#45
Benjamin’s voice, which had been snapping at Noah until just now, turned as sweet as cotton candy, and a bright smile bloomed on his face.
“Derik~ Where have you been? Did you come to work on assignments too?”
Noah quickly shook his head after seeing Benjamin flash an eye smile and even slightly shake his shoulders, and hastily began organizing the writing supplies scattered messily around.
“Have you finished your economics class assignment?”
“Derik, I’ve organized the materials for you.”
“Let’s go get dinner.”
I know this. This is familiar.
This is how it was when we first met too.
After organizing his writing supplies and quickly gathering his books, Noah stood up abruptly but was caught by Derik’s large hand on his shoulder and pushed back down into the chair.
Talk to each other without me. Benjamin has something to say to you!
“Would you like to eat steak?”
“Derik, so you like steak. I’ll tell my nanny to prepare steak for dinner tomorrow. Would you like to have dinner together tomorrow?”
“You eat too much spaghetti. You need to eat more meat to grow properly.”
It’s quite remarkable how their conversation continues like this.
Noah blankly watched as Derik, whose naturally curly, fine hair was already floating lightly, ran his hand through his hair to dishevel it further before picking up his own stack of books.
“I didn’t say I was going to eat spaghetti.”
How could he naturally slip away? Noah thought about ways he could leave Derik and Benjamin in the library alone, but first answered Derik’s comment.
Then, with the determination to try anything even though he’d never properly escaped before, he began taking the books Derik was holding one by one and placing them on the table.
When Derik’s eyebrows twitched as if to ask what nonsense he was doing, Noah quickly mumbled, “These are books I’ve already finished…”
“You blinked twice quickly when I mentioned steak.”
So I did that. I blinked quickly.
“Derik!”
Benjamin’s voice, which until now had been like flower petals fluttering on the spring breeze, suddenly turned sharp. Yes, I understand how you feel. You have every right to be angry.
“…”
At that call, Derik’s gaze, which had been fixed on Noah until now, turned toward Benjamin, followed by that arrogant chin gesture everyone thought was so chic. Noah sighed briefly at his attitude that seemed to say “go ahead and say what you want to say.”
What’s so cool about that? To Noah, it just looked like he had eaten a bowl of rudeness for breakfast.
Honestly, while Derik’s appearance was heavenly, his personality was about as pleasant as Hades himself.
He was quite a decent friend to Noah—kind and helpful with assignments—but when Noah saw how he treated others, he often wondered why Derik behaved that way.
One day, Noah had seriously asked why his behavior toward him was different from his behavior toward others.
‘Why should I be kind to everyone?’
‘I’m not saying you have to be kind, but there are many people who have good intentions toward you and want to be friends with you, but you’re too cold to them.’
‘Did I ever treat you that way?’
‘No. Just be a little kind to others like you are to me.’
‘Why should I?’
The conversation couldn’t continue after that. Derik had basically asked what good would come from being nice and kind to everyone.
Being kind to others, getting along well with friends, respectfully greeting adults, studying well, and listening to parents well—that’s what made a good child. You could call it the “good child syndrome.”
Anyway, that was the standard for proper character and growing up well, but seeing Derik looking at him with an expression that seemed to ask why he should bother doing that, Noah also wondered if it was really necessary.
After that, Noah didn’t care how Derik treated others anymore.
“Let’s eat steak together tomorrow.”
Benjamin, looking upset with his lips slightly turned down, was clenching both his fists tightly. Yes, you’re upset. It must hurt when someone you like ignores you.
While Benjamin was in the position of being ignored by Derik, he was also a popular student at the academy. He came from a good family, and with his omega characteristics, he was a friendly, affectionate boy who always walked around with a bright smile. Although, strangely, his round eyes changed to a triangular shape whenever he saw Noah.
“I don’t like steak.”
You crazy bastard. Truly, remarkably crazy bastard.
You just asked me to eat steak, and then immediately say you don’t like steak? That’s really weird! And you do like steak. You don’t eat greens, only meat.
Noah looked up at Derik with his mouth slightly open in disbelief.
“Huh—”
Benjamin let out a scoff, apparently as dumbfounded as Noah was.
“What kind of relationship do you two have?!”
This was the library. Benjamin’s voice was a bit loud, but that level of noise was common here, so the students hadn’t been paying attention to them until now.
