Breaking Ice... Hah
Morning / Breakfast
The cafeteria buzzed with the same mindless chatter as always.
Plastic trays clattered.
Someone somewhere was already bitching about the eggs being rubbery.
Kain sat back in his chair, lazy and loose-limbed, chewing on a slice of dry toast.
Ruby was sitting across from him, nudging his shin on purpose now, shooting him little sly smiles over her bowl of cereal.
Finn, bless his dumbass heart, was still totally oblivious.
He was talking way too loudly about some "legendary new sword technique" he half-made up in a dream last night.
"I swear, bro, if you kick with your left foot at the same time you swing upward, it adds, like, momentum!"
He said, jabbing at the air with his spoon.
"Uh-huh," Kain muttered, deadpan.
Ruby giggled into her orange juice.
Under the table, her foot brushed his again, light, teasing.
Kain just smirked lazily at her, letting it happen.
She wanted to play?
Fine.
He always played to win.
Halfway through Finn's extremely scientific explanation of "sword physics," he suddenly perked up like a golden retriever seeing a squirrel.
"Oh! I texted Lyla to come over!" Finn said proudly.
Kain's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You what?"
"Yeah, dude! She said she was bored! So, like, why not hang out? Right, Ruby?" Finn turned to her like a puppy begging for validation.
Ruby smiled sweetly.
"Sounds fun"
Kain was already plotting something wicked when the faint ding of the system popped up in the corner of his vision.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
[ Warning: Attempted "Sabotage" detected ]
[Recommended Strategy: Let Finn and Lyla's Affection meters grow naturally for higher future rewards ]
Kain's brow twitched.
'The hell you mean 'higher rewards'? he thought, scowling internally.
Before he could even argue with the damn thing, another window flickered open.
[ AFFECTION METER / EXPANDED MODE UNLOCKED ]
[ You can now view your allies' Affection meters with each other ]
[ Ruby → Finn: 12% ]
[ Lyla → Finn: 4% ]
Kain blinked.
'Oh?'
'Ohhhhh'
He tapped the side of the screen, amused.
The numbers weren't impressive, but still.
The fact that Lyla had anything above 0% for Finn?
That was hilarious.
He leaned back in his chair just as Lyla finally showed up, striding across the room like she owned it.
Hair perfect.
Uniform crisp.
Expression: permanently annoyed.
When she reached them, Finn practically beamed.
"Lyla!" he said, waving so hard he nearly knocked over his orange juice.
She gave him a small nod, then flicked her eyes to Kain.
The tiniest muscle in her jaw twitched.
Kain just raised his toast in a lazy salute, wearing his most irritatingly smug grin.
"Morning, Princess"
She ignored him and sat down right beside Finn instead of across from him, which was interesting.
Ruby's eyes flickered between them with mild amusement, and under the table, she definitely ran her bare foot up Kain's shin again.
He caught her ankle easily between his legs, trapping her for a second, watching her eyes spark.
But he didn't push it.
Not yet.
He had a different game to play now.
"So," Kain said casually, tearing a piece off his toast, "Lyla, you and Finn are planning to hang out more?"
Lyla stiffened just slightly.
Finn, still happily clueless, grinned.
"Yeah! She said she can help me with some drills! She did say she was going to be a bit strict, though," he added with a dramatic fake-wince.
Lyla stabbed a piece of melon off her tray with unnecessary force.
Kain's system flickered again:
[ Lyla → Finn: +1% Affection]
[ Current: 5% ]
Kain nearly burst out laughing.
This was way more entertaining.
He stretched lazily, watching Finn ramble about training, Lyla poke half-heartedly at her food, and Ruby kept sneaking little touches against him under the table, her face the picture of innocence.
Yeah.
He could play the long game.
Especially if the "sweet rewards" the system promised were half as fun as he suspected.
He flicked his eyes back to the Affection board.
Still small numbers.
But they'd grow.
Finn was busy choking on his orange juice now because Lyla had accidentally brushed her hand against his when she reached for the salt.
