Saving the Villain

"Max~!"

Luke scrunched his nose up as he glanced at Cosette, only to see her jump and rush outside the convenience store. He stayed on the spot, exchanging looks with Maxen, who was standing outside and studying him.

'He's not... her boyfriend, right?' he wondered, watching Cosette stand beside Maxen before he went outside.

"What are you doing here?" asked Maxen, which Luke overheard as he was exiting the convenience store.

"I told you I want to hang out with you..."

"But I won't be off until lunchtime."

"Then I'll wait."

Maxen let out a sharp exhale as he glanced at the person standing behind her. "Your friend..."

"Oh! Luke!" Cosette clapped as she turned her head around and smiled. "Luke, this is Maxen, my classmate. Maxen, this is Luke."

"Hey." Luke saluted slightly while he gazed at Maxen from head to toe. It was impossible for Cosette to like him, he thought.

"Luke, it's alright with you if we wait for Maxen to finish, right?" she asked with a smile, raising her brows as she anticipated Luke's reply. The latter blinked twice before he rocked his head on instinct, having quite a few questions in mind, but kept it to himself for now.

"See? Luke came by this morning to hang out with us." Cosette grinned while Maxen cast her a judgemental look. "We can wait until lunchtime."

His lips opened as his eyes darted between Cosette and the charming boy next to her. Maxen rocked his head as he wasn't even surprised anymore that Cosette was already here. Luke probably wanted to hang out with her, but she brought him here instead.

"You don't have other plans?" he asked, setting his eyes on Cosette, and she simply shook her head.

"If I do, we wouldn't be here waiting for you."

Maxen sighed and then nodded. "Alright. See you later."

"Laters~!" Cosette waved her hand, watching Maxen return to the construction site. "Don't run away, alright? Hehe!"

Luke's face contorted as he heard Cosette's last remarks. He was staring at her until she finally noticed his undivided attention.

"Yes?" her brows rose at his prolonged gaze.

"Your classmate... Uhm, are you dating him?" he asked without beating around the bush, making her lips stretch from ear to ear.

"I wish!" he frowned while she giggled after her reply. "But Maxen doesn't like me. I'm mostly pestering him."

Cosette pivoted on her heel as she faced the construction site. "I'm just worried since he's underage and is already doing this heavy labor."

"Cozie, you're kidding, right?" he replied after a moment, causing her to look back at him. "That you wish you're dating that fatty --"

"Luke." A frown instantly dominated her face. "Please don't call Maxen names. He is my friend."

He pressed his lips and shrugged. "Sorry."

"It's alright." She sighed as she studied Luke. She couldn't blame him since Luke was always like that, even in the novel.

"I already appreciate that you haven't left me alone," she added with a smile.

"Leave you alone with him?" Luke mumbled and set his eyes on the construction site across the street. "Is it even legal for a minor to work in such a place?"

"It's not, but Maxen will be in trouble if we told the authorities about it."

He cast her a side-eye, noticing the genuine concern in her eyes. Luke had thought of many things she planned on doing today, but never once did he ever consider her plan was to hang out with someone — a guy at that. Still, he wanted to stay since Cosette had already made an effort.

With that being said, Cosette and Luke waited for Maxen inside the convenience store. As they did, they also consumed quite a few snacks and talked about anything random.

"I didn't know you liked ice cream." Luke glanced at the ice cream wrappers she was placing inside a plastic bag. Cosette giggled as she shrugged happily.

"Well, I was always restricted to eat things --" in her previous life, was what she meant, but well, the real Cosette was often on a strict diet as well. "But now, I don't care anymore. I'm lucky I have a fast metabolism that I don't gain weight even if I eat a feast!"

"I noticed." He nodded, recalling Cosette had a huge appetite even during breakfast. Luke propped the bottom of his palm against his chin, eyes through the transparent glass wall.

"I've been to construction sites in the past. What is your classmate doing there?"

"I don't know? But whatever it is, I'm worried since Maxen shouldn't be working multiple jobs."

"Don't he have a family?"

