“So, I’ll introduce you all to a new student that’ll join our class. Now then, introduce yourself,” the teacher said.

Transfer student… transfer student…

The girl looked around shyly, and my gaze happened to meet hers, and suddenly, her eyes sparkled for whatever reason.

…isn’t she the girl from yesterday? I wondered. Honestly, my memories from yesterday have been all over the place.

Mainly because so much happened. Like… a lot happened. So, don’t blame me if I sorta forgot about her!   

“My name is Olivia. Nice to meet you all!” she energetically introduced herself.

Olivia… seems nice…

From her looks, she’s a cute and bubbly girl, leaning to the shy side. But that may have to do with my initial impression of her.

Long silver hair and amber-coloured eyes.

Totally a pretty girl…

I glanced over at Lilly; she was pouting a little, and her cheeks were puffed ever so slightly.

“Alright then,” the teacher said. “Olivia, why don’t you take the empty seat beside the boy in the back?”

Hey, Teach! Did you even bother remembering my name!?  

The teacher glared at me, and his gaze seemed to say. “Huh? Punk, did you remember mine?”

I stared more intensely at him, basically saying, “Of course, Mister…” wait… Mister…

“It’s Mister Henry, you idiot,” No.2 reminded me while yawning.

Oh… that’s right, “Of course I remember Mister Henry!” I told him with my gaze.

Teach had a look of disbelief and sighed. “Sure, kid,” his eyes seemed to say.

“So, ahem… take a seat beside ‘Luke’ over there, Olivia.”

“Y-Yes…?”

“…..”

“““Wait a minute!? You two understood each other!?””” the No’s asked.

“Guys, I thought it was all in my head as well. We’re in the same boat!” I replied.

“““What are you!? A moron!?””” the three of them retorted.

As Olivia made her way to her seat, boys and girls alike stared at her. But for whatever reason, she kept looking at me, even bumping her toe on one of the desks.

“Ouuh…” she cried.

““…..””

So, she’s the clumsy type?

‘Luke… isn’t she staring at you a bit too much…?’ Lilly queried.

‘I think so too…’ I answered.

‘…so, what did you do? Save her?’

‘No?’

‘No…?’

‘Well… I mean… I lent her an umbrella yesterday.’

‘Hmm~, you’re just too nice…’ Lilly whispered and gently smiled.

Everyone was too distracted by the transfer student, so I was the only one to see her cute smile. And… gosh my heart.

‘My heart skipped a beat,’ I confessed.

‘HUH!? Wh-Why!?’ Lilly anxiously asked.

Is she misunderstanding something?

‘I almost died.’

‘W-Wait!? A-Are you fine!? Do you need an ambulance!?’

‘L-Lilly! I-I can hear the orchestra!’

“…..”

“…sorry.”

“Luke, you dummy!” Lilly cried and lightly tapped me with her fists repeatedly.

““…..””

“YOU TWO! WE’RE IN CLASS!” Teach yelled.

““Sorry,”” we monotonously replied.

“…met me after class.”

““Okay…”” we monotonously replied.

“…..”

‘Hey, Lilly, I’m sorry for getting us into this mess,’ I whispered.

Lilly giggled and said, ‘…you were trying to ease my nerves, right…?’

‘No,’ I bluntly replied, took a small pause and grinned, later adding, ‘I was just teasing you since you’re so cute.’

‘…duuuummy~,’ Lilly said while sticking her tongue out.

“You two!?”

“Yes… Sir…” we monotonously replied.

“What are you!? Bipolar!?”

— :::: —

When class ended, everyone gathered around Olivia, and no one seemed to want to question me and Lilly anymore, which was fortunate for us.

But, even if they were about to gather around us again, I’d still find my way to escape and introduce Lilly to none other than.

*Drum rolls*

Shu, of course! Oh, wait, Kayle as well, maybe? But how will he take this? That I have a girlfriend, I mean.  

Also, how would Lilly react to my bad-boy friend?  

“Hey, Lilly, want to go somewhere quiet?” I asked.

“Where? It’s just a ten-minute break…”

“A walk?”

Lilly faintly smiled and nodded.

“Okay~!” she sweetly replied.  

And as we both got up, Olivia also got up. She rushed to us and averted her eyes from the others.

She was looking at the floor while holding onto my sleeve with both her hands.

To be honest… it was super awkward, and now all the attention was on us again.

But… I can understand her struggles.

Now that I think about it, I never introduced myself when she came over to her seat, now did I?

“Olivia, want to take a walk with me and Lilly? By the way, I’m Luke. Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself earlier.”

She looked up from the floor, and her eyes were filled with surprise. Olivia shyly smiled and nodded, saying, “C-Can I?” as she glanced at Lilly.

Lilly didn’t have an expression on her face, but I could tell that she wasn’t against the idea.

“Why not?” she answered Olivia.  

Of course, the others protested, but we made it out of the classroom somehow, and as we were walking in the hallway, Olivia began to speak.

“Sorry, you two…” she suddenly apologised.

“About what?” Lilly bluntly asked while tilting her head.

“I-I’m not good with crowds… and am quite shy, so I was really happy that you’d take me along with you.”

“…no worries… you should thank Luke,” Lilly somewhat awkwardly replied.

Olivia shook her head and peered into Lilly’s eyes.

“I… I thought Luke was a girl at first, s-so I’m not trying to be a homewrecker!” 

Somehow, my tiny heart shattered into pieces…  

“See, it was 50%, wasn’t it?” No.3 reminded me.

No, it’s 20%...  

Olivia later continued as my heart crumbled.

“S-So, I genuinely wanted to just be friends…” she honestly expressed.

She’s so pure…

“…then that’s fine,” Lilly said.

She seemed a little grumpy and squeezed my hand while pouting. Olivia seemed to have noticed as well.

“A-And… I want to be friends with you too, Lilly,” she shyly said while blushing.

Lilly seemed a little taken aback, but her puffy cheeks deflated as she glanced to the side while her cheeks started to turn a little rosy.

“T-Then we’re friends from now on,” Lilly awkwardly replied while glancing at Olivia with one eye closed.

“I-I see, th-thank you…” Olivia replied with her gaze down again.

““…..””

So… how come I suddenly feel like a third wheel with my girlfriend holding my hand…?