Chapter 25: Meeting Evangeline

The atmosphere in the classroom crackled with tension as Evangeline's words hung in the air, her smile still fixed on me.

All the class was staring at me with an angry and jealous look.

Ema wanted to kill me.

Benjiro was burning from the inside , like he wanted to say "Why always him?!?!!"

Suzuki-San didn't react at all.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling the weight of the class's curious stares and Ema's simmering fury.

Evangeline seemed unfazed by the commotion she had caused, her demeanor serene as she turned her attention back to Arai-Sensei, awaiting further instructions.

Even our teacher was actually shocked that Evangeline already knew me.

Thinking about what happened with Ema, she must've thought that i did something on her back.

"S-So… Evangeline, how do you know Aoyama?" Arai-Sensei said.

"Oh! We just bumped into each other a few days ago. He gave me instruction to find a certain place." She smiled.

"He was very kind with me. Can i sit next to him?" She gently asked.

The whole class gasped again and my embarrassment rised much more than before.

Ema was still clenching her fists in anger and jealousy, grinning her teeth and looking at Evangeline with a jealous expression.

"Why… why another woman…?" That's what i heard from her soul.

It was a such a cliched scene but i couldn't avoid it.

Arai-Sensei was surprised by Evangeline's boldness.

"Y-Yeah. You can." Our teacher said with a formal tone.

"Merci!" Evangeline replied joyfully.

But the tension in the room lingered, thickening with each passing moment.

The class was looking at Evangeline with a lot of admiration.

Arai-Sensei, ever the composed presence, cleared her throat delicately before speaking. "T-Thank you, Evangeline. Please take a seat, and we'll continue with the lesson."

Evangeline nodded gracefully, gliding towards the empty desk next to mine, her every movement exuding poise and grace.

Ema sighed in a jealous way.

As she settled into her seat, the classroom remained abuzz with murmurs and whispers, the eventful morning leaving an indelible mark on our minds.

Ema's icy glare bore into me, her silent accusation was unmistakable.

I could practically hear her thoughts racing, questioning the nature of my connection with Evangeline.

But before she could unleash her pent-up frustration, Arai-Sensei's voice cut through the tension once more.

"Let's all give a warm welcome to Evangeline and make her feel at home," she announced, her words carrying a gentle reminder of our responsibilities as classmates.

Despite the lingering unease, the class dutifully murmured their greetings, albeit with varying degrees of sincerity.

Evangeline, however, received them with a gracious smile, her eyes twinkling with genuine warmth.

The air in the classroom seemed to shift as Evangeline took her seat beside me, her presence casting a subtle spell over the room.

Despite the initial tension, her effortless charm began to thaw the icy atmosphere.

As the lesson progressed, Evangeline's presence seemed to inject a new energy into the classroom.

Her enthusiasm for the subject matter was infectious, and soon even the most skeptical students found themselves drawn into the discussion.

Ema, however, remained visibly perturbed by Evangeline's proximity to me.

Her attempts to focus on the lesson were undermined by the constant flicker of irritation in her eyes.

It was clear that she was struggling to come to terms with the sudden intrusion into our dynamic.

Meanwhile, Benjiro's demeanor had shifted from one of burning jealousy to one of quiet contemplation.

His gaze drifted between Evangeline and me, a mixture of curiosity and something else flickering behind his eyes.

He probably had a crush on Evangeline.

Suzuki-San, as usual, remained an enigma.

His expression betrayed nothing as he diligently took notes, seemingly unfazed by the drama unfolding around him.

Throughout it all, Evangeline remained the picture of grace and composure.

She participated eagerly in the lesson, her insightful comments earning nods of approval from Arai-Sensei and admiration from her classmates.

Also during break, Evangeline became friends with everyone in the class.

Everyone already admired her.

After the break, she eagerly followed all the lessons until the last one.

The day passed really quickly.

As the bell signaling the end of the lesson finally rang out, the tension in the room dissipated like a summer breeze.

Students began to pack up their belongings, exchanging whispered conversations as they made their way out of the classroom, but not before properly introducing themselves to Evangeline.

After they all left the class, Evangeline turned to me with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling with genuine warmth. "Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she said, her tone lighthearted.

I smiled back at her nervously.

Ema wanted to kill her, for sure, but she pretended not to be jealous.

She remained silent instead and followed the lesson.

Evangeline then stood up from the chair and started talking to me.

"So, Fumihiro-Kun, they told me that you'll be my guide, right?" She said with a bright smile.

