The Villa

Sienna's gaze lingered on the beef before darting towards Brandon. Suddenly, it clicked - Brandon was attempting to make amends for pilfering her breakfast by purchasing the beef for her! 

But Brandon was renowned for his ruthless demeanor, showing little regard for others, let alone engaging in such thoughtful gestures. So what was his purpose of doing so at this moment?

"Oh, I see..." Sienna mused inwardly, "He must recognize my value for the contest, resorting to such tactics to maintain our collaborative partnership. It makes sense, considering..."

As Sienna thought about the incidental kiss they shared, a blush crept onto her cheeks, and she glanced away from Brandon. 

Observing this faint display of bashfulness, Brandon assumed that Sienna's shy demeanor stemmed from her appreciation of the gift he had presented to her.

The rumble of Sienna's empty stomach broke her silent reverie. Having missed breakfast, she now felt famished. 

However, before openly accepting it, she needed to confirm with Brandon about the compensated beef. So, she inquired, " For the breakfast?"

Upon hearing Sienna's question, Brandon assumed she was implying that he was offering the beef as a gesture of gratitude for the breakfast, so he replied, "No."

Although devoid of human emotions, Brandon was still cognizant of the principle of reciprocity, the concept of "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." This ethos revolved around the idea of exchange and appreciation, the notion of giving back something of greater value when one received a kindness.

Just a bowl of beef in return for a coffee, a bread, and a tender note? Brandon Myles was not one to be so petty.

"No? Then what is it?" Sienna inquired, puzzled by Brandon's response.

Brandon frowned. Did he have to spell it out so explicitly? He had come to the canteen specifically to eat with her, despite not being a meat-eater himself. Knowing her preference for meat, he had purchased an extra bowl. That was all there was to it.

Why couldn't she understand this?

Wasn't she the emotion-filled human, and he the chip-man? And didn't she write the note to start with, as well?

Instead of elaborating further, he simply softened his tone and said, "I don't like meat."

The truth was, he didn't particularly care for any of the food served in the canteen. With reluctance, he speared a strand of kale with his fork and brought it to his mouth, chewing as if it were the most unpleasant cuisine he had ever encountered.

Observing Brandon's pained expression as he confronted the unappetizing greens, Sienna nudged the bowl of meat closer to him and remarked, "There's no need to deceive yourself. You enjoy meat, and vegetables clearly aren't your thing."

Brandon pushed the bowl back towards Sienna, and she promptly pushed it back. Onlookers watched with surprise, confusion, and disbelief as the bowl went back and forth between them.

"What on earth are those two doing?" murmured someone nearby.

Before the bizarre exchange could escalate further, a sweet voice interrupted the spectacle. "Ah, Sienna, there you are! No wonder I couldn't find you," the voice exclaimed. "You're eating with a boy! Haha."

The arrival of Amanda Smith dispelled the tension. "Aha, stewed beef! You bought the last portion? You don't want it? Can I take it?" She asked eagerly.

"Yes, please," Sienna replied gratefully, sliding the bowl in Amanda's direction as she greeted her friend.

"Cool!" Amanda exclaimed, lifting the bowl as she sauntered off. "Smells great! He will love it!" The latter sentence was almost a mumble, but Sienna still caught it - who was that "he"? Then she smirked. So she had been right - Amanda was glued to her phone because she was caught up in a relationship!

Ha, dare to laugh at her for sitting with a boy! Sienna vowed to uncover who on earth Amanda was dating, a mischievous grin forming on her lips.

Observing this shift in Sienna's expression, Brandon couldn't help but wonder, "She really didn't like anything from me, did she? Otherwise, what was that smile? I've never seen such a triumphant lingering arch on her face before."

As Sienna, satisfied that the beef trouble was resolved and intrigued by Amanda's potential boyfriend, along with the upcoming decoding of Allan's secret love interest with Joe, she felt a surge of motivation and hurriedly finished her meal. Gulping down the food at lightning speed, she abruptly stood up and walked away.

Pausing for a moment, she turned back to Brandon and remarked, "Eh, see you in the Lab."

As Sienna darted off, Edward Milton, accompanied by his usual entourage, strolled into the canteen. He exuded his typical bravado, speaking to his followers with unwavering confidence. "I've sorted that out, no need to worry, guys. With me and my uncle..." He paused abruptly, noticing Brandon seated in the center. Edward's lips pursed, exuding an air of awkwardness.

