Apparently, the vendor stall was a branch of Liam's parents' restaurant.
He was helping out after he was relieved of his duties in their horror house.
Truth be told, Brandon hadn't had a single al since last night at the tavern.
"Enjoy."
"Thanks."
And once the enticing aroma of the grilled pork reached his nose, he imdiately devoured it.
Munch. Munch.
"Slow down…"
Shaking her head, Alia bit into her food.
This persisted for the next few minutes.
The two ate in silence. The only sound that reached their ears were the idle chatter and laughter from the people around them.
Ti passed slowly, and the two enjoyed each other's company. Not a single exchange occurred.
But that was until Brandon finished his food first.
"Pftt…"
A strange sound escaped Alia's lips.
Blinking his eyes, Brandon looked at her.
"What…?"
She pointed at her own lips.
"There's ketchup."
"Oh."
Brandon reached out for the tissue and wiped the corners of his mouth clean.
'Cute…'
Alia found the entire thing cute.
She had only known Brandon for a month. But she knew how close they had gotten.
Brandon appeared stiff at first, even nonchalant.
The sa went for her who kept her guard up. This was because of her past experience with most n.
She had only tried to be proactive with Brandon since he was a junior, and her best friend's younger brother.
But the more she spent ti with him, the more she realized how pleasant it was to be with him.
And slowly, though Brandon was still quite nonchalant, he was showing even more sides of him.
His facade was slowly breaking and his guard was down.
Before she realized it, she…
She too had let her guard down around him.
It was pleasant.
Brandon had now beco one of the few people she could be herself around with.
He was a cute junior.
Like a younger brother she never had.
She nodded.
Right, he was…
A younger brother.
"Hm…?"
Brandon looked up at her and she was snapped out of her thoughts.
"Ah, n-nothing…"
She waved him off.
Munch. Munch.
And she continued eating her al.
Brandon leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms.
Once again, silence ensued. She ate her al, as Brandon respectfully waited for her.
And as soon as she finished, she leaned back on the chair as well.
Looking at him, he seed to be blankly staring at nothing.
She pursed her lips.
"Where do you want to go next?"
"Hmm…."
Brandon pinched his chin and pondered.
He then looked back at her, and his voice reached her ears shortly after.
"Seems like my friends are having a horror house."
But as those words left his mouth, Alia's figure involuntarily twitched.
Brandon didn't seem to notice and continued.
"Wanna go…?"
"Uh…."
She hesitated.
"Hm…?"
Brandon tilted his head.
He leaned close and she unknowingly leaned back.
"So…?"
He asked.
"Wanna go?"
"..."
But yet again, Alia didn't respond.
Brandon tilted his head at that.
"Wait, are you sca—"
"N-no, let's go."
She briefly cut him off and stood up.
Dumbfounded, Brandon looked at her with a stupefied expression.
"....Okay."
He looked back at Liam who was grilling sothing.
"We'll be going now Liam. Food was great."
"Sure, thanks for stopping by."
Brandon nodded and Liam nodded back.
That being said, the two left the gazebo, and headed towards Class B's booth.
And yet again, they've gathered the attention of the people they passed by as heads flicked towards them.
They stood out, since they were the only ones wearing formal clothing. Their hair was styled differently from their usual hairstyle as well.
"Who are those two…?"
"They look like celebrities!"
And It seed like the students didn't recognize them.
But the two paid no heed to it and continued striding forward.
Finally, they arrived at their destination.
The line was quite long, and Alia found herself smiling at that.
She turned around and seed to leave.
"Seems like this'll take a while. The Delegate will be here soon. Let's just—"
"Wait."
Brandon interjected.
He reached for his pocket and retrieved a white ticket to show to Alia.
"I've got a pass to cut in line."
"..."
Her eyes widened.
"T-that's great…."
And she stuttered.
Once again, Brandon didn't seem to notice and walked ahead.
"Co on."
