Chapter 2, Enticement

"You'll see something interesting in the lunch break" ~A paper plane without a name

A plane mysteriously landed on Cauli's desk and it immediately asked if this was from Emile, but Emile merely shook his head in response. So Cauli shrugged it off, thinking it just got passed to the wrong person.

Lunch break came, and out of nowhere, Randy apologized to Jet about what happened yesterday. For Cauli this was very weird considering how prideful Randy is. But it's enough to remember how Cauli and Emile really first met.

"Wow, you're reading even on a lunch break! You must be very diligent" ~Emile while standing and peaking behind Cauli who was reading a book

Shocked Cauli twitched and looked at him while trying to awkwardly hide the book.

"This is-- The book I wrote about ____" ~Cauli while embarrassed

"Can I see? I read the first three paragraphs it looks interesting" ~Emile

"No, it's--" ~Cauli

"Please Please Please, I won't tell anyone" ~Emile

"I don't think it's a good idea" ~Cauli

"You can trust me, Pleaaseee" ~Emile

"Alright...." ~Cauli

"Wow... It's very informative. I thought you were the kind of person who wouldn't be interested in these" ~Emile

"Really?" ~Cauli

[It was pretty embarrassing]

----

"It's fine." Jet assures Randy

Emile was pleased to witness this, so he suddenly jumped in

"Let's eat lunch together!" Emile exclaimed to Jet and Randy

Randy was about to leave but since Emile insists that it's his treat, he invited Mark along

"You're not worried?" Cauli to Emile

"About what?" ~Emile

"About your wallet" ~Cauli

"Hahaha don't worry I have enough to buy myself a car if I had a license" ~Emile

"Are you a son of a politician? gosh." ~Cauli chuckles

"Maybe" ~Emile

Emile's answer surprised Cauli, but after remembering how much Emile pays the canteen store, it made a lot of sense.

While taking their lunch at the cafeteria, the group started rambling about random stuff until the topic was finally about family situations. Randy and his parents aren't very close, he also had to work errands just to pay for his own school expenses since his older brother started going overseas for college. His parents are always busy with their work and personal tasks, but regardless he was happy to have a very diligent family.

Jet opened up to Randy about his situation as well, and Randy ultimately understood Jet's side. What Randy can't understand is why he couldn't stand Jet before they had this conversation. Is it because he can't understand him? Or is it because he's just sadistic?

"Yesterday while I was working, Renae approached me, saying she wanted to have a talk with me" ~Randy

"Wow, Rene? The top 2? you're so lucky man I'm jealous!" Mark to Randy

"Rene and You? dude that's wild" ~Jet

"What's that supposed to mean?" Randy cried out while blushing "Anyway, she asked me If I could try listening to Jet's part of the story. Renae also said that if I did, maybe I can do something about my impulses." ~Randy

"And you know... I can't deny girls like that here." ~Randy "She's pretty cute" ~He added further, whispering incoherently.

"Oh. So it was because of her. I always thought you were not the type of person to apologize. Guess I wasn't wrong" ~Jet

"But you know... After all of this, I genuinely feel guilty." ~Randy [I always thought you were weak, passive, and uncooperative maybe it's the part of my superiority complex that couldn't really stand you.] ~Randy in his head

"It's fine it's over now man, I don't think you're that bad as well." ~Jet

"But dang for I sure didn't expect Renae to defend me" ~Jet uttered, a little embarrassed

"K-Knowing Rene it's probably something she would do" ~Randy

"Ooh, what's this? A love triangle? You've just started becoming besties and now a love triangle. How very, very romantic." ~Emille

"We don't like her like that! Right?" ~Jet to Randy

A pause that felt like forever before Randy finally responds

"Y-Yeah" ~Randy stumbling a bit with his words.

"What's with that pause? So YOU do like her" ~Jet raised his eyebrows then chuckles teasingly at Randy

"Maybe I do like her... What's wrong with that?" ~Randy muttered quietly

Jet then abruptly whispered to Emille and both of them grinned

"Don't worry we'll support you man" ~Emille declared with his palm placed on his chest, wiping a fake tear or two.

"We got your back" ~Jet carried along, placing a hand on Randy's shoulders dramatically.

"You! You're making fun of me aren't you?" ~a steaming Randy yatters

In addition, Jet also whispered something to Cauli. Cauli plainly puts out a thumbs up and nonchalantly resumes back to writing, which is what it was doing the whole time.

