If you want to help me financially, you can do it on
https://ko-fi.com/neverluckysmile
To be honest, when Arthur typed out that text message, he felt both amused and helpless.
The campus setting was lovely, quiet, and elegant, with tree-lined paths that perfectly matched the serene academic atmosphere.
The girl's figure was striking. No matter the angle, front or back, she was a gorgeous sight. Paired with that faintly melancholic air, it gave off a strange urge to cradle her in one's hands and cherish her tenderly.
And yet… her internal drama was on another level.
Totally killing the mood.
Sighing, Arthur replied to her with a simple message: "Here."
But then the mood got even worse.
The slightly melancholic girl instantly perked up the moment her phone pinged. She snatched it up, eyes glued to the screen. The sadness on her face vanished without a trace. First came surprise, then shock.
The next second, she literally jumped like a startled rabbit, darting her eyes in every direction. She spun in circles on the spot, then quickly looked down, her fingers dancing over the screen like butterflies.
Arthur's phone buzzed with her reply: "What do you mean???"
"I believe you really would bite me to death," Arthur responded.
Her little mouth dropped so wide you could practically fit a Godzilla in there.
"Where are you??"
"In the car right in front of you." Arthur sighed and ordered Little Black to drive up to Lily.
She was still unsure and a little suspicious, until the car window rolled down.
"Get in."
"Who are you?" Lily didn't get in. Instead, she cautiously backed away several steps.
"It's me." Arthur raised his head.
"Dad??" Lily stood there, stunned. "What the hell are you supposed to be???"
Arthur thought for a moment, then slapped his own face. His features suddenly twisted violently, reverting back to his original form.
"…Get in the car!"
"Holy crap!" Lily cursed and jumped into the passenger seat, eyes locked on Arthur's face. "What kind of ghost are you really?"
"I'm your boyfriend, damn it!!!" Arthur nearly exploded.
Ghost? Really?
If your supposedly dead father just showed up, okay, fine, that question made sense. But now that he'd returned to his original face, how was that still your reaction??
"Really?" Lily narrowed her eyes at Arthur suspiciously. "Prove it."
"…Shouldn't you have asked for proof before getting in my car?? Now that you're already inside, you still want evidence?" Arthur twitched.
"Who knows? With you morphing like that, how do I know you're not some demon or monster pretending to be him?"
"Oh sure, I'm the damn Monkey King now." Arthur rolled his eyes so hard it nearly hurt.
Why is it that when other couples reunite after time apart, it's all sweet and romantic? The usual flow should be: mutual gazing, disbelief, slowly drawing closer, holding hands, staring into each other's eyes, and then something PG-13 or above.
But with them?
Total chaos.
What kind of reunion was this?
It more like two idiots meeting at a street corner!
"It's really you?" Lily leaned in close, scrutinizing Arthur's face. Then her lips pouted so hard they could hold a bottle of oil. Without a word, she grabbed Arthur's arm and chomped down on it.
"Don't--" Arthur tried to stop her, but it was already too late.
She bit down hard, like her teeth were flying. Only… it felt like she bit into solid steel.
She stayed frozen in that biting posture, eyebrows raised, eyes welling up with visible tears.
"Damn it! What is your arm made of, concrete??"
"I told you not to…" Arthur rubbed her forehead helplessly.
Then, with a flick, he traced a glowing Eye of Horus in the air. Golden light filled the entire car. Only then did Lily visibly relax upon seeing the symbol.
"This thing… really can't be faked, huh."
"Wow, you actually do have some sense of danger." Arthur looked genuinely surprised.
Then, suddenly, Lily let out a loud "Ahhhhhh!"
Arthur jumped in shock. "What happened? Are you hurt? Your teeth or something?"
"My boyfriend… actually crossed the ocean to come see me!!!" Lily shouted, her face full of disbelief. "Unbelievable!!! Why do I not feel romantic about this at all??"
"…Maybe because the way we met up was kind of… off?" Arthur offered uncertainly.
Arthur continued, not too sure: "How about this, I'll leave now and come back later? Give you time to prepare emotionally?"
"Prepare your head!" Lily snapped.
By now, tears were already streaming down her cheeks. She grabbed Arthur's large hand and began rubbing it all over her face to wipe them away.
"You jerk! Why did you show up without a word? You said we couldn't meet! And you didn't even send a single text! Didn't you say you went off to space again? When did you come back?"
"About two and a half hours ago…" Arthur checked the time.
"You just got back?" Lily frowned and glared at Arthur. "Why aren't you resting properly then??"
"Maybe… because I think a girlfriend should come first?" Arthur furrowed his brow, he wasn't even sure whether that was a rhetorical question or an answer.
"No way!" Lily pouted. "You should put yourself first. If you don't rest enough, how will you have the energy to face danger?"
"Trust me, I'm very well rested." Arthur reached out and gently wiped the tears from her face, giving her a soft smile. "So today, I'm here to fulfill my duties and rights as your boyfriend. Excited?"
Lily's face turned scarlet in an instant. She twisted awkwardly, mumbling, "W-What are you saying? Why do you sound like some pervy creep?"
"..."
Arthur rolled his eyes and thought for a moment.
"All I meant was: dinner, coffee, and a movie. But now it seems like you're thinking of something weird?"
"No I'm not!!!" Lily panicked, waving her hands. She fanned her face frantically, trying to cool it down, then crossed her arms and huffed, "Let's go then. Where are we going?"
"…Well, I honestly have no idea about anything around here." Arthur admitted, looking embarrassed.
"Tch. As always, it's up to me." Lily said proudly. "Come on, I know this amazing steak place! My besties and I go there at least once a month. Oh, and there's a movie out now that I really wanted to see. I thought I'd have to wait to watch it with you at home, but since you're here, let's do steak and a movie, yeah?"
"Sounds perfect!" Arthur grinned. "I'm all yours today!"