DING DONG. DING DONG
The school bell rang, school was over, and students started packing their things into their bags, just after the teacher finished the lesson and left the classroom.
Kai packed his books into his bag. Before he could even get up from his seat, he looked toward the outside door and sighed.
The brown-haired girl with a wide smile had already entered his classroom. The girl's appearance surely drew any attention from this class. Kai could hear all his classmates whispering.
"Kai~ let's go."
Kai stared at Chloe's sparkling eyes. This girl really didn't understand 'personal' space and just did whatever she wanted.
They had only known each other for a few hours, back before class started after lunch, yet this girl could just come to Kai's classroom as if they were close friends.
"Okay," Kai said as he got up from his seat. "Where are we going?"
Chloe walked out of the classroom, followed by Kai who walked beside her. All the students certainly saw them together. That was natural because there was no reason for them to suddenly be walking together. Besides, they seemed to have no connection, and yet here they were.
Walking down the school building felt a bit uncomfortable for Kai. He didn't mind walking with Chloe, but the stares from the other students made him a little annoyed. Besides, why were they looking at him with confused looks when he and Chloe were just walking together?
Leaving the school gate, they walked along the sidewalk. The weather today was perfect for a walk. Kai still hadn't been told where Chloe was taking him. They kept walking, occasionally Chloe's hand brushed against Kai's because they were quite close. Chloe noticed it and smiled before she reached out and grabbed Kai's hand.
"What are you..."
"What~"
Kai sighed and let this girl do whatever she wanted.
"You know... you still haven't answered my question."
"Hmm... it's not important whether you know where we're going or not," Chloe said while tightening her grip on Kai's hand. Smiling, she leaned her head against Kai's arm. "Are you embarrassed?"
"No."
"Tch... you're too flat should I call you mr. deadpan~ but again... what else could I expect from the top-ranked bookworm at school." Chloe then let go of his hand as she put some distance between herself and Kai.
Kai noticed that but didn't think much of it. He was just wondering where this annoying girl was going to take him.
After walking for quite a while, Chloe and Kai stopped in front of a small building. Seeing the building made Kai furrow his brow a little. During his 21 years of life in the old world, Kai had never visited this place even though he could be called popular among girls.
"Karaoke? I can't sing," he said to Chloe, who once again took his hand to go inside.
"Who said you have to be good at singing to come here?" Chloe then took something from her jacket pocket, like a coupon. "I have this, and it would be a waste not to use it with my 'friend'~"
Eh... friend, huh. I didn't expect it to be this easy to get close to her.
Hearing Chloe say the word 'friend' made Kai remember that lunch event during class break when her group of bees mocked her behind her back. Truly, friendships between girls were as thin as tissue paper.
Kai didn't understand what he was supposed to do. So he just waited like a child left behind by his parents, while Chloe went to the staff at the reservation desk. Seeing Chloe chat and laugh with the staff indicated that she had been to this place often.
Kai's phone buzzed in his pocket. A notification sound was heard. Taking out his phone to see the message, Kai immediately put it back in his pocket. A 'less important' message from his little sister asking where he was. There was no way he would reply to Rika's message, knowing she was a little crazy in the head right now. Well, He mean he still have fish to catch.
Sorry little sis, your big brother is currently still in lady-killer mode, Kai thought, trying to act cool while waiting for Chloe, who was still chatting. Seriously, why are you still talking to the staff? I'm like a lost kid waiting to be picked up.
Kai kept grumbling to himself before Chloe came over and signaled for him to follow her again. They then walked down the hallway of karaoke rooms. The atmosphere was quite lively. Kai could even see through a slightly open door a woman who seemed to be wearing a 'work' outfit sitting on a man's lap.
Ugh... that sight is really indecent. But I can't denied siting on each other lap sure comfortable view.
Kai turned his gaze forward again and entered one of the rooms where Chloe had entered first.
The room was quite spacious for a box room. Long sofa, table in the middle, a large screen on the wall. Definitely a karaoke place.
"Sit here." Chloe patted the spot next to where she sat, inviting Kai who, in her eyes, really looked like a kid who had never been to a place like this. "You lack social interaction, huh."
"Uh-huh. I've never been to a place like this. Besides, I don't really like singing. Maybe if you want to sing, it's better to sing in the bathroom."
"Haha~ you're really a weird guy, huh~"
"You think so?"
Chloe nodded as she picked up a tablet to, like, tune and choose a song she would sing. Maybe that was a good thing.
"Well I am singing first okay."
The moment Chloe clicked the screen, a melody started playing from the speakers. Chloe began humming and singing a song. Hearing her voice and the rhythm coming out of her mouth, Kai listened quietly. No comment left his mouth.
How many times is this now?
