Free Web NovelChapter 194: Rachel’s Reward
Drained of his energy, Mika was about to head back to the arena only to notice that the students were already coming out.
[She sure asked a lot of questions.]
"Yeah... I’ve never talked about myself so much..." Mika responded weakly.
Initially, Mika sneaked out of the arena in order to confront Payl, who gave off strange vibes after exiting the match. And apparently, Tija saw Mika fighting against Payl and his group. And as she took note of Mika’s powers, she bombarded him with questions afterward until she was satisfied. Contrary to Mika, Tija was beaming happily and excitedly as she took Payl and the others away.
"Ah, there you are!" Lily announced loudly.
She and the others from the white class were walking together. Belian, Rachel and Harik applied some bandages on them but thanks to healing potions, most of their wounds were treated. However, graver injuries, like Rachel’s shoulder injury, could not be treated at once, thus, she had to wrap it up in bandages.
"Wasn’t the toilet near the arena?" Lisa wondered.
"I-I got lost, haha..." Mika laughed stiffly.
Lisa was not really convinced but she let him be for now.
Aside from the white class, Yarjak was also walking with the group.
"Where’s Sara?" Mika asked.
"Oh, well... She’s most likely getting lectured by our mother now..." he replied, averting his gaze with a wry smile on his face.
Knowing what his little sister had to hear, he surprisingly felt pity for her.
The group continued talking as they went to the inn.
"It was a great match. Even if there was no clear winner between you two, you showed everyone who you are." Mika complimented Harik, putting his fist on Harik’s chest.
"Yes... I have to thank you for that." he responded with a sentimental smile.
"Me?"
"You may not realize it but listening to my story and preparing the stage for me really gave me the push to do my best and fight against my past here."
Mika chuckled lightly.
"Is that so?" he muttered.
Team Loogam won by a landslide with all three of the team still standing in the end. Especially, Rachel and Harik’s performance impressed not only Mika but also some others in the class, too, as the two could keep up with Asak and Payl, who were known as the top students here.
Harik may have shown everyone the results of his training during the last weeks as his endurance and martial arts improved, however, Rachel had not shown her full potential yet. Indeed, she managed to turn the tables of the match but Mika knew that she could have done even more.
"..."
Without him realizing it, he stared at Rachel, who was walking ahead of him and talked with Belian.
"?"
And soon she would turn around after noticing his gaze.
A huge grin crept onto her face.
"Wha-"
Mika flinched when Rachel suddenly jumped into his chest with a child-like excitement. And naturally, everyone turned their heads to them.
"W-w-what are you doing, Rachel?!" Lily asked, heating up.
"It’s time for my reward, right?" Rachel said, grinning from one ear to the other.
"..."
Mika had to blush as well when he remembered the promise.
"A-a date, right...?"
"Yes!"
Compared to Mika, who was still drained, Rachel was full of happiness.
"T-then, on which day-"
"Now!"
"Huh?"
"I can’t wait any longer!" she said, burying her face into his chest.
"Ehm..."
He looked at his friends.
Belian wondered, why Mika looked at him and just tilted his head.
Lisa was blushing but not as hard as Lily, who could only utter incomprehensible words.
Harik was smiling and gave Mika a thumbs-up.
Ophelia’s cheeks also reddened but in her case, she averted her gaze from them.
Yarjak also muttered something as he pondered about something.
And Sylvia just pulled her hood further down, hiding her face.
"Fine..." Mika gave in with a sigh.
"Let’s go then!"
Thus, Rachel grabbed Mika’s wrist and dragged him behind her as she stormed away.
"I’m heading back to the inn." Belian stated.
"Same here." Harik agreed.
"Yeah..." Sylvia said softly.
"C-count me in..." Lisa stuttered, trying to regain her composure.
Ophelia and Lily were still staring in the direction of Mika and Rachel. Both of them looked worried and clenched their chest lightly.
"L-Lily... May I also ask you out for a-a-a d-date...?" Yarjak asked.
He tried to be stern and cool but deep down he was nervous as his face warmed up.
