Chapter 108: Chapter 102: "Jealousy is an Ugly Color, Scaramouche."

The sun was starting to dip below the horizon as the school day came to an end. Students bustled through the hallways, chatting and making plans for the evening. Lumine, Aether, and their group had gathered near the lockers, discussing where to go next.

“We could stop by that new café downtown,” Ayaka suggested with a polite smile.

“Oh! I heard they have these adorable themed drinks!” Amber added excitedly.

Lumine nodded eagerly. “That sounds fun! What do you think, Aether?”

Aether shrugged. “As long as we’re together, I’m fine with anything.”

Scaramouche leaned against a nearby locker, arms crossed, his sharp eyes flicking from Kazuha, who was standing a little too close to Lumine, to Aether, who seemed far too calm for his liking.

“Yeah, sounds thrilling,” Scaramouche muttered sarcastically, his voice dripping with boredom.

Venti, never one to miss an opportunity for chaos, grinned mischievously. “Scaramouche, you don’t have to sound so excited. You might pull a muscle from all that enthusiasm.”

Scaramouche shot him a glare.

“Anyway!” Albedo interjected calmly. “We should head out before it gets too late.”

As they made their way out of the school, Scaramouche noticed Kazuha casually walking beside Lumine, handing her a small candy he had pulled from his pocket.

Seriously? Candy now?

---

At the Café – Trouble Brewing

The café was cozy and bustling with activity. Soft music played in the background, and the smell of coffee and pastries filled the air. The group found a corner booth, squeezing together as best as they could.

Lumine ended up sandwiched between Kazuha and Amber, with Scaramouche sitting directly across from her. His indigo eyes locked onto every little interaction between her and Kazuha.

“Lumine, you’ve got a little whipped cream on your nose,” Kazuha said softly, chuckling as he reached for a napkin.

Before he could wipe it off, Scaramouche slammed his drink onto the table, making everyone jump.

“Seriously? Are you two filming a romance drama or something?” Scaramouche hissed.

Kazuha blinked, his calm demeanor never wavering. “I was just helping Lumine.”

Scaramouche’s eye twitched. “She can wipe her own nose.”

Amber bit her lip, trying to hold back laughter, while Venti whispered to Ayaka, “Oh no, he’s in full possessive mode now. EHE~”

Lumine, cheeks flushed from embarrassment, wiped the whipped cream off herself. “You guys are being ridiculous…”

Aether leaned forward, looking directly at Scaramouche. “If you’re going to keep acting like a child, maybe you should’ve stayed home.”

The tension between Scaramouche and Aether was palpable. Albedo cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should all… focus on our drinks and food.”

---

Walking Home – Just the Two of Them

As the evening sky turned a soft purple, the group began to split off toward their homes. Aether stayed back with Amber and Ayaka to discuss something about their next school project, while Kazuha waved Lumine goodbye as he headed in the opposite direction.

That left Lumine walking alongside Scaramouche.

The two were silent for a while, the only sounds being their footsteps and the occasional breeze. Lumine finally broke the silence.

“You know… you were being kind of mean to Kazuha back there,” she said softly.

Scaramouche scoffed. “Oh, please. That guy practically radiates nice guy energy. It’s suspicious.”

Lumine sighed. “Kazuha’s one of the kindest people I know. You don’t need to get so… worked up over nothing.”

Scaramouche stopped walking, causing Lumine to turn back and face him. His sharp eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, his usual sass and snarkiness were replaced with something softer—something vulnerable.

“It’s not nothing, Lumine,” he muttered.

Lumine’s breath caught in her throat. “What do you mean…?”

Scaramouche’s gaze flickered away, and he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Forget it. Just… don’t let your guard down around him, alright?”

Lumine frowned slightly but nodded. “Fine, if it’ll make you feel better.”

They continued walking, but the air between them felt heavier—like something unspoken was lingering between them.

---

The Next Day – Classroom Chaos

The morning bell rang, and students began settling into their seats. Lumine was at her desk, quietly reviewing her notes, when Scaramouche walked in.

Instead of taking his usual seat, he leaned against Lumine’s desk, smirking down at her.

“Morning, princess. Did you miss me?”

Lumine rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, I totally missed your sarcastic attitude.”

Before Scaramouche could retort, the classroom door opened again, and Kazuha walked in, offering Lumine a warm smile.

“Good morning, Lumine,” he greeted.

“Morning, Kazuha!” Lumine replied with a bright smile.

Scaramouche’s smirk dropped instantly, his eye twitching as he straightened up and turned his back to them.

This is fine, he thought. Totally fine.

From across the room, Venti leaned toward Amber.

“Ohhh, this love triangle is reaching maximum drama levels. Someone get popcorn!”

Amber grinned. “I’ll grab the caramel kind!”

As the teacher walked in, Lumine turned her attention back to her notebook, oblivious to the heated glare Scaramouche was shooting at the back of Kazuha’s head.

One thing was for sure—this day was going to be very long.

This is getting cringer💀💀