"You better start explaining."
Lyra leaned slightly forward as she said it, violet eyes fixed on Caelum.
Caelum, however, did not answer.
Instead, he looked away.
Not at Lyra.Not at Amoriel.
Just… somewhere else.
Anywhere else.
The ceiling. The wall. The window. The floor.
Anywhere that wasn't this table.
Because right now, explaining anything felt impossible.
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
"...Caelum."
Still no response.
He picked up his spoon again, pretending to be very interested in his fried rice.
Lyra sighed slowly.
"You know staying silent only makes this look worse."
Before Caelum could even attempt to respond—
Amoriel reached across the table.
And casually scooped a spoonful of rice from Caelum's tray.
Caelum froze.
Lyra blinked.
Amoriel tasted it calmly.
She chewed for a moment, thinking.
Then nodded slightly.
"Humans share food to strengthen emotional bonds."
Caelum slowly turned his head toward her.
"...That was my lunch."
"You already experienced the flavor," Amoriel replied calmly. "Now I am observing it."
Lyra stared between them.
Then she suddenly spoke.
"Hey."
Amoriel looked at her.
Lyra crossed her arms slightly.
"Don't bother him too much."
Her tone wasn't angry.
Just firm.
"Caelum isn't the type who likes helping random people."
Amoriel blinked once.
"But he agreed."
Lyra turned toward Caelum immediately.
"...He did?"
Caelum rubbed the side of his face.
"It's… a long story."
Lyra's confusion only deepened.
She looked between them again, clearly trying to make sense of everything.
For a moment, the table fell quiet.
Then Amoriel spoke again.
"Actually, Caelum even accepted being my boyfriend."
The cafeteria noise around them suddenly felt very distant.
Lyra slowly turned her head.
"...Boyfriend?"
Caelum dropped his spoon.
"WAIT—"
Lyra looked directly at Amoriel.
"What do you mean boyfriend?"
Amoriel tilted her head slightly.
"Is there a problem?"
Lyra's eyebrow twitched.
Caelum covered his face with both hands.
This is how rumors start.
Amoriel studied Lyra carefully.
Then her expression brightened slightly.
She leaned forward just a little.
"...Wait."
Lyra frowned.
"What?"
Amoriel smiled innocently.
"Do you like Caelum?"
Silence.
Complete silence.
Lyra's eyes widened for a fraction of a second.
Then she immediately turned her head away.
"O-Of course not!"
Her voice came out sharper than expected.
She grabbed her spoon and stabbed it into her food tray.
"Don't say stupid things."
Amoriel blinked.
"But your reaction—"
"It was normal!"
Lyra quickly looked down at her food and began eating.
Very focused.
Very serious.
Almost aggressively.
Caelum slowly lowered his hands from his face.
He looked at Lyra.
Then at Amoriel.
Then back at Lyra.
Something about the way Lyra avoided eye contact felt… familiar.
He sighed quietly.
Across the table, Amoriel continued observing both of them with quiet interest.
"Humans become defensive when emotionally exposed," she murmured thoughtfully.
Lyra stabbed her rice again.
"Lunch," she muttered. "Just eat your lunch."
Caelum stared at his half-stolen tray.
"...I miss yesterday."
Amoriel looked at him.
"But yesterday you died."
"...Good point."
Lunch continued.
But for some reason—
Lyra was eating much faster than usual.
And she still wasn't looking at Caelum.