"Ah—!" Finn wheezed.
"Idiot," Lyla muttered, looking away fast.
Her ears burned a shade of pink you almost never saw on her normally ice-cold face.
Kain, meanwhile, sat back in his chair, practically lounging, arms crossed behind his head like he was watching a comedy show made just for him.
The system chimed again:
[ Lyla → Finn: +2% Affection ]
[ Current: 7% ]
[ Finn → Lyla: +3% Affection ]
[ Current: 10% ]
Kain's smirk widened.
Ruby caught his expression and snorted into her drink.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she whispered.
"Immensely," Kain whispered back, not even pretending otherwise.
Meanwhile, Finn, trying to recover some dignity, decided the perfect move was to start flexing.
Literally.
He pushed up the sleeve of his uniform and flexed his (admittedly decent) bicep at Lyla.
"Check it out, Lyla," he said, grinning like a fool.
"Sword drills are paying off, huh?"
Lyla looked at his arm.
Looked at him.
Then immediately looked at her tray like it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.
But Kain saw it.
The tiny twitch at the corner of her lips.
Was she... fighting a smile?
Another chime.
[ Lyla → Finn: +1% Affection ]
[ Current: 8% ]
Kain nearly lost it.
Ruby was biting her lip hard, shaking with silent laughter.
"You're killing me," she mouthed across the table.
He just shrugged, grinning like a devil.
Finn, emboldened by something (probably brain damage), kept going.
"You know, if you ever wanna, like, train extra... I can show you my secret move," he said, wagging his eyebrows in a way that was supposed to be "cool" but looked more like he was having a stroke.
Ruby nearly fell off her chair.
Lyla's face was a study in pure secondhand embarrassment.
She took a slow breath.
Gathered her pride.
Then—
"Maybe," she said, very quietly.
Finn blinked.
"Wait, really?"
Lyla nodded once, very curt, very formal.
But again, Kain saw it.
The faint pink staining her cheeks.
[ Lyla → Finn: +2% Affection ]
[ Current: 10%]
[ System Bonus: Mutual Affection reached 10%! New Interactions Unlocked ]
Kain blinked as a secret option popped up in the corner of his vision:
[ Optional Side Quest: Matchmaking Mayhem]
[ Help Finn and Lyla grow closer! ]
[ Rewards: ??? (but definitely worth it, you bastard) ]
Kain chuckled low in his throat.
Oh, this?
This was gonna be gold.
He sat back, raising his coffee cup in a mock toast to the chaos unfolding.
Ruby giggled and clinked her cup against his like she was in on the joke.
Across from them, Finn was trying (and failing) to impress Lyla by dramatically describing how he once "almost" beat a goblin with one arm tied behind his back.
Lyla listened without interrupting, which for her was basically a declaration of marriage.
Kain watched the numbers tick upward, slowly but surely.
'This breakfast just got way more interesting'
Later that Morning
The combat field buzzed with energy as Coach Varro barked orders.
"Pair off! Form teams! Show me something worth my time!"
Students scrambled into groups across the dusty arena.
Finn, meanwhile, stood front and center, hands on hips, chest puffed out like a proud rooster.
"Alright," he said, tossing his hair like he thought he was some anime protagonist, "time to show Ruby and Lyla what a real hero looks like!"
Kain leaned casually against a fencepost, watching with mild amusement.
Ruby was already facepalming.
Lyla just crossed her arms, unimpressed.
And then it started.
From a small group of nearby girls, classmates they all knew, whispering:
"Is he seriously flirting with another girl?"
"Poor Ruby..."
"God, he's such a player"
"Gross. He thinks he's hot stuff just 'cause he's dating someone"
"I'd rather eat dirt than go out with Finn"
Each line would hit Finn like a small dagger, but he was too dense to notice.
He winked at Ruby.
Ruby gave him a thumbs up, the kind you gave a drowning man out of pity.
