As they settled into their seats, a waiter handed them a menu.
Sora Winslow suddenly remembered something and turned to Hyacinth Chua. "Oh yeah, you haven't introduced your companion yet."
At that moment, all eyes shifted to Aurora Perish, who was completely engrossed in the menu. A variety of beautifully presented dishes filled the pages, and she was practically drooling at the thought of them. Realizing the attention on her, she blinked and looked up.
"I'm Aurora," she said casually. "You can call me whatever you prefer."
Sora Winslow grinned. "Ohh, nice to meet you Aura!"
Aurora blinked, tilting her head slightly. Seriously? Why that nickname? Do you just hear 'Aurora' and immediately shorten it to 'Aura'? she thought.
Aurora Perish offered them a polite smile.
Soren Halloway simply smiled and gave a small nod in return. To an outsider, it might have seemed like she was teasing them with that subtle expression.
Meanwhile, Hyacinth Chua, who had been gazing out through the large glass windows, was quietly observing the female lead, her thoughts unreadable.
Sora Winslow noticed that Hyacinth Chua was no longer paying attention to them. Curious, she subtly gestured toward her.
Aurora Perish and Soren Halloway caught the signal, their eyes following the movement before shifting toward Hyacinth Chua.
Silently, the three of them turned to follow her gaze, their attention now drawn to whatever had captured her interest outside.
They exchanged glances before releasing a collective sigh. This naive kid still won't give up.
Why insist on suffering when fate keeps spelling it out, time and time again, that they aren't one for you?
Why keep forcing yourself toward something that was never meant to be?
As the three of them remained focused on the scene outside, the waiter—who had been ignored from the very beginning—finally spoke up.
"What will you all be ordering?"
Surprisingly, there was no hint of irritation in her voice. Perhaps it was the sheer luxury of the brands these three rich kids were wearing that made her hesitant to interrupt. Offending them was simply not an option.
The group, momentarily lost in their own thoughts, suddenly remembered why they were there in the first place. Soren Halloway let out an awkward smile before finally asking what everyone wanted to eat, while Hyacinth Chua remained fixated on whatever held her attention outside the window.
Sora Winslow was the first to order. "Two Chicken Katsu Curries. For drinks, a Matcha Latte and a Green Tea."
Aurora Perish, who had been craving sushi for a while, made her choice next. "California Roll and sa—" She caught herself mid-sentence, quickly correcting, "Green tea too, please." For a moment, she had forgotten she wasn't an adult anymore.
Soren Halloway simply nodded in agreement.
With their choices settled, she relayed their orders to the waiter, who gave a polite nod before leaving to prepare their meals.
Suddenly, Hyacinth Chua stood up, catching the other three off guard. They had been too focused on the scene outside to expect her sudden movement.
"I need to use the comfort room," she said casually before walking away.
Soren Halloway and Sora Winslow exchanged glances and made an "okay" gesture in response, but Hyacinth Chua was already gone and didn't see it.
Aurora Perish finally had the chance to see what Hyacinth Chua had been so fixated on. Earlier, her view had been completely blocked, leaving her unable to make out what had caught Hyacinth Chua's attention. Now, with an unobstructed line of sight, she turned her gaze toward the elegant restaurant in the distance—LumièreVerde.
It was a high-end restaurant exuding a romantic atmosphere, where each table was meant for only two. From the second-floor window, due to the generous spacing between tables, it was easy to make out the people seated inside.
Aurora Perish's eyes landed on a particular pair engaged in quiet conversation. The young man had short red hair, neatly styled as if he had put great effort into perfecting it. Dressed in a sharp suit, it was clear he had spent considerable time preparing for this date. His features were handsome, his presence refined, and his smile radiated a mature charm as he looked at the girl sitting across from him.
The girl, with striking white hair, was even more captivating. She wore a sleek black dress that left her shoulders bare. Despite its simplicity, the outfit only enhanced her elegance. She didn't smile often, yet her presence was undeniable—poised, alluring, and effortlessly beautiful. Even with minimal makeup, she exuded a quiet confidence that made her all the more mesmerizing.
Aurora Perish was shocked when she saw that the white haired girl wasn't the person she had seen before.
So that's the female lead... No wonder Hyacinth Chua had been so captivated by her beauty.
Perhaps the person had noticed someone watching her because she suddenly looked up and locked eyes with Aurora Perish. She barely spared her a glance before looking away, uninterested.
Aurora Perish, however, froze on the spot when she felt the stares of Soren Halloway and Sora Winslow now directed at her.
Then, Soren Halloway spoke. Despite her usual quiet demeanor, she was, at heart, a gossip. "You should stop whatever you're thinking about her. Hyacinth Chua has her eyes on her, you know?"
Sora Winslow nodded in agreement. "That's right. She's been pursuing her ever since she started high school."
Aurora Perish looked at them, puzzled. Interested in her? That thought hadn't even crossed her mind.
To her, Rose Sallow and Hyacinth Chua were beautiful—not because of personal attraction, but because they were the main characters of this world. Of course, they would stand out. They were supposed to.
And that's when it finally clicked.
Oh.
They thought she had feelings for the female lead.
Because in this cliché novel, Aurora Perish wasn't just any side character—she was the second male (female) lead. And in stories like these, the second lead always had lingering feelings for the heroine. No wonder they had jumped to conclusions.
Now that she understood their assumptions, Aurora Perish gave them a blank stare before finally speaking.
"I know. I was just looking at the person who caught Hyacinth Chua's attention. I thought it was interesting, that's all."
Sora Winslow and Soren Halloway felt relieved and exchanged approving looks.
Soren Halloway sighed, crossing her arms. "I know, right? That woman clearly already has a partner, yet Hyacinth Chua still insists on pursuing her. No matter what I say, she just won't listen."
At that moment, Soren Halloway's true nature became apparent—she loved gossip. The moment she realized Aurora Perish was friends with Hyacinth Chua, she immediately assumed Aurora Perish must share her opinions. That's why she felt comfortable gossiping about Hyacinth Chua with only the three of them present.
Sora Winslow nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It's so weird to think you have a chance with someone who's already in a relationship!"
She paused for a moment before adding, "But honestly, this is the first time we've ever seen Hyacinth Chua this obsessed with an omega. She used to avoid them at all costs."
Aurora Perish, who didn't know much about relationships, chose to stay quiet.
She simply nodded along whenever Sora Winslow and Soren Halloway started gossiping, not really contributing to the conversation.
Through their discussion, Aurora Perish came to a realization—Sora Winslow was older than them, which explained why she was already differentiated as an Omega this year. Meanwhile, Soren Halloway was still undifferentiated
As they chatted, their food was finally served, yet Hyacinth Chua was still in the comfort room—or so they thought. Confusion lingered among them.
Sora Winslow, who was seated closer to the window, suddenly narrowed her eyes. "Guys... isn't that Hyacinth over there?"
—
Author note:
Just letting you all know, this novel is Alpha x Alpha. Aurora Perish's love interest isn't involved with the main characters of that cliché novel at all.
You will get to know her in later chapters!