A few moments earlier.
Aidera and Clara walked briskly along the west corridor of Building A. From the look of it, the two of them were clearly heading somewhere with purpose.
"Are you seriously going to meet that guy?" Clara asked in a lowered voice for what felt like the third time.
"Of course."
"Actually… I've heard unpleasant things about him."
Clara tugged lightly at her sleeve.
"That's kinda rude, don't you think?" Aidera sighed helplessly. "Relax already. We're on pretty good terms."
"So you actually know him well?"
That question made Aidera hesitate for a second.
"Uhh… not really." She scratched her cheek awkwardly. "We only meet whenever there's organization stuff. Meetings and things like that."
Eventually, the corridor opened into a quieter intersection. The atmosphere became noticeably calmer compared to the busier lecture halls nearby.
Not long after, they stopped in front of a room with a clear metallic sign mounted beside the door.
History Education Student Association.
Aidera reached toward a small digital panel beside the entrance and pressed the touch bell. Weird enough, no response so far.
"…So quiet," she muttered. "Where is everybody?"
"Maybe there's no activity today?" Clara guessed casually.
"There's no way nobody's on duty right now." Aidera frowned slightly. "Student organizations are supposed to always be busy, aren't they?"
Clara pulled out her phone, seemingly about to contact someone.
But before she could,
"Hold on! I'm coming!"
A Large figure was approaching from the right side hallway with slow but confident steps.
The man had a muscular build and wore black-and-white clothes that looked carelessly thrown on without much thought. Combined with his rough pompadour hairstyle and the old scar stretching across the left side of his neck, his appearance alone was intimidating enough to make most students nervous.
Once he arrived, he casually leaned one arm against the wall.
"So," he said with an easy grin, "what can a guy like me do for two lovely angels like you?"
"You-!" Clara reacted instantly. "Watch your mouth in front of-"
"Clara," Aidera interrupted before things escalated.
"But…"
"Hi there." Aidera smiled calmly at the man. "Long time no see, Jack. Looking rough as always, huh?"
"Hahahaha!" The man burst out laughing. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"
He reached into his pocket afterward and pulled out an access card.
"Well, whatever. Come on in."
The lock clicked open.
One by one, they stepped inside, though Clara still looked hesitant as she quietly clung to Aidera's arm.
"Milady… are you sure about this?" she whispered nervously. "This guy seriously gives off bad vibes…"
Aidera only laughed softly.
"You worry too much." She nudged her gently.
The room itself stretched surprisingly deep.
A crimson carpet ran across the center floor while long benches lined both sides of the room beneath several digital whiteboards. At the far end stood a large desk accompanied by an old but comfortable-looking couch.
"Make yourselves at home." Jack walked further inside while loosening the collar of his shirt slightly. "Tea? Coffee?"
"No need," Aidera replied politely. "We're only here to ask a few questions."
"Oh dear…" Jack placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "No need to sound so tense. Treat this place like your own basecamp."
His eyes wandered around the room afterward.
"Though I'm sure it's nowhere near as fancy as your organization's headquarters."
"Not really," Aidera answered casually. "Our rooms are pretty standard too."
Clara, who had remained cautious the entire time, slowly relaxed after watching their exchange.
Honestly… this wasn't what she expected at all. The chief of the History Education Student Association was rumored to be terrifying. Violent. Dangerous.
But right now?
He just looked like an oddly intimidating older brother with terrible fashion sense.
"So?" Jack asked as he slouched lazily into his chair. "What brings two high-ranking celebrities to my humble little corner?"
"Celebrities?" Aidera blinked. "I'm just a regular student like everyone else, though."
"Heh. Whether you're regular or not isn't really up to you to decide." Jack took a slow sip of his coffee afterward. "Right now, you're basically two deer walking into a cheetah's territory."
The room fell briefly quiet.
Jack occasionally glanced upward as if pondering something deeply, though the smug grin on his face never disappeared.
"You came while the room was locked. Only I can open this place." His fingers tapped lightly against the cup. "And there's nobody around either."
Then he looked directly at them.
"What if I suddenly decided to do something… questionable?"
"W-What?!" Clara immediately stiffened. "What kind of questionable thing?!"
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
"Who knows?" he replied. "You came here asking for information. And information isn't cheap."
"But we only wanted to ask about- " Clara tried to cut in.
"I mean," Jack interrupted calmly, "if you want me to open my mouth, there should at least be fair compensation."
He paused dramatically.
Then his gaze shifted back and forth between the two girls several times.
"For example…" he said slowly, "can you tell your leader that his hair annoys me?"
