This is where the romance starts to happen...

~•~•~•~

"Daniel Lumen is the illegitimate son of Raphael and Granda Lumen. Granda and Raphael were married when Alex was born but soon divorced. In a one night stand, Raphael and Granda bore another child. Not taking responsibility, Raphael left the country and his current whereabouts are unknown. Granda, with anger, left Daniel alone. The only one who genuinely cared for him was his dear older brother, Alex Lumen.

"Around the time that Daniel's parents started neglecting him, Alex's friend, Fred Lino, told him about some secrets to make his little brother happy. Of course Alex was a bit gullible and so, told Daniel to start letting others do what he wants. This is the strategy that he kept up until today. To manipulate others by endangering someone they like or love.

"Alex went out overseas, to be more specific, USA, to start working as an actor in multiple movies, including Sam Wellington's most recent movie, Devil in The Night. Leaving Daniel in the dark, unsupervised and practically homeless.

"Having nothing to do, Daniel decided to keep on his strategy while also having all the necessities he needs. Since then, all his information has been tightly secured, no one still knows his real name but at least we have some information out of it, right?"} Celeste discussed in the middle of the group at lunchtime.

"So?" Joan bluntly asked as she bit on a biscuit, obviously not giving a single fuck about the current situation.

"He's dangerous." Celeste tried to sharply glare at Joan but Joan seems unaffected by what she's trying to do.

"We care, why?" She bluntly asked again.

"You know what, it's pointless to talk to you." Celeste threw her hands off in the air. Zan caught her attention so immediately turned to him. "Zan!" She called and held his hand as she dashed towards him. "Who's Fred Lino?" She stared at him dead in the eyes.

Zan turns his gaze away from her but he can still feel the powerful glare piercing him. "J-just a relative..."

"Tell me everything, damnit!!!" Celeste moved her hands up to his shoulders and shook him in demand.

"I don't know much about him! He's a shady person, as much as I remember!" Zan gave up and blurted out the truth.

"Wait, what? He was alive at the same time you were?" Celeste calms down a little. Her grip on Zan's shoulders loosened in relief.

"Yeah. He's older than me though but I died earlier than him." He tried to explain while hiding his guilt of dying younger than someone who's older than him.

"When did he even die?" Celeste mumbles to herself, wearing a troubled expression. "If he's older than you, and you're waaaayyy out the future, then surely he already had died now."

"I told you, I don't know much about him!" Zan insisted.

Celeste lets go of Zan's shoulder and slowly slides down to think.

"It's not that big of a deal, unless we would encounter him. And it's impossible to encounter him. We can assume he's dead and if he's not, he might be with Alex in USA. Daniel's unsupervised, right? So he couldn't be with Daniel." Joan butted in to at least lessen her best friend's worries.

Celeste shortly glances at Joan then sighed. "Guess you're right. But we still need to get rid of Daniel in some way."

"Why are you being so desperate about trying to get rid of this Daniel guy?" Joan furrowed her eyebrows.

"'Cause he annoys me." Celeste quickly and shortly answered.

"We're not gaining anything out of this, Celeste. Give it up." Joan insisted. Celeste pouted. Joan glances at Kanae and an idea popped into her mind to persuade Celeste. "Kanae agrees with me."

"What? I di--" Joan stepped on Kanae's foot as hard as she can to avoid him saying the truth and ruin her whole plan. "I mean, yep! Y-you should listen to Joan, Missy!" Kanae tried to act despite the pain he's feeling on his foot.

Celeste looks at Kanae and glares. "Who cares about your opinion?"

Kanae then glared at Joan for making him act at the wrong time by stepping on his foot. Joan laughed to cover up her crime and acted like she has nothing to do with it.

"But anyway, you really should let this fly over your head." Joan continues to persuade Celeste.

Celeste completely ignored Joan. "Well would you look at the time, it's almost class time. I'm going first." She then left with no traces of her previous emotions.

"Does she like this Daniel guy or what?" Carol asked while sipping on a juice box.

"It seems like it, right?" Joan agreed, finishing her biscuit.

"If she likes him, then she wouldn't think hard about how to get rid of him. Use your brains, not your hearts." Kanae smacks the heads of Joan and Carol so that thought can sink in their hard heads.

"Tsundere." Joan shook her head.

Everyone but Kanae was confused about her statement. "Don't label her something like that. And how did you even know that word?"

"Celeste sends me some of your comics." Joan winked.

Kanae smacks Joan on the head for the second time.

"Don't blame me! Celeste was the one who sent those to me!" Joan protectively covered her head to avoid more smacking.