"Wait you were there all along?!" ~Randy to Cauli

"You're soo good at not talking, actually too good. I would've mistaken you for a statue." ~Randy once again to Cauli but they seem to be preoccupied

"Yeah." ~Cauli blankly replied without meeting eyes, still writing.

"Are they always like that?" ~Randy to Emille

"Well, not always. Maybe Cauli's just not used to this many people" ~Emille

"No, I was just thinking about what I wrote" ~Cauli

"What are you even writing..." ~Mark

"Yeah let us see! Aye, come on we're friends right?" ~Randy

"It's too embarrassing for me, maybe I'll show it to you once I'm done" ~Cauli

The group peeked down to Cauli's writings anyway and then gasps circulated around.

"Wow, you're writing a novel? Man, that's insane!" ~Randy expresses surprise for the entire group.

A lot of time passed and lunchtime was finished, in the end, everyone went back to their respective classrooms. As usual, the class continued normally. After dismissal, the whole bunch decided to hang out at Emille's usual place. To Cauli's surprise, their group set was becoming larger and larger. But little did anyone else know that Emille and Jet had a wild idea to invite one more person to their occasion.

When the group decided on their seats, Cauli noticed that Emille kept turning his head around as if expecting someone. Because of this, the few customers of the restaurant began glancing at them. Some of the customers blinked at Emille, he noticed them and even blinked back.

"What are you doing?" ~Cauli

"Oh, nothing." ~Emille "I invited Renae, I'm worried that she won't come" ~Emille whispers to Cauli

"You'll really go that far to tease Randy huh?" ~Cauli to Emille

"Nah, I'm just helping him. Plus he may look popular he is surprisingly awkward when talking to girls" ~Emille while glancing at Randy who is busy talking to Mark and Jet.

Suddenly Cauli remembered Randy saying "You'll never get a girl at this rate". Cauli thought [Oh, he was talking about himself] they chuckled quietly.

"What are you guys whispering about?" ~Randy to Emille "You two acting are suspicious" ~Randy

Out of the blue, Renae pops up and peeks at the window. This caught Randy off-guard so he began to cover his face.

"What is she doing here?!" ~Randy to Emille

"I don't know maybe she also likes this place" ~Emille to Randy

"Why you!" ~Randy

"Dude what are you panicking for, now is your chance. Go get her, show us who the boss is" ~Jet teasingly persuades Randy because they were just about the topic of how to get a girl

While Renae is peeking through the window. Emille waves at Renae then Renae waves back. After waving back Renae gestures behind her as if calling a friend. When Emile saw the girls that were with Renae, he suddenly stopped waving.

"My Lamborghini!!" ~Emille yells dramatically to Cauli

"Your what?" ~Cauli while chuckling

Renae and the girls sat at the same table as the group. Randy reacted weirdly.

"Why are they sitting here? Emile? You planned this did you? say something." Randy whispers to Emille while Emille still spacing out.

"Hi Emille, did you guys already order?" ~Renae

"Not yet, we had a little fun discussing romance. Randy claims he mastered it" ~Jet

"Oh really? You must be very popular." ~Renae to Randy

"N-No I did not..." ~Randy murmurs

"So, shall we order?" ~Rene

"Yeah, we've been occupying this table for a while now, the shop owner will be pissed" ~Jet

"Okay let's start" ~Emille

They took the Menu and started picking. After this Emille calls the waiter to take their orders. The waiter suddenly paused at Renae's order, Renae seems to be taking a while on her order.

"Are you sure ma'am" ~the waiter

"Yes, very sure" ~Renae while smiling

Emile got goosebumps but he immediately brushed it off and proceeded to add a drink for his order. Emile also cleared up that he's the one paying for the orders so that they pass the bills to him. He doesn't want his friends to worry.

Nana, the renowned muse of the classroom suddenly moved near Cauli's seat. Nana is a very cheerful person, she also has a habit of teasing her friends.

"Are you two dating?" ~Nana questioned Cauli and Emille without warning.

