Time passed smoothly after that conversation, and soon the plates were almost empty.
Nene didn't have a big appetite, so she finished eating quickly. After that, she remained seated, occasionally glancing at Damian from the corner of her eye. Noticing her gaze, he asked with a hint of curiosity:
"Nene, are you already full?"
"Uhm… yes. I just thought you'd eat a lot more, Damian-kun. I'm surprised your appetite is so... restrained."
Damian brought a hand to his chin and answered thoughtfully:
"I think that's my limit."
"But you always say you've been working hard, and besides, you're tall. Even if you look a bit slim, your appetite should be bigger… I mean, at least compared to the other boys. I didn't expect you to stop so soon," Nene commented in a light but sincere tone.
Damian smiled and replied calmly:
"Controlling the amount a bit helps break the monotony."
"Break the monotony…?"
What kind of answer is that?! What does he mean by that? Is he trying to say he's single? Nene shook her head, brushing the thought aside, and blurted out:
"Damian-kun, I've never seen you hanging out with any girls besides your dorm mates. Considering your looks, why are you still single?"
"Well, I do have some standards, after all."
"What kind of standards?!"
Nene's spontaneous and loud reaction made Damian blink in surprise. A smile spread across his lips.
"You really act like a girl your age in moments like this, Nene."
She blushed deeply, coughed, and explained:
"It's… I just… I was just curious! I was wondering what the ideal partner of someone as skilled as you would be like, that's all!"
Damian tilted his head, relaxed:
"Someone thoughtful, who thinks for herself, doesn't act irrationally. Someone I share some interests with, has a good personality, values family, isn't obsessed with money… and knows how to live life in balance. Something like that."
Nene fell silent for a moment. His words echoed in her mind, until she softly asked:
"Live life in balance...? Damian-kun, what do you mean by that?"
"Living fully. Not wasting time, cultivating good hobbies, making each day meaningful."
"Hm… Now that you mention it, when you talked about your hobbies, it sounded like you had a lot. What are they?"
He thought for a moment before listing them:
"Music, basketball, weight training, billiards, tennis, martial arts, traveling, extreme sports, movies, gastronomy, games, reading…"
Nene's eyes widened. The list was longer than she expected.
She started recalling the things she liked: movies, music, tea, reading… Did they really have that much in common? But why was she comparing herself like this…?
"Damian-kun, your interests are… impressive," she said, trying to hide her slight fluster.
"And I have one more hobby, though I can't do it here."
"What is it?"
"Drinking wine."
"What?! You drink, Damian-kun?!"
He nodded casually:
"My grandfather always had me join him with a glass during dinner. I ended up acquiring the taste."
"That sounds like something out of a movie… I can't picture you drinking. But aren't you underage? How old do you have to be to drink in Italy?" she asked.
"In Italy, the legal drinking age for alcohol, including wine, is 18. However, culturally, it's common for teenagers to try small amounts of wine at home during family meals, especially on special occasions — sometimes starting at 14 or 15, always under supervision."
"I see… But even so… try not to overdo it, okay?"
Damian chuckled gently, his gaze warm:
"Nene, you actually fit what I said earlier."
"E-Eh?! I…?!"
Nene's face turned even redder. Damian laughed softly, shaking his head:
"Just as I thought, you really are cute, Nene."
"D-Damian-kun! That sharp tongue of yours is showing again!"
He took his last bite, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and stood up with a calm smile:
"I'm done. Shall we head back?"
"Hm…"
The walk back to the dorm was quiet. Nene kept her head down the whole time, her face still warm. When they finally arrived, she took a deep breath as if trying to release all the nervousness she had built up.
Nene's heart was still racing. She didn't understand why, but Damian's words had stirred something strange and warm inside her.
"Well, that's it," Damian said with a soft smile. "Rest well. If there's any announcement, I'll let you know. It should be soon."
"Thank you… Damian-kun…"
"Hm?"
"You… you are…"
He simply smiled, tilting his head slightly:
"See you later."
"Hm… see you."
Nene opened the door, but before stepping in, she heard Damian say:
"Oh, almost forgot…"
"Eh?"
"I was serious earlier. Back there, at the stove… you were calm, confident, composed, and precise. You used every skill you've trained so hard to master. You looked dazzling."
He smiled again:
"Nene, you really are an amazing girl. Oh, and that expression on your face right now is super cute."
Nene's face turned completely red. Clenching her fists, she shouted:
"Damian-kun, you idiot!"
Damian chuckled softly, shook his head, and walked off. As soon as he disappeared from sight, Nene took off her glasses and threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow and murmuring, her face on fire:
"Idiot… idiot… Damian-kun, you big idiot!"
She rolled on the bed, hugging her pillow to her chest, and murmured with a faint smile:
"Why am I so happy…? How am I supposed to sleep now…? Idiot…"
Meanwhile, Damian had no idea of the effect he had caused. In fact, he wasn't even planning to sleep. He returned to take a shower and wait for any notifications. Maybe something about breakfast? It all depended on the examiners' mood.
And just as he predicted, in another room, a man in a suit spoke in a deep voice:
"Mr. Chappelle, according to the arrangements… should we increase the difficulty for the next stage?"
"I don't think it's necessary," Chappelle replied calmly. "If we raise it too much, we'll eliminate too many students too early."
"So we'll be making things unnecessarily… challenging. No exaggeration."
"Exactly. Let's keep things as balanced as possible. Now, let's review today. Hinako, you eliminated quite a few students."
"Was I not supposed to?" she asked, confused.
"Let's focus on today's events first."
"Hm!"
---
(End of the chapter)
Give me some power stones there you go~😉