"Ed, what do you want to eat? My treat!" one of his friends exclaimed loudly, oblivious to Edward's strange behavior. The lingering silence that had settled in the canteen since Sienna's departure heightened the impact of his words, carrying them across the room and catching the attention of everyone present, including Brandon.

Brandon's gaze snapped sharply in Edward's direction, his irritation intensifying at the sight of the bothersome figure. His previously sour mood instantly surged to his head. His eyes, usually gentle, now emitted a lethal aura.

In a matter of moments, Brandon abruptly stood up from his seat, pushing away his tray as he made his way towards the exit. As soon as he left, a chorus of cheers erupted in the canteen.

"Oh my god, he was really here for Sienna Quinn!"

"Yeah, did you see how quickly he left after she did?"

"I'm shocked by two things today, and both of them involve Brandon!"

"Life is always so unpredictable..."

"You never know what you can meet even when you are eating..."

...

"Hey, Ed, damn, the stewed beef is sold out!" his friend called out, but Edward was nowhere to be seen. Glancing around the vast canteen, he spotted Edward seemingly joining a tall, slender figure on the other side.

"Come on, Liam, leave him alone. We can eat," another one of Edward's friends intervened, placing his arms on Liam's shoulders and gently guiding him away.

-

As Sienna eventually arrived at the road where Joe's villa was located, she noticed there were at least a few dozen similar houses on the same side, making it difficult to discern which one was his. 

Just as she was about to ring Joe, she heard him calling her from the rooftop of an exquisitely-designed house behind her.

"Sienna, Sienna, over here!"

She turned around and spotted a tiny figure, its arms waving passionately at her.

The villa, as Joe had mentioned, was a spontaneous purchase and in need of design embellishment. Despite its plain appearance, Sienna could envision it looking spectacular once fully decorated.

"Come up here," Joe called out from a swirling staircase leading to the rooftop.

Sienna ascended and found a foldable desk and two chairs arranged on the vast, empty terrace. Next to them lay an outlet with an incredibly long cable stretching towards the unknown. Every socket was occupied, with a kettle boiling water, a laptop plugged in, and a loudspeaker connected.

"Sorry for the rudimentary setup," Joe apologized as he unfolded the chair for Sienna and poured her a cup of instant coffee. "But this is basically the only place in the whole house where we can get a Wi-Fi signal and electricity."

"You're not saying... that you're stealing Wi-Fi and power from the neighbor next door, are you?" Sienna asked, eyeing the long cable in disbelief.

"Borrowing! Mind your words, Miss, it's borrowing!" Joe corrected her. "Besides, I've investigated. That neighbor definitely won't mind."

"Why not?" Sienna inquired.

"There's no one living there!" Joe exclaimed.

"What gave you that idea?" Sienna asked as she leaned out over the terrace and glanced downward.

"The electric meter never budges!" Joe explained. "And after I purchased this place, I discovered from the Property Management that each new tenant receives 1,000 units of electricity upon moving in, and this allocation resets after one year, regardless of usage. So essentially, I'm preventing electricity from going to waste, saving valuable resources for Mother Earth, you know..."

Sienna grunted, retorting, "You know what, I really think you should switch with Amanda Smith."

"Your roommate?" Joe responded, surprised and confused.

"Yeah..." Sienna confirmed lazily.

Joe's heart skipped a beat with slight awkwardness. He never imagined Sienna would suggest sharing a room with him, not in that way. How could he politely decline Sienna's proposal while preserving their precious friendship?

"You see, Sienna, I cherish our childhood friendship and value our bond deeply, but I... I don't think we should... you know, live together," Joe stuttered, his eyes closed as if he had spoken these words with considerable courage.

"What are you talking about?" Sienna gasped. "God! I mean, with your ridiculous speech about stealing electricity, maybe you should take Amanda's major literature, and she should switch to your Computer Science department since she seems very much interested in digital devices like phone!"

"Haha!" Joe chuckled, his laughter relaxed. "Hahahaha! You're hilarious, Sienna, absolutely hilarious! You know, I don't even need to major in literature to deliver a fantastic speech."

"Looking forward to that," Sienna replied nonchalantly. "So, what's your clue on Allan Batman's note?"