TPCF 34

Chapter 34

Why was he showing so much interest in her today of all days?

“So.”
He set down the cup he hadn’t taken a single sip from. The heavy clink of the cup settling on the table was always unpleasant to hear. To Anita, it was the kind of sound that signaled the start of a long, serious conversation.

And on top of that, there was nowhere to run. They were in an enclosed space with no exits, and outside, a downpour was raging.

“What’s your relationship with that guy?”

“Who?”

“The student council president.”

It was a subject she had never even considered.

“Not much.”

If you could even call it a relationship at all. He was just an upperclassman she’d exchanged a few words with. In Anita’s mind, Edmund was no different from any other stranger she might pass on the street. The only difference was that she happened to know his name.

“I think…”
He tapped the cup he’d just set down, as if trying to work up the nerve to say something difficult.

“…?”

“I don’t think he suits you.”

It was a sudden, baffling remark with no clear intent. Anita blinked rapidly, unable to understand what exactly he was trying to say.

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

Still fiddling with the cup, Rutger pushed his rain-damp hair back. Then, without moving otherwise, he stared fixedly at the floor tiles. Anyone watching might think he had suddenly developed a deep fascination with them.

She hadn’t meant to rush him, but when the silence dragged on too long, Anita found herself tapping the table with her fingers.

“He’s interested in you.”

Her fingers froze mid-tap. The moment he lifted his gaze from the floor and locked eyes with her, Anita blurted out the first thing that came to mind in her fluster.

“You? No, no—he’s interested in me?”

It was the funniest thing she’d heard all year. She couldn’t even decide whether to burst out laughing or just look completely dumbfounded.

“And why exactly do you think that?”

“Well…”

Watching him trail off again and again without finishing a single sentence was making her restless. What could possibly require this much suspense?

Anita was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable sitting here. She’d thought they might, for once, get through the day without a single argument. Apparently not.

“He’s always hanging around you.”

That was such an illogical thing to say that she almost laughed. Edmund hanging around her? Anita didn’t have many friends to compare to, but she was fairly certain most people wouldn’t consider their interactions “hanging around.”

Interest and affection weren’t always proportional to how often you met. If Anita judged her relationship with Rutger purely on the number of times they crossed paths, she could easily claim they were as close and loving as family.

But reality was different. They saw each other almost every day, their families interacted frequently, and yet sometimes they were worse than strangers.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Do you really not have any sense?”

Apparently, Rutger was just as frustrated as she was—he rubbed his forehead and leaned his head back.

He wasn’t wrong; Anita didn’t have much in the way of social intuition. What others could easily read and respond to often slipped past her, leaving her in the position of watching and guessing instead.

But this situation was different.

The one who truly lacked sense was Rutger Beilan. If there were actual, mutual feelings between her and Edmund, she could understand why Rutger might have something to say about it.

But there wasn’t. Absolutely nothing.

Anita was well aware that when it came to Rutger, she was unusually easygoing—too forgiving, too easily swayed. Even when she knew he was sometimes cold and sometimes suddenly friendly, she let it slide. She didn’t get angry, didn’t cry, didn’t call him out.

And now here he was, trying to meddle in her personal relationships.

Who did he think he was?

Maybe, because she always let him sway her without protest, she really did seem like an easy target to him.

“What do you mean?” Anita asked again, patient but firm.

“I mean he’s making moves on you.”

“And what does that have to do with me? Or with you?”

“What?”

“Let’s say he is interested in me. So what? Is that a problem?”

Anita tilted her head like she genuinely didn’t understand.

“…”

“You said he doesn’t suit me. So what kind of man does suit me?”

“Well…”

“Now that I think about it, isn’t that a strange thing to say? Do I have to ‘suit’ someone to date them? Isn’t it enough if I just like them?”

She wanted to sound as if she were asking out of pure curiosity, but her words came faster and sharper than intended, her voice rising naturally.

“…”

Anita had no intention of getting involved with Edmund, and she was sure he felt the same. But seeing Rutger so worked up about it made her want to say otherwise.

He had gone silent again, simply staring at her. That look only made her angrier—it felt like proof that he’d had no reason or purpose in saying any of this in the first place.

As always, he’d poked at her just to see her reaction, and she’d taken the bait beautifully.

“What a shame you think we don’t suit each other. I actually wanted to see where things might go.”

Drooping the corners of her mouth, Anita idly twisted the ends of her hair between her fingers.

Rutger shot to his feet so suddenly the chair screeched and clattered loudly as it fell over.

“…”

“Are you serious?”

She only shrugged.