"You need a mental health check. I don't mind paying for that. You stick to me like glue. Carry all the takeaway," Matthew said, using one hand to push Felix's face away.
Felix's cheek squished beneath Matthew's palm.
"Matthew!"
Matthew ignored him and walked out.
Behind them, one of the workers placed the receipt inside one of the takeaway bags before handing the bags over to Felix.
Felix stared at the mountain of food in his arms.
"Why am I carrying all of this?"
Matthew was already outside.
"Matthew!"
Felix hurried after him.
By the time Felix reached the parking area, Matthew was already inside the black sports car. Felix quickly climbed into the passenger seat, carefully placing the takeaway bags between them.
The engine roared to life.
A few moments later, the black sports car sped away toward Crownside School.
Since the car was registered under Ava's name, it was allowed to be parked inside the school's garage.
After arriving at the school, Matthew and Felix headed straight to the boys' dormitory.
Their dorm room felt less like a cramped student space and more like a shared apartment built for eight people who had learned how to live around one another.
Sunlight streamed through the balcony doors at the far end of the room, falling across the polished wooden floor.
Closest to the balcony were two bunk beds—the third and fourth beds—positioned beside the windows so whoever slept there would wake up with sunlight spilling across their blankets.
Between the two bunk beds stood two tall wooden wardrobes.
Thick and wide, they divided the sleeping spaces like quiet walls. Each wardrobe was shared by two students.
One side was usually packed with clothes, while the other gradually became filled with snacks, bags, books, and random supplies.
Across the room, facing those beds, stood another pair of bunk beds—the first and second beds.
The first bed was positioned closest to the kitchen.
Like the other two, these bunk beds were separated by another pair of heavy wardrobes, creating four small sections within the room.
It gave everyone a little sense of personal space instead of making eight students feel like they were sleeping directly on top of one another.
Each bunk was wide and sturdy, designed with a clever folding board that could slide out and become a small table. Students could use it to read, eat, or study without even having to leave their beds.
Beside every bunk was a small desk and chair, along with a reading lamp for late-night studying.
Thick curtains hung from every bed frame.
At night, the students could pull them closed, creating private little spaces around each bunk. Mosquito nets were built into the setup as well, giving everyone another layer of protection while they slept.
The room itself was air-conditioned, although an old standing electric fan still waited in one corner. Its metal head remained tilted slightly upward, as though it had been there long before the air conditioner was installed.
A few spare chairs were scattered around the room, usually dragged wherever someone wanted to sit.
Near the entrance, tucked into one corner, was a small kitchen hidden behind a narrow door.
It was compact but well-designed, with enough space for two or three people to cook, prepare food, or heat noodles without constantly bumping into one another.
Cabinets, a small refrigerator, a sink, a stove, and basic cooking equipment filled the space efficiently.
Beyond the main room was the balcony
.
Laundry racks stood along one side, while detergent bottles and washing supplies were neatly arranged nearby. Two washing machines occupied another section of the balcony.
Some students preferred using the machines.
Others still washed their clothes by hand and hung them along the railings to dry.
The fourth bed, closest to the balcony, belonged to Matthew and Jay.
Matthew occupied the lower bunk while Jay slept in the upper bunk.
Matthew's sleeping space was still arranged almost exactly as he had left it a week ago. A dust cover remained over his belongings and bed, while his bed net was neatly folded into place.
Jay was currently on the upper bunk, while Matthew's lower bunk remained untouched beneath him.
Philip occupied the upper bunk of the third bed, his bed space—the fifth space in the room—where he sat reading quietly.
Kai occupied the lower bunk beneath him, the sixth bed space, completely absorbed in a movie playing on his laptop.
The second bunk bed was closer to the entrance.
Felix's upper bunk—the third bed space—was neatly arranged despite his tendency to create chaos everywhere else.
The lower bunk beneath him belonged to Rick, who was currently asleep.
The first bunk bed was positioned closest to the kitchen.
V's upper bunk was empty since he wasn't around. Unlike Matthew's bed, however, V's did not have a dust cover over it.
Someone in the dorm cleaned his space regularly, so the bed remained neat despite his absence.
The lower bunk belonged to Derek.
Derek was sitting on his bed, talking casually with Jay.
The dorm was relatively peaceful.
Then the door opened.
Matthew stepped inside first.
Felix followed behind him, struggling under the weight of all the takeaway bags.
The moment the other students noticed the food, several heads turned.
Rick, who had been asleep, immediately woke up.
"Damn, Felix! You betrayed us! You ran away and went behind our backs to Matthew's place. You have some nerve."
His eyes immediately landed on the takeaway bags.
"Luckily for you, you brought us food," Rick complained.
