“What do you think of it, you like to join the Student Council as a member?” The handsome man offered me his hand, grinning dazzlingly.

If I was a girl, this would be the exact moment that I would fall for him.

“Nah,” I said, raising my hand to stop him from saying another word. “I don't think I have the capabilities to handle the task of being a Student Council member.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, not understanding my point in all sincerity.

“I don't have the time to do school activities. I'm a busy man after all.” Maybe I am not that busy, maybe I was lying to him, but it was true that I didn't think that I would be a good Student Council member.

“It's fine even that. Being a member doesn't mean that you have to go around and help people all the time.” He then proceeded the perks of being a member, keeping his business-like smile. “You have authority over other students. Teachers will favor you than the average students, you can arrive late in the class. Sometimes, you'll get free food from the canteen—”

“Hold on.” My solemn voice almost made the handsome man ruined his calm expression. The armored girl, Rito, and Lisa were looking at me in anxiety.

“Did you just say, free food from the canteen?” I didn't expect that I would say the word free and canteen in the same sentence.

He was bothered that it was the free food that tucked me into his side.“Hmm? Yes, though it's not that tasty since they are mostly mistakes that the chef—”

I stretched my hand, beaming at him. “So I'll call you President from now on?”

The man, the President, seemed perplexed, but in a good way. “So that means you're joining us?”

“Oh hell yeah I'm in.” With a blink of an eye, literally, I winked at him. “So how do I acquire this free food, for research purposes.”

“Hahaha! That's more I like it! First, you have to participate with other students in our initiation.” He proclaimed loudly.

“That so? Hmm... When is this gonna happen?”

“Next month.” He said, and then he went to the assassin.

“Ek!” With a sharp punch to the jaw, the assassin became unconscious, not knowing the reason why.

The handsome man untied the assassin while whistling, lifted the body into his shoulder like a sack of rice.

“I'll be waiting for you until then, Elric.” He waved his palm as a goodbye as he started leaving the place, the armored girl following him in the back. I see them off with a nod, turning my head around Lisa and Rito.

“And it's done,” I said happily. In the end, no one got hurt, and that was a good way to end things in my book.

“But the Magus hiring an assassin and not using their own force means that they are preparing for something,” Rito grumbled. He didn't like the idea that his enemy was scheming again. “I'll go to the city and asked if my friends know something about it.”

“So be it, I think Lisa would like to co—”

“I will stay here for the time being.” She interrupted me quite calmly wasn't it?

Scowling at her, I crossed my arms in irritation. “What do you mean? You're GOING right?”

“I don't want to.” She returned the frown equally.

Just what are you up to! Why are you making this hard for both of us! As I and Lisa were glaring at each other, Rito chimed in with a peaceful tone like always. “Ms. Lisa is right. I can't let her be in danger again. Please, Elric! Protect her while I'm gone!”

You too!? Confronted by his sincerity, I was having a hard time denying his request.

“Tch, fine,” I growled, not at him, but to the delighted Lisa. Rito was too good of a boy to be rejected, he also reminded me of my little sister somehow.

“Thank you! Elric, Ms. Lisa, I'll be off now!” Without waiting for our reply, he sprinted in hurry. He was really determined to stop the Magus.

“Take care, Rito.” Lisa chuckled and turn to me, her skirt fluttered by the force. “How nice of you to take care of me.”

“Just what are you doing? A little push and you and Rito will be together again. Don't you want that?” I told her like I was scolding a kid who wouldn't listen to adult—she was indeed a kid who wouldn't listen to me.

“We did just that earlier, I don't think my heart would handle it if we do it again.” She replied as if rehearsing a line she had heard somewhere.

“I have a feeling that you're just making excuses...”

“You are free to interpret it that way.” She did not deny it, but she didn't admit it either. Making things more complicated as they were, that was Lisa's style.

Because of this, I closed my eyes, sighing audibly, gasping for the warm air. “You can learn a thing or two from Mildred, she's really a nice girl.”

“Hoo...” Lisa's vision turned sharp all of a sudden, fanning herself furiously as she glared at me. “So you're fond of that girl.”

“Why do you sound so angry!?” I am surprised by this, thinking for a moment before retorting with a “she's really nice. It's just that.”

“So you like nice girls?” Now she seemed curious. A normal man like me couldn't possibly handle the mood swing of this girl, but I did anyway.

“I mean, yeah, everyone likes nice girls right?” I said, not sure if that was the answer she was hoping for.

“Just what is nice anyway? I argued that one can be nice even if she doesn't act that way.”

“Whoa, I'm not here to discuss philosophy. You're honestly weird today, are you sick?” I moved my hand without thinking and placed it into her forehead.

Gradually, her face turned red and her temperature went up drastically.

“Kya!” She jumped backward quickly. She was flushed and mad and appeared that she wanted to say a lot of things, but she gulped all of that, trying to soothe herself.

“I'm fine.” She said, though not sounding like one. “Maybe a little bit under the weather, but mostly fine.”

“Are you sure? This school has doctors and healers, it wouldn't hurt to visit them when you're unwell.”

That was right, the school even has its own clinic. It was helpful when you ate something bad, they could heal your stomach easily.

Despite all of this, she still retained her sly smile. “You're worried about me, Elric? How sweet of you.”

“Of course I'm worried, dumbass.”

“That—! Cough, I mean, thank you.” Her teasing voice was gone and was replaced by her shy behavior.

“I don't get you,” I said, throwing her an uncertain look. “We should take it easy for now. Just relax and I'll find the keys today.”

It's fine even if I'm the one doing all the jobs. Not only she fed me, but she's also my client. I should be the one who was thankful here.

“I can do it.” She insisted even with her red face.

“I told you, relax for today, pushing yourself won't do you any good.” Was I the right person to tell her that? Pushing myself to the limit was something of a specialty, even more so in the hard times.

I shifted my gaze to the spanning field of grass, the dancing branch of the trees, the swirling motion of the breeze.

“So you're really worried about me?” She asked me again, and this time, it was a genuine question.

“Sigh... I am, are you happy now?” I was annoyed, but Lisa didn't care at all.

“I see...” She said. That might be, the happiest words she has said today.