The classroom was settling in for the first period, the usual chatter filling the air as students shuffled into their seats. Some were still groggy from the morning rush, while others were engaged in whispered conversations about homework, weekend plans, or general gossip.
But one person stood out.
One specific person was buzzing with an unholy amount of energy.
Karan.
Unlike the usual first-period lethargy, he was practically radiating excitement, bouncing his legs under the desk like an over-caffeinated squirrel.
The whole class had long accepted that Karan was a lost cause.
The boys shook their heads, some looking at him with a mix of amusement and secondhand embarrassment. The girls? They didn't even bother reacting anymore. They knew exactly what this was about.
After all, this wasn't their first rodeo with Karan's… enthusiasm.
Aarav, sitting at his designated "I-don't-want-to-be-here" spot near the window, exhaled sharply. He had already mentally prepared himself for the nonsense that was about to unfold.
Emma, beside him, casually flipped through her notes, fully ignoring Karan's existence. She had mastered this skill after countless failed proposals from him.
Sophia, however, being the airhead she was, was actually entertained by his antics.
Karan suddenly slammed his hands onto his desk, grinning like a lunatic.
"A NEW TRANSFER STUDENT!" he practically sang in excitement.
The class collectively sighed.
"AND NOT JUST ANY TRANSFER STUDENT—A JAPANESE GIRL! FOREIGN! CHICK! ABSOLUTE WAIFU MATERIAL!"
A few students snickered, others shook their heads in exhausted amusement.
Aarav, without looking up, muttered under his breath. "Kill me."
Emma finally turned to him, deadpan. "You're still into anime girls in real life?"
Karan gasps, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. "EXCUSE ME, MA'AM. I am a man of culture."
Sophia, still chewing her gum, tilted her head. "Wait, what if she's ugly?"
The class went silent.
Karan froze, his expression twisting into horror like Sophia had just cursed his entire bloodline.
"DON'T SAY SUCH BLASPHEMOUS WORDS!" he shouted. "TRANSFER STUDENT GIRLS ARE NEVER UGLY!"
Emma rolled her eyes. "And yet, you still got rejected countless times, Karan."
Karan whipped around, pointing dramatically at her. "ONLY BECAUSE YOU'RE PLAYING HARD TO GET!"
Aarav, this time, actually turned to face him. His blue eyes were cold, his expression unreadable. And then, in a voice as dry as a desert, he muttered—
"You're just pathetic."
The class howled with laughter.
Karan, gripping his chest, staggered back as if physically wounded.
"Betrayed. Backstabbed. Heart shattered into pieces." he muttered, collapsing into his chair.
Emma flipped her page. "Sounds like a you problem."
Sophia giggled. "I mean, you did get rejected like, what? A hundred times?"
Karan, in full drama mode, dramatically wiped away fake tears. "You guys will regret this when I become the harem king."
Aarav went back to his usual "ignore Karan's existence" mode.
Emma rolled her eyes again.
And just then—
The classroom door opened.
A hush fell over the students.
The Japanese transfer student had arrived.
The classroom door swung open with an air of elegance, as if the moment had been scripted for the perfect cinematic entrance.
And then—she walked in.
A walking masterpiece, her beauty rivaling even Emma's, a sight that could make poets cry and artists throw away their brushes in defeat.
Her long, sleek black hair cascaded effortlessly, framing her delicate features. The contrast of her blue pleated skirt against her smooth, black thigh-high stockings was almost unfair. The white top she wore hugged her frame with a precision that had Karan gripping the edge of his desk like a man witnessing divinity itself.
She moved gracefully, each step calculated yet effortless—eerily reminiscent of Aarav's slow-motion entrance from the other day.
And then—she spoke.
"Good morning, everyone." Her voice was soft yet clear, her accent perfectly blending Japanese politeness with fluent English. She followed it up with a small, respectful bow, her posture impeccable in classic Japanese tradition.
At that moment—every single male in the room, regardless of relationship status, felt their hearts melt into an unrecognizable puddle.