Philip closed his book and jumped down from his bunk. He walked over, took several of the takeaway bags from Felix, and placed them on the table.
"I was already in class when I got the message in the group chat. 'Free meal. Matthew paying.' I rushed back to the dorm immediately. I wasn't missing this one," Philip said.
Matthew didn't bother paying attention to their conversation.
He picked up his plate of food, his sandwich, and his iced peach tea before walking over to the small desk beside his bed. He placed everything neatly on the table and began eating.
The others quickly divided the remaining food between themselves.
Jay, Felix, Derek, Kai, Philip, and Rick gathered around the table, each taking their share.
Philip picked up the receipt and stared at the total.
"Damn. Twenty-five thousand CU dollars for all this expensive shit?"
Rick glanced at him.
"You're attending a school that costs a thousand times more than this, and you pay that every year. I don't see you shouting about that."
"That's different," Philip immediately argued.
He pointed at the receipt.
"Spending twenty five thousand CU dollars on food is still twenty-five thousand CU dollars which is 500k zen . At least the school is worth what we pay."
Rick raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Enlighten me."
Philip didn't need to be asked twice.
"The teachers here are among the best in the world. The equipment is the best and standard always changing each year. The environment is the best the dorm is the best different food stalls in the school sell food that helps strengthen the brain. Even the questions aren't ordinary questions. Some of them are taken directly from legendary figures in the education world."
He took a bite of his food before continuing.
"This school can make university-level education feel like a piece of cake. And that's not even counting the other opportunities."
He started counting on his fingers.
"I can learn different types of sports from professional coaches. I can get connections to national teams even see those people in different sport activities we host. I can learn different technical skills for free. I can build connections with top elites because this school is basically a gathering place for the children of influential families."
Philip took another bite.
"And I can explore different countries through the school's international programs and educational tours. The school literally takes students around the world so we can learn from different places and cultures."
He lifted his cup of cloud-aloe cream soda and took a sip.
"I'm going into law. Because of the club I joined, I can even get access to a private virtual-reality courtroom where I can practice simulated cases."
He gestured around the dorm.
"There's so much more. So yes, the tuition is ridiculously expensive, but considering everything we're getting from this school, it's worth it and we also get a million CU dollars as allowance from the school to do different things that result in profit and more profitable the more money we get."
Rick stared at him for a moment.
"Bro, you just gave a whole school advertisement while eating free food."
Philip shrugged.
"I'm defending my financial decisions."
Felix nodded seriously.
"He's right."
Rick looked at him.
"Nobody asked you."
Felix immediately returned to eating.
"I'm eating. Leave me alone."
"So, the school division thing is still happening?" Derek asked.
"Obviously," Philip answered. "Sophia said so, and everyone agreed. Anyway, it isn't the real deal, so just take it as practice."
"So we're using the test results from the assessment we did?" Kai asked.
Philip nodded.
"Exactly. Matthew came first, Sophia came second, Aiden came third, and Jake came fourth, but Jake doesn't want to join, which gives us a free space."
"Kai is not joining though he got fifth Jay got sixth, and he's not joining either," Philip continued. "He and Kai plan to study in the library with Rick and Derek."
"So I'm still attending since I came eighth," Philip said. "Sophia's friend who came seventh is joining too, along with the guy who came ninth."
He counted the remaining names on his fingers.
"Jordan came tenth, Jane came eleventh, and they're both joining as well. That leaves one free space."
Philip looked toward Felix.
"Felix got twelfth, so he's taking the final spot."
"So three of us are going to the ten-person group study, while everyone else can hang out or study in the library," Philip concluded everyone schedule as everyone resumes eating.
After eating, Matthew, Philip, and Felix headed to the resting area.
The resting area had seven separate halls, each containing different rooms designed for students to gather, study, relax, or hold private group activities.
Their destination was on the fourth floor, directly opposite the activity hall.
When they reached the designated hall, Philip pushed open the door.
The space immediately felt less like an ordinary school resting room and more like a fantasy library designed for students.
The hall was enormous, easily large enough to accommodate around two hundred and fifty students without making the room feel cramped.
Rows of large wooden tables stretched across the floor, with ten comfortable chairs arranged around each table.
Small glass shelves stood between the tables, reaching roughly the same height as the chairs. They acted as low partitions, separating each group without completely blocking the view of the hall.
Around every table was a subtle arrangement of glass panels and wooden frames that created the feeling of individual study sections. Small doors marked the entrances to each section, allowing students to move between them while still giving every group a sense of privacy.
Tall bookshelves lined the walls, reaching almost to the ceiling.
Books of different sizes and colors filled them, while warm golden lights were built into the shelves, casting a soft glow across the room.
Hanging lamps shaped like glowing glass orbs floated above some of the tables, giving the ceiling the appearance of a night sky scattered with tiny stars.
