Chapter 002: We Meet Again PART 2

Lunch With My First Love And Her Boyfriend

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“...Now that's something you need to understand in order for you to pass the summative test this friday. You should review before then.”

Ma'am Iris packs her things and left afterwards.

The first subject is now done and there are still remaining 7 minutes before 08:20 so might as well talk to the transferee.

Hmm~

She glances at me.

You've been glancing at me since earlier. Do you have something to say Mae-chan?

She is assuming a reading pose while holding her phone. However, I can see her glancing at me.

Her seat is at the other wing of the seating arrangement and she's sitting at the front near the center so I am facing her back diagonally.

Presently, no one is talking to her or rather, they lack the courage to do so.

Aren't in manga, the transferee— Mae-chan— should be the center of attention being asked by her new classmates about trivial things such as: ‘What shampoo you're using?’ Or; ‘Where did you came from?’ But it looks like it's different in reality.

They wanna ask and are curious but anxious about bunch of things such as rejection. Moreover, she looks dignified so it's probably quite scary.

Such trouble of growing up.

I can't help but look at her. Perhaps because it's been years since I saw her but I feel nostalgic watching her like this.

And she really looks so noble.

She's obviously much better looking than before. If only she's taller and has slim face instead of that cute baby-face, I'll put her under the category of cool-beauty.

No, she's actually a cool beauty but her cuteness kind of overwhelming it.

Oh well, she's plenty good this way. I don't dislike it.

She glances at me again.

Fuu~

“Oh hello there~ Mae-chan!”

I walk towards her seat.

Everyone is looking at me including my friends and Mae-chan herself.

I for some reason is feeling extremely cold gaze from behind me.

“It's been a while. How are you doing? Are you surprised we are in the same class section?”

“Ah— eh..‘Mae-chan’..?...Well, it's nice meeting you again.. Mark. And yeah, this is really a surprise. I didn't expect this at all.”

She's a little bit flustered. It's just a subtle change though so it won't be noticed by others easily.

“Call me ‘Mark-kun’. What have you been doing all this time? I heard you move somewhere but it's good that you're back.”

I look at her eyes.

“Welcome back, Mae-chan.”

“.....”

She looks at me with surprised expression and then the corner of her lips slightly raise.

“Mae-chan, do you—”

Somebody grabs my arm tightly. It's kind of painful.

“Eli-chan.”

She comes forward blocking Mae from me and then glares at her fiercely.

She have a lowered head so it's not that noticable but I'm sure Mae-chan saw it clearly.

Mae-chan glances at me then to Eli-chan and looks like she understood something.

“I'm Mae—”

“Sit with me Mark. It's no longer ma'am Iris so it should be fine. I have something to talk to you.”

Before Mae-chan could speak, Eli-chan interrupted her.

I look at Eli-chan and know what she's thinking.

How troublesome.

I'm sure Mae-chan understood it as well.

“Alright.”

Eli-chan pulls me away.

“Let's eat lunch together. I'll introduce you to my circle, Mae-chan.”

She looks at Eli-chan first before nodding softly.

“Yes, thank you.”

Eli-chan said she wants to speak but she's just holding my hands tightly while glaring at Mae-chan.

Her hand is sweaty and cold.

It looks like she noticed it.

「11:42」

Finally done.

I stretched my stiffed arms and stuff my things into my school bag. I then take my lunchbox covered by a plain dark red sheet from my bag.

I walk towards: Mary, Rose, Jeremy, and Mae to invite them to have lunch with me somewhere quiet and comfortable.

“'Mkay Mark-kun~ I'm coming as well!”

“Because you're insisting, I'll come too.”

When did I insist on it my dear Rose?

Mary and Rose agreed Jeremy just nod at me.

Eli-chan strides towards me wrapping her free arm around my left arm. She's looking at me unblinkingly. She glances at Mae-chan with obvious hostility.

“How about you Mae-chan?”

She looks at Eli-chan before nodding.

“Uh.... Of course.”

“Okay let's g—”

Eli-chan pulls me immediately and leading the way.

—We're here.

Looks like we are the only people here. That's great! We can eat silently and talk to each other with no restraints.

After taking our seat on the stationary stone chair encircling a stone table, I unwrap my lunch box which is still a little bit warm. The others did the same thing and we open the lid in sync.

“Fueh~! What's with that full-of-love lunch box you have, Mark-kun?”