Some gulped.
Others forgot how to breathe.
A few stared, their mouths slightly open as if the very concept of a "dream girl" had materialized before them.
And then—
A voice cut through the silence like a battle cry.
Karan, standing up, eyes sparkling, hands clenched in triumph—
"I KNEW IT! SHE'S A HOT PIECE!"
The class exploded into chaos.
Aarav sighed, standing up with calm authority, his expression as unreadable as ever. He had seen this coming the moment Karan opened his mouth.
If the professor couldn't handle this circus, then he would.
The classroom immediately fell silent as soon as Aarav stood, the power of his presence forcing the chaotic energy to settle. Even Karan, who had been grinning like a fool, froze mid-smirk.
Aarav's sharp blue eyes locked onto the new girl, and in a voice that was calm yet commanding, he spoke:
"Welcome to our class. I am Aarav Kumar, student council representative."
Sayaka, who had been taken aback by the sudden class reaction, blinked in surprise. But before she could respond, Aarav continued—this time, in flawless, modern Japanese.
"Yōkoso, Sayaka Katsuhiro-san. Koko no seikatsu ni hayaku narete kudasai."
(Welcome, Sayaka Katsuhiro. I hope you adjust quickly to life here.)
The entire class gasped.
Even Sayaka's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. Fluent Japanese? That wasn't something she had expected in an Indian college—much less from someone who looked as effortlessly intimidating and cool as him.
After a moment of silence, she smiled—a genuine, impressed smile.
"Anata wa nihongo ga jōzu desu ne."
(You speak Japanese very well.)
Aarav merely gave a small nod in response, not bothering with modesty.
Sayaka turned to face the class, her confidence fully restored.
"Hajimemashite. My name is Sayaka Katsuhiro. I look forward to studying with you all."
The classroom, still in stunned silence, absorbed the moment.
And then—
Karan dramatically fell back into his seat, gripping his chest.
"Damn it! Now she's even hotter!"
As Sayaka scanned the classroom for an empty seat, she naturally walked toward the one spot that seemed unoccupied—right beside Aarav.
The entire class collectively held their breath.
That was Aarav Kumar's seat.
No one—literally no one—ever dared to sit there without permission. Even the professor hesitated before asking Aarav to share his table.
Yet, with complete obliviousness, Sayaka pulled the chair out and sat down, placing her bag beside her.
The classroom descended into pure chaos—internally.
Emma's hand froze mid-writing, her grip tightening on the pen as she shot a quick side glance. Outwardly, she kept her usual composed, elegant demeanor, but inside—
"She—she sat beside him??"
Her stomach felt like it had been punched with a realization.
A romantic rival.
Meanwhile, Karan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he turned to Sophia, aggressively whispering,
"Did—did she just—??"
Sophia, who had been slouching in her seat with a bored expression, raised an eyebrow.
"Huh. Bold move."
Even the professor subtly glanced at Aarav, fully expecting him to either ignore her, shift away, or—at worst—coldly ask her to move.
But instead—
Nothing happened.
Aarav didn't react. He didn't glare at her, didn't ask her to move, didn't even look at her. He simply continued as if it were completely normal.
This shocked the class even more.
Sayaka, unaware of the unspoken classroom hierarchy, turned to Aarav and smiled politely.
"Aarav-kun, please nice to meeting!"
A few students snorted at her broken English, but she didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest. Instead, she continued,
"I want to learn much English, so I sit here! Please take care me!"
Aarav finally looked at her. His deep blue eyes met hers, expression unreadable.
A beat of silence.
Then, in perfectly controlled monotone, he replied,
"Do as you wish."
And with that, he returned his gaze to the front.
Sayaka brightened, completely unaware of the earthquake-level shock she had just caused.
Emma, maintaining her composure, exhaled slowly, telling herself that this was nothing.
"She's just new. She doesn't know yet. Aarav won't care for her."
And yet—her heart felt a little restless.
