DEVIL BESIDES YOU

Chapter 4

They left. Samuel was suddenly confused. Once again, he looked at the cover of the book he was reading, then sighed. "No wonder."

Samuel walked leisurely again looking for books in another hallway. He also found a group of pretty girls whispering coquettishly. Samuel only stole a moment.

"Wow, how handsome!" they exclaimed.

Samuel glanced over, narrowing his gaze at the man the girls were focusing on. Zhian, the cold student of Nirvana School. Samuel quickly approached Zhian. He stood beside the handsome man.

"Hi, Zhian!" Samuel greeted.

Not long after, there was another sound that made Samuel's ears burn.

"Wow, that gay guy was trying to get close to that handsome guy. Or maybe, they're a gay couple. Ouch, what a shame. Handsome like that, why is it hurting so much?"

"Yes, yes."

Samuel smiled wryly, Zhian was just indifferent, casually reading a book. The man remained calm even though the girls were talking nonsense about them.

"Hey, why are you so quiet, Zhian? They were talking about us earlier. They said we're a gay couple. Why don't you react at all?" protested Samuel.

Zhian closed his book, then turned to Samuel with a cold stare.

"Is it any of my business?!"

Then, a twinkle in her eye looked at the book cover Samuel was holding.

'1001 Ways to Conquer a Man'

"Any normal person would think the same thing if they saw you."

Samuel smiled wryly. "Hey, don't be so careless! What do you know about me?"

"And what's the need for you to follow me around?!"

Samuel was silent for a moment, letting Zhian read his book again casually. Samuel was surprised when the book the mysterious student was holding bounced hard on his head, Zhian's doing.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Samuel exclaimed, annoyed.

"I really hate the way you look at me. This time, there's no mistaking my assumption that you're completely abnormal."

Unwilling to be bothered again, Zhian left to find a book from another row. Samuel quickly followed her swift steps.

"Zhian can I-"

"No!"

"Hey, I just want to be your partner. I have an important mission."

"None of my business!"

Samuel's mouth was half open, only able to gawk at Zhian who was so asocial. The man kept leaving, and Samuel didn't want to chase after him.

"You bastard! If it wasn't for Aurel, I wouldn't have done this. I've already dropped my pride in front of the girls, as well as having to deal with a strange and rare human named Vi Zhian S," Samuel complained endlessly.

*

That day, it was like there was a new aura that soothed life. Like there was a white sheet that would be written with colored ink. Not just black ink like the past days. Aurel seemed to be reborn with a bright aura, not cloudy like before. She was no longer the whiny, timid, and gentle girl her cousin knew her to be.

Mark was stunned to see the drastic change that happened with Aurel that day. Aurel looked more cheerful, jovial, always smiling, and a little coquettish. If Aurel wasn't his cousin, maybe Mark would have fallen for her.

"I'm glad you're like this," said Mark, smiling gratefully.

"Of course you are. This will be a new dream for me. Yes, conquering that ice student. Does he think he can live without a girl? Just watch! I won't give up even if the sky splits into a thousand pieces like asteroids circling the solar system, or meteors raining down on the planet's land, or stars always shining in the night and also-"

"What a nag!"

"It's new me! Thanks, my dear cousin," Aurel said as she hugged her beloved cousin, Mark. Just for a moment, Aurel almost stumbled when Mark fell asleep while leaning on her.

"Mark!!!"

*

Early this morning, Zhian came to school first. Not many students take the shortcut through the back door. This time he chose that route so as not to be the center of attention of the students.

Right at the intersection, his gaze fell on the garden. He saw a girl lying on her stomach on the grass. At first his heart was racing, but a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Aurel pretended to faint just to get Zhian's attention. Just to attract the cold student's interest.

Zhian was silent for a long time, then found the girl's eyes blinking slowly. His nose wrinkled because earlier, he didn't realize lying not far from the cat litter around him.

"You're going to keep lying there? Is cat litter like eau de parfum to you? Get up, I won't carry you."

Aurel grew nervous. Her nose was also no longer able to compromise with the pungent odor.

"Damn it!" Aurel snorted.

The girl quickly stood up, cleaning her slightly dirty uniform so that she could face the man she was crazy about.

"At least care a little. A normal person would be anxious if they saw someone else faint."

Zhian said nothing, unwilling to care. Aurel flashed a sweet, coquettish smile as she stood casually in front of Zhian.

"It's okay. At least I talked to you today."

Zhian cracked a sardonic smile. "You did this just to talk to me?"

"Of course. The only student who often walks in this area is Zhian, the ice student. But, it's all good, right?"

Zhian glanced at his watch. Then, he walked away, leaving Aurel alone.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

*

Aurel and Samuel walked casually out of the school restaurant. They smiled at each other. Samuel felt like flying when the girl offered him a sweet smile from her tiny lips. Samuel misbehaved, scratching his head that didn't itch, occasionally smiling strangely.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? You look like you're having fun today. Why don't you tell me?" Aurel exclaimed with a charming smile.

"Really? Aren't I always like this?"

"Yes, you've always been like this. Strange."

Their conversation was interrupted when a group of Nirvana School's student personnel surrounded. There was something serious going on. Aurel and Samuel immediately approached, wanting to know more about the matter that had stirred up the entire elite school.

About an activity to filter out students who have the potential and deserve to be awarded for all their intelligence and intelligence.

AKIHIRO OLYMPIAD (JAPAN)

OLYMPIAD IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR ALL X, XI, AND XII STUDENTS

CATEGORIES: MATH, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, AND ENGLISH.

MORE INFORMATION READ ON THE SCHOOL WEBSITE

"Akihiro Olympics?" Samuel muttered.

"Oh, so this is the big Olympics that all the students have been talking about these past few days?" Aurel nodded in understanding.

"Come on, let's go to the school website!" said Samuel as he pulled Aurel's hand.

They went to the free internet information room in one of the rooms on the second floor. Aurel immediately logged in to the school website to get more information about the big Olympics held by the Sakura country.

"Here it is!"