“Hmm, my sister made me this.”

“Aren't you loved by your sister then? Cherish her well, Mark-kun.”

Loved huh?

I don't know anymore. That girl, I still don't understand her train of thought.

Oh well, not a problem.

“Yes of course. Rather than that, let's introduce ourselves to Mae-chan. I am yours truly: ‘Mark G. Reverren’. I prefer being called ‘Mark-kun’.”

“Ehm— I'm ‘Mary Angeline Tellisha’, just call me ‘Mary’ if you want.”

“I am Rose.”

She introduces herself without even glancing at Mae-chan. She just started eating in silence.

“Jeremy Alvah.”

How brief.

Thanks for the long introduction you two. At least look at the person.

Mae-chan smiles wryly.

“I'm Mae M. Gradielle, I'd like to be acquainted with you all.”

“Acquaintance? Why not elevate it up by another level? Oh well, let's all be friends.”

“Humph, I'm Elizabeth. I'm ‘his girlfriend’.”

Eli-chan is being hostile again. She's been like this since earlier.

Jeremy and Rose refuse to talk. Mae-chan is being deterred by Eli-chan's obvious hostility.

Everyone is silent.

What a weird atmosphere.

“Oh hell, yeah right. How was your life back in Manila?”

“Nothing changed that much. It's more or less the same as our life in here. Though, the traffic there is kind of troublesome.”

“How about you?”

She returns the question back to me.

“Fufufufu~ Me? I am enjoying life whatever hell it gave me. Oh hell, I just happen to be capable to derive joy from anything. Although a lot of things changed as well.”

“Changes? Tell me what changed?”

Mae-chan is helping to keep the conversation going.

“Humans evolve and we seek constant change, so probably everything? But specifically, probably my daily life...,” ...and ‘night life’.

“I don't see that much changes though. You're still as cheerful as ever. Although, that default smile on your face is something new.”

“Oh eh? My smile? Fufufufu~ What? Charmed by it?” I said in a teasing manner and Eli-chan elbows my side.

Uwaahh— that's the first time she hit me. How lovely. Do it again.

“Oh hell, I just enjoy life.”

“Enjoy? That's great but no one make their smile as their default expression. Mostly, everyone has a poker face and only smiles when they want or when they need and/or when they're really happy.”

I appreciate the help but can you please not argue with me on that topic.

“I am in agreement with her. You look insincere, humph!”

Rose said so with a scoff.

“As I said, I'm just enjoying everything! Even Mary is smiling most of the time as well.”

Just believe me please.

“Well, I understand. Seeing me smile everytime reduces the specialty of the smile, but I'm genuinely happy you know.”

Yes I do.

“As I can see, she's also the cheerful type so I can safely assume that she's just probably in good mood ‘most of the time’, but yours is by default.”

Why are you so persistent about this?

“And everything? It's hard to believe when life has its own downs too.”

Yeah I get it already.

“Well, Mark-kun is just prolly looking at the bright side of everything?”

“No I don't. I looked at all of its sides and as a whole. As I just said, I just really accept it as it is and am genuinely enjoying it,” is what I want say but I don't need to say it nor I want to do so.

Mary suddenly giggles mischievously while pointing at me and Mae-chan alternately.

“Anyway, both of you seem to know each other very well.”

“Well, he's my classmate and one of my few male friends back when we're first year. I'm actually pleasantly surprised when I see him today. I didn't expect him to be my classmate again.”

“I see... but you know what, um, I can feel a special atmosphere between the two of you. I can't really explain it well though.”

Oh...

Women intuition or just what you'd expect from a lovesick?

“Well, yeah...”

I look at Mae-chan—

“She was my first love after all!”

Come on. Hit me again Eli-chan.

Everyone has a hint of shocked expression like as if they just heard a revolutionary revelation.

Meanwhile, Eli-chan has a terrified expression and she's frozen in place. She glares at me and Rose just shake her head before eating.

“Uh... eh... well...”

Mae-chan seems to want to say something but can't find the right words.

Mary probably noticed the atmosphere that started with her words.

“Etto... Um... w-well... s-sorry for what I said.”

“Hum~ What's wrong— Oh someone is coming.”

I am conniving when I felt a familiar presence. He's my treacherous friend and...

“Ah, Mae... Sorry I'm late.”

He is smiling wryly.

Mae-chan stands up to introduce the guy.