Meanwhile, Sayaka stole a quick glance at Aarav, her mind flooded with thoughts.
'He is sooo handsome…'
The way his midnight-black, perfectly messy spikes framed his pale, sharp features—his striking blue eyes, colder than winter but deeper than the ocean—everything about him was unfairly captivating.
And then, to her utter shock and delight—
'He even speaks Japanese…'
Not just broken Japanese. Not the stiff, robotic phrases most foreigners memorized.
Fluent. Effortless.
Like he had lived in Japan before.
Her heartbeat quickened slightly.
'I wonder…'
She peeked at him again—still expressionless, still distant.
'Will he teach me English…?'
Her lips curled into a small, mischievous smile.
This was going to be interesting.
Sophia finally snapped out of her half-asleep state, blinking in confusion as the commotion in the class reached her ears.
Rubbing her eyes, she stretched her arms with a loud yawn.
'Did I oversleep again? Huh… Why is everyone so noisy?'
Her gaze lazily scanned the room—
And then, she froze.
Right beside Aarav, where no one ever dared to sit, was a completely new face.
A girl.
A ridiculously pretty girl.
Long, sleek black hair. Flawless skin. That classic Japanese charm. Foreign. Exotic. And worst of all—she was sitting there like she belonged.
Sophia stared, her airheaded brain struggling to process the sight.
Her first reaction?
To turn toward Emma—the only reliable person in her life—and ask the dumbest question possible.
"Hey, Emma… Who's she?"
Emma, still maintaining her composed expression, glanced at Sophia.
A pause.
Then a sigh.
"…The transfer student, Sayaka Katsuhiro," Emma muttered, taking a sip of her water.
Sophia nodded seriously like she just uncovered the greatest mystery of the century.
"Ohhhh, a transfer student!"
Silence.
Then, Karan, who had been watching this entire exchange, facepalmed.
"Bro… the entire class already knows."
Sophia, being the ultimate social butterfly, wasted no time.
Her instincts kicked in.
A new face?
A new friend!
She immediately jumped up from her seat, a bright, enthusiastic grin plastered across her face.
"Sayaka-chan! Nice to meet you!" she beamed, extending her hand toward the Japanese girl.
Sayaka blinked, surprised by the sudden approach.
"Oh! Uh… Yes! Nice to… to..." Sayaka paused, struggling for the right word.
Sophia waited.
Sayaka nervously fidgeted.
"...Nice to… meat?"
Sophia's brain buffered.
The entire class stared.
Then, Karan lost it.
"PFFT—BWAHAHAHAHA! BRO, DID SHE JUST SAY MEAT?!"
Sayaka turned bright red, realizing her mistake.
"I-I mean meet! MEET! Not meat!!" she waved her hands frantically, flustered.
But it was too late.
Karan was already dying of laughter on his desk.
The rest of the class chuckled.
Sophia, ever the airhead, tilted her head in confusion.
"Huh? Why is everyone laughing?"
Emma sighed, rubbing her temple. "Because she said 'meat' instead of 'meet'..."
Sophia gasped.
"OH! I get it!" she turned to Sayaka, giving her an encouraging thumbs-up.
"Don't worry, Sayaka! English is hard! You just need to—uh—practice!"
Sayaka nodded quickly, still flustered. "Y-Yes! I… I need help…ing English!"
Another pause.
This time, even Aarav smirked.
The professor sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Alright, alright, let's all settle down."
But Karan, wiping tears from his eyes, leaned toward Aarav and whispered, "Yo… she might need a full-time translator, bro."
Aarav simply exhaled, already predicting the chaos to come.
Sayaka froze.
One moment, Karan was cackling at her broken English.
The next?
He was kneeling before her, one hand on his chest, the other dramatically outstretched, like a prince in some ridiculous fairy tale.
"Sayaka-chan," he said, his voice dripping with over-the-top seriousness.
"Could you make me your lifelong translator?"
The entire class went silent.
Sayaka stared, blinking rapidly.
Her brain short-circuited.
