Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 81 - Two-for-One Discount

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."