"Kanae, out of curiosity about these 'comics', why didn't you hide them properly?" Zan smirked.

"It's not those kinds! Sheesh, keep your minds out of the gutter!" Kanae crossed his arms.

"Then where are 'those kinds' hidden?" Zan wiggled his eyebrows while still smirking widely.

"I don't have those kinds of comics."

"Come on, don't need to hide it~~~" Zan nudges Kanae on the shoulder. "It's normal for guys like us, right?"

"Oh my, would you stop it with that talk already?!" Joan slammed her hands on the table.

"Oh come on, you wanted to know too, don't you, Joan?" Zan joked.

Joan's face immediately turned bright red. From embarrassment, she turned away while covering her face with her hands. Zan snickers in the background, having fun witnessing Joan's blushing face, like that doesn't happen very often!

"I don't know why I'm still hanging out with you guys." Kanae sighed. "Well, since Missy already left, I'll follow." He then shoved his hands in his pockets as he walks away from the cafeteria.

"Why isn't the other guy here? I just noticed." Carol insensitively asked Zan, who's still snickering.

"What? Who? Cervi? Oh, he sometimes locks himself away in the science lab, doing some stuffs." Zan's eyes suddenly perked up and faced Joan with a wide grin. "You guess what that might be, Joan?"

"Ugh, I'm leaving! You guys have such dirty minds!" Joan groaned and complained.

"But you can still understand what I meant!" Zan answered back.

"LEAVING!" Joan shouted as she quickly exits the cafeteria.

"You shouldn't do that to her." Carol calmly reprimanded Zan.

"It's ok. It was a joke." Zan laughed and dismissed Carol. "She knows at least that much." Zan continues to joke around even if Joan is not around anymore.

"Just don't take the jokes too far."

"Geez, I know man. It's just common sense. I just have fun teasing her, that's all." Zan hummed with a hint of annoyance.

The two then stayed in silence. After a minute, they both decided to finally go back to the classroom to get ready for class time.

•

January 23. Monday. Dismissal.

Yes, it required 2 weeks to get Daniel Lumen's basic information. That's how difficult it is to get information from one secretive kid that can somehow change his own identity that cannot be distinguished by anyone, even demons.

"Baade." Veronica again called out.

And as usual, Kanae is the last one to leave. And like last time, he's the only one who heard her. He turned to her and looked around. "Isn't this like déjà vu?" He joked.

"Ugh, right." Veronica agreed, surprisingly. "And once again, as this so-called 'déjà vu', that shady guy wants to see you again." She complained like she had enough. She wasn't like an emotionless robot anymore.

"I can't believe you're actually teaming up with this worthless piece of trash." Kanae laughed, still feeling triumphant even if he's teasing someone who's not there to hear it.

"I can't believe it either but if he says he can get rid of people I hate, I'll take my chances." Veronica merely shrugged as she looks tired and completely done with all the act.

"Where are you taking me now, back to that hidden office?"

"No. For some reason, he wants you to meet him in the Year 11 room."

"Do you know his plan?"

Veronica turned to Kanae then unexpectedly flashed a huge wide bright smile. "Not a clue." She happily proclaimed.

•

"I've been waiting for you, Kanae Baade, the only heir of--"

"Yeah yeah, I heard that already. Hurry up and cut to the chase." Kanae demanded since he has no time to be dealing with assholes right now.

"Look what we've got here~~" two bodyguards are standing threateningly on the sides of Daniel. They moved away to reveal two people in the same family. Marco and Kunai Eskar, their wrists and ankles tied up on a rope. "If you're wondering why we're here in the Year 11 room, which I know you are, this is the reason why. Knowing your brain, you got this all figured it out no sweat, right?" Daniel smirked like he's winning.

Kanae just stands still, not wearing any expression or giving off any reaction at all. "You suck." He bluntly said, emotionless.

"No reaction at all? How interesting. Let's see how far you can keep up with that calm and reserved personality of yours." Daniel snapped his fingers, signalling the guards to go and attack him.

Kanae threw his bag upwards and one year 11 girl caught it. As he was about to get ready for a fight, some other year 11 guys stepped in. All of them if not for Jasper, visibly getting bored at the scene.

"Get that guy. We can't forgive him for bothering our class!" One guy said as they're getting ready for the fight.

Kanae nodded then dashed straight to Daniel without him noticing it because of his inhuman speed. Before he knew it, he was being toyed with. Kanae points a realistic-looking plastic knife on Daniel's throat from behind.

"Does this mean I win or what?" He whispered in his ear, like a killer whispering to his victim.