The polished wooden floor reflected the warm lighting, while climbing greenery and small decorative plants had been incorporated between some of the shelves.
Large arched windows overlooked the school grounds, allowing natural light to spill into the hall during the day.
It was technically a resting area, but with its quiet atmosphere, endless books, comfortable seating, and almost magical design, it looked more like a fantasy library where students could disappear for hours.
Jordan had already taken his seat.
A book was open in front of him as he quietly read.
Jane sat beside him, resting her head against his chest while scrolling through her phone as though the arrangement was completely normal.
The girl who had originally ranked thirteenth and managed to secure a place after one of the students dropped out was already there as well.
The boy who had ranked ninth was seated at another table, flipping through his notebook while waiting for everyone else.
Matthew, Felix, and Philip had barely reached the entrance when they ran into Sophia and Aiden.
Aiden walked past them without saying anything.
He entered the hall and immediately went to one of the tables.
He pulled out an empty chair beside him for Sophia.
However, Sophia completely ignored it.
Instead, she walked over and sat in the chair Philip had just pulled out for himself beside Matthew.
The moment she settled down, several students glanced in her direction.
Philip's mouth twitched.
He stared at the chair for a moment before slowly moving around the table and taking the seat Aiden had pulled out for Sophia.
Aiden chuckled quietly.
He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back against his chair, his gaze moving from Matthew to Sophia.
"Don't forget the deal we made," he said, looking directly at Sophia.
Sophia acted as though she hadn't heard him.
She calmly reached toward one of the nearby shelves and pulled out a book, her expression completely composed.
Philip's eyebrow twitched.
She had really just stolen his chair and then acted like nothing happened.
Sophia opened the book.
"We should start now. Everyone is here."
The others settled into their seats and took out their notebooks.
Sophia placed the book in front of her.
"We'll go through one book today, but we'll divide the topics between ourselves."
She glanced around the table.
"Matthew and I will go through one topic together. The rest of you should pair up and work through the other topics."
She tapped the book lightly.
"Once we're finished studying, each person will explain their assigned topic to everyone else. The others can ask questions afterward."
Sophia looked around the table.
"Does everyone agree?"
Sophia had already received the information she had asked her hacker to investigate.
Or rather, she had received almost nothing.
The background check on Matthew had come back completely blank.
Sophia wasn't stupid.
She knew exactly what that meant.
Matthew was aware of what she had done.
The fact that he hadn't confronted her about it only made the situation more interesting.
So her suspicion had not been fully confirmed yet.
His family was most likely one of the five unknown families among the world's top twenty.
But why was he here?
What was his real purpose for coming to Crownside?
When would he leave?
And why was he so close to Ava?
There were too many unanswered questions.
Sophia's expression remained perfectly calm as she asked Matthew another question about the topic they were studying.
Nothing on her face revealed what was going through her mind.
She would find out eventually.
She always did.
For now, however, there was another matter that interested her.
Ava wanted Matthew.
That alone was enough reason for Sophia to make sure Ava didn't get what she wanted.
Ava had spent years standing beneath Sophia's shadow, and Sophia intended to keep it that way.
If Ava wanted to achieve something, she could do it quietly.
No one needed to know.
Sophia would remain the perfect granddaughter.
The one everyone praised.
The one good at everything.
The one who never made mistakes.
The one who always knew how to maintain the family's image.
She turned another page and continued discussing the topic with Matthew.
Although they were sitting roughly three meters apart, the arrangement looked different from the angle of a camera.
That was all the students needed.
A few phones had already appeared.
Click.
Click.
Someone took a picture.
Another student immediately uploaded it.
Within minutes, the school's social pages were filling with posts.
THE SCHOOL HEARTTHROB AND THE SCHOOL PRINCESS?!
PERFECT MATCH!
Matthew × Sophia!
The picture quickly spread.
Students began commenting beneath it.
Look at them! They actually look perfect together.
They're definitely dating.
There is no way they're not together.
Someone dug up an older photograph from the friendly competition between Crownside and another elite school.
It showed Matthew giving Sophia his school jacket.
That photograph spread even faster.
WAIT. THIS ISN'T THEIR FIRST INTERACTION.
He gave her his jacket before!
They've probably been dating for ages.
Another student brought up Ava.
But isn't Matthew always around Ava now?
Someone immediately mentioned the incident involving Matthew and Lora's sister.
Another brought up how Ava had openly announced that she had a crush on him.
Then someone posted:
Ava is basically a road trying to eat a swan. She doesn't even fit Matthew's girlfriend image.
The comment exploded.
More students piled on.
So this is on Tuesday Novel sorry for very very late update as I said few interactions from readers make me lazy to complete the novel