Chapter 90

"I know you're somewhere out there… somewhere far away…"

I presented a small snippet to my stream with a happy expression. Spreading good music should now be my joy, especially Bruno Mars's music.

My singing had improved over an intense training that lasted a long time with lessons in the Knife Agency.

Though my singing ability is still not polished to its maximum capacity, I believe I would not disappoint the Uptown Funker.

The production had changed the sound of the song, but it wasn't a bad change.

It was a fun process, a little tiring, but fun nevertheless.

[lampppr: aww this is so sad

Sewlier: sad boi hours u got me thinking about her

andreeeeaaaaaa: i love u]

I responded to the comments that I was able to read past the seemingly neverending spam.

My viewers are usually happy about this because due to my enhanced eyes and memory I am able to recognize and acknowledge more people and their comments.

Seriously, this is an alpha PR move.

"Stay tuned for what's coming," I made a v-sign towards the camera and promptly ended the stream.

I stretched my arms out and yawned.

The room seemed oddly quiet without the chat… even though it was already quiet before.

I took off my fake glasses. A glasses company is paying me to wear the glasses during stream.

They're round and shelve snugly on my nose.

To be honest, I might just wear these glasses outside of stream since they look that good on me.

Heading out to take a drink from the fridge, I picked up my phone and responded to the messages.

Taking a small breather, I looked at my designated schedule for the day and saw a great blank square.

I looked up from my phone and stared blankly at the fridge. It's been so long since I've had a time in my schedule where I can do absolutely nothing…

Ah… I'll just take a small break…

…

…

…

"So what's with the new look?"

I smiled and walked over to my friends who gave me a thumbs up at my glasses.

I returned the thumbs up. "Fake glasses. Does it make me look smarter?"

"Nah, it just makes you look more punchable." Reed massaged his fist.

I squinted my eyes at him. "...Punchable?"

"Handsome tall guys should just explode," he remarked with a lot of energy.

We looked at him with strange eyes. "You're… a handsome tall guy… though?" Ronan scratched his ear.

"Are you for real?" Reed turned his eyes to Ronan.

"..."

"..."

"I was rejected yesterday." Ah, there's the bomb.

I patted his back without knowing what to say. Rather, the way he presented himself made it seem like he was joking.

"You didn't ask out my sister, right?" Arlo mentioned with oddly cold eyes.

Looking at the blonde golden retriever human in stupefaction, I glanced back to Reed's ever-darkening face.

"...No," he muttered without looking up from the floor.

"Leave the jokes already guys…" Ella patted his shoulder. She continued, "What happened?"

He sighed and opened up his mouth to speak, "I've been talking to this girl for a while and I finally got the courage to ask her if she likes anyone…" He brought his hand up to his eyes and sighed. "I'm such an idiot… She said she liked someone, but she wouldn't tell me who it is…"

"Hey hey, man. Look how long have you been talking to her for?" Abel asked him with clear eyes.

We all looked at him with rapt attention. He slowly glanced at all sixteen of us.

"I've been talking to her for around four months…"

Abel, as I have come to know him as the therapist of the group, looked at Reed with a knowing nod. "Look man, four months… I get you, you got a little impatient, right?"

Reed slowly nodded.

"Nothing wrong with it. Rather, you've had a crush on her and have been speaking for four months… It's normal to want to move the relationship." Abel's wise countenance suddenly appeared wiser in my eyes.

Callie widened her eyes, "Hold on hold on, I just need to know… Who is it?"

Reed brought his hand to his eyes and sighed… "...The president of the student council…"

Everyone, including me, widened their eyes in shock.

Lately, I've been busy but just how much drama did I miss? Reed? With the President of the Student Council?

"And you didn't freakin' tell us?" Macy bumped her fist on his shoulder.

Reed sighed, keeping his hand on his eyes. "She told me to keep it a secret…"

"Why, though…" Juniper asked in marvel.

Suddenly, all the girls turned chatty and were interested and leaning forward towards Reed.

"Dunno, maybe she just wants to keep her image of being serious…" Arlo scratched his cheek.

Alex added to Arlo's comment, "Well, my parents are her friends and sometimes we eat dinner together. Her parents are pretty strict and won't let her have a social high school life…"

Lia frowned, "Hey… that's so mean. That doesn't make sense, why would they do that?"

Sitting next to Natsumi while her cold hands played with my warm hands, I switched my gaze every time a new person spoke up.

"Hey wait… Alex, do you know who she likes then? Y'know, if you're family friends."

Alex smiled, suddenly sweating.

"Uhm…"

Reed's face darkened even more… "No way…"

No way… Alex and Reed… and the Student Council President in a love triangle?

"This is the plot of a rom-com," Natsumi whispered to my ear with wide eyes.

I completely agreed.

"Reed and Alex are pretty popular, aren't they?" I whispered back to Natsumi with wide eyes.

"Dude, this is like… what's that K-Drama? Where two really popular friends suddenly get interested in the smart nerdy girl and they have to decide between their friendship or the girl…"

"You watch too many K-Dramas…" I squeezed her hand.

She shrugged.

Irene poked Alex, "C'mon, say it."

Catherine, "Look, let's all go away and give them their space. This is something private."

"Wait, wait, no-no. This is all a misunderstanding." Alex waved his hands frantically at everyone with huge sweat drops.

"What can't you say?"

Alex sighed and walked over to Reed and whispered into his ear.

I covered my ears. I did not want to eavesdrop on them due to my enhanced hearing.

