[Flashback]
Penny idled by the zzanine with Lola, watching the n on the ground floor. Zoren and Atlas were talking over drinks while Slater chatted with Allen.
"Sis, why do you think my brother will dump you?" Penny asked, turning to Lola as they leaned against the railing. "The chances of you dumping him are higher, but I’m curious."
Lola blinked. "Penny, can’t you see your brother?"
Both won turned toward where Zoren and Atlas were seated.
"Just look at him," Lola continued, eyes on Atlas. "Just on physical traits alone, God must have taken extra ti molding him to perfection. Those sharp eyes, that pointy nose, those thin yet firm lips... that sharp jawline. Even his Adam’s apple is attractive. Like, there’s really no pore on him that isn’t perfectly placed."
As Lola described Atlas, Penny’s face twitched. She was staring at her brother too, but she couldn’t see what Lola was talking about. To Penny, her brother was just... a block of ice. A literal block of ice that talks.
"Really?" Penny asked in disbelief, watching Lola nod.
Lola propped her elbow on the railing and cupped her cheek. "Can’t believe he’s my boyfriend. I always thought I was ant to suffer in this life. But look at now. If suffering ans I’d be rewarded with such a prize, I think I’d survive literal torture and a death sentence."
"Wow." Penny’s awe grew. "You really like him that much?"
"Heh." Lola bit her lip to stop herself from smiling like a fool. She looked at Penny and shrugged.
"Why?" Penny pressed. "You know you can have better options, right?"
"Do you want to marry your brother or what?" Lola said, half-teasing.
Penny paused and weighed her options. She liked Lola enough to warn her about Atlas — to tell her he was [X], aning bad news — or to say Lola had eye problems and should get them checked. But Penny was selfish enough to put herself first, as she always had.
"No, I’m happy for both of you," she said with a wide grin. "And I’m not saying this because I want to hold a wedding when my children can finally walk a straight line. It’s really not because of that. I think you guys are a match made in heaven... or hell!"
Lola chuckled. "But yeah," she sighed. "I liked your brother even back then. You know, I once confessed to him and he rejected ."
"Huh?"
"You don’t know?"
"No."
"He rejected simply because I wasn’t a mber of your fan club," Lola said casually, as if it no longer mattered. "That’s why I’m still a mber to this day. I stuck around because the club’s mission and the fan club president’s charity aligned with mine. So I often donate to her causes."
When Lola turned to Penny, her smile froze. All she saw was a burning woman. Lola’s face twitched; her hand reached toward Penny, then stopped mid-reach as if afraid she’d be scalded.
"How dare he... use ... I will kill him next ti," Penny hissed through gritted teeth, furious at the story she’d never heard. "I’m sure they did that to make suffer back then."
Fa wasn’t what Penny wanted as a child. If anything, she wanted three things in life: peace, wealth, and... more wealth. School hadn’t been peaceful — one reason was the fan club her friends founded out of affection for her.
"All this ti, I thought the fan club was huge because of Lily," she breathed. "I knew it. He really hated back then."
Penny turned to Lola and saw the conflict on her face.
"You guys... really have a strange relationship," Lola blurted out. "You get along, and then you don’t."
"No, we never got along. They’re not my brothers at all."
"Okay..." Lola pursed her lips, deciding she’d have to get used to this love-hate sibling dynamic. One minute, they care for each other; the next, they want nothing to do with one another.
I think... it’s cute, though.
A light chuckle escaped her and the two shared a mont of silence, enjoying their drinks.
"By the way, now that I think about it, I sort of relate to you," Penny said, earning Lola’s attention again. "What I an is, as a wife... I sotis worry my husband will hit his head and realize he married ."
Deep lines ford between Lola’s brows as she looked at the beautiful woman beside her. If Penny worried her husband would dump her, what hope did Lola have?
"I an, my husband is perfection," Penny went on. "But there were many things I did that I’m sure any normal guy would reconsider. Worse, they think their biggest regret is saying ’I do.’ It’s not like I’d beg my husband to stay if he was unhappy. I’d let him go... to heaven."
"..." Lola was silent.
Penny leaned closer. "Do you know what I do to make sure he stays hooked?"
Curiosity twinkled in Lola’s eyes as she leaned in.
"What?" Lola asked.
Penny’s lips stretched into a grin. Her finger traced an imaginary line as she mouthed, "Attack, attack, attack."
"Huh?" Lola blinked. "Attack, attack, attack?"
"Uh-huh." Penny nodded, wiggling her brows knowingly. "Sis, n are simpletons. I don’t know about my brother, but he’s a man. So it’s worth a try. When you need sothing from them, you’ll get it if you follow a few thods. One of them is acting cute."
To demonstrate, Penny fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly. "If that isn’t enough, add a little touch. Make sure their skin brushes your breasts — put them to good use."
Lola instinctively covered her chest as Penny went on.
"If that still doesn’t work, add a kiss. If one kiss doesn’t work, kiss him again. If that doesn’t work, kiss him more. He’ll soften eventually." Penny cleared her throat and grew solemn. "Lastly, if you know he’s really angry and it’s your fault, this is the ultimate move."
Penny leaned forward and whispered into her ear. Lola gasped and widened her eyes.
"What?" Lola asked, incredulous. "You an I have to—"
"Uh-huh," Penny smirked. "Do that, and he’ll conquer hell for you. All the anger? Gone. It’s like it never happened. Try it."
Penny winked. Lola bit her lip; her cheeks were red. She finished her drink, her mind replaying Penny’s instructions.
Lola hadn’t taken Penny’s advice seriously until today. Who would have thought it would actually work? And she hadn’t even used the "ultimate" move yet.
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