Alvano remained silent for a few seconds before finally shaking William's hand.
William's grip felt cold yet firm.
"Nice to meet you, Alvano," William said with a faint smile.
There was something in his tone that made Alvano even more cautious.
He watched William's back slowly move away. But before the student council member could completely leave, Alvano spoke up.
"William," he called.
William stopped. His shoulders lifted slightly, as if he hadn't expected to be called back.
"Why have you been looking for me since yesterday?" Alvano asked bluntly.
For a moment, William didn't answer. He turned his head to the side, looking at Alvano with an expression difficult to read. His sharp eyes seemed to study something from Alvano's face.
Then, the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
"You'll probably find out soon enough."
A vague answer.
After saying that, William stepped into the elevator. The metal doors slowly closed, leaving Alvano with even more questions swirling in his head.
Alvano let out a long sigh. He still felt uneasy. There was something about William Aubert that sent chills down his spine.
Why did it feel like talking to him was like talking to someone who could see deeper than they should?
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, then hurried into the classroom.
Inside, the atmosphere was still fairly quiet. A few students had just arrived and were busy with their own things. Alvano walked to his seat and, as usual, looked out the window. The morning sky was bright blue, but his mind was still filled with the same uneasy feeling from earlier.
Theo still hadn't arrived.
Usually, when Theo was around, the atmosphere felt livelier. But now, there was only him and his thoughts spinning endlessly, trying to make sense of things.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the school, William exited the elevator on the lower floor. He walked casually, but a faint smile lingered on his face.
"So that's the kid, huh…" he muttered softly.
His hand still felt slightly strange from when he had shaken Alvano's earlier. Not in a bad way, but because he could sense something—something unusual.
"Not bad. I could tell right away just from a handshake."
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.
At that moment, someone walked past him from the opposite direction.
Joshua.
Joshua didn't greet William. In fact, his expression grew more serious when he saw the student council member coming out of the first-year building.
"What's a student council member doing here?" he thought, his mind filling with questions.
Without thinking further, Joshua quickened his pace toward the classroom.
He paused briefly at the doorway, his eyes scanning the room before finally stepping inside. His mind was still occupied by his encounter with William earlier.
When he looked around the classroom, it was still relatively empty. Only a few students had arrived early, sitting at their desks, each preoccupied with their own activity. But his gaze quickly landed on one familiar figure.
Near the window, as always, Alvano sat with his arms folded on the desk, staring blankly outside. As if the world around him no longer mattered.
Joshua exhaled quietly before walking closer. He set his backpack on his seat and stood beside Alvano's desk.
"Hey," he called lightly.
Alvano turned briefly, his expression as flat as ever. "Hm?"
Joshua looked at him seriously. "You met that student council member earlier, didn't you?"
Alvano raised an eyebrow. "William?"
Joshua nodded. "Yeah. I saw him coming out of the first-year building, and he's clearly not a first-year student. Judging from where he came from, I can guess he'd just met you."
Alvano adjusted his sitting position. "Yeah, we bumped into each other in the corridor."
Joshua sat down, leaning forward slightly, curious. "What did he say to you?"
Alvano was silent for a moment before answering. "Not much. He just shook my hand and left. But when I asked why he was looking for me, he only said I'd find out later."
Joshua let out a long sigh, leaning back in his chair. "That's strange."
Alvano nodded slightly. "I thought so too."
Joshua's mind raced. A student council member—especially from the security division—wouldn't approach someone without a reason. Velmont High School was an elite school, and its student council didn't deal with trivial matters. If William was looking for Alvano, there had to be something bigger behind it.
Joshua glanced at Alvano. His friend looked calm, but Joshua could see a faint tension on his face.
"You're sure there's nothing else?" Joshua asked.
Alvano looked at him for a moment before shaking his head. "Nothing so far."
Joshua wasn't convinced. He felt something was off. William Aubert wasn't an ordinary person. If he showed interest in someone, then that person must have something intriguing about them.
And now, that person was Alvano.
Amid their confusion over William Aubert's hidden intentions, the sound of light footsteps came from the classroom door.
Someone entered confidently, his steps wide, his face glowing with happiness.
Theo.
With his backpack slung over one shoulder, he walked in casually, like a cowboy returning from a great adventure. In his hand, a motorcycle key twirled around his finger as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
Alvano and Joshua turned their heads almost simultaneously, staring at him with blank expressions.
Theo looked far too happy.
In fact, happier than usual.
Joshua squinted. "Look at him. Like he's forgotten where he came from."
Alvano sighed. "Since when did he become like this?"
They exchanged glances, then turned their eyes back to Theo, who was now busy showering his motorcycle key with affection.
Theo approached them with a wide grin. "Why are you guys here so early?" he asked casually.
Alvano and Joshua didn't immediately reply. Instead, they exchanged looks before finally turning to question him.
"What about you? Why are you here early for once?" Alvano asked.
Theo set his bag on the desk and sat down on the empty chair in front of them. Proudly, he held up his motorcycle key and showed it off. "Of course I'm being diligent! I had to bring my new bike. You think I'd leave it at home?"
Joshua rolled his eyes. "You're unbelievable."
Theo didn't care. He even brought the key closer to his nose and pretended to sniff it again. "Ah, the scent of freedom," he said dramatically.
Alvano could only shake his head. "You're like a kid with a new toy."
The three of them then sat facing each other at Alvano's desk, enjoying their light conversation. But Joshua's expression soon turned serious.
"There's actually something more important," Joshua said.
Theo raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Joshua glanced briefly at Alvano before turning back to Theo. "Alvano met William this morning."
Theo froze. His cheerful face slowly shifted into one of surprise.
"Whoa, seriously?" he asked.
Alvano nodded slightly. "We ran into each other in the corridor when I was heading to class."
Theo's mouth fell open. "I didn't think he had so much free time that he'd come looking for you this early."
Alvano and Joshua both fell silent, letting Theo process that information.
Theo then leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh. "What's his real goal, I wonder?"
Joshua nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what we're trying to figure out."
Alvano stayed quiet, but his mind was racing. William Aubert was definitely not someone who acted carelessly. If he truly had business with him, sooner or later, he'd find out why.