Chapter 162: the Vivienne Opening

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: the Vivienne Opening

Lunch Break

The dining hall buzzed with conversation as students gradually filled the long tables.

The tension of the morning lectures had eased considerably.

Examination papers had been returned.

Grades had been compared.

For the moment...

Academic competition was temporarily suspended.

Vivienne set her tray onto the table before sitting down beside Claire.

Amelia arrived moments later, balancing a bowl of soup with practiced ease.

Eleanor followed quietly, placing her tray down with the same careful precision she seemed to do everything else.

For several minutes...

The four simply enjoyed their lunch.

Then Amelia looked up.

"So."

Claire immediately smiled.

"So."

Vivienne narrowed her eyes.

"...I don’t like that."

"You shouldn’t."

Amelia replied.

"We’re changing the topic."

Vivienne sighed dramatically.

"I survived the exams."

"I’m not sure I’ll survive whatever comes next."

Claire rested her chin on one hand.

"...Yesterday."

"The tea party."

Amelia grinned.

"Let’s compare results."

Vivienne blinked.

"...Results?"

"The important results."

Claire clarified.

"How many numbers?"

Vivienne nearly laughed.

"...Seriously?"

"Completely."

Amelia answered.

"I’ll start."

She held up three fingers proudly.

"I exchanged numbers with three."

Claire whistled softly.

"Three?"

Amelia nodded.

"One was a second-year Economics student."

"The other two were Biology majors."

Vivienne blinked.

"...You were busy."

"I believe in keeping my options open."

Claire laughed.

"And?"

"Any favorites?"

Amelia smiled without the slightest embarrassment.

"Actually..."

"There is one."

"A third-year Biology major."

Vivienne leaned forward immediately.

"Oh?"

Amelia sighed dreamily.

"He’s ridiculously handsome."

Claire laughed.

"So that’s the one."

"Mhm."

Vivienne grinned.

"I support this wholeheartedly."

Claire smiled.

"My turn."

She casually took another sip of tea.

"...Four."

Silence.

Amelia stared.

"...Four?"

Vivienne looked equally impressed.

"When did you have the time?"

Claire shrugged.

"The opportunity presented itself."

Amelia pointed accusingly.

"You’re such a flirt."

Claire gasped dramatically.

"I prefer..."

"...socially gifted."

Vivienne laughed.

"That’s not the same thing."

"It sounds better."

Claire replied.

"And?"

Amelia asked.

"Anyone in particular?"

Claire smiled.

"There might be."

"Oho?"

"He already texted me."

Both Amelia and Vivienne immediately leaned forward.

"Already?"

Claire nodded.

"Last night."

"What did he say?"

"’It was lovely meeting you earlier.’"

Amelia sighed.

"How unfair."

Claire smiled into her tea.

"I thought it was rather sweet."

Vivienne looked toward Eleanor.

"And you?"

Eleanor continued eating.

"...None."

Silence.

"...None?"

Eleanor shook her head.

"I didn’t exchange numbers with anyone."

Amelia blinked.

"Why?"

"I was observing."

Claire laughed.

"You attended a matchmaking tea party..."

"...to observe?"

Eleanor nodded once.

"It was interesting."

Vivienne couldn’t help smiling.

"That is the most Eleanor answer imaginable."

Amelia sighed dramatically.

"We’re going to find you a husband ourselves at this rate."

"I respectfully decline."

Then...

Three pairs of eyes slowly turned toward Vivienne.

She immediately recognized those expressions.

"...No."

Claire smiled.

"You haven’t even answered yet."

Vivienne sighed.

"...One."

Amelia blinked.

"Only one?"

Vivienne nodded.

"Senior Christopher Archibald."

Silence.

Then—

"My goodness."

Claire laughed.

"You actually exchanged numbers?"

Vivienne nodded.

"Yes."

Amelia stared at her.

"Really?"

"I thought you were only going to talk to him!"

"We were."

Vivienne shrugged lightly.

"Then we exchanged numbers."

Claire looked at Amelia.

Then back at Vivienne.

Vivienne laughed.

"It wasn’t that dramatic."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"You walked straight up to the Student Council Vice President."

"While we were watching."

"And now you’re telling us you actually got his number."

Vivienne shook her head.

"We simply talked."

"And he seemed nice."

Amelia leaned closer.

"Nice..."

She dragged out the word.

"Or handsome?"

Vivienne tried not to smile.

"...Both."

Claire immediately laughed.

"I knew it."

Claire tilted her head.

"What about Damian?"

Vivienne looked confused.

"...Damian?"

"Mhm."

"I thought something might be going on."

Vivienne immediately shook her head.

"Nothing’s going on."

"He even gave me advice."

"About Christopher."

Claire blinked.

"...He did?"

Vivienne nodded.

"He told me Senior Archibald seems like a decent person."

Amelia exchanged a look with Claire.

Claire slowly smiled.

"...Well."

"...That’s his problem."

Vivienne frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"If he gets jealous later."

Amelia said matter-of-factly.

"I have a feeling he’ll end up interrupting things again."