Alia hesitantly nodded and followed him closely as they cut the line.
And yet again, they stood out as all eyes fell on them.
***
"Didn't think you'd actually co."
"The pass would go to waste."
When Claire and the others left the maid cafe, they gave Brandon a pass to cut in line.
And it seed like Claire was the one in charge at the reception for their booth.
"You look fancy. Going sowhere?"
"Yep, committee duties."
"I see."
Claire nodded at that.
She then grabbed a line of tickets and cut a piece of it.
But she was halted as Brandon inford her.
"Two tickets please."
"Two…?"
Claire looked behind Brandon.
"You're not with anyone though."
"Ah, she went to the bathroom."
"She?"
"Uh… Yeah?"
"Your sister?"
She skeptically raised her brows.
"No?"
He shook his head.
"Then—"
"Brandon, thanks for waiting."
Alia appeared behind him all of a sudden.
Claire stared at him with wide eyes.
But fixed her expressions and abruptly pulled Brandon close.
"Fucker… Don't tell …."
"...?"
Brandon was dumbfounded. The hell is she doing?
"Nevermind. It's none of my business."
She then shook her head and dismissed him.
"Enjoy…"
Brandon scratched his cheek and Alia's voice reached his ears shortly after.
"What was that about?"
"No idea."
At that, the two entered the horror house together.
"Eeek—"
Whenever a jumpscare popped up, a strange sound would escape Alia's lips.
"Eeek—"
"Ah…!"
"Uwa…!"
"..."
So that's why she hesitated before.
She couldn't take scary things well.
But…
'This isn't even remotely scary.'
At least, not to Brandon who was an avid fan of the horror genre.
Maybe his tolerance for horror was high…?
"Boo."
"Wah…!"
"..."
A ghost with a small stature suddenly popped up.
"Ah, Brandon?"
"Hm? Amy…?"
"How's my act?"
"Cute."
"...Damn it."
Brandon then turned around but there was no one behind him.
"What are you doing?"
"My companion disappeared…"
"Oh, you an…"
Amy pointed below Brandon.
Brandon followed her hand and looked down.
"..."
Alia was crouched down and her body shuddered.
She looked up at Brandon and fixed herself up.
"Scared?"
"...N-no."
Brandon laughed at her denial.
"No need to be ashad. I just have a high tolerance for these things. But…"
He pointed towards Amy.
"Look at her, she isn't even scary."
"Hey…!"
Amy retorted.
Alia pinched her chin and leaned close to scan Amy.
"You're right. She's cute."
But Amy didn't retort and seed to be taken aback.
"L-Lady Alia?"
"Oh, you recognize ?"
"...Y-yes."
"Nice to et you then. A friend of Brandon is a friend of mine."
Alia gestured for a handshake in which Amy accepted.
Amy then looked at Brandon with a frown and abruptly pulled him close.
Again?
What sort of….
Amy whispered in his ear.
"Don't tell …."
"...?"
And Brandon found himself dumbfounded once again. Isn't this the sa thing with Claire?
But she then dismissed him.
"Nevermind. I just hope she doesn't let this get to her."
"Her?"
"Not surprising. Just go, the exit is up ahead."
Brandon scratched his head at that. Everyone seed to be so cryptic today.
Shortly after, they finally found the exit, and the two left the horror booth.
"That was fun."
Grabbing a water bottle that was offered at the exit, Brandon chugged it down.
"It actually was."
Alia's eyes lit up.
"We should do this again…!"
Brandon was taken aback.
But unknowingly, the corner of his lips pulled up.
This…
This was what the festivities were all about.
To have fun.
Alia,
He enjoyed her company.
And it seed like she enjoyed it as well.
All of a sudden, Alia reached out for her pocket and retrieved her phone.
She took the phone call, and as soon as she finished, she looked at him seriously.
Clearing her throat, she pursed her lips.
"The Delegate has arrived."
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