Let’s Go Together

The first class was over, and they had free time until the afternoon.

Adrian Heather quickly gathered his things, leaving Mikhail Luce Inehart still seated. He was just about to decide how to spend the time before the next class.

“Are you two eating lunch separately again today?”

Adrian paused mid-motion at the voice directed at him and turned around. It was a blunt yet cheerful voice.

“Huh? Oh, hey.”

Adrian responded to the student who had spoken to him, brushing back his tousled light blond hair from turning his head. She was the student who had been sitting right behind him.

“But what did you mean just now?”

The student, who had been waiting for Adrian’s reply, gestured toward the back as she answered.

“Students from Garnet have been eating lunch together every day. I heard you two always eat separately, so I was just asking directly.”

“…Really? I never turned down any invitations.”

Adrian raised his voice enough for Mikhail, who was packing up beside him, to hear as well.

“Looks like Mikhail’s been declining them on my behalf.”

So he’s been cutting me off from socializing? How thoughtful. Smiling on the outside, Adrian decided to do something the prince would definitely hate.

“We’ll join you today.”

Adrian grabbed Mikhail by the shoulder and dragged him into the conversation. Mikhail’s eyes widened at Adrian’s use of “we.”

“What? No. I—”

“You have to eat lunch anyway. Oh, or do princes have to dine elegantly even for lunch?”

Adrian, having found something to poke fun at, pushed it further.

“Who told you to cancel my lunch plans without asking?”

“…They’re the ones who misunderstood.”

The prince had simply answered the students with, “I’ll eat separately.” But those students had misinterpreted that to mean Mikhail and Adrian ate lunch alone together.

As the conversation between the two started to stretch out, the girl who’d spoken first chimed in again. The students waiting behind her to go eat lunch were urging her to hurry.

“So are you coming or not?”

“I’m coming.”

“I’m not.”

Adrian gave the prince a light tap on the shoulder—a subtle don’t be difficult. He’d made up his mind: he was going to help the prince develop some social skills as soon as possible. A royal who’d one day have to set an example for the Kingdom of Rustavaran couldn’t go around isolating himself like this.

Then, all of a sudden, a brilliant idea struck Adrian.

Mikhail was the prince of Rustavaran and someone who would inevitably make important decisions in the future. Since they were stuck as roommates for a year anyway, why not help the prince make some decent friends?

Adrian could already hear the sparkle of his piercing insight ringing in the air.

This is it.

While he was thinking it over, a dozen or so Garnet students were filing out of the classroom. Adrian leaned in and whispered to Mikhail.

“You planning to go four years without making a single friend? This is your chance. Just shut up and come with me this once.”

With full confidence, Adrian gave the prince’s shoulder a firm pat, then grabbed his arm with unapologetic force. Mikhail tried to shake him off, clearly annoyed, but didn’t resist walking along. He followed Adrian out of the classroom toward the group. It was lunchtime anyway, and they had to eat. Since the Academy only had one cafeteria, they were headed in the same direction regardless.

When Adrian and Mikhail caught up with the Garnet students and said they’d join them for lunch, the group greeted them with enthusiasm.

“Oh wow, finally! We’re all eating together!”

After all, they were going to be studying together for years. It was only natural they’d be curious about the two guys who’d been doing their own thing and avoiding everyone since day one. As they made their way to the cafeteria, everyone began casually introducing themselves.

“My name’s Yushi Sandria. Just call me Yushi.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Adrian Heather. And this here is—”

“I know. You’re both already famous around campus.”

Adrian glanced at the student walking beside him, curious what kind of famous she meant. The girl who had first spoken to them laughed breezily and explained.

“Don’t worry, it’s not in a bad way. It’s just… you’re both ridiculously good-looking, and…”

Yushi lowered her voice slightly, as if trying to keep it from reaching Mikhail’s ears—but of course, he heard.

“…He’s that Mikhail Luce Inehart. Of course he’s going to be famous.”

Adrian nodded slowly to himself.

Ah, so we’re the famous duo: the prince and his princeling lackey. Makes sense.

***

The Academy cafeteria was known for catering to the refined palates of its elite students. Every morning, it received deliveries of top-tier ingredients and brought in distinguished chefs to prepare the meals.

