Liche rolled his eyes awkwardly at Deon’s words.

Deon and Liche were walking out of a restaurant building.

“What, what is it?”

“Gerwer.”

How did he know?

Liche nodded and spoke honestly.

“He’s not my friend, he’s Zeke’s friend.”

Once Deon began to doubt, lying more would only lead to more exposure.

“So?”

“What is it?”

“Why did you say you’re hungry? Is it uncomfortable being with him?”

“……”

Liche blushed. Why was he so perceptive today?

He seemed to have caught onto the lie she whispered to Deon earlier.

“Bro, I’m hungry.”

Thinking she should get out of this situation, Liche made an excuse to Deon.

Do I have to look after your excuses too?

Grumbling, Deon nevertheless handed her a cupcake he’d brought from the restaurant.

Then he asked the bashful Liche,

“Should I kick him out?”

“Who, Iandwein?”

Liche shook her head quickly at Deon.

Iandwein already had a hard life; Deon didn’t need to add to it.

Holding a cupcake, Liche followed Deon and pleaded not to do so.

But the more she pleaded, the less he listened, and her voice grew louder.
“Brother, don’t ever bully Ian!”

“Quiet. Shut your mouth and eat that.”

Yes, as Deon said, if I kept my mouth shut, perhaps. Ian shouldn’t have to suffer being kicked out by Deon.

“……Shut my mouth?”

“Either eat or shut up.”

Liche stopped walking and stood still. She looked up at Deon who had also stopped to follow her.

“Brother.”

It wasn’t a bad idea.

“Help me out.”

Soon after, the two returned to the classroom.

Three who were still holding their seats greeted them.

“For a while, my sister can’t talk.”

“Liche? Why?”

“A sore throat.”

Sitting down, Deon pointed to Liche’s throat, pulling out the chair next to him for her.

The cloth wrapped around her neck to keep it warm was noticeable.

Concerned by her serious condition, Robenhaf asked, surprised.

“Were you unable to talk earlier because your throat hurt? Does it hurt a lot?”

I’m fine.

Liche wrote on a small chalkboard with chalk and showed it to Robenhaf.

His heart sank, wondering how sore she must be to communicate in such a way.

“Liche, I’ll bring you some good tea for your throat tonight.”

And much more than that, Robenhaf told Liche to ask for anything she needed, ready to empty out his own belongings at the dorm.

Zekebert and Ian also expressed concern for Liche’s throat.

I’m fine. Thank you for worrying.

Although she felt Deon watching her, she deliberately ignored him.

You have to be brazen to do this sort of thing.

‘But then…’

Liche turned the chalkboard to look at the three people around her.

Noticing a shift in the classroom atmosphere, it appeared that Ian seemed gloomy, while Robenhaf was as usual, and Zekebert seemed to be reading the mood between the two.

What happened?

She wrote on the chalkboard with a concerned expression and asked.

“No.”

“Nothing happened, Liche.”

“Yeah. Nothing special.”

All three collectively denied it.

‘Is it my imagination?’

She looked towards Deon, keen to observe today, to ask.

But Deon, seeming uninterested, was twirling a pen, propping up his chin.

“…….”

Still, Ian’s expression weighed on her mind.

Liche opened the box she had brought and took out a cupcake.

She gave one each to Robenhaf and Zekebert and then offered one to Ian.

When their eyes met, Liche smiled brightly and pointed to the chalkboard.

It was the same message she had shown Robenhaf and Zekebert earlier.

Tasty

Ah, right.

At the academy, she wasn’t informal with Ian. It was a senior-junior relationship. She showed Ian the informal message she had written earlier without thinking.

Liche hurriedly took the chalkboard and added ‘yo’ at the end, then showed it to Ian.

Ian looked at her and spoke tenderly.

“You can speak informally. Thank you. I’ll eat it well.”

She felt more relieved now.

Nodding her head, Liche picked up the chalkboard and held an eraser.

‘I should erase this now.’

It was easier to write the next thing if she erased it beforehand.

It was a bit inconvenient to erase each time, but better than not being able to communicate at all.

‘I’m glad Deon got me this chalkboard. I have to thank him later.’

Engrossed in erasing the chalkboard, Liche diligently wiped away the writing.

The simple task was quite engaging. Liche was so absorbed that she even erased the chalk stains at the corners of the board.
Ian suddenly gasped and covered his mouth as he looked at Liche’s bowed head.

“……?”

Hearing that sound, Liche lifted her head. Why is that?

‘Was the cake so tasteless that it surprised him? But it was delicious…?’

Ian couldn’t take his eyes off Liche, who tilted her head slightly.

In Ian’s dark eyes, like the night sky, Liche’s silver hair was reflected.

“Ian Dwayne!”

That day, the only spectacle that had reflected in his eyes.

In that vague spectacle, there was something he could never forget.

‘Silver, the moon.’

Ian’s lips twitched.