The Wolf Girl's Secret Box

Chapter2

Saturday was Edren's birthday.

On his birthday, Edren, for once, didn’t linger in bed. Instead, he woke up early, bursting with excitement.

While the sky over Xiba Town was still lit by starlight, he couldn’t wait to pull on his pure white hooded sweatshirt and jog down the street.

It was Edren’s first day as a sixteen-year-old, and he was over the moon, enthusiastically greeting every morning jogger he passed. The handsome, energetic teenager, radiating youthful energy, seemed to light up the dawn itself. Edren was easily pleased. He wanted to tell everyone that he would finally be old enough for a driver’s license (no more driving without one!) and would be allowed to keep a dog.

He had spent weeks browsing the pet store and had his heart set on a golden retriever puppy, less than eight months old. Catherine had promised he could have it as his sixteenth birthday present. The night before, Edren had already arranged things with the pet shop owner—a homebody, but a caring, chubby guy—who agreed to open early so Edren could pick up his puppy first thing. The only condition? Edren had to take good care of it, give it a comfortable life, and treat it like family.

“Of course I will, just like I take care of my little brother,” Edren promised, shamelessly proud of his ability to charm any pet. “You know, all the cats and dogs in the neighborhood love me.”

After running around the neighborhood once, Edren finally stopped outside the pet shop.

He couldn’t wait to bring the little guy home. To help it adjust, he’d already spent days bonding with it.

He perched on a fire hydrant outside the shop and waited quietly for dawn.

The sun rose slowly, painting the clouds crimson. Edren squinted as he noticed someone running toward him, silhouetted against the light. It definitely wasn’t the pet shop owner—he wasn’t nearly that fit.

The tall, broad-shouldered figure emerged from the sunlight. Bathed in the glow of dawn, Edren finally recognized the jet-black, tousled hair.

Only when the runner stopped directly in front of him—blocking out the sun—did Edren see those deep, ink-black eyes and sharply chiseled face.

Olivier Hawkeson.

“Hi!” Edren greeted him politely, but seeing Olivette’s stern, serious expression, he swallowed the rest of his greeting. The guy didn’t look like he was in the mood for small talk.

Edren knew exactly how the girls described him.

Quiet Olivette. Arrogant Olivette. Impossible-to-get-along-with Olivette.

The least popular football captain in history. The weirdo Olivette.

Maybe there were even worse nicknames, but out of politeness, Edren chose to ignore them. One thing was certain—Olivette didn’t have much luck with girls.

If it weren’t for the annual gifts Olivette gave him, Edren probably would never have even spoken to him—just like everyone else. In fact, their interactions were almost exclusively limited to those gifts. Olivier only ever exchanged a few words when giving his present. Other than that, they barely spoke.

And that was fine.

In return, Edren would sometimes send small gifts back at Thanksgiving or Christmas—nothing fancy, just a basketball or a baseball cap. After all, Olivier was the only boy who gave him presents every year, even if they weren’t exactly friends.

Truthfully, Olivier’s gifts were always thoughtful, and he never pestered Edren after handing them over. Edren had met plenty of people who always found an excuse to invite him out for food, shopping, or movies. At least Olivette never forced him into things he didn’t like. But there wasn’t much to be happy about—Olivette was just… Olivette.

More often than not, Edren felt like he and Olivette were two completely different creatures living in separate worlds. He could never figure out what the guy was thinking. This had been true ever since they first met.

Four years ago, when Edren was in sixth grade, Olivette and his family had moved all the way from Virginia—or was it South Carolina? Whatever. Somewhere far away, to West Dam Town.

Olivier had made quite the impression on Edren his first day in class.

Edren still remembered that morning. He’d been daydreaming at his desk and missed Olivette’s self-introduction.

“Well done, Olivette. You may take your seat… No, not that way.” The homeroom teacher’s voice snapped Edren out of his thoughts.

The new kid stepped down from the podium and walked straight toward him, blocking the light at Edren’s desk.

“You want me?” Edren asked, pointing at his own nose.

The transfer student’s expression didn’t change. He held out his hand to Edren, palm open, revealing a small object. “A welcome gift. For you.” Then he left Edren standing there, completely baffled, and went to his seat.

Edren remembered feeling oddly pleased, but also confused. After class, classmates bombarded him with questions about whether he knew the new guy.

