"Like I said, I'm thankful that you helped me. I'm pretty sure it would've been, like, really ugly if you didn't interfere back there. So, like, as a thank you… do you want my number or sumthin'?"
Give me her number? That was a first.
It was probably the first time in my life that someone actually asked me if I wanted their number. Usually, it's the other way around, and even then, it rarely goes anywhere. So yeah, this was new territory for me.
And obviously, I would say yes. Given everything that just happened, there was no reason not to.
Before I could respond with a very enthusiastic "HELL YEAH, I DO," though, something suddenly appeared right in front of me again, cutting off my train of thought like bad timing in a movie scene.
___
NEW QUEST!
Samantha is asking you if you want her number.
HELL YEAH, I DO
Reward: 5♥︎
Nah, why should I?
Reward: -3♥︎ Mood, but increase to 10♥︎ in Affection.
___
There was another one.
Right in front of my face, just like before. It felt more real this time, though, or maybe I was just getting used to it. Either way, I was stuck staring at two choices that didn't exactly feel equal.
The first option was what I already wanted to say.
The second option, though, that one was tempting in a different way.
It would instantly raise her Affection to 10♥︎.
That sounded like a big deal.
Getting her Affection that high right away felt like skipping a bunch of steps. It was basically progress handed to me on a silver platter. Anyone in their right mind would at least consider it.
But then there was the penalty.
Minus 3♥︎ Mood.
That part bothered me.
What exactly did that even mean? Mood dropping didn't sound like a good thing in any situation. A person being in a bad mood could lead to all sorts of problems, and I had no idea how that would affect things moving forward.
The system wasn't exactly generous with explanations.
A part of me wanted to play it safe and just go with the obvious answer. Another part of me kept staring at that Affection boost like it was some kind of limited-time offer.
It felt like a gamble.
Then again, most things worth getting usually involve some level of risk. That's how it goes, right?
If it turns out bad, I could probably fix it later. At least, that's what I told myself to feel better about the decision.
After a few seconds of going back and forth in my head, I made up my mind.
"Might as well," I muttered internally, before speaking out loud.
"Nah, I don't think it's really that necessary."
There was a long silence.
It was the kind that lingers just long enough to make you question your life choices.
"Huh?"
Her reaction was immediate, and yeah, she looked completely caught off guard. It was the kind of expression people make when something doesn't line up with their expectations at all.
"I mean, the guy was just causing trouble where I work," I continued. "It's only natural I'd step in. There's no need to reward me for that."
For a moment, she just stared at me.
Then she blinked once.
And then she laughed.
"Hahahahaha! What is that~?! You're, like, seriously hilarious! I've, like, never met someone like you before! Oh my god~!! Hehehe."
She was laughing hard enough to start slapping her knees, clearly amused by something I didn't even intend to be funny.
That caught me off guard.
It wasn't like I was trying to make a joke. That was just how I saw it. Helping out didn't need a reward, especially not something like that.
Still, seeing her laugh like that wasn't exactly a bad outcome.
___
Samantha is asking you if you want her number.
COMPLETED!
Nah, why should I?
Reward: -3♥︎ Mood, but increase to 10♥︎ in Affection.
___
Hmmm... even though she was laughing, I still got hit with the -3♥︎.
I guess this confirmed it.
Even though she was laughing, and things didn't seem awkward at all, I still took the hit to her Mood. So the system really didn't care about how things played out after the choice was made. I can't change the reward just by improvising my response, I guess.
Once it's locked in, it's locked in.
Good to know, I guess. Not exactly comforting, but useful information.
___
Samantha
Affection: 15♥︎
Mood: -3♥︎
Lust: 0♥︎
Status: Stranger
___
Well, at least her affection went up.
15♥︎.
That was higher than before, so at least the gamble paid off in that regard. The negative Mood still sat there like a small stain, but overall, it didn't feel like a loss.
"Oh, like, it seems like the police are here. I'll, like, catch you later, Mr. Cashier~!"
She gave a small wave before heading out of the convenience store.
I watched from behind the counter as she started talking to the police officers outside. She went through the whole situation, explaining what happened in a way that felt a little more dramatic than necessary.
Then again, maybe that was just how she talked.
The guy didn't seem to have much luck either way. From what I could hear, he had a record for similar behavior, so the police didn't hesitate all, and they grabbed him, and then dragged him out while he was still unconscious.
A few moments later, she came back inside like nothing unusual had happened.
"Hey, since you, like, don't seem that interested in getting my number, how about I, like, just give you mine instead?" she said. "To be honest, it's, like, kinda grating and disappointing how you rejected me earlier. And you rejected me? Like, I don't think you even know who I am."
Technically, I did. Her name had already shown up, floating right next to her.
"Here, like, give me your phone."
I hesitated for a second, waiting for another quest notification to pop up.
. . .
Nothing appeared.
So this one was just normal, then.
I handed over my phone, and she quickly typed something into it before giving it back.
When I checked, I saw a new contact saved.
Sam♥︎.
That matched. Samantha shortened to Sam. Straightforward enough.
"You should, like, be grateful, okay? Not everyone gets my number, you know? You're, like, kind of an exception, I guess."
There was a slight smugness in her tone, but it didn't come off as annoying. If anything, it fit her.
And honestly, she wasn't wrong.
This kind of thing didn't exactly happen to me.
It was actually on my bucket list.
This was easily top ten on my college bucket list.
For context… I have a hundred things on that list.
And until now, none of them had been checked off.
Thinking about that too hard made it sound kind of sad, so I decided not to dwell on it.
"Well then, like, see ya~!"
She waved again before walking out, just as quickly as she had come in.
It really did feel like a storm passing through. Fast, loud, and gone before you fully process it.
Standing there, I found myself thinking.
Have I seen her somewhere before?
There was this faint sense of familiarity that I couldn't quite place.
It was there, but, like, just out of reach. God, now I sounded just like her.
Either way, that wasn't the biggest thing on my mind right now.
The system.
That thing that kept appearing in front of me, giving me choices, rewards, and consequences like I was inside some kind of game.
So far, it's only showing stuff that actually makes sense, but I still can't fully believe it's real.
Which made it even harder to dismiss.
But if it is real…
If this was real, then that meant one thing.
I had something that most people didn't.
A cheat ability.
The thought alone was enough to make my chest feel lighter, like something exciting was just within reach.
It took a bit of effort not to react right there on the spot.
But...
I just got myself a cheat ability, huh?
…I really feel like jumping right now.