Did… did this guy just propose to be her translator?!
Aarav rubbed his temples. Emma facepalmed. Sophia looked like she had just discovered a new species.
Sayaka, still processing, leaned back slightly.
"Uhh… uhm…No."
Karan gasped dramatically, clutching his chest.
"NO?!" he repeated, as if she had just shattered his heart into a million pieces.
Sayaka nervously shifted, unsure how to deal with this peculiar creature.
She turned to Aarav, her only hope.
"Uhm… Aarav-kun… Help."
Aarav, without looking up from his book, muttered, "Ignore him. He feeds off attention."
Sayaka hesitated… then slowly turned away.
Karan collapsed onto the floor.
"BETRAYED!" he cried out. "MY FIRST LOVE REJECTED ME—IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CLASS!!"
The professor, utterly done, slammed his book onto the desk.
"KARAN! BACK TO YOUR SEAT!"
Karan sniffled dramatically as he stood.
"Fine. But know this, Sayaka-chan…"
He pointed two fingers to his eyes, then at her.
"I will be watching."
Sayaka gulped.
'What… have I gotten myself into?'
Karan froze mid-dramatic pose.
The air in the room shifted.
Aarav, still seated, barely looking up from his book, spoke in a calm, low tone.
"Do you want me to disintegrate you?"
Silence.
The entire class held their breath.
Even Sayaka, who barely knew Aarav, felt a chill run down her spine.
Karan gulped.
His hands, which were still raised in his ridiculous "I'm watching you" gesture, slowly lowered.
He turned to Aarav with a nervous chuckle.
"Uh… haha… disintegrate, like, metaphorically… right, buddy?"
Aarav flipped a page in his book.
"Try me."
Karan's soul nearly left his body.
"O-okay, okay, I'm sitting down!" he yelped, scrambling back to his seat.
The class exhaled in relief.
Aarav, satisfied, finally returned his focus to his book.
Sayaka, still wide-eyed, stared at him.
'He's terrifying… but also… kinda cool?'
Meanwhile, Sophia muttered to Emma,
"Remind me again—why are we friends with Karan?"
Emma sighed, stabbing her salad.
"I ask myself that every day."
As the professor cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses, he gave Aarav a small nod of gratitude.
"Thank you, Mr. Aarav. Now, back to the lecture."
The entire class groaned in unison.
Karan, who had barely survived Aarav's verbal threat, slumped in his chair, defeated.
"Damn it... not even my antics could save us."
Sayaka, still processing the last few minutes, stole a few glances at Aarav.
'He's calm, composed, and incredibly smart… It's unfair…'
Sophia, still half-asleep, tried to stay awake by doodling on her notebook.
Emma, meanwhile, diligently took notes, ignoring the whispers and stares from the boys.
The next hour crawled by at a painful pace.
By the time the professor wrapped up the lesson, Karan was dramatically sprawled over his desk.
"I... am... dead…" he whispered.
Sophia, stretching, yawned loudly.
"Thank God. Let's go eat before I pass out again."
Scene Shift – College Cafeteria
The cafeteria was buzzing with life.
Students chattered over trays of food, laughing, gossiping, and mindlessly scrolling on their phones.
Emma, Sophia, and Karan sat at their usual round table.
Emma, as always, had a bowl of fresh salad in front of her. She ate gracefully, taking her time.
Karan and Sophia, on the other hand, were engaged in a full-blown war over a plate of fries.
"Give me that, you potato thief!" Karan barked, trying to snatch the plate from Sophia.
Sophia, using her quick reflexes, dodged his hand and stuffed another fry into her mouth.
"Survival of the fittest, loser."
Emma sighed. "Can you two eat like normal human beings?"
"No." They both answered in sync.
Karan, finally giving up, leaned back in his chair and took a dramatic breath.
"Anyway, let's talk about the real highlight of the day—our new, breathtaking, absolutely dazzling transfer student—Sayaka Katsuhiro!"
Sophia, stuffing her mouth with fries, mumbled, "Oh yeah, she seems nice."
