FAKE LOVE, REAL PLANS

Sylvester escorted her out of the room, his hands buried deep in his pockets. They paused at the door, the hallway softly illuminated by the early morning light filtering through the windows.

He turned to her, his tone flat.
“…So that’s your condition?”

Liliana tilted her head, a playful grin spreading across her face. She clasped her hands behind her back and nodded with a little bounce, her eyes sparkling with feigned innocence.
“Mhm. That’s it.”

Sylvester let out a sigh, already pivoting back toward his room, ready to slam the door and put an end to this madness.

But just before he could, a sudden grip yanked at his wrist.

In one fluid, reckless motion, Liliana spun around and wrapped her leg around him, securing his waist in a tight hold. With a dramatic gasp, she pulled him down with her, and they both tumbled to the floor in a jumbled mess.

The weight of him pressed against her—her breath caught, her cheeks instantly flushing.

Her eyes fluttered half-closed, her voice a mix of laughter and delirium.
“Mmmm—finally. So close, so warm~! You’re heavier than I expected… it’s making me dizzy…”

She squirmed just enough to tighten her grip, her smile playful and mischievous.
“Ahhh… it almost feels like you’re trying to dominate me. Don’t tell me you’ve secretly wanted this all along~”

Sylvester’s expression was like stone. No flinch. No embarrassment. Not even a flicker in his eye.

But Liliana only blushed deeper, her grin widening until it looked almost wild.
“Fufufu~ Your silence! It’s driving me crazy! Do you realize how dangerous it is to let a girl’s imagination run wild right now? My heart’s about to burst—oh wait, maybe that’s not my heart…”

Her laughter rang out in the empty hallway, sharp and contagious, echoing like a melody meant solely to tease him.

Sylvester remained silent. He didn’t even glance down at her. His eyes were cold and distant, as if she wasn’t even there.

That only made her tighten her legs around him more, holding him in place like a predator who’d finally caught her prey.

Liliana whispered, her voice trembling with delight.
“Say something, Sylvester… anything. Even if it’s an insult. Even if you tell me you hate me. Just don’t leave me hanging like this~”

But still—no response.

The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.

And yet Liliana looked like she was drowning in ecstasy from it.

Liliana finally let go, releasing Sylvester with a dramatic sigh, as if she had just wrapped up the best workout of her life. She rolled back onto the floor, stretching her arms lazily before bouncing back to her feet.

He stood up too, brushing off imaginary dust from his sleeve, his face still set like stone.

Liliana turned toward the hallway, swaying on her heels with that same adorable smile plastered on her lips.

“Well then~ I’ll be off now…” she sang, already strolling away.

But just before she disappeared from view, she twisted halfway back, her voice soft yet playful. “See you later… Slyvie~”

The name slipped off her tongue like a playful jab. Her eyes sparkled with mischief before she vanished down the corridor.

Sylvester stood there for a moment, motionless, then let out a sharp exhale through his nose. Without saying a word, he turned and closed his door, retreating back into the quiet of his room.

Meanwhile, Liliana kept walking, humming to herself, her grin unwavering.

But then—she suddenly froze.

Her eyes darted around. Her steps slowed. The realization finally dawned on her.

“…Wait.”

The hallways stretched out in endless, unfamiliar directions, empty and daunting. She spun on her heel, eyes wide, lips forming a pout.

“I… still don’t even know where my dorm is…”

Her voice trailed off into an awkward laugh before she bolted down the hallway, her footsteps echoing against the stone walls.

“SYLVIEEEE!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, racing back toward his door. “HELP ME, I’M LOST AGAIN!”

The next morning, the classroom was alive with the usual sounds—pages rustling, chairs scraping against the floor, and students dragging their feet in a half-awake daze.

Sylvester pushed the door open, his steps calm and deliberate, taking his time. His face was as unreadable as ever—cold, like he was just another face in the crowd.

But as soon as he stepped inside, three familiar voices rang out.

“Hey, Syl!” Coby called from his desk, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

“Morning,” Luca chimed in, leaning back in his chair with a book still in hand.

Hudson nodded at him, already munching on a piece of bread he’d managed to sneak past the teacher’s watchful eye. “What’s up?”

Sylvester slid into his seat without a second thought. “Morning.”

