Kevin, You're a Good Person

Meanwhile, outside the research institute's small building.

"Mhm?~ I really couldn't have managed to carry all this by myself today."

Elysia smiled at the two men behind her, who were dressed in student uniforms but had dyed their hair white with streaks of emerald green at the temples, and said, "Thanks again~ You guys are the best!"

"Haha! No problem! Our teacher always says that helping others is a traditional virtue in Shenzhou!"

The big guy with white hair and a student uniform let out a hearty laugh upon hearing Elysia's praise. He put down the large basket of food and vegetables he was carrying and said with a smile, "Besides, didn't you also help us pick out gifts for the girls, Miss Elysia? We're just helping each other out, no need to be polite! ...Hey, Su, say something too. Don't just keep your eyes closed and stay silent."

As he spoke, the white-haired big guy nudged his companion with his elbow. The companion had gray hair with streaks of emerald green at the side of his forehead.

"..."

Hearing his friend call him, the gray-haired man, who was covered from head to toe in shopping bags for women's clothing and was wobbling with every step, twitched his lips. After struggling for a moment amidst the predicament of being wrapped in bags, he shakily extended his right hand, also laden with shopping bags, and said:

"First of all... Kevin, asking this lady to help you pick out gifts for Mei was your idea. Please don't include me in this... Secondly, not everyone is as physically capable as you are... Of course, I'm not questioning your enthusiasm... I just think that instead of carrying this lady's purchases with our hands and then walking her home... we could have taken a taxi..."

"Huh?"

The white-haired big guy, addressed as Kevin, was stunned by his friend's words. After a long pause, he pouted, raised his clenched right fist, and slowly tapped it against his open left hand, exclaiming as if struck by enlightenment:

"That's right! We could have taken a taxi! Oh man, Su, how did I not think of that..."

"You..."

Faced with his best friend's exclamation, Su looked at the shopping bags for women's clothing hanging all over him and was momentarily speechless.

"Hey, enough about that. By the way, miss, do you live around here?"

Kevin, who was always optimistic, smiled and completely ignored his friend's almost speechless gaze. He then looked at the three-story building behind Elysia and said, "By the way, miss, did you just move to Changkong City?"

"Mhm?"

Elysia narrowed her eyes, then smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, but this isn't my home. It's my friend's place. I just arrived in Changkong City and didn't have anywhere else to go, so I'm staying with my friend for now... But more importantly, I'm curious how you knew I just moved here, mhm?"

"Hey!"

Kevin waved his hand grandly, then turned around and pointed to the exceptionally elegant noble school across from the three-story building.

"Miss, you see, that's Changkong City High School No. 1, also known as Chiyu Academy. And to be honest, Su and I attend school there. Although we usually live in the dorms, we sometimes sneak out... Ahem, anyway, we know this area around Chiyu Academy like the back of our hands, but we've never heard of a beautiful lady like you living near our school. So, you must have just moved here, right?"

"Mhm~ Correct answer, classmate Kevin?~"

It turned out that Elysia didn't dislike boys; she was just more interested in girls.

Seeing that Elysia, a figure like the National Goddess, actually praised him, Kevin became a bit giddy. He scratched his head sheepishly and pressed his advantage:

"Then, Miss Elysia, since you're new to Changkong City, you must be unfamiliar with the area. Why don't you give me your contact information, and I can be your local guide? And if you ever encounter any wicked people here, just call my number, and no matter where I am, I'll be there to save you within ten minutes!"

"Wicked people..."

Hearing Kevin confidently claim he could protect her, Elysia—the elite S-rank new recruit of Fire Moth, the strongest single-soldier combat power of the Operations Department, the queen who could single-handedly subdue thousands of Fire Moth female soldiers—pondered the combat strength of the "wicked people" Kevin mentioned in her mind. Then, she smiled slightly at Kevin and said, "No need, I usually exercise too? I'm quite confident in my own abilities, so I won't trouble others to worry about me?~"

"Huh?"

