Peanut Gallery

"I guess…" Arthur responded, narrowing his eyes. He then proceeded to ignore the cyan-haired woman, shifting his focus to Mr. Slovenio. The brown-bearded teacher glanced at the pair before continuing his lecture. He delayed the volunteer part.

"How've you been doing?" Alisha asked in a cheerful voice, breathing into Arthur's ears softly.

"Mr. Slovenio, could I request a seat change?" Arthur asked, raising his hand. Mr. Slovenio glanced at Alisha, who didn't display a significant change in reaction. He then nodded slightly to display his decision.

Arthur nodded in acknowledgement before carrying his things to the desk beside Jake. There was a brown-haired girl sitting next to him, fawning over the dirty-blonde-haired man as if it were her life's purpose.

Arthur placed his stuff on the table, which incited a low growl from the brown-haired girl. "What is it?"

"Get out," said Arthur, gazing into her eyes, which caused her to flinch.

"Jake wants me to stay," said the girl, glancing at the man beside her. She interlocked her arm with his before practically crawling atop him. "Right, Jake?"

The dirty-blonde-haired man simply glanced at both Arthur and the girl. He then sighed before gazing into the girl's eyes. "Get out."

The girl's eyes widened in betrayal. She remained still for a few seconds before Arthur nudged her. She then grabbed her stuff tearfully and approached Alisha in hopes of being allowed to sit beside her.

But she was met with the same response.

"Get out."

This time, it was even harsher. Alisha's disgust lingered in her memory. The girl glanced at Mr. Slovenio, who convinced a few students to allow her to sit in the back of the classroom. Many were jealous of her because she sat beside Jake previously.

While this meager event consumed half of the allotted time for the lecture, it didn't prevent Mr. Slovenio from drilling tens of concepts into the brains of his students. In fact, it only propelled his speed.

"How's your ear?" Arthur asked, leaning back in his chair while partially paying attention to Mr. Slovenio's lecture. The knowledge he relayed was something Arthur learnt decades ago, so it didn't interest him.

However, it seemed like the others were racking their brains, attempting to drill this knowledge into their brains.

It was quite a comical scene.

"You're horrible at initiating a conversation," Jake responded stoically. "Where do you think it went?"

The dirty-blonde-haired man pointed at the blob of skin where an ear was previously attached. But now, the area seems deformed. Although he'd managed to stop the bleeding and close off the part, the fact that it was completed so quickly meant there was a chance of an infection.

"I know what you're thinking," said Jake. "There isn't going to be an infection. A healing mage did this, not a regular doctor."

"I would expect nothing less of the Garcia family."

"Funny, how you say that after tainting our reputation," muttered Jake. A hint of murderous intent flashed across his eyes, but Arthur ignored it as if it weren't important. "My father's pride was wounded due to your nonsensical actions."

"You know better than anyone that they weren't nonsensical," Alex said, letting out a bitter chuckle.

"But the incident with Alisha was, right?"

"Yeah," Arthur replied. "That… anger got the best of me."

"What did she even say that got you so riled up?" Jake asked, creasing his forehead due to his overflowing curiosity. However, as he noticed Arthur's darkening expression, he withdrew. "I didn't mean to pry. It's fine if you don't tell me."

Arthur nodded and remained silent.

"Do you understand any of this shit?" Jake asked, attempting to maintain the flow of the conversation.

"Funny, how you're the one lengthening our conversation now," Arthur chuckled, glancing at Jake. The latter didn't display any significant changes in expression, but did allow the ends of his lips to curl slightly.

"Because you could've done much worse."

"Hm?"

"Remember when I showed you my back?" Jake asked, to which the crimson-eyed man nodded. "You knew… you knew my old man wouldn't care about an injury that occurred during an examination."

"I did."

"I don't know how you know so much, but you could've easily killed me if you wanted."

"The referees–"

"They wouldn't have been able to stop you," Jake insisted. "No… they wouldn't stop you. My old man is a different breed of cruel. I knew my life was on the line when I entered the practical examination."

Silence descended upon the area.

"And you knew," said Jake.

"I did," Arthur responded, letting out a chuckle again. "I guess the cat's out of the bag now, isn't it?"

"Yet you didn't kill me," Jake continued. His expression lightened, and a sense of warmth emerged from his previously 'dead' eyes. His lips curled into an actual smile. "An ear in return for preserving my life. I'd take that trade any day."

"Don't be all sappy on me," replied Arthur, forming a sour expression. "You look better with emotionless eyes."

"Do I, now?"

"Oh, right, when are you going to acknowledge that peanut gallery of yours?" Arthur asked, pointing at the group of girls who stared at Jake with intent eyes. Their lustful emotions were evident as they licked their lips lecherously.

Jake formed a hesitant expression as if asking, 'Do I have to?'

Arthur nodded. "If you don't acknowledge them, they'll never go away. That's what I told you before… um, cutting off your ear."

"Such a brazen way of saying it."

The reason many women fawned over Jake was due to the influence of the Garcia Family. Although he was their tenth son, forming relations with him would result in unlimited prosperity for the families of the women.

They were basically gold-diggers.

However, in Jake's world, 'love' could not be based on one's wealth. It needed to be genuine. That's why he usually ignored the peanut gallery.

But if acknowledging them and telling them to go away was the correct move, then why not?

At that moment, two pieces of chalk flew towards Jake and Arthur's faces.