It was Fay.

“Are you going to eat alone again? Come join us,” Fay said, her smile bright yet undercut by a flicker of genuine worry.

Kei met her gaze with a stoic, unreadable expression. Her voice was a calm, polite melody that brooked no argument. “Thank you, but I prefer my own company.” Without another word, she turned and continued toward the door.

Once Kei had vanished from the room, Fay’s other friends crowded around her, ushering her toward the canteen. Fay followed, though her thoughts seemed to linger in the doorway where Kei had just stood.

As they settled in to eat, Angel one of Fay’s closest friends broke the silence. “Fay, are you still seriously trying to befriend Kei?”

Fay remained silent, her attention seemingly fixed on her tray, though she moved her food around more than she ate it.

“Can’t you see she wants to be left alone?” Angel pressed. “I know you hate seeing anyone left out, but”

“Look, Fay,” Len interrupted, leaning in. “She’s giving you every sign in the book. She wants things this way. She doesn’t want anyone near her.”

Fay stopped eating and looked up, her expression earnest. “I know. But I can’t help it. I can’t stop my curiosity. I… I just want to be her friend.”

Len and Angel exchanged a brief, knowing glance, their expressions shifting into identical mischievous grins.

“Oh, a ‘friend’?” Angel teased, her voice rising in a sing-song lilt. “Is that so?”

“Curiosity, huh?” Len added, wagging her eyebrows. “Interesting.”

Fay scowled, clearly unamused by the direction the conversation was heading. “I’m being serious, okay?”

“Girl,” Angel said, her face suddenly deadpan. “You have so many friends it’s ridiculous. I honestly thought you knew every single soul in this building. We can’t walk five feet without you greeting someone, and then we walk five more feet and it happens again!”

Len watched Angel’s face intently as she spoke. Once the rant was over, Len let out a low chuckle. Reaching out, she pinched Angel’s cheek with a teasing grin. “Wow, it’s so soft! I totally thought you’d be rougher around the edges.”

Angel’s expression didn’t change, but her smile shifted into something decidedly more sinister. An aura of pure irritation began to radiate from her, so thick that Len immediately realized she had crossed a line.

Len’s hand recoiled as if burned. She flashed a nervous, shaky smile and shot a pleading “help me” look at Fay.

Fay merely met her gaze with a look that clearly said: Not my problem. You’re on your own.

Len’s eyes widened, her expression screaming, Aren’t we friends?

Fay’s icy smile replied: Not anymore.

Trembling, Len attempted to stand up and make a break for it, but she wasn’t fast enough. A hand clamped down on her arm with iron-clad certainty. Len closed her eyes, the look of absolute defeat washing over her face. There was no escape.

Angel forced her back into her seat, still wearing that terrifyingly pleasant smile. Then, with calculated precision, Angel reached out and pinched both of Len’s cheeks, applying a significant amount of force.

Len squirmed, stammering out a string of muffled apologies, but it was no use. She was trapped. Watching the chaos from across the table, Fay simply smiled, her eyes gleaming with the silent satisfaction of seeing justice served.