Chapter 67: Chapter 65: School Drama - Round Two

The sun was high in the sky as students flooded the cafeteria, chatter and laughter filling the air. Lunchtime was supposed to be a time for relaxation and bonding, but for Lumine, it felt more like being caught in the eye of a storm.

Earlier that morning, Aether had been effortlessly enrolled into their prestigious school, thanks to Ayaka’s older brother, Kamisato Ayato. His charm and influence smoothed out every bump in the process, and Aether was now officially Lumine’s classmate.

But things went downhill fast.

At their usual table, Lumine sat between Ayaka and Amber, a tray of food in front of her as she massaged her temples. Across from her, Scaramouche leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and an unbothered expression on his face. On the other side, Aether sat with his arms crossed too, glaring daggers at Scaramouche like he was ready to pounce.

Albedo and Venti, meanwhile, sat slightly to the side with their own tray of snacks—Albedo calmly munching on chips while Venti sipped from his soda, their expressions entirely unbothered by the rising tension.

“You’re seriously sitting that close to her again?” Aether said, his voice sharp as he pointed at Scaramouche.

Scaramouche raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing. “What, are you her babysitter now?”

“Aether…” Lumine warned, her voice already laced with irritation.

But Aether wasn’t backing down. “I just don’t trust you, alright? You’ve been acting weird since the moment I met you.”

Scaramouche scoffed, leaning forward, his violet eyes sharp and dangerous. “That’s funny, coming from someone who threw a tantrum because he lost an argument with a cat.”

Amber let out a strangled laugh, quickly covering her mouth when Aether shot her a glare. Ayaka sighed, placing a gentle hand on Lumine’s shoulder as if trying to ground her.

“Aether, Scaramouche, enough!” Ayaka said firmly, her calm demeanor slipping slightly.

Lumine slammed her tray down, her voice sharp enough to silence the entire table. “Will you two just stop already?! It’s been non-stop bickering since last night, and I’m sick of it!”

The table went silent, save for the faint crunch of Albedo biting into another chip.

Amber leaned closer to Lumine, speaking softly, “Hey, it’s okay… deep breaths, alright?”

Ayaka nodded in agreement. “Lumine, let’s step outside for a moment. Some fresh air might help.”

Lumine sighed heavily, standing up as Ayaka gently guided her towards the courtyard. Amber followed close behind, glancing nervously back at the two boys still glaring at each other.

Once the girls were gone, the tension at the table didn’t ease.

Aether’s voice dropped low. “I don’t know what your deal is, but stay away from my sister.”

Scaramouche smirked, resting his chin on his hand. “Or what? You’ll throw another tantrum? Face it, golden boy, Lumine doesn’t need your permission to choose who she’s around.”

Aether slammed his hand on the table, causing a few students nearby to flinch and glance over. “Don’t test me, Scaramouche.”

“Boys, boys,” Venti interjected, raising his soda cup as if toasting. “Can we at least finish lunch before the fists start flying? I’d hate to spill my drink over such tragic testosterone energy.”

Albedo simply continued eating his chips, eyes focused on the bag as if the salty snacks were the only important thing in the world.

—

Outside in the courtyard, Lumine sat on a bench, her head in her hands as Ayaka and Amber flanked her on either side.

“I just… I can’t anymore. It’s like they thrive on arguing,” Lumine muttered.

Amber patted her back comfortingly. “They’re both just… really intense personalities. And stubborn. Really stubborn.”

Ayaka smiled softly. “They’ll figure it out eventually. Right now, they’re just… testing boundaries.”

Lumine let out a long sigh, leaning back against the bench. “I feel like I’m babysitting two children.”

Amber and Ayaka exchanged a glance before bursting into soft laughter. Despite herself, Lumine cracked a smile too.

“Let’s just stay out here for a bit longer,” Ayaka suggested. “They’ll cool down eventually… I hope.”

—

Back in the cafeteria, the tension had somewhat lessened—mostly because Albedo and Venti had successfully distracted themselves with their snacks.

Scaramouche had his hood pulled up, arms crossed as he stared at the floor, while Aether sat stiffly on the opposite end of the table, still glaring at him occasionally.

Finally, Albedo spoke, his calm voice cutting through the silence. “You’re both incredibly stubborn, you know that?”

Scaramouche didn’t respond, and Aether just looked away.

Venti chuckled, swirling his soda cup. “Honestly, you two could learn a thing or two from us. Snacks over squabbles, am I right, Albedo?”

Albedo nodded sagely. “Correct, Venti. Snacks always win.”

Aether sighed, running a hand through his hair as his shoulders slumped slightly. “…I’m just trying to protect her.”

Scaramouche’s voice was quieter this time. “I know.”

The two boys didn’t make eye contact, but the brief moment of shared understanding hung in the air.

When Lumine, Amber, and Ayaka returned to the cafeteria a few minutes later, the scene was surprisingly calm. Scaramouche was scrolling through his phone, and Aether was poking at his food.

Amber blinked. “Huh… they’re not at each other’s throats anymore.”

Ayaka let out a soft sigh of relief. “Progress… I think.”

Lumine sat back down, her eyes darting between the two boys warily. “…Are you two okay now?”

Neither of them responded directly, but Aether muttered, “I’ll try to chill out.”

Scaramouche rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

Venti raised his cup again. “To temporary peace!”

Albedo nodded. “Temporary, indeed.”

The group slowly eased back into casual conversation, though Lumine kept a cautious eye on both Aether and Scaramouche.

One thing was clear—this fragile truce was very temporary.