I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

Carsion carefully lifted his closed eyelids and looked at me with a little anticipation.

"More than Fjord…?"

Do I have to consider their personalities?

I knew that even though they were both fierce in competing towards each other, they weren't bad in nature.

Maybe that's why it was hard to tell who was nicer. But Carsion's face was definitely more handsome.

"Yes."

As soon as the positive answer came out of my mouth, a big smile blossomed on Carsion's face.

If he had a tail, he would have spun his tail so that he could fly into the sky.

He said, covering his mouth with one of his hands as if he couldn't control the tail of his mouth from smiling.

"Okay, I'll make up with Fjord, Leen."

‘…?'

What's with him?

What he said after covering his mouth was that he would put an end to the whole situation, and at the same time, my precious brother-like friend Fjord had left the room for a while.

I stood there and thought blankly.

How did he leave the club?

* * *

Today was unfortunately the day I was on duty.

‘Unfortunately', I used that word, but still, there wasn't as much work on duty as I thought.

All I had to do was check the amount of mana left on the magic blackboard or broom, and then replace the mana stone.

The most annoying thing was that I have to check the attendance manually.

However, it also meant that I had to wake up earlier than usual.

I was struggling in my own world to prepare and leave the dormitory before Jane, but she ran out in surprise.

She woke up in such a hurry that she reminded me of a five-star chatter hotel.

"Leen! You left this!"

"What?"

Jane handed me a large brown envelope and said, ‘Did I do well?' with a wink.

I stared at Jane with a questionable look. The books and writing instruments are all in the academy cabinet anyway, but I don't know what else I left behind.

When I opened the envelope that Jane handed me, I found a cookie that she bought the day before when we stopped by a store.

You want me to eat breakfast and leave…!

Yes, because food is important.

I took out just one bag of cookies she brought with a smile.

"I'll just take this. Thanks for caring."

‘What? Why are you only taking that, Leen?' There was a bewildered voice behind. But I closed the dormitory door pretending not to hear it.

Actually, this was the cookie she bought for me.

I put the cookies roughly in an empty bag and hurried my steps.

Before arriving at the Academy, while walking a distance from the dormitory to the academy, I saw more students on the way to school than expected.

It was so noisy.

It's still too early for them to go to school.

I got to the classroom safely, feeling doubt. Then I faithfully carried out what I had to do on duty today.

As I was finishing all the work, I heard someone coming into the class.

I turned my head casually and checked, and it was the first time I saw that female student.

The peculiar thing was that she wasn't from our class. Even if I don't have any close friends in class, my memory wasn't that bad, so I'm sure of it.

As I was staring, the girl who felt my gaze stuttered and made excuses.

"Hey, I'm leaving this here."

What she held in her hand was a bag of cookies decorated with pretty ribbons.

"Don't tell anyone that I left it!"

Without letting me ask a question, the child left cookies in a desk drawer and ran away.

I realized it belatedly when I saw her back.

What day was it today?

* * *

It wasn't until the morning check-up that I was convinced that my reasoning was wrong.

Professor Walter, who came for an inquiry, struck the school table with the attendance book.

He was always dressed as a professional in a flimsy way.

Professor Walter opened his mouth with a face full of disbelief from the beginning.

"I believe that no one in my class would bring cookies."

It looked like he didn't believe it at all.

"But there could be someone who forgot the school rules and ‘mistakenly' brought them. If anyone has brought or received cookies, shall we honestly raise our hand?"

The classroom became silent as if it were a dead room.

I didn't do anything that would be mistaken for raising my hand, such as brushing my hair or scratching my face.

Professor Walter's eyebrow narrowed.

"Yes, yes, you are good students."

Once again, his expression didn't look like that at all, unlike his words.

"Then shall we raise our hands if we saw someone bring or carry a cookie in the classroom? I'll remember everyone who answers honestly."

At that, everyone in the class raised their hands. Including me, of course

Professor Walter slapped his forehead.

"You tiring little pooch-puppies. You won't ever listen to me even if you die?"

Professor Walter muttered, ‘The person who made the cookie day and stuff were caught…' Then, as if he was really tired, he pressed his forehead and opened his mouth.

"Cookie Day was banned because of a reason. It was because the school didn't want to see you guys dating at school right?"

At the moment, a glimmering light appeared on the students' faces.

Professor Walter, who saw the faces of his students, briefly bit his tongue.

"There's a sad legend about ‘Cookie Day' that you don't know…"

As Professor Walter tried to carry on with a vague expression, someone raised his hand.

