Baran decided to come down from the rooftop. Theodore's behavior had begun to irritate him.
'Why would you ever do something that benefits me...?'
To shake off this thought, Baran tried everything: eating, washing his face, and a dozen other things—but nothing helped.
Why? Simple. Whenever something got stuck in Baran's head, he couldn't let it go until he found a solution. It was one of those traits he hated about himself but couldn't fix.
In the end, he began walking to clear his mind.
He wandered around the garden for five minutes—but it wasn't enough. Then ten… then twenty… and by the time he stopped, the lunch break was almost over. Students were already returning to their classrooms.
Yet Baran's mind was still a storm.
The only solution left… seemed to be a combat state of mind.
"Helloooo there~" A polite and refined voice suddenly echoed through the air.
The moment Baran heard it, he snapped out of his thoughts and turned around.
Wearing the same dark blue school blazer, with hair and eyes that looked like the void of space itself, the person who appeared bore a celestial charm that was unmistakable.
It was none other than Theodore Mosby.
Wearing a grin that made it clear he'd gotten what he wanted, Theodore walked up to Baran.
"Uhm... How are you? I assume it's okay for me to ask, right?" he said in a pleasant tone, even bringing his hand to his chin halfway through the sentence.
Baran stared at him with tired eyes. The pain he'd suffered yesterday wasn't enough—now he had to deal with all this nonsense (all his own fault, of course). And on top of that… this Void Head guy?
"I'm fine… And no, it's not a problem," Baran replied, making a clear effort to sound indifferent. He tried to walk away.
"Oh come on, how was the little gift I prepared for you?" Theodore asked with a sly grin. He was clearly enjoying himself.
"It was alright… But thanks anyway," Baran said, trying to escape this situation. He was good at adapting to the mood.
"If you say so... I'll make sure the next one is much better."
"I'll be looking forward to it."
After that, silence.
A silence even deeper than death itself.
Baran couldn't bear it any longer and decided to leave.
"Baran." Theodore's voice was sharp and decisive. Baran stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
"I hope you don't run away tomorrow... I'm planning to have some fun with you." His tone was crystal clear—it was a challenge.
This time, Baran didn't look tired. His eyes had gone completely cold.
"Run away? Are you saying you want to fight me with these hands, Theodore?" he asked mockingly, raising his hands.
"Yes. With those hands you've so miraculously healed, I'm saying let's fight, Baran," Theodore said with confidence.
Baran blinked briefly in surprise—but recovered quickly.
"So you know... Since when?"
"Well, a few minutes after I first saw you, I got suspicious. So I asked the doctor. You know how it is—a small deal later, and he told me."
Theodore thought the exchange had been perfectly fair. And honestly, anyone would suspect something if a guy with shattered hands wasn't resting even a single day.
"I see. Looks like I've got some business with that doctor… Thanks for the heads-up." Baran quickly identified the leak, closed the subject, and began to walk away.
Pressure.
Suddenly, the atmosphere grew heavy. Baran paused in mild surprise. The air was thick with traces of energy.
In response, he released a wave of killing intent. Neutralizing the pressure, he turned to Theodore.
"Did you already forget what I told you?" Baran said, his voice cold as ice.
"Hahaha… I believe you said, 'Don't ever pull something that stupid again,' right?" Theodore burst into laughter at Baran's tone.
"Come on, Baran. You know what they say—barking dogs don't bite…" He didn't even let Baran speak.
"So I'll be waiting for you tomorrow. Don't disappoint me, alright?" Theodore finished with a sweet smile.