Chapter 12…
Then, when I looked up at him in surprise, he hastily corrected himself.
“Ah, maybe six thousand was a bit much? Six hundred would’ve been a more believable comparison.”
I gaped at him and shoved his shoulder with my fist.
“Ugh, what! I almost believed you!”
“So gullible. Of course, Bibi, you’re incredibly precious to me, but compared to six thousand people, well…”
“Can’t you stop?”
How could he still be exactly the same as when we were little, even after all this time apart?
The only thing different about Liam was that now I had to crane my neck to look up at him because he’d grown so tall.
We stood in the shaded corner of the building, teasing and laughing together for quite a while.
By the time the sun had dipped a little lower, Liam said,
“Come watch my match later. If you’re there, I’ll definitely win.”
“Hmm…”
I pretended to hesitate and added,
“But you always win even when I’m not watching.”
“…This is Olivia Salvius’s fault, isn’t it? Guess I’ll have to take her out tonight.”
I burst into giggles at his joke.
“No way. Olivia’s still the only friend I’ve made here so far.”
“Don’t worry. It won’t take long before everyone falls for your charm.”
“Like you did?”
“Well…”
I thought he’d joke again, saying it wasn’t that serious yet.
“Yeah, like me.”
Liam answered unusually plainly for him, then waved me off.
“I’ve kept you standing out here too long. Go inside. I’ll try to get out tomorrow and change my phone.”
I spent the rest of the afternoon rereading The Sound and the Fury in my room, and after dinner, I had a video call with Mom.
But just as I finished the call, there was a knock at the door. Knock, knock.
“Bibi, are you in there?”
It was my one and only new friend’s voice—and she sounded strangely urgent.
The moment I opened the door and saw Olivia’s face, I knew something was wrong.
“Did you… go to the park with Erik today?” she asked in a worried tone.
“How did you…?”
When I asked back, Olivia slipped inside and thrust her phone at me.
The WG app was open.
WGStudentbostäders
Title: [Hammarskjöld] Watched a magic show in the park today, W made a surprise appearance.
(photo drop)
Who’s the girl?
W says it’s his first date and gives her a rose (not really).
Reply
[Lagerlöf] The girl looks like the transfer student? So was it really a date or not? Make sense, please.
↳ [Siegbahn] Scary… Lagerlöf is foaming at the mouth.
[Tiselius] What’s this? Cinderella moment? I thought W liked blondes.
[Hammarskjöld] Relax, Lagerlöf. The “first date” line was probably just something the magician made him say. The rose too.
[Siegbahn] Even W’s dates get national support. As if he needs help…
↳ [Lagerlöf] I said it was a scripted line. Stop twisting it.
↳ [Tiselius] Blah blah blah, Lagerlöf sounds like W’s mom.
↳ [Lagerlöf] Screenshotting this and sending it to the chairman.
There were so many comments, it was impossible to read them all.
Stammering, I asked Olivia,
“There was… a photo?”
“I didn’t see it, but it must’ve been clear enough to recognize you.”
“Wait, they can just post someone else’s picture like that?”
“Of course not. That’s why they deleted it quickly, so there’d be no evidence. Besides, it’d be ridiculous to sue our own classmates over something like this…”
With a sigh, Olivia opened another post for me.
Even though I didn’t really want to know, I forced myself to take the phone so she wouldn’t feel hurt after coming here out of concern.
WGStudentbostäders
Title: [Tiselius] Might as well write a love story.
So, it’s clear the two met in the library.
But the transfer student didn’t recognize the famous W. Which makes sense—she’s new.
And since W had never worked as a library intern before, he was clumsy.
So maybe the transfer student scolded him and taught him how to do it?
From W’s perspective, it would’ve been like: Ta-da—You’re the first girl to ever scold me! Romantic, right?
Reply
[Lagerlöf] Screenshotting this and sending it to the chairman.
↳ [Siegbahn] Wow, Lagerlöf acts like the chairman’s daughter.
[Tiselius] This could win this year’s Brängel Literature Prize.
[Tiselius] Actually, this makes sense. I overheard W complaining about library work being tough.
[Hammarskjöld] Even if W didn’t know the alphabet, I’d gladly teach him until he got a master’s in English lit without ever once losing patience.
↳ [Siegbahn] Maybe get your bachelor’s first.
[Tiselius] It’d be great if W himself joined the thread.
↳ [Siegbahn] W doesn’t waste time on forums. Too much of a life drain.
↳ [Tiselius] So our lives are worthless, huh? That’s why we’re allowed to waste them?
↳ [Siegbahn] Bro, do you really think we even live on the same planet as W? lol
[Hammarskjöld] It’d still be great if the transfer student herself showed up!
After reading the last comment, I blinked at Olivia.
“…So what, do they expect me to comment there?”
“What?”
Olivia scowled and snatched the phone back.
“Are you out of your mind? Why feed the trolls? What I mean is…”
She lowered her voice after calming herself a little.
“What I mean is, Oxenstierna won’t just sit by and watch!”
…Yeah, Olivia.
I thought the same thing, but tried to explain calmly.
“I’m not involved with Erik at all. Like the post says, he only said those lines because the magician told him to. The rose was just a prop.”
“Then why’d you go to the park with him? Not that it’s wrong! But maybe you should have some excuse ready, in case Christina asks.”
“It really wasn’t like that…”
The truth was, Olivia and I had only been friends for a few days, so it was hard to know how much I could share.
But I looked into her deep golden eyes and carefully asked,
“If Erik and I really were involved somehow, what do you think Christina would do? Would she outright try to bully me?”
Olivia suddenly grew serious.
“Bibi, there are plenty of other great guys at Brängel besides Erik. Liam’s amazing too!”
“Of course I know that. Liam’s my friend, and Erik’s… basically a friend too. I’m just asking because I’m curious.”
Olivia let out a long sigh.
“Last year, a second-year suddenly went abroad to study.”
“…And?”
“That senior was Erik’s mentor. Until last year, every first-year had a senior mentor. But Christina ruined that tradition.”
“I don’t get it.”
Even though we were alone in my room, Olivia cupped her hand around my ear and whispered like it was a secret.
“Christina hounded and harassed Erik’s mentor so badly that the girl ended up leaving to study abroad!”
“That’s even possible?”
Olivia shrugged.
“She is an Oxenstierna. They say when that senior left, OS Airlines gave her a first-class ticket to the U.S.—one way. The message was pretty clear: don’t come back.”
“Just for being his mentor?”
“Both Erik and the senior said it was nothing but mentorship, but the ‘queen’ clearly saw it differently.”
“That’s insane. How could something like that happen…?”
“I just know one thing.”
Olivia suddenly grabbed my hand tightly.
“I don’t want my new friend to get sent abroad too.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“How would I suddenly go abroad? I’m only here because I won a scholarship.”
But Olivia pressed on.
“Then why did you go to the park with Erik?”
“I had plans with Liam. But during rowing practice, a first-year got injured, and Liam had to take him to the hospital. Since his phone was broken, he couldn’t contact me, so he sent Erik instead.”
“Oh, I see. Well, since you and Liam have been friends since grade school, that explanation should be fine. Even Christina will believe that.”
“…Really?”
“Yes! I was so worried…”
Finally, Olivia flopped down on my bed in relief.
I stared down at her, completely torn.
Sure, Erik and I had nothing going on, but why on earth should I have to tiptoe around Christina Oxenstierna like this?