"Fine." Lily answered quietly.
"Wait, really?"
Yarjak was genuinely surprised and was about to smile widely.
"I have to go after them!" she declared as she, too, grabbed Yarjak by his wrist and dragged him behind her as she chased after Mika.
The others were taken aback by her action.
"Jealousy?" Lisa wondered.
"Perhaps." Harik pondered.
Belian huffed with a faint smile, whereas Sylvia lightly bit her underlip.
"..."
Ophelia still remained there like a statue.
"Ms. Ross, are you coming with us?" Lisa asked.
"No, go without me. I have some business to take care of." she stated sternly as she walked ahead of the group.
"Sure..." Lisa replied in a low voice.
Now, the group was split into multiple groups.
Mika and Rachel were already on their date. The two visited all kinds of shops, where they even changed into some fancier clothes for the date and looked at various items one could find only in Youra. They also walked around town and did some sightseeing.
At first, Mika felt like a dog on a leash getting pulled along by his owner but at some point in time, he began to enjoy his time with Rachel, too, and even suggested some things, like eating dinner together.
The restaurant they went to seemed more classy than the places they and their friends would usually go to. There were far more adults, who were dressed elegantly and acted according to their appearance. Furthermore, there was a music group playing on the violin.
"I-I kind of feel wrong here..." Rachel whispered with a stiff smile.
"I-I think that, too..." Mika agreed despite being the one, who chose the restaurant.
But it was too late to leave as their food was already there.
"W-well, let’s just ignore our surroundings and enjoy our time here, okay?" Mika suggested nervously.
Rachel nodded.
Then, the two began to eat until Mika asked Rachel something that bothered him for a while. freёwebnovel.com
"Why did you want a date with me? Is that so rewarding to you?"
"Hm? But of course." she replied bluntly.
"Isn’t it only natural to want to go on a date with someone you like?" she added.
Mika lowered his gaze. Her last sentence was the thing that bothered him.
"Are you sure you like me? Isn’t it just because of the gratitude you feel towards me? Aren’t you just mistaking it with affection?" he said, sounding self-deprecating.
For a while, Mika noticed her feelings for him. It did not take a detective to figure that out based on her behavior, whenever she saw him. But even after noticing them, Mika tried to act oblivious to them.
"..."
Rachel had a saddened smile as she put her cutlery on the table.
"It may be true. Maybe I do like you because I feel grateful to you. After all, you were the one, who saved me from my fate, which was riddled with loneliness and despair. You were like my knight in shining armor!"
Her expression lit up. Her eyes were beaming. And her smile was huge and beautiful.
She rested her hand on her chest.
"Does one need a reason to like someone?" she asked softly.
"..."
"I don’t care why I feel like this. However, I know that those feelings of mine are real. Whenever I hear your name, I lose focus on my surroundings. Whenever I see you, my heart beats and a smile naturally forms on my face. Whenever I spend time with you, I feel happy and at ease. And in moments like this, I just want to stop time."
She smiled gently at Mika with her cheeks being lightly red.
"..."
Agape and with raised eyebrows, the stunned Mika could only gaze at her.
"Therefore, I beg of you to please take me and my feelings seriously." she added, not losing her faint smile.
"So you knew...?" Mika muttered.
Rachel lightly nodded her head. She noticed that Mika was acting oblivious.
"And I’m not the only one, who feels this way." she sighed.
"Really? I don’t think that Harik would ask me out on a date though."
"..."
Rachel had a blank expression.
"Hm?"
"Nothing..."
She grabbed her cutlery again.
"?"
But before she could take a bite from her food, she sensed Mika smiling at her.
"I understand. From now on, I will take your feelings seriously."
Her eyes widened.
She put her cutlery down again and leaned her body over the table, ignoring her manners and her surroundings, which caught even Mika off guard.
"T-t-then, can I ask you a-another thing...?"
Rachel began to sweat and her lips and arms were trembling slightly.
"Sure...?"
She took a deep breath.
"W-would you go out with me for r-real...?"