"Alright, ladies!" Finn called out, swinging a wooden training sword dramatically.
"Prepare to be amazed"
And then he tripped.
Over nothing.
Face-planting hard into the dirt.
Silence.
Ruby turned beet red from secondhand embarrassment.
Lyla blinked twice.
One of the other girls muttered, "So embarrassing..."
Kain covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, but the system buzzed him sharply:
[ Reminder: Goal is to Raise Lyla → Finn Affection! ]
[ Strategic Pity Bonus Possible ]
Kain sighed.
Fine.
Time to earn this.
With a bored look, he pushed off the fence and walked into the field, just as four senior students approached, thinking they'd pick a fight.
"You're in my way," one sneered, cracking his knuckles.
Kain didn't blink.
Instead, he smiled, slow, lazy, dangerous.
[ Skill Activated: Charm ]
[ Skill Activated: Persuade ]
[ Skill Activated: Seduce ]
His eyes gleamed faintly.
"Come on now," Kain said smoothly, voice like velvet, "Wouldn't you rather... go grab a drink? Cool off?"
Two of the four blinked stupidly, confused but suddenly very agreeable.
"Uh... yeah, sure," one mumbled, lowering his fists.
The third tried to step forward, only for Kain to lean closer, voice a low, teasing whisper:
"Or maybe you just want an excuse to look cool in front of the girls?"
"Let me say… it's not it"
The third turned bright red and stumbled back like he'd been slapped.
The fourth just dropped his weapon and ran.
All in the span of fifteen seconds.
The entire class stared in stunned silence.
Ruby had both hands clapped over her mouth to muffle her laughter.
Even Lyla's cool mask cracked, her eyes wide with open shock.
The system chimed smugly:
[Achievement Unlocked: "Too Hot To Handle" ]
[ Reward: +5 Points ]
[ Bonus: Lyla → Finn: +3% (Pity Boost for witnessing Finn's failure compared to Kain's success.) ]
Kain casually dusted off his hands and turned toward Finn, who was still half-buried in the dirt.
With infinite fake sympathy, Kain walked over, crouched beside him, and patted his back.
"Hey buddy," Kain said, tone dripping with false kindness.
"You okay down there?"
"You tried your best"
Finn groaned miserably into the ground.
[ Finn → Lyla: +2% (Sympathy Boost) ]
[ Lyla → Finn: +3% (Protective Instinct Triggered) ]
Kain's eyes flicked to the meter:
[ Lyla → Finn: 18% ]
[ Finn → Lyla: 15% ]
Good.
Damn good.
Meanwhile, behind him, Ruby clapped slowly, sarcastically.
"My hero," she deadpanned at Finn.
"Hell yeah, I am," Kain whispered under his breath as he stood, walking away.
Magical Theory Class
Supposed to be calm, peaceful, "academic."
Keyword: supposed to be.
Professor Vallin.
A thin, owl-like man with huge glasses and zero tolerance for nonsense stood at the podium, lecturing in his dry, nasal voice:
"The manipulation of ambient mana requires a subtlety that most of you... clearly lack"
"Take notes, if you can manage to stop drooling on your desks for ten minutes"
Half the class was already fighting for their lives against boredom.
Finn, heroic dumbass that he was, leaned back in his chair, arms folded, flashing a cocky grin toward Ruby and Lyla, sitting beside Kain.
He even flexed a little.
Subtle as a brick through a window.
"You like these arms, don't ya?" Finn whispered way too loudly to Ruby.
Ruby just stared at him like he was gum stuck to her shoe.
Lyla, meanwhile, turned her head slightly... trying so hard not to laugh.
Cue the background chorus again, the same gaggle of girls whispering from the corner:
"Can you believe him?"
"So cringe"
"Is he flexing during Magical Theory?"
"Lord save us all"
Kain, chilling between Ruby and Lyla, was absolutely thriving.
