Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 71 - The Void Box

Chapter 71 - The Void Box

As Myrrh and I strolled through the sleek, neon-lit corridors of Orbital Tech, an awkward silence lingered between us, stretching with every step. The faint hum of distant machinery and the occasional flicker of holographic advertisements filled the space, but neither of us spoke. That is, until Myrrh decided to break the silence with a smirk, her blue eyes glinting mischievously under the artificial light.

"Oh, congratulations to you and Fei for topping the calculus exams earlier," she said, her tone carrying a playful edge.

I glanced at her and shrugged, offering a small smile. "Thanks, but Fei did most of the heavy lifting for both of us."

Myrrh's smirk deepened. She leaned in, tilting her head as if studying my expression, her face inching dangerously close to mine. The scent of her faintly citrusy perfume mixed with the sterilized, metallic air of the corridor.

"Mmm..." she hummed, her eyes narrowing with teasing amusement.

I took an instinctive step back, brow twitching. "What?" I asked, irritation creeping into my voice. Her proximity was unnerving.

She pulled away, pouting slightly, before crossing her arms. "Nothing. It's just that you seem awfully proud of your new WAIFU partner," she remarked, arching a brow. "You give her more credit than you ever gave your previous partner. You didn't even congratulate me after the rollerblade practical exam."

I exhaled through my nose, already sensing where this was going. "Oh, belated congratulations to you and Kian as well for acing the practical exam," I said, forcing a smile.

Myrrh's expression instantly brightened. She puffed out her chest, her long hair swaying as she grinned proudly. "That was five days too late, but I'll accept your praise," she said with a dramatic nod. "Not that it was anything difficult—it's just a basic skill."

I rolled my eyes and turned away, muttering under my breath, "That's exactly why I don't praise you. It goes straight to your head and inflate your ego."

"Did you say something, Zaft?" Myrrh tilted her head, her long greenish blonde hair swaying slightly as she gave me a curious look.

"No, nothing," I replied casually, though my smirk betrayed me. Then, folding my arms, I decided to poke back. "I bet you're pretty comfortable with your new support unit, huh? What was his name again? Kian... Citrus?"

"Kian Cyprus," Myrrh corrected with an exaggerated eye roll. "And yes, he's a cool, kind, and handsome guy—not to mention respectable too," she added with a proud grin, tilting her chin up. "I can totally see our partnership working well for the finals... except for advanced calculus." Her smile stretched into something that could only be described as dog-like, as if she was hoping I'd ignore that last part.

Unfortunately for her, I hadn't forgotten. The image of Myrrh furiously scratching her head in frustration when the calculus exam results flashed on our screens was still fresh in my mind. Judging by that reaction, she had met a particularly terrible fate with that subject—but I couldn't resist asking anyway.

"So... how was that exam earlier?" I asked, smirking.

Myrrh exhaled dramatically. "Terrible," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "I only got two answers right."

I nearly choked. "Two out of fifty!?" My eyes widened in disbelief.

Myrrh's face turned red in an instant. She frantically glanced around, making sure no passing students had overheard my outburst. Luckily, we had already exited the bustling corridors and were now making our way toward the KAWAII office building. The area was quieter, with only a handful of people walking nearby, but Myrrh still shot me a warning glare.