Cosette faced him while biting her lower lip, teary-eyed. "I want to adopt him."

"Hah..." he laughed awkwardly, as it seemed Maxen was pitiful. "So he only got himself?"

"Max only got himself to support himself." Cosette sighed as she leaned her arms over the table. "I want to be there for him."

"Why?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you want to be there for him?" Luke clarified his question. "I don't think you like him, but pity is something I wouldn't want if I were in his shoes."

"I don't pity him."

"I think you do. If you don't, then you wouldn't feel sad about his situation, but you'll see it as something admirable," he explained. "I'm not the one to talk, but I don't like it when you think you like him when I like you."

"Huh?" she cocked her head to the side, blinking almost innocently as she somehow didn't get his last remarks.

"I mean, you shouldn't mistake being sympathetic to something special. You said you will marry me once we grow older."

"..."

"Also, we're compatible."

"???"

"See? Everything I said makes sense."

Cosette blinked countless times as she stared at Luke and how he spoke with a straight face. Just when she thought he was imparting his hidden wisdom to her, it turned out he simply didn't like the idea of Cosette having a crush on Maxen. Well, it was not like she didn't have a crush on Maxen, but she also had a crush on Luke.

"Hehe..." in the end, she simply chuckled while shaking her head mildly. "You and Maxen will get along."

She believed Luke and Maxen would get along despite their differing personality. However, that idea was easily squashed down when Maxen finally joined them and they were having lunch at the nearest food shop.

Cosette darted her eyes to Maxen on her left, and then at Luke on her right. The two were sitting across from each other while she was in the middle. She cleared her throat to catch their attention, but to no avail. She could even hear the buzzing, invisible electricity clashing in the middle.

"Uhm... hello?" she knocked on the table mildly as the two hadn't spoken a word since Maxen joined them. 'I think it's too early for Luke and Maxen to be friends...?' she thought since Luke had shown hostility towards Maxen and the latter was distant, like always.

"Your name is Max?" asked Luke after some time, breaking the tension between them. The latter simply rocked his head and shrugged as an answer.

"I like Cozie."

"..."

Luke crossed his arm and lifted his chin. "If you like her, then don't even think we'll be friends."

"Who said I want to be your friend?" Maxen laughed weakly and then glanced at Cosette. "Did you just come here to say that?"

"No. I didn't even know we'll be having a chaperon on this date."

"Luke, what are you saying?" Myriads of question marks hovered over her head as her brain was still processing his words.

"I'm making my claim, obviously?" answered Luke.

"Sure. She's all yours and tells her to stop bothering me."

"Re — really?" Luke's eyes slightly went wide as if he didn't expect such a nonchalant reply from Maxen. He watched Maxen let out a sigh as he picked up the cutlery and then at Cosette, who wasn't even surprised or offended by Maxen's remarks.

"Luke, Max only wants me to stop pestering him," she dawdled while focusing on Luke, not noticing the brief glance from Maxen. But she was still smiling as if that didn't matter and she had already accepted it would take a long time before she completely get Maxen's trust.

"But it's not like that will stop me from bothering him. Hehe."

"Cozie, how can you do that to me? Your future husband?"

"Luke, you're not my future husband. You're not even my boyfriend. We just met yesterday."

"It's love at first sight!"

While Luke and Cosette were talking about 'love' as if it was as simple as that, Maxen ate while darting his eyes between the two. It was not like he particularly liked Luke, but compared to him, Luke and Cosette looked better together. They were both good-looking and since she was her friend, Maxen already knew Luke was an elite.

"Max, are you alright?" Maxen snapped his eyes when Cosette faced him squarely, staring at him with genuine wonder in her eyes. "You're zoning out."

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes. I think you two suit each other."

"Hah!" Luke clapped. "Now, I understand why you like him."

Meanwhile, Cosette frown slightly as she leaned back. She said nothing while Luke was getting chummy with Maxen all of a sudden. Seeing that Maxen was a little annoyed at him, but was being lenient, her lips curled up into a subtle smile.

"I think you two suit each other," she blurted out, watching the two look back at her. "BL."