163 ....... Friends? Really?



[Mary Kleine POV]

Why was this happening? Why was he... ugh!

My brain couldn't process what Ren was doing.

When Adam told me that he had met Ren and recounted their conversation, I hurriedly left the council room and rushed toward Ren's classroom. And there he was, standing amidst a group of girls.

He looked different yet somehow the same. It was hard to pinpoint what had changed, but at the same time, it felt like everything was different now. The whole situation was confusing.

As I stared at him, I overheard whispers from the girls around him. Why was he surrounded by them? Why were they all girls?

Questions swirled in my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder when Ren had started tying his hair up. It made him seem more approachable, but there was an underlying energy that also repelled people.

Why was he smiling? Wasn't he here to see me? But he didn't even come... why?

They began to leave, and without realizing it, I called out, "Wait!"

To my surprise, they all stopped. Ren turned his gaze back to me, his golden eyes meeting mine. I stood there, frozen, my mind a whirlwind of confusion. Why had I stopped them? It was all so overwhelming.

Soon, they continued on their way, and within moments, they had disappeared from view.

"Mary!" A hand grabbed my shoulder, and I turned to see Elsa, her face displaying concern.

"Why are you so pale?" Elsa's worried voice reached my ears. Then, I saw Adam rushing toward us, his expression mirroring Elsa's concern.

"Elsa, Adam," I stuttered, attempting to gather my thoughts. "I... I don't know. I just... I saw—" I stopped myself before revealing too much.

Why did I feel this way about him?

Elsa and Adam exchanged a concerned look before turning their attention back to me. "Mary, are you feeling alright?" Elsa asked, her brows furrowing.

Adam gently placed his hand on my forehead, checking for signs of a fever. "She doesn't seem to have a fever. Mary, what's going on? Did something happen here?"

I flinched slightly as his hand touched my forehead. "Hey!" I exclaimed, feeling a rush of embarrassment. "Don't touch me like that." My face grew warm, and I could feel the heat reaching my ears.

Adam quickly withdrew his hand, his face turning as crimson as mine. Elsa, on the other hand, pouted and playfully started punching Adam on the shoulder.

Their interactions eased my nerves. Why had I been so anxious? It was silly to worry about him when there was no reason to. He would come around eventually. I was certain of it.

Afterward, we headed to the canteen. Adam seemed quite hungry, and Isolde, another friend of ours, joined us. Isolde always seemed to be in a grumpy mood, but I understood why. She liked Adam, and seeing other girls getting close to him made her uncomfortable.

As for Adam, I couldn't quite decipher his feelings toward Isolde or any of the other girls who liked him. Most of them didn't seem to expect an answer from him, but I still couldn't help but wonder who am I to Adam? Friend or a Rival?

And who Adam is for me?

....

As we settled down in the canteen, I caught sight of Ren at another table, engrossed in conversation while enjoying his meal. An uneasiness settled over me, reminding me of what he had mentioned to Adam.

Ren had claimed that he knew me because of his familiarity with my mother. It seemed ridiculous. Why would he even say that?

It hit me then. Was he trying to impress Adam with his nonchalant attitude? It suddenly made sense. Ren, who had once been so persistent in declaring his love for me, might have been putting on an act to appear cool in front of my new friend. How foolish I had been not to see through it earlier.

As I sat at the table, my gaze kept drifting back to Ren and the group of girls he was interacting with. The unfamiliar emotion that had been nagging at me grew stronger. Why did this feel so strange?

Ren eventually finished his meal and stood up to leave. However, he didn't even glance in my direction as he walked away. Was it possible that he didn't notice me? Or did he simply not care?

An inexplicable urge stirred within me. Before I could second-guess myself, I stood up and walked toward the group of girls who were surrounding Ren.

I approached the group of girls and cleared my throat, my heart racing slightly from the nervousness that had suddenly gripped me. "Um, hey, do you know that guy?" I carefully referred to Ren as "that guy," not wanting to reveal that I had a personal connection with him.

