Lunch Time

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos of lunchtime chatter. Ere'ana sat with her friends at their usual table, the soft hum of their conversations mixing with the clinking of trays and the occasional bursts of laughter. Kikidori sat beside her, quiet as always, picking at his food with a detached air. He wasn't one for socializing, but he tolerated Ere'ana's friends for her sake.

Ere'ana was mid-bite into her sandwich when Tessa, ever the instigator, grinned mischievously and leaned forward. "So, Ere'ana," she said, drawing out the words, "I've been wondering… How exactly did you two meet?"

Ere'ana froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. Her emerald eyes widened, and a faint blush began creeping up her neck.

"Oh, um…" she stammered, glancing at Kikidori. He didn't even look up, his crimson eyes fixed on his tray as if the question wasn't directed at him.

"Well?" another friend chimed in, a teasing smile on her face. "Come on, it must be a cute story, right?"

Ere'ana's blush deepened. She fidgeted with her napkin, avoiding eye contact. "It's… not that interesting," she said quickly.

Tessa wasn't having it. "Oh, please. Spill. We *need* to know."

Kikidori finally looked up, his face as blank as ever. "She crawled under my desk," he said flatly.

Ere'ana nearly choked on her sandwich. "Kiki!" she hissed, glaring at him.

Tessa's eyes lit up. "Wait, what? She crawled under your desk? *Why?*"

"It was middle school," Kikidori said, his tone unbothered. "She dropped her pen. It rolled under my desk. She crawled under to get it."

"Oh my God!" one of the girls squealed, clapping her hands together. "That's adorable!"

"It's *not* adorable," Ere'ana muttered, burying her face in her hands.

Tessa, ever the instigator, leaned closer, her grin widening. "Wait, wait, wait. So you were, like, under his desk? On all fours? With your face—"

Ere'ana cut her off with a mortified groan. "Don't say it!"

Kikidori, completely unfazed, continued eating. "Her face was right between my legs," he added casually.

Ere'ana smacked his arm, her face now a deep shade of red. "Why would you say that?!"

The table erupted into laughter, the other girls practically crying from how hard they were laughing. Even Tessa, who lived for moments like this, looked like she might fall out of her chair.

"Oh my God, Ere'ana," one of them managed to say between giggles. "That's the funniest thing I've ever heard."

"I wanted to *die*," Ere'ana admitted, her voice muffled by her hands.

Kikidori shrugged. "You skedaddled pretty fast."

That only made the girls laugh harder. Ere'ana groaned again, peeking at Kikidori through her fingers. He was as calm as ever, completely unaffected by the chaos around him.

"You're impossible," she muttered, shaking her head.

"I told the truth," he replied simply.

Tessa wiped a tear from her eye, still giggling. "Well, now we know why she fell for you, Kiki. You made such a *great* first impression."

Ere'ana shot her a glare but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. It was embarrassing, sure, but it was their story. And in some strange way, it was perfect.

Kikidori, on the other hand, didn't seem to care what anyone thought. He was here for one reason: Ere'ana. And if enduring a few laughs at their expense made her happy, so be it.