"Didn't Ellen and Phaga come back to class?"
Outside the classroom door, a student with bandages on his face asked, tiptoeing to peek inside.
The Class President quietly shifted to the side, blocking his view. With a chuckle, he said, "No idea, they haven't returned yet. And the bell's about to ring—shouldn't you be heading back to class?"
"Ugh! But club sign-ups only last for a few days! Where could they have gone?"
Hearing that, the bandaged student slumped, realizing he was right. If he was late, he'd be in real trouble. He reluctantly shuffled off.
"Phew, finally gone!"
The Class President cast a glance at his back before closing the door. Tilting his head back, he teased, "You two are really popular, huh? Clubs are chasing you down all the way into the classroom."
Ellen and Phaga stepped out from the classroom balcony, both looking disgruntled, and returned to their seats.
"You're not wrong about that."
Ruby dragged her chair over to Ellen's desk but turned her head toward Phaga instead. "I knew Ellen was always popular, but I didn't expect this time even Phaga would be chased so eagerly."
"Totally different from the invisible person nobody noticed before."
Phaga closed his eyes. Just recalling how he'd been pursued moments ago gave him a pounding headache. Covering his head, he sighed helplessly.
"Spare me. I'm suddenly starting to miss the days of being invisible."
The Class President laughed, grabbed a chair, and plopped down in front of Phaga's desk. He pulled out his phone and set it in front of him.
"Then you'll be disappointed. Around the whole area near Lumina Square, you're already pretty famous."
"And it's not a bad reputation either. The older generation might still fear vampires, but students these days don't even watch horror movies. You're actually really popular among them."
Phaga glanced at the phone. The Class President had pulled up the [Famous Student Rankings].
In just a few days, Phaga had already climbed to second place. The comments section was filled with cheers: praise, compliments about his looks, calls to enshrine him in law, and wild fantasies about impossible futures...
Judging from the usernames, several of the top comments might have even come from male classmates.
It was absurd.
Phaga scratched his cheek. Thinking back on the enthusiasm from earlier, he wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Ah, don't think about it so much!"
Ruby whipped out her phone, showing it excitedly. "Look, I found a new restaurant that just opened. Want to go study there after school?"
She blinked at them, face full of anticipation.
Ellen smiled affectionately, slipped a lollipop into her mouth, and teased, "Studying on the first day of school? That doesn't sound like you."
"Ugh! Ellen, you're the worst!"
Ruby's protest got cut short. Her face flushed red, her eyes darting toward Phaga. Shifting uncomfortably, she mumbled, "We're just going to hang out!"
"Besides..."
Something came to mind, and Ruby's voice rose. "Isn't the entrance exam in two days? I didn't study at all this summer. At least cramming last minute is better than nothing!"
"You're right!"
The Class President tapped his fingers on the desk, smiling. "Sharpening your sword at the last minute might not be the best, but it's still useful. Phaga, want to come too?"
Me?
Phaga pointed to himself, looking stunned. He hesitated, unsure.
Just then, his phone buzzed. That special ringtone—only messages from Rina triggered it.
Without a moment's pause, Phaga checked.
Moments later, he set the phone down, stretched back in his chair, and sighed. "Sorry, can't go."
"What?!"
Ruby's curiosity flared. "Why not?"
"Ugh, overtime again."
Oh—overtime.
Ruby nodded, realizing Phaga must already have a job.
Wait a second.
That voice just now... wasn't Phaga's!
Ruby froze. That impatient tone hadn't come from the boy beside her.
It had come from Ellen across the room!
She jerked her head around, eyes wide in disbelief. In that instant, her mind reeled like it had been hit by an earthquake, the kind of revelation that could fill a thirty-thousand-word story.
But Ellen didn't notice. She stood up irritably, walked over, and patted Phaga on the shoulder.
"Hey, let's go."
"Yeah, okay."
Phaga stood as well. He waved at the Class President. "Please excuse Ellen and me, Class President!"
Then the two of them turned and disappeared down the hallway together.
"Huh~ Are those two working the same job?" The Class President rested his chin in his hand, curious.
Ruby sat blankly, murmuring without thinking, "I think so..."
The Class President suddenly remembered. "Come to think of it, didn't they come to school together?"
Ruby replied absentmindedly, "I think so..."
...
At Lumina Square, inside a maid café.
"Excuse me, please make way. Master's order: [Sky Blue Heart Thump-Thump Ding-Dong Special Drink]."
Ellen pushed the serving cart down the aisle, her face expressionless. Her left hand pressed lightly against the headset in her ear.
"Target is at Table 7? Got it."
"Mm. Keep an eye on your surroundings, Ellen."
Phaga's voice came through her earpiece, accompanied by the rapid tapping of a keyboard.
"I hacked the café's surveillance along with a few nearby shops. There are a lot of people here today, but still manageable."
"You can do that?"
Suspicious, Ellen scanned the room while also locating Phaga's position.
"Don't underestimate me. I take this job seriously. Ever since I found out Victoria Housekeeping had side work outside of chores, I started picking up skills that might be useful in the future while tutoring you."
Phaga casually stretched, making sure Ellen saw him.
"Hmph, should I praise your effort... Hey, why are you sitting there?"
Ellen spotted him.
A neat little suit, a top hat, a monocle, a white-gloved hand idly stroking the parasol at his side.
The very image of a greedy capitalist!
But that face—she knew it too well. It was Phaga!
And... he looked kind of handsome. No, wait—that wasn't the point!
The point was that he'd chosen the table right by the entrance, where anyone passing by could see his laptop!
"Privacy filters are great. Can't see anything from the side. Oh, right, daily question: what's the principle behind filters—"
Before he could finish, Ellen yanked off her headset, her face darkening. She nearly threw it to the ground and stomped on it.
That guy!!!
But after a moment's thought, she held back.
She rolled the serving cart to the target's table, setting down the omelet rice he'd ordered.
Grabbing a ketchup bottle, she spoke smoothly, "Good afternoon, Master. Here's your meal. Would you like me to add a little magic to make it extra delicious?"
The target glanced at his watch and politely declined. "No, I'm just waiting—"
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
Ellen ignored him and continued writing in ketchup across the omelet rice: [At 7th].
(At the 7 o'clock position)
The target seemed to understand. He quickly turned, cautiously pulling back the curtain for a glance outside.
Sure enough, the street was packed with people. Anyone could tell they weren't here for good.
He spun back around. He didn't know what was going on, but it was obvious Ellen was protecting him.
Sure enough, she set down a coffee cup. Floating on its surface was latte art that read [EXIT], with an arrow underneath.
(Exit)
Ellen tilted her gaze slightly, signaling him to escape that way.
"Thanks!"
His voice was steady. Without a second thought for the omelet rice, he leapt up and bolted.