"No way!!" ~Cauli and Emille "How did you come up with that?" ~Emille

"I mean you always go outside together and hang out." ~Nana

"There's no way in hell." ~Emille

"Is that so? Hey! Did you catch that?" ~Nana glanced at Kelly

"W-what? Why me?" ~Kelly

"Emille." ~Nana calls Emille

"Hmm?" ~Emille who was busy glancing at Randy and Renae

"Sooo... What do you think about Kelly" ~Nana

"What do I think? ~Emille takes a look at Kelly but she could not maintain eye contact.

"I think she's very smart. She scored the highest during our last math exam right?" ~Emille

"Just smart?" ~Nana

[Huh?] ~Emille thought

"I think she's pretty cute too" ~Emille to Nana which made her crack a smirk

"*Ahem* So do you want to--" ~Nana but Kelly lightly grabs her dress

Nana turned to glance at Kelly, who was very flustered at the moment. This satisfied Nana so she dropped the teasing. What they didn't notice was that Cauli had been observing the whole time. A light smiles plastered on their face, they knew exactly what was going on. At the same time, Cauli had an idea to write this.

While they were eating they noticed that Renae's hand had a bandage.

"What's that?" ~Jet to Renae

"Oh, I got an accident yesterday while cutting the vegetables" ~Renae

"Wow, you can also cook? Why are you so perfect, I'm so jealous." ~Nana to Renae

Renae chuckles "Don't you also cook your lunch?"

Cauli thought that the cut Renae had was too big and distorted to be a knife mark.

While they were talking. Cauli noticed through the window that Jin passed by while staring at Renae. It was strange but Cauli ignored him and continued eating nonetheless. After talking about different topics, Mark suddenly had the idea to talk about time travel and about it being near. This caught Cauli's attention because they immediately recalled how their mother reacted that day.

"Like if you met your great-granddaughter from the future giving you winning numbers. Dang that'll be sweet" ~Mark

"I'll travel to the future and tell her to never trust her great grandfather" ~Jet

"Hey what'd I done? What about ya, Emile?" ~Mark to Emille

"I'd tell myself to buy a car asap." ~Emile

"That's weird. And you Randy?" ~Mark

"I don't know. I haven't given it a thought" ~Randy

"And Renae, what do you think about time travel?" ~Mark to Renae

"Won't it be romantic if someone went back in time and save you?" ~Renae thoughtlessly remarked while looking in Cauli's direction.

Everyone paused and collectively thought it was cliche. Above that, they didn't exactly expect Rene would be interested in those.

"I-I'll do it." ~Randy

"Do what?" ~Jet while chuckling

"Save Renae" ~Randy

The rest of the group starts whispering and chuckling, [Give it some thought he said] Randy's awkwardness is quite entertaining.

"Aw, that's sweet" ~Renae Chuckles "Well, what about you Cauli?" ~Renae

"I don't know." ~Cauli [But if there were a chance, I'd tell my father not to go to work the day he died] ~In Cauli's mind

Eventually, they all part ways on their way home. Somehow, Cauli runs into Jin again, but this time Cauli noticed that Jin's arm was bleeding. Cauli instinctively opened their bag and takes the first aid kit out.

"I don't need it" ~Jin

"It'll get infected" ~Cauli

Jin paused for a while. Taking the silence as an initiative, Cauli immediately began treating the wound. They noticed it was a gunshot wound, if Cauli remembers correctly, they should start disinfecting and then apply a non-stick bandage on the area. Jin asked Cauli why they have a first aid kit. Cauli explained that after their father died in an accident, their mother became very careful for Cauli's safety.

Jin looked at Cauli for a while and thought they were similar in a way. Since Jin's father also died and it was difficult to accept. Jin knew that Cauli still hasn't gotten over their father's death despite trying to hide it.

"Shouldn't you call the cops?" ~Cauli

Jin moved his shirt to show the pistol "Bad idea" knowing that if the police were to come he'll be arrested as well

"I see. Did the girl from yesterday do this?" ~Cauli

"No, it was someone else." ~Jin

"It was a tall man about as tall or taller than Emille, His was face fully covered." ~Jin

After this, Jin stands up and told Cauli to follow him. Jin led the way to the nearest phone store and nonchalantly bought Cauli a new phone. Cauli was stunned and they tried to deny the phone but Jin insists.

"But why?" ~Cauli

"I did say I'd get you something." ~Jin

"But I haven't even seen her yet" ~Cauli

"It's for treating my wound." ~Jin

"Plus, this will make it easier for us to communicate once you've seen her" ~Jin

"Okay..." ~Cauli