Vivienne laughed.

"I think you’re imagining things."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"Are we?"

Vivienne nodded confidently.

"Damian doesn’t like me that way."

"He’s Anthony’s cousin."

"We’ve only become friends recently."

"And..."

She smiled to herself.

"I think he probably likes someone else."

Amelia blinked.

"...Really?"

Claire looked curious.

"Did he tell you that?"

Vivienne shook her head.

"No."

"But..."

"I just know."

In her mind...

It was obvious.

Damian Blackwood was the original second male lead.

If the story still followed the novel...

Then sooner or later...

He would fall in love with Evelyn Sinclair.

There was no reason for her to misunderstand simple kindness.

Best not to overthink it.

She waved a hand dismissively.

"Anyway."

"Let’s not talk about Damian."

A grin slowly spread across her face.

"I’d rather talk about Senior Archibald."

Amelia immediately laughed.

"I knew it!"

Vivienne smiled sheepishly.

"He’s really handsome."

Claire nodded.

"I’ll give you that."

"So..."

Amelia leaned forward.

"Did he text you?"

Vivienne’s smile froze.

"...No."

"Not yet."

Claire tilted her head.

"You’ve been checking?"

Vivienne looked away.

"...Maybe."

The other three burst into laughter.

"I’ve only checked a few times."

Vivienne defended herself.

"It’s been less than a day."

Claire smiled.

"So..."

"Are you going to text him first?"

Vivienne immediately shook her head.

"No."

"I think that’s too eager."

Amelia nodded vigorously.

"I agree."

Claire looked between the two of them.

"Really?"

The pair answered together.

"Really."

Claire laughed.

"What if he never texts?"

Vivienne thought for a moment.

"...Tomorrow."

Amelia blinked.

"Tomorrow?"

Vivienne nodded.

"If he still hasn’t texted by tomorrow..."

"I’ll send something simple."

Claire smiled mischievously.

"Like what?"

Vivienne pretended to type on her phone.

"’Senior Archibald.’"

"’Have you eaten lunch yet?’"

"’Please don’t forget to eat.’"

"’It’s important for your health.’"

She looked up.

"...That’s normal, isn’t it?"

Silence.

Claire slowly lowered her teacup.

Amelia stared at her.

Then...

Both of them burst into laughter.

Vivienne blinked.

"...What?"

Claire tried very hard to compose herself.

"Vivienne..."

"...How many men have you texted in your life?"

Vivienne looked genuinely confused.

"...What?"

Amelia pointed at her dramatically.

"That wasn’t your first draft."

"That sounded rehearsed."

Claire nodded solemnly.

"Very smooth."

"Very natural."

"Almost..."

"...professional."

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

"I am not a professional!"

"You absolutely are."

Amelia declared.

"That’s advanced flirting."

Vivienne laughed in disbelief.

"It’s not flirting!"

"I was just asking whether he’d eaten!"

Claire looked at Amelia.

"See?"

"She even has an excuse prepared."

"I know!"

Amelia covered her mouth, laughing.

"This woman is dangerous."

Vivienne could only shake her head, laughing along with them.

"You two are unbelievable."

Claire smiled.

"No."

"We’re impressed."

Amelia nodded vigorously.

"I’m stealing that."

Vivienne blinked.

"...You’re what?"

"The message."

Claire grinned.

"It’s a good opening."

"It sounds thoughtful."

"And it gives him an excuse to keep talking."

Vivienne looked between the two of them.

"...I didn’t think that far."

Claire and Amelia exchanged a look.

Then, together—

"Mhm."

Vivienne laughed.

"I didn’t!"

Amelia held up a hand.

"All right."

"Let’s make a pact."

Claire immediately nodded.

"If our favorite guy doesn’t text us today..."

"We’ll both send Vivienne’s message tomorrow."

Vivienne pointed at herself.

"...My message?"

"Our message."

Amelia corrected.

"The official template."

Claire laughed.

"We’ll call it..."

"...The Vivienne Opening."

Vivienne groaned.

"Please don’t give it a name."

"I think it deserves one."

"It absolutely does."

Claire replied.

Vivienne buried her face in her hands.

"I regret saying anything."

Amelia extended her hand across the table.

"So?"

"Deal?"

Claire placed her hand on top.

"Deal."

Both of them looked toward Vivienne.

After a moment...

She laughed and stacked her hand on top of theirs.

"...Fine."

"But if this somehow works..."

Claire smiled.

"We’re giving you full credit."

Eleanor looked at the three of them.

Then calmly took another sip of tea.

"...I’ll observe the results."

Amelia laughed.

"See?"

"She’s our control group."

Claire nodded.

"Excellent."

"No variables."

Vivienne couldn’t help laughing.

"Poor Eleanor."

Eleanor looked perfectly composed.

"I chose this."

The four of them laughed together.

Somewhere else in the dining hall...

None of the young men who had attended yesterday’s tea party had the faintest idea...

That two first-year girls had just agreed to use exactly the same opening message on them tomorrow.

Nor that the message had already acquired a name.

The Vivienne Opening.

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