Chapter 83 : Finally
After separating from the cafeteria, Eiden and his group went their separate ways toward their respective classes. The group of girls Lyra, Linda, Crysty, and Sasha also dispersed into their own schedules.
Eiden noticed, as he glanced at Lyra . His classes and Lyra’s were interlinked in such a way that they would end up in the same room for this period. It wasn’t often that happened, and though he didn’t think much of it at first, the detail stuck somewhere in the back of his mind.
When they entered, Eiden took his usual spot in the third row, leaning back slightly with that casual ease he always carried in class. Lyra, however, slipped quietly into the fifth row. She settled into her chair, the faint rustle of the paper bag on her lap giving away the fact she was holding something. Her hands rested over it, almost protectively, as her gaze lingered on Eiden’s back. She seemed to be having an internal battle with herself should she give it to him now, later, or maybe not at all?
On one hand, her heart urged her to act; Valentine’s Day came only once a year. On the other, a voice of hesitation whispered doubts into her mind: What if he doesn’t like it? Would I come off too strong? Would he think I’m clingy?
The thought made her fidget even more, fingers tightening slightly on the paper bag. Then she reminded herself Linda had already given him chocolates, and he’d accepted them without hesitation. And she... well, she was closer to Eiden than Linda, wasn’t she? That fact gave her a small flicker of courage. I hope, she added inwardly, her cheeks warming as her eyes trailed up to the back of his head again.
Eiden’s focus, however, was entirely elsewhere. The professor who entered the classroom wasn’t the usual elderly man who taught this subject. Instead, it was Miss Mika, stepping in as a substitute.
The original professor was quite old, plagued with frequent health issues, so much so that it was a miracle he hadn’t retired yet. His occasional absences meant that different professors would take over his class from time to time. Today marked only the second time Miss Mika had filled in.
The moment she stepped inside, Eiden’s attention locked onto her. He wasn’t just watching her because she was striking in appearance tall, composed, with an elegance in the way she carried herself but because of what he knew. She had been secretly involved in his project, adding information without his knowledge, and he still had no clue what her motives were. That mystery kept him on edge, his curiosity and wariness intertwining.
Miss Mika, for her part, began the class without giving any indication she noticed him watching. Her voice was clear, calm, and precise, each sentence carrying a kind of practiced poise. But after some time, her eyes swept over the room, and then—just for a brief moment her gaze locked with his.
Eiden felt it instantly, the subtle shift in the air. Her eyes lingered for only a few seconds before she retracted them, continuing the lecture as if nothing had happened. But in that instant, he caught something her expression had changed ever so slightly. Not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough for him to feel a faint, unexplainable confirmation of... something.