Sophie seed utterly unprepared for the boy’s arrival.
Even more unexpected was that just a few days later, Sam appeared in front of her as if nothing had happened.
Hadn’t she said those words? Hadn’t they shared that awkward mont?
Why did Sam now act as if nothing had transpired?
Was he shaless, or did he just have a strong ntal fortitude?
What was the point of all the ntal preparation she had done over the past few days?
Darn it... she had never been so troubled by sothing for so long!
Sophie felt a tickle of irritation; just seeing Sam now was enough to infuriate her.
But without giving the girl a chance to react, Sam just walked in as if he had already been granted permission.
"I’ll just make myself at ho then."
"No, wait—I haven’t agreed yet!"
Sophie stamped her foot.
Sam had already entered her ho, moving with a familiarity that suggested he belonged there, and went straight to the kitchen, placing his items on the table.
Then, rolling up his sleeves as if ready to start cooking imdiately, he said, "What agreent? Isn’t this the bet?"
Sophie frowned, well aware that Sam was likely playing his usual tricks—this was, after all, his typical strategy, not at all surprising.
He was adept at persistently nudging his way through situations unnoticed.
"What bet? I don’t rember that, just go back ho," Sophie said irritably.
Clearly, if things were as she thought, then the bet seed pointless.
It was supposed to be just for fun, a bit of a spiteful challenge.
But now, with all her rational defenses firmly in place, what was the point of holding onto it?
Yet Sam, while rolling up his sleeves, took out cucumbers, potatoes, and fresh beef from the plastic bags and said nonchalantly,
"You forgetting is your problem. I’m a man of my word; I have to honor my commitnts."
Sophie frowned, her tone icy as she spoke.
"Stop playing dumb, you know that’s not what I an."
"Playing dumb? Haven’t you always said I’m not smart?"
Sam blinked, an innocent, clear simplicity in his eyes.
One might even call it ’stupidity’.
Sophie felt an urge to punch him, but now didn’t seem like the right mont for such flirtatiously aggressive actions.
She maintained her cold, resolute deanor, her voice sharp and distant.
"Sam, stop being childish. I think I’ve made myself very clear to you. Do you really think this bet is still necessary?"
Sam’s smile was radiant.
"Aren’t you rembering everything quite clearly? And... what did you say? I seem to have forgotten, maybe repeat it?"
Of course, Sophie wouldn’t repeat herself; she wouldn’t be so compliant with Sam.
But his attitude left her at a loss for how to proceed.
She could only make her gaze even colder, but Sam didn’t seem to care, continuing with his tasks.
He washed the vegetables, then picked up a knife and started chopping.
The chopping sounds echoed on the cutting board.
Sophie’s irritation grew.
"Damn it... if you’re going to cook, then do it well. I want to see how long you can keep up this act."
Sophie ignored him; she wasn’t a girl who excelled at endless bickering.
Nor was she good at dealing with a scoundrel like Sam... perhaps, being a scoundrel himself, he was a special kind of nuisance.
Continuously repeating herself was pointless; Sam seed to be taking a new approach, and her saying more would only prove how much she cared about these matters.
That was not what Sophie wanted to show, nor could she afford to show it.
Annoying as hell.
Listening to the unceasing sounds from the kitchen.
Sam really knew how to keep his cool, not saying a word, and Sophie could even hear him humming an unrecognizable tune from the kitchen.
So, you’re actually enjoying cooking, huh?
Why don’t you just beco a nanny!
Sophie wanted to pick up a book, but she couldn’t calm her mind.
She turned on the TV instead, trying to convince herself to act as usual, as if she didn’t know this guy.
Just keep going, no matter how persistently annoying Sam gets. She wasn’t going to fall for a womanizer’s tricks.
Looking at her phone, listening to the sounds from the TV, it almost felt like a normal day at ho.
It seed easier to relax, but when the kitchen began to fill with delicious aromas, Sophie found it hard to restrain herself.
That familiar scent.
The dishes he made...
mories flooded her mind.
Recalling that magical, unforgettable taste, her mouth started watering uncontrollably.
Damn it... eating is a basic human instinct, a necessity.
But how could she be captivated by food?
This jerk was only good at cooking; beyond that, he had almost no redeeming qualities...
Sophie convinced herself that no matter what, she couldn’t give in.
She needed a firm stance, to naturally make Sam realize it was hopeless and vanish completely from her world.
When Sam finished cooking and placed the dishes on the table.
"Dinner’s ready."
This ti, Sophie didn’t put on airs. Seeing the rich colors of the dishes and slling the enticing aroma.
It seed like saying or doing anything else was pointless.
Forget it... just eat this al. After all, he lost to her, why shouldn’t she eat? It’s not like she’s in the wrong here, she shouldn’t deprive herself because of him.
