Kaipa only stared at Lucia with anxious eyes until Hago nudged her, muttering, "Go on, answer her."

Forcing a smile, Kaipa shook her head. "I... I don't know anything about what happened, I just... I just heard it as a rumor that's been going around. There are so many different speculations that..." She trailed off uncertainly, then ended with a lame, "I don't know."

Hago listened to Lucia's explanation about Mr. Langcaster's popularity, nodding as she finished. "I see," he replied in a much more confident manner than Kaipa had. "It's a shame that he won't be around anymore, then. I'm Hago, by the way, Hago Levik."

He glanced at Kaipa, who murmured bashfully, "I'm Kaipa Fellerwin. N-nice to meet you."

"Sure, we'll sit with you," Hago added. "Thanks for asking us."

Kaipa looked over at him in alarm, but he had already taken a seat and was taking a bite of his lunch. She slowly sank down into the other empty seat beside him, beginning to partake of her food, as well.

'I thought that we could find a place to sit together alone,' she thought remorsefully as she chewed, trying to keep her thoughts from showing on her face.

'Just act like nothing's wrong,' she told herself over and over in her mind, 'with anything. Just keep smiling. You can do it.'

"A baby?" Hago was meanwhile musing thoughtfully. "That's certainly a possibility if he was married. But wouldn't he have told someone the news first? And why would he keep quiet about a wife? Unless," he added with a roguish grin, "he's been keeping her locked up in an attic somewhere."

His mouth was full as Logan and David walked up, but he still threw them a smile. Kaipa smiled at them as well, albeit a tad more shakily, and wondered why Hago was being so... open and friendly with these people.

'You don't know them!' She cried out in her mind. 'You know me... You've known me all these years. Why aren't you talking with me?'