The usual banter kicked off—Coby poking fun at Hudson for eating like a starving bear, while Luca rolled his eyes at both of them, secretly amused. Sylvester chimed in occasionally, his tone flat but steady enough to keep the conversation going.

To anyone watching, it seemed perfectly normal. Just four students chatting like friends before class started.

But inside, Sylvester’s mind was wandering.

Weird.

I didn’t plan for this. I didn’t mean to engage with them beyond the basics… yet somehow, I’ve ended up…

His gaze flicked between the three as they laughed over something silly.

…“kinda-ish” friends with these goofballs.

Sylvester slid into his seat, his posture as unreadable as ever. Coby, Luca, and Hudson leaned over from the desks around him, cracking jokes and chatting about yesterday’s test.

Sylvester offered just enough of a response—short smirks and a few dry comments. Inwardly, he found it odd that these three had somehow become “friends.” Not the kind he’d trust with anything important, but… friends nonetheless. A small circle he allowed close, much like Ellie once had been.

Before he could dwell on that thought, a voice sliced through the noise.

“Blackthorne.”

Elise stood by his desk, arms crossed as usual, her sharp gaze piercing right through him. “What’s going on with you today? You seem… off your game.”

Still seated, Sylvester tilted his head slightly. “Off my game?” His tone was calm, almost teasing. “What do you mean by that?”

For a moment, it looked like she wanted to dig deeper, but Elise just narrowed her eyes, sighed, and shook her head. “Forget it. Maybe I was just imagining things.”

She turned and walked back to her seat, leaving Sylvester to stare down at his desk, fingers tapping once, twice. Inside, his thoughts were already racing.

Sylvester sat at his desk, propping his chin on his hand, his eyes half-closed as the morning buzz swirled around him. To anyone passing by, he might have seemed bored or even a bit worn out. But truth be told, his thoughts had already wandered back to the previous night.

That condition…

The memory played back in his mind with vivid clarity.

—

It was in his room, the atmosphere still charged after their little spat. Lilana had her arms crossed, that cheeky smile of hers lighting up her face.

“Sure, I’ll let you join the operation,” she said sweetly. “But… there’s one condition.”

Sylvester squinted at her. “…And what would that be?”

Lilana leaned back, striking a goofy pose—one hand on her hip, the other flashing a peace sign near her face, her grin so wide it almost looked ridiculous. “You have to be my boyfriend.”

Silence hung in the air.

Sylvester just stared at her, his expression unreadable. Seconds ticked by, and Lilana tilted her head, as if she was waiting for him to react with shock or disbelief. But all he gave her was a calm, steady reply:

“…Out of all the things you could have said, you chose that?”

“Yup.” She nodded confidently, her messy hair bouncing slightly with the movement.

“…Why?”

At this, her smile shifted into something sharper, her tone turning from playful to surprisingly earnest. “Think about it, Sylvie. If we’re working together, rumors are going to fly no matter what. People will see us talking, sneaking around, maybe even having each other’s backs. This school runs on gossip—it’s practically a weapon here. If we don’t control the story, someone else will.”

Sylvester remained silent, still studying her intently.

Lilana leaned in, jabbing a finger at his chest. “But if we’re dating? Suddenly, everything makes sense. We’re always together? Totally normal. We’re whispering in the corner? Super romantic. We slip away at the same time? Everyone just assumes we’re off being all lovey-dovey. No one questions it. It’s the perfect cover.”

She began to pace the room, her energy surging again. “Plus, if people think I’m with you, they’ll totally underestimate me. They’ll see me as just some lovesick girl hanging around the enigmatic Sylvester Blackthorne. That gives me the freedom to move however I want while you keep everyone distracted with that poker face of yours.”

Sylvester blinked, realizing she had a point—her reasoning was sharper than her goofy demeanor let on.

But then she turned back, her cheeks slightly flushed. “And, well… you’re not exactly the worst choice, you know? You’re calm, dependable, and…” she glanced away, mumbling, “…kind of cool in your own annoying way.”

Sylvester let out a soft sigh through his nose. “…You do understand this will stir up trouble, right? People are going to hate me for it. Jealous guys, envious girls, rivals who think I don’t deserve it…”

Lilana smirked again, shrugging it off. “Let them hate. We’re not here to make friends—we’re here to win. Besides…” She leaned in closer, her playful tone returning. “…don’t you think it’ll be entertaining to watch everyone squirm?”

