Chapter 133: Noah can’t get five minutes of peace.

Noah had made a decision. It wasn’t a good decision, and it wasn’t a responsible decision either, but it was a decision all the same.

He wasn’t going to tell Yume, Luna, or Iris anything about his engagement to Aria and Ren. At least not that day.

’I need time.’

He walked down one of the high school hallways with his backpack hanging from one shoulder. Inside it was the folder Aria had given him that day.

That same folder that held the legal document stating that after he finished his studies, he would marry Aria and Ren.

’First I have to figure out how to explain it properly.’

He pulled out his phone and saw seventeen new messages. Noah closed his eyes.

’And I need to do it when the three of them are calm.’

He opened the group chat and looked at the messages that had come in. The first one was from Yume.

[Where are you?]

The second was from Luna.

[I saw you go into the north building.]

And the third from Iris.

[I’m close.]

Noah stopped walking and looked around.

’Close to where?’

A new message from Iris appeared.

[Look behind you.]

Noah froze and slowly turned around, seeing Iris standing a few meters away, watching him.

Noah smiled nervously.

"H-Hey..."

Iris walked up to him.

"Hey."

"How long have you been there?"

"A while."

"What’s ’a while’ mean?"

"Long enough."

Noah felt a small shiver.

"Long enough for what?"

Iris looked at his backpack.

"What’s in there?"

Noah instinctively gripped the strap.

"N-Nothing."

Iris raised an eyebrow.

"That sounded suspicious."

"No, you’re imagining things."

"That answer is suspicious."

"No, of course not."

"Yes, it is. Very much the ’trying to hide something’ type."

Noah started walking, and Iris followed.

"Why are you protecting the backpack?"

"I’m not protecting it."

"You’re holding onto it like your life depends on it."

Hearing those words, Noah couldn’t help thinking,

’She’s not that far off...’

"That’s because it’s a backpack, Iris."

"And before you saw Aria it wasn’t a backpack?"

Noah sighed.

’First problem.’

Iris stepped closer.

"Is it something Aria gave you?"

Noah stumbled slightly, which Iris noticed.

"So you are hiding something."

"I didn’t say anything!"

"Your face did."

"You can’t just jump to conclusions from someone’s face."

"Your expressions give you away."

Noah started walking faster, and so did Iris.

"What did she give you?"

"Just some... documents."

"What documents?"

"They’re... about some things."

"That doesn’t tell me anything."

"Exactly."

Iris narrowed her eyes, but before she could keep asking, a voice called out from the other end of the hallway.

"Noah!"

Noah closed his eyes.

’Second problem.’

Yume came running toward them, and when she reached Noah she immediately latched onto his arm.

"Found you."

"Hey, Yume."

She looked at Iris.

"Iris."

"Yume."

Yume glanced down and noticed Iris was walking a little too close to Noah, so she tightened her grip on his arm a bit more.

"What were you two doing?"

"Talking."

Iris answered.

"About what?"

"About his backpack."

Noah turned quickly.

"About nothing important."

Yume looked at the backpack, then at Noah.

"What’s in there?"

Noah pressed his lips together.

’Thanks, Iris.’

"Class materials."

Iris looked at him, and Noah looked back at her almost pleadingly.

’Iris, don’t...’

Iris kept watching him.

’Please.’

Iris finally looked away.

"Yeah. Materials."

Noah let out a breath, but Yume was still suspicious.

"Why do you seem so nervous after talking to Aria?"

Noah felt his heart take another hit.

"N-Nervous? Me?"

"Yes."

"I’m not nervous."

"You took forever to answer my messages."

"I was busy."

"With what?"

"With..."

Noah looked around.

"Studying."

Yume stared at him hard.

"You studied?"

"Yes."

"What subject?"

Noah went quiet. Iris looked at him along with Yume, and he opened his mouth.

"A hard subject."

Yume frowned.

"That’s not what I asked you."

"Wasn’t it? Wow, my bad."

"Noah!"

Another voice came from behind, and Noah didn’t need to turn around.

’And here comes the third one.’

Luna appeared, walking with her usual calm, but the look in her eyes made it clear she’d been searching for him.

"Finally found you."

Yume looked at her.

"We found him first."

Luna raised an eyebrow.

"We?"

Iris pointed at Noah.

"I was first."

Yume looked at Iris.

"That doesn’t matter."

"It does matter."

Luna walked up to Noah.

"What’s going on?"

"Nothing."

Noah answered, but the three of them stared at him, so he corrected himself.

"We were talking."

"About his backpack."

Iris added. Noah closed his eyes, and Luna looked at the backpack.

"What’s in it?"

"Nothing!"

The three of them went silent, and Noah realized the mistake immediately. Yume slowly let go of his arm.

"Now I really want to know."

Luna held out a hand.

"Give it here."

Noah took a step back.

"No."

Iris pointed at him.

"That’s what I did."

"And?"

"He wouldn’t give it to me."

Luna nodded.

"Then there’s something inside."

"There’s nothing!"

Yume held out her hand.

"Noah."

"No."

"I just want to look."

"I said no."

"Why?"

"Because I have a right to privacy."

The three of them went still, and Noah nodded to himself.

’Nice. Good argument.’

Luna was the first to respond.

"Correct."

Noah relaxed while Yume sighed.

"Fine."

Iris also stepped back.

"Alright."

Noah smiled.

’It worked!’

Then Luna added,

"But I’m going to assume Aria gave you something."

Noah stopped smiling, and Yume turned toward her.

"Aria?"

Iris nodded.

"I think so too."

Yume slowly turned back to Noah.

"Did Aria give you something?"

Noah started walking.

"W-We’ve got class. We should go..."

Yume followed him.

"Don’t change the subject."

"I’m not changing the subject. Seriously."

Iris walked behind them.

"He’s running away."

Luna moved to his other side.

"That’s not a good sign."

"I’m not running away."

The three of them started walking alongside him, so he ended up trapped in the middle. Yume grabbed his arm again.

"Did Aria try to kiss you again?"

"What? No."

Luna asked,

"Did she propose again?"

Noah stopped breathing for a second. Iris noticed.

"Noah."

"What?"

"You just froze at that question."

"You’re seriously imagining a lot of things, Iris."

"You’re not going to fool me with that."

Yume’s eyes went wide.

"She proposed to you?!"

"Not exactly."

Noah froze.

’Idiot!’

The three of them went quiet. Luna was the first to speak.

"What does ’not exactly’ mean?"

"It doesn’t mean anything."

Yume started tugging lightly on his arm.

"Talk!"

Iris watched his expression.

"He’s hiding something."

"I’m not hiding anything!"

Luna reached for the backpack again.

"Then show it."

Noah jumped back.

"No!"

The movement was way too obvious. The three of them’s expressions changed, and Noah looked at them.

’Run.’

Not yet. First he had to try something smarter.

"It’s not what you’re thinking."

Yume crossed her arms.

"And what are we thinking?"

Noah opened his mouth, but he had no answer. Iris spoke.

"I think Aria did something."

Luna nodded.

"I think so too."

Yume looked at Noah.

"And you’re trying to hide it."

"That’s an accusation."

"Yeah, and?"

"You don’t have any proof."

Luna looked at the backpack.

"The proof is right there."

Noah hugged the backpack against his chest.

"As long as you don’t see it, you don’t have proof."

There was a silence, and Noah immediately realized he’d just admitted too much.

’Run now.’

He turned and ran.

"NOAH!"

This had just turned into a hunt.