The students each pulled out one of the meal tickets they had pre-purchased with their uniforms and headed toward the counter to fill out the order slips. That was the moment Adrian’s “Project: Socialize Mikhail” officially began.

Phase one of Operation: Socialize Mikhail was underway.

“Hmm… I’ll go with Course B.”

“Oh yeah? That one comes with sea bass. I’ll get the B set too!”

“Me too! I want Course B!”

The kids buzzed with excitement as they filled out their orders together. It was the first day of school, and maybe the nerves from their first class had made them even hungrier.

Since the whole group seemed to be going with Course B, Adrian joined in as well.

“Then I’ll get the same.”

His soft brown eyes crinkled with a smile under his neatly parted blond hair. The student who had been compiling everyone’s orders blinked blankly and blushed at the sight of his smile.

“Course A.”

The prince spoke firmly as he looked down at the student holding the order sheet. For someone who was also just a student, he had a remarkably commanding tone. Course A… Adrian glanced back at the cafeteria menu. Course A was the meat option—today’s special was steak.

“…The sea bass looks really good, though.”

Adrian tried nudging the prince toward Course B. Having everyone eat the same meal made things easier in a lot of ways—less confusion, smoother service. Plus, if they were all eating the same thing, it gave them something to chat about, didn’t it? Adrian had no shame entertaining such boomer logic.

But Mikhail didn’t budge from his decision. One of the students nodded and wrote down the prince’s order for him.

Once everyone had chosen, they made their way to a long table and took their seats. With ten students in total, they filled the entire table.

Before long, the dishes they had ordered were ready and began arriving one by one.

“Whoa…! I’m glad I picked Course B.”

“Right? It’s cooked perfectly.”

They quickly reached for their knives and forks to dig in.

“Mmm!”

Yushi, of course, had also gone with Course B.

“This is seriously good. I wish they served this every day.”

“Nah, if you had it every day, you’d get sick of it.”

The students laughed and chatted as they enjoyed their lunch. A thick, perfectly grilled steak was placed in front of Mikhail. The prince sliced it into pieces with graceful precision.

While chatting with the others about the sea bass, Adrian turned to Mikhail and spoke to him as part of the project.

“How’s the steak?”

Mikhail swallowed the steak in his mouth before answering.

“…I don’t like talking while I’m eating.”

So this is what it feels like to be a desperate parent, Adrian thought to himself, letting out a small laugh. At the sound, Mikhail briefly glanced at him, then refocused on his steak.

Once most of the meal was finished, a server from the Academy cafeteria brought drinks and dessert to the table. The students began chatting among themselves about post-meal treats.

Adrian, having wiped his mouth, turned to look at Mikhail, who was quietly dabbing at his lips with a napkin. He decided to give it another shot.

Tea—a refined, noble pastime. Surely, the prince would happily indulge in showing off his knowledge.

“Barnar Mountain tea’s the best with dessert.”

“Bittersweet, clean finish. That’s probably what makes it so good.”

“Oh yeah, teas from Barnar are top-quality. Ever been to one of those specialty shops around here that deal only in loose leaves?”

“Of course!”

As the conversation shifted to Barnar, Adrian kept sneaking glances at Mikhail, who was quietly sipping his tea. Even though the brew was likely still hot, he swallowed it smoothly.

Adrian nudged Mikhail’s knee lightly under the table.

What? Mikhail raised a single eyebrow in response to the movement.

“All tea tastes the same to me,” he said.

To Mikhail, tea was just steeped leaves. He had no interest in which local patch of grass produced the most exquisite blend.

The prince’s chilly remark left the students awkwardly chuckling.

“So, when I went to ‘Roxia’ last week—”

Someone quickly picked up the floundering conversation and steered it away.

Adrian lowered his eyes, silent. Another failed attempt.

He realized he needed to bring up a topic Mikhail would want to talk about—something that would naturally draw him in.

After a brief moment of thought, he opened his mouth to speak about the one subject that had actually caught the prince’s attention before.

“The Headmaster… During the entrance ceremony, didn’t he look incredible? I heard she used to be a knight?”

As soon as Adrian said it, Mikhail’s indifferent gaze shifted toward him.

There it is. Hooked.

Adrian stayed quiet, waiting patiently for the prince to take the bait.