After Maria introduced herself as a transfer student, she walked over and took a seat near me. Her previous desk had been two rows to my right. Classes continued normally until the bell finally rang.
The moment the bell sounded, everyone gathered around her, eager to get acquainted. Well, to be realistic, she was quite attractive—beautiful enough that it was only natural for people to approach her. Surprisingly, Maria was also extremely sociable. She answered everyone's questions with a flawless smile, whether they were boys or girls.
While I was observing her from afar, John suddenly appeared behind me and whispered into my ear.
"So, what do you think of the new girl? You seem interested in her."
I turned toward him and gave him a look that conveyed countless complicated thoughts before letting out a sigh.
"Well... she does have some charm."
"Hahaha! It's strange hearing you admit that. Oh no! Edward, don't tell me you've already fallen in love. Is this what they call love at first sight?"
John looked at me with a mischievous grin, clearly trying to tease me.
"John, could you lower your voice?"
I bit my tongue and tried to calm him down. It was obvious that he wanted to attract the new girl's attention toward me, and I was definitely not prepared to have a conversation with a girl.
Well...
He succeeded.
Maria's attention was drawn toward us, and for the first time in my life, I felt embarrassed when our eyes suddenly met while I was trying to silence John.
"Look! She's interested in you too! Hahaha!"
"Damn you, John. Do you really find this funny?"
"Well, yes... or maybe not. Either way, it's fun getting on your nerves. Hahaha!"
"Damn you and your awful jokes."
I sighed before continuing.
"You really haven't changed. You're still as annoying as ever."
I smiled slightly.
John replied,
"And you haven't changed either. As far as I can see, you're still hopeless when it comes to girls. Hahaha! Tell me, what do you think about me—"
He suddenly stopped himself.
"Actually, never mind."
"John, you probably don't realize this, but I'm truly grateful for the way you've been trying to cheer me up. Your jokes are annoying, but still... thank you. As you know, I don't really have time for these things right now. There are more important matters I need to deal with."
His expression immediately turned serious.
"You mean you're really going to start that?"
"Yes. I have to. This month, I'll begin investigating the matter. Someone has to do it, after all."
A worried and troubled look appeared on John's face. He was the type of person whose emotions were written all over his expression, so I immediately reassured him.
"Don't worry. I'm not doing this alone. I'll be working with the person you recommended to me. He has far more experience than I do. And I'll do it without involving Arthur. I don't want to burden him or put him in danger because of me."
John nodded.
"Alright. As for me, someone invited me to finalize a business deal at a hotel this month. If everything goes well, I'll treat you to a luxurious first-class dinner."
"Looks like both of us will be busy this month. We probably won't meet much during the coming weeks, so we should make the most of our time and relax a little while we can."
John agreed.
However, at that exact moment, something unexpected happened.
Without any warning, the new girl, Maria, suddenly approached me. There was a hint of shyness in her behavior as she spoke.
"Hello, Edward. It's been a long time, so you probably don't remember me. Let me introduce myself properly. I'm Louis Maria. We attended the same middle school during our first year, but I had to transfer because of family circumstances. And now, by pure coincidence, we're attending the same school again. So... would you mind giving me a tour of the campus?"
Maria left me no room to refuse.
She already knew exactly who I was.
After searching through my memories, I vaguely remembered her name as one of the school's top students—someone whose reputation for academic excellence had spread throughout the grade.
But how did she know me?
That question remained a mystery.
In the end, I simply accepted her request and accompanied her to show her around the school facilities.