He watched Finn's meters in real time:
[ Lyla → Finn: +1% (Amused Pity) ]
[ Ruby → Finn: -2% (Secondhand Embarrassment Overload) ]
System Message:
[ Side Quest Available: "Operation Dumbass Hero" ]
[ Objective: Save Finn from absolute social death (again) for bigger Lyla gains ]
[ Reward: ??? (Mystery Bonus!) ]
Kain cracked his knuckles.
Time to spice it up.
He casually reached into his bag and whispered an ancient, forbidden incantation.
"Minor Illusion: Seductive Daydream"
Finn's chair shuddered.
He blinked, confused, and then suddenly turned bright red.
Because in his mind, thanks to Kain's spell… Ruby had just leaned over and whispered:
"I think your muscles are soooo sexy, Finn"
"I want you to carry me to class tomorrow... princess style"
"And maybe flex for me more often...~"
Finn gripped the edges of his desk, trembling.
His whole soul left his body for a minute.
He stood up suddenly, fist pumping into the air:
"I ACCEPT YOUR LOVE, RUBY!!" he shouted.
Dead silence.
Every head turned.
Professor Vallin slowly adjusted his glasses like he was about to kill a man with pure disappointment.
Ruby's mouth fell open.
Lyla slapped both hands over her face.
Even the walls looked embarrassed.
Kain slouched deeper into his seat, pretending to be asleep, grinning like a devil inside.
"Mr. Hartwell," Vallin said icily.
"I was discussing mana circuits, not your pathetic mating displays"
"Sit. Down."
Finn sat down so fast he nearly broke the chair.
[ Lyla → Finn: +5% (Hopeless Dumbass Adoration) ]
[ Ruby → Finn: -5% (Social Anxiety Nuclear Bomb) ]
[ Achievement Unlocked: "Public Confession (Accidental Idiot Route)" ]
Professor Vallin sighed long and hard, like he regretted being born.
"And now," Vallin snapped, "since Mr. Hartwell has such an... active imagination, he can demonstrate mana shaping for us"
Finn blinked.
"Huh?"
"Without exploding"
"Wait, what??"
"Sir… SIR WAIT!"
Vallin pointed at the stage at the front of the room like a grim executioner.
"NOW"
Finn stumbled toward the demonstration circle like a lamb to slaughter.
Meanwhile, Kain leaned over to Lyla and Ruby, voice smooth:
"Ten silver says he blows himself up"
Ruby groaned.
Lyla smiled, a real one, small and sneaky.
System Chime:
[ Lyla → Finn: +2% (Rooting For His Survival Against All Odds) ]
Front Stage
Finn stood trembling in the demonstration circle.
Everyone stared.
Waiting.
Judging.
Professor Vallin tapped his foot.
"Cast a basic Mana Weave, Mr. Hartwell"
"Before we all turn to dust"
Finn wiped the sweat off his palms, cracked his neck (tried to look cool, failed miserably), and lifted his hand.
"Alright, alright, just gotta… weave the mana… nice and easy..."
He mumbled like he was trying to convince himself not to die.
Meanwhile, back at the desk...
Kain smirked wickedly.
"Time for some extra spice" he whispered under his breath.
He snapped his fingers just barely, a low-level interference spell targeted Finn's mana flow.
A spell called:
[ Randomized Magical Mishap: Wardrobe Edition ]
Finn's spell backfired instantly.
There was a loud POP!
A flash of light —
And then —
FINN'S CLOTHES EXPLODED!
Gone.
Shredded into magical dust.
He was left standing there...wearing nothing but flaming pink boxers with little bunnies on them.
THE ROOM FELL SILENT.
You could hear a mouse fart three floors down.
Someone dropped their pen.
Ruby face-planted into her desk.
Lyla was choking, laughing so hard she might actually die.
The chorus of background girls ROARED:
"OH MY GOD"
"THE BOXERS!!"
"WHY PINK BUNNIES?!"
"I'M SCARRED FOR LIFE"
"WAIT... WHY IS HE KINDA RIPPED THO?!"
