Aeris quickly looked away and walked calmly toward his chosen seat. As he passed her, it felt nothing like his previous life.
In the past life, drawn to someone for the first time, he readily made his move and went straight to Freya asking if he could sit with her.
Naturally, she rejected him coldly—she had already reserved that seat for her best friend.
Aeris didn't hold a grudge. He simply walked away with a good attitude and chose a seat behind her.
And that was how he met his best friend, Leo.
Unfortunately, as Aeris grew more unstable later in that life, Leo distanced himself.
In the present, Aeris still chose to sit beside Leo. He was a friend worth making—loyal, trustworthy, and supportive.
"Hello, is anyone sitting here?" Aeris asked knowingly. A good first impression mattered.
Leo lifted his gaze from his phone—and froze when he saw the extraordinarily handsome face in front of him.
"No, no, it's all yours!" Leo said quickly.
Leo was delighted to make such a handsome friend on the very first day.
Not that he was gay—he simply appreciated all good-looking people, regardless of gender.
Seeing Leo's starry-eyed expression, Aeris's lips twitched.
If Aeris didn't already know the truth, he would have definitely suspected Leo had fallen in love at first sight.
"Hi, I'm Leo." Leo extended his hand.
"Aeris. Are you from here?"
…
They chatted nonstop and only quieted down when the professor entered.
Being reborn in another world, he never thought there would be a similar chance again. As a result, he chose to live only for himself and never married or made friends—other than Mykel.
But now that he knew reincarnation was a real possibility, he didn't want to deny himself family warmth or the chance to build friendships. After all, if he could choose, who would want to live completely alone?
From this moment onward, he decided he would live his life to the fullest.
Meanwhile, in the next seat, Freya shifted awkwardly in her seat.
She felt strangely uncomfortable, as if she had lost something very important—though she couldn't pinpoint what.
She had also noticed the handsome boy. From their conversation, she learned his name was Aeris. It was impossible to ignore him, standing out like a vibrant peacock among plain chickens.
Even her deskmate was taking a sneaky glance and blushing.
Noticing her strange gaze, he hastily looked away.
Freya frowned. She moved her seat slightly away from him.
Nevertheless, she herself was still thinking about the same person.
When he walked past her earlier, her heart had pounded unnaturally, and she felt a sudden sense of loss… as if he shouldn't have ignored her.
Freya quickly shook off those unrealistic thoughts and mocked herself.
With biased parents and a blood-sucking brother, she had no time for childish feelings.
She clenched her fists. She must study hard. Only then could she escape her family.
After reaffirming her resolve, her heart slowly calmed, and determination filled her eyes.
Aeris spent half the day on campus without any drama. Leo lived on campus since he wasn't from here. While Aeris drove off, surrounded by shocked and envious gaze.
"Young master." Axel said respectfully, opening the car for him.
"Thanks, Brother Axel." Aeris drove off, surrounded by the shocking, envious glaze.
"Young Master, you're back," greeted the aunt who had worked in the house for over a decade.
"Yes. Aunt Zinti, please make something for me. I'll come down after I change."
"Okay, Young Master."
Zinti liked the eldest young master the most among the household's children. He was polite, respectful, and always treated the servants kindly.
Unlike the other three siblings, who were far ruder than most. They didn't see the servants as humans and were disrespectful even to the elderly workers who had served their family for decades.
Aeris never looked down on anyone. The servants were simply people working for their livelihood—providing services while the family compensated them. Nothing more, nothing less.
Besides, it was always wise to maintain good relationships with the people around you. No one ever knew when they might need help. In desperate times, even the smallest assistance could make a difference.
On his way down to the living room, he ran into his half-brothers, who had just returned from class.
They were both the same age—two years younger than him. They shared the third floor with his sister.
Since they didn't have a good relationship, Aeris bypassed them without a glance.
"Tch… pretentious bastard," Xavier murmured softly.
Yet Aeris heard it clearly. His step paused.
"What did you just say? Say it again!"
Although his voice was calm, it carried immense pressure that made Xavier flinch.
Xavier felt as if he were standing in the presence of his father—no, even more oppressive than his father.
His fists clenched tightly, nails sinking into his palms, but he stubbornly faced Aeris head-on.
Seeing him trembling yet defiant, Aeris lost interest.
"If you want to fight, come at me like a man. Don't throw sneaky remarks like a coward."
After giving a disgusted look, he continued down the stairs.
"Loser. If you're scared, don't provoke," Nolan jabbed before leaving Xavier behind.
Xavier felt utterly humiliated, his eyes burning red with anger. He slammed his hand against the post, hissing in pain.
"Damn it! None of them are good. I swear I'll avenge this humiliation!"
Seething with hatred, he retreated to his room, clutching his left hand.