“Quick, listen to me! That loser who’s all over Viloti is bothering her again!”
“Ugh, that’s so gross.”
In the student council room, several girls in school uniforms gathered for a gossip session.
The white stockings and skin peeking from beneath their skirts radiated youthful charm.
“Senpai, you think he’s out of line too, right?”
Everyone’s eyes turned towards the center of the room, where the student council president, Adeline Claude, was seated.
Her waist-length rose-tinted hair swayed gently as she moved, and her soft grey eyes lifted in a warm gaze.
Properly seated, her white uniform skirt draped elegantly around her.
“Miss Viloti from Saint Andros Academy, is it? I’m not really aware of off-campus happenings.”
Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a dreamy glow on her delicate features.
She sipped her black tea, her soft pink lips gracing the rim of the cup.
“But,” she placed the cup down with a gentle smile, “everyone has their own struggles, don’t they?”
“Just like you, Adeline! Even with someone like him, you’re so kind.”
“Why don’t we let him chase after Adeline instead? That’d be way better than chasing after Viloti.”
“Are you out of your mind? Adeline can’t be sullied by someone like him!”
The student council room erupted with laughter again.
As the school bell rang, they exchanged goodbyes.
Adeline tidied up everything on the table, locked the office door, and carried her bag through the school building.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared around the corner—a tall man standing in front of a poster, obscured from sight.
“Did you wait long?”
“Not at all! No matter how long, I’m thrilled to wait, especially for you, Miss Adeline.”
Filin’s face beamed with a classic grin.
This smile was the result of a thousand practice sessions in front of the mirror at night.
There was no way it would come off as creepy or insincere.
“What are you looking at?”
Adeline leaned closer to Filin, peering at the wall.
There hung a poster of the Seiva campus flower rankings, a mystery as to who had put it up.
Two of the most famous figures from Saint Andros Academy and Lanche Academy were flashing in the top spot.
“First place, is me and… Viloti?”
Technically, you’re in second place; Viloti has one more vote than you.
Of course, Filin didn’t dare say that out loud.
“I have one less vote than Viloti??? How is that possible?”
Adeline’s voice remained gentle, but Filin could feel the room’s temperature drop dramatically.
She elegantly turned, a flawless smile plastered on her face, yet Filin noticed her fingers tightly clutching her skirt, knuckles whitening.
“Filin, do you find this ranking fair?”
“Uh… Well, it’s just something students filled out randomly…”
“That vote… wasn’t from you just now, was it?”
Filin was baffled.
Why did this warm, lovely girl sound almost like a spoiled child, giving him the chills?
“No way! I totally voted for Miss Adeline. I even got my whole family involved in voting!”
“But you’re the only one in your family who can move, right?”
“Touché.”
Adeline Claude.
Student Council President, exemplary student representative, and the number one girl everyone at Lanche Academy wants to date.
If there’s anyone who can showcase gentleness and perfection to the max, it’s definitely Adeline.
After club activities, she prepares everyone tea, and during exam season, she hosts study sessions for juniors.
Having come from a prestigious background, Adeline has been nurtured since childhood, trained by numerous great teachers, and boasts unwavering confidence in herself.
No matter what she participates in, she always lands in the top spot.
Clients hire Filin for all sorts of bizarre reasons.
But no one is more tedious than Adeline.
At just six years old, she lost her bid for class president in kindergarten.
Her first failure, and the only one to date.
Adeline still remembers that scene—the new transfer student with pink hair was ridiculously popular.
When they tied in votes, the last student to vote chose pinky rather than Adeline.
She lost.
Having never experienced failure, Adeline couldn’t shake off that defeat even after more than a decade, so she hired Filin to play the role of that final voter.
She made Filin repeatedly whisper how he had fallen for her and regretted his choice.
This was to prove that the blemish on Adeline’s life was due to the other guy’s blindness, not her flaws.
What a tragedy.
