novelraw Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Chapter 162
“Uh……”
I had no idea how I was supposed to react.
Out of nowhere, he wanted to go out? And not just anyone, but that Aaron Stingray of the Stingray Group?
While Iri was struggling to suppress her fluster and wondering how she should reply, Aaron asked,
“Do you dislike it?”
“No. It’s not that I dislike it……”
I didn’t dislike it, but I couldn’t.
Never mind the fact that when I opened my eyes, I wasn’t even sure if this really was Aaron’s office. The bigger issue was that I had ended up sleeping for more than twenty hours, completely messing up my schedule.
I had skipped today’s meeting without notice, and all the tasks and paperwork I had to finish in the morning for the festival preparation were just—
“I already handled the paperwork.”
“Huh?”
“On top of that, I canceled today’s meeting. You don’t need to worry about your unannounced absence.”
“What??”
Maybe I was still half-asleep.
My head spun, unable to make sense of what Aaron was saying.
What about my tasks? The festival prep? The Student Council? The training? What happened to all of it?
While I was groaning inwardly, Aaron tossed a remark.
“You’re being dragged around by work.”
“……Me? No, I’m not!”
“It’s good that you give your best. But don’t overdo it.”
Aaron waved his finger in the air, and at the same time, an email arrived for me. The sender, of course, was Aaron.
“What’s this?”
“You’ll know if you check.”
The moment I opened the attached file, my mouth fell open before I realized it. It was all the documents and materials that had been tormenting me since yesterday evening.
The mountain of files had been neatly summarized and organized to the core points. Some reports were even fully completed in proper format. As for the documents I personally had to draft, the outlines were already prepared.
“Wow……”
This was more than enough to cover for my unwanted twenty-hour blackout. Without realizing it, I turned back to Aaron with a bright smile.
“Th-thank you, with this, if I start working right away, I’ll have so much more time—”
Smack!
A sharp impact slammed into my forehead. A flash of light burst in front of my eyes, my head reeled, and then a beat later, the pain came crashing in.
“Arghhh……!”
“Foolish girl.”
Tears welled up and blurred my vision.
I turned my head and saw Aaron right beside me. Judging from his hand, that blow had been nothing but a flick to my forehead. Still, from my perspective, being hit for no reason was terribly unfair.
“Why did you hit me!”
“What did I just tell you?”
“Ah.”
Right—he said we were going out.
So he meant I should get changed.
But still, I couldn’t help hesitating.
“Do we really have to go?”
“……”
“Ah, fine. I’ll go…… Just, please don’t glare at me so scarily……”
In the end, I had no choice but to surrender.
“My forehead……”
An hour later.
After changing clothes in the dormitory, Iri checked the mirror in the restroom. She lifted her bangs to look at her forehead—yet somehow, there wasn’t a single mark.
“……?”
What?
Why wasn’t there a mark?
It had felt like getting smashed with a brick. At the very least, I thought I’d have a small bruise. But no, it was smooth and spotless.
‘Should I call this a relief, or not……’
If I had gotten an actual wound, I could’ve filed a protest. But with nothing wrong, I didn’t even have grounds to complain.
With no other choice, I returned to the Stingray Foundation Office at the appointed time and casually walked into Aaron’s office like it was my own.
“I’m here.”
“Good, you’re not late. I parked the car in the garage, so go wait there first.”
“Alright…… wait, hold on.”
I naturally started heading toward the parking area but froze mid-step. Sitting in Aaron’s seat was a man in a T-shirt I had never seen before.
“Wh-who are you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Eh.”
The voice—no doubt it was Aaron.
Looking closer, even the face was Aaron’s.
It was just that his image was so different from usual that I hadn’t recognized him at first.
First of all, his hair.
Normally slicked back with pomade, his forehead always showing with a neat and polished look. But now, his hair was casually down, parted loosely, giving off a relaxed vibe.
And his clothes.
The black luxury suit he seemed to wear 365 days a year was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he wore a light-colored casual shirt and jeans.
“Uh……”
The sudden shift in Aaron’s image short-circuited my brain, and nonsense slipped out of my mouth without passing through any mental filter.
“D-did the sun rise from the west today?”
“Is it really that strange?”
Aaron frowned slightly as he asked.
Iri desperately racked her brain.
How should I answer?
Strictly speaking, yes, it was strange. But at the same time, it wasn’t. Normally, Aaron looked every inch the high-ranking executive, but right now, he looked much closer to an ordinary young man.
Of course, his eyes and demeanor still gave away his extraordinary background, but just from his outward appearance, he could’ve easily passed for the handsome guy next door. Not that he gave off any Fallen vibes, of course.
“I think it’d be nice if you didn’t always wear funeral clothes and dressed like this sometimes.”
“So that’s what you thought of my usual wardrobe.”
“Ah.”
Oops.
My brain finally rebooted, and I realized I had just said something wrong.
But it was too late to take it back. I desperately tried to find some way to smooth things over, but Aaron only chuckled and said,
“Stop talking nonsense and get in the car.”
“Ah, I got it.”
I needed to keep my brain on full alert.
No more mistakes.
I followed Aaron to the parking lot. The moment he stepped into the area—Vroooom!—a deep exhaust roar echoed as a flying sports car slid smoothly to a stop right in front of us.
“Get in.”
At his light gesture, the car door opened. And not just in any way—like a bird spreading its wings, the doors lifted upward.
“Th-this car?”
“Yes.”
My jaw dropped open again.
A flying sports car!
The symbol of the wealthy!