Sylvester was slouched in his seat, his elbow resting on the desk and his cheek lazily propped against his hand. His gaze was unfocused, drifting off into nothingness.

I still regret giving her that answer… he thought. But it’s the most efficient path. If this really helps take down the people who drove Ellie to her death, then so be it. Still… what have I gotten myself into?

His thoughts were interrupted as three familiar figures came into view. There was Luca, sporting his trademark sharp grin; Coby, the laid-back one who always seemed to be in everyone’s business; and Hudson, the muscle of the group, bursting with enthusiasm and lacking any subtlety. They settled around his desk as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Hey, Sylv, are you zoning out again?” Luca teased, nudging him with a smirk. “You look like you just figured out the meaning of life and didn’t like what you found.”

Coby leaned back in his chair, sipping from a carton of milk. “Nah, he’s probably daydreaming about some secret hobby. I bet he knits sweaters in the dead of night.”

Every head in the classroom turned as Lilana’s sing-song voice rang out from the doorway. In an instant, she dashed across the room, practically radiating with her boundless energy. Before Sylvester could even process what was happening, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pulling him into a tight hug.

“My amazing boyfriend,” she chirped, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. “You didn’t tell me you were this handsome in class~! Were you trying to keep your good looks a secret from me? Not a chance!”

The room buzzed with whispers.

Sylvester, his face a blank slate, placed a hand on her arm and muttered quietly, “…Calm down.”

But Lilana just tightened her grip, lowering her voice just enough for him to catch: “Nope. Remember, I promised to make this fun?” She then let out a giggle, loud enough for everyone to hear again.

Sylvester sighed, letting out a breath through his nose. He finally turned his gaze toward Luca, Coby, and Hudson.

Their expressions were priceless.

Luca’s smile had cracked, his eyebrow twitching as if he’d just witnessed his entire world crumble.

Coby had frozen mid-sip, milk trickling down his chin, his wide eyes screaming betrayal.

Hudson’s jaw was clenched so tightly it looked like his teeth might shatter, his fists shaking as if he was on the verge of challenging Sylvester to a duel for Lilana’s affection.

They all stared at him with a level of exaggerated, almost manga-worthy jealousy that could only be described as Dandadan-level ridiculousness.

Sylvester simply looked back at them, unfazed, as if silently saying: Don’t even start.

Hudson slammed his fist on the table with exaggerated seriousness. “Don’t tell me you’ve been hiding a girlfriend from us, man!”

Sylvester narrowed his eyes slightly. “You three have way too much free time on your hands.”

They burst into laughter, chatting about random stuff—schoolwork, cafeteria food, and even a heated debate over whether cats or dogs would win in a war. Sylvester let them ramble on, tolerating their banter.

But just as he was about to steer the conversation back to silence—

“SYLVIEEEE~! My lovely darling!”

Every head in the classroom turned as Lilana’s sing-song voice rang out from the doorway. In an instant, she dashed across the room, practically radiating with her boundless energy. Before Sylvester could even process what was happening, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pulling him into a tight hug.

“My amazing boyfriend,” she chirped, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. “You didn’t tell me you were this handsome in class~! Were you trying to keep your good looks a secret from me? Not a chance!”

The room buzzed with whispers.

Sylvester, his face a blank slate, placed a hand on her arm and muttered quietly, “…Calm down.”

But Lilana just tightened her grip, lowering her voice just enough for him to catch: “Nope. Remember, I promised to make this fun?” She then let out a giggle, loud enough for everyone to hear again.

Sylvester sighed, letting out a breath through his nose. He finally turned his gaze toward Luca, Coby, and Hudson.

Their expressions were priceless.

Luca’s smile had cracked, his eyebrow twitching as if he’d just witnessed his entire world crumble.

Coby had frozen mid-sip, milk trickling down his chin, his wide eyes screaming betrayal.

Hudson’s jaw was clenched so tightly it looked like his teeth might shatter, his fists shaking as if he was on the verge of challenging Sylvester to a duel for Lilana’s affection.

They all stared at him with a level of exaggerated, almost manga-worthy jealousy that could only be described as Dandadan-level ridiculousness.

Sylvester simply looked back at them, unfazed, as if silently saying: Don’t even start.