Taking a large group of people back to the police station was quite a spectacle. At least two police cars seed insufficient to hold everyone.
Including Sam and Louis, who had to cooperate with the investigation and give statents at the police station.
Of course, they were separated from the others, and their treatnt was vastly different. For instance, they didn't need to wear handcuffs.
Compared to Louis's nervousness and stamring in front of the police, Sam appeared much calr, almost as if he were a regular at the police station.
Even a police officer bringing coffee looked surprised to see Sam.
"Hey, this handso guy is back? Another act of bravery?"
Sam smiled and asked, "You rember ?"
The officer nodded. "Of course, it's not every day we see such a handso boy at the station. I think you're even more handso than so of the male celebrities we've had here."
Louis, curious, asked, "Which celebrities?"
"That, I can't tell you. Anyway..."
"Can you say a bit less?"
Aurora rubbed her temples and looked up at the chatty officer with her beautiful eyes.
The officer imdiately fell silent.
The statents continued.
After about an hour, Aurora had wrapped things up and told the two.
"We've notified the victim, but she might not co until tomorrow. If there are any issues with this case, we'll summon you. Can you accept that?"
Sam nodded. "No problem. It's our duty as good students to cooperate with the police."
Aurora looked at Sam, wanting to say: You, a good student? A womanizer who sleeps with different won every day, a good student?
Aurora wanted to retort, but she held back. Saying that would make her relationship with Sam seem ambiguous, and with Sam's classmate present, it wasn't the right ti.
She'd save it for another ti.
Louis, however, rembered sothing.
"Officer, can I ask... about those photos..."
Aurora smiled. "Don't worry. That guy Kevin isn't as tough as he seems. A little scare, and he confessed everything. He didn't have any backups, and the photos have been handed over. They won't be leaked.
We'll protect the victim's privacy and try to keep this from escalating."
"That's great..." Louis sighed in relief, but then he looked at Sam, worried again. "What about Sam..."
Aurora pretended to be troubled. "Sam... might be a bit of a problem. After all, he was the first to hit soone. Many people saw it, and the other party got injured. Even if it's self-defense, it might be considered excessive..."
Louis's eyes widened, and he anxiously explained.
"How can that be! He... he was helping ! They started it! Officer, please..."
"Alright, Officer Aurora, stop scaring him."
"Scaring? What do you an..."
Louis looked at Sam, confused. He sensed that his good friend and this beautiful police officer seed to have an unusual relationship, not like they were eting for the first ti.
Aurora sighed.
"It ans he won't have any trouble. The surveillance shows the other side started it, and those guys are involved in extortion and illegal activities. They can't even protect themselves, let alone pursue charges against him. Relax, focus on your studies, and stay out of trouble."
"Really... that's great..."
Sam then said, "Thank you, Officer Aurora. We'll head back now."
Aurora waved them off. Though she had things she wanted to say to Sam privately, she decided against it. Tonight's workload was already hellish.
She'd wait for a better opportunity.
Sam and Louis walked out of the police station. Louis looked up at the starless night sky.
It seed like an endless black void.
His legs felt weak, but the cold wind on his face cleared his mind.
He spoke as if in a dream, "Sam... am I dreaming? Such a big issue... resolved in one night?"
Sam calmly kept his hands in his pockets.
They walked down the deserted street, which felt especially cold and lonely.
It was as if they were the only two people left in the world, with no other living beings around.
Feeling the atmosphere, Louis sighed.
"But... really, thank you, Sam. I never thought... you could actually help with this."
Sam smiled and asked, "So you didn't want to tell the truth because you didn't believe I could help?"
Louis shook his head, looking sincerely at Sam. "That's not it. I just thought it was a huge problem, and I didn't want to drag you into it... I didn't expect you to be able to do all this, but if sothing had happened to you because of , I'd feel guilty for the rest of my life..."
Sam looked at his serious expression and shook his head with a smile.
