Noah paced around his room like a caffeine-fueled squirrel, glancing at the window every few seconds. He had ordered it an hour ago. From the same bakery. This one was chocolate, and it cost a hell of a lot more. If his calculation was correct, then Lizzie should be here any second now.
And then, finally, ding-dong.
Noah's heart kicked like a startled goat. He practically launched himself at the door and flung it open.
There she was again. Lizzie. Her ponytail was a little messier than before, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead, and her baggy T-shirt had a faint coffee stain at the hem. "Another cake for you!" She offered with the same shy, timid half-smile.
"Thanks a lot." Noah hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "Ummm... You look exhausted. Want to come in?"
Huh? Lizzie stared at him for a moment.
Realizing that he had worded things weirdly, Noah quickly corrected himself. "I meant for a piece of cake. It's my birthday today and sucks to eat my birthday cake all by myself."
Lizzie looked caught off guard. "I shouldn't. I've got a few more deliveries."
"Just one slice," Noah hurriedly added. "You don't even have to come inside. We can just have it in the corridor if you are uncomfortable."
Lizzie glanced down the hallway, chewing on her lower lip. The weight of her delivery bag hung heavy on her shoulder, and there were faint shadows under her eyes. For a moment, Noah thought she'd politely decline, but her stomach grumbled loudly, betraying her thoughts.
"Alright. One slice then." Noah laughed awkwardly and went inside, keeping the door wide open. He hurriedly cut two slices that did not look very pretty, but warm chocolate was oozing from inside, making them look very appetizing.
He handed one to Lizzie on a paper plate and gestured to the small bench near the stairwell across from his door. She walked over and sat down gingerly, setting her delivery bag beside her like it weighed a hundred pounds. Noah followed with his own slice and plopped down beside her, a respectful gap between them.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Just quiet chewing, soft sighs of satisfaction, and the occasional sound of distant doors opening and closing somewhere in the apartment building. Lizzie was the first to break the silence.
"This is... ridiculous," she muttered, licking a smear of chocolate from her thumb. "Like... dangerous levels of good."
"I am glad you like it." Noah smiled. "Let me get some water for you, or do you prefer milk?" Before she could decline him, he quickly hurried over and got a glass of milk. "Nothing like a warm glass of milk to wash down a decadent chocolate cake." He came back with a smile.
"Ah... you shouldn't have..." Lizzie hesitantly accepted it. She drank a little bit and saw the second piece that Noah was placing on her plate. "No. No. Please. I am really full. Thanks a lot. I really do need to go now."
"Ok. No problem." Noah did not force her too much. He watched the timid girl wipe her mouth hastily and stand up, gently balancing the glass of milk in one hand and the mostly-empty paper plate in the other.
She gave him a soft smile. "I really appreciate it," she said. "The cake… and the break. It's been one of those days."
Noah rubbed the back of his neck. "Anytime. Thanks for giving me company on my birthday."
She handed the plate back and began gathering her bag. As she slung it over her shoulder, the system gave another quiet notification in the corner of Noah's vision.
"I'll, uh… see you around?" Lizzie waved goodbye awkwardly and then ran down the stairs.
"Take care," Noah mumbled and rushed back to his apartment. He was impatient to see what the notification was. Was all of this really his delusion, or did this so-called system thing actually exist?
"System? Notification?" He called out, and immediately the blue screen flashed in front of him.
[Ding! Investment Confirmed: $100 → Beneficiary: Elizabeth Myra][Calculating Return...]
[Ding! Return Generated: $1000 has been credited to the Host's account.]
Noah stared in disbelief. It really worked? It also didn't just factor in the single slice she ate and took into account the whole cost of the cake. This was simply unbelievable. But wait, he still had to check if this money is real or not.
He opened up his bank account immediately but there was no change there. Hmmm? This was his only bank account. What other account was the system talking about? Noah raised a brow. So it was all fake after all?
"System, can I withdraw this money? Can you give me cash?" Noah tried once and to his surprise, the next second a few currency notes appeared on his hand. Ten 100$ notes! Ten freaking crisp 100$ notes!
Noah was speechless. 1000$! An amount he needed to do 4 side-hustles for an entire month to earn and now it was on his hands just like that!
His fingers trembled as he turned the bills over, one by one. They felt real. He held them up to the light, squinting at the security threads. Everything checked out.
"No way… no freaking way…"
He stumbled back and sat down on the floor, still clutching the money like it might vanish if he looked away. "This… this isn't a dream, is it?" he muttered. "I'm not hallucinating? I'm not in a coma in some hospital bed somewhere with chocolate cake fantasies and harem delusions?"
[Negative. Host is fully conscious. System-generated funds are legally untraceable and can be used freely.]
Noah leaned back, laughing. A very happy birthday to him indeed!
It was time to see how to convert this 1000$ into a fucking million dollars! Let's go!