Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 125 - Wish Negotiation

Chapter 125 - Wish Negotiation

As soon as the four of us gathered at the front gate of the campus, we began walking, our steps echoing with indecision. We still had no concrete idea where to hold our double date, but with the sprawling cyberpunk metropolis just a few blocks away, we figured we could brainstorm as we strolled. 

It wasn't just spontaneity driving us—part of it was practicality. Walking meant saving a few credits, and honestly, wandering the streets with friends felt like its own kind of therapy. Conversations always flowed more naturally when accompanied by the rhythm of footsteps.

Neon lights bathed the night in a kaleidoscope of blues and violets, flickering gently off chrome signboards and glass towers. The hum of distant hovercars and the chatter of students created a symphony of post-exam relief. Most of the passersby seemed to be fellow Orbital Tech students, faces alight with freedom and relief, their tension dissolving into the warm city air.

I glanced over at Neil, who was chatting animatedly with Fei. For someone who had just exhaled blood not long ago, he didn't look like it. The haunted look in his eyes had softened, and though he was probably just putting on a brave face, he seemed... better. Healthier, at least for now. The crimson root-like scars on his neck had vanished—temporarily, I hoped.

Beside me, Myrrh was in a quiet panic. Her eyes darted from her wallet to her phone, fingers trembling ever so slightly. I leaned in, catching a glimpse of her banking app, and blinked in surprise—she wasn't exactly broke.

"Haaah. I'm going to blow my savings again," she whimpered, her voice soft and resigned like a puppy that had just knocked over a flower vase.

"It'll be fiiine," I said with a teasing grin, drawing out the word just to get a rise out of her. "You've got plenty of money stashed up."

Myrrh shot me a sharp glare, puffing her cheeks in that familiar pout of hers. "Don't you dare even think of demanding something luxurious for this date," she huffed. "I've allocated a good portion of those savings for my expenses when I return to Earth."

There it was again—that lingering thread I kept trying to ignore. Her upcoming trip to Earth. She's been talking about it a lot lately, but never in detail. It gnawed at me. If she was going back just to see someone like him... I needed to know. Because if that were the case, I might have to start closing the gates to my heart—before it gets torched. If she was planning to meet Ephraim, then damn it, I might just help her spend those savings myself.

"Why are you going back to Earth, anyway?" I asked, trying my best to keep my voice level and my expression unreadable.

"I'm going to meet someone," she replied, too calmly... with a smile that felt a little too carefree.

My heart skipped. "Who?" I asked, feigning casual interest while bracing for the worst.

"It's a secret!" Myrrh sang with a giggle, placing a finger in front of her lips. That little playful gesture of hers should've charmed me, but instead, it made my chest tighten.

The air felt heavier now. I couldn't take it anymore—I had to go straight for the jugular.

"Are you... are you going to meet up with your ex?" I asked, but my voice cracked halfway through, betraying everything I tried to hide.

"Huuuh!?" Myrrh's expression instantly twisted into outrage. "Of course not! Not a chance! What makes you think I'd ever meet up with that manwhore again!?"

Her reaction was explosive—and genuine. But even with that assurance, my heart still pounded. I wasn't sure if it was from relief... or something else.