"It's not that serious, but I believe what you said. So... you should do the sa in the future."
"I... should be like you?" Louis asked, bewildered.
Sam lightly knocked him on the head.
"Do you think you can be like ? Do you think everyone is as handso and capable as I am? I'm telling you to think carefully before doing anything. Don't help with everything. Help when you can, but don't put yourself in danger for sothing you can't handle. Do you know how easily a person's life can be ruined?"
Louis looked at Sam, confused.
Sam's stern face turned away, and he stepped on a dry leaf, crushing it.
"It's that simple. Success might be hard, but destruction is easy."
"I understand..."
Louis sighed.
They walked a few more steps, nearing the bus stop. Though there were no buses, it was easier to catch a cab there.
Sam asked, "If tomorrow the officer tells you things aren't as Lily said, what will you do?"
Louis shook his head. "That doesn't matter to . I know the extortion was real. We did a good thing, and that's enough."
Sam teased, "Not going to take advantage of the girl's gratitude?"
Louis replied, annoyed, "I said I wouldn't. My feelings for her are over! Of course... I admit I still have so sympathy for her, or I wouldn't have helped this much. But... I understand now.
I can't afford to like anyone right now..."
Sam looked at him, and Louis bravely t his gaze. He spoke with a mix of frustration and relief.
"Honestly, Sam, I used to think you were just a bit more handso, a bit funnier than . Even when your grades improved, I thought you just studied harder..."
"And now?"
"I have to admit... you're much better than . You and Angel being together isn't just because of your looks..."
Sam thought, if you didn't have the looks, you wouldn't even catch her eye. Even if you saved her a hundred tis, she'd only give you money, never her heart.
Louis looked down.
"I admit I'm a bit jealous of you... but now I understand. Even if I had your looks and physique, I couldn't do what you do. I don't have the courage to handle these things alone... I'm just useless. How can I talk about love..."
Sam exhaled a thin mist.
He patted Louis's shoulder.
He spoke softly.
"Louis."
"No need to comfort ... I can figure it out. I won't get stuck in a rut, don't worry..."
Sam shook his head.
He looked seriously at Louis.
"Everyone has the right and the ability to love soone. That's the fairest thing. But... making soone love you back, and maintaining that love, requires more. Is it hard? There are so many people in the world.
Are they all as handso as ? Do they all lack love?"
"Sam... emphasizing your handsoness makes it hard to be moved."
"Sorry, it's a habit."
Sam smiled at Louis and continued.
"You may seem unreliable, but you're serious about love. You may seem naive, but you're sincere. No one thinks you're not a good friend. Even if you have flaws, you're young. Why not reflect and change?"
Louis's face scrunched up. "But I feel... no matter how hard I try, I can't excel in school or get into a good college..."
"Don't overthink it. Changing isn't about saying you're ready but subconsciously thinking it won't work. It's about taking the first step, then the second, the third, and so on. When you look back, you'll see you've changed. And improving yourself isn't just about getting into a good college."
Louis looked at Sam, speechless.
Sam smiled at him.
"I'm not patient with everyone. I know giving advice can be annoying, like talking without understanding."
"You know that..." Louis's voice wavered.
He realized how rare and valuable a true friend was.
Sam shrugged.
"But what can I do? You're my good friend. So... go for it."
"Sam... wahhh!"
Seeing Louis cry like a child, Sam felt the winter night wasn't so cold.
He was glad the system didn't pop up with a [Hidden 'female lead' conquer progress] ssage.
Otherwise, Sam might have chosen to commit suicide.
Would Louis's life change drastically after tonight? Sam didn't know. He doubted it would be that effective.
But at least he stopped a boy from falling into an abyss.
Louis, returning ho late, might have to explain things to his parents, as he lived in Kuhang.
But soon, Sam realized he might have so explaining to do too.
His phone rang.
The caller was—
Celeste.
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