But Benjamin had just shouted, and a moment of silence fell over the library that had been filled with small noises.
Drrrrrr—
Following the brief silence, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor rang out loudly. Noah, who had been looking up at Derik’s face, slowly shifted his gaze and quietly rose from his seat.
The most entertaining things in the world are watching fires, fights, and other people’s romances.
Benjamin, who seemed angry, and Derik, who was standing crookedly with an indifferent expression.
It was an open secret that Benjamin liked Derik. Due to his boisterous proclamations of affection for Derik, other students who liked Derik could only suffer in silence.
Anyway, since Benjamin and Derik, who were at the center of attention, seemed to be having a confrontation, studies were the least important thing to the students right now.
I’ll be on my way.
I’ll just leave the books and writing supplies and slip away with just my body.
Instead of standing up completely, Noah lowered himself from the chair to the floor and moved carefully while crouching.
I never thought I’d be doing the duck walk like this here.
“Noah, what kind of relationship do we have?”
Noah’s duck-walking steps came to a sudden halt.
“Yes, Noah. Say it clearly! Do you like Derik?”
Guys, why are you doing this to me?
Caught in the act of escaping, Noah chose to bury his face in his knees rather than answer.
All he wanted was a quiet academy life.
Until now, Noah had been the only son of the Grand Duke of the North, a precious only child, and a student who was close to Derik and Ray. He wasn’t exceptionally good at studying, nor had he shown outstanding athletic abilities in the knight department. He never took the lead in anything, just attended classes, went to the library, occasionally went horseback riding, and played with Aeongi in the evenings—an utterly ordinary student.
Noah firmly believed that he was an extremely ordinary and inconspicuous student. After the first semester when he was seven years old, Noah hadn’t caused any major incidents, and many of the recently enrolled students didn’t even know his nicknames: “one hit four kills” or “one shot one kill.”
Staying quiet while watching Ray and Derik receive admiring gazes and shy confessions from countless students, Noah had lived thinking it was truly fortunate that he wasn’t as famous and noticeable as they were.
The fact that Derik was always sticking to him, preventing other students from getting close to Noah, and that there were numerous students who would stare absently at Noah whenever he passed by, attracted by his cute appearance, unable to properly confess even once—this was known to every student at the academy.
From being the only son of the Grand Duke of the North, to his cute appearance, and decisively, the fact that he went around with Ray and Derik like guardian dragons on either side—Noah was already one of the hottest figures at the academy. Only Noah himself was unaware of this fact.
“What the hell! Why are you leaving me out? Noah, I’m here too. Do you like me? Or Derik?”
“Ray oppa! What are you saying? Oppa, you said you liked me. We just had refreshments together.”
Noah’s slender shoulders, crouched between desks by the window, trembled visibly. Why can’t I use magic? Teleportation would be the most useful magic at a time like this.
Was my dream ominous last night?
First Derik and Benjamin, now Ray and Merry.
Why is everyone doing this to me? I just want to live quietly until graduation.
And Derik, you shouldn’t do this to me. After all I’ve done for you.
Honestly, you know you’re the only person who’s ever entered my dormitory room.
Even now, the cookies in my left pocket. You know you’re the only one I’ve shared cookies with.
So why do you think I’ve been like this all this time?
I just haven’t said it aloud. Honestly, I… Well… Um…
Until now, I thought you were quite nice and seemed positive, but you seemed too young, so I held back, but still, you’re really handsome, you know?
I thought you were pretty decent because you treated me well even though you acted like a complete jerk to others.
You knew how I felt and that’s why we’ve been like this until now, right?
But now you ask what kind of relationship we have? You shouldn’t do that.
Like Benjamin just before, Noah clenched his fists tightly, stood up determinedly, and turned resolutely toward them. And just as he was about to call out boldly, he saw the semicircle of students gathered thickly before his eyes and inadvertently took a few steps backward.
“What kind of relationship do we have?”
“Hey, no. Is it me? Or Derik?”
“Ray oppa!”
“I like Chicken.”
Noah, with his eyes tightly shut, shouted in English that they would never understand even if they died and came back to life, then ran across the library without looking back.
The best thing in the world is Lord Chicken.
Damn, I should ask Elisa to fry some chicken for me today.
“Noah!”
He could hear voices calling him from behind, but once Noah started running, he didn’t stop until he reached his dormitory room.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
