It didn't take long for Kaitlyn to bring things back into line with her usual routine. In short order, she'd managed to order all of her cooking equipment, join Professor Adams's lab, and even rejoin cross country. Her stay in the hospital meant that her running performance was even more abysmal than usual, but she gritted her teeth and plowed on through the discomfort anyway. If anything, that just gave her more reason to redouble on exercising.

Looking for jobs, however, took a slightly different trajectory than before. Throughout her multi-loop hacking stint, she'd managed to amass quite a bit more experience in programming and the like. Not only that, but her quest to learn more about hacking had led her to branch out and work for a few different companies, optimizing for skill development and broadening her experience. It hadn't been for money. In fact, some of those jobs were pretty abysmal in their pay, compared to what she'd expected. The work served purely to further her own goals.

Now, though? With her newfound growth, she suspected that there may very well be more doors open to her. Maybe she'd even be able to attract the interest of some of the bigger companies on her list.

As she waited for the results of her latest job search to come in, Kaitlyn wasted no time in tackling the biggest problem before her—making a plan for the loop. If she truly was going to get back on track with endings, then there was no real sense in waiting. The thought of actually being able to get out of Heartthrob University hung before her like a particularly juicy carrot. At least, so long as she ignored the rather large and intimidating stick that loomed behind her.

I don't really know how or even if meeting Elliot's mom can work in my favor. But I definitely feel like I have a bit more of a lead on how to approach him now.

She looked up from the pile of laboratory-grade sodium chloride she'd measured, peeking between the shelves toward Elliot's bench. The ginger-haired male lead had his back to her as he took samples from a tray of plants. She'd been a member of the lab for a few weeks now, during which she'd prioritized helping him above even her own projects. Between that and a few lunches with him and Esme, they'd established a fairly good rapport, in her opinion. At least that didn't seem stunted by her hospital stay.

I felt like I was actually on a pretty good track before… well, before the Philip bad ending happened. And I've got even more background info to work with now. So maybe I can actually make something happen, here?

That was assuming she didn't fumble the career fair encounter again, though she couldn't be sure how much that would have factored into their future relationship. But she did feel closer than ever to understanding where his route might be going. Either way, though, it wouldn't hurt to get a little more information straight from the source.

The guy finished up his work, stashing away a collection of small tubes filled with leaves in a nearby fridge. He returned to his bench shortly after and began tossing the plants into a large red trash can.

Kaitlyn shook her head, calling over to him. "Those poor plants."

Elliot glanced up and chuckled. "Feeling bad for the plants already? You're lucky you're not in a mouse lab…"

She shuddered. "Yeah. I don't think dissections would be my thing… But it still just feels like a waste, you know? I mean, we spend weeks taking such careful care of the things, for what? Just to take a leaf or two and toss them right after?"

"Eh. It's not like I can really use them for anything else after this," the ginger shrugged. "I guess I could grow them for seeds, but honestly? I've got too many of these already. I'm pretty sure I could replace all the grass on campus pretty comfortably with just my mutants."

Elliot finished cleaning up, dusting off his hands into the trash can before shutting the lid. Afterward, he meandered over to Kaitlyn's side of the lab, laying claim to the other scale for his own use. She paused and looked over at him.

"Hey… what do you want to do after college?"

"Hmmn?" Elliot's eyes flicked towards her as he reached for a white plastic container on the shelf above. He shrugged noncommittally. "Haven't quite decided yet. Something in bio, obviously. I'm thinking about agriculture or biotech, maybe pharma if the pay's good enough."

Kaitlyn nodded internally. No real surprises there. It lined up perfectly with the opportunities he'd been looking for at the career fair. But the note about him possibly being interested in something pharmaceuticals-related was new. Maybe it was a concession to his parents' careers?

"What about you?" He began measuring out a small amount of powder onto a weigh boat. "You got any plans?"

She opened her mouth to respond, then paused. "I… don't really know either."

It had been a while since she'd considered the question. It had always felt pointless to think about. After all, the idea of a life after the time loop was more akin to a fanciful daydream than anything actually realistic or useful. It was an indulgence that she didn't allow herself to partake in often, especially considering the bleaker paths those thoughts often led to.

Now, though? Now that she knew there was an out?

"...I do like bio," she mused, turning over the words in her head as she spoke. "Programming, too, and I'll have enough experience in both that I should probably go for one or the other of those. But I dunno. I also really, really like cooking. I could see myself working as a chef, even trying to open a restaurant or cafe maybe. I'd have to think about it more."

"Wow, that's quite the selection. You really don't like sticking to one thing, do you?"

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"Not really," Kaitlyn chuckled. "That's what college is for, isn't it? I might as well explore all the options."

"Still… a chef?" Elliot frowned. "It's a fun idea, but… That it's kind of a tough job for the pay, isn't it? Especially compared to those other two. Even if you're running your own place, the restaurant business isn't exactly known for having great profit margins."

Kaitlyn shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I've worked in restaurants before."

"You have?"