Yes, that’s the right way to think.
"Alright, let’s eat."
Sam said this as he picked up the utensils. Sophie frowned.
"Weren’t you supposed to cook for because you lost the bet? Why are you eating too?"
Sam answered calmly.
"Even when you go to a restaurant, the chef tastes the food before serving it, so it’s normal for to eat."
Sophie began to devour her al, choosing to focus on the more pressing matter of enjoying her food rather than continuing to challenge Sam.
Once she started eating, it was as if she beca a different person, or rather, she treated the al in front of her as if it were Sam himself.
Her vigor was like a storm sweeping through, as if she had finally found a suitable outlet for her frustration.
Sam didn’t make conversation during the al, simply eating quietly.
He occasionally glanced at Sophie’s relentless pace and couldn’t help but want to laugh, but it seed she hardly noticed him.
But that was okay.
Until the al was finished.
Sam then stood up and began to clear the aftermath.
Sophie ate heartily, more comfortably than she had in a long ti. Her usual diet consisted of snacks, fast food, and frozen als, hardly a satisfying way to live, eating just to et the bare minimum for survival.
But this al seed to instantly boost her happiness index.
No, she should make things clear now, tell Sam not to co tomorrow, that after this al, they were even and should return to being strangers.
That was the only way to bring peace to her life, to get her life back on its original track.
But before Sophie could speak, Sam stood up with the plates and went to the kitchen.
He started washing the dishes!
What was this about?
Was he trying to show off how diligent he was, possessing a charm that most n his age lacked?
But...undeniably, because Sam took care of the aftermath, her mood had indeed lightened considerably.
Especially watching his busy figure from behind.
Sophie’s eyes narrowed slightly, her cheeks inexplicably flushing.
Because she realized, this kind of life was exactly what she had always dread of.
Soone to cook, soone to wash the dishes... and who wouldn’t say anything to bother her... it was just like a normal day in the life of a married couple.
Of course, only for that mont.
Then, that absurd thought crumbled as he finished everything and returned to her side.
"Is that all? Is there anything else you need to do?" Sam asked.
Sophie furrowed her brows.
"I never asked you to do any of this... Let make it clear now, let’s settle this."
She expected Sam to crack a joke and continue to evade the issue, but instead, he sat down on the chair with a serious deanor, smiling and looking straight at Sophie.
"Go ahead, say it."
"...Um."
Sophie suddenly found herself at a loss for words.
What was this strange atmosphere?
Was this a lecture?
Or an interview?
This jerk must be doing this on purpose!
She quickly adjusted her emotions, which had been stirred up by him, and cald down.
"This al is enough. You don’t have to rember the bet anymore; we’re even now."
Sam smiled and said,
"It was just a bet, I don’t owe you anything. I’ll only fulfill what was agreed in the bet, and I won’t do anything else you might want."
"Who said I wanted you to do anything else! I an, from now on..."
Why was it so hard to say when it ca to the tip of her tongue?
Why couldn’t she just say those words?
Why was her mouth open, but her mind flooded with so many images?
It was Sam walking with her on that familiar street.
It was the many days they bickered.
It was Sam cooking in her kitchen with a serious expression on his face.
And the sunlight that fell on his face day after day, and the anxious look on Sam’s face when he showed up at her door when she was sick.
And...
And...
She shook her head, biting her lip.
"Let’s not see each other anymore."
It felt as if she had emptied all the air from her chest, all her strength.
After saying that, she continued to slump over the table.
She expected a silence as profound as death to follow, suffocating the entire room.
But unexpectedly, Sam quickly stood up.
He stood in front of her, making Sophie involuntarily lift her head to look at his face.
It seed all that was left was calm, complete and utter calm.
Sam looked like he had just listened to an inconsequential story, showing no sign of disturbance.
Then he looked at her.
He said, "Oh. See you tomorrow. Oh, and rember to top up the gas; it seems to be running low."
He picked up his backpack, apparently preparing to leave.
Sophie was stunned.
See you tomorrow?
"Did you even hear what I just said!?"
Sophie stood up, her fists clenched, staring straight at him.
It was the anger of being ignored.
What was his attitude supposed to an?
Either face it, give an unexpected response, or accept what she had said.
What was this ambiguous attitude?
Was it complete disregard for her words, a dismissive gesture, or just an infuriating tactic?
Sam grabbed his backpack.
Then he turned his head to glance at Sophie.
His voice was very calm at this mont, even cruel in a way Sophie had never heard before.
"You don’t even know what you’re saying, Sophie. You’re a ss right now."
"A ss? I’m a ss?"
"Your whole deanor is off; you’re not the Sophie I know."
"So you think I’ve beco this ss because of whom?!"
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