"Sorry, sorry. I will stop teasing you. It is just that your expressions are too cute."
"Liar."
This time, I was the one perplexed.
"What do you mean?"
"I know that I don't show expressions freely in my face. I have been told my face is always blank. You can't fool me with your cheesy words."
Was that her being angry at me? I never thought the stoic idol would be so cute.
"You know even if you angrily scold me like that it looks cute to me. I can clearly read your expressions. The way your eyebrows furrow a little and the way you look at me."
"Then, say what I am doing now."
"You are pouting."
"Then now?"
"You are thinking about something. Also, your ears and nose have turned a little red because of it."
Hurriedly, she covered her face and turned around. "You were wrong about everything."
"Huh?"
She was full of surprises.
After that, a moment of silence passed between us. It felt relaxing to be in her company.
Soon, we began leaving for our respective classes. She left first, and I followed shortly after. I thought about spending lunch again with her some other time.
______________
The class got quiet as I entered and the next teacher came at the very moment and saved my ass. That was the first time I had ever thanked our magic history teacher. Sorry for always calling you a bald bastard for the amount of homework you give, teach. I will only complain about it twice a week hereafter.
The day was nearing its end. But man, Iris had definitely done this deliberately. She could have texted me about the meeting, but she didn't. I can't quite understand her motives but it did not look good for me.
"Hey, Bastard. Hey, Bastard."
"What is your damn problem, Penguin?"
It was the Penguin. It had transformed itself into a key chain and had latched onto my bag. I noticed it only after getting to school.
"Be quiet before someone notices you."
"Then, you better do what I have asked you."
"Alright, alright, stop the nagging. After, I speak with Iris, I will get to your business."
"Nope, I know for sure, you will forget about everything when you start speaking with your wives. So better complete what I have asked you before you meet her."
"Who do you take me to be? Someone who forgets myself if I spoke with girls?"
"Yes"
"Fair enough, but hey, it is rude to say it to my face. Also, you don't get to lecture me when you sneak around without even trusting the people you are supposed to help."
After a few more heated exchanges, I noticed that the teacher was closing in to catch me. I quickly composed myself to not appear suspicious. I barely got away with that. That Penguin always gives me a new headache.
The bell rang and I was about to face my biggest hurdle yet. All the dudes had tag-teamed to catch me by blocking the doorway. Kevin was among them.
"Hey, Kevin bastard, just yesterday I treated you. Are you betraying the very person who fed you, your favorite six chicken dumplings?"
Kevin wavered before spitting back, "That was that. This was this."
Insane bastards. The victims were standing with the bullies, just to get a word from my mouth.
"Listen you idiots. Before you jump to any conclusion, I will clarify my relationship with Iris. My father works under their subsidiary company. That's it. Nothing else. Something personal about my father, I guess. So drop it."
Kevin spoke up, "Yeah right, how did I forget about that? He is saying the truth."
I don't know if it was because he was feeling guilty or not. Everyone was satisfied with the explanation.
"That doesn't explain why Iris had to come and meet with you?"
The dude was not even from our class. Poking his nose where it doesn't belong.
I stared him down, "Man, what part of personal are you unable to grasp?"
Everyone backed down with that and slipped away before some idiot could ask a better question.
__________
In a private room of a cafe near the school, Iris and I were having coffee.
"So, care to explain why you did that, back in school? Do you secretly hate me or something?"
Twirling the spoon in her coffee, she said, "It was about sending a message."
"Huh?"
"That you were mine." Her possessive stare sent goosebumps all over my body.
"But, you should also understand my situ-"
"What is the problem? Is it the status difference issue? I have enough money to not care about things like that."
"Then are you-"
"Darling." A chill went through my spine.
"I wouldn't belittle you that easily. I know what kind of man you are. I honestly respect and love that about you. But that doesn't mean that I will just let any other woman near you. The other two girls are a different issue. We will discuss how to handle them later. I finally have some free time with you. You know I was so sad, not being able to see you."
Her eyes were gleaming and she tried to hold hands with me. I swiftly moved my hands from the table.
"Alright, alright, let's not get too excited. I am here right now. We can go slowly, no rush is required. It's not like I am going to run away after all."
She leaned in and started speaking while caressing my cheek,
"I don't know about that. I am worried that like last time you will slip right through my fingers. I am scared."
We stared at each other's eyes for a while, until I broke the contact.
I composed myself or at least tried to. She suddenly placed a thick bundle of documents on the table.
She began explaining,
"Read through all of them, Darling. If you have any doubt, you can ask me. Everything you need to sign for us to marry without any complications. Don't worry, you will be able to be independent like you have always been."
"You have come prepared alright. I presume I can't even run away from here."
"Well.... There is a guard outside. But even if you were able to get out of here, you can never get away from me though."
She was not kidding.