"Yup. That's how I know I enjoy it. There's something special about cooking for people, you know? It feels… fulfilling." She nodded toward the large beaker of yellowish liquid now swirling in front of her. "Not that I don't like lab work, of course. The idea of solving a problem and discovering new things is really awesome. But seeing people's faces when they eat my food… There's something special about it."

The ginger looked at her for a long moment, his emerald eyes seeming to evaluate her. Then, he shrugged again. "Fair enough. Whatever you end up doing, hope it goes well."

Kaitlyn cocked her head. "That's it?"

"What do you mean, 'that's it?'"

"It sounds like you've got something more to say."

"What gives you that idea?"

"The fact that you're still avoiding eye contact."

Elliot rolled his eyes and met hers pointedly. She couldn't help the small grin that crept across her face. Ha. Take that. You're not the only one who can read people.

"Fine," he sighed, tapping his measured-out powder into a small bottle. "I wasn't going to say anything, but… just don't take this the wrong way, all right?"

"That's a great start."

His lips quirked into a smile. "I'm a bit too blunt for my own good sometimes. At least, that's what I'm told. Figured the disclaimer might help." After a small pause, he continued. "Everyone says that you should follow your passion, find what you love to do and make that your career. But I just don't agree with that. I'd much rather have a job that pays well and I can tolerate, then work on my passions and hobbies on my own time. I mean, why not keep them separate? Who really wants to be some kind of 'starving artist?'"

Kaitlyn frowned. The idea made some sense. At least, she certainly saw where the guy was coming from. Then again, she had at least one pretty compelling example to the contrary.

…No, she shook her head forcefully. Elliot's not Ian. They're completely different people, and trying to fit them into the same mold is just a recipe for disaster. I can't make that mistake again.

She understood fully well how stifling it would have been for Ian to split his attentions as Elliot suggested. After all, she'd made him do exactly that when she'd earned his bad ending. But that was a completely different situation. She needed to keep an open mind and really listen to what the ginger was saying, without drawing immediate conclusions.

"...It just sounded like you were falling into that same kind of trap," he continued on. "But who knows? It's not my place to judge. Plenty of people can and do see things differently."

I wonder. Is this how he actually feels, or is there something else at play here?

"Fair enough," Kaitlyn nodded. "I'll keep it in mind. Do you have any hobbies, then?"

"Of course. I'm not that boring," Elliot said. "I read and play a bit of guitar. I also like gardening, though that's probably no surprise. You?"

Dang. I know it was too much to hope that he'd bring up the band, but still. At least the guitar thing gives me an in.

"I mean, cooking, obviously," she laughed a little. "But I also like running. I used to play Bash Bros a lot, too, and…"

"Oh, Bash Bros?" Elliot's eyes lit up with interest.

She blinked. "Yeah. You've heard of it?"

"Of course. I used to love that game. Me and Esme used to play it all the time. At least, until I got good. Now she refuses to even look at it."

Kaitlyn couldn't help but chuckle along with him. It was an all-too-familiar story, one that practically any tournament attendee would be familiar with. Even the worst ones were often too good for casual players and button mashers to hold a candle to, not to mention the best of the best.

Yeah, I've definitely heard that one before. But I've never seen you at tournaments, Elliot, so I'd be willing to bet you're not THAT good.

A brief mental image of Elliot as the secret Bash Bros final boss flashed through her head. She shook it away. "Well, if you ever want a real challenge, let me know. I've got a copy at my dorm if you want to play."

"Eh, maybe," he hedged. "It's been ages, so I'm probably rusty. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself too hard."

Kaitlyn cocked a grin. "Alright, scaredy cat… Oh, I also play piano! Forgot to mention that one."

"Really? How long have you been playing for?"

"Hmmm… About five years, now?"

She felt a thrill of enjoyment at the number. She could honestly say it without raising eyebrows, considering that it wasn't even that absurd of a timeframe. On top of that, she finally felt confident enough in her skills to bring them up during normal conversation.

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. You started sometime in middle school, then?"

"Something like that," she shrugged. "I'm no child prodigy, but I do have a lot of fun with it…"

"Isn't that the real goal?" Elliot cocked a grin. "What kind of music do you like?"

"To play, or to listen to?"

"Why not both?"

They continued talking for a while longer, the conversation moving naturally into music recommendations and even a few book ones. Kaitlyn mentally noted another few bands to check out when she got home that evening. Eventually, Elliot moved to another bench to continue his work as Kaitlyn continued preparing another batch of growth media.

Things are going pretty well so far. At least, I think they are. It shouldn't be long now until we start group study sessions. The career fair's coming up, too…

For that encounter in particular, she'd have to make sure to plan ahead. No way would she let herself botch the reveal of Elliot's last name again. This time, she'd be prepared. Maybe it would open up more new doors along the guy's route.

Only one way to be sure, she thought, collecting a tray of glass bottles to be filled. Here's hoping that honesty really is the best policy for him…

With a shrug, she turned her attention to her own work. One more batch of media to prepare. Then, it was on to her own project.