"..."
"...Just how long have you had this 'crush'?"
"..." Ryan froze as the bitter smile vanished from his face, realizing the trap he had walked into. "Brother Soren... that is not the main point of what I just said."
"It's the most interesting point," Soren replied with an insufferable smirk. "Come on. You said 'childhood.' How far back are we talking here?"
Ryan rubbed the back of his neck, feeling his cheeks flush again. He glanced around nervously, avoiding Soren's gaze, in a desperate attempt to find an escape before he finally gave up with a sigh of defeat.
"Since middle school," Ryan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "We went to the same academy back before we even awakened. She was already popular back then, and I was... well, nobody. After awakening, she became even more popular, while I... remained a nobody."
"I see..." Soren's grin faded a little, but his eyes remained playful. "So... you've been carrying that torch for years."
