"Okay, okay, enough joking. Yeah, I’m going in. And you can call Rex."
Hearing this, Lena instantly snapped back to reality, blinking as though she’d just surfaced from a dream.
"You don’t have any companions?" she asked hesitantly,
trying not to sound too eager but failing miserably.
"Yes, and?" He raised a brow, amused by how adorably awkward she was.
"Uh... Mmmm... C-can you take with you, please?" she blurted out. Her voice cracked slightly, eyes widened adorably, sparkling with, desperation, hope and just a hint of charm as she looked up at him like a puppy begging to be adopted.
And clasped her hands in front of her like she was offering a prayer to the Patron Saint of Party Crashers.
Rex tilted his head, half-smiling. This girl was interesting.
"Hmmm," he didn’t answer right away and instead looked at her with narrowed eyes. Seeing his contemplative expression, Lena got even more nervous, but still clung to a faint thread of hope. She t his eyes with a desperate look.
"Please, please... This is my only way to get in. Otherwise, all my efforts will go down the drain. Please say yes."
On the other hand, Rex was thinking about the system mission, which was to make a significant connection. But he didn’t know what exactly "significant" ant. Sure, it literally ant sothing important to him, so a significant connection would an a connection that matters—but in which sense?
Emotionally? Financially? Or even romantically?
So, even though he didn’t know the girl, he decided to help her. Maybe it would be useful for the mission—who knows? And honestly, it’s not like he was gonna lose a piece of at by bringing her in.
"Okay, no worries. I can take you in," he said, flashing a warm smile.
"Huh!?" Lena was still busy praying inside her mind, so she didn’t react at first.
"I said, I’ll take you in," he repeated, this ti with his signature sunny grin.
Hearing it again, her brain finally registered the words. She couldn’t believe it at first. She stared at him, wide-eyed with her cute eyes.
Even though she had been hopeful, deep down she knew the chances were close to zero. After all, why would anyone bring a total stranger to a party like this?
And mind you, the people gathered today weren’t ordinary. They were industry elites—Hollywood giants, international film moguls, and powerful socialites. They all held significant power and influence in Hollywood and the global film industry. And Hollywood was famously very xenophobic.
So when she heard that this outrageously handso boy had agreed, her brain lagged as if it couldn’t process the shock. But after a few seconds, when the information finally sank in, like soone who had just won the lottery, her emotions burst out.
she couldn’t help jumping up and down in excitent and giggling aloud, her happiness bubbling over.
Unable to control her excitent, she suddenly jumped forward and wrapped Rex in a tight hug.
Rex looked at her laughing and bouncing around and felt a bit envious of her youthful energy—
Wait, wait... Why am I talking like an old man? I’m also a youthful young man of the new era, totally fresh out of the oven, not yet contaminated by society’s darkness yet or haunted by existential dread. I’m in my pri—untouched by heartbreak, unburdened by taxes, and unscarred by the horror of Monday mornings. My hormones are thriving, tabolism fast, hairline untouched—I am basically the poster child for youth!
Ahem! Anyway, just as he was busy with his internal monologue, he was stunned when she suddenly hugged him. He lifted his arms awkwardly, not knowing what to do with them. Should he put them around her, pat her head or keep them awkwardly suspended mid-air like he was cosplaying a scarecrow?
"Cough, cough."
The polite throat-clearing sound snapped Lena back to her senses and her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she’d done.
Her brain short-circuited again. She involuntarily tightened her grip, and her heart rate shot up. Her face, neck, and ears, already red from earlier embarrassnt and excitent, turned a deeper shade of crimson—almost like they were about to bleed.
Feeling her grip tighten and the soft sensation on his chest, Rex couldn’t help coughing again, this ti from a mixture of awkwardness and alarm. Her hug wasn’t just friendly—it was full-on pressed-against-his-chest kind of hug. He could feel her softness, and his body, that cursed teenage hormonal machine, started betraying him.
He was genuinely worried that if this continued, sothing would definitely rise—and it definitely wasn’t the shield hero.
For a mont, the deadlock continued. Lena was completely embarrassed and unsure of what to do. Should she let go and face the sha or stay frozen like this? Her face was buried in his chest, and she could even feel the defined muscle under the fabric.
And Rex? He was getting more and more anxious and fighting a full-on hormonal rebellion. He could already feel the dragon starting to awaken. He tried his best to control himself, but... all in vain. His body refused to listen and kept pumping out hormones.
Control yourself, Rex. Do NOT let the dragon awaken. This is NOT the ti to embarrass yourself in front of a girl. Think of dead puppies! Think of taxes!
Even though it was his second lifeti, and even though he had technically lost his virginity, when it ca to experience, he was a blank slate. Both in his past and present life, he hadn’t really been in such close, prolonged contact with a girl. And having tasted "at" once, even though he didn’t rember the experience, his body was now hungry for more. He had sohow managed to suppress these urges for weeks by staying busy, but now, with a young and beautiful girl hugging him, his body was going rogue.
"Hey, look at that couple. They’re so romantic. And look at you, humph!"
"They’re a match made in heaven. The guy is handso and the girl is beautiful."
"Aww, they look perfect together. He’s handso, she’s adorable."
"Aghh! So envious."
Flash! Flash!
Sudden murmurs and cara flashes shocked both Rex and Lena so much that they instantly pulled apart as if electrocuted.
Holy plot twist, Batman! Paparazzi?!
Rex squinted against the barrage of cara flashes and turned to look at the source.
He was stunned to see a small crowd forming just a few ters away. whispering and smiling as they passed. So were even motioning toward him and Lena like they were the main event.
Lena, on the other hand, looked like she wanted the earth to swallow her whole. She fumbled with her hair and clutched her purse like it could shield her from public judgnt. Her entire face had turned a new shade of red—sowhere between ’lobster’ and ’boiled beet’.
anwhile, Rex’s brain was spiraling.
Great. First major party of my life and I’m already the centerpiece of a viral rom-com scene. What’s next? A musical number? Doves flying in the background? A dramatic kiss under falling cherry blossoms?!
He sighed internally but tried to keep his cool. After all, he was still the outrageously handso, freshly polished Rex. With a half-smirk, he turned back to Lena and whispered, "Well, at least now you’re definitely getting in. You’re already part of the gossip headlines."
Lena gave him a look that scread both gratitude and please bury alive, before hiding behind him like a guilty kitten caught stealing snacks.
(End of Chapter)
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