[I can even hear my heartbeat... Calm down, Kyrie... Calm down...]
*ba-dum ba-dum*
Finally, Kyrie gets to meet Ian. Although he wishes that he could have met him in a cooler way, being able to see him in person for the first time has brought so much joy and relief to him. For these two years, there is not a day that passes where he didn't yearn to meet him. He tries to meet Ian in the tournaments, but Ian never shows up to any of them.
"Hmm... This is awkward..." says Kyrie as he tousles his hair. Ian is looking at him without responding.
[First meeting on top of Ian... Feels like someone has pranked me!]
Ian sits back up from his own bed. He is trying to wrap his head around how this person randomly appears from thin air, crashing on top of him. He looks at the young man who carried a beautiful countenance: his shiny silver hair tousled, his warm amber eyes, and his pearl skin.
"Kyrie... Kyrie Gerwyn Rowan?" asks Ian.
Kyrie nods.
"What is Vita's paladin doing in the Kingdom of Ethern?" asks Ian cautiously.
"I am not sure myself. I was in my dorm room, and the next thing I know, I am in here," says Kyrie with a bright smile.
[Sorry, not sorry, Ian. I think I activated the space magic without knowing...]
"I am Ian," Ian says as he looks away from Kyrie.
[Ahhhh! This atmosphere is so awkward... What to do? What to do?]
*stomach grumbles*
[This is so embarrassing... It's over... Totally over!]
*pfff*
Ian starts to laugh at this totally awkward moment. As if laughter is contagious, Kyrie starts to laugh alongside him.
Ian wipes his tears and looks at Kyrie, "Since nothing can be done now, let's go find some food."
Ian shows Kyrie the way to the cafeteria. In the entrance, Ian passes Kyrie his student pass.
Ian says, "You can just say that you are a visitor of mine and came to get food. Do you remember your way back?"
Kyrie says, "I can pay for my own food. We can eat together. Come on!"
Kyrie takes Ian's hand and pulls him into the cafeteria. The buzzing cafeteria seems to have completely turned cold when people notice their presence. No one is talking. Everyone seems to have frozen in their place while their eyes turn towards the two. Ian's hand slightly shakes by the change in the atmosphere. Kyrie looks back at them, smiles, and proceeds to get food at the food counter. However, Ian is taken aback by Kyrie's actions. Normally, people would be friendly if they don't know his identity, but after they get to know it, they immediately go cold.
Ian thinks, "This person does not know about my curse despite knowing that I am the prince of Ethern."
Kyrie looks at Ian, who is drifted away by his thoughts, and pulls Ian closer to the counter, waking him up from his daydream.
Kyrie asks, "What are you eating for tonight?"
Ian does not respond, looking at Kyrie with his eyebrows furrowed. His heart weighs heavily since he has to start preparing his heart to receive Kyrie's public rejection.
Kyrie turns back to the servant and says, "Two servings of the B menu, please! We are really hungry, so give us tons!"
Kyrie smiles at the servant; the servant immediately becomes excited and nods furiously at him. He turns around to look for seats and takes the quiet down Ian to one. Everyone's eyes follow them when they head towards an empty table.
Ian, on the other hand, has his head running so much that smoke starts to come out. When they sit, a wave of whispers sweeps through the cafeteria.
[Although this feels awkward, I want to let Ian experience what is to eat with a friend for the first time. Not with that nasty Imogen!]
While waiting for the food, a group of students goes away and later comes back with more people. A male student and a female student are leading the group towards Kyrie and Ian's table.
[If I am not wrong, the male student is Callum Slater, and the female student is Penelope Beaumont. It seems like it is time for me to vent some anger I felt when I was reading the novel.]
Callum smiles wickedly and says, "Is this prince Ian? How come you came to eat at the cafeteria?"
Kyrie places back his cup of tea a bit forcefully. The sharp clack sound of the cup gets both of their attention. Kyrie's eyes have become void of any warmth that they used to contain. His warm amber eyes feel chilling.
He says coldly, "Fellow student, since when can you ask such a question to a royalty?"
Penelope, with her eyes already scanning through Kyrie, says, "Maybe this handsome student does not know, but Ian is..."