"…Pfft!" Aidera suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahahaha!"
Clara stared at her in complete confusion.
"You still hate Dellon's hair that much?" Aidera asked between laughs.
"Tch. Greasy-looking hairstyles ruin my appetite."
That only made Aidera laugh harder. For the first time since entering the room, the tension noticeably loosened.
Meanwhile, Clara remained frozen where she stood, struggling to process the sudden shift in mood.
Aidera noticed her reaction almost immediately.
"Clara," she said with an amused smile, "I think I understand what's going through your head right now."
"Y-Yes, milady…"
"Maybe you two should get to know each other better. This is Jack. You already know he's the chief of the History Education Student Association."
"Yep. That's me," Jack chimed in casually.
"His way of speaking is… unusual sometimes," Aidera continued. "But he's really into theater clubs. If you're wondering why he acts like this, it's probably because he treats everything like roleplay practice."
After hearing the explanation, Clara quietly lowered her head and closed her eyes for a second. She had officially decided not to question this man any further.
"Well…" Jack suddenly leaned forward again, raising one eyebrow. "Who says I was joking earlier?"
Aidera calmly crossed her arms, "Surely you're not stupid enough to actually try anything."
"Hm?" Jack tilted his head. "And why's that?"
"Because…" she said while giving him a playful wink, "you already know who I am."
That answer immediately drew a quiet chuckle from Jack. At the same time, he let out a helpless sigh.
Of course he understood what that wink meant. Nobody in this institute would dare cross this girl recklessly.
Not because of strength. But because of the status standing behind her.
"Alright, alright." Jack waved one hand dismissively. "Back to business. Tell me about the wallet you DM'd me about."
Clara immediately took the wallet from inside her blazer before placing it carefully on the table between them.
"Miss Aidera wanted to return it," she explained. "After checking the student database, we found out it belongs to a new student from your major."
"Let me guess." Jack rested his chin against one hand. "You want me to hand this back to the owner for you?"
"If possible, I'd rather return it myself," Aidera replied.
"Hm? That's a pretty unusual reason."
He casually reached for the wallet lying on the table. The light blue wallet immediately caught Jack's attention. Something about it felt familiar.
He opened it slowly. Cash, ID card, student card, and a small photo tucked neatly inside. But the moment his eyes landed on the owner's name and face… his fingers suddenly froze.
The wallet slipped from his hand onto the table.
"…Hm?" Clara blinked. "What's wrong?"
Jack didn't answer immediately. A strange expression spread across his face. Surprise, then amusement. Something far harder to describe.
A grin slowly crept across his lips while his gaze sharpened into something almost menacing. Even his heartbeat seemed to quicken slightly.
"How many days have you been trying to find this wallet's owner?" he asked quietly.
"Umm… maybe around a week?" Aidera answered. "Actually, it was found near the café where I work."
"How did it even end up there?"
"According to the café owner," Clara explained, "this guy named Zeyn apparently fell asleep beside the shop and dropped it there."
"…Fell asleep?"
Silence.
Then suddenly,
"Pff- Hahahahahaha!!"
Jack burst into uncontrollable laughter. Not the exaggerated theatrical kind from earlier. This one sounded genuine. He leaned back in his chair while laughing so hard he nearly lost his breath.
Meanwhile, the two girls exchanged confused glances. The atmosphere had somehow become even more awkward than before.
"Ahh… I see now." He finally wiped the corner of his eye afterward. "So you girls want to meet him directly?"
"Of course." Aidera nodded.
"You're going to regret it, you know."
"Eh?" Clara stiffened slightly. "W-Why would we regret it?"
Jack's expression changed instantly. "He probably won't be the kind of person you're imagining."
Even so, Aidera remained calm. "I still need to return this wallet."
He grabbed his coat from the chair nearby. "Fine. I'll personally take you to meet him."
"Oh?"
His grin slowly returned.
"If my calculations are correct, he should still be on campus around this hour." He slipped both hands into his pockets afterward. "And I know exactly which classroom he's in."
Aidera smiled faintly. "That works too."
"Perfect timing, honestly." Jack walked toward the exit. "I was planning to meet him myself anyway."
*Beep!
The door clicked open once more.
"Come on, ladies. Follow me."
Something about the way he said that sounded… strange.
Clara narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Did something interesting suddenly happen? Why are you so energetic all of a sudden?"
Jack stopped walking for a second. Even though he tried to hide it, the expression on his face still looked terrifying somehow.
"Nothing. Don't overthink it."
* * * *