Chapter 54: The Start of Something

Chapter 54: The Start of Something

The cafeteria was buzzing the way it always did at lunch, trays clattering, voices bouncing off tiled walls. But I could feel it—those little ripples whenever we walked by. Heads tilted, whispers trailed behind us, and a few girls actually gave us these dreamy looks like we were some drama out of a webtoon.

Celestia thrived on it. Of course she did. She clung to my arm like she’d personally won a war this morning, chin tilted high, smirk sharpened to perfection.

"Ohhh, did you see that?" she whispered, leaning close enough that her hair brushed my jaw. "That girl just sighed. Over us. Us, Kai. You’re officially a heartthrob now. Courtesy of me, obviously."

I groaned. "Or maybe they’re sighing because you’ve been announcing you ’own’ me to the entire student body."

"Correction," she sang, scooping food onto her tray like it was a coronation platter, "I didn’t announce it. I proved it. Huge difference."

By the time we sat down, she was basking like the sun. "Do you feel that? The atmosphere? It’s awe. They’re in awe. My words earlier—ugh, poetic. I should get them engraved somewhere."

"Val..." I warned, stabbing at my rice.

"What? Don’t act shy. Husband, we’re an institution now." She grinned at me like it was the funniest joke in the world. "Couple of the year. King and queen."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You’re enjoying this way too much."

> "Of course I am. Watching their little hearts break as they realize they’ll never be you—priceless."

She leaned across the table, resting her chin in her hands, eyes sparkling with playful menace. "Admit it. You liked what I said earlier. When I called you mine. The collective gasp? The goosebumps? Be honest."

I stayed quiet a beat too long, and she grinned wider. "Aha. You did like it."

I shook my head and tried to focus on eating. Celestia then plucked a piece of chicken off my tray, held it between her fingers, and tilted it toward my mouth. "Say ah."

I recoiled. "Val, no. People are—"

Her lips pushed into a pout, eyes wide and glimmering like some tragic anime heroine. "So you don’t love me?" she whispered, lower lip wobbling.

"Val—"

"You don’t." She gasped dramatically, holding the chicken hostage like it was part of some grand betrayal. "My own husband won’t even take a bite from me. Heartless."

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "You’re unbelievable."

Her eyes widened even more, shimmering with fake devastation. She was impossible to resist like that—and she knew it.

I sighed in defeat and leaned forward, taking the bite.

Instantly, the pout dissolved into a triumphant grin. She lit up like she’d just singlehandedly won a war. "There! See? He loves me."

I groaned, cheeks heating, but the students around us chuckled softly, like they were in on a joke. Some didn’t laugh, though. Some just... stared.

Specifically, Avery Brooke Prescott stared.

She sat a few tables away, perfect posture, perfect hair, surrounded by people. But the attention wasn’t staying on her. It kept bleeding over to us. To Celestia feeding me, laughing at me, leaning into me like I belonged to her.

And I did.

Avery’s smile stiffened every time someone’s head turned. Her hand tightened around her drink until the plastic buckled slightly. Still, she kept the mask on—laughing too brightly, flipping her hair, trying to recapture the room.

But it wasn’t hers anymore.

Celestia dabbed at my mouth with a napkin I didn’t need, humming like she was the most caring girlfriend alive. "Messy eater. Don’t worry, I’ll fix you."

I caught her wrist before she smeared sauce across my cheek. "Val..."

She tilted her head. "Yes, husband?"

"People are watching."

"Good," she purred, pressing her shoulder against mine. "Let them see what they’ll never have."

A table of girls actually sighed. Out loud.

Celestia lit up. "Did you hear that? They’re sighing again. We’re inspirational." She batted her lashes. "Love story of the century. The campus legend."

"You’re impossible."

"I’m adorable," she corrected. Then she pinched my cheek, right there in front of everyone.

Across the room, Avery’s laugh cracked sharp and brittle, like glass under too much pressure. Her eyes flicked back at us again, and this time she didn’t bother hiding the glare.

It hit me then—she wasn’t just jealous of Celestia. She wanted to hurt

Me.

Celestia, of course, didn’t notice. Or maybe she did, and just didn’t care. She leaned into my shoulder, sighing happily. "Mmm. Perfect lunch date. Ten out of ten. Would conquer the cafeteria with you again."

