Chapter 7

As Mikael and Veronica sat on the bed, the world seemed to vanish. Their eyes reflected the other person's silhouette. Nothing else came to their attention. Veronica lifted her dainty hand, and touched his cheek.

Slap!

Mikael tumbled off the bed from the abrupt slap.

"Eh?"

"You- You're a real piece of work!..." Veronica laughed mockingly as she clenched her hand to a fist, her glare digging into Mikael.

"I-It was just a joke!" Mikael tried backing away but Veronica followed him at an even pace.

"Do you see me laughing?!" Veronica was truly furious at this time.

'You just did! Sarcastically. But, still.'

He silently cried.

"Well, you always have that snobbish face so I don't know."

"Snob- I'm not snobbish!"

"You really think so. Ha, now who's the one making jokes."

"Shut up, dick. I'm just proud."

"That's rude. I'm more than just that, I have a head and torso too."

Veronica's cheek twitched, "You're really obnoxious too."

"Mm... I don't agree. I think I'm quite the comedian."

"Hah, you? A comedian? You're just a moron."

"Hmph! You're just bashful. See, you're smiling." Mikael pointed toward her face.

"?...!"

Veronica subconsciously touched her lips. Her mouth had curved slightly upward, she was shocked from discovering that she had unknowingly smiled. She quickly became embarrassed.

Hearing Mikael hold back a grin, she growled

"Shut up! I'm only smiling because, you crawling on the floor is so pathetic!"

Mikael was speechless, his mouth displayed a wry smile at her words.

Mikael waited until after she berated him with insults and mockery before asking,

"We, good?"

Veronica was silent by his lack of care, she responded, "No. As I said, you have to pay for what you did to me." She glanced at him before sitting down on the bed again.

"Be careful, V. Those words could be dangerously misleading if someone heard you."

"Misleading? How in the..."

Veronica was confused for a moment before understanding, she abruptly lowered her head to glare at him. Mikael simply smirked in return.

"It isn't so different since it's from you."

"Oh."

"And also, don't call me 'V'." She said with a yawn.

Mikael awkwardly chuckled before standing up.

"Give me all of your money." He suddenly heard her devilish voice.

"...!" His mind slowed as he comprehended what she just said.

"What!!? No way! Not in a million years!"

Veronica snorted at his adamant refusal.

"Dumb ass, you don't have the right to refuse! In case you're too slow to realize, I could fucking send you to prison for being a peeping tom if I wanted to."

"Veronica... Come on..." Mikael groaned and knelled before her.

"I don't even have much. I'm also sure Uncle Roc must have given you a big allowance. Money definitely isn't an issue for you!"

"Heh."

Veronica had a content expression as looked down on the Mikael pleading at her feet.

"Take this as a lesson, child." Veronica haughtily spoke.

Tears started to form in Mikael's eyes.

"Oh, great and beautiful goddess. Please. Please! Have mercy on this poor soul!!"

From afar, one could see the scene of a man crying and begging on his knees as he tearfully pleaded to a thinly dressed woman. Her haughty expression as she looked down on his poor self, it was quite picturesque.

***

Glorious Decadent Central Mall.

A bustling crowd walked in and out of the large shopping center. Families, and groups of friends walked as they chatted, happy smiles displayed on their faces.

As they walked, posters could be seen about an idol group from another nation. A few wouldn't notice the posters, but the majority who had began to speak excitedly about their upcoming performance.

"Did you hear?! Chae-won is coming here to sing with her group for their upcoming show!"

"Oh, yeah! I heard they were going to be singing in the city's venue, Da Eun is the cutest!"

"Hihi, you always say that even though Dal Rae is so much more elegant."

Mikael saw the poster as he walked past the chatting group of girls.

He stopped as he heard the conversation of theirs, he then paid close attention to the image. His eyebrows furrowed, as he evaluated each of the girls in it.

His mind started to process the appearance of each individual girl, his eyes became bloodshot and his face became dignified like a sculpture.

He sighed after a few moments, his mind had reached enlightenment.

"The girl on the middle left is the most beautiful as well as the most graceful."

"???" The three girls chatting in front of the poster were bewildered by the sudden interruption.

"Huh?! What do you mean Chae-Young is the most beautiful?!" The shortest one of the group shouted.

Mikael snorted and looked down on the girl, his expression almost verbalizing his disdain of her lack of aesthetic sense. He self-righteously spoke and answered with complete confidence,

"I simply bore in mind the 5 categories of feminine beauty. Developed by the great perverts of the past, and just in case you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll explain them. They are a female's physical symmetry, common demeanor, their sense of aesthetics, their personality once they've reached comfort, and last but definitely not least, proportional measurements."

