Chapter 81 - Two-for-One Discount

Myrrh had promised to treat me to a meal today, and true to her word, she took us to the most popular hotspot of the week—The Northern Children’s Park. The place was buzzing with life, packed with families, groups of friends, and an almost overwhelming number of lovey-dovey couples enjoying the festive atmosphere.

At the heart of the park stood the towering white cybertree, its luminescent branches shimmering like frozen starlight against the afternoon sky. The air was thick with the enticing aroma of sizzling skewers, freshly baked pastries, and sweet, buttery popcorn from the countless food stalls lining the pathways.

With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Myrrh devised a cunning plan to exploit the park’s promotional couple discounts. Without hesitation, she latched onto my arm, pressing close as she dramatically leaned in, flashing a charming smile at the cashier. Our matching KAWAII rings—the same ones she had insisted we wear as couple rings in another one of her antics—were now props in her little performance.

"My boyfriend and I will take the two-for-one burger deal, please~” Myrrh cooed, her voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness.

The cashier, entirely unfazed, nodded and handed us a neatly folded paper bag containing two thick, juicy burgers wrapped in crisp foil. Emboldened by her success, Myrrh took things further, scoring a two-for-one strawberry smoothie deal and, just for good measure, a discounted blueberry pie set. By the time we were done hopping from stall to stall, she had saved a small fortune by masterfully playing the system.

With a satisfied hum, Myrrh led us to a cozy little table for two, making sure to pick a romantic spot to keep up the charade. I sat across from her, setting our discounted spoils of war on the table, feeling both amused and complicit in her harmless deception.

As I unwrapped my burger, the scent of char-grilled meat, melted cheese, and toasted sesame buns filled the air, making my stomach growl. Myrrh wasted no time diving in, taking an eager bite of her burger while casually reaching for her side of fries. I followed suit—after all, I had been starving for an hour now.

"Man, I’m famished. I’ve been under stress since yesterday," Myrrh sighed after swallowing her first bite, her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion despite the contented expression on her face.

“You mean Kian simping for you?” I asked, my voice half-muffled as I took another bite of my burger. The juicy patty oozed flavor, the tang of the sauce lingering on my tongue as I chewed.

“Yeah.” Myrrh exhaled, rolling her eyes before stabbing at her fries with a fork. “I haven’t told you this, but Kian’s been after me since day one. Those love letters in my locker? His. It only got worse when he became my support unit.” She leaned back with a sigh, idly swirling her drink with her straw.

I raised an eyebrow, licking a bit of grease off my thumb. “What’s wrong with Kian anyway? I mean, he’s smart, friendly, and, let’s be real, he’s definitely handsome. No homo though. Just saying.”

“You really are a loveless goon, you know that?” Myrrh shot back, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel’s, stuffed with food. Her words came out slightly garbled, but the exasperation in her eyes was clear. She swallowed before continuing. “Being smart, friendly, and handsome has nothing to do with a relationship. I learned that the hard way since Ephraim.”

I leaned forward, intrigued. “So what’s the best quality for a love candidate then?”

“Loyalty,” she said without hesitation, her tone firm.

I tilted my head. “How do you even measure someone’s loyalty if you haven’t dated them yet?”

Myrrh placed her elbow on the table, propping her chin on her hand. “Guys like Kian—smart, friendly, and handsome—are eye candy for most girls. And since he knows he’s wanted by everybody, there’s a high chance he’ll cheat. My mother used to say the same thing.” She tapped her fork against her plate, her green eyes narrowing slightly. “I’d rather date some fool, hostile, and ugly street gooner. At least he’d know I’m way out of his league and wouldn’t get any funny ideas. He’d just be happy staying friends.”

I snorted. “That’s a hell of a dating philosophy.”

Myrrh smirked. “It’s called being realistic.”

“I don’t know if you’re describing me, but I’ll just take it as a compliment.” I leaned back in my chair, smirking as I stretched my arms behind my head. “As long as I get a free burger, smoothie, and pie today. Just don’t forget the last date you promised. That last date better be damn expensive.”

"Hahaha..." Myrrh scoffed, a small, amused huff escaping her lips. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, whether from my teasing or the warmth of the café, I couldn’t tell. Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, she reached out and smacked my arm—light, but just enough to linger.

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“At least your problem is solved now,” I sighed, sinking into my seat. “As for me, I don’t know what the hell is going on with Fei and Neil.”

“Oh?” Myrrh paused mid-sip, the straw in her mouth making a faint slurping sound as she drew up the last of her strawberry smoothie. She leaned forward slightly, eyes curious. “Tell me what happened.”

<><><>

I told Myrrh everything—how Neil had given me and Remuel X-Choco kisses as an apology, how he had stomped on Fei’s chocolates like some kind of jealous tyrant, and how he had even thrown death threats at her. I even shared Remuel’s absurd theory: that I was caught in a ridiculously complicated love triangle—one where Neil might actually love me more than just a friend.

The moment those words left my mouth, Myrrh burst out laughing.

“Pffft! Ahahahaha!” She doubled over, clutching her stomach as her laughter echoed through the outdoor café. Her lime blonde hair bounced as she struggled for breath, her face turning slightly red. “I’ve seen bromances before, but yours is on another level! He even gave you an X-Choco! Talk about being stupidly subtle! Hahaha!”