This was the second young lady who had "rejected him" after the Lightning Queen at school. Kevin, the handsome white-haired prince, seemed to have ignited some strange competitive spirit and was about to try again when Elysia made a shushing gesture, interrupting his attempt.

"Mhm?~"

Elysia looked at Kevin, who stopped his "spellcasting" after her shushing gesture and was waiting for her to speak. She smiled slightly and pointed behind Kevin, saying, "Um, classmate Kevin~ Actually, I think the young lady behind you who has been following you all this way is the one you should be concerned about, not me?"

"Huh? The young lady behind me?"

Kevin was clearly taken aback by her words.

Click.

Behind Kevin, a purple-haired girl wearing a gray trench coat and square-framed glasses raised her phone and took a picture of Kevin and Elysia talking.

Upon seeing the girl in the gray coat, who was also wearing a Chiyu Academy uniform, Kevin's eyes widened in shock. He quickly approached her and said:

"Mei?!! You... How are you here? Why didn't you tell me..."

"Tell you?"

The girl named Mei, with long, deep purple hair, pushed her square-framed glasses up and said expressionlessly, "Didn't you, classmate Kevin, ask me out for lunch at the noodle shop in Changkong City this Saturday? When I couldn't find you at the agreed time, I tracked your phone signal and came over. It seems... I've interrupted your good time? Mr. Prince Charming of Chiyu Academy?"

"Wait... no... it's not like that! The truth isn't what you think! Mei, listen to me, I can explain!"

Seeing the girl with the long, deep purple hair, Kevin's blue eyes showed panic for the first time. He quickly said, "The truth really isn't what you think! Mei, please listen to my explanation!"

As he spoke, Kevin frantically tried to get closer to Mei to explain.

"An explanation?"

However, Mei took a step back, held up a finger to Kevin, and said seriously, "Classmate Kevin, I think you've misunderstood something. We're just classmates. You don't need to explain your personal life to me. I only came here today to fulfill a promise I made to you a few days ago, and now that promise is fulfilled. I don't owe you anything, and you don't need to apologize to me.

On the contrary, I should be thanking you. Kevin, you're a good person. You let me spend the entire afternoon today hiking around the academy with you, and I had a great time. But now, it's time to say goodbye, classmate Kevin."

With that, Mei turned and walked directly towards a pre-booked taxi, heading for the main entrance of Chiyu Academy, without any hesitation.

Kevin was so anxious he could have jumped. After giving Elysia a sheepish smile, he quickly chased after Mei, grabbing the taxi door at the last moment and shouting, "No! It's not like that, Mei! It's really not what you think. Please give me a chance to explain!!"

"Sorry, classmate Kevin. We're just classmates. You're a good person, but we're not compatible."

After saying this, Mei pushed Kevin's hand away, closed the taxi door, and told the driver to go.

"Huh?? No... I just got friend-zoned?? Huh????"

Watching the taxi drive away, Kevin's eyes widened. He gritted his teeth and immediately sprinted towards the taxi, shouting as he ran, "Mei!! At least give me a chance to explain, Mei! Mei!!! How can I live without you, ahhhhhh!! Mei!!!!"

Listening to the utterly cold rejection from the Lightning Queen of the academy in the distance and the pained cries of his white-haired close friend, Su, who was still standing by the small building, twitched his lips.

Silently taking off the bags of women's clothing draped over him, feeling physically relieved, Su looked at Elysia, who was smiling by the building. After a moment of silence, he said, "I'm sorry... Miss Elysia. My friend has caused you trouble. He's always like this. I'll advise him to restrain himself in the future. Please don't mind what happened today."

"Mhm?~"

Elysia blinked her pink-blue eyes, fixed her gaze on the departing purple-haired girl, then smiled knowingly and said, "It's fine. If anyone should be thanking anyone, it's me?"

"Ah... It's fine, Miss Elysia. Just don't mind what my friend did today."

"No, no, no, I'm serious! I really need to thank you all. Thank you for helping me find... a new~ tar~get~ hehe?~"