Emma, calmly sipping her juice, remained silent.
Karan smirked. "Emma, you're awfully quiet. Could it be… jealousy?"
Emma's fork paused mid-air.
"Hah?"
Karan leaned in, grinning like an idiot.
"You were totally staring when she sat next to Aarav. Do you feel threatened? Oh nooo, is your childhood crush in danger?"
Emma's cheeks turned slightly pink.
Sophia, who had been chewing aggressively, suddenly choked.
"W-Wait! What?! Childhood crush?!" she coughed, eyes wide.
Emma, realizing her mistake, grabbed her juice and sipped furiously.
Karan cackled.
"Busted."
Sophia, still recovering, stared at Emma.
"Wait, wait—so the reason you're always trying to keep up with Aarav is because..."
Emma looked away, refusing to answer.
Karan, enjoying every second, shook his head.
"Tsk, tsk, Sophia. It seems our dear Emma wants to walk side by side with our 'Walking Glacier,' holding hands into the sunset."
Emma, slamming her fork down, glared.
"Do you want me to kill you?"
Karan, fearless as always, grinned.
"At least I'd die knowing the truth."
Sophia, still shocked, stared between them.
'Emma… likes Aarav? Since when?!'
Meanwhile, in another corner of the campus—
Aarav sat under the banyan tree, peacefully eating his homemade meal.
Unbeknownst to him, the cafeteria table was now a battlefield of emotions and revelations.
Emma was just about to threaten Karan like Aarav had earlier, narrowing her eyes with a dangerous smirk—
"Do you want me to disintegrate you?"
Karan, knowing he had pushed too far, held up his hands in surrender.
"W-Wait, let's not go full Aarav on me! I was just—"
Before she could finish her threat, a soft, polite voice interrupted.
"Oh, can I join you?"
Emma immediately froze.
Karan's mouth shut like a steel trap.
Sophia, still struggling with the revelation from earlier, snapped her head up.
Sayaka Katsuhiro stood there, smiling sweetly. She held her tray carefully, looking completely unaware of the tension at the table.
'Crap!' Emma thought, instantly shifting gears.
Plastering on her best friendly smile, she quickly nodded.
"Of course! Take a seat, Sayaka-chan!"
Sayaka's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Emma-san!" She settled into the empty chair beside her.
Karan, still recovering from his near-death experience, muttered,
"Damn, saved by the transfer student."
Sayaka didn't hear him. She was too busy looking at Emma with curiosity.
"Emma-san, you and Aarav-kun are very close, right?"
Emma felt an internal alarm go off.
'Oh no.'
Keeping her expression perfectly calm and sisterly, she nodded.
"Oh, absolutely. We've been together since we were kids."
Sayaka brightened even more.
"Sugoi! Then you must know everything about him!"
Emma felt Karan smirking at her from the side. She shot him a warning glance.
"Y-Yeah, kind of like an older sister, you know? We look out for each other."
Sayaka, completely believing her, nodded eagerly.
"That's amazing! Aarav-kun is so cool and mysterious. He's also incredibly smart. I wonder if he could tutor me in English?"
Emma kept smiling, but her grip on her fork tightened.
Sophia, who had been silent until now, whispered to Emma,
"I think you have a serious rival now."
Emma, still keeping her sisterly act intact, just laughed lightly.
"Oh, Sayaka-chan, you're so funny! Aarav might seem cool, but he's just a normal guy at home."
Karan, not missing a chance to stir the pot, leaned in with a teasing grin.
"Oh? Just a normal guy? Not someone you totally admire and want to—"
Emma kicked him under the table.
Karan winced but still smirked.
Meanwhile, Sayaka, clueless to the silent battle between Emma and Karan, continued.
"I just really admire him! A guy like that… he must be amazing to talk to! What does he like? What are his hobbies? Oh! Does he have a type?"
Emma, still smiling, mentally screamed.
'Girl, why are you asking me this?!'
