"Are you a mad man? Like, why did you start smiling when I called you? Do you see your babe here?" Noah asked, visibly annoyed, causing Mason to quickly apologize.
"Sorry, senior!" he said with a low voice.
Meanwhile, Liam turned his face away, resting against the railing and looking downstairs.
"Do you know why I called you?" Noah asked.
Mason shook his head, saying "No."
Noah then placed his hands on Mason's shoulder, pulling him a few steps toward him while wrapping his arm around Mason's shoulder.
"Do you know me?" Noah asked.
Mason nodded his head, saying he knew that his name was Senior Noah. Meanwhile, Liam, who was looking downstairs, sometimes took a few glances at both of them, while Dylan and Lucas observed them fully.
"So you don't know why I called you?" Noah asked again.
Mason's answer remained the same, saying he didn't know.
"Okay, so I heard you have provisions!" Noah stated directly, and that was more than enough to show his intentions.
Or rather, Mason already knew it would be related to that. Any junior would know—that was one of the only few reasons a senior would act this close to a junior student.
"Yes, senior!" Mason said.
Although him saying yes didn't mean anything. He still wasn't going to give if he didn't want to.
"Nice one! The fact you didn't deny outright means you know what's up," Noah said, smiling. He knew most people would outright deny that they had provisions, especially when it was someone they didn't have any connection with.
"Don't be too fast. He only said he has provisions—he didn't say he was going to give, though!" Dylan said.
A few students also operated at the same pattern. Perhaps not to outright grab a senior's hate or something, they'd say yes but then cook up an excuse why they couldn't give.
"Hook me up with something small," Noah said with a calm smile.
Mason's next words were well within Lucas's expectations.
"My things are not with me. They're with my brother, and he said I should not meet him today for anything!" Mason said, causing Noah to frown, but he still pushed on.
"So how about tomorrow?" Noah asked, causing Mason to hesitate for a while.
"I don't know. I'm not sure he'll even give me!" Mason said with a low voice, causing Lucas to laugh.
"It was well expected! I knew that he would later give an excuse!" Lucas said, still laughing, causing Liam to frown inwardly.
After seeing Noah was still going to pressure him, Liam decided to step in. After all, what was happening was actually his fault. In his original life, this scene never really happened, and Noah only spoke to Mason during Class 5.
"So you're saying you cannot give me?" Noah asked.
But before Mason could respond, Liam interrupted.
"Let him be. I'll give you something instead later!" Liam said, causing Noah to smile and wrap his arm tightly around Mason's neck as if choking him while looking at Liam.
"Who's this senior to you?" Noah asked Mason, obviously referring to Liam.
But before Mason could respond, Liam interrupted.
"Nothing… what kind of question is that?" Liam asked. He didn't even understand why Noah was asking that question.
"I didn't ask you. Why are you defending him? Something is definitely going on… Mason, do you have a sister?" Noah asked.
Apart from being a school father and son relationship, another reason a senior could defend or protect a junior was likely the fact that they had a beautiful sister that the senior themselves were interested in or were dating. And as such, they would naturally want to protect the junior.
Liam was about to answer, saying that Mason didn't have a sister, but that would have been too suspicious—even to Mason—as he had not asked Mason that particular question yet in this timeline.
"No, senior, I don't have!" Mason said.
Noah released him from his grip.
"You don't have, or Liam told you not to tell anybody you have a sister?" Noah said with a smile while winking at Liam.
It was a simple tactic that people often used to prevent someone they were interested in from becoming public access. Most juniors, especially those who lived chasing clout, would literally tell any senior who asked that they had a sister, hoping to get in the senior's good side.
Just then, the bell rang, causing Noah to tell Mason that he was free to leave. Mason went toward the bathroom area opposite at the other end of the corridor.
"Later I'll come. If you dare leave without giving me anything, I swear I'll frustrate that boy!" Noah said as he left.
Dylan and Lucas followed behind, while Mason escorted them to the other side of the corridor where the stairs were before turning back and pausing at Joseph's window.
"Can I come inside?" Liam asked.
Joseph said yes, he could.
Just as Liam was going in, Mason was coming out from the bathroom, still adjusting his uniform. Liam didn't even bother looking at Mason's eyes as he walked past him. But after walking a few steps, he paused and called Mason back.
"Mason!" he called, turning back.
Mason stopped as well to look back, their eyes locking in place.
From Mason's point of view, the eyes in front of him looked too familiar. Liam's bright blue eyes reflected more light than normal, glowing vividly under the afternoon sun. His silver hair shimmered like polished steel, catching the light with every slight movement. His features were sharp yet soft—a delicate balance between handsome and cute. High cheekbones framed a face that seemed almost sculpted, while his lips, naturally pink and slightly curved, gave him an approachable warmth despite his usually calm demeanor. His skin was fair, almost luminous in the sunlight, and his build, though lean, carried a quiet strength. Everything about him felt captivating, as if he were someone Mason had seen a thousand times before—yet this was only the beginning.
Mason found himself momentarily lost, unable to look away.
"I heard you came looking for me when I wasn't around. Why?" Liam asked.
He had thought about this carefully. In his original timeline, most things involving Mason were usually done without a second thought. But perhaps that's why he was back here again. He wanted to make sure he made no mistake—that was the purpose of his regression.
Asking Mason that question would trigger a reaction, and what kind of reaction was something he didn't know. However, it was something Mason himself didn't know and only did based on instincts. So him asking the question directly would cause Mason to think. And of course, thinking wouldn't help regain his memories instantly, but it would push a narrative of familiarity onto him.
"Yes, it was a mistake!" Mason said sincerely. He himself actually didn't know why.
"Mistake? But they said you promised me something? What was that?" Liam asked, causing Mason to stutter while looking for words.
"I… I… I'm—"
Liam interrupted before he could complete his statement.
"It's alright. Don't be nervous. Maybe you've forgotten. With time, you'll probably remember!" Liam said, turning to leave.
Mason said he was sorry, more out of thanks that Liam didn't force anything on him.
"No need to apologize. I've learned that time doesn't steal anything from us as we grow, but yet it leaves us longing," Liam said, smiling, then walking away.
To be honest, he didn't know why he said that. But to Mason, it would soon be a sentence that might set things clear.