? I'm I that valuable?

"You can take me off your list of must-stalks right?"

"Yes."

"Do it."

"When I feel like it."

"..."

Class started, Teacher Eyl elaborating on the characteristics of enzymes.

Well.. I've already studied this but it doesn't hurt to refresh my memories-- Liliath had a puzzled look on her face. She's probably confused over why this is part of the education syllabus in the first place..

Wendy caressed the rabbit plushie-- i think its name is Qui, since it referred to itself as 'Qui' and exclaims 'Qui' at the end of most its sentence. I find weirder how the rabbit can speak without moving its mouth-- telepathically? TALENTS sure are weird.

Wendy who probably noticed my stare whispered to Qui before taking out an eraser from her pencil case. Not just an eraser-- but an eraser with a smiley face. Liliath too lost concentration and began to observe what Wendy was planning to do.

She placed the eraser vertically on the lab table and--

"Hi~"

Oh fuck.. first a talking rabbit, now a talking eraser.. what the heck is this? Even the pen drawing of the face became animated. It gave us a cutesy wink.

I carefully waved my hand to greet the pesky little eraser.

Wendy moved her hand over and with a small push-- toppled it over.

A soft cry could be heard-- never in my life would I have imagined that an eraser could scream.

"What an amusing ability, could it be used for other objects?" Liliath asked

"So as long as the target doesn't exceed a certain limit, i can make it come to life-- temporarily," Wendy explained.

"So it's an external TALENT.."

Huh.. I wonder why her TALENT feels so wrong.. what if she touched someone's clothing? She could make the clothing piece jump into a toilet now?

Class passed, everything was rather normal. Well… not for the stares i'm getting fro Voux and Kai. Sorry.

"Hm? Why did the table become empty.." Teacher Eyl who noticed how i wasn't together with Kai's group suddenly thought out loud. With an awkward smile, the teacher requested "Could someone tally the numbers please? It's not good to bunch together."

Voux turned to me and beckoned me with his eyes.

Kai only gave a wryly smile.

"Noel? Liliath? Could you two?" Teacher Eyl was being polite with the vague way she phrased that.

"Liliath?"

She shook her head and leaned against my shoulders with a pout.

The class raised a 'WOOO' while eacher Eyl looked dejected.

Seriously Liliath.. what in the world gives..

In the end, two students from other groups went to fill the spot.

"Sorry Noel.. but don't you see the oddity in this?"

Oddity?

"Teacher Eyl said to limit the number to 6 people for each designated table. If we changed our seats, there would be a need to replace us. Don't you think it's too roundabout?"

I wanted to ask why she was so wary of Kai but hearing her explanation I shut my mouth. There was indeed an incongruence to this.

"Sorry.." Liliath looked really dejected.

"It's alright.."

I'm more confused and worried than I am angry.

"Is there something between you two and Kai?" Wake asked. Probably incited by the stir-up a month ago when Liliath out-right refused to become Kai's helper.

"Maybe? I'm not too sure about it myself.."

While conversing with Wake, Liliath kept her fingers busy by 'abusing' the eraser-- no, rather, 'using' is the better term. I mean, what eraser isn't manufactured for erasing… right? The eraser kept screaming, Wendy laughing together with the indifferent Liliath.

What's this? A sadist duo?

Sure looks fun drawing random stencil marks and putting the eraser to good use.

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Saria, Wendy and I were enjoying our time at the cafeteria. The same seat we sat at yesterday. Oh, I can't forget the rabbit, Qui now.

An assortment of sauces were lined up in front of me, from 'mayo' to chocolate sprinkles. Saria stared intently at each of the various colourful bottles.

"W-why?"

"Qui! Amazing! Qui!"

"Can I have some?"

"I wouldn't be able to finish them alone would I?"

Wendy looked pleased by the multitude of choices being presented while Saria had an odd, cramped expression.

The three of us bought potato fries, which I had been told was a popular item on the menu. And it was popular with many students, myself included.

"You don't have to be so reserved Saria," Confused by her expression, such was what i said to perhaps calm her down..

"Liliath.. has anyone told you there's a little something wrong with your common sense.."

My issue with this world's common sense again.. a problem I would overcome with experience and time..

"Noel mentioned it before.. not that i could come to terms with it in a short time either.." I hung my head.

