"Not as usual, you wake up very early."
"I have to go to the campus early."
"Master, would you like some sauce—
"No need, Gwen. I can do it myself." rejected Eric with his sweet smile.
Casey could only blink her eyes. Eric acted the way Casey wanted her to.
Really consider Casey as a gust of wind. From morning, before Casey came to his room to wake him up, Eric was already in the living room looking neat and smelling good. Just waiting for breakfast with the others. Even Noel and Luke themselves were shocked to see it. But Casey still thinks positively, maybe because Eric is the organizer of the event he has to be on campus early, after all, as Eric himself said yesterday.
However, that was not the only thing that happened. While on campus, whenever their eyes met, Eric immediately looked away, as if he didn't want to meet her. The man's face can really quickly turn friendly when someone greets him or a new student asks him something. Honestly, it was the first time Casey had seen the change in his young master's demeanor. Even so, Eric still acts normally at the mansion, the man can actually follow what Casey says. While outside, their relationship was like that of strangers until the last day of their campus introduction.
"Eric, ah, he turned his face away again."
***
Casey wanted to push the button for the elevator, but a man precedes it and goes inside. Casey could only stare when she found out who it was. That's Eric. The man looked at her flatly.
"Do you want to come in or not?" His tone was even. Casey bit her lip, her eyes looked scared at the few people who were now in the elevator, also looking at her questioningly.
Casey shook her head slowly, letting the elevator doors close. The girl just sighed heavily.
This happened because she was trying to change the storyline.
The good thing is, the person Casey was supposed to meet up with until now hasn't happened. Even Casey tried to keep her distance so as not to cross paths let alone get in touch with that person. Even though her life is now not calm because of the always vigilant feelings. She also can't be careless, because the creator of this game or anyone who regulates the plot will surely try to bring them together.
The last day of the event was a welcoming party. Everyone was having fun because it was finally the end of the show. New students who are getting closer to seniors, making more friends, or even finding a mate in a new place. The event was very lively, with delicious food and drinks available for free. While Casey is just a connoisseur from afar, she is more busy trying all kinds of food from one end of the stand to the other. Her stomach had no sign of being full at all.
Now Casey sat in a long chair in a little corner with a dim light while devouring the hotdog and boba drink he had just taken. Looking at many people who are happy, it can be clearly seen on their faces. Casey prefers to be an observer because today might be the last day she can relax too. Tomorrow she began studying, then continued working in the mansion.
The activities will be more solid. But that's okay, at least she can be with her four handsome young masters. Casey's life wasn't that bleak.
"Are you satisfied with our current relationship?"
Without hesitation, Casey immediately looked back, to find out who the figure of the owner of the voice was even though she was pretty sure who it was.
That's Eric.
The brown-haired man was now looking at her with a flat gaze. There was guilt in Casey's mind, she felt a little uncomfortable. Casey knew that Eric's attitude at the mansion was only a compulsion so that his two brothers and sisters would not suspect what had happened to their relationship. Casey knew for sure that Eric was still mad at her.
Casey smiled bitterly, turning her face the other way. "I'm sorry, because of me, you did something that you find uncomfortable." Casey could feel the heavy breath coming from the back of her neck. The lounger felt heavier now because Eric decided to sit on the other end.
"Can I sit here?" asked Eric, a little sarcastically. Casey stared around, she thought it was a little safer because this place was a little dim and people would not focus on them.
"It's all right, sir."
They sat in silence, neither uttering another word. Casey just finished her hotdog, she didn't have time to finish his drink because there was no sweetness in it anymore. Already mixed with melted ice cubes.
"Master," Casey called up the courage to break the silence.
"I told you to just call Eric."
"I apologize."
"For what?"
Casey lowered her head, fiddling with her slender fingers. "I know I pissed you off."
"Isn't this what you wanted? I did what you wanted." Eric was still looking straight ahead with a flat gaze.
"I'm just avoiding what people say later, Eric."
"Yeah, I understand. That's why we became strangers on campus, right?"
"But it seems I was wrong. I shouldn't care what people think. Even though this hasn't been proven, I'm too much to make you disappointed." Casey turned to Eric. She looked straight at the man beside him. Eric was flabbergasted, their gazes intertwined. There was joy in the man's heart. He had not seen the sparkle in the eyes of the beautiful black haired girl in front of him for a week.
The corners of his lips lifted, unable to contain his happiness. "So we can just act normal?"
Casey nodded with a small smile. "If that makes you comfortable, let's do it."
"Don't worry, I'll really keep my attitude, so people won't think anything of you!" Eric clenched his fists, trying to convince Casey. The girl just laughed a little in response.
"Thank you, Eric."
Eric leaned back in his chair, heaving a sigh of relief as if the weight of the problems he had been facing lately had now flown away. "Thank God, you know this is hard for me. I already feel close to you. Even before that, I had imagined my days on campus would be more enjoyable because of you."
Hearing this directly made Casey's smooth cheeks blush. He couldn't bear to look at his young master because she was so embarrassed.
Her heart pounded even faster as Eric's strong arm reached out to gently caress Casey's hair. "I haven't caressed your hair for a long time, haha!"
"Is this man not aware of what he did?! My heart wants to explode, you know!" Casey thought.
The arm stopped for a moment as Eric's cell phone rang. Eric picked up the call, spoke briefly, and then hung up again.
"I have to go. The events division needs me. Are you still going to be here?" asked Eric, to which Casey nodded.
"Really? It's almost over, you're coming home with me, aren't you? It's getting late too."
"E—uh! No need! There's still a bus schedule that I can ride, really," Casey refused, hoping Eric wouldn't be angry. But to no avail, the man pursed his lips, frowning in annoyance.
"We were just talking about not being strangers. You've started again."
"It's not like that … this is too sudden …."
Eric laughed bitterly. "I'm kidding! Well, let me know later," he said as he left Casey alone again.
Casey waved her hand as she watched the burly back drift away. She rose from her seat and threw the food waste into the trash. Still quite crowded, the girl walked again to a beverage stand to enjoy the last free drink.
After getting a cup of hot chocolate, she resumed her journey to the auditorium. Because she was too focused on enjoying the drink, she didn't realize a man from the opposite direction was running until she accidentally bumped into her. Casey couldn't dodge anything at all, even falling backward. As a result, the hot chocolate spilled onto the white shirt she was currently wearing.
"Argh!!" Casey shrieked hotly. She was shaking her shirt. If it wasn't outside she might have taken off her shirt by then. She cursed in her heart, because the perpetrator who hit her did not apologize at all, not even to turn around. Casey was also annoyed that people just looked at her with pitying eyes without helping one bit.
"Hey, is she all right?"
"Too bad, especially when the clothes are white."
"Help her there!"
"Ugh ... it looks like she can handle it on her own. After all, she only got spilled from a drink she brought herself, right?"
"Damn, smart brains don't make people good personalities either," Casey thought. Still lowering her head, she tightened her shirt, which was stained with brown stains.
"Are you okay?"
A hand reached out in front of Casey. Casey looked up to see who it was. She just wanted to change her mind that there were still good people in this world. But that thought was cut short when Casey found out who the hand belonged to.
It's better that no one helps her at all than this person who must be in front of her.
In spite of the effort she made to avoid it, it turned out that the storyline still happened.