CHAPTER 107: INTERESTING IDEAS FOR COLLUSION

Alaric let his gaze pierce directly at Edward. A few students who had been casually walking by began to slow their steps, pretending to look for a reason to linger around the area, clearly waiting to see if the tension would explode into something dramatic.

Alaric wasn’t in a rush. He knew this wasn’t about who would react the fastest, but about who could hold the tension the longest. The thin smile on his face didn’t fade. It looked more like a diagonal slash—mocking, cold. He seemed perfectly calm, as if he were savoring every second of this game.

On the other hand, Edward was growing increasingly uneasy, even though his expression remained stiff, trying to appear composed. The stares from people around him made it impossible for him to just back off or walk away. That would be as good as admitting defeat. So he straightened his back further, trying to project strength. But his eyes... were blinking more often than usual.

Alaric finally began to move.

He walked slowly around Edward, like a predator sizing up its prey. The click of Alaric’s shoes against the marble floor echoed rhythmically, only adding to the suffocating tension. Edward followed the movement with his eyes, subtly adjusting his stance to avoid being fully circled.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Edward finally spoke up, his voice sharper than before. He even swatted away Alaric’s hand when the latter pretended to reach for his shoulder. That defensive gesture only made Alaric’s smile widen.

"Ohh..." Alaric murmured, as if discovering a new toy. He lowered his head and let out a soft chuckle, then looked back up at Edward, his eyes glinting strangely. "So this is what it feels like."

That smug grin held a strange sense of satisfaction. Watching Edward visibly rattled, rather than being the one doing the rattling. Was a rare delight. Alaric could sense the shift in energy. Edward was finally becoming wary. And inside Alaric, something stirred. A small rush of adrenaline, a buried craving to retaliate finally surfacing. And the best part? This was only the beginning.

Edward, who was usually the first to strike, now found himself in a defensive stance. He wasn’t backing down, but he also didn’t know what to do. His eyes flickered with confusion, mixed with a growing uncertainty.

Alaric stopped right in front of him again. This time, he didn’t say a word. He just let the moment hang in the air for several long, drawn-out seconds.

Edward swallowed hard. "What do you think you’re doing?"

Alaric raised an eyebrow and glanced off to the side. His gaze locked onto something across the hall, a student walking delicately near the decorative campus pool. The figure caught several stares, including Alaric’s.

And then, an idea struck him. An idea that was bold, mischievous, and wildly absurd but too tempting not to act on. His smile widened. Whatever he was planning, Edward would never see it coming until it was too late.

Alaric looked back at Edward, this time with eyes that seemed to say, "You have no idea what’s about to happen to you." And that was the most delicious part. Letting Edward stew in his own suspicion, while Alaric hadn’t even made his real move yet.

He clapped his hands softly, the sound lightly echoing across the bustling hall. His head tilted slightly as his gaze sharpened toward the far end of the area—just beside the pool. It was a popular hangout spot, often used by students to chill, chat, or take pictures.

There stood a student with a striking appearance: a slim frame, a graceful gait, and a pastel-colored headband perched delicately on his head. The sight alone was enough to draw eyes.

The student looked back, initially confused. His expression said it all: *Why me?* But Alaric lifted a hand, waving his fingers in a friendly, casual gesture. There was no pressure, no aggression. Just the vibe of someone inviting an old friend over.

Edward, standing beside Alaric, immediately sensed something was off. The moment he noticed where Alaric’s eyes were directed, his expression shifted. His eyes widened, just for a second, before he quickly masked it with a stony face. But inside, his thoughts were racing: *No way... he’s not seriously about to drag me into something with him, is he?*

His jaw tightened. His brow furrowed. Edward knew Alaric wasn’t the type to make a scene in public. If this were a fight, a shove, a shouting match. Edward could handle that. He even excelled at it. Stirring up drama while staying in control had always been his specialty. But if this was something subtle and humiliating, something involving reputation and pride. Then Edward knew he could be utterly destroyed.

"No way..." he muttered under his breath, just as Alaric suddenly grabbed his arm.

