"What do you mean?" Ryan Bennett touched his waist. The camouflage uniform of the instructor was tightly cinched at the waist, and he couldn't help but feel proud.
My waist is really damn thin.
Finn Alvarez clicked his tongue, with a half - smile. "I'm reminding you, don't sprain your waist from showing off."
Ryan Bennett: "..."
Aria's mouth twitched as she tried to hold back her laughter.
Ryder, who was walking in the front, took two steps towards the cafeteria and then stopped. He naturally turned around and walked towards another door. "Come on, let's go to the instructor's cafeteria to eat."
For this military training, Harvard University specifically set aside the dining area on the third floor of the cafeteria. During the military training, students are not allowed to enter.
And all the catering expenses of the instructors during this period are free. The food is quite good, with five - star - level dishes.
Except for Ryan Bennett, none of the people present had the access.
Ryder's expression didn't change.
He reached out and grabbed Ryan Bennett's collar, pulling him over, and then kicked him. "Stop looking. Go, lead the way quickly."
There are two ways to go to the third floor. One is to take the stairs from the main entrance of the cafeteria, and the other is through the side door, where there is a direct elevator, but an instructor's ID card is needed to use it.
Among the five people, except for Aria, they are all from the student union.
Especially Aria, who was wearing a green camouflage uniform. The color was too eye - catching, and no freshmen went there at all.
She hesitated for a few seconds and said, "Well, why don't you guys go?"
Going through the back door and currying favor openly right at the beginning of the school year wasn't a good thing, especially during the training period.
If she got some award in the final evaluation in the last two days, it would surely be talked about. The situation here was complex and could be very troublesome.
Aria understood this to some extent.
The elevator came down, and Ryan Bennett swiped his card.
Ryder, who had somehow fallen behind her, reached out and gently pushed her into the elevator from behind.
"No way."
Aria looked at him.
Ryder lowered his eyes, walking behind Aria, and looked down at her. "No one can see here. Don't worry about this."
Maya Brooks also said, "What are you afraid of? Just say your instructor has something to talk to you about. Can you refuse when your instructor asks you?"
Ryan Bennett: "..."
The elevator door had closed, and Aria had been pushed in. Even if she wanted to get out, she couldn't.
She resignedly sighed and looked at Ryan Bennett, joking, "All right, then I'll have to trouble the instructor to protect me first."
Ryder glanced at her but didn't say anything.
"Aria, if there's anything, shift the blame to the president." Finn Alvarez raised his eyebrows and immediately said with a smile, "What can't our president do? If you go to someone else instead of him, Ryderoo might really be hurt."
Aria felt embarrassed and looked at Ryder awkwardly.
"Don't listen to his nonsense." Ryder's expression remained unchanged. He just smiled and gently pressed her head. Just then, the elevator stopped, and he pushed her out.
The other people were behind them.
Aria wanted to walk a few steps faster to escape this awkward atmosphere. Standing beside Ryder like this made her feel more at a loss than when they were alone.
Unexpectedly, as she quickened her pace, the person behind her also quickened.
Ryder stood close behind her, slightly lowering his head, getting closer to her ear, and lowering his voice, "Aria."
"Hmm?" Aria didn't turn her head.
She slightly turned her face to show that she had heard and asked him to continue.
Ryder said, "I have a question."
"What?"
"I want to ask you, if something really happened," Ryder paused, and said in a low voice, sounding rather casual, "would you go to him or to me?"
Aria: "..."
Seeing that she didn't answer, Ryder poked her shoulder with his finger.
"Is it that hard to answer?"
Aria: "..."
It wasn't hard to answer.
But what was this strange sense of rivalry in his tone?
Aria wasn't sure if it was her illusion. She carefully observed him for a few seconds. The boy's expression was normal, very calm.
Nothing could be seen from his expression.
But his eyes were fixed on her, clearly waiting for an answer.
In fact, this question was easy to answer.
Aria also roughly knew what he wanted to hear.
However, she was a bit confused.
Before she could decide whether to change the topic or not, Ryder suddenly turned her by the shoulder - directly getting them out of the position with Maya Brooks and the others.
She turned her head.
Ryder explained, "We'll buy food at that window over there."
After a pause, "Aria."
"Answer the question."
Aria: "…Actually, this kind of thing probably won't happen."
"I said what if."
"Um... Who is What - if?"
"Aria." Ryder clicked his tongue, with a half - smile.
All right.
Aria resignedly replied, "I'll come to you. Is that okay?" She lowered her head and muttered, "Anyway, I don't think I'll ever encounter such a thing."
She was a well - behaved student. What else could she do besides going to class? She didn't do anything against school regulations.
Ryder chuckled softly and stopped teasing her.
The food in the instructor's cafeteria was self - service, similar to a buffet. You took your own tray and picked whatever you wanted.
Aria had been tired all morning, and the little food she ate in the morning had long been digested. After being amazed by the wide variety of dishes in the cafeteria, she forgot about Ryder behind her. She picked up a tray and went to get food.
She scooped up some of the food she wanted. When she thought the amount was about right, she stopped. Then she remembered to look for Ryder.
He was not far behind her.
Over there, a dining table had been reserved. There were food, desserts, and drinks on the table, but no one was there. Without a word, they walked over one after the other with their things.
After Aria sat down, she subconsciously looked up to find the others. There weren't many people in this cafeteria, so it was easy to find someone.
Soon she saw that Maya Brooks and Ryan Bennett were still getting food, and not far away, Finn Alvarez was chatting up a pretty girl.
She didn't know what he said, but in just a few words, he made the pretty girl in military uniform smile brightly.
Aria blinked. Not in a hurry to eat, she propped her chin and watched curiously.
Ryder sat opposite her and turned his head to follow her gaze.
He: "…"
What was so interesting about this?
Here, Aria was still sighing. It was really good to be good - looking. You could get chatted up everywhere. She had actually seen someone trying to chat up Ryder just now.
But he politely refused. Perhaps his sense of aloofness was too strong, and the other person didn't have the nerve to pester him further.
Although she didn't like seeing that scene and was worried. After all, the forum said he was indiscriminate.
What if he had agreed?
But since he had refused, she didn't have any other negative emotions and became happy again.
What Aria wanted was actually quite simple. She had never expected to date him before. As long as he was still single, she could happily have a secret crush on him.
Only very rarely would she have a tiny, very small hope -
- To be closer to him.
To chat with him, talk to him, and know more about him.
She secretly added him on QQ.
It was on a certain day after graduating from junior high school in the third year.
She remembered it clearly.
That date, 「2017.7.11」.