Once again, here she was, holding onto yet another play of regret, all because of this absolute nonsense.
Filin only remembered how he loved squeezing the faces of his female classmates in kindergarten. What’s the use of being class president if you can’t squeeze more?
“Honestly, I’m not concerned about ranking in something so silly. I just can’t believe I’d rank lower than Viloti!”
Filin looked at the girl in front of him, guessing she might be angry?
This was the first time he saw someone actually pout when angry.
“Don’t you think so?”
“Absolutely not! In my eyes, Adeline is number one.”
“Then why did you vote for Viloti?”
“I’m sorry, Adeline! I was blinded at the time and didn’t realize that the most amazing person in the world was right beside me! I really regret it now.”
Filin looked down, biting his lip, with a glimmer of tears in his eyes, there was genuine panic in his expression.
The tears were fake, but the panic was real.
Just three days ago, Adeline let something slip while drunk—that pink-haired girl who took her class president reign from her was actually Viloti.
Why on earth, with such a big Seiva, do you have to hold a grudge?
If he had known that the client’s social circles overlapped, Filin would have never taken this job.
Right now, he felt like a legendary double-agent, holding a bowl of chicken soup, waiting to be invited in.
Fortunately, Viloti’s contract wrapped up successfully with no explosions.
If Adeline found out, she’d assume he was using her money to pursue Viloti.
Filin’s lashes fluttered; just imagining the outcome sent chills down his spine.
Seeing Filin’s face reminded Adeline of the boy from her childhood.
That pesky last voter for Viloti was none other than little Filin.
Although Adeline and Filin weren’t close, and had never even spoken, she would never forget that heartbreak.
She absolutely had to make Filin pay!
“Do you really regret it that much?”
“Of course! I’m regretting that moment at every chance.”
“Liar.”
Adeline said softly.
She noticed Filin completely forgot about their childhood and realized that this whole revenge plot seemed to matter only to her.
Though, it truly was only her concern.
Adeline turned her head, her rose-tinted hair creating an elegant arc.
Boom!
Filin caught the glimmer of disappointment in Adeline’s eyes. Who knew her being in a bad mood could lead to him doing something reckless?
He immediately stepped forward, went down on one knee, and looked up at Adeline.
“Adeline, I no longer like Viloti. I finally understand, it’s always been you in my heart.”
Starting with a direct zero-frame confession, hitting hard.
“W-What…?”
Adeline frequently made Filin enact such scenarios, but it was the first time he said Viloti’s name in front of her.
That extremely genuine thrill was slightly addicting.
Like walking in a winter coat for four hours in summer, only to spot a shower and an endless supply of ice cream.
“Please give me another chance,” Filin gently kissed the back of Adeline’s hand and whispered, “Just being by your side is enough.”
Adeline felt a shiver run through her, the hairs on her arms stood on end, and her heart raced rapidly, threatening to burst from her chest.
Adeline bit her lip, striving to maintain her composure, at least not to lose her cool in front of Filin, not realizing her ears were already turning hot.
She scoffed, withdrew her hand, and marched out of the school.
Filin quickly followed, pulling a poster from his pocket.
“What’s that for?”
In the poster, Adeline’s name was highlighted with a huge circle.
Next to it were the words “World’s Number One Beauties.”
“In my heart, you are number one,” Filin fixed his serious gaze on Adeline.
“Wha…?”
So that’s what Filin was doing in front of the poster.
A blush crept up on the girl’s face as she snatched the poster and folded it without even looking.
“Immature!”
That idiot.
If only this were just a staged play with no money involved, how nice that would be, Adeline thought.
Looking down on her childhood self and choosing someone else. Only growing up to realize that she was far superior to anyone else, and then starting to regret it, drowning in tears.
Roar!
What a refreshing narrative.
Adeline took a couple of hops, then smacked her face to calm down.
Surely, these things aren’t supposed to happen. After all, how could the down-and-out noble Filin possibly be connected to Viloti?
