I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

When there was no sign of an end to their exchange of stares, Leen pretended they weren't there and ripped open a bag on her desk.

Then she smelled a sweet and savory scent from her bag.

‘Oh, caramel popcorn!'

Leen admired Carson's sense a little and started eating the caramelized popcorn with Jane next to her.

"Oh, but you… Why do you have this stuff on your shoulders?"

As if Carson had found something, he immediately shook Kun's shoulder.

Harder, and harder…

His touch and words were clear, but the emotions along were clunky.

Pat, pat~

"There's a lot of dust."

It was obviously an act of picking a fight.

Leen also knew that Carson was clearly picking a fight, but she didn't bother to stop him this time, because his opponent was his alone to face.

It was cute to see a rich kitten playing with strangers.

Crack. Leen chewed on her popcorn peacefully.

At this, Kun frowned and thought it was ridiculous, as if he couldn't deal with it anymore he shook off Carson's shoulder not wanting to lose.

Bam, bam bam~!

"You have a mosquito sitting on your shoulder. Be careful."

Carson's smile deepens.

"Ah, thank you. I almost fell due to excessive bleeding. Oh? But what's that on your shoulder…"

Bam~

Carson slammed Kun on his shoulder with an unstoppable force.

"Do you have dust on you?"

‘Pfft…'

Seeing their fierce and childish fight, Leen admired them.

‘Wasn't that just plain hitting.'

Then she threw popcorn into her mouth as if it wasn't her job to stop them.

Meanwhile, after being half beaten by Carson, Kun spoke.

Being the prince of the Abascantus Empire didn't mean that he grew up fine, but it was the first time he had been hit openly like this.

As if he didn't know what to say, Kun looked alternately at Leen and Carson and eventually let out a sigh.

"Let's… let's-"

Then, briefly, glanced at Leen then walked out of the classroom.

Leen somehow thought that one of his shoulders was drooping down from being hit by Carson.

"Leen."

Carson called Leen for her to turn her gaze on him.

"Huh?"

When Leen turned to look at Carson because of his call, Carson asked in a serious tone.

"You must tell me if you encounter such a weirdo in the future. Definitely."

"It's okay. I could handle it by myself."

"How are you going to handle this?"

"…a kick?"

Carson bit his lower lip with a sullen look on his face as if he didn't like the answer. 

Then Leen came up with another alternative.

"…kick and X-kick?"

Only then Carson felt relieved. It was a satisfactory answer.

✤

"I'll tell you in advance, but this semester's exams will be replaced by a group assignment."

I was scribbling a picture of herbs on my desk when I doubted Professor George's remarks.

It was a word that made my upper body, which had been lying down, jolt up.

Another group assignment…?

Oh, my…

Professor George continued without a break from the shock.

"Instead, I'd give you a deadline for this group assignment before the end of the semester. This time, be free to pair up."

Plus, I could set up a team freely?

For me, who had no friends, it was like asking me to pair up with someone who was left behind.

Although there was Hans, who's similar to a friend, Hans certainly had other friends to team up with.

Come to think of it, no matter who I teamed with, the group project wouldn't be fun.

I quickly came to terms with reality and began to listen to Professor George's explanation of the assignment.

After the major class was over.

Someone pulled my sleeve while I was going back to the classroom with my books and writing instruments.

It was Hans.

"No."

Before Hans could say anything, I smiled and answered ‘No.'

He stutters in confusion.

"What- without even hearing what I have to say…?"

"I don't think it's a good thing to hear anything from you."

"I didn't mean to ask you for a strange request…"

"You're asking me right?"

"Ah. Was that so?"

Hans scratched his head, swept his embarrassed face, and grinned.

"If you haven't decided who you're going to pair with, let's do the group assignment together."

"What about your friends?"

"It's odd anyway, so one had to be paired with the other. And Leen, you're smart when it comes to herbal medicine, so I thought I should ask you. Haha!"

Leen stared at Hans with curious eyes.

He didn't ask me to write a name or something, when he didn't participate in the previous assignment.

I think he said it out of consideration for me.

Well, it would be nice too…

I smiled and raised my fist as a sign of understanding.

"Yeah, I'd love to do it with someone I know."

"So we're doing it together?"

Hans smiled and lightly bumped my fist.

We took turns talking about group assignments.

He was in the class next to me, so we could talk for a while as we walked.

"Ugh. But no matter how long it takes, how could he ask a single student to develop a medicine? That's why Professor George was called a farmer." (Hans)

Hans vented his dissatisfaction by saying something strange.

