Chapter 107: Luna Going Straight to Ask for Noah.
Luna had a pretty clear idea of what she wanted to do during the break, which was to find Noah.
She did not need anything important from him, or at least that was what she was trying to tell herself.
She simply wanted to see him, since several hours had passed since classes began and they had barely been able to talk to him.
Besides, after what had happened at the café and the time they had spent together, Luna had discovered that it was becoming harder and harder for her to act as though Noah were only a classmate.
That did not mean she could approach him however she wanted, since they still had a secret relationship, one that Yume still knew nothing about.
That detail was precisely the problem Luna had been trying to solve for several days.
’I won’t be able to hide it forever.’
She left the classroom and began walking down the hallway.
She knew where Noah usually spent the breaks or, at least, she knew several places where she might find him.
First, she would check near his classroom, then the cafeteria and, if he was not there, she would look in one of the outdoor areas.
It did not seem complicated until she saw a head of pink hair approaching from the other end of the hallway.
Luna stopped, and so did Yume.
The two of them watched each other for several seconds, and Yume was the first to speak.
"Hello."
"Hello."
The greeting was polite, but nothing more, and Yume looked toward the classroom behind Luna.
"What are you doing around here?"
"Walking."
"I see."
Luna looked in the direction Yume had come from.
"And you?"
"Same."
"I understand."
Silence fell as the two remained still, and Yume narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Are you looking for someone?"
"No."
The answer came out too quickly, so Yume fell silent and Luna looked at her.
"And you?"
"Neither am I."
Now it was Luna who remained silent, and the two of them stared at each other.
’She’s looking for Noah.’
Yume thought exactly the same thing.
"Well."
Yume said.
"I’ll keep walking."
"Me too."
They went their separate ways.
Luna headed toward Noah’s classroom, and Yume took another hallway.
After approximately three minutes, Luna confirmed that Noah was not in his classroom.
Ren was not there either, which she found a little strange.
She decided to head toward the vending machines, but as she rounded a corner, she ran into Yume again.
The two of them stopped once more.
Yume looked behind Luna and then looked at her.
"What a coincidence."
"Yes."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I wasn’t looking for anything."
"Of course."
Luna kept a calm expression.
"And you?"
"Neither was I."
"Then you didn’t find anything either."
Yume frowned slightly.
"Exactly."
They walked past each other.
Luna headed toward the vending machines and Yume continued toward another area, but five minutes later they ran into each other again in front of a staircase.
Yume stopped, as did Luna, and this time neither of them greeted the other, but Yume crossed her arms.
"This is getting weird."
"I agree."
"Are you following me?"
"No."
"We’ve crossed paths three times."
"That makes you suspicious too."
"I got here first."
"I was coming downstairs."
"That doesn’t prove anything."
"I could say the same about you."
Yume let out a small sigh.
"Are you looking for Noah?"
Luna remained silent, so Yume watched her closely and Luna decided not to lie.
"Yes."
Yume narrowed her eyes.
"I knew it."
"You too?"
"Yes."
Luna nodded.
"Then we don’t need to pretend anymore."
"I wasn’t pretending."
"You lied to me."
"So did you."
Yume remained silent for a second.
"That’s not important."
"Then stop bringing it up."
Yume looked at her in annoyance, but Luna did not look away, and the tension between them increased.
It was not the first time.
Ever since Noah had started dating Yume and ever since Luna had grown closer to him, small confrontations had become common.
The difference was that now Luna knew something Yume did not, and that made every argument more uncomfortable.
Yume spoke first.
"Why are you looking for him?"
"I wanted to see him."
The direct answer caught Yume by surprise.
"Just that?"
"Yes."
"That sounds strange."
"It doesn’t sound strange to me."
"But it does to me."
"Why?"
"Because he’s my boyfriend."
Luna felt an immediate surge of irritation, but she held it back.
"I know."
"Then you understand why it seems strange to me that you want to find him just to see him."
"We’re close."
"I’d say a little too close for my liking."
Luna narrowed her eyes slightly.
"That’s not for you to decide."
Yume frowned.
"When it comes to my boyfriend, I do have the right to be concerned."
"I didn’t say you didn’t."
"Then you should understand."
"I understand your jealousy."
Yume’s eyes widened slightly.
"Jealousy? I’m not jealous."
Luna watched her.
"Yes, you are."
"Of course I’m not."
"You’re looking for him all over the school."
"So are you."
"I never denied being jealous."
Yume froze at those words, and Luna immediately realized what she had just said.
’Damn it, that slipped out!’
Yume looked at her much more carefully.
"What did you say?"
Luna remained silent, so Yume continued.
"Did you just say you’re jealous?"
"I didn’t say exactly that."
"Yes, you did."
"I said I wasn’t denying it."
"That practically means the same thing."
Yume took a step toward her.
"Luna."
"Yume."
"Don’t change the subject."
"I’m not changing anything."
"Then answer me."
Luna watched her, seeing that she was clearly upset, but she also seemed worried.
Luna could keep avoiding the subject.
She could use another curt answer, tease her a little, say she had only been speaking in general, and that was what she would have done a few weeks ago, but she was tired of it.
She had agreed to a secret relationship with Noah on the condition that sooner or later they would talk to Yume.
So far, that moment had never come, and Luna knew perfectly well that part of the blame was hers.
She did not want to lose Noah, but she did not want to keep hiding either.
’I won’t beat around the bush.’
Luna breathed slowly.
"We can talk somewhere else."
Yume frowned.
"About what?"
"About Noah."
Yume’s expression changed.
"What about Noah?"
"Not here."
Yume hesitated for a few seconds, but then nodded.
"Fine."
The two of them went down the stairs and found a quiet area beside one of the buildings, away from the groups of students.
It was not completely private, but no one was close enough to hear them, so Yume crossed her arms.
"Talk."
Luna stood in front of her and said nothing for several seconds, so Yume began to grow impatient.
"Luna."
"I’m thinking about how to say it."
"That doesn’t reassure me."
"I know."
Luna looked directly at Yume.
"Would you ever agree to share Noah?"
Luna decided to go straight to the point in what she hoped would be a tense conversation.