Edward had been about to turn and walk away. His polished designer shoes were ready to pivot him out of the situation. But Alaric’s grip, gentle yet firm, stopped him. Without saying a word, he began guiding Edward toward the soft-stepping student who was now halfway across the hall.

Edward’s body followed unwillingly. And strangely enough, the closer they got, the less control he seemed to have. It felt as if a thin fog had settled over his mind, numbing his natural reactions. He could still breathe, he was still conscious. He could see and hear... yet his body wasn’t resisting. Wasn’t pushing back.

With a victorious gleam in his eyes, Alaric linked Edward’s hand with the student’s.

Edward’s cold fingers brushed against the soft palm of the other boy. The student flinched slightly, eyes widening in surprise but Alaric leaned in just a bit, whispering something in a low, mischievous tone.

"Go on," he said with a smirk. "This is your moment. Time to get even. You remember how he used to mock you, don’t you? Now you get to return the favor. Just hold his hand. Walk him around. Let everyone see. Trust me, he has no idea what’s happening. Think of it as a little gift from fate."

The student stared at Alaric, trying to gauge whether he was being set up. But the convincing look in Alaric’s eyes and the fact that Edward just stood there, silent and motionless. Chipped away at his doubts. Normally, Edward would’ve been loud, arrogant, and impossible to ignore. But now... nothing.

The boy’s body trembled faintly, and a slow, meaningful smile spread across his face. In his mind, he whispered one thing: *Who could resist a chance like this?*

He didn’t care if he’d end up as gossip. People already talked about him anyway. He had never been ashamed of how he walked, or the way he acted. That was just who he was.

But Edward?

Just imagining the look on his face once he snapped out of this was enough to make the student want to burst out laughing.

Alaric took a step back, folding his arms as he observed the unfolding scene with pure satisfaction. He wanted to enjoy every second of this—the moment his little plan started working. Edward, always so proud and untouchable, was about to become the campus’s newest punchline.

And the best part? Edward couldn’t fight back.

Deril clasped Edward’s hand with unshakable confidence, swinging it back and forth like a couple strolling in a park.

The bunny-ear headband atop his head bobbed with every step, bouncing lightly as they walked. Several students exiting the hall turned their heads, wearing expressions that were hard to interpret.

Edward, still under some invisible trance, allowed his hand to be held without resistance. His face remained blank, his steps straight, as if this were all completely normal.

And somehow, that calm demeanor made the whole thing even more surreal. From a distance, it wouldn’t be too hard to believe they were an actual quirky couple who didn’t care what the world thought.

"Hey, Deril..." a girl’s voice broke through the scene. She looked at Deril with a raised eyebrow and a teasing tone. "Who’s that you’re walking with? Looks like your boyfriend or something."

Laughter bubbled up from her group of friends. They covered their mouths, whispering among themselves, but their eyes stayed glued to Deril and Edward.

Rather than shrinking back, Deril smiled brightly. He paused, turned to the girl, and replied without missing a beat, "Oh, he’s just a friend." Then, tapping Edward’s hand playfully, he added in a deliberately flirty tone, "But you know... friends with *extra* chemistry."

The crowd broke out into whoops and laughter. A few students whistled, others struggled to hold back their chuckles. And the more Edward stayed silent, the more the attention intensified.

With absolute composure, Deril led Edward toward the campus cafeteria. They were quickly becoming the hottest spectacle on campus. Like a live comedy show happening in real-time. And before they even reached the door, the story had already spread.

Once they sat down, Deril immediately opened his phone to order food from the campus app. Edward, on the other hand, simply sat still, across the table.

From the outside, it was a bizarre sight: the flamboyant student known for his soft demeanor, sharing a meal with the famously cold, arrogant, and high status Edward. Two worlds that should never have collided now sat across from each other, as if this was all perfectly normal.

"Brooo..." came a loud, cheerful voice from behind. Two of Edward’s friends, Tedy and Yefi, appeared, wearing expressions of absolute disbelief. They walked up and clapped Edward on the shoulder with exaggerated enthusiasm.