22 - Approaching

[... Goal: Kiss the nurse named Moeka Tahara...]

Lucas stood motionless, feeling his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the system message.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and began to think about whether he should try to complete this mission or not.

If so, how would he do it? Stealing a kiss was certainly not an option, so he had to find a way to win the nurse over.

This challenge seemed even more difficult than the previous one. Moeka was older, not by much, but enough that she might not even consider him as a potential mate. As such, Lucas thought that if he tried to flirt with her, he would definitely be rejected or ignored.

'Still, it would be great to get another skill card. He thought.'

Lucas also didn't know how rare the opportunities to get such rewards would be, so he thought he should at least try. So Lucas slowly turned around and watched Moeka Tahara as she concentrated on her papers.

Her appearance was quiet, with black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a gentle face with blue eyes. She conveyed calm. In fact, she even looked a little sleepy, her eyelids drooping slightly.

"Uh, sorry..." He said, causing Moeka to raise her eyes again. "You're a nurse, right? My ankle's been hurting a little since the game ended. Could you take a look?"

Moeka immediately put the papers aside and looked worried. "Sure, no problem. Come here so I can take a look at you." She pulled back a curtain just behind her and revealed a free stretcher.

Lucas walked over to the gurney, limping a little. He sat down and began to remove his boot, exposing his ankle.

Moeka approached and pulled out a small wheelchair to sit beside him.

"Let's have a look..." she said in a calm voice and began to examine Lucas' ankle, pressing lightly at various points to check for any signs of pain or swelling.

Lucas tried not to flinch too much, walking the fine line between feigning pain and not overdoing it. "That's right... It hurt a little when you squeezed."

Moeka had a focused look. "It doesn't look that serious, maybe just a muscle strain from the intensity of the game. I'll bandage it to support it and keep it from getting worse."

Still sitting, Moeka threw back her chair and picked up a case from a table. Inside were bandage strips, which she began to work around Lucas' ankle.

"Have you been playing long?" she asked casually, trying to make conversation as she bandaged his ankle.

"Since I was a kid. Soccer's always been a big part of my life."

Moeka smiled. "That's great. Sports can teach you a lot of important lessons, like teamwork and discipline."

"Yes, definitely. By the way, what's your name?"

They continued to chat while Moeka finished bandaging her ankle. Lucas discovered that she was not only skilled at her job but also an incredibly kind and considerate person, for it was her day off at the hospital where she normally worked, and she was there volunteering for a day at this championship.

"There," she said finally, after cutting the last piece of ribbon. "This should help keep everything in place."

"Thank you, Ms. Tahara," Lucas said with a sincere smile as he wiggled his bandaged ankle to test its firmness. "I don't even feel any pain anymore."

Moeka smiled back. "I'm glad to hear that."

Lucas slowly stood and began to pull his boot back on. As he did so, he tried to think of the best way to ask the next question without scaring the nurse.

"Moeka, I was thinking... you must work a lot. Have you thought about taking some time off to do something fun?"

Moeka looked at him curiously, her fingers still fiddling with the first aid supplies to store them properly. "Well, we all need some time to relax now and then, but what are you getting at?"

Surely this wasn't the first time he'd been catcalled. In a way, though, it seemed innocent.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime. Nothing too complicated, just... grab a coffee, maybe watch a movie..." Lucas said and then regretted it in his mind: 'Shit, I said it! I really did!'

Moeka blinked a few times, obviously surprised. She hadn't expected this and the suggestion had taken her by surprise. She stopped fiddling with the materials and looked directly at Lucas, assessing him. Soon she realized that Lucas wasn't ugly. In fact, he was better looking than many boys his age and had a good physique.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"Sixteen," Lucas replied.

"Hmm. Too young to even drink coffee... You're very kind, but I'm older than you." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm twenty. It may not seem like much, but it's enough to make it a little... inappropriate."

'Wait, she's only twenty? By the breasts... I mean, from the mature look, I thought she was older.' Lucas thought and smiled, trying to keep his tone light. "I understand and I respect that. I don't want to put you in an awkward situation."

Moeka sighed, a little confused. "I'm relieved to hear that."

"However, if you don't mind, I would like to invite you to watch my next game. Perhaps you will reconsider after that."

Moeka thought for a moment.

'He is a handsome young man. There are a lot of girls out there, so why does he only flirt with me? Does he think I'm easy and that he's needy because he's too focused on work?' Moeka thought, freaking out at the theories that were forming in her mind.

"Come on, one game is nothing. There will be lots of other people in the stands. No one will notice that you're there for me." Lucas said, sounding confident.

"Watching your game, huh? That sounds more reasonable. Who knows, maybe I can take another day off from the hospital and maybe I'll show up in the stands..."

Lucas smiled. "Glad to hear it. I'll wait for you."

Moeka didn't smile back and turned her back to the table where the materials were. This time, she only pretended to do something because she was too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"Now get some rest and take care of that ankle."

Lucas nodded and thanked her again before leaving the infirmary. He hadn't gotten the kiss; he hadn't even come close, but the mission didn't give him a time limit, so there was no reason for him to rush. The rewards wouldn't disappear and the mission wouldn't expire.

Besides, he had made an important step towards establishing a connection with Moeka. And that in itself was a small victory.