"No, not yet!" Daniel insisted, trying hard to keep up his own composure. He grabbed Kunai by her braided hair and was about to stab her with scissors. At least scissors are safe within the school facilities. In all seriousness though, this school's security sucks! "I will kill her! Get away from me!!" His hands are trembling in fear. Trembling so hard in fear...

Kanae glares at Daniel. "Don't fucking lay a goddamn finger on her, you prick!!" He rolled up the sleeves of his blazer to start a fight but Eskar's voice stopped him.

"Don't be reckless. He's not actually going to hurt her. Just watch." He whispered.

Strangely enough, even though the two are not that really close, Kanae trusts his words and just watched as he was told to. He noticed Daniel's grip on Kunai's hair began to loosen until he wasn't gripping it anymore. The scissors he was holding also slipped out of his hands because of the extreme trembling. He knelt down, the feeling of utter defeat dawns over him.

"I can't...." He murmured quietly as he stares directly to the ground. "I can't do it. I can't harm her."

The crowd stared at him and watched him get weak both physically and emotionally. We all know that he will soon break down to tears.

"B-because..." He continued. "I...like her..."

Meanwhile...

Celeste is staying in the library with Emily. They are having some lessons with maths. Celeste is glad that Emily isn't that judgmental as she thought she was.

"Thank you for helping me out." Celeste sighed in relief.

"Oh, it's fine. I'm glad to be of help." Emily dismissed it. "If you find a good rumour or gossip, feel free to tell me." She joked as she was about to leave the library.

Celeste smiles and waves in her direction and see her off. Her eyes went back to the maths book and tried to understand a little bit more than what Emily thought her. After a moment, she returned it and left too.

•

Zan and Palatino always comes home early. In other times, even Cervi. Zan and Palatino are the only ones left in the Lino family (hopefully) and so their house is empty. They are required to go back as soon as they can to take care of it and guard it as no one is doing it so they have to do it themselves, mainly Zan.

Cervi, on the other hand, goes home early because he has a tutor in english. He might be smart in science and math, two major subjects, but he still can't seem to understand english that well. He's still fairly a smart guy.

•

Carol stays in the school building, flirting with other girls, giving them red roses. The only girl he ever gave a white rose to was Celeste and she was too damn dense that she couldn't notice the symbolism or meaning to it. This doesn't disappoint Carol though. As long as she receives and keeps the rose, he was ok with it.

•

Joan has the second most interesting side story of all, next to Kanae. While walking around school, she stumbled upon a great scene in the Year 11 room.

"I...like her..." She saw Daniel on his knees, in the verge of tears.

"Don't screw around." All of the guys in the Year 11 shouted and scolded the poor little guy. Daniel looks older than Palatino but younger than both Celeste and Kanae so his age is between 7-12. Although he has no intention of saying it directly, at least we have an idea on the possibilities.

"I-I'm not... D-does it look like I am?!" He still tried to act tough even if his face looks like a very ripe tomato. Joan giggled at the sight.

"I-if you're really serious, Daniel...then... I'm sorry I have to reject you early." Kunai cleared her throat as she speaks. Kanae walks to her and unties her limbs before she continued. "I...I like Kanae..."

Everyone stayed calm except for Veronica and Eskar. Joan expected this already but kept quiet to avoid Celeste wreaking havoc.

"Ha?! What did you even see in this ex-delinquent?!" Eskar shouted, still tied up.

"I don't know if the term 'ex-delinquent' is an insult or a compliment." Kanae's vein twitches. "Mind you, you're still vulnerably tied up so I'd rather you shut up before I go and be the 'ex-delinquent' that I am." He glared and cracked his knuckles to warn him. Eskar shuts his own mouth up in fear.

"What's this, confessing early now, are we?" Veronica stepped in, reverting back to her previous self on being a bitchy Ms. Perfect. "Well I like Kanae too!" She puffed out her chest as she proudly proclaimed.

Joan raised her eyebrow because she has always suspected this. She rolled her eyes on boredom.

"I..... Sorry.... I have...someone else in mind..." Kanae honestly explained his situation.

Joan already knows who it is but she still stalks him in excitement. Her heart pounds so fast and loud. If someone were to see her right now, they would assume she has a crush on someone in the Year 11 room.

"Joan?" On cue, someone actually saw her having such an expression. But it was normal for her to see her best friend looking like that. She knows that Joan is looking at some romantic scenes.

Joan jolted and panicked as she saw Celeste. She immediately pinned her down, covering her mouth in the process. Celeste, in her instincts, tried shoving Joan away but Joan reassures her. Celeste raised her eyebrows in confusion so she glanced at the side.

