"Sam, don’t you want to?" The voice on the other end of the phone filled Sam with confusion.
"It’s not about whether I want to or not... Keep you company? Why are you suddenly saying this?"
Sam was sure this was another of Isabella’s ’sches’! This girl just liked to speak recklessly, causing misunderstandings.
"Eh? Can’t I? Sam... don’t you want to spend so ti with ?"
"If you keep talking like that, I’m going to hang up," Sam said, clearly annoyed.
A muffled giggle ca through the phone, then Isabella humd lightly, "Why? Doesn’t this kind of talk make our relationship seem closer?"
"We’re just classmates, there’s no need to be so close."
"Sam, saying things like that will only hurt people. So I’m that unimportant to you..."
Sam chose to hang up the phone in response to that statent, not even waiting for her to finish.
A few seconds later, the phone rang again.
Sam answered, only to hear the girl on the other end speaking with a hint of anger, "You really hung up!"
"I told you not to talk in that weird way."
"Well! I actually wanted to ask for your help. Can you accompany sowhere after school?"
"Where?"
"You’ll find out when we get there. And it’s definitely not going to be a difficult favor... How about I treat you to a al?"
Sam scoffed.
"It seems like you don’t realize how busy my daily schedule is... You think you can dismiss with just a al? And without knowing the purpose, I won’t agree. I always feel like you’re plotting sothing."
"That’s absolutely impossible!"
Isabella sighed in resignation, then continued, "Alright, alright, here’s the thing. My friend’s company makes video gas, and they’re a bit strapped for cash right now. They’re missing a suitable voice actor... I think your voice would be perfect, so I was hoping you could help out."
Sam looked at his phone quizzically, obviously unable to see her face through it.
"Voice acting? You want my help? I’ve never done that... and with the company being short on funds, you’re expecting to do it for free, right?"
Sam was no pushover. Just because a pretty girl asked for help, he wasn’t the type to jump at the opportunity. He wasn’t one of those completionist collectors in gas who felt compelled to tackle every side quest.
"The thing is, I could only think of you. Your voice is so nice, and you’re such a good person. I’m even offering to buy you dinner, can’t you just help out~~~" Isabella resorted to a bit of coquetry to persuade Sam.
Sam frowned. After all, she was his senior and the club president. And if it was just voice acting, it didn’t seem like a big deal.
But sothing still felt off. "Hold your horses, I haven’t agreed to anything yet."
"Eh? But... Sam, today is my birthday, you know. I’m not even asking for a birthday gift, can’t you do this favor?"
"When did I ever say I was going to give you a birthday gift?!"
How did this turn into a situation of coercion? Was this one of those scenarios where if you ask to borrow money and I say I don’t have any, you tell to owe you instead?
But... was it really her birthday? Or was Isabella just making it up to manipulate him?
"Your birthday? For real?"
"It’s really my birthday~ Please, just help out~"
"This is your friend’s company... is it really worth helping like this?"
"Just co and you’ll see. Can you do it? Just this once."
Sam didn’t trust the phrase ’just this once’ at all. It seed like things only ever had a first ti and countless tis after that. People are best at continually pushing their own boundaries.
Sam pondered for a mont. "I can agree, but on one condition: you mustn’t let this get out. We need to be discreet when we et, and make sure Angel doesn’t find out."
"Sam... you really are a born womanizer, blatantly so."
"Thanks for the complint. See you after school then." He hung up the phone and began to get ready.
Helping out didn’t have any special reason behind it; it wasn’t because he was smitten by Isabella’s beauty, nor was he rushing to be a simp or to complete so side quest. It was simply a matter of social obligation.
Isabella wasn’t a bad girl, although she occasionally exploited Sam and Sophie to get things done. But her intentions were good, as could be seen during the comic convention. Moreover, her actions were mostly in favor of Sam, even seemingly trying to solve problems for him.
From that perspective, and especially if it really was Isabella’s birthday... Sam found even less reason to refuse. As for any compensation, he decided to let it slide.
Sam wasn’t experienced in voice acting; he had never tried it before, and if he wasn’t good, they would probably find soone else.
Sam went to school as usual, this ti not encountering Sophie. It seed they hadn’t caught the sa bus, or perhaps he was a bit early today.
It felt like the usual routine hadn’t played out, causing a slight deviation in the tiline. He didn’t bump into Sophie at the shoe lockers, nor did Louis suddenly slap his shoulder to give him a scare.