"GIRL WHAT NO —"
"SOMEONE KILL ME"
Professor Vallin just removed his glasses and rubbed his temples, whispering a prayer to the gods.
"M-magic! I can fix this!" Finn stammered, trying to weave again.
But now he was panicking.
Mana tangled and sparked around him.
He was about to detonate like a freaking mana nuke.
Cue Kain.
Sitting casually, looking like the smoothest bastard alive, he raised two fingers and gently reshaped Finn's runaway magic in secret.
Result: Finn's body was surrounded by a shimmering cloak of white mana, glowing, princely, heroic.
The class gasped.
Ruby peeked up, blushing madly.
Even the catty background girls fell silent.
"Whoa..."
"He looks kinda... dreamy now?"
"IS THIS A REDEMPTION ARC??"
"Maybe he's not a complete idiot..."
System Chime:
[ Lyla → Finn: +10% (Genuine Flustered Crush: "He's trying his best!!") ]
[ Ruby → Finn: +3% (Mild Respect + Deep Confusion) ]
[ Background Girls → Finn: +1% ("Still a clown, but a sexy clown?") ]
Finn blinked, stunned by his sudden glory.
He flexed automatically, the cloak rippled dramatically.
Lyla couldn't hold it anymore.
She cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, giggling:
"Go, Finn!! Show us those muscles!!"
"WIN THE WAR OF MAGIC, YOU BEAUTIFUL IDIOT!!"
The class lost it.
Whistles.
Clapping.
Even some standing ovations from the back.
Finn looked like he was about to cry from happiness.
Ruby sighed deeply, somewhere between murderous rage and reluctant pride.
Professor Vallin just gave up entirely.
He muttered, "I'm retiring tomorrow"
And pulled a flask from his robes, taking a long drink.
End of Class
Finn came stumbling back, wrapped awkwardly in his mana cloak.
He grinned wildly at Ruby and Lyla.
"Did you SEE that??" he whispered proudly.
"I was awesome, right??"
Ruby shook her head.
"...You're lucky you didn't kill us all"
Lyla grinning ear to ear, "You were amazing, Finn! Like a flaming, half-naked angel!"
Finn actually puffed up in pride.
Meanwhile, Kain leaned back, arms folded behind his head, watching the chaos he created, sipping on an apple juice box he pulled from nowhere.
In his mind, the System chuckled:
[ Side Quest Complete: Operation Dumbass Hero ]
Bonus Reward:
[ New Title Unlocked: "Cupid With a Death Wish" ]
[ Charm Skill: +1 Level (Maxed Out Minor Illusion + Seduction Combos) ]
Kain exhaled slowly, calm and smug.
Was it worth the secondhand pain?
Absolutely.
"All according to plan," he murmured.
Five Minutes Later
The crew spilled into the hallway like a pack of barely contained disasters.
Finn, still buzzing from his earlier "victory," kept throwing fake punches at the air like he was some heroic anime protagonist.
His cloak flapped behind him, making him look less like a savior and more like a lunatic.
"Guys, guys, lunch celebration! I'm treating!" Finn announced proudly, flashing a grin so wide it was almost painful.
Kain didn't even bother looking at him.
"With what money?"
Finn puffed up his chest like a pigeon.
"My spirit!"
Kain sighed and muttered under his breath, "We're going to die of starvation"
Despite all logic and reason, they still ended up following Finn to the dining hall, because, at the end of the day, food was food... and watching Finn fail was free entertainment.
As they rounded the corner toward the cafeteria, a shadow darted across the hall.
Some idiot, probably another dumb rival from their class, crouched behind a pillar, thinking it was the perfect chance to get revenge for something.
Maybe it was about the pink bunny boxers incident.
Or maybe it was just because Finn existed.
Either way, the fool picked the wrong group to ambush.
The dining hall buzzed with the usual midday chaos: students shouting, food clattering, spells randomly misfiring across tables.
It was a wonder the place hadn't burned down yet.