"Professor, I've heard it 12 times in the academy already."

"Shut up and listen. I'm afraid you'll have to listen to it again dozens of times more"

"Yes, sir."

Professor Walter continued as he watched the child close his mouth.

After a while.

"…so if you don't want to die sooner than me, don't bring it or take it when someone gives you."

Well. It's too long, to sum up roughly: 

Someone who had a grudge against Mr. A put poison in a gift cookie and he fell into critical condition.

She made a love potion and put it in a cookie because of an unrequited love every year, but it turned out that the ingredients to that love potion were weak.

It was common for each student to fight over the possession of a cooking lab in the school.

"I'll be honest with you this time, but be careful. I mean, be alert."

At that time, the child who raised his hand earlier raised his hand again.

"Did Professor Walter ever get a cookie while attending the academy?"

"Me? I've received a couple of times…"

Ohhh-!

The class shouted at the same time excited by Professor Walter's answer.

"Please tell us in detail!"

"Wow!"

"Professor. Morning check-ups are over, and now it's class time, but you have to continue with the class."

???

What? It was about the time when it's getting fun? 

At the last word of another student, Professor Walter looked at the clock in the classroom for a moment and said with a puzzled look.

"Ah, it's already been like this. The first class was almost over. Now let's continue our discussion."

I bit my lips while thinking that there must be tactless villains everywhere.

Despite the students' resentment, Professor Walter proceeded to the class.

I listened to the class in one ear and fell into thought.

Somehow, it was said that confectionery was banned on campus for a week, so I wondered what was happening.

I just roughly expected that the academy had a rare guest and imposed a ban for a short time.

In fact, there are things that I didn't want to know because it was annoying.

Even now, when I knew what day it was, it was only pitiful to take care of Cookie Day. Wasn't it all specified anyway?

In addition, Cookie Day seemed to be only popular at Arena Academy, as it was a day I had never heard of before. Or maybe it's a day that was only popular in this area.

For reference, Cookie Day was said to give cookies to boys whom female students like.

Well, I don't have anyone to give a cookie anyway, so it's okay if I don't mind about cookie day.

* * *

The first period was over.

"What? You didn't know today was Cookie Day?!"

Jane's loud voice drew attention to us. I tapped her on the shoulder to calm down.

"Really. It's the first time I've heard of Cookie Day. You may not know that of course"

"Then why did you say ‘thank you' for the cookie that I gave you?"

"I thought you told me to eat cookies for breakfast instead."

Then Jane asked in a trembling tone.

"Well, you didn't eat it?"

"I put it in my bag and forgot…"

I searched the half-empty bag and took out a bag of cookies. Jane's complexion brightened.

I can't believe you look happy just seeing the cookies. You must've really liked it.

I readily offered the cookie to Jane.

"Do you want some?"

Jane asked back several times, covering my lips with her finger as if she had heard it wrong.

"Me? Are you trying to give it to me? Only one bag of cookies?"

Nod.

"My God, Leen! You can't give it to me!"

Her high-pitched voice rang in the classroom.

Other students glanced at us again. It was an absolutely unfavorable look.

Jane's eyes glistened after understanding the other student's eyes that were glaring at us.

"What are you looking at? Do you want to get your eyes peeled?"

Tsk.

I heard Jane kicking her tongue, and the students gazed sorrowing quickly.

For reference, she has been wearing the ‘boss makeup' since the first day of school, saying that her first impression in class was important.

I don't know why you have to make a first impression like that.

No matter who saw me or not with the cookies, I was somehow sullen by the fact that Jane refused, so I quietly tied the bag of cookies.

"I thought you liked cookies."

Jane was all flustered and gibberish at my sinking voice.

"No! I like cookies! And thank you very much for caring! Thank you very much, but…!"

"Thank you?"

As I tilted my head and asked, Jane's eyes trembled, she seemed to be thinking about what to say.

"Well, yes! Cookie Day was for boys, wasn't it? Something's wrong with this."

"But I don't have a boy that I like? And I don't know any other girls either."

"Leen…!"

Jane's eyes were wide open as if she were thrilled. I quickly came to my senses and slapped my cheek, saying, "Oh, this isn't it."

"There's no law that you have to give to someone you like. Ooh, you're giving it as friendship cookies!"

"Friendship?"

"Yes! Friendship! For example, people from the same club…"

Jane grabbed my hands and sparkled her eyes. But I shook my head soon.

"I think it would be better not to give it from the beginning rather than to create a useless misunderstanding."

I think Carsion, a member of the same club, likes me. I couldn't even say the afterword.