Association of Failures Twice x Female Reader

13: A Cunning Solution

• A Cunning Solution •

Y/n's POV

When lunchtime came, I jumped to my feet and headed toward the cafeteria with purposeful strides.

"Where are you going?" Dahyun popped up before me, stopping me in my tracks.

"It's lunch. I thought I'd go to the cafeteria," I answered.

"Is it okay I go with you?"

"I don't really mind. But there are a lot of other people you could ask, right?"

"I do have a lot of friends to eat lunch with, but you don't have anyone, Y/n. Even though you'd usually reach out to Tzuyu, you haven't talked to her today. The other day, didn't you say something was bothering you about what happened in the faculty room? What was it?"

Dahyun, as usual, was quite observant.

To be honest, I didn't want to do this with anyone, but I decided that Dahyun was probably fine. I'd come to learn her secret by sheer coincidence. She wouldn't do anything stupid.

"I can tell you if you promise that you won't tell anyone else," I said.

"Oh, I'm good at keeping secrets," she smiled.

Dahyun and I headed to the cafeteria together. We navigated our way through the crowd and finally reached the meal ticket machine.

I bought tickets for two portions but didn't line up at the counter. Instead, I went to the side of the vending machine and looked at students perusing the menu.

"What is it?" Dahyun tilted her head and looked puzzled when I began studying the machine.

"This might answer what was bothering me.*

I continued observing students as they bought lunch sets from the ticket machine.

After I'd observed about twenty students, my target appeared. He purchased his meal ticket and walked to the counter with heavy, plodding footsteps.

*Okay, let's go,* I said.

We quickly exchanged our tickets for our meals and sat down in front of the heavy-footed student.

*Excuse me. Are you an upperclassman?" I asked.

"Huh? Who are you?" The student regarded us calmly, a look of complete disinterest on his face.

I didn't answer him and asked another question. "Are you a second-year student? Third-year?"

"Third-year. Let me guess, you're a first-year?"

"Yes. I'm Y/n, from Class D. You're also in Class D, aren't you?"

He averted his eyes, probably embarrassed because of being placed in Class D. "So? What's that got to do with you?"

Dahyun looked at me with surprise, as if asking, "How did you know?"

"Because he's limited to eating the free meals," I answered Dahyun's confusion then looked at the student in front of us. "It's not very tasty, is it?"

"What do you want? You're irritating." He took his tray and stood.

"I want to ask you something," I tried to stop him with my words. "If you listen, I'll show you my gratitude."

"Gratitude?" He looked at me confusedly.

"Do you still have the test papers from the midterm test from the first semester of your first year? Or, if not, do you happen to know someone from your class who does?"