As she sees Kanae, she easily pushes Joan away and dashed towards him. "Hey Kanae, come on, let's go now."

Kanae jolted as he sees Celeste. "Oh hey, Missy..." He slightly trembled. "I uhh...."

"What are you doing here with some shady people? Let's go home." Celeste excitedly invited, grabbing Kanae's hand.

In an instant, Kanae held her hand tighter. "Your hands are cold." He said.

Celeste turned to him with a blank expression, completely ignoring his statement. The moment when she looked around the place that she finally realised she doesn't know what was happening.

"The hell are you on about?" She faced Kanae like she was reprimanding him.

Kanae shook his head. He understood what she meant and he was trying to deny whatever she was thinking. "I-it wasn't me!"

Celeste glanced at Daniel and glared at him for a millisecond. He could still feel the chills moments after the glare. Celeste then glanced at the others who were also there-- Kunai, Eskar, some two muscular guards, year 11 students, Kanae's bag in one of the year 11 girl's hands, Jasper looking bored at the whole scene... And of course, Veronica, looking as conceited as always.

"Tell me about the situation later. I want to go home now." Celeste tightens her grip on Kanae's hand as she was about to walk away.

"You can go home by yourself, right?" Veronica butted in like it's also her business. "Why do you need Kanae to go with you?"

Celeste felt like she is being cornered. If she says she can't, she will be considered as a child and if she says she can, then she wouldn't be with Kanae.

A plan flew by in Celeste's head. She pulled Kanae closer to her and glared at Veronica. "It's not need, it's just want, any problem with that?"

Veronica was about to step in but everyone knows about Celeste's great strength and menacing aura that she emits. It looks like the people there witnessed her fight with Kanae. Veronica isn't aware of this and stupidly thinks she can take her down easily.

"Ah, can I have my bag back?" Kanae slides his hand out of Celeste's grasp to catch the bag that the year 11 girl threw at him. "Thank you." He simply said. Everyone was just silent like nobody's even there.

"It's been this late. Let's go now, Missy." Kanae then unexpectedly held Celeste's hand and walked out of the classroom casually.

•

"What's for dinner?" Celeste hummed happily.

"We don't have any food left. So I guess we have to go eat outside. Where do you want to eat?"

"Dead Meat!" Celeste immediately answered, her eyes sparkling like stars. Kanae almost forgot that Dead Meat is Celeste's favourite restaurant.

"Right. Should've expected that." Kanae sighed. "But it's expensive and we don't have enough money for that."

"McDonald's!" Celeste suddenly blurted out. Kanae raised his eyebrow in both confusion and surprise. "It's cheap there, right? I mean, compared to Dead Meat."

"Yeah. It is." Kanae peeked at his wallet to count his money.

"Ah, don't worry about me though. You go ahead and just buy food for yourself." Celeste smiles. She noticed that if Kanae were to treat her (as always), he wouldn't have enough money for himself. Celeste has a conscience, who would've thought?

"So what, you're just going to hunt some human souls?" Kanae asked like it's normal in his life.

"It saves money, time, and I can hunt them down in your sleep. My plan's perfect!" Celeste explained.

"Right." On the spur of the moment, Kanae accidentally pecked a kiss on Celeste's forehead. "Thanks for thinking about me."

Celeste then looks at Kanae, a bit surprised and confused. Kanae doesn't seem to mind and it felt like normal.

"What the hell, Kanae?" Celeste asks, touching her forehead protectively.

"What? What's wrong?" Kanae asked, dumbfounded.

"You know what you did! What the hell?!" Celeste backs away a bit, raising her guard.

"Do you want me to kiss you in the lips or something? Don't act like that filthy mouth of yours haven't kissed something dirty yet." Kanae tried to tease her.

"Oh, shut up! At least maybe those 'dirty things' are better than your lips." Celeste decided to tease back.

"Really? You said 'maybe' right? Want me to remind you about the taste of my lips?" The devil smirked widely.

"No! Absolutely not!!" Celeste denied in a loud voice, her face flushing bright red from embarrassment and shyness.

"Why are you blushing, then? Are you imagining about it right now?"

"No! Of course not!"

Kanae laughed, starting a new topic completely. "I like you."

"Stop screwing with me!" Celeste poked his sides and back.

"I-I'm not!" Kanae jolted from the feeling of her fingers. "You should've known that by now, right? You're not that dense, right?"

There were just footsteps that fills the awkward silence between them. Celeste is behind Kanae but Kanae doesn't seem to mind and is not even looking over his shoulder to check on her.

After a moment of silence, Kanae repeated, "I like you--"

"Shut up!"