Finn slammed down a tray stacked with meat pies like he was presenting a royal feast.
"Feast, my friends! A glorious celebration awaits!" he declared, arms wide like a king addressing his court.
A fork clattered to the ground somewhere in the silence that followed.
Every student nearby stared at him like he had just escaped the infirmary.
Ruby grabbed a pie, smirking.
Lyla clapped delightedly and piled her tray high.
Kain, meanwhile, slouched lazily in his seat, eyeing the "food" like it might try to attack him.
Then it happened.
Three thugs stormed in from another table, yelling something about Finn "embarrassing their brother" or "disrespecting their pride".
Honestly, Kain tuned it out halfway through.
He didn't even bother standing up.
He just lifted one hand lazily and flicked his wrist.
A subtle [ Minor Gravity Pulse ] rippled through the air.
Instantly, the three morons were yanked off their feet and slammed into the ceiling with a dull, meaty thud.
The entire cafeteria froze.
Someone coughed awkwardly.
Somewhere in the distance, a spoon dropped with a lonely clang.
Finn puffed up again like he was responsible for any of it, striking a heroic pose.
"Fear not, ladies! I shall protect you all!"
Ruby leaned over, resting her chin on her hand.
"Yeah. Great job, Finn"
Lyla, bless her chaotic soul, actually clapped and cheered.
"Yay! Our mighty protector!"
Kain casually sipped his juice box, hiding the smirk tugging at his lips.
System Notification chimed softly in his head:
[ Lyla → Finn: +5% ("He tried!!") ]
Kain sighed through his nose, deadpan as ever.
Another successful humiliation campaign.
Another step closer to Finn not being a total disaster around girls.
Another moment he could never speak of again without losing his dignity.
After the "heroic" lunch, the group wandered back toward their next class, laughing at Finn's exaggerated war stories of how he "single-handedly" defeated the thugs (despite clear evidence otherwise).
Kain lingered a few steps behind, pulling up his system interface.
The familiar Affection Board flickered to life in the corner of his vision, smooth and blue as always.
He scrolled until he found Lyla's name.
It used to be a solid, angry, flashing red.
Now...
It shimmered once, recalibrated, and quietly updated:
[ Lyla → Kain: 1% ("Barely Tolerates You Now") ]
Kain stared at it, completely blank.
Dead inside.
But somewhere deep, very deep in the pit of his soul, he fist-pumped.
"Finally out of the negatives..." he muttered to himself, his voice low enough that even the gods would have had to lean in to hear.
Another notification popped up:
[ Achievement Unlocked: "Tolerable Scumbag" ]
[Reward: +1 Minor Buff to Luck (Girls Only)]
He closed the menu with a deadpan expression, sighing to himself as he followed the group.
Was it worth it?
The humiliation, the fake gratitude, the endless patience with Finn's idiocy?
He thought about the reward.
He thought about Finn's stupid face when he pretended he was a war hero.
He thought about Lyla clapping like he just slayed a dragon.
Kain smiled faintly.
"Totally worth it… when I fuck her of course hahaha"
Beast Taming Class
It wasn't supposed to be this chaotic.
Kain leaned lazily against the fence, arms crossed, watching Finn chase a demon chicken across the training field like a maniac.
The thing was bright red, had three eyes, and shot tiny fireballs from its beak every few seconds.
Finn swung a broom wildly, slipping and cursing.
"You're doing amazing, bro," Kain called out, voice pure deadpan, throwing up two lazy thumbs.
Finn, mid-swing, threw him a glare hotter than the chicken's fireballs.
"You're the worst!" Finn barked.
Kain just grinned, sharp and slow.
Meanwhile, Lyla stood stiffly a few feet away, arms locked tight under her chest.
On the surface, she looked like a carved statue, emotionless, icy, queenly.
But Kain, ah, Kain knew better.
The faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth.
The way her fingers tightened on her sleeves.
She was trying so hard not to laugh.
Bingo.
Kain slid in closer, his voice low enough to ghost over her ear.
