“What type of girl do you like?”
Kael blinked, turning to the guy beside him with full confusion. Was... was he talking to him?
“Uhh... I guess that’s... kind of a personal preference?” Kael replied, unsure.
The guy grinned wide.
“Oh, come on, man! I knew you were my kind of guy the moment I saw you. And now... confirmed.”
Kael squinted.
“Confirmed what, exactly?”
Before he could react, the guy threw an arm around his shoulders like they were childhood best friends and pointed past the crowd.
“You were looking at the girls, weren’t you?”
“Huh?!” Kael followed the finger.
Up on the second-floor balcony, behind the statue of the Founding Three, a small group of girls stood laughing in crisp uniforms, skirts swaying slightly in the breeze.
“Knew it,” the guy said proudly. “Takes guts to start girl-watching on day one. Hats off.”
Kael’s face turned bright red.
“I—I wasn’t—I mean— That’s not what I was—”
“Anyway,” the guy cut him off, “I’m Calvin Ranger.”
He offered a handshake Kael didn’t take in time.
“What’s your name, fellow warrior of taste?”
“Kael. But I didn’t—”
“Kael! My guy!” Calvin beamed. “Alright, we gotta go to the testing center together or they’ll split us into different classes!”
Before Kael could say anything else, Calvin was already dragging him away by the arm.
“Let’s move! Bond of bros is forged in fire and late arrival!”
Kael, being half-dragged and half-shuffled along, whispered to himself:
“What the hell is going on…”
Go to Chapter 3