Arrivederci || Dan Heng [✓ ]

⋆ ✦ ˚｡ Part twenty-four˚｡⋆

"Hm, she was probably mistaking it for something else."

Both girls shrugged off their worries, each placing their respective gifts into the cardboard box. As Pela scanned the other items inside in it, she lifted a few of them into view—out of curiosity.

"A baseball?"

"Oh that's from Caelus and Seele, look it even has her signature. I think that's the one that broke the office window," explained Gepard, taking the ball from her. His fingers grazed past the particular scratching and damage.

"Newspapers?" His sister questioned, holding them carelessly.

"Ah! Those would be from me," a softer voice came from outside the room, and in stepped Tingyun. "I figured I'd send her some things I was working on, she did want to see them after all."

Then, the group heard some rustling from down the hall. Each of them turned their heads, watching Sampo's sudden dramatic entrance into the room.

The, already open, door was swung wider with a flourish, accompanied by an exaggerated cough and a sly grin plastered on his face. He held a hand dramatically to his forehead, mimicking a swoon as he stepped into the room.

"Well, well, well," Sampo drawled, his voice dripping with theatrical flair. "Am I fashionably late to this little gathering, or did I just make an entrance at the perfect moment?"

Both Pela and Gepard rolled their eyes, used to Sampo's antics.

"Late, as always," the first-year quipped, a look of irritation etched on his face.

Sampo placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "Oh, my dear junior, you wound me with your sharp wit...but fear not! For I come bearing something of the utmost importance!"

He produced a small, ornate box from behind his back, presenting it with a big grin. "Behold!" Sampo proclaimed, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "A token of my undying affection for our elusive friend."

The group exchanged amused glances, and Serval raised an eyebrow, unable to resist asking,

"What's in the there?"

Sampo smirked, setting the box down on the table with exaggerated care. "Prepare yourselves, for you are about to witness the pinnacle of artistic expression!"

With an exaggerated flourish, he opened it to reveal—a mug. The sight elicited a chorus of laughter from the group, and even Gepard couldn't help but crack a smile.

"What the hell are you giving her a random mug for?" Serval managed to say between giggles.

"Not just any mug!" Sampo declared proudly. "The very beverage holder of the dickwad disciplinary. And they say nothing says 'I miss you' more than the token of what first sparked our unlikely partnership!"

"No way—it's that guy's mug? As in the old fart that practically lives off of his coffee? Wasn't that mug like a gift from his late grandma or something?! How'd you even manage to steal that—?!"

"Yeah, you're facing expulsion at this point—if they find out," Gepard added to his sister's statement, smiling at the idea of Sampo getting banned from the school.