For a few seconds after that—
No one spoke.
The cafeteria noise came rushing back in, filling the silence around their table.
Plates clinked. Students laughed. Someone called out across the room.
But at their table, everything felt a little off.
Caelum cleared his throat and picked up his spoon again.
"Alright," he said, forcing his tone back to normal. "You got what you wanted. That's enough, right?"
Amoriel nodded.
"Yes."
She looked thoughtful.
"The result was different from the previous observation."
Caelum paused mid-bite.
"...What do you mean?"
Amoriel glanced toward the couple from earlier, then back at him.
"Your reaction was less natural."
"I wonder why," Caelum muttered.
"You hesitated."
"Of course I did."
Amoriel continued calmly.
"But your heart rate still increased."
Caelum stopped moving.
Across from him, Lyra's spoon lightly tapped against her tray.
Once.
Then again.
She didn't say anything.
Caelum slowly looked at Amoriel.
"Please stop saying things like that out loud."
"I am simply stating the result."
"State it inside your head."
Amoriel blinked.
"I can do that?"
"Yes."
Lyra suddenly spoke.
"...You can't."
Her voice was quiet.
Not sharp like before.
Not annoyed either.
Just… quiet.
Amoriel turned to her.
"Why?"
Lyra kept her eyes on her tray.
"Because that's weird."
Caelum almost nodded in agreement.
Lyra pushed her food around with her spoon, but she wasn't really eating anymore.
Her movements had slowed.
The energy from earlier was gone.
Amoriel watched her for a moment.
Then asked,
"Are you unwell?"
Lyra shook her head.
"I'm fine."
She didn't look up.
Caelum hesitated.
"...You sure?"
Lyra paused.
Then she forced a small smile.
"Yeah."
It didn't quite reach her eyes.
Caelum noticed.
But he didn't know what to say next.
So he didn't say anything.
The silence stretched again.
Not heavy.
Just… awkward.
After a moment, Lyra set her spoon down.
"I'm done."
Her tray was still half full.
Caelum blinked.
"You barely ate."
"I'm not that hungry."
She stood up and picked up her tray.
Amoriel followed her movement with her eyes.
"Are you returning to class?"
"Yeah."
Lyra nodded slightly.
Then she looked at Caelum.
Just for a second.
"...Don't be late."
Caelum nodded.
"We won't."
Lyra hesitated.
Like she wanted to say something else.
But in the end, she didn't.
She turned and walked away.
Caelum watched her go.
Then looked down at the table.
"...Did I do something?"
Amoriel answered immediately.
"Yes."
He looked at her.
"What."
"She is experiencing emotional disturbance."
Caelum frowned.
"That's a weird way to say it."
Amoriel tilted her head slightly.
"It is accurate."
Caelum sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"...What kind of disturbance?"
Amoriel thought for a moment.
Then said,
"Possibly jealousy."
Caelum froze.
"...No."
Amoriel looked at him.
"Why not?"
"Because that's ridiculous."
"You shared food with me."
"That was forced."
"She reacted strongly."
"She always reacts strongly."
Amoriel considered that.
Then nodded.
"I see."
Caelum let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair.
"She's just being weird today."
Amoriel watched him quietly.
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
Then—
"This is useful."
Caelum looked at her again.
"What is."
"I can observe multiple emotional responses at once."
He stared at her.
"...Please don't."
Amoriel smiled faintly.
"I will do my best."
Caelum sighed.
Somewhere in the distance, the bell rang.
Break time was over.
He stood up slowly and picked up his tray.
"...Let's go."
Amoriel stood as well.
"Yes."
As they walked toward the exit, Caelum glanced once more toward the cafeteria doors.
Lyra was already gone.
For some reason—
That bothered him a little more than he expected.