Even the doors opened upward!
I had gotten so used to him that I had almost forgotten—Aaron was the richest young man in this city.
‘And this person is my sponsor……!’
Gulp.
If I even left a scratch on this car, I might end up paying billions of credits. I desperately dusted off my shoes, just in case, before climbing inside.
And the inside—it was even more of a new world.
How could I even describe this sight?
Just by sitting down, I felt like I was in the lobby of a luxury hotel—or perhaps the designer section of a high-end department store.
“Wow……”
Unable to hold back, I let out my admiration at the interior. Aaron chuckled lightly as he slid into the driver’s seat.
Honestly, it was a little embarrassing, but I couldn’t bring myself to complain. What if he told me to get out? When would I ever get to ride a car like this again?
“D-don’t laugh at me……”
“Alright, alright.”
He brushed aside my protest as if it were nothing and, to my surprise, even buckled my seatbelt for me. Strangely enough, even this kind of car used old-fashioned seatbelts.
While I marveled at the sports car I was riding for the first time in my life, Aaron naturally pressed down on the accelerator.
The growl of the engine seemed to boast, “I’m expensive!”, but the ride itself was incredibly smooth.
Soon, the vehicle exited the parking lot and soared into the skies of New Valhalla City. The sun was shining brightly for the first time in a while, and my mood rose right along with it.
‘Ah. It’s been so long.’
Now that I thought about it, I had spent over a month buried in mountains of paperwork at the Academy. No wonder I hadn’t even noticed the sun.
“Iri.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“I’m not overdoing anything.”
“No. You’re being devoured by work.”
He spoke in his usual calm tone.
“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? That to persuade others, one must overwhelm them.”
“Yes. I remember.”
“That doesn’t only apply to people. At times, even inanimate things can overwhelm you and make you submit.”
“……”
“For example—work.”
Aaron glanced at me, then continued.
“Someone who is overwhelmed by work loses the ability to even judge whether it is truly theirs to do. They become trapped in the thought, ‘I have to work.’ And so they take on everything—even tasks they don’t need to do—until they eventually sink.”
“But what I’m doing is important. And it’s something I must do.”
“Yes. I know.”
Aaron reached out his right hand and gently stroked my hair. I was startled at first, but I didn’t avoid his touch. It didn’t feel bad at all, honestly.
“You’ve been doing even better as Student Council President than I expected. I’m grateful for that. But……”
“Don’t overdo it? I understand.”
I answered with a small smile.
“If it gets too hard, I’ll tell the Chairman.”
“Good. As long as you understand.”
Aaron nodded in satisfaction.
As we traveled, the two of us talked about many things.
About the Student Council, the Academy, or just trivial small talk. When the radio started playing music, we even chatted about the songs.
‘This feels…… comfortable.’
The Crown Prince, Aaron Stingray.
Someone I had thought was completely out of reach, someone I could never stand beside—was now sitting right next to me, listening to what I had to say. It was both surprising and pleasant.
‘A strange feeling.’
I didn’t know why I felt this way.
Maybe it was because I had spent so long dealing only with the old geezers at the Academy, or maybe it was because Aaron’s fashion had suddenly turned casual.
But what was clear—
Was that the wall between us was beginning to crumble.
That barrier of distance that had withstood countless incidents was now, little by little, breaking down.
Realizing that, a question resurfaced in my mind. One I had put off again and again, never able to find the courage to ask.
Aaron Stingray.
Why are you so good to me?
Maybe, just maybe, if I asked now—he might actually answer.
Just as I was about to voice the question—
“We’ve arrived.”
“H-huh? Already?”
I quickly calmed myself and looked out the window.
The car was descending quietly into a parking lot. Once it came to a full stop, the two of us stepped outside.
I stretched out my slightly stiff body and glanced around. Judging from the atmosphere, this looked like Sector A or maybe Sector B. It wasn’t anywhere near the Academy.
The buildings were fairly low, averaging twenty to thirty stories, and the sidewalks were wide.
Around us, young people were sprawled on artificial grass lawns, reading books or playing light games of catch.
“Where are we?”
“This is West Skyline University.”
“A university? Is this related to the Foundation?”
“No, it’s a festival. Someone invited me.”
A festival?
Now that he mentioned it, I could faintly hear the boom-boom-boom of music in the distance. The event venue must have been over there.
“When I heard there was a festival here, I thought it might be useful as reference for the one you’re preparing.”
“Ah, so that’s why you brought me.”
“You can’t create a good festival by burying yourself in paperwork. It’s better to look around and learn a few things…… Or would putting it that way ease your guilt a little?”
“……Yes. A little.”
At my reply, Aaron smiled faintly and started walking toward the venue. I followed close behind.
‘I was a bit curious anyway.’
What an ordinary university festival was like.
Unlike the Academy, whose purpose was to train soldiers to fight against Mystics, universities were built purely for academic pursuit. And their “campus life” must be very different.
Just as my curiosity and excitement were building—
“Ah! I knew it, it really was you, Mr. Aaron!”
A loud, familiar voice rang out.
“……Serena?”
Sure enough, it was Serena.
But unlike me, who recognized her instantly, Serena hadn’t noticed me at all—her gaze was entirely captured by Aaron.
“I thought the vehicle flying overhead looked familiar, so I ran right over! And here you are, just as I thought—eh.”
“……”
Her dramatic lines cut short the moment she noticed me. Her expression froze instantly, and as our eyes met, I couldn’t help but frown.
West Skyline University.
So this was Serena’s university.