𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐘

SEVEN.

"C'mon, [Name]. Let's go on a date, if you really like me that much."

"I'm telling you again," you said in exasperation, "Kaen, that letter wasn't from me."

You two were bickering back and forth. Or at least, it was a one-sided conversation where the welfare head simply wouldn't listen to you. For someone who was supposed to care about student affairs, he didn't seem to care much about your well-being. And besides, the two of you had a project to do.

"Hmm." Kaen ignored your words again, instead shuffling the papers on the desk. You were at his dorm, and the two of you were supposed to be discussing your assignment—that was the only reason why you had accepted his invitation. But for some reason that eluded you, he seemed very interested in making small talk instead. Well, you supposed you could let him off a little bit as he had been obediently finishing his part of the group project.

"I have a snake." You reminded him, sighing. "It bit Tanaka, remember?"

"I like snakes." Kaen tilted his head. "They're cute."

Terry poked his head out. Kaen shot him a smile. A warm, seemingly genuine one and for the briefest of a moment, you wondered if he was an actual good person. The previous members of the council all seemed to be rather dodgy.

"Whatever. This is still way worse than the time my grandmother poisoned me," you muttered under your breath. Terry gave you a little nip on the skin as if to tell you you were being rude. Whatever sorcery Kaen did, you didn't know. Terry seemed to like him, and perhaps the feeling was mutual.

Kaen looked at you with interest. "How exactly did you befriend...Terry? Do you like all kinds of snakes?"

"Sure, they're cute."

"Wait. What's your favorite animal?"

You pondered over your answer for a while. Did you have a favorite? It was a little hard to decide, if you had to be completely honest. There were sharks, but one killed your cousin, there were elephants, but one unfortunately stampeded on your great aunt...

"Tigers," you said eventually, "they're cute." They were like gigantic cats, except they were stronger and had a larger tendency to kill you. Your liking for them had started after your father had brought back two from some country. Again, you had to send them back, but those days with them had been delightful. Granted, they had almost given you a hole in your stomach with their sharp, gleaming claws...but they were cute, so you could let it pass.

"That's an odd choice."

"Is it?" You shrugged. "Can we please go back to the assignment?"

"We have two weeks to do it."

"I'd rather get things done first," you furrowed your eyebrows. "Hey, you're part of the student council, aren't you? Should you really be procrastinating like this?"

"I got an idea." Kaen ignored whatever you were saying, snapping his fingers, "there's a cafe down the road. Why don't we go there?"

"There are plenty of cafes all around the campus." You sighed, "Terry—are you nodding your head? Why do you like this guy so much?"

"Even your pet agrees with me." Kaen smiled. "Come on, cutie."

"You know, for a guy that really has the whole boy next door look, you act like the opposite. Looks can be deceiving," you muttered. "My niece looks like a coquette doll, but really, she's a menace. As revenge for sewing up her mouth once—she came and poured poison in my shampoo bottle. My scalp was on fire for like, four weeks."

"Did anyone tell you you have a really interesting family?" Kaen looked at you, mystified.

"Once or twice. They are just a little weird."