Everything seed too calm, unsettlingly calm, until class started.
"Miss Alice, you dropped your pen."
"Could you pick it up for , Sam?"
"Sure."
As Sam bent down to pick up the pen for Miss Alice, her leg clad in black stockings brushed against his arm. It was then that Sam finally felt at ease; everything was normal.
He looked up to see Alice’s covert, flirtatious smile and couldn’t help but smile back.
Alice, however, seed a bit stunned.
What was he smiling at?
...
During lunch, Louis remarked with a sense of reflection, "Sam, I have to say, you were right about so things."
Sam continued eating, not even looking up. "You make it sound like I’m wrong about other things."
Louis sighed, his expression almost comically pensive. "Exactly, so things are better left unsaid, just like you ntioned..."
Sam paused, "You confessed to that girl?"
Louis’s eyes widened instantly. "Not ... it was a friend of mine!"
"Oh... so your friend got turned down?"
"Do you have to put it so harshly?"
Sam gave a thumbs up. "Then I can only wish your friend luck."
"But my friend is really heartbroken!" Louis sighed.
Sam chuckled. "That’s not too bad, at least it lets your... friend realize the harsh realities of the world. Unrequited efforts are fruitless; better to focus on living well first."
Louis sighed again. "My... friend keeps thinking it’s just bad timing, maybe the girl wasn’t ready..."
"Niubi," Sam exclaid in admiration.
Louis seed ready to argue more, but Sam cut him off with a single statent. "To her, maybe she just needed soone to talk to. Anyone could fill that role, so why must it be her? Broaden your horizons, and your... friend will find better views."
...
Finally, the afternoon school bell rang.
Sam and Isabella had agreed to et on the side of the school, away from the nearby bus stop.
Sam didn’t have to wait long; the smiling, beautiful girl appeared before him. Her steps were relaxed, and her long hair bounced playfully, adding to her charm.
This girl, skilled in cosplaying, seed to adapt to any style, just like Sam’s impression of her—undefined. She could seemingly be anyone.
"I thought you were going to stand up this ti, Sam~"
Sam replied, sowhat annoyed, "You think I’m like you?"
Isabella smiled mischievously and reached out to poke Sam’s cheek. "Oh, don’t tell you’re upset?"
Sam stepped back, dodging her gesture. "I just wish you’d do less of this stuff that catches people off guard."
The breeze gently lifted her long hair, her delicate features flushed a beautiful pink as she laughed. "Sotis, a monotonous life can be dull. It needs so interesting surprises to spice it up."
Sam shrugged and looked off into the distance, where the light was still soft and early. "My life has had enough surprises already, no need for you to add any more."
"Oh co on~ Why so bitter? Isn’t it good? I’m wholeheartedly thinking of you juniors, and yet you’re not appreciative~"
Sam said, "So things, no one knows the answers to. Who knows whether the choices are right or wrong? Like every step I take now, I’m not even sure myself."
Isabella didn’t turn around but tilted her head up as if looking at the sky. "It’s okay, compared to being timid and afraid to move forward, Sam, you’re doing great. At least... to know what the scenery is like beyond the mountain, you first have to climb over it, right?"
Explore new worlds at .Côm
She turned her head after saying this.
A gentle breeze swept right in front of Sam.
She reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, preventing the wind from lifting it all.
The scene was stunningly beautiful.
She and the distant horizon ford a perfect picture, as if she was far away, unreachable.
It was a beauty that was untouchable yet awe-inspiring.
Sam averted his gaze. "Alright, we should get going."
They hailed a taxi and got in together.
Sitting in the car, sothing suddenly occurred to Sam, and he turned to look at Isabella, who was fiddling with her phone.
"Senior."
"Hmm?" Isabella looked at him, puzzled.
Sam smiled. "Happy birthday."
Isabella blinked and then extended her hand. "Where’s my birthday gift?"
"I thought we said no birthday gifts?"
"I was just saying that, you really weren’t going to give anything?"
"Isn’t helping you out a gift?"
"You haven’t started helping yet!"
"Then I’m getting out of the car."
"No, no, no, that won’t do."
"Then no gift."
"Ah, that’s too bad. Well, I guess you’ll just have to give a kiss then, let that be your gift to ."
"Mr. Driver, could you please call the police? There’s a Cougar here."
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