Fake Chivalry

"Yuck." Death gagged and pretended to vomit. "Who does he think he is, the love interest in a cliché romance novel?!"

"Why do you hate Klaus so much?" I frowned. "And what if I tell you that he is?"

"What?"

"Nothing," I said, looking away.

Death looked at me in disbelief. "You're asking me that?"

"Yes, I am." I challenged.

"You're the one who had romantic ties with him, Evangeline." Death pointed it out. "You should know why he's a detestable man."

"Yes, you're right. I did!" I said it indignantly. "That's why I can confidently say he isn't what you think he is!"

Death was about to continue arguing with me, but the memory continued.

"Oh!" Klaus exclaimed. "It's you!"

"Yeah…" I replied awkwardly. I felt slightly embarrassed that I shouted at one of the most important people on campus.

Klaus gave me a bright smile, only to be replaced by horror at realizing what had just transpired. Hurriedly, he kneeled and started collecting the scattered test papers in the hallway.

"I'm sorry!" Klaus said, his tone more worried when he found out that it was me he bumped.

I realized that I stopped picking up the papers when she saw Klaus. I then got them again, trying to hide the utter shock and embarrassment on my face.

'How did this happen?' My thoughts were running wildly. "What were the odds of this happening?

Once all the papers were collected, we both stood up. Gingerly, I presented my arms forward along with the papers I had garnered. I was hinting for him to stack them back on my arms, but Klaus didn't seem to get the memo.

"Stupid fuck," Death muttered.

I glared at him.

"You were carrying all of these by yourself?" Klaus asked the obvious, making me begrudgingly agree with Death that Klaus was, indeed, a stupid fuck.

I merely nodded. My facial expression didn't indicate she had the same thoughts as we did.

"Aren't you a strong, independent woman!" Klaus's voice had no hint of sarcasm, and he was genuinely impressed with me.

I froze, surprised that I was being complimented for merely carrying a stack of paper. Was it really surprising for a girl to carry a minimally heavy load?

Klaus must've realized his words' underlying tones of sexism, for he turned a bright shade of pink and started stammering. It took me a while to decipher what Klaus was trying to say.

"Uh—I mean!" Klaus tried to form a coherent sentence but was failing horribly. "Because, uh. Y-you could have asked someone for h-h-help." Klaus shyly looked away. "Like me."

The last part was almost inaudible, but I still heard it.

Klaus must have noticed that I did this because his cheeks turned darker. Now, it was the color of crimson. A second later, he made an expression as if he had a light bulb moment.

Suddenly, he took everything I was holding and added it to the pile he had in his arms.

"Klaus—" I began.

"Let me help you," Klaus insisted. "This is the least I could do for the trouble I caused you."

Death tutted.

"Typical fake chivalry!"

"No, it's not," I argued. "That's just the kind of person Klaus is."

"No, it's not," Death mimicked, even copying my voice to annoy me. "He's doing it like a typical manipulative male, so you'll feel gratitude toward him."

I wanted to argue more, but the younger me spoke.

"Thanks, Klaus," I replied. "But the office is just a few steps away. Let me do it."

I gestured at the faculty room with my head. Indeed, it was just about a meter away from where we bumped into each other. But Klaus wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

A significant foreshadowing of what he was planning to do in the upcoming weeks.

"Yeah, that's my point, too." Klaus smiled. "Let me help you in these few remaining steps."

I wanted to take the pile from Klaus, but I couldn't raise my arms. My biceps were aching and burning so badly.

"See?" Klaus must've taken notice because he proceeded to make his point. "Your arms must be tired. Let me help you, Ms. Vermillion."

I was usually hard-headed, even more so in high school. But how Klaus said it in his warm tone made me completely speechless. Klaus chuckled and started walking with the papers in his arms, and I had no choice but to follow him.

"How have you been?" Klaus asked.

"Ah, yes." Death feigned amusement. "Small talk."

"We weren't close yet during this time, Death." I pointed it out. "I don't think it would be appropriate to talk about capitalism and the futility of life at the get-go."

Death shrugged.

"I'm fine," I answered briefly.

There was a long, awkward silence between us. The few steps we took to reach the faculty room seemed like a mile because of it.

"See!" Death exclaimed. "Even the younger you weren't impressed!"

Klaus laughed wearily. His lame attempt at talk was rejected as soon as it started.

Thankfully, the awkwardness ended when we arrived at the faculty room. I knocked at the door before entering, where we saw Mrs. Clint waiting for me at her desk.

"Took you long enough, Miss—Oh! It's the student council president!" Mrs. Clint gasped as she saw Klaus standing beside me.

Klaus made a small wave.

My head spun to look at him.

"You're the student council president?!" Death and the younger me shouted at the same time.

Klaus had a look of surprise on his face and was about to answer the younger me, not Death, but Mrs. Clint interrupted him.

"Come in, come in!" She gestured for him, excluding the younger me, to enter the faculty room. "My, how kind of you, Mr. President, to help a student in need."

"I wouldn't be 'in need' if you didn't make me carry these in the first place," I said, looking down and muttering.

Klaus snorted.

"Yes?" Mrs. Clint raised her eyebrows with a confused, wide grin.

Klaus shook his head, hiding his smile of amusement.

"Where should I place this?" he asked politely.