Chapter 81 - Two-for-One Discount
Myrrh had promised to treat to a al today, and true to her word, she took us to the most popular hotspot of the week—The Northern Children’s Park. The place was buzzing with life, packed with families, groups of friends, and an almost overwhelming number of lovey-dovey couples enjoying the festive atmosphere.
At the heart of the park stood the towering white cybertree, its luminescent branches shimring like frozen starlight against the afternoon sky. The air was thick with the enticing aroma of sizzling skewers, freshly baked pastries, and sweet, buttery popcorn from the countless food stalls lining the pathways.
With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Myrrh devised a cunning plan to exploit the park’s promotional couple discounts. Without hesitation, she latched onto my arm, pressing close as she dramatically leaned in, flashing a charming smile at the cashier. Our matching KAWAII rings—the sa ones she had insisted we wear as couple rings in another one of her antics—were now props in her little performance.
"My boyfriend and I will take the two-for-one burger deal, please~” Myrrh cooed, her voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness.
The cashier, entirely unfazed, nodded and handed us a neatly folded paper bag containing two thick, juicy burgers wrapped in crisp foil. Emboldened by her success, Myrrh took things further, scoring a two-for-one strawberry smoothie deal and, just for good asure, a discounted blueberry pie set. By the ti we were done hopping from stall to stall, she had saved a small fortune by masterfully playing the system.
With a satisfied hum, Myrrh led us to a cozy little table for two, making sure to pick a romantic spot to keep up the charade. I sat across from her, setting our discounted spoils of war on the table, feeling both amused and complicit in her harmless deception.
As I unwrapped my burger, the scent of char-grilled at, lted cheese, and toasted sesa buns filled the air, making my stomach growl. Myrrh wasted no ti diving in, taking an eager bite of her burger while casually reaching for her side of fries. I followed suit—after all, I had been starving for an hour now.
"Man, I’m famished. I’ve been under stress since yesterday," Myrrh sighed after swallowing her first bite, her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion despite the contented expression on her face.
“You an Kian simping for you?” I asked, my voice half-muffled as I took another bite of my burger. The juicy patty oozed flavor, the tang of the sauce lingering on my tongue as I chewed.
“Yeah.” Myrrh exhaled, rolling her eyes before stabbing at her fries with a fork. “I haven’t told you this, but Kian’s been after since day one. Those love letters in my locker? His. It only got worse when he beca my support unit.” She leaned back with a sigh, idly swirling her drink with her straw.
I raised an eyebrow, licking a bit of grease off my thumb. “What’s wrong with Kian anyway? I an, he’s smart, friendly, and, let’s be real, he’s definitely handso. No homo though. Just saying.”
“You really are a loveless goon, you know that?” Myrrh shot back, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel’s, stuffed with food. Her words ca out slightly garbled, but the exasperation in her eyes was clear. She swallowed before continuing. “Being smart, friendly, and handso has nothing to do with a relationship. I learned that the hard way since Ephraim.”
I leaned forward, intrigued. “So what’s the best quality for a love candidate then?”
“Loyalty,” she said without hesitation, her tone firm.
I tilted my head. “How do you even asure soone’s loyalty if you haven’t dated them yet?”
Myrrh placed her elbow on the table, propping her chin on her hand. “Guys like Kian—smart, friendly, and handso—are eye candy for most girls. And since he knows he’s wanted by everybody, there’s a high chance he’ll cheat. My mother used to say the sa thing.” She tapped her fork against her plate, her green eyes narrowing slightly. “I’d rather date so fool, hostile, and ugly street gooner. At least he’d know I’m way out of his league and wouldn’t get any funny ideas. He’d just be happy staying friends.”
I snorted. “That’s a hell of a dating philosophy.”
Myrrh smirked. “It’s called being realistic.”
“I don’t know if you’re describing , but I’ll just take it as a complint.” I leaned back in my chair, smirking as I stretched my arms behind my head. “As long as I get a free burger, smoothie, and pie today. Just don’t forget the last date you promised. That last date better be damn expensive.”
"Hahaha..." Myrrh scoffed, a small, amused huff escaping her lips. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, whether from my teasing or the warmth of the café, I couldn’t tell. Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, she reached out and smacked my arm—light, but just enough to linger.
“At least your problem is solved now,” I sighed, sinking into my seat. “As for , I don’t know what the hell is going on with Fei and Neil.”
“Oh?” Myrrh paused mid-sip, the straw in her mouth making a faint slurping sound as she drew up the last of her strawberry smoothie. She leaned forward slightly, eyes curious. “Tell what happened.”
I told Myrrh everything—how Neil had given and Remuel X-Choco kisses as an apology, how he had stomped on Fei’s chocolates like so kind of jealous tyrant, and how he had even thrown death threats at her. I even shared Remuel’s absurd theory: that I was caught in a ridiculously complicated love triangle—one where Neil might actually love more than just a friend.
The mont those words left my mouth, Myrrh burst out laughing.
“Pffft! Ahahahaha!” She doubled over, clutching her stomach as her laughter echoed through the outdoor café. Her li blonde hair bounced as she struggled for breath, her face turning slightly red. “I’ve seen bromances before, but yours is on another level! He even gave you an X-Choco! Talk about being stupidly subtle! Hahaha!”
I groaned, rubbing my temples. “Yeah, laugh all you want, Myrrh. You should be helping , not laughing at my stupid situation. I even helped you get away from Kian's proposal, but here you are, being an ungrateful bitch.”
“Okay, okay, sorry.” She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, still trying to suppress her giggles. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and put on a serious face—well, as serious as she could manage. “I’ll try to help. I’ll talk to Fei, and Neil if I can—but in return, you’re going to keep being my pest repellent. I an… my fake boyfriend.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You really see Kian as a cockroach, huh? And I’m your cyanide?”
Myrrh smirked, tilting her head slightly. “I’m pretty sure you’re more toxic than cyanide.” Her sharp green eyes narrowed with mischief.
I sighed, shaking my head. “Okay, whatever. Let's do this deal.”
We continued eating in comfortable silence, the occasional clink of utensils filling the space between us. Five minutes passed, and soon our plates were wiped clean. The warmth of the al lingered, but the weight of lingering concerns hadn’t completely faded.
Before leaving, I reminded Myrrh to ssage Dianca about Fei’s ntal state. We stayed a little longer, the café’s soft hum filling the background as we waited for a response. Myrrh tapped at her phone, resting her chin on one hand. Then, a short vibration buzzed against the wooden table.
She glanced at the screen and turned it toward .
Dianca: Hello! Fei has already left the university. She was a bit less gloomy when she left, but we still need to check on her
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