The effect was instant—Derek's face lit up like a kid who'd just found the winning ticket in a candy bar. She was single! He could hardly keep himself from grinning ear to ear. Though he hurriedly tried to keep his composure, coughing away his embarrassment...
But still, he couldn't help himself...
"Wow! That's… that's great!" Derek blurted out, his voice barely able to contain the excitement.
Mize smiled at him, one eyebrow raised. "Yeah, guess it is." And with that, he headed out the door, job done for now. The experiment was deemed to be a successful one for tonight, Mize had gotten the results that he wanted, and to tell the truth... 'It is rather exciting... I never thought a beautiful girl could have this much pull just based on appearance' Mize hummed silently within, making his way toward the entrance.
Moments before he stepped out, he sent a casual glance towards the neon sign at the top of the entrance's door. 'It's like playing a game, the more beautiful or attractive a person is, the easier the game difficulty will get' He shook his head with a wry smile, thinking back to those days in the past. 'it's quite addictive... ' taking a deep breath. He then walked out... 'Let's hope that I won't fall into this bliss too easily... a corrupted goddess huh?'
The night air was cool, a soft breeze weaving through the streets as Mize strolled out of the café, heels clicking against the pavement.
He checked his phone, looking over the time that had just reached 9:00 pm, 'There's still so much time left' he thought inwardly, closing the phone yet again as he made his way towards the busier part of the town. 'I am hungry, better find a convenience store and eat noodles there'
But as he turned the corner, a breathless voice called out behind him.
"M-Miss! Wait!"
He turned just in time to see Derek practically sprinting toward him, chest heaving like he'd just run a mile. The clothes were soaked, and the wet patches under his armpit were quite evident, Mize frowned for a split second but then hurriedly regained his normal expression the next moment.
"You… do you have any transportation?" Derek asked, still gasping for air, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
"Transportation?" Mize echoed, feigning innocence. "Nah, I was just gonna walk..."
Derek's eyes lit up, practically shouting with excitement. "No! I mean, you shouldn't have to walk. It's late and… let me give you a ride. No trouble at all!"
"Oh?" Mize cocked an eyebrow, doubtful at first, but nodded. "If you insist."
Derek's face beamed as he ran off to get his car. Mize crossed his arms, waiting, figuring he'd see a beat-up sedan or something low-key. But when Derek pulled up a few minutes later, Mize's eyes widened.
It was a sleek, high-end sedan, the kind with polished rims and tinted windows. Not exactly what he'd pictured for café boy.
Derek jumped out, still slightly nervous, but trying to look confident as he held the door open for her. "Hop in. I'll take you wherever you need to go."
'This is a surprise' Mize muttered within, his eyes glancing over the car for a brief moment. But then, he shook inwardly... 'It's just a mortal mean, my goal is those awakened men. But... ' His eyes hovered over the face that was filled with expectation and anticipation for a moment, 'Playing around for a little bit won't hurt'
Sliding into the plush leather seat, Mize allowed himself a small smile. "Nice car," he commented, looking around casually.
Derek blushed a little. "Thanks. I, uh… work in trading. It's been good to me."
"Trading?" Mize asked, his voice a low hum as he observed the interior design of the car.
"Yes, it's kinda complicated... but it's a stock market thing" Derek tried to explain, one hand over the steering wheel with the other hand making gestures on the topic, though Mize seemed to be uninterested so he shut his mouth and began to drive.
The car moved smoothly onto the street, and Derek's grip on the steering wheel was a little too tight, knuckles white as he sneaked glances at Mize. She looked out the window, hair framing her face perfectly in the glow of streetlights. He was mesmerized and couldn't shake the feeling that she was wildly out of his league.
Silence hung in the car until Derek blurted out, "Uh, do you want to go to the mall? I mean, just to hang out, or… you know, whatever. I'll pay for everything."
Mize's lips curled, almost like a smile. "You don't have to," she murmured, voice soft. She adjusted her seatbelt, pulling it snug across her waist, highlighting the curve that had never been there before. Mize noticed this but still kept a straight face nonetheless.
Derek's heart kicked up a notch, catching a glimpse of the movement just now. "No, really—it's nothing. I'd love to. You're still in high school, right?"
Her eyes flickered, catching his gaze for a moment before returning to her hands. Her fingers twisted together, and her hair spilled over, hiding her face.
"Well… yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the engine.
Derek felt something rise in him. He didn't know why she seemed so hesitant, but he wanted to try his best tonight, after all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be this close to a real beauty. "Then it's settled," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Let's go. I'll cover it all—no strings attached."
As for the legal age of consent issue, it is 16 nowadays for people to date so as not to be looked at weirdly.
She hesitated, glancing at him briefly with an unreadable expression, but then she gave a small nod. Derek exhaled, relief flooding him.
As they drove on, neon lights flickered across her face, illuminating the soft curve of her cheek and jaw. She was beautiful, almost unreal, like a dream. It didn't take long as soon enough, they parked their car before a community supermarket that was the closest to the area.
A supermarket that Mize was a frequent customer of, but then... he noticed that Derek was oddly quiet while looking over the entrance of the store with a strange gaze, a kind of gaze that seemed to be filled with... memories?
Lost in thought, Derek hadn't noticed Mize stir beside him. Her voice, soft and unexpected, pulled him back to the present. "You seem very fond of this place, huh?"
Derek blinked, startled. "W-what? How do you know?" His cheeks flushed, an embarrassed laugh slipping from his lips.
He hadn't realized she'd been watching him. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, the other hand still gripping the steering wheel like it was his lifeline.
"You've been smiling the whole time," she whispered, her voice so gentle it barely rose above the purring of the car engine.
Derek froze. He hadn't realized. "Ah…" The words caught in his throat.
Was it that obvious? He glanced sideways at her, then quickly looked away, suddenly feeling too exposed in the small space of the car. "It was that obvious?"
Mize let out a soft laugh, her smile widening as she rested her hand on her lap. "Mhmmm" Her voice was smooth.
Derek cleared his throat, the heat rising from his chest up to his neck. "Yeah, I guess this place means a lot more than I realize," he muttered, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
He coughed to cover his awkwardness. "I spent a lot of time here back in the day. The old owner... he helped me when I had nothing."
Mize turned in her seat, her gaze settling on the store's darkened windows. "Is that why you keep coming back?"
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Every time I come here, it's like I'm visiting him, in a way. You know, paying my respects." He laughed again, but this time it wasn't awkward—just a soft, wistful sound.
"It's silly, right? He's not even here anymore. But I feel like if I stop coming, I'll be forgetting what he did for me. And I can't forget."
Mize said nothing for a long moment, her eyes distant as if she were searching for something in the darkness outside. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's not silly at all."
Derek blinked, surprised by the tenderness in her tone. She wasn't teasing him, nor was she pitying him.
Derek smiled, not the awkward, flustered kind, but a genuine smile. He glanced at Mize, who returned his look.
"Thanks," he said, not sure if he was thanking her for listening.
Mize nodded, her eyes gleaming under the soft glow of the streetlights. "Anytime."
Derek's face felt hot as he fumbled to open the car door, his words stumbling out, "T-then, let's go buy what you want."