“...Ms. Hecate, and everyone! He's ‘Al D. Ellcrín’. My boyfriend.”

Everyone, but Eli-chan who is just staring at Mae-chan and Jeremy excluded, scanned him from head to toe.

Mae-chan turned to me with apologetic look.

“I'm sorry I invited him without prior notice. I just.. wanted for us to patch things up—”

I wave my hand.

“Is there something broken?”

She's just silent.

*Cough!*Cough!*

Al coughs.

“Ah, eh...right. I am Al D. Ellcrín. Just call me ‘Al’. It's nice to meet y'all... And... it's been a while Mark.”

“Yeah right. We barely meet despite being in the same school from the end of first year to date.”

“Ah, well, I'm kinda busy you see. I can rarely see you stay at school for a long time as well you know.”

“Well, I'm free-spirited person who wants to roam around after all.”

I squints my eyes to this guy.

“Well, take your seat for now.”

He sits beside Mae-chan but I don't know why it looks like he's trying not to get in touch with Mae. Mae found it strange as well judging by her expression.

He has a red hair and red eyes with tall masculine constitution so he looks kind of unruly.

It's been a while since I interacted with him for various reasons, but one of it is we are both busy doing our own businesses.

After I introduced my friends to Al, we move the conversation forward.

“Well, how's life Mark?”

That again. Should we repeat the topic from the start?

“Enjoyable as usual.”

“As I can see. It really does. Why keep smiling though?”

Can you all stop attacking me with the same line over and over again. Let my expression be of no big deal.

“Where have you been lately?”

“Uh, eh, just hanging out with my friends.”

“Oh well. Hanging out is it? Glad to know you're enjoying life as well.”

“You seem to be fine as well. It's been a while isn't?”

“And why I can't be fine?”

He scratches his head.

“Err.. Ah right! Ace and Reije might return to visit us soon.”

“Really? I haven't heard anything about them for a long time. I gotta asked them how's life overseas.”

“Reije said he learned to speak japanese quite well already, meanwhile Ace got in a famous varsity in there.”

“Heh, they seems to be living a fulfilling life.”

“Even you though.”

He looks at Eli-chan.

“You have a cute girlfriend over here."

Eli-chan tightens her hold on my arm. I will really have a hard time eating with that tight grip of yours Eli-chan.

“I know right. I truly am glad to be with her.”

“Shall we go home together? I have something to talk with you.”

“Hm m~ That's fine by me. Our route are more or less the same. Do you all have a problem with that? Are all of you coming?”

Jeremy shook his head.

“I'm sorry Mark. I need to buy groceries.”

“Very well. If you insist, I'll come with you.”

My dear Rose, I am not insisting but it's better if you come as well.

“I'd like too join you all but I have a date with Renz later hehehe...”

Mary shakes her head with a apologetic smile.

“I see. Then it's decided. It's kind of dangerous lately anyway.”

“Right. The ‘Bloodreaper’ ...was it? He's troublesome. Plus those gangs under ‘Schadenfreude’ are causing problems here and there too.”

Why do you know that group?

“Schadenfreude?”

“You don't know? It's a group formed by teens that started from the internet. They have no rules and are free to do what they want. Those quirky teens.”

This information is from a hearsay isn't it? You really speaks with confidence.

“Eh~ Just like the ‘dollars’ then.”

“Dollars?”

“Ah. It's from the anime ‘Durara!’. student anonymously created an online group which unknowingly grew later on which it became a powerful organization.”

Al is listening carefully.

“To become part of that group, just say you're one, then you are. You'll then receive an email for the link of their forum or website where they share information. There's no hierarchy and no rules either so most people can do what they want— be it evil or good. He is the founder but not the leader.”

“Then it's a little different to the group I'm talking about. That group does lack rule but their creed is so edgy and it doesn't have a good members who do good things.”

It looks like your information is superficial.

“Just like the name of the group— their creed is to enjoy the misery of others.”

Who the hell spread that? It's making me cringe.

“I don't really know that much. Teenagers joined that group mostly because they want to be quirky or to have their own circle. Each member helps each other out as well which increased the group's appeal.

“Do you know who's the leader?”

“Eh? I don't know. I only know the gang leader of some of the gangs under them.”

“Don't tell me you joined that gang.”

“E-Eh...n-no...”

“You're flustered.”

“I just joined out of curiosity alright!”

You look smug though.

“Whatever. Let's eat now before lunch break ends.”