CHAPTER 55

  Lucian Dexler (thinking, with a faint smile)

  Dav De Lion... you're a tough one, I must admit. But I won't give up that easily.

  Narrator: Not that Dav was doing anything extraordinary… Aside from avoiding direct media and TV appearances.

  Meanwhile, with Iris…

  After finishing the grocery run in the van, Dav kept his promise:

  A visit to their usual bar, "The Pleasure of the World."

  Just like last time, Iris looked elegant, wearing a beautiful dress with her hair perfectly styled.

  They sat down at the table and ordered pasta dishes and desserts, just like the last time.

  Iris, with a sudden idea

  During the meal, she grabbed her phone and suddenly moved close to Dav.

  Click!

  A quick photo while she kissed him on the cheek.

  Another one, with Dav pulling a funny face while she smiled happily.

  She did this with a very specific reason:

  Last time, Valeria had done the same thing with Dav.

  When Iris saw her photo on social media, surrounded by enthusiastic comments from the students, she felt a little jealous.

  "I can’t fall behind!" she thought.

  So, as soon as Dav went to the bathroom, she immediately posted the photos, laughing like crazy.

  Narrator: Dav and social media? No thanks.

  For him, only training was interesting.

  But for the rest of the academy, it was a different story…

  Valeria, lunch break...

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Narrator: While scrolling through social media between bites, her eyes froze on a new photo.

  Iris.

  Dav.

  A kiss on the cheek.

  Valeria narrowed her eyes, raising an eyebrow.

  Valeria: (thinking, with a sly smile)

  So it’s war, little Iris? Fine.

  ~ Reactions in the Academy ~

  Narrator: Social media exploded.

  If Valeria's photo with Dav had made waves, this new one with Iris caused a frenzy.

  Students, professors… everyone was stunned.

  Director Vittorio: (chuckling between bites)

  Oi, Valeria! Isn’t this Dav with Miss Iris? They seem so close! AHAHAH!

  Valeria: (giving him a cold, deadly stare)

  I don’t see any "problem."

  Director: (lowering his gaze, swallowing slowly)

  Yeah… you’re right, Valè… (continues eating in silence.)

  Margherita Bellini: (clapping her hands with joy, to herself)

  Good job, Iris!

  Narrator: Meanwhile, Dav, unaware of everything, was just finishing his coffee.

  Dav (sipping his coffee, relaxed)

  So, what do you feel like doing now?

  Iris (beaming, eyes shining)

  Hmm... I should buy a new pair of sports shoes.

  If you're okay with it, shall we go there?

  Dav (calmly, nodding)

  Sure.

  Meanwhile, I’ll grab some noodles for the night and a couple of drinks from the American stores inside.

  Narrator: You might be wondering why no one ever noticed Dav when he went shopping with Iris, right?

  Simple.

  A black cap, a dark fabric mask decorated with elegant flowers.

  A gift from Iris, the first time they went out together.

  ~ Shopping Mall ~

  Narrator: In the shoe store, Dav helped Iris choose, desperately looking for her size.

  Size 36.

  “Tiny feet,” he thought to himself.

  After a few tries, they finally found the perfect pair.

  ~ Sweets, Snacks, and Noodles ~

  Iris: Next stop?

  Dav: An American store.

  Narrator: Sweets, typical chips, giant drinks, and cans of every flavor.

  Then, of course, a Korean store:

  spicy noodles and classic ones, for every occasion.

  When they left, the bags were too many for their hands, and they ended up filling the van more than necessary, laughing along the way.

  Dav: (smiling while arranging the bags)

  One of these evenings, I’ll invite you over.

  I’ll cook my best noodles for you and show you my skills.

  Iris: (giggling, curious)

  Oh? Well, I can't wait!

  Narrator: On the way home, with the radio playing relaxing music, the journey was calm.

  The night air entered through the window, bringing with it a fresh breeze.

  Iris fell asleep on Dav’s shoulder, with a peaceful smile on her lips.

  Her breathing was light, almost like a silent melody.

  Dav, eyes fixed on the road, let the wind caress his face.

  Without saying it out loud, he knew that this had been a good day.

  ~ Arrived ~

  Narrator: Back at the academy, Dav parked in front of the loading dock where Margherita was waiting for them.

  Iris wasted no time and gave Dav another kiss with a big smile.

  She got out of the van, as red as a pepper.

  Margherita gave her a thumbs-up, as if to say, “Well done, girl.”

  Dav returned to his room with bags of noodles and drinks.

  He placed everything in the proper shelves and put a few drinks in the fridge.

  Finally, he took off his mask and cap, went to take a shower, not too cold, not too hot.

  After finishing everything, he collapsed into bed, falling into a deep sleep, snoring.

  END OF CHAPTER 55