"Wuyou… are you really not going to have a meal with me?"
The three of them had talked for a long time in the café. Without noticing, they'd missed dinner.
Symboli Rudolf held Wuyou's hand, her tone earnest.
"I know a wonderful restaurant. They have dishes you love."
Mr. C.B. said, "Do they have dishes I like?"
Her lips wore her usual smile, but her eyes cut sharply toward the hand Symboli Rudolf was holding.
Symboli Rudolf paused, expression turning subtle. "Ah… Mr. C.B., you're coming too?"
Mr. C.B.: ?
Symboli Rudolf waved her hand. "It's nothing. Of course you're welcome if you want to come… tsk."
"Hey. I didn't mishear that—you clicked your tongue, didn't you?"
"No. You're imagining things."
Symboli Rudolf snapped back into her usual composure, even lifting an impeccable, perfectly fake smile.
Wuyou simply watched the two of them bicker.
There was sincerity in Symboli Rudolf's invitation, yes—but the teasing also came from the fact that they were close friends.
Still, if these two top-tier beauties kept arguing, a crowd of spectators would gather again in no time.
Wuyou stepped in at the right moment. "By the way, Luna—this late, is it really okay for you not to go back to the dorm?"
Symboli Rudolf immediately tossed Mr. C.B. aside, thumped her chest confidently—causing the softness beneath her uniform to sway slightly—and said, "Relax, Wuyou. I'm the student council president. I've got that much authority."
Wuyou's mouth twitched. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "How did Tracen Academy end up like this…"
Mr. C.B. seized the chance to "kick him while he was down," her tone drifting. "This is the darkness of the student council."
Symboli Rudolf shot her a glare, terrified Wuyou might truly think the Emperor had become a tyrant who bullied students.
She was about to explain when her phone suddenly rang.
Caller ID: Air Groove.
Symboli Rudolf's fingers trembled. She didn't answer immediately—instead, she glanced at Wuyou without drawing attention.
Air Groove is close to Wuyou too… she's missed him these past two years. If she finds out he's back…
In an instant, Symboli Rudolf made her decision.
She would hide it from Air Groove for now.
I'm sorry… Air Groove…
"Wuyou, wait for me a second. Once I finish this call, we'll go eat."
She walked a few steps away.
"What is it, Air Groove?"
"President… where are you right now…" Air Groove's low voice came through the line.
Symboli Rudolf's heart tightened—Air Groove only spoke like that when she was angry.
"I'm off campus… what's wrong?"
"…You're done with all your work?"
"I—I'm done… I think?"
"Did you submit those contract application forms?"
"…"
Oh no.
She'd seen the applications for Wuyou and Mr. C.B. and immediately sprinted out of the office—she hadn't cared about anything else.
But thinking about having dinner with Wuyou after two long years (even if there was an extra lightbulb tagging along), Symboli Rudolf softened her voice, adding a touch of coaxing.
"Um… Air Groove… can I eat first and then come back…?"
"Come back. Now. I won't repeat myself."
Before Symboli Rudolf could answer, Air Groove hung up.
Symboli Rudolf scratched her head and returned to Wuyou, helpless.
Wuyou understood at once. He smiled lightly. "It's fine. I'm back at Tracen now. We'll have plenty of time."
Symboli Rudolf pressed her lips together and nodded, then turned to leave.
But after only a few steps, she spun around and hurried back.
Ignoring Mr. C.B., who looked ready for battle, Symboli Rudolf pulled Wuyou into her arms and hugged him tightly—so tightly it felt like she wanted to knead him into her body.
"Wuyou… see you tomorrow…" she whispered into his ear, her lovely voice carrying a tempting huskiness.
"Okay. Tomorrow," Wuyou replied gently.
Symboli Rudolf knew exactly where her friend's patience limit was. She released Wuyou just before Mr. C.B. could explode, then left quickly.
But once Symboli Rudolf was gone…
"Let's go, Wuyou. We'll go home and eat."
Mr. C.B. put both hands behind her head and spoke as if nothing had happened.
She didn't look broken at all—if anything, she looked calm and breezy.
Wuyou was just as composed. He nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
…
They walked side by side, chatting now and then, buying ingredients downstairs.
Before stepping into the elevator, Mr. C.B. laughed and shared a "little secret" that she wasn't actually good with elevators, which made Wuyou click his tongue in amazement.
But after the doors slid shut, the atmosphere shifted.
Hummm—
In the cramped space, the faint mechanical sound felt unusually clear against the sense of weightlessness.
Both of them fell into a tacit silence. No one spoke.
Until Mr. C.B.'s voice came softly. "Wuyou, you don't look surprised at all."
Of course Wuyou knew what she meant—after Symboli Rudolf left, Mr. C.B.'s calmness had been almost abnormal.
But in truth, Wuyou had understood long ago.
Because that was simply Mr. C.B.'s nature.
He smiled and asked back, "Why do you think I would be surprised?"
This time it was Mr. C.B. who scratched her head, unsure how to answer.
Put it this way: most people have read some romance manga, and there's a tired old cliché.
A female character has an ambiguous, intimate relationship with the male lead; the heroine sees it and gets angry and jealous.
It's cliché, but plenty of male readers love it.
The reason is simple: being fought over feels like proof you're desired.
And the heroine's jealousy also implies: she cares about you.
To put it even more bluntly…
It's not that you like harem anime. You just fantasize about being loved by many people.
Mr. C.B.'s reaction was the complete opposite.
She had felt a faint sourness—but she could pull herself out of it quickly.
So quickly that it almost seemed… like she didn't care about Wuyou at all.
Wuyou smiled and shook his head. "I saw something online once. Want to hear it?"
"Mm-hm."
Wuyou spoke, his voice warm and magnetic, unhurried as he recited:
"To love someone doesn't mean you must spend your whole life with them.
To like a flower doesn't mean you must pluck it.
To like the wind—do you order it to stop so you can breathe it in?
To like the clouds—do you demand they drift down to cover you?
Sometimes, caring too much about other people's feelings makes you lose yourself.
Softly I leave, just as softly I came; I wave my sleeve, and take not a single cloud with me."
He lifted his head, his closed eyes "facing" Mr. C.B.
"Live a little."
It sounded like a line with no connection at all—yet it hit Mr. C.B. straight in the heart.
She knew… Wuyou had seen through her long ago.
Mr. C.B.'s true nature was like a cloud.
Drifting as she pleased, free and unbound.
No one could influence her. No one could hold her.
She understood herself too well: she could feel jealous seeing Symboli Rudolf close to Wuyou, but she wouldn't spill her emotions out like an ordinary girl.
She'd been through too much. She saw too clearly.
Trying to date her with a goal in mind would only push her farther away.
What Wuyou was telling her was this:
I understand you. I respect your freedom—like a cloud.
You don't have to force yourself to change.
You don't have to stop for anyone.
Ding-dong.
The elevator doors opened, and the heavy atmosphere vanished in an instant.
Mr. C.B. looked at Wuyou's smile, then broke into a grin herself.
"As expected—choosing you as my trainer was the best decision I ever made!"
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