Leon couldn’t help but grumble as he maneuvered the car onto the road. “You ruined my chance to see Viktor bow down to me because of that game, Freya,” he said.
Freya giggled at his complaint, finding his disappointment cute. “So, you made a bet on that? How childish…” she teased.
Leon sighed deeply. “It wasn’t really my idea. They showed up out of the blue while I was playing basketball by myself. Viktor challenged me to a one-on-one game.”
Freya chuckled again. “But you won, didn’t you? That’s impressive. You really should think about joining the basketball team instead of wasting your time on video games.”
Leon fell silent for a moment, reflecting on the intense match from earlier. Viktor was undeniably talented, and Leon’s victory was partly because Viktor had underestimated him. “When I started scoring, Viktor lost his focus,” Leon admitted softly. “I managed to turn the game around and win, but it wasn’t easy. Luck played a big part.”
A few moments passed before Freya spoke again. “But you could tell Viktor wasn’t planning on honoring the bet, right? Besides, leaving the court with a beautiful woman like me by your side looked way cooler than seeing him grovel.”
Leon let out a heavy sigh. “You’re cutting down my chances of getting any girls on campus,” he said.
Freya nudged Leon playfully with her elbow as he drove. “Guys with a girlfriend look even cooler, especially if their girlfriend is as pretty as me. So, really, it’s a win for you.”
“Thanks, but please, don’t do it again,” he replied with a grin.
Leon had a Muay Thai training session scheduled for later that day, but he had some time to relax beforehand. He and Freya decided to grab a bite to eat, letting her pick the place.
As usual, their meal was accompanied by Freya’s animated chatter, punctuated with laughter. Leon mostly nodded and agreed with her, occasionally receiving a playful kick from her under the table.
“Start a topic, will you? You’re making it hard for me to carry the conversation when you just sit there like that,” she complained.
“You don’t seem to be struggling, so feel free to talk about whatever’s on your mind, Freya,” he replied with a chuckle.
After lunch, they took a leisurely stroll to a nearby park and settled down on a long iron bench. It was autumn, so the afternoon air was pleasantly crisp, and the park was bustling with local families and children running around, playing games.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, with Leon trying to unwind before his next commitment.
“So… have you figured out a strategy for the next round of the competition?” Freya asked.
“What’s the rule for the final round?” he inquired.
“According to past competitions, the participants will have to choose a blueprint provided by the organizers and craft an item based on it. The remaining rules are the same, but the time limit is longer than the first round,” she explained.
Leon nodded and smiled, feeling confident. “Then I’ll select an item that’s useful for me and make the most of the time to produce the highest possible quality. If all goes well, I’ll aim for a legendary-grade item,” he said.
“Good plan,” Freya murmured softly.
They both settled into a comfortable silence, watching as a group of young children nearby engaged in a heated argument. The tension was unease, and it seemed like a fight might break out at any moment.
“They’re so cute,” Freya remarked, her voice filled with amusement.
“They’re going to start fighting, or worse,” Leon commented.
“Is that you talking from experience?” Freya teased, raising an eyebrow.
Leon fell silent, his thoughts wandering to past confrontations and their usual outcomes. In
his mind, solving problems with a fight seemed normal.
“Not every confrontation leads to a fight, you know,” Freya said gently.
“But it’s the easiest way to solve problems, isn’t it?” he responded quietly. “I’m not good at resolving issues through talking and negotiation.”
“I think you should learn more about that.”
“I’ve learned to fight better in real life, so I can solve problems more easily that way.”
Freya giggled at his words. “Go sign up for MMA then, Mr. Muscle Brain…”
They sat in silence for a moment longer, observing as the children who had seemed ready to
brawl suddenly made peace, hugging each other and resuming their play.
“See? They made up,” Freya pointed out with a satisfied smile.
Leon didn’t respond.
“This park… I used to play here a lot when I was little,” Freya continued.
Leon turned to look at her, his face showing a hint of puzzlement. He, too, had spent countless hours in this park as a child, playing with Lily and Uncle Ben. But he decided to keep this coincidence to himself, choosing not to share his thoughts.
***
Flashback.
A young girl, about ten years old, sat alone in the passenger seat of a luxury car. Her chestnut- colored hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her clothes were obviously high-end, even at a
quick glance.
From inside the car, the girl gazed out at the park, where children were playing under the midday sun.
“Miss Freya…” called the chauffeur and family butler from the driver’s seat.
“Yes…” the young girl responded, her eyes still fixed on the children outside, watching them run around and squabble over toys.
“Why are they fighting over toys? Wouldn’t it be easier if each of them had their own?” she wondered aloud, almost talking to herself. “They’re just ordinary toys…”
The butler smiled kindly and replied, “You said you wanted to play, right? Why don’t you go outside and find out for yourself?”
The girl remained silent, continuing to watch from the safety of the car. “Yes… I want to have a friend,” she finally said.
After a moment, the butler responded softly, “You could join a club or take up a new hobby. It would be easy for you to make friends that way…”
The young girl shook her head. “They only want to be friends with people who have nice things…” she said.
She paused for a moment before speaking again, more firmly this time. “I don’t like it.”
The butler responded again, “So, Miss Freya, what kind of friendship do you want?”
The young girl paused for a moment before replying with determination, “I don’t like fake
friends!”
From inside the car, she watched as children played tag and others busied themselves building sandcastles. Among them was a little boy playing alongside a small girl who looked
around five years old.
“Why is that boy playing with such a young child?” she asked.
“Maybe she is his sister?” the butler suggested.
The girl fell silent, her expression softening as she murmured, “I want a sibling too…”
The butler had no immediate response, simply noting the wistfulness in her tone.
A few moments later, a ball came flying through the air, smashing into the boy’s sandcastle. He looked shocked as the castle crumbled. The children who had kicked the ball came over, retrieving it and deliberately kicking down the remaining parts of the sandcastle. They laughed at the boy and his work.
The little girl, presumably his sister, was visibly upset and angrily confronted the older kids. Her frustration was met with mocking laughter until she pushed one of the older boys. The boy, who looked to be about ten years old, stumbled back, his face showing signs of
anger. He appeared ready to retaliate when the older brother of the small girl stepped forward, standing protectively in front of her.
“Are they going to fight?” Little Freya asked from inside the car, her voice tinged with
concern.
*** ƒгeewebnovёl.com
(Freya’s Note: Ugh, the Author was sick yesterday, so they only just managed to write. Thankfully, this chapter is all about me, so I’m not too disappointed. Dear reader, make sure
to pay close attention to my past, okay?)
(Author’s Note: Sorry, reader! I’ll upload another chapter in a few hours.)