My best friend encouraged me to confess to the school heartthrob. I accidentally sent the message to my childhood friend, the campus idol.

By the time I realized, Xavier had already opened my bedroom door and held the phone screen before me.

His captivating eyes stared at me and he asked, "After all these guys, it's finally my turn?"

...

Jane nudged my arm that day and whispered, "Check your phone. That six-pack guy is just your type."

She winked at me and said, "Good luck, Mila."

I winked back at her. "Don't worry. I'll get him within a week!"

Everything was going smoothly, except for a mistake during the confession.

That day, when the mood was just right, I seized the moment and sent some cheesy words. I leaned against the headboard, eating strawberries while waiting for a reply.

Five minutes later, there was still no response, and I started to feel a bit puzzled.

Based on my usual experience, there shouldn't have been any issue.

I put down the strawberries and picked up my phone to check the situation.

Click.

The bedroom door opened, and Xavier walked in.

He was wearing gray loungewear, his hair half-dry with a hint of moisture.

His legs were straight and long, and he quickly reached the side of my bed.

I asked in confusion, "Why are you in my room this late?"

His long fingers held the edge of the phone, the screen perfectly aligned with my gaze.

His eyes stared at me. "After all these guys, it's finally my turn?"

I looked at the cheesy words on the screen and instantly understood what had happened.

My cheeks quickly turned red, and I reached out to grab the phone.

He was tall with long arms, and he easily lifted his arm to avoid my attempt.

"Hmm, trying to back out?"

I glared at him. Knowing I couldn't win, I resorted to my usual trick of playing dumb.

I stretched out my foot, pushing against his stomach to shove him out. I blurted, "Don't enter my room without permission! Get out, get out!"

Instead of tolerating my nonsense as usual, he grabbed my ankle and gently pulled me down from the pillow.

I wasn't prepared for that. I screamed and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, he was looking down at me.

Unlike his usual smiling self, his expression was serious and focused.

I suddenly got nervous. I was unsure of what to do next. I just kept my mouth shut.

Seeing me quiet down, he let go and knelt on one knee. Lying by the bed with his chin propped up, he looked at me.

His eyes were full of my reflection.

"Are you serious about the message you just sent?"

I lay on the bed. His breath was inches away from me. It was so close that I could see his long, thick eyelashes trembling slightly.

For a moment, my heart began to race.

This feeling was different from anything I'd felt before.

Chasing after heartthrobs was fun, but it was just the thrill of new conquests. There was nothing close to real feelings.

Xavier and I were so familiar. When he got close, my heart still reacted.

I found it a bit unbelievable.

Something must have gone wrong.

We had always seen each other as siblings, and I couldn't let myself have these thoughts.

Just as my thoughts were running wild, Xavier moved a little closer.

His lips were almost touching my ear. His tone was somewhere between serious and teasing, "If you don't talk properly, I'll take it as your consent."

"No way!"

I suddenly sat up in bed. With a heart full of resolve, I did not even stop to think why he was acting so strange.

I was determined to explain.

"The message... I sent it to you by mistake!"

The light in his eyes suddenly dimmed. He didn't speak for a long time.

I felt tormented inside. I wanted to explain more, but nothing seemed right. I could only anxiously rub the sheet in my hand.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine. Next time you can't finish your homework, don't come to me."

I was on the verge of tears. I rushed over and hugged his leg.

"No way. Let's keep things separate... I'll treat you to a meal. Please forgive me!"

I wasn't doing this just for the homework.

He had said before that he didn't care how I messed around in college.

As long as I didn't get in his way, he wouldn't tell my parents about my mischief.

But if I showed up before him and annoyed him, he would mercilessly reveal my true colors to my parents.

He would show my parents how their sweet girl was causing trouble at school.

For my future happiness, I had to treat him to a meal to avoid a crisis.

"Treat me to a meal?" He raised his eyebrows, scoffing. "Do you think this can be solved with just one meal?"

Seeing him relent a little, I immediately moved from his leg to his arm and pulled him down with force.

When he sat on the bed, I eagerly massaged his shoulders and back.

I used all my tricks, speaking in my softest tone, "If one meal isn't enough, how about a month? Is that okay?"

His gaze fell on the strawberries by the bed. I seized the moment and quickly brought one to his mouth.

He opened his mouth to bite the strawberry but only ate half of it. While chewing, he commented, "The strawberry is good but too big. It's a hassle to eat."

Watching him chew slowly, I couldn't help but tease, "At the speed you eat, how much time are you wasting?"

"It's not about how much time, but about quality."

This left me speechless. After all, he had been the top student in Turner University's Computer Science department for three years. Whatever he said, I had to agree.

Thinking about my terrible grades, my jealousy made me want to get back at him.

Before feeding him the next strawberry, I took a bite, leaving him just the strawberry's bottom.

"See, now it's easier to eat."

I even came up with a righteous excuse.

I expected him to be disgusted by my saliva, but he just glanced at the remaining strawberry and calmly ate it.

I was so shocked that I stuttered, "You, you don't mind it's dirty?"

He looked at me like I was an idiot.

The collar of his gray loungewear opened a little more with his movement, revealing his beautiful collarbone.

I unconsciously swallowed.

After all, he never saw me as a woman. Why would he care about something like that?

Most importantly, I had to shut him up first.

I hugged his arm and gently shook it.

"You've already eaten the strawberry. You should forgive me, right?"

He cleared his throat lightly and turned his head away, leaving me with a smooth side profile.

