This is how

As soon as the bell rang, Arvin put the laptop in his bag.

Next was their lunch period.

Being someone who had his priority straight, Arvin only joined the third class. History, the only subject he had with Remi for the day. Although not appearing in the exam, it was a mandatory class for all levels. Though, not more than one-fifteenth took the class.

Arvin silently gazed at Remi from behind. Feeling the intense gaze, she looked back, only to notice the former signaling her with his eyes.

Remi blinked in surprise and shook her head like a frightened rabbit. Then she glanced at him again and got out of her seat while putting the books in place.

Arvin pulled Remi back, not giving her the chance to grab the bag. When Sol was about to glare at him, she found a bag flying at her.

“Run,” whispered Arvin to Remi and shouted to Sol, “Salty, take care of my lappy! Lunch on me~ You can go wild o...”

Before he finished, the duo was already out of the classroom.

While the ‘guard trio’ wasn’t Remi’s real bodyguard, they were nothing less in comparison. Even if Remi wished to talk with someone, they would first inquire her the reason, whatever she might need; basically, they were a step above high-class bodyguards.

The duo only stopped when they were out of the university gate.

It was a light jog for Arvin, but Remi heaved for breath. She was only a step away from collapsing. Her chest jumped up and down, looking very eye-catching.

“Haha...” Arvin laughed at her.

Remi pouted, trying to put an unfazed look which she failed miserably thanks to her heaving chest.

“Wanna go somewhere?” he happily asked.

“Go-hu~ now–” Remi was about to speak, but Arvin got nothing with all the breathing in the way. Rather than making her work in vain, he stopped her, “Whoa, we can take a breather.”

Just when Remi controlled her breathing, Arvin glanced behind her back and asked in a wondering tone, “Up for another dash?”

“No!” Remi quickly shook her head and looked back.

Arvin broke into a grin. There was no one behind her.

“Why you!...” Remi looked like she wanted to pinch Arvin to ****, but her hand awkwardly froze mid-air. While they had a tacit understanding between them, they weren’t exactly dating.

Arvin grabbed her frozen hand and walked ahead. “Wanna go somewhere?” he asked.

“We still have classes–”

“Let’s ditch.”

“...sorry, I can’t...” Remi’s tone was both apologetic and hesitant.

It took her all the courage to ditch her friends. She had seen her classmates going on dates ditching their classes. Heck, many even ditched without reason.

She had fantasized many times if she would also ditch classes with Arvin one day. But when the time came, she found it challenging. It was truly impossible for her.

Arvin had expected something similar.

With the liberation war ending twenty-six years ago, the economic situation of his country wasn’t exactly good. Girls were usually ignored by parents and married off early. If they had average and lower results, then even more so.

Remi’s family wasn’t rich, even mid-low, but she had perfect attendance and top grades. Her situation was different from Arvin. While his subject was easy-peasy to him, he only cared about the certificate that might or might not have a use in the future.

Arvin passed by the usual restaurant Remi and the trio usually had their launch and approached the next one. It was expensive but had a booth and a nice atmosphere.

Since he knew Remi would shy away from ordering anything expensive, which was the whole menu, Arvin ordered for both of them.

Once the waiter left, Arvin curiously inquired, “You were worried about me?”

Sol’s indignant tone indicated exactly that.

“Don’t listen to Sol, she–”

“You’re lying~ if you don’t speak the truth, I might want to bully you,” Arvin squeezed her palm, indicating he planned to bully her.

“Why are you asking when you already know.”

“Of course because I am not sure or maybe I want to hear it from you?”

“Hmph,” scoffed Remi, and gave him an excuse, “Well... you were unusually absent so I wondered whether you left early or...”

“Or~?” Arvin happily pushed her on.

“N-nothing. It’s the truth.”

From opposite, Arvin moved to the seat beside her. Remi hesitated no longer and opened her mouth.