Of course, Edren didn’t know him. But since he’d accepted the gift, he thought he should be friendly. He enthusiastically organized a welcome party for Olivette, gathering friends to hide in a darkened room, ready to leap out and surprise him.

The guest of honor, Olivette, never showed. Edren and his friends waited all night, clutching their confetti poppers like fools.

The failed party quickly turned into a prank-planning session. They decided to teach the uncooperative transfer student a lesson.

“After school, let’s stuff him in a sack and beat him up,” someone suggested.

“Put bugs in his lunch. Protein, very nutritious,” someone else offered a milder plan.

In the end, they split into two groups: one planned to ambush the new kid after school, the other to sabotage his lunch.

After comparing his own physique with theirs, Edren quietly joined the lunch group. In hindsight, this was a very wise decision.

The next morning, the lunch group gathered outside the classroom.

“Draw lots. Numbers decide the order,” the leader said, shuffling a stack of cards face-down.

Edren picked one at random—number one.

“…Can I pick again?” Edren asked.

Several pairs of eyes fixed on him. He sheepishly put the card back and accepted the small glass vial the group leader handed him. Whistling softly, he glanced around before slipping the vial into his pocket.

During break, Olivette got up and headed for the restroom. Edren, who had been watching him, got up too, hiding by the back door of the classroom. As Olivette walked away, Edren headed in the opposite direction, toward the lockers.

He made his way to Olivette’s locker, trying to act casual.

“What are you doing?”

Edren was studying the combination lock when a sudden voice behind him made him jump. His hand shook, and the little bottle with the bug fell to the floor.

Edren glanced down at the bug, then up at Olivette. The other boy stood tall, blocking any hope of escape. Edren silently calculated his odds of getting away unharmed.

After two seconds of awkward silence, Olivette bent down and picked up the bottle. Inside, the little white bug wriggled energetically.

“It’s not what you think.” Edren swallowed. Even to his own ears, it sounded weak.

“I don’t eat insects.” Olivette gave Edren a long look, then tossed the bottle into the trash.

Edren stood awkwardly by the lockers, not sure what to do. Luckily, Olivette didn’t seem to care and walked away. All of Edren’s carefully rehearsed excuses went unused. He could only slink back to his seat.

Operation Plan A: Failed.

After school, Team Plan B ambushed Olivette on his way home. Unfortunately, they didn’t have Edren’s luck. When they returned, every one of them had a black eye.

Edren hid behind his textbook, watching Olivette. He looked completely unscathed, acting as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, Team B looked utterly miserable. Edren whistled in amazement—clearly, the ambush hadn’t gone well.

“He’s trained,” Team B’s leader said grimly. The other members nodded in defeat.

Operation Plan B: Failed.

After that, no one in class dared mess with Olivette again.

Edren was no exception. He stopped trying to prank him, and Olivette never tried to talk to Edren again. That was fine with Edren. Olivette was cold and distant, as if he didn’t need friends. It was better if their lives just didn’t intersect.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been the end of it. But Olivette wasn’t normal. In Edren’s words, he must have lived in another dimension.

Every single birthday, every Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving—even Valentine’s Day—Olivette meticulously prepared a gift for Edren. If it weren’t for the fact that Olivette never started a conversation, never tried to chat, never invited him anywhere, Edren might’ve suspected the guy had a crush on him.

Was this the power of being universally adored? Edren shuddered at the thought. He might be narcissistic, but he wasn’t delusional. After all, he couldn’t even get his own brother to like him.

So, bottom line, Edren genuinely couldn’t figure out what Olivette was thinking.

But he could guess what would happen next—Olivette would toss him a wrapped gift and say, “Happy birthday.”

Sure enough, Olivette pulled an exquisitely wrapped box from his pocket and tossed it into Edren’s arms, just like every year. His expression was as grim as if someone owed him a million dollars.

“Happy sixteenth birthday, Edren.”

Edren wished Olivette wouldn’t look so miserable about it.

He stared at the box, guessing what was inside. He desperately wanted to tear open his first sixteenth birthday present then and there, but that wouldn’t be polite. Olivette was already gone before Edren could even say thank you, as if he’d just randomly bumped into him on his morning run and casually handed him a gift.

But Edren knew better. This was Olivette’s twenty-sixth gift to him. And Olivette’s presents were always special—even if he was a bit of a weirdo.