"E-Eh...Ehm, Y-Yes." I mumbled while blushing.

Evangeline's joyful attitude was like the light in a world of darkness.

Ema stood up too and grabbed my arm, to claim her property and mark her territory.

Ema gave Evangeline a deadly look, as if she were challenging her.

She didn't want her to get too close to me and, therefore, made things clear.

After that, she extended her hand to Evangeline, saying with a very fake smile, "Nice to meet you! I'm Ema Hayashi, Fumihiro's girlfriend."

Once again, Ema took a stance, making it clear who she was.

It was her jealousy speaking for her at that moment.

Evangeline chuckled playfully, not falling for Ema's provocation. She grabbed her hand for a handshake and looked her straight in the eyes, as if challenging her.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ema-chan. I'm Evangeline Beaufort, the one who will be with Fumihiro for an entire week! You're a lucky girl, perhaps too lucky," Evangeline said with a teasing tone, shaking her hand.

'What does she mean by "too lucky"?' I thought.

Ema looked at Evangeline in surprise, not expecting such a response. "Please don't call him by his name, thank you," Ema added.

"It's normal in France to call everyone by their first name instead of their last.

Fumihiro sounds better," Evangeline replied with a firm tone. She knew this girl wasn't joking.

After that handshake, there was a brief moment of awkward silence between the two.

Ema tightened her grip on my arm even more, not wanting to let me go, while Evangeline looked at her as if she didn't appreciate the possessive and obsessive behavior my girlfriend had towards me.

This strange situation was interrupted by Benjiro and Suzuki-San approaching us.

"Well well, I see you've already met! It's nice to see everyone getting along!" Suzuki-san said, intervening in the conversation.

Ema and Evangeline's gazes turned towards her.

Suzuki had a warming smile plastered on her face.

 She extended her hand to Evangeline, saying, "I'm Haruka Suzuki, the class representative. I hope you can feel comfortable here with us, Evangeline," in a very friendly and professional manner.

Evangeline smiled back, shaking her hand and giving a small bow.

"Pleasure's all mine, Suzuki-chan!" Ema looked at her strangely.

She noticed that Evangeline addressed Haruka by her last name, which irritated her.

After Suzuki, Benjiro also introduced himself to her.

"Nice to meet you, Evangeline! I'm Benjiro Tanaka, Fumi's best friend!" he said with a proud tone.

Evangeline shook Benjiro's hand too, smiling at him. "Pleasure's mine, Fumihiro's bestfriend - Tanaka-san!"

Benjiro was in heaven. 

He shook hands with a girl.

He looked like he was about to explode from joy.

After the introductions, the atmosphere in the classroom seemed to have adopted a more relaxed tone.

Benjiro burst into laughter, evidently pleased to have been recognized as Fumi's best friend, while Suzuki-San simply observed with a pleased smile on her face.

Ema, however, still seemed unsettled by Evangeline's presence.

Her gaze continued to oscillate between me and the newcomer, and her demeanor showed no signs of relaxation despite the introductions.

The tension in my arm, caused by Ema's grip, had slightly lessened, but her nervousness was still evident.

Her jealousy oozed from every gesture, from every unspoken word.

In contrast, Evangeline seemed completely at ease, as if she didn't perceive the tension in the air at all. 

Arai-Sensei, who had been observing the scene with calm reserve until that moment, decided to intervene.

"Okay, now that you're finally introduced to each other, why don't you guys show Evangeline all the school?" she said with a warm smile.

Our attention then moved to our teacher.

"Yes, why not. I think it's a nice way to become friends." Benjiro replied.

"Sure, that sounds like a great idea," I replied, glancing at Evangeline to gauge her reaction.

She nodded enthusiastically, her smile widening at the prospect of exploring the school with us.

Benjiro, still brimming with excitement from his interaction with Evangeline, eagerly stepped forward.

"Absolutely! I'd be honored to show Evangeline around," he declared, his pride evident in his tone.

Suzuki-san, always the diplomatic presence, chimed in with a supportive nod.

"I'm sure we can all give Evangeline a warm welcome and make her feel at home here," she added, her smile encouraging.

Ema, though still visibly wary, seemed to relent slightly at the suggestion. Her grip on my arm loosened, and she offered a tentative nod of agreement.

She had no other choice, and she wasn't feeling at ease.

"Ema, is everything alright?" I asked her.

She shook her head, telling me a no.

"Not again..." I thought...