“I, I was worried that you could be sick!” As soon as she spat the words out, her face turned both red and hot. She dared not keep her eyes open.

Hm, she is too lovable, Arvin couldn’t hold himself from hugging her.

The door opened silently as the waiter froze.

Arvin scrunched his brows as he put a finger on his lips.

While wearing an envious look, the young waiter placed the dishes silently and left equally soundlessly.

“Actually, I’ll get busier from now on. You heard what I do from Salty? I got a big and important project. If I can finish it I don’t even know where I’ll reach but it might take some time to finish.” Arvin told her something he wouldn’t to anyone else. It was also true since he had no idea where the end result would take him. Becoming a God? Invincible? Only imagination and vocabulary was the limit.

And even that might be possibly surpassed.

Sol was Arvin’s high school classmate. Although they weren’t friends, she knew around the point that he did something online as that was one of the excuses he put up for all the scribbles and codes on his textbook or sleeping out of boredom. Especially when she paid quite a bit of her time on him.

“So I won’t be regular, meaning we might not meet that often–”

“But is it a good idea to skip your studies?”Remi raised her head and interrupted Arvin. Rather than not being able to see him, she was more worried about his studies.

While he wasn’t dropping out of Uni, Arvin had no reason to attend regularly either. As for the minimum attendance required to pass, nothing a bit of fine couldn’t solve.

Arvin’s lips twitched a little, her face was only inches away. Gazing at each other from such close proximity made one feel like they were the only existence in the world.

Ignoring the strange feeling, Arvin explained. “It is fine. I’m not skipping, I just won’t be regular. Putting that aside...” he took a breath, “Let’s date.”

Remi’s expression didn’t change for a long time, as if she didn’t hear a thing. Or maybe, failing to react.

It was interesting how she fell for Arvin.

They were acquainted for over a year but only as classmates. That too for only one class.

Things changed a little on Martyr’s Day.

Remi and the trio were supposed to meet at the usually quiet bus stop. From there, they would head to the National Martyr’s Tower to pay respect to the freedom fighters and tour around the Memorial House.

However, they forgot that like them countless people had similar plans. Let alone Sol and duo, she might even fail to recognize her mother in that traffic.

In the end, she was **** to the bus with the flow of the crowd. Without any friends, and her being unusually non-blacked-haired attracted quite a bit of attention. While there was no discrimination, many people still pointed and talked about her. After all, non-black hair in Turol is the indication of Arazonian blood, their previous ruling country.

Long years of ruling caused quite a few mixed blood and red and blonde-haired citizens but their numbers were still low.

That’s when Arvin entered the stage.

Although he had no crush on her, the redhead left an impression on him.

Aside from being crowded and Remi being shy, they had a great day. It could even be counted as a date.

That, however, wasn’t the trigger for Remi’s love.

After that day, they could be counted as somewhat friendly who exchanged ‘hi, hello’ or ‘how are you’, but that’s all.

It wasn’t until one day when Remi lost herself in a daze. She was violently shaken by Revi, one of her three bodyguards, “Rem...? Don’t tell me you fell for that guy? Come on, that was less than one day. He is handsome and treated you well, but you can’t fall for him with just that!”

“What nonsense? Who is in love with whom?” Remi was thoroughly lost.

“You, with, Arvin!” Revi cleared.

Sol quickly discouraged her friend, “Nonsense, don’t listen to her Remi, let me tell you, that guy is both dense and idiot. You know what he said when a beautiful girl confessed to him? ‘Sorry, I don’t have time.’ That’s not all, you don’t know what kind of a jerk he is.”

Actually, the beautiful girl who confessed was Sol.

‘I love... Arvin?’ That triggered Remi’s growing interest.

She would search for Arvin more often and notice his movements. Maybe it was the side-effect of watching someone for a long-time, she found him more handsome and pleasant to eyes.

It was just a misconception, an idea, introduced to her mind which slowly took into shape. The girl who never experienced love developed an ever-growing curiosity.