The mouths of the three girls hung open as they cringed, they were also baffled by his expression of total seriousness.

Without caring for their thoughts, he continued his lecture. The three girls signaled to each other with their eyes as they slowly backed away from him, their hands dug deep into their purse as they searched for their stunner.

"First is symmetry. Now, based on how the girls are posed, I'm unable to tell how symmetrical their limbs and torso are, but I can see how balanced the facial features of each girl are." Mikael continued to speak without knowing the potential downfall he was about to experience.

Mikael was in relish as he talked about what he liked most. Describing the physical beauty of women and their strengths.

"The girl on the rightmost, her features are more round so, her eyes curve neatly around her cheeks but since her nose is a little long and flat, it evidently makes her face seem pulled. The girl next to her, her face is more narrow, but her cheek bones are a little high making her eyes seem oddly small on her face. Her skin is pale and so, paired up with her tall cheek bones makes her appear somewhat malnourished. And..."

Smack!

Mikael's head was knocked forward by a sudden smack from behind. He blinked in confusion, surprised by the sudden assault. He turned and was going to yell at the person who hit him when he heard their soft voice.

"It isn't even the afternoon yet you're already harassing young girls."

"Veronica!... I wasn't harassing them! I just overheard their conversation and wanted to kindly input my opinion. I had no intention to bother them."

"You had no intention? I don't believe you." Veronica folded her arms

"I'm being serious! Look, you can just ask them." Mikael turned to look at the girls again.

They were gone. Nowhere to be found, regardless of where Mikael looked.

"..."

"Well, I guess I did bother them a bit, hehe." Mikael rubbed his chin.

"Hah... Listen, I want you to be on your best behavior from now on. My friends are coming soon and I don't want you to make them uncomfortable with your presence. Make yourself mute." Veronica sternly warned.

"Don't worry~ The ladies love me."

"..."

"Is he your boyfriend, Veronica?" A feminine voice asked from behind them.

"Michelle! Ew~ There's no way in heaven or hell that I would ever be with this creep."

"Ouch." Mikael was dissatisfied by her response.

"Heh~ I think he's pretty cute though." She smiled as she looked at Mikael.

Mikael sensed her gaze lingering on his body, but said nothing. She was a troublemaker and he could tell that she loved making things complicated. He knew her type and didn't like to associate with them much.

"Urgh... You can have him if you want." Veronica backed away from him. She also rubbed her hands with the side of her legs as if touching him was revolting.

"Is he your brother then, Veronica?" Another voice asked.

Veronica and Michelle turned and greeted the woman with doting kindness.

A girl with short pink hair arrived as they were talking. Mikael briefly examined her appearance, finding her to his liking. He lowered his sight and barely stopped himself from shouting.

'Holy...!' Mikael's eyes nearly popped out of its sockets as he looked at her chest.

"I'm really regretting having brought you here." Veronica growled as she saw how Mikael shamelessly gawked at her.

The girl with pink hair smiled back at him. But when she noticed Mikael's stare, she blushed and stepped back.

"Wha- Where'd you find this guy?! I've never seen such a blatant pervert in my life! Pft~" Michelle was shocked as she burst into giggles.

"I-I'm not a pervert! I'm just amazed by how hu- by how pretty she is."

"Ah!!" The pink haired girl's face turned entirely red.

"No-no... I'm-. Y-you really find me pr-pretty?" She rejected the compliment, but then asked with slight hesitation. Her bosom lightly shook with her every movement.

"Gulp... Yeah, yeah. You're really pretty and I can tell you have a really 'big' and kind heart. I'm sure your boyfriend is really blessed to have you."

"...I-I don't have a boyfriend." The girl blushed all the way to her ears, she turned her head away, embarrassed.

Mikael grinned as he saw her apparent purity. Veronica rolled her eyes as she looked at him, Michelle simply grinned at her pink haired friends' display.

"I'm sorry." She suddenly said.

"I thought you were a pervert before. Men usually only look at my chest, they aren't as kind and honest as you."

Mikael's smile faded away upon hearing her, a tinge of guilt washed over him as he saw her shy expression. He moved his eyes away from her chest, awkwardness evident on his face. He examined her entirely.

"Then those guys are missing out. I can tell that you're a very kind girl. I'm Mikael by the way, what's your name?"

The pink haired girl stared at his forwarded hand. A small smile blossomed on her face.

"My name's Nancy. It's nice to meet you." She softly grasped his hand.