"Farmer?" (Leen)

"He was so good at spraying C." (Hans)

Oh, that's what you meant.

“From what I’ve seen before, he's been spraying F relentlessly.” (Hans)

"Wow, that deserves a standing ovation even for the demon." (Leen)

Leen shrugged lightly.

"The professor clearly knows the level of the students, but he doesn't expect big things from them. First, I would try everything I could and if it doesn't work, I'd solve a recipe." 

"Recipe?"

"I've been researching herbal medicine since I was a child, so there are more useful things than I thought." (Leen)

"Oh, what? you're so capable! But it's not good for my conscience if we submit what you've worked on as an assignment."

"You said you owe me a favor earlier."

Hans made a look of disappointment. As he quickly opened his mouth to make an excuse, someone called out my name in front of us.

"Leen!"

From where the voice came from, stood Carson with a face stained with shock and betrayal.

He strides towards Leen and Hans.

Seeing Carson standing in front of us at once, my head tilted curiously.

"Caon. Why do you look like that?" (Leen)

"I'm sure you promised me an X-kick in the morning if someone goofy lingers around you. Doesn't our sacred promise only last a day?" Carson spoke as if appealing with a distorted face.

Hearing his words, Hans was startled and quickly took turns looking at me and Carson. He gently covers his crotch with his hands.

Seeing the reaction, I explained with a frown.

"He's fine. Because he's not a bad kid. Hans, you look funny, so get your hands off that."

"Hans? Are you two already calling each other by first names?"

Carson's gaze, which had been fixed on me, shifted to Hans.

When Hans saw his gaze, he ran behind me and hid.

"Friend Shield!"

What's with this stupid guy…?

I looked at Hans hiding behind me with a puzzled face.

I don't know what he was thinking behind, but I'm sure he was hiding.

Because he was bigger than me, his body was obviously sticking out.

"Leen, that cowardly bastard hiding behind you was kind?"

Carson glanced at Hans with bitter eyes, then suddenly lowered his gaze. It was a very sad and miserable look.

"Was it a lie when you said I was nice, Leen?"

"No. I never lied."

He seemed to be getting a little ferocious about things related to me, but it was also cute enough to let it slide.

"Caon, don't be jealous of every little thing like this. Besides, he has someone else he likes."

However, Carson's distorted expression didn't change.

"Even if he doesn't like you right now, if he stays with you, he'll soon fall in love."

I'm not a ‘seducing siren', what are you talking about?

As I was about to tell him not to talk nonsense, Hans, who was behind me, came forward and shouted.

"No! My taste was much older! I like Jane, who's much older than Leen!"

Much better…!

Good…!

Oh…

Hans' confession echoed so loudly that it filled the hallway.

That's when Jane just turned to the corner and appeared in front of us.

"Wow…"

I let out an exclamation as I alternately looked at Hans and Jane, who had stiffened. It was truly divine timing.

A suffocating silence fell in the hallway.

But Jane approached me with a casual expression as if she had not heard his confession.

Jane smiles broadly and pulls my hand.

"Today's major class ended a little early, so I went to the classroom, and it was written on the blackboard to come to the dance practice. So I thought Leen's class would be over by now, and I came to pick you up. Let's go." (Jane)

I thought as I walked along as she led me.

Did you not hear it? I thought Hans said it out loud?

Afraid to think, Jane turned her head to look at Hans behind.

A slight glimmer of light shines on her face.

"Ah. I'll decline the confession. I don't want to date someone I don't know."

It was the first confession.

…maybe it's the first round of confession.

Tsk, tsk…

I clicked my tongue briefly as I looked at Hans, who had stiffened on the spot.

It was a pity for him, but it wasn't bad for me.

Hans, fighting!

✤

I was wondering why Jane suddenly asked me to come to the dance studio, but I learned to dance for weeks. I liked it when it was a theory class.

The instructor, who was specially invited to teach dance, clapped his hands to draw attention from the children.

"In order to learn to dance faster, we would choose a partner for each man and woman to practice dancing. Let's draw lots to decide on partners."

Normally, it wouldn't matter who the partner was. But now there's only one problem.

Kun Edgar Abascantus, who I wanted to avoid so much.

Because I had bad memories of the ladder game, I decided to draw a lot at the end this time.

There were about 40 students in one class, so chances were slim to partner him. But there was nothing wrong with being careful.

‘Please! Tell me he's not my partner!'