"Admit it," he murmured, slow and dangerous.
"You're enjoying the show"
Lyla's body tensed.
But her expression stayed frozen, lips pressed into a thin line.
Only the faintest pink dusting her cheeks gave her away.
She hated how easy he made it.
Kain's grin widened lazily, savoring it.
Meanwhile, Finn managed to trip over his own boots and somersault onto the demon chicken.
It squealed, shot another fireball, and set Finn's sleeve on fire.
Ruby gasped theatrically from the sidelines.
"Finn! My love!" she cried, clapping her hands over her chest like a tragic heroine in a bad play.
Her voice cracked halfway through.
Too high-pitched, too fake.
And Kain caught it instantly, the quick glance she shot his way when no one else was looking.
She wasn't actually devastated.
No.
She was acting, putting on a show to distract everyone from the real issue:
She hadn't dumped Finn yet.
Because Kain told her not to.
Smart little vixen.
Kain gave her the faintest nod, hidden from the others.
Ruby lit up so fast it was almost embarrassing, cheeks flushed, eyes wet, before snapping back into a fake sob.
"He deserves better!" she shouted for the whole class to hear.
Other girls chimed in immediately.
"Yeah! Finn's way too good for that," one girl jeered, glaring straight at Lyla.
"And he's still so loyal to Ruby! So romantic!"
Finn, puffing up proudly with one singed sleeve still smoking, gave a cheesy thumbs-up.
"I'm just... too full of love!" he declared, completely serious.
Kain almost doubled over laughing.
"Full of love," he mouthed silently to Lyla.
Lyla didn't even blink.
Instead, she elbowed him sharply, aiming straight for his ribs.
Kain caught her wrist mid-swing, fingers wrapping around the delicate bones almost lazily.
The moment his skin touched hers, Lyla froze.
Wide-eyed.
Shaky.
Kain leaned in close enough that only she could hear.
"If you want," he said, low and coaxing, "I can teach you how to approach a guy. Make him yours"
The words slipped into her ears like poison disguised as honey.
Lyla stiffened, her heart hammering so loudly she swore the whole class could hear it.
"I-I don't need help," she muttered stiffly, eyes glued ahead.
A weak lie.
Kain didn't push.
He just laughed under his breath, soft and lazy, stepping back like he hadn't just flipped her whole world upside down.
He left her there, frozen, burning, seething, as he turned to watch Finn proudly wrestle the demon chicken into submission.
The rest of the class blurred past.
Orders barked.
Creatures screaming.
Finn nearly lost a few limbs.
But all Lyla could think about was what Kain had said.
"Make him yours"
The idea looped in her head like a bad song.
By the time class ended and the sun dipped low behind the academy walls, she found herself pacing outside Kain's dorm room, arms crossed tightly under her chest.
"This is stupid," she hissed under her breath.
"I don't need him. I don't even like him. I don't—"
The door creaked open before she could finish lying to herself.
Kain stood in the doorway, lazily leaning against the frame, sleeves rolled up, that same slow smirk curving his lips.
"Changed your mind?" he asked, voice warm and mocking.
Lyla's face flared hot.
"I'm only here because I don't want to screw it up," she snapped defensively.
"Nothing more!"
"Of course," Kain said smoothly, stepping aside to let her in.
"Strictly professional"
The moment she brushed past him into the room, she regretted it.
It felt too small with his presence.
Too warm.
Too him.
She barely had time to turn around before the door clicked softly shut behind her.
She was trapped.
And Kain was already circling as if he had all the time in the world.
"First lesson," he said, voice dropping to a purr.
"Confidence"
He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with maddening gentleness.
"You need to look at him like he's already yours. Like he's lucky you even noticed him"
Lyla swallowed hard.
The tips of her ears burned.
She didn't dare move.
Kain smiled wider, seeing right through her.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice sinking lower, rougher.
"I'll show you exactly how to practice," he said with a sly grin, licking his lips.