As Emma and Sayaka continued talking, the entire cafeteria was looking at them.
It wasn't just an ordinary conversation—it was a scene straight out of a high-school drama.
The Two Madonnas of the college—Emma, the reserved yet breathtaking beauty, and Sayaka, the exotic, elegant transfer student—sitting together, smiling, talking like long-lost best friends.
The guys couldn't look away.
"This is insane…!"
"Two goddesses in one frame…"
"Is this a dream?!"
"Even my girlfriend isn't this pretty—wait, no, I didn't mean that—!!"
Girls were watching too, but for a different reason.
"That new girl is way too close to Emma!"
"She's trying to steal the campus queen spot!"
"Emma better not lose!"
The air buzzed with excitement.
Meanwhile, at their table—
Karan could hardly keep his laughter in. His shoulders shook violently as he watched Emma struggle.
'Oh, this is gold. This is better than any drama!'
Emma, still keeping up her friendly act, was mentally exhausted. Sayaka was innocently grilling her about Aarav, completely unaware of Emma's internal war.
Sophia, as always, was absolutely clueless.
She looked at the cafeteria's reaction, tilted her head, and turned to Karan.
"Why is everyone staring?"
Karan, between suppressed laughs, wiped a fake tear from his eye.
"Oh, Sophia, my dear summer child. You wouldn't get it even if I explained."
Sophia just blinked, even more confused.
"Huh? But I wanna know."
Karan patted her head.
"Shh, shh. Just let it happen."
Meanwhile, Sayaka suddenly clapped her hands together.
"Oh! Emma-san, you should give me Aarav-kun's contact! That way, I can ask him directly!"
Emma's smile faltered for half a second.
Karan saw it.
And that was it.
He burst out laughing so hard he almost fell out of his chair.
Emma froze for a second.
A chill ran down her spine.
'His contact…?'
Her grip tightened around her fork.
Sayaka had no idea what she had just asked.
Emma quickly forced a cheerful smile, hiding the storm in her heart.
She couldn't let this girl get too close.
"Aarav doesn't really use his phone much, Sayaka-chan," Emma said, tilting her head cutely. "He's always so busy studying."
Sayaka's face fell slightly.
"Ah… is that so?"
Emma nodded quickly.
Karan, who had been wheezing with laughter, suddenly slammed his hand on the table.
"Pfft—ah, Emma, Emma…"
He wiped a fake tear from his eye.
"That was the worst lie I've ever heard."
Emma sent him a quick glare.
Sophia, still blinking in confusion, tilted her head.
"Wait, Aarav doesn't use his phone? I thought he helped Anna order groceries sometimes?"
Emma almost choked on her salad.
'Shut up, Sophia!!'
Karan cackled.
"Oh man, this is hilarious."
Sayaka perked up.
"Ah! So Aarav-kun does use his phone! Then can I have his number, Emma-san?"
Emma's eye twitched.
Sophia, still completely oblivious, sipped on her juice.
"Yeah, Emma, just give it to her."
Emma clenched her fists under the table.
'Sophia, I swear to god—'
Just then, the cafeteria's background chatter shifted.
A heavy silence fell over a corner of the room.
A single presence entered.
Emma immediately knew who it was.
She slowly turned her head—
And there he was.
Aarav Kumar.
Standing at the cafeteria entrance, untouched by the chaos, radiating his usual untouchable aura.
The cafeteria fell silent for a moment.
Every girl in the room subtly fixed their hair.
Every guy sat up straighter.
Even Karan shut his mouth for a second.
Aarav's sharp gaze scanned the room, uninterested.
Sayaka's breath hitched.
'He's so… cool.'
Emma felt her stomach twist.
Aarav's eyes flickered in their direction—paused briefly on Sayaka sitting beside Emma—and then moved on.
He turned and left.
A girl near the door let out a dreamy sigh.
"So cool…!"
Karan suddenly slammed his hands on the table.
"Oi, Sayaka!" He pointed at her dramatically.
"You just got ignored by the Walking Glacier himself! Any thoughts?"
