Episode 98
âSo, what am I supposed to do with this?â
It was lunchtime on the first day of the new semester.
âWell, I know. Iâm in trouble.â
Rachel put her finger on her lips and narrowed the gap between her eyes.
âIf he had told you his name, I would have known who it was.â
Astra patted the desk with her fingers.
In the middle of the three of us sitting head to head in a quiet classroom, there was a pink chocolate box in question.
âThere are no cards or notes on it, but only hearts are drawn on it. Maybe itâs not a confession, but just a gift as a fan? didnât he said heâs rooting for you?â
Rachel raised her right index finger and talked about her speculations.
âI think Iâd be comfortable if it was like that.â
I added with my arms crossed and my head nodded.
But Astra shook her head and refused Rachelâs opinion.
âBut Rachel, the face of that person was obviously the face who wanted to confess. Yerine, you remember that, right?â
âI did, but maybe it was just because he was shy.â
âWell, thatâs true. By the way, do you usually give chocolates with a combination of red, white, and pink?â
Rachel answered Astraâs question, rolling her amber eyes.
âMaybe itâs just his taste.â
âIs that so?â
Astra talked with her fingers twisting the tips of her bright red hair with a confused face.
âWhat are you talking about?â
I looked back as I was appalled by the voice I heard behind my back.
âWhat, you three were eating something delicious? Thatâs too much, give me some too.â
Rayl said, reaching out her finger to the box of chocolates.
Astra grabbed his hand and shook her head.
âItâs not yours. Itâs Yerineâs.â
âArenât you all eating together?â
âNo, we think that someone gave this to Yerine and confessed.â
I held Astra back with my fingers to her mouth in surprise.
âAstra, shh.â
Rayl opened his eyes wide, surprised, and said in an incredible face.
âWow, someone gave this to you? Is he prepared to survive without being caught by the Prince?â
âYes, thanks to it, Iâve had a hard time hiding this big box all day.â
I spoke to Rayl in a cheeky voice.
âWhy are you hiding it? We can eat everything so that the prince wonât find out.â
âOh, wellâ¦â¦â
I rolled my eyes to the other side and thought of an excuse.
I knew that it was given with good intentions, but I was not the type to eat food given by someone who I didnât even know his face.
âBecause I donât know whatâs inside the personâs mind.â
Still, I was sorry to say that I was somehow suspicious about the person who gave me chocolate in front of the other kids, so I came up with another excuse.
âI donât know who he is, so I was kinda sorry for eating it, but not eating it also makes me feel sorry.â
âYouâre in a dilemma.â
âUh. And honestly, look at these chocolate shapes. Rabbits, hearts, and chicks are so cute that I feel sorry to eat them.â
âWow, that definitely took some effort.â
Rayl said with admiration.
âThatâs really great, by the way. I canât believe someone gave you chocolate.â
âWho gave chocolate to whom?â
Ah.
At that moment, I realized that I made a mistake.
The chocolate existence showed to one of the two people who thought it must be hidden.
âErica!â
âOh, Yerine.â
Looking at Ericaâs bright smile that melts anyoneâs heart, I quickly removed a note with a heart drawn from the outside of the box.
âYes, Erica did say that sheâd come to our classroom for lunch.â
I thought the chocolateâs existence should not be caught as much as I could, but I could not remember it like a fool.
For more,
Rayl kicked his tongue and looked back at Erica.
âOf course. Itâs about Yerine.â
Erica talked while looking at the chocolate box with her arms crossed.
âActually, I think we should not eat this chocolate for the same reason.â
Her eyes were as firm as if she was in training, and her voice was not shaken at all.
Rayl protested with his arms open as if he thought her words were too much.
âNo, wouldnât it be too much to think that way? The one who gave it might have prepared it with pure intentions.â
âBut we canât ignore the other possibility.â
Erica looked up at Rayl and refuted him.
Turning to me again, she continued with a powerful voice.
âIâll leave the decision to the owner, Yerine, but I donât think you should eat this chocolate.â
Erica looked at the pink chocolate box with her eyes wide open and said,
âAnd if he was such a fan, he would definitely have joined our fan club. But as I said before, our members never give food to Yerine as a gift. Itâs weird that someone whoâs not even a fan club member suddenly prepared a gift like this.â
âWell, why do you have to doubt it so muchâ¦â¦?â
Rayl murmured in a still questionable voice.
âBut Rayl, Ericaâs right.â
Astra said, expressing her opinion.
Then Rayl said in a small voice that he felt sorry.
âNo, but, if I were in the position of the person who gave the gift, it would be very sad. It would be unfair to be suspicious of the gift I chose with great care.â
There was definitely a point in Raylâs words, but I was increasingly inclined to Ericaâs opinion.
âItâs a bit of a waste, but I donât think itâs good to eat it.â
As soon as I tried to organize my mind, Astra opened her mouth.
âWait a minute, itâs no big deal. We can just have Rayl run a test for this.â
âHuh?â
Rayl opened his eyes wide at the sudden pointing.
âRight, even if itâs not a bad poison for the body, someone could have put something else in it. Like the previous DXellaria case.â
Rachel backed Astraâs opinion with her words on top.
âYeah. Come to think of it, it could have been a love potion or something like that.â
When Astra said so, Rayl made a strong impression.
âUh, would you mind not mentioning the name of that terrible trash? I feel like throwing up from the bottom of my heart.â
âOh yeah, you hated love potion. I forgot.â
She shuddered and spoke to Rayl, who reacted violently.
âThereâs no such thing as a love potion. And itâs not even a potion, itâs a fraud.â
âOkay, I get it. Letâs check whatâs in it and see whatâs in it.â
Astra tapped on the desk and urged Rayl.
âIt wonât take long. Do it just once. It would be great if you could do it in front of everyone here.â
Rayl was weak at Astraâs request.
At this point, it would be hard to ignore the request to examine the chocolate.
âWell, I donât think it would be bad if you just eat itâ¦â¦.â
Rayl scratched his head awkwardly and blurred his words.
âWell, I canât help it if Yerine wants to run a test for it.â
âIf you do it, then itâs good for me Rayl.â
Before Rayl changed his words, I said quickly.
Then, Rayl said, âOkay for now,â then adding, âIâll prepare the reagent.â
âWait for me. Iâll be right back.â
Even after Rayl left, speculation and wrangling about chocolate did not stop.
âBut Iâd be sorry if nothing comes out after all this.â
Astra and Rachel nodded when I said so.
âIt would be more problematic if nothing came out. This could be a real confession.â
Astra lay on her arm at her desk and spoke in a languid voice.
âIf he was going to confess, wouldnât he have revealed his name?â
âMaybe he was so nervous that he forgot and ran away.â
Astra answered Rachelâs question with a giggle.
âThen that Bastaâ¦â¦ No, I mean that boy could confess to Yerine again.â
Erica spoke, staring at the chocolate with irritated eyes.
She had a look of genuine annoyance, and it was a relief that she didnât know the face of the person who gave the chocolate.
If she had known his face, it would have been easy for Erica to figure out who that person was.
âWhat? Confession?â
A low voice chilled my heart.
âNo, whatâs wrong with today?â
Cassius, who strode toward the desk, said with fierce eyes as if he was tearing up his prey in front of him.
âWho confessed to Yerine?â
Cassiusâs eyes already had a taste.
His eyes, as sharp as a beast, turned to chocolate before I knew it, and I thought for a moment.
âI should have eaten it.â
I sighed inwardly, feeling Cassiusâs cool gaze at the chocolate.
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