Avery’s tray slammed down against her table a little too hard.

The sound made a few people jump, but Celestia only smiled wider. "Did you hear that, husband? Even the universe is applauding us."

---

The street was quiet when we got back. Just before we stepped in, a small shape darted from the shadows—a cat. Stray, slender, white with faint ginger streaks. She blinked up at us with wide green eyes before sitting primly by the door, like she’d been waiting.

I crouched down automatically. "Hey there," I said softly, extending a hand. She sniffed, then rubbed against my fingers, purring like she’d found her new best friend. "You’re cute, huh?"

> "She’s not cute."

The flat tone from above made me look up. Celestia stood there, arms folded, her mouth in that dangerous little pout she usually reserved for when I forgot to kiss her goodnight.

"She’s adorable," I corrected gently, scratching under the cat’s chin.

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "You’re really calling another girl adorable in front of me?"

"...It’s a cat, Val."

"A female cat," she shot back instantly, glaring at the animal like it had just tried to steal me. "And you’re smiling at her. Do I not give you enough attention, Kai? Is this how it ends? You and..." she waved dramatically at the purring creature, "...Madam Whiskers?"

The cat meowed sweetly, as if agreeing with her.

I couldn’t help it—I laughed. "You’re jealous of a stray?"

"I’m not jealous," she sniffed, crouching down beside me anyway and poking the cat’s head with her finger like it was a rival. "I’m just saying—if she thinks she’s moving into my boyfriend’s house, she better learn how to pay rent. And wash dishes. And keep her paws off my husband."

The cat purred louder, brushing against Celestia now too.

Celestia gasped. "Oh, no. She’s flirting with you."

I buried my face in my hands. "Val... please."

"I knew it," she whispered, deadly serious, before scooping the cat up like an overprotective dragon hoarding treasure. "Fine. If you like her, then she’s mine too. Now she’s our child."

The cat meowed again, content in her arms.

Celestia’s lips curled into a smug smile. "See? Even she agrees."

I sighed, standing up. "Congratulations, Val. You just kidnapped a stray."

She leaned her cheek against the cat’s head, eyes glittering with triumph. "Correction: I saved her from seducing my man. And now you’re a father."

The moment we got inside, Celestia dropped her bag and cradled the cat like she’d just adopted royalty.

"She needs a name," she declared. "Something pretty, like her mother. Hm... Duchess. Perfect."

"Of course," I muttered. "Because every stray deserves a noble title."

Celestia only smirked, stroking the purring ball of fur. "You should be honored, husband. Not everyone gets a wife and a daughter this fast."

By nighttime, she was back to pouting. Something about how cruel it was to send her away, how husbands and wives were supposed to stay together, how I was breaking "marriage law" or whatever nonsense she invented on the spot.

In the end, she still left—dramatically, of course, with Duchess meowing like her backup lawyer.

---

I got to campus earlier than usual, coffee in hand, bracing for another day of chaos. What I didn’t expect was Avery Brooke Prescott making a beeline for me.

"Hey," she started, softer than I’d ever heard her. Her eyes didn’t blaze this time—they shimmered like she’d practiced vulnerability in the mirror. "About yesterday—I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t... have said what I said. It wasn’t fair to you. Guess I felt a little... threatened, and it came out wrong."

I blinked. "Uh... thanks? I wasn’t expecting that."

Her mouth twitched like she might smile. "Don’t get used to it. I don’t usually do the whole ’humble’ thing. But I’ll stop trying to win over your girlfriend. Clearly, she’s already won."

I let out a small laugh, scratching my neck. "Yeah. Trust me, I didn’t exactly get a choice in the matter."

That earned me an actual chuckle from her before she straightened, brushing invisible dust off her sleeve. "Good. Then we understand each other."

She stepped aside just as Celestia walked in, latching onto my arm with her usual ease. Avery offered nothing more than a polite nod before melting into the crowd.

Celestia frowned. "What was that about?"

"She apologized," I said, still a little surprised myself. "Said she’d back off."

Celestia blinked, then shrugged with a dismissive huff. "Hmph. As if I was ever worried." She tugged me forward, already chatting about something else.

To her, the moment was nothing. To me, it was odd.

But to Avery, walking away with her lips curved just slightly—only one word left her mouth, soft as a secret.

"Check."

---

To be continued...