Sayaka blinked.
Then, to everyone's shock, she smiled.
"That makes it more fun."
Emma's fork snapped in half.
Sophia, still blissfully unaware of the silent war happening between Emma and Sayaka, tilted her head.
"Wait, why was Aarav in the cafeteria? Doesn't he usually eat under the banyan tree?"
Emma gritted her teeth.
'Finally, you ask the right question, idiot.'
Karan leaned back in his chair, smirking.
"Oh, that? Because a bunch of girls turned his peaceful lunch spot into a shrine yesterday."
Sayaka perked up.
"Shrine?"
Karan nodded, barely holding back laughter.
"Yeah. Candles, flowers, pictures—hell, I think they even left a handwritten poem."
Sophia's jaw dropped.
"Wait, WHAT?! Who does that?!"
Karan shrugged.
"His fan club."
Emma sighed, rubbing her temples.
'Of course.'
Meanwhile, Sayaka's eyes gleamed with interest.
"A fan club?" she repeated.
"How interesting…"
Emma snapped her head toward her.
'No. Not interesting. Stay away.'
Sayaka, completely unaware of Emma's inner panic, smiled.
"Aarav-kun is really popular, huh?"
Karan grinned.
"Oh, you have no idea."
Sophia, still processing the 'shrine' situation, slammed her hands on the table.
"So wait—Aarav lost his banyan tree because of a bunch of crazy fangirls?"
Karan nodded.
"Tragic, isn't it?"
Emma, keeping her composure, poked at her salad.
'That's what happens when you're as perfect as Aarav…'
Sayaka, now even more curious, rested her chin on her hand.
"Hmm… I wonder how he feels about all this attention."
Karan laughed.
"Oh, he hates it."
Sophia frowned.
"Then why doesn't he just tell them to stop?"
Emma and Karan both stared at her.
Then Karan burst out laughing again.
"Sophia… my dear idiot."
He wiped a fake tear.
"Do you really think anyone in this college has the guts to say no to a group of obsessed fangirls?"
Sophia pouted.
"I would!"
Emma sighed.
"That's because you don't have a fan club, Sophia."
Sophia gasped dramatically.
"How dare you!"
Karan leaned in, grinning.
"She's right. If anything, you're more like a comic relief mascot."
Sophia threw a napkin at him.
"Shut up, Karan!"
Meanwhile, Sayaka was deep in thought.
'So… Aarav-kun doesn't like attention?'
Her eyes sparkled with determination.
'Then I'll just have to approach him differently.'
Emma, noticing Sayaka's expression, felt an overwhelming sense of danger.
'This is bad.'
Karan, watching the whole thing unfold, muttered under his breath.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun."
Karan, sensing the rising tension, leaned back in his chair and snapped his fingers.
POOF!
Out of thin air, a giant bucket of popcorn appeared in his lap.
Emma glared.
"Where the hell did that come from?!"
Karan shrugged, grabbing a handful.
"Writer's convenience."
Sayaka, oblivious to the chaos, was still deep in thought, tapping her chin.
"Hmm… so Aarav-kun dislikes attention… then perhaps—"
Karan loudly crunched a mouthful of popcorn, cutting her off.
"Oh, don't mind me, continue plotting your love story."
Emma gritted her teeth.
'This bastard…'
Sophia, eyes lighting up, pointed at Karan.
"Wait! Do me next! Summon me something!"
Karan smirked.
"What do you want, oh airheaded one?"
Sophia thought hard.
"A strawberry milkshake!"
Karan dramatically raised his hand to the sky.
"Oh great powers of the narrative! Grant this fool her wish!"
Nothing happened.
Sophia pouted.
"Hey! Where's my milkshake?!"
Karan chomped on more popcorn.
"Sorry, the budget ran out."
Sophia screamed.
"SCAMMER!"
Meanwhile, Emma was too focused on Sayaka to deal with their stupidity.
Sayaka was clearly planning something.
And Emma did not like it one bit.