Natsumi whined at my hands that left hers.

Reed suddenly stood up and placed his hands on Alex's shoulder. "You're joking, right?"

"Hey hey, don't kiss him."

Alex nodded with an exhausted face.

"Let me guess… The President likes Reed back." Natsumi took my hands away from my ears and whispered to me. She did not let my hands go and kept them.

"So predictable," I whispered back to her.

"I rate the plot 6/10, it's pretty cliche."

"Mhm… but the actors were pretty good so I'll give the Characters a 9/10."

"True true, I agree. Actually, I think the flow could've been a little better… I'll give that like an 8/10."

"Mhm, mhm. I think the lighting could be a little better and the scenes could be a little more dramatic. Maybe zoom into their faces and add some suspicious music when Alex said his family sometimes had dinner with the President's family."

"Yeah, that's tru—"

"Would you guys stop flirting already? I can't believe you divorced me… to be with this… guy." Catherine said with a broken heart.

Natsumi left my side and quickly sat on Catherine's lap. Her face bloomed in joy. A twinge of jealousy struck my heart and I quietly slapped my cheek to get rid of the feeling.

Am I really getting jealous over this?

Natsumi and Catherine happily held hands.

With a twitching eye and a heart full of shame, I quickly looked away.

This is unbelievable.

I looked at the empty spot that Natsumi had been in as the others laughed at my misery.

Reed quickly sat on that spot with a toothy grin.

"Haha. I'm so happy."

I erased my deplorable state of heart and looked at Reed with a proud expression. "Didn't know you liked the serious ones…"

He puffed his chest out, "She's also cold and has a venomous tongue. She also said she'd step on me."

The girls raised their eyebrows in concern.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, I couldn't help it anymore.

Seeing the girls' horrified faces, I burst out in laughter, unable to keep my serious face any longer. Shortly after, the rest of the guys did too.

"Ah… god damnit Charlie, you had to laugh," Reed wiped tears from his eyes. "No, but she's really just a cutie. She's super quiet and serious because of her parents but when you tease her she really doesn't know what to do and she'll just go red and quiet."

We nodded, as he spoke about her with a smile.

"Certified simp."

"Yeah, I think he's fallen."

"He's not coming back, is he?"

"I wish someone would speak about me like that."

"Say less baby."

Lia smiled at Reed, "Why don't you invite her to our lunch table?"

Reed smiled, "I will."

"How'd you start talking anyway?"

"Well… we had a group project… and uh. Well I texted her about the project and we just started joking around and the next day we just talked in class a lot."

Of course, Natsumi and I didn't miss Catherine hiding her bitterness with a smile as Reed talked to us about her.

…

…

…

I felt a little out of place, walking beyond the lawn that I'd never crossed, with cautious steps.

Natsumi laughed at my wariness and pulled my arm as she walked towards the door.

"I am not going to die the moment I step into your house… right?"

She laughed, "You'll die, but not the way you expect."

I laughed, and then I suddenly looked at Natsumi with strange eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

She suddenly turned red, noticing the other meaning behind what she said, and slapped my shoulder.

"You dirty pervert…" She squatted down to the floor and covered herself with her arms as she made herself small in shame.

I laughed. "Alright alright, get up."

She refused and stayed squatted on the floor.

I began laughing even harder. "Aww, don't be embarrassed anymore."

Seeing her unmoving, I squatted down next to her and wrapped my arms around her. "Come on, let's get up."

She quickly got up with a red face. "My mom will see us," she speed-walked to the front door.

I widened my eyes and walked cautiously towards the door.

Before Natsumi could open the door, the door opened by itself to greet the older Sato.

She looked very similar to Natsumi. Well duh, she's her mother.

I'd already gotten to know her a few times before when I walked Natsumi back. I can instantly tell that Natsumi's mischievous side comes from this mother of hers.

I stood awkwardly on the lawn, not knowing what to say.

"So… you guys haven't… done the deed… right?" Her mother squinted her eyes.

"Mom! Oh my god, of course not," Natsumi grabbed her mother's arm with a red face.

"Just making sure you're being responsible teenagers…" she squinted her eyes again, "You weren't expecting the house to be empty… right?"

"Ah, uh." I scratched my cheek, "No…" Her scrutinous gaze made me feel like a criminal. "We were just going to…"

She burst out in laughter. "Okay okay come in already Charlie. What are you doing there? Standing out in the sun."

She beckoned with her hands. I slightly bowed my head and walked to them.

"Good afternoon, auntie."

I greeted her with a smile.

Her eyes became crescents.

"Ah, you're so tall. Come down."

I lowered my knees and she patted my head.

"You're so scary and different on TV. That was punishment for scaring me."

I scratched my cheek.

"Well, there's no choice but to be more upright and confident during my job… I can relax more easily around friends…"

She laughed and patted my shoulder.

"So… Natsumi's just a friend, huh?"

"Ah, uh."

Has Natsumi talked about me with her mom?

Natsumi grabbed my arm and quickly got inside the house, "We'll talk later mom. We have to prepare the drinks and stuff for the other people."

I waved behind me at the older Sato who was closing the door behind her with a smile.

"I'm sorry, about that…" she said as soon as we walked into the kitchen.

I laughed, "I'm used to auntie by now…"

She placed her arms on her waist, "Used to her?" she smiled, "you were blubbering like a fool just a few seconds earlier."

I coughed, hiding my shame, "I was just… not ready."

:)