Eiden walked alongside Deuel as they headed toward the cafeteria, their footsteps falling into a casual rhythm against the tiled floor. The crowd of students around them buzzed with chatter and the distant clatter of trays being shuffled. Deuel glanced sideways at Eiden, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"You've gotten kinda popular lately, huh?" Deuel started, his voice half-joking but laced with curiosity. Eiden scoffed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "What popularity?"
Deuel smirked, clearly waiting for the reaction. "You know… the guy who got rejected by Linda, but somehow now hangs around a cute girl in the cafeteria. The same guy who got into a fight for her. Also, the supposed 'genius' who managed to get an A-plus from the strictest professor and didn't even try to claim credit. That guy."
"Woah, woah, woah," Eiden held up a hand, blinking. "People are talking about that?"
Deuel chuckled, lips quirking. "Who knows?"