"Hmm, Ren?" A girl with wavy blonde hair responded, her tone suggesting that she was quite familiar with him. My confusion deepened. Had they known him for a while? Why did they seem so comfortable around him when they had just met?

"Y-yeah," I confirmed, feeling a bit awkward as the other girls exchanged knowing looks among themselves.

The blonde girl smiled, her expression almost mischievous. "Oh yes, we know him."

I struggled to understand. Why were they acting like this? What was their relationship with Ren? And why did I suddenly feel so uneasy about it?

Unable to contain my impulse, I blurted out, "I would like you all to keep your distance from him." The words escaped my lips before I could think, surprising even myself.

The dark-haired girl who had been seated next to Ren raised an eyebrow, uncertainty evident on her face. "Why?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

I felt a mix of surprise and unease as I continued speaking, my words becoming more direct and harsh. "H-he's not a good guy," I blurted out, my own statement catching me off guard.

"Umm, Senior, I'm not sure what you mean by that... he seemed like a genuinely good guy," Mia, the black-haired girl, responded, her badge indicating her name. Her words puzzled me further – how did she know Ren?

Trying to control my emotions, I pressed on, "That's how it seems on the outside, but he... he's not a suitable person to hang out with. I know him... he's a creep." I watched their expressions change, feeling a sense of satisfaction at their reaction.

Mia attempted to argue, but another girl, with short brown hair, tugged on Mia's robe and spoke hesitantly, "He... was demoted."

"Demoted?" I repeated, my curiosity piqued. What did that mean?

"But-" the blonde girl started to say.

"He was demoted for breaking rules on his first day... you know that, right?" the petite brown-haired girl continued. "So I think... s-senior is right."

"Demoted?" I muttered to myself, confusion clouding my thoughts. 

"Ren Hilton? He was demoted for drinking alcohol on school grounds on his first day. It's been quite the talk in the first year," the girl explained, her words hitting me like a bolt of lightning.

"Demoted from?" I asked, my voice betraying my astonishment.

"Class A," she replied simply.

My mind raced to comprehend this revelation. Ren Hilton, the person I knew from years ago, demoted from Class A? It felt impossible. How could he have been selected for such an esteemed class in the first place? And why was he even drinking?

"Anyways, I think you should keep your distance from him. He's not a great person to hang out with," I lied, my voice laced with an urgency I couldn't quite explain. Turning around without looking back, I walked away, my heart still racing from the unexpected encounter.

But I didn't lie. He's not a great person, he's a creep, a stalker, and... he is just...

I couldn't find the right words, but my feelings were genuine.... I don't want them around him.

Offcourse for their own good.

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[Ren Hilton's POV]

[Ren Hilton's POV]

The next day, as I entered the classroom, my attention was immediately drawn to Mia and her group. With a friendly smile, I walked up to them, ready to greet them, but my words stumbled to a halt as I observed the weariness etched on their faces.

Stepping a little closer, Mia's voice wavered as she began, "Um, Ren." There was a hint of uncertainty in her tone, and Blaze's playful voice resonated in my mind, 'Is she going to confess?'

"Ren," Mia began, her words carrying a subdued sorrow that echoed the feeling settling in my chest. Her gaze flickered, a fleeting glimpse of internal struggle. "We won't be able to hang out with you anymore," she confessed, a note of sadness underlying her statement.

"Hmm?" Mia's statement left me uncertain, uncertain about the implication behind her words.

"We can't -" she began, her voice faltering slightly as I cast my gaze toward the other girls. Their eyes held a different quality today, one that carried an underlying tension.

"Okay," I responded, my voice carrying a sense of resignation.

"Huh?" Mia paused, her confusion palpable.

"It's fine," I repeated, my tone carrying a hint of detachment. "We didn't know each other for long, anyway. I'll head back to my seat," I stated, turning away and retracing my steps back to my desk.