Aria walked back toward her classroom, her expression unreadable. The echoes of the courtyard still lingered in her ears—voices clashing, doubts, and defenses—but she didn't let any of it show. She had done what she came to do.
But just before she reached the door of Batch 5, a tall figure stepped into her path.
Zorvath.
His sharp gaze locked onto her, and he didn't waste a second. "I need to ask you something."
Aria's steps faltered, but she quickly straightened, brushing past him as if she hadn't heard. "Not now."
But Zorvath's hand shot out, catching her wrist. His grip was firm but not cruel. "Stop this childishness. Tell me—how are you planning to invest?"
Aria froze, her jaw tightening. She kept her eyes averted. "That's none of your concern."
Zorvath's voice dropped, low and edged with frustration. "Don't play games with me, Aria. You think you can fool everyone, but not me. How are you going to manage this?"
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Aria's lips pressed together, her pride refusing to give him an answer. But when she saw the storm flickering in his eyes, she exhaled slowly and muttered:
"I have some savings. And… I have jewelry. I can take care of it."
Zorvath's expression shifted—shock, anger, disbelief all at once. "Jewelry? Are you insane? You'd throw away things like that for this café?"
Aria pulled back slightly, her voice firmer now. "It's my decision. I said I can take care of it."
The air between them crackled with argument—her calm defiance against his barely contained rage.
Finally, after a tense pause, Zorvath let out a sharp breath. His grip loosened, though his eyes still burned into hers. "Fine. Do what you want. But listen to me carefully—this debt will be paid off by me."
Aria blinked, caught off guard, but she didn't answer. She knew if she argued, it would spiral into another pointless fight. So instead, she stayed quiet.
Zorvath released her wrist, turning away, his long strides carrying him toward the stairs that led to the rooftop.
But just before he disappeared, aria's voice cut through the corridor again.
"Come back. We have class."
He pivoted sharply, making a sudden U-turn, his presence filling the hallway again as he walked beside her.
Aria rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, but stepped back into the classroom.
Zorvath followed, silent, yet the unspoken weight of their conversation lingered in the air.
Zorvath and Aria entered the class together. The moment they stepped inside, Zorvath drifted to the back bench and sat down, his piercing gaze never leaving her. Aria tried to ignore it as she counted the seats. Two were still empty.
Just as she was about to ask, the missing students appeared at the doorway—it was Rizwan and Miki. Miki offered her a small smile before quietly slipping to her seat. Rizwan, however, paused. Just before sitting down, he turned back with a bright grin.
"Nice speech," he said.
Heat crept into Aria's cheeks. She shyly returned the smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and lowering her gaze. But when she looked up again, Zorvath was staring at her from the back row, unreadable as ever. The moment tightened the air around her, so she quickly shifted her attention back to the class.
"I hope everyone has completed your homework. Is there anyone who couldn't?" she asked.
Three students rose at once, voices overlapping with complaints that the question was too tough, spilling excuses in a jumble. Aria listened patiently, then nodded.
"Fine. Instead of whining, help each other and get it done," she instructed.
Her steps carried her slowly toward the back benches. And there, lounging with his usual careless air, sat Zorvath. His notebook was conspicuously empty. Aria's pace slowed, and finally she stopped right in front of him, her eyes narrowing as she stared.
Sighing, Aria turned on her heel, raising her voice just enough for the whole class to hear.
"Everyone, help each other, please! I have something to deal with."
The chatter settled as she spun back to face Zorvath. Her eyes flashed with anger.
"Are you special? You're not special here. Everyone is treated equally. If you didn't do your homework, why didn't you just say it from the start?"
Zorvath leaned back lazily, his gaze unwavering. "I didn't understand."
Aria crossed her arms tightly. "If you didn't understand, then you should have admitted it right away instead of sitting there like nothing's wrong."
But Zorvath didn't budge. His lips curved slightly, stubborn. "I said I didn't understand. That makes it your fault, not mine."
Her temper flared. "Excuse me? I'm not your teacher. I'm just a classmate trying to help. If you actually want to study, then cooperate. If not—fine."
Zorvath closed his book with a snap and shifted as if to stand, his body language daring her to stop him.
Aria's hand shot out, pressing against his desk. Her voice dropped, firm and steady.
"If you don't pass the exam, it won't just be your problem. Almost all of your friends will be affected by it. Think about that before walking away."
The tension between them thickened, the rest of the class sneaking glances but not daring to interrupt.
Zorvath's chair scraped against the floor as he sank back into his seat with a sigh, his jaw tight.
"Good," Aria said firmly, straightening. "After class, meet me. I'll explain the homework to you once more."
Without waiting for his response, she turned and walked to the front row. Her calm voice carried across the room again.
"I hope now everyone understands yesterday's homework. And the class we covered yesterday should be clear by now. Since I'm honestly tired of teaching today,"—her lips curved faintly as she scanned the room—"let me hand over the job to someone else."
Her gaze swept over the students before settling. "Yes… Rizwan. He's good at math, I think. So come on, Rizwan—teach us some basics."
A few students chuckled. Rizwan grinned, shaking his head but rising from his seat with no real protest. He strolled to the front, grabbing the chalk. "Fine, fine. Don't blame me if you all get bored."
Aria smiled lightly and slipped into an empty bench near the middle row. But barely two seconds later, a tall shadow slid in beside her. Zorvath.
She didn't argue, didn't even look at him. Just rolled her eyes and turned her attention toward the blackboard. Rizwan had already started scribbling numbers across it, his confident voice filling the room.
But Zorvath's eyes never left her. Every now and then, their glances collided, and each time Aria felt her composure crack a little. Finally, she leaned closer, whispering under her breath.
"Can you please stop it?"
His lips curved with a hint of mischief. "Stop what? Looking at you?"
"Yes," Aria hissed, her face heating.
"Can't I?" His voice was low, almost teasing.
"No."
Zorvath chuckled quietly, a deep, amused sound that earned a few curious glances from the nearest students. Then, as if nothing happened, he leaned back in his seat, finally turning his gaze toward the board.
But Rizwan's tone had shifted. Though he continued teaching, there was a subtle sharpness in his voice, as if every number he wrote on the board carried an edge. His back was stiff, his words a little too clipped. Anyone paying close attention could sense it.