"NO!! Saria, why did you have to say that Qui! Qui doesn't follow common sense too Qui!"

Squeaking, the rabbit then munched on one of the potato fries.

"Qui, you can eat?" Wendy flashed a look of surprise.

"Qui can eat.. cant eat.. Qui."

The aforementioned potato fry dirtied its mouth without any way to enter any stomach.

"Oh no.. I have to send you to the washing machine Qui.. this stain is no good," Wendy chuckled, removing the food pieces from the rabbit's mouth.

"Qui! NOOO!!!"

It was obvious the rabbit was not fond of the 'washing machine', if that meant it would be spun inside a metal container?

Our tea break ended with Saria trying a number of the sauces I brought. It seemed the chocolate sauce didn't pair well with the fries, as expected. I was, however, surprised to learn that chilli paste complemented well.

Finishing our tidbits, we cleaned the table and left for class.

That was when we saw Kai, he alone held a large stack of boxes. He looked to be struggling.

I thought perhaps to take this opportunity to learn why my instincts were telling me that there was something about him that made me wary. I didn't mean to get rid of Noel's freedom, but his safety was an absolute must.

Odd.. how come the people of this world..

"Wendy, Saria, you two can go back first, I'll assist Kai," I pushed a packet of potato fry i bought for Noel and the bag where I kept the various sauces to them.

Wendy and Saria looked at each other.

"I'll help," Saria decided to stay.

"I'll bring this back then," Wendy decided to carry

"Let me assist."

Without waiting for his reply, I maneuvered the box in the air before having it land on my arms. It was rather light.

"Oh, thanks.. i need to get this to teacher Glib," Kai stopped on the spot, allow me the chance to take away some of his load.

"Saria," I passed the box I held to Saria before taking another one from Kai. Saria struggled with the box, it seemed the physical standard of the people in this world was rather low.

"Thanks, you two.." Kai showed a surprised expression when his sight landed on me, to that, I merely smiled. Though, this unnerving feeling of something out of the norm still stuck with me. I have to be cautious.

The three of us headed for the office where the teacher's gathered. The last time I came here was when Noel and I wanted to confess the truth behind Noel's ability.

"Thank you three, put it down here please," Teacher Glib who herself was checking the contents of the boxes pointed at a spot beside all the other boxes. A number of colourful books could be seen inside.

"Wheeh, thanks Liliath, thank Saria," Kai flashed us an amiable smile that reeked of suspicion.

"No prob."

While I merely nodded.

The three of us left the office, Saria tugged at me but I hinted at her to return first with my eyes.

Saria gave me a look of doubt before accepting my intent and increased her pace, leaving just Kai and me.

"What is it?" Kai questioned me in a dubious voice.

"I apologize," I said in a dull tone.

"Apologize? What do you mean?"

"I feel an unexplainable sense of repulsion towards you, thus why I asked Noel to avoid you."

Depending on his reaction, I should be able to glean a thing or two regarding his motive.

"Well.. thanks for telling the truth. I am just that kind of person after all.. probably my TALENT."

"Could I ask you to elaborate on it further?"

"My TALENT? Well, I would like to ask of yours too."

The way he spoke was nonchalant, no tension, totally calm. He wasn't faking it either.

"I don't have a TALENT. It's referred to as magic back from where I came from."

"Oh, that makes sense. Er.. about mine, it's the ability to gauge people's mental aptitude. But that isn't the whole picture. There's another ability of mine, which is to alter a person's perception about me."

"Is that so.."

How queer.

"It's not like I'm using it on you, just saying. It's up to you to believe me or not."

"Understood."

If he had gone so far as to explain it in this way.. I suppose my suspicion before proves correct. One this note, I think I have a better understanding of the situation now.

Perhaps.

My first assumption was that he didn't intend any harm, just that my instincts were right in detecting him as a minor threat.

Second was that he had no intention to begin with. The situation may have very well been a coincidence. Else, he was merely fooling around.

"See you around," Kai gestured with his hand before departing towards a different direction.

Nodding, I entered the class to find Noel shifting his gaze between the potato fries, the bag of sauces and me. A questioning gaze…

"Thanks for the fries but.. when did you bring the sauce?"

He asked doubtfully.