Kyrie cuts her off, "I don't like to hear slanders! Ladies and gentlemen, it's common etiquette to at least be more careful not to spoil people's appetite."
Penelope finally catches Kyrie's cold stare, and she flinches as she closes her mouth shut by his threatening stare.
Callum, having his woman insulted, utters, "It seems it is you who don't have common etiquette! She is the ladyship Penelope Beaumont! I have never seen you! Who are you to teach the House of Beaumont?"
Ian looks at Kyrie with worry and wants to pull him away from the cafeteria. But, Kyrie puts his hand back and gives him a look to trust him.
[Ian, you are still royalty and nobler than anyone here.]
Kyrie responds, "I am not from this academy. I am from the division of the kingdom of Aria."
Penelope smiles, hits the table with her hand, and exclaims, "Ha! So you are an intruder! How dare you come in without permission!!! Bring someone here; we have an intruder!"
The group suddenly encloses the table to prevent them from running away. After a couple of minutes, the vice principal enters the cafeteria. He walks in a hurry, with some students following behind.
The vice principal declares, "Who dares to step into this academy without permission while in my presence?"
The group surrounding the table breaks apart, giving way to the vice principal. The vice principal looks at Kyrie and gets stunned for a second.
The vice principal interrogates, "Who are you? What brings you here, causing such disturbance?"
Kyrie looks at the vice principal, and smiling with confidence, he says, "I am Kyrie Gerwyn Rowan. For some reason, I got teleported to the academy no long ago through some kind of space magic. I received good hospitality from prince Ian, but then was accused and bothered all of a sudden by this group of people."
After Kyrie declares his identity and the reason why he appears in the academy, the vice principal is sweating bullets. This has become a political issue since Vita's paladin has come to the kingdom of Ethern. He is sent here through space magic, so that means that Vita is involved. Worse then, he is not only mistreated but also he is currently with prince Ian who is famous for being cursed.
The vice principal snaps at Penelope and Callum's group, "Who told you that you could be discourteous towards our guests!!! I want 10 thousand words of reflection from you!"
Both Penelope and Callum are shocked silly. Their entire body becomes stiff when Kyrie pronounced his name. They have no idea that they are talking to Vita's paladin.
He turns back to Kyrie and Ian with a completely different attitude, "I am so sorry that we have been discourteous with Sir Paladin... We will give you the appropriate accommodation, and please enjoy the rest of the meal."
He goes away with the group of students angry while stomping the ground. He is seeing them out of the cafeteria. Kyrie lets go of his breath of relief while loosening his hold of Ian's hand. Because Ian is frightened by this sort of confrontation and wants to leave, Kyrie takes his hand and gives him comfort and courage to see this through. Ian is currently looking at Kyrie's hand wrapped around his, so Kyrie, suddenly being conscious that he is holding Ian's hand, takes his hand away quickly.
"Sorry, sorry... Hehehe..." says Kyrie while being a bit embarrassed.
Ian takes a look at the embarrassed Kyrie, and a smile blooms on his face. This is the first time someone takes a stance for him. He clenches his hand while trying to feel the sensation and warmth left behind from Kyrie's hand.
Meanwhile, in Kyrie's mind: [YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!! I just hold Ian's hand. Oh my goodness! His hands are rather rough, so he must have been training the sword already. My heart is going to explode. I was so cool too! I was like... I am Kyrie Gerwyn Rowan... hehehe... I was able to protect my mochi! I will slay anyone who will come close to him!!!]
Yue shouts, "How dare you leave me behind!!!"
---
After finishing the meal and convincing the vice principal that he is more comfortable sharing the double room with Ian, they return to their dorm room.
Ian looks concerned about something, and once in the room, he says, "Are you not afraid of me?"
[I guess the book did mention how before Ian became who he became, he was a timid and weak person who was bullied in the academy for the fact that he had a curse.]
Kyrie replies, "No, I am not. I have been waiting to meet you all along."
Ian asks, "Meet me?"
Kyrie says, "Yeah. Meet you."
Ian asks, confused, "Why? You know that I have a curse, right?"
Kyrie responds, "I came to stay by your side. It has nothing to do with the curse."
Ian blushes hard and whispers, "You can get people to misunderstand your words, but no taking backs."
Kyrie smiles and says, "Yeah. No taking backs."