CHAPTER 135: MAYBE SHE COULD TOO... BE A GIRLFRIEND, RIGHT?

"My name is Gorgo and... I would like to participate in the upcoming school festival."

Gorgo said with a soft tone, while she sat beside Leo... who, for his own reasons, was obviously ignoring her.

In fact, he tilted his head away so hard it almost looked like his neck might snap, as if pretending the wall was suddenly more attractive than any girl within a few-inch radius.

Valra frowned slightly as she looked at Gorgo with narrowed, suspicious eyes. Her voice carried that slight edge only girlfriends had mastered.

"I haven’t seen you before..."

It wasn’t like Valra knew every single student in the school... she wasn’t the class president or a walking attendance sheet—but still, this girl felt out of place.

She was... well, kind of beautiful.

Not as much as Valra herself, obviously, but still pretty enough to make boys’ heads spin like they’d just spotted free food in the cafeteria. The kind of beauty that made whispers run through the halls like wildfire.

Like how Valra herself was famous too... though she would never admit she noticed such things.

Gorgo muttered under her breath, "I am a new transfer student. Class 11-B"

"Oh?... Transfer student? At this time of year?" Valra tilted her head; she was honestly surprised. She hadn’t heard a single word about a new girl entering their school.

Valra shrugged before turning her eyes to the computer screen. "So... you want to participate in the competitions, right?"

"Yes."

Valra scrolled through the women’s category, glanced sideways at Gorgo, then said aloud, "Here’s the list of games... suitable for the 11th grade. For example: Ring Toss, Scavenger Hunt, Fashion Shows, Relay, Sack Races, Tug of wa—"

"I’d like to join the 400-meter dash race," Gorgo interrupted with a calm smile.

Valra blinked, "Of course... 400 meters... hmm, hmm... hm?" Just as her fingers tapped across the keyboard, she suddenly frowned, her typing halting mid-click. Her eyes lifted, first toward Gorgo, then flicking quickly at Leo—who was still looking away so deliberately it was almost comical.

"Is there something wrong?" Gorgo asked, tilting her head.

Valra blinked quickly, "N-No... I am just... lost in thought," she muttered with a slight frown.

Her fingers returned to the keyboard, clacking again as she tried to focus, though her gaze betrayed her... sliding sideways, almost impossible while typing as her eye turned to the side... catching Gorgo sneaking quick glances at Leo, like a thief testing if the shopkeeper was watching.

Valra’s lips twitched... Dangerous territory!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

The sound of her fingers pounding the keyboard grew louder, sharper, like miniature hammers of judgment.

Gorgo blinked at the sudden change, tilting her head again, watching Valra’s typing turn from casual to angry essay submission at midnight.

Finally—

"Done... your name is included in the competition." Valra’s voice carried a sweet smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

"Oh? Done that fast?" Gorgo asked with a surprised expression.

"Yes, that’s what I’m here for," Valra said, her tone blunt as a knife dropped on a table. "Now you can leave."

Gorgo hesitated, biting her lip as her eyes darted toward Leo. Her words were soft as she said, "She said we should leave."

Leo and Valra flinched at the exact same time.

"Oi! I told you to leave, not him," Valra clarified with a dangerous tone.

Ophis, who was sitting comfortably on Leo’s lap, looked confused by the sudden dynamic.

Honestly, the only reason she had stayed silent was because of the stranger’s presence. Otherwise, she would have already lashed out at that Valra girl who had tricked her before. But... for some reason, something else was going on here.

Gorgo blinked innocently as she turned her eyes toward Valra. "He is done with what he came here for, right?"

"Of course not!" Valra replied quickly, her lips curling into a smirk.

She already had a good idea where this was heading, and there was no way she was going to act like an idiot and admit the truth.

This girl was definitely up to something.

Gorgo tilted her head with that same curious expression. "Is that so... hmm... well, I can wait here until he finishes."

A vein bulged on Valra’s forehead as her fingers clenched tightly on the edge of the desk.

"Why do you have to wait?" she asked, forcing restraint into her voice.

Gorgo tilted her head again, this time trying to look cute, which only irritated Valra further. With a soft smile, Gorgo said, "Do I hav—"

"No, no need to answer," Valra cut her off, shaking her head firmly.

She wasn’t going to let this conversation go in circles. With a proud lift of her chin, she declared,

"I am telling you, he has a beautiful girlfriend in his big life, which is, of course... ME!

So, if you’re having filthy thoughts about my boyfriend... well, you know exactly what will happen, right?" Her eyes glinted dangerously as if she might lunge across the desk at any second.

Indirectly, she was saying... fuck off, bitch!

She wasn’t about to let any other woman get near her boyfriend. Well, except maybe that Sakura bitch and this little rat Ophis... unfortunately, those two were already exceptions she had to live with.

Gorgo blinked, her expression calm. "Oh? You are his girlfriend?" But then, her brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? Filthy thoughts? Of course, I know he has a girlfriend."