"One month. Not a day less."

Finally, I managed to get Xavier to leave. I picked up my phone and read the message from the six-pack guy.

[There's a new restaurant near the school that seems nice. Wanna try it out this weekend?]

I agreed.

On Saturday night, I was fully geared up.

Wearing a mask, sunglasses, and a hat, I covered myself from head to toe. After making sure no one was around, I handed the prepared bento to Xavier.

He held the lunchbox with one hand and laughed. "Anyone who didn't know would think we're doing some kind of illegal deal."

I rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses.

If someone recognized me delivering him lunch daily, how could I continue my plan?

It wouldn't be long before someone posts my name on the confession account.

The title would probably be "Some Obsessed Girl Relentlessly Chasing Turner University's Heartthrob."

Just thinking about it made me want to die of embarrassment.

Of course, I still had to act selflessly. "How could you say such things? It makes me so sad..."

"Speak properly," he said, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

I pursed my lips and shoved the bento into his hands.

"I'm just looking out for you. Wouldn't want to mess up your chances with the ladies."

He gave a wicked smile. His expression became much more animated.

"So kind? Are you sure you're not worried I'll ruin your chances?"

I let out a nervous laugh and planned to make my escape as soon as possible.

He grabbed my wrist and asked, "Where are you going? Not going to eat with me?"

Without blushing or missing a beat, I made an excuse. "I have plans today. I'll eat with you tomorrow."

He didn't seem to have any intention of letting go of my wrist. His intense gaze made it seem like he was trying to see through my sunglasses and into my soul.

For a moment, I felt a bit guilty.

I forcefully broke free from his grip. I quickly fled the scene.

When I arrived at the restaurant, the guy was already sitting in the reserved spot. He was waiting for me.

I had already changed out of the conservative outfit I wore just now. I was now wearing a red bodycon slip dress. My long, curly hair was down.

The ambient lighting in the Western restaurant was well set up. The off-white lights cast a soft glow through the gaps in the partitions.

In this kind of environment, it's easy to get swept up in romance.

The six-pack guy was named Wilson Collins. From the moment I appeared before him, his gaze never left me.

I knew he was hooked.

At the end of the meal, he said, "Mila, be my girlfriend."

I slightly parted my red lips. I curved them into a bright smile.

The plan had reached its final step. It was time to reel him in.

I was just about to agree when a voice suddenly appeared above me.

"Having dinner with Jane?"

I froze. Goosebumps rose all over my body.

I slowly turned around and looked up.

Xavier was staring at me.

My heart skipped a beat.

Xavier had always hated being lied to. Anyone who ever lied to him was cut off.

According to him, I could lie. But just don't let him find out.

If he did find out, it was my fault. Not because he was too heartless.

Let alone the fact that I lied to him for another man.

"Who is this?" Wilson asked.

I stood up and said, "This is my friend. We grew up together. He's a junior in the computer science department at Turner University."

Wilson smiled. He revealed a canine tooth. "So, he's my senior."

Xavier let out a cold laugh. He didn't respond.

I reached out and pinched his sleeve. I looked at him with obedient eyes. I clearly showed I was admitting my mistake.

His expression softened noticeably.

I sensed an opportunity and was about to speak again. But then I heard Wilson say, "Would you like to sit down and join us? I get along well with Mila. It makes sense to meet her friends."

I was speechless.

Sure enough, the softened look on Xavier's face changed again.

Damn...

I was about to pull Xavier away. I wanted to explain everything to him.

Then I heard a soft female voice, "Xavier, what's wrong?"

I followed the voice and saw a woman in a white cotton dress. She walked over. Her figure was faintly visible.

Each of her steps was light and slow.

She was Xavier's ex-girlfriend.

The explanation I wanted to give got stuck in my throat. I couldn't say it.

Whether she was his ex or not had nothing to do with me, but I still felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

It must have been because he didn't eat the bento I made for him.

If he had eaten it, how could he have shown up here with his ex-girlfriend?

Xavier glanced at me. He took off his coat with no expression. He tossed it over my head.

Without turning back, he said to the girl, "It's nothing. Go back first."

I was stunned by the hit. By the time I took the coat off my head, he had already walked far away.

Wilson apologized, "Mila, did I make him uncomfortable?"

I let out an awkward laugh. I said, "Well... Actually, it's not really your fault. How about we just call it a day? We can talk another time."

For me, the game was already over. I didn't intend to interact with him any further.

After saying that, I turned to leave. He grabbed my hand and said, "I just heard the waiter say it's raining outside. I'll take you home."

Only then did I notice the streaks of water on the nearby glass window.

The neon lights' brilliant colors filtered through the rainwater. They illuminated Wilson's face.

Perhaps it was because the red light reflected in his eyes. For a moment, I felt he looked a bit gloomy.

I must have been overthinking it.

I politely declined, "No need. I drove here. It's not a problem."

His expression was somewhat indifferent. It made me feel slightly uneasy.

But soon, he smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Alright then, see you next time."

I nodded. But in my heart, I thought it would be better if we didn't meet again.

After stepping out, a cool breeze hit me. It made the hair on my arms stand up.

I instinctively put Xavier's coat on.

A pleasant scent of cedarwood surrounded me. It felt even more refreshing in the slightly chilly rain.

I suddenly realized why Xavier tossed the coat to me.

Even though he was angry, he still didn't want me to catch a cold.

The more I thought about it, the deeper my guilt grew.