I groaned, rubbing my temples. “Yeah, laugh all you want, Myrrh. You should be helping me, not laughing at my stupid situation. I even helped you get away from Kian's proposal, but here you are, being an ungrateful bitch.”

“Okay, okay, sorry.” She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, still trying to suppress her giggles. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and put on a serious face—well, as serious as she could manage. “I’ll try to help. I’ll talk to Fei, and Neil if I can—but in return, you’re going to keep being my pest repellent. I mean… my fake boyfriend.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You really see Kian as a cockroach, huh? And I’m your cyanide?”

Myrrh smirked, tilting her head slightly. “I’m pretty sure you’re more toxic than cyanide.” Her sharp green eyes narrowed with mischief.

I sighed, shaking my head. “Okay, whatever. Let's do this deal.”

We continued eating in comfortable silence, the occasional clink of utensils filling the space between us. Five minutes passed, and soon our plates were wiped clean. The warmth of the meal lingered, but the weight of lingering concerns hadn’t completely faded.

Before leaving, I reminded Myrrh to message Dianca about Fei’s mental state. We stayed a little longer, the café’s soft hum filling the background as we waited for a response. Myrrh tapped at her phone, resting her chin on one hand. Then, a short vibration buzzed against the wooden table.

She glanced at the screen and turned it toward me.

Dianca: Hello! Fei has already left the university. She was a bit less gloomy when she left, but we still need to check on her <3 <3 <3

I let out a deep sigh of relief. At least for today, Fei wasn’t my problem. That meant we were free to head home.

Myrrh and I walked along the oval path circling the towering white cybernetic tree at the park's center. Its luminescent veins pulsed faintly against the evening sky, casting long, soft shadows beneath its branches. As we neared its massive trunk, Myrrh suddenly quickened her pace, overtaking me before turning to face me head-on.

“Zaft!” she called, cheeks tinted with a flustered shade of red. She shifted awkwardly, her fingers curling around the strap of her bag. “D-do you have a second? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

I raised an eyebrow, slowing my steps. “What’s up?”

She hesitated for a moment, then fumbled through her bag, her movements uncharacteristically nervous. Finally, she pulled out a small red box and held it out toward me.

“H-here,” she stammered, eyes darting away. “X-Chocolates. For you.”

I felt heat rise to my own face. “F-for me!?”

Myrrh glanced to the left, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve as she struggled to keep a smile on her trembling lips. A soft blush dusted her cheeks.

“T-the thing is…” she began hesitantly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “I coincidentally just happened to make some homemade chocolate last night, sooo…”

I raised an eyebrow and instinctively covered my mouth with one hand. “What kind of inhumane experiment were you doing last night to coincidentally create a chocolate?” I muttered under my breath, half in awe, half in fear.

Myrrh’s expression twitched, but instead of snapping at me, she thrust the red box toward my face. “T-they’re just obligatory,” she insisted, her voice slightly shaky. “A token of friendship. I don’t mind giving them to you this X-mas Day.”

I hesitated, my hands hovering just above the box. When I finally took hold of it, a strange warmth settled in my chest and stomach—a feeling I wasn’t entirely sure how to process. This might be the very first time I’d received a gift from a woman. And the fact that it was Myrrh of all people…

“T-thanks,” I muttered, my voice quieter than I expected. My fingers traced the edges of the box before I squinted at it suspiciously. “Is this really homemade? Are you sure it’s edible? It’s not radioactive, is it?”

A vein nearly popped on Myrrh’s forehead. Her eyes flared, and in the next instant—

“Why you—!?” Myrrh exploded, stomping her foot. “It turned out delicious, like a one-in-a-million thing! If you’re gonna be so rude, give them back!”

She lunged forward, reaching for the chocolates. I took a step back, grinning.

“Hey, hey! I was just making sure!” I laughed, holding the box just out of reach.

I yanked the chocolate box out of Myrrh’s reach before she could snatch it back.

“My bad! My bad! I’ll eat them, okay?” I laughed, holding up my hands in surrender. “I’ve been dying all day, wondering what X-Chocolates taste like!”

She huffed, crossing her arms, but I could see the faintest smirk tugging at her lips.

Curious, I flipped open the red box. Inside, a circular chocolate sat neatly, cut into small, pizza-like slices. I picked up a piece and popped it into my mouth.

The moment it touched my tongue, my eyes widened.

The chocolate wasn’t overly sweet, yet it was impossibly creamy, melting effortlessly in my mouth. There was a slight hint of cacao bitterness, balanced perfectly with a smooth, milky richness. No weird aftertaste, no artificial heaviness—just pure, silky indulgence. The blend of flavors sent a warm rush through my chest, a sense of comfort and delight wrapping around me like a cozy blanket.

This… this was incredible. I felt like I was ascending to nirvana.

“Yummers! This is so good!” I cried, practically bouncing on my feet. “This is amazing! I’m not even a chocolate guy, but I love it!”

Myrrh turned away sharply, arms still folded, but I caught the deepening blush spreading across her cheeks.

“Hmph!” she scoffed, pretending to inspect the cybernetic tree beside us. “See? Even I know how to make chocolates. It’s just a basic skill.”

Despite her feigned indifference, I could hear the tiniest hint of pride in her voice.