Valra blinked, taken aback as she glanced toward Leo, who sighed tiredly. He picked up a glass of water, took a slow sip, and shook his head, looking every bit like a man already used to dealing with this nonsense on a daily basis.

Valra frowned, "Then why are you following him?"

"Following?" Gorgo blinked again, her face innocent.

Leo’s lips twitched.

"I was just here to volunteer my name... is that wrong?" Gorgo asked, her voice soft and almost hurt, as though Valra had accused her of a crime.

Valra narrowed her eyes. "Then why did you say you were waiting for him?"

"Well, he’s in my same class," Gorgo replied matter-of-factly, "so I thought we could go together... like classmates? Is that wrong?" She tilted her head, her expression so innocently sweet that it was almost impossible to argue against.

Valra blinked, biting her lip. She hated to admit it, but... the girl wasn’t wrong.

Still, something about this nagged at Valra. That feeling deep in her chest told her there was more to it than just "classmates."

Valra finally sighed, exhaling her frustration as she waved her hand dismissively. "Whatever... just leave. He will come with you later."

Gorgo hummed softly before standing up, her movements slow and deliberate, as if she was trying to draw out the moment.

She turned as though to leave... only to halt mid-step, her foot tapping lightly against the floor. Her head tilted back toward them, a sly smirk curling her lips as she said, almost in a sing-song tone,

"I definitely heard... he has... girlfriendSSS... do you know what that means?"

and whispered... No, not even a whisper, just a lip moment that only Valra heard,

"Maybe I could... fu~fu~"

Cough, cough—!

Leo nearly choked on the water in his mouth. He sputtered, spitting water everywhere as his eyes widened in disbelief. He coughed hard, blinking rapidly, his gaze snapping toward her. But Gorgo didn’t say another word—she just walked away.

"She is weird," Leo muttered after finally catching his breath. He glanced back at Valra, who was really lost in horror... ’Maybe she could...? What?’

Valra’s eyes turned serious, deadly serious.

Another competitor?

But why? She was just a new student! Why hang on to her boyfriend!

Why!!

"Valra?"

"Yeah... I’ll check on her," Valra said, still eyeing the doorway Gorgo had disappeared through.

"Pardon?" Leo blinked.

"Oi..."

They both flinched at the sudden interruption and looked down... only to see Ophis, who was absolutely drenched in water thanks to Leo’s dramatic spit-take. Her hair clung to her face, dripping down her clothes.

"..."

Leo’s expression twisted into an awkward and guilty.

Valra, on the other hand, broke instantly. "Hahahahaha!" She laughed so hard she had to clutch her stomach, nearly doubling over.

Veins popped on Ophis’s forehead as her eyes glowed with fury. "YOU!!" she roared. Already furious, she now, every ounce of her wrath toward Valra.

"OUCH!!" Valra yelped as Ophis lunged.

"S-Stop it, guys!!" Leo shouted, trying and failing to pull them apart.

****

Soon after, the storm finally settled. They returned to the house. Of course, Ophis stuck to Leo while Valra went off toward her own place.

"Hmm... I haven’t seen Sakura today," Leo muttered as they walked.

Ophis was still fuming, her cheeks puffed, her eyes narrowed. She clearly hated that she had to put up with these children and their nonsense for a few more weeks.

’Shit,’ she thought bitterly, ’I’d rather deal with my father than all of this!!’

Leo pulled out his phone and dialled Sakura’s number. She picked up on the very first ring—but didn’t say a word.

"Sakura?" Leo asked.

"... Y-You finally called me!!" Sakura’s voice exploded from the other side, so loud it nearly made him drop the phone. His shoulders jolted as her words echoed in his ear. Then came the sound—sniffing, broken, shaky... Crying?

"Are you alright?" Leo asked quickly.

"N-No, it’s just... you finally called me. I-I’m so happy, S-Senior... sniff, sniff..." Her voice cracked, small and fragile, as though the world had been against her until now.

Leo’s face softened, his expression turning gentle. "Come on now... it’s not like I don’t want to call you. I just... I’d rather speak with you directly than through this phone."

"Oh? You l-love to hear my beautiful voice directly instead of over the phone? So sweet, Senior!" Sakura’s tone flipped in an instant, her sniffles blending into sudden teasing.

Leo blinked, ’Well... that could be said like that, right?’ he thought, shaking his head slowly. He then asked why she hadn’t arrived at school today.

"W-Well, cough, cough... I kind of had a mild cold so..."

"I see... well, take care. And if you need anything, you can call me anytime, okay?" Leo said with a sincere tone.

"Really? You will come at any time?"

Leo chuckled softly, "Of course, at anytime."

"Heheh... I-I love you!!" she blurted out suddenly, before cutting the call without giving him a chance to reply.

Leo blinked in surprise, then let out a small laugh. Shaking his head with a faint smile, he slid his phone back into his pocket and turned to find Ophis staring straight at him.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"...Nothing." Ophis shrugged, but her steps quickened as she walked forward.