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ArabicHonkai Impact: My Power Grows When Valkyries Fall For Me — Chapter 2
Chapter 2: A Sandwich and a Fluttering Heart
What did it feel like to fall in love at first sight?
Kiana had never understood the concept. But as her fingers brushed against Lucian’s while she accepted the sandwich, a strange, insistent thrumming began in her chest.
“Thank you…”
A faint blush, one she wasn’t even aware of, bloomed across her cheeks. The words were barely a whisper. Her hands, acting on their own, began to nervously crinkle the plastic bag.
She risked a glance up at him, but he simply held her gaze, a soft, patient smile playing on his lips. He didn’t say anything else, just… watched.
“…”
Her lips parted, a thousand unspoken words caught in her throat. Pressing them together, she let out a shaky little sigh. With newfound determination, she tore the sandwich from its plastic bag and took a fierce bite—
—only to bite down on a thin layer of plastic wrap.
“Pfft—” A soft chuckle escaped him. “You’re a bit of a klutz, aren’t you?”
His smile widened, the gentle teasing in his eyes making Kiana’s cheeks burn even hotter.
“Why would you wrap it in plastic inside another plastic bag!” she protested, her voice a mortified squeak.
“So it doesn’t get dirty,” he replied, his tone laced with amusement. “Isn’t that just common sense?”
“Hmph…”
Shooting Lucian an annoyed glare, Kiana, in a fit of pique, ripped the plastic wrap from the sandwich. She then took another bite, one she intended to be just as fierce as the first.
The creamy tang of the dressing was the first thing to hit her tongue, followed instantly by the savory, smoky flavor of the ham that flooded her senses. The textures were a perfect harmony—soft bread, crisp lettuce, rich filling. It was, without a doubt, delicious.
“This is amazing!”
A sparkle ignited in her azure eyes. She had barely swallowed the first mouthful before she was taking another massive bite, attacking the sandwich as if she hadn’t eaten in days. Seeing this, Lucian’s smile became a mix of helplessness and affection.
“I’m glad you like it.”
Watching the adorable girl devour the sandwich, Lucian’s expression softened into a complex mix of amusement, helplessness, and a touch of heartache.
He knew her story. Kiana had lost her family at a young age and had been wandering the world alone ever since, chasing the ghost of her father, Siegfried. She was a child starved of affection, pure and simple.
And precisely because she lacked it, the most direct path to her heart was to offer it freely and openly.
He was lost in his thoughts for a moment, and by the time he refocused, the sandwich was gone. Kiana crumpled the plastic bag and wrapper into a tight ball, then, with a confident flick of her wrist, sent it soaring in a perfect high arc. It landed squarely in the trash can at the back of the classroom.
“Yes! Bullseye!”
A brilliant, triumphant smile spread across her face. Her cheerful voice pulled Lucian from his reverie.
“…Are you full?” he asked, looking at the girl who was now visibly buzzing with energy.
“Hmm…” Kiana rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Not really, to be honest. But you shouldn’t eat too much for breakfast, right?”
Just as she said that, Lucian reached into his shoulder bag and produced another, identical sandwich.
“If you’re not full, then have another one.”
His smile was gentle, almost like something out of a storybook. Bathed in the soft morning light filtering through the classroom curtains, holding out a simple sandwich, he looked… stunning. For a reason she couldn’t comprehend, Kiana’s heart gave a violent lurch.
Though she didn’t even know his name, her affection for him was skyrocketing.
Slightly flustered, she accepted the second sandwich and began to eat, this time much more slowly. For some reason, Kiana found herself acutely aware of her image. She didn’t wolf it down like before, but instead took small, delicate bites, as if trying to imitate the poise of a proper young lady.
“…My name is Kiana. Kiana Kaslana.”
“My name is Lucian.”
“Lucian…” she repeated, her voice a soft murmur. She might have been committing it to memory, or perhaps she just wanted to feel the shape of his name on her tongue.
“Mhm.”
Lucian hummed in response, his gaze still resting on her. He watched, amused, as she ate the second sandwich with such deliberate restraint. The prim and proper demeanor she was trying so hard to maintain was an adorable, stark contrast to her usual boisterous self.
Kiana could feel the heat in her cheeks stubbornly refusing to fade, her heart hammering a frantic, uncooperative rhythm against her ribs.
“Um… why did you give me a sandwich?” she asked, desperate to break the silence that was making her feel so flustered. Her voice was much softer than usual.
Lucian’s smile was effortless. “Because you tripped over me at the school gate this morning,” he said matter-of-factly. “That piece of toast you were carrying is probably still lying on the pavement.”
“So, this sandwich is my apology.”
“Oh… I see. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
A faint smile touched Lucian’s lips. He hadn’t expected Kiana to be so… soft, so gentle with someone she had known for less than an hour. He seemed to recall the Kiana of this era being defined by a perpetual yawn and a devil-may-care attitude.
The crisp, clear chime of the class bell suddenly shattered the quiet bubble that had formed around them. Kiana jumped as if startled from a dream, hastily finishing the last of the sandwich in two large bites and fumbling to clean up the wrappers.
“Looks like class is about to start,” Lucian commented, tidying up the books and stationery on his own desk. He slid his sunglasses back on and glanced over at Kiana.
Just as he expected, she had already slumped forward, her face planted on the desk.
‘Eat and then sleep,’Lucian mused.’That’s Kiana for you.’But he was mistaken. Kiana wasn’t asleep. She was hiding, pressing her face against the cool wood of the desk, desperately trying to quell the inexplicable fire that had ignited in her chest.’That stupid dad of mine always warned me to be wary of people who are overly nice the first time we meet,’she berated herself.’So why is my face so hot I can’t even look at him?! Kiana, you coward, get a grip!’
With that thought, she forced herself to sit bolt upright. She clenched her fists on her knees and fixed Lucian with a look of intense seriousness.
“?”
Lucian raised an eyebrow, turning to meet her sudden, piercing stare. He was amused by her intensity. He had no idea what was going through her head, but seeing her look so determined, as if trying to prove something, was highly entertaining.
She was probably just lost in some bizarre train of thought again.
“What’s wrong, Kiana?”
“Nothing…”
Kiana whipped her head away, but the tips of her ears were a tell-tale shade of crimson, so red they looked like they might burst.
She stared intently at the blackboard, but the words written there were a meaningless blur. After a moment of internal struggle, she gave up and slumped back down onto her desk.
‘Kiana! What are you even thinking?!’she screamed internally.’Think about Mei-senpai! Calm down, you idiot…!’