Even if it's just messing around,
Or you're just pretending to be nice to me
As long it's you, I couldn't care
How Shady, nah... I couldn't care if you were
I'm poisoned by all those "I love you"s
I want to go to see you
Why? How many times is this now?
Even if you're actually a demon
Or you've just played me all along
Even if you, in there,
aren't actually the person I'm fated to be with
I am still find myself still hoping.
Even if that sweet voice of yours you whisper with
Even if our memories together, they're all lies
Surely in the end
Even if I'm just being fished here
The Dawn will come yet again.
...
After Chloe finished her song, she gave Kai a smile. A wide smile that almost reached her eyes, really radiating an aura like, come on, praise me.
"Hehehe, how was my voice~" Chloe said in a fake sweet tone.
"Good."
"Flawless?"
"...maybe there are things to fix. Like your breath intake when you're about to hit a high note?"
Chloe's face lit up even more. She patted Kai's back quite hard while giggling. She looked like someone who had just heard criticism from someone else for the first time.
"You were really listening while I sang!"
"Of course."
Chloe got even more cheerful. She looked down, but her smile was still very clear in this dimly lit room.
"You're the first person who actually listened to my singing, you know.." Chloe turned to look at Kai. She smiled before leaning against Kai's arm. "I'm happy today... finally, someone really listened. You know... my friends only ever say I have a good voice, this and that..."
"..."
Kai sighed. Yes, he felt a little sympathy for this girl. A few hours ago, he heard people she considered friends mocking her behind her back. She knew... but she pretended not to.
Ignorance is a bliss, sometimes the less you know the more is better. That was a phrase people often said. However, if you looked deeper, that saying surely felt painful.
Talking behind someone's back is essentially a very hurtful thing to experience.
"Do you still want to be friends with them?"
"Uhmm." Chloe looked up to see Kai's face. "Of course, even if they're trash, they're still my bitches. And they won't leave me because I'm a beautiful and popular girl~"
This girl... she's sure also loose in her head.
"He... so you're like becoming a host to those leeches?"
"Uh-huh. That's not bad, right~"
Kai shook his head. For him, there was no argument about her choice. Besides, an idol had to have thick skin, like Chloe had said earlier.
Bzz.
Kai took out his phone from his pocket because an incoming message made it vibrate. Looking at it, he quickly put the phone back in his pocket.
"Hmm? What's up?"
"Nothing, just got a message from my little sister."
"Do you want to go home now? You haven't even singing one song yet."
Kai shook his head. No way was he going home empty-handed and without results. This was the right time. Even though he and Chloe had just met, it seemed Chloe really trusted him.
"Have you heard about the student council president election that's probably going to happen in a few months?"
"Mm.. yeah, why?"
"I want to register as a candidate for student council president later," Kai said, staring into Chloe's eyes. "...and I want you to be my vice president."
"Ha?!"
Chloe's surprised face was met only with Kai's gaze. That response was certainly very natural, especially since Kai said that out of the blue. Plus, they had only just met today. That was truly unexpected.
But there was a reason why Kai wanted to ask Chloe. If he didn't have a vice president when he registered, the teacher would recommend Iris Campbell to be his vice president, and according to the original plot in the game, Kai didn't have a problem with Iris being his vice president, but he had more urgency things with Chloe.
Most of "Chloe's Events" always happened outside of school, so he wouldn't be able to know about them and monitor her behind the scenes if he wasn't connected to her. Making Chloe his vice president and being friends with her was a good step to take now.
And I hate seeing you fake your smile, even though I know an idol or public figure always has to be "happy"
There was a sentimental feeling for "Ryan" when he saw Chloe. This girl really reminded him of himself. Naive, always believing that hard work would pay off. Putting other people's feelings before her own. And in the future, if Chloe were to go into a Bad Ending, she would be stabbed by her fanatical fan because of a scandal. That was the same as how he died before he ended up in this place.
Always feeling betrayed from behind by others and ending up stabbed from the front by a knife by his crazy fan... Poor girl.
"So, do you want to be my vice president or not?"
"Ermm... I'm not that smart, though..."
"You don't need to be smart to be anything. Just like you said, you don't need to be good at singing to do karaoke, right?"
"That's a different comparison, you know... Then what do I get? Isn't it not mutual if I don't get something good for me? Besides, I have no interest in joining the student council. Plus, I'm always busy. I have part-time work on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday."
"...Tell me what you want. I'll try to make it happen."
Damn it, Kai grumbled in his mind as he blurted out that careless statement. Do anything? Was he crazy? That really seemed desperate and low-class when he said it like that. However, Kai thought about what the worst possibility this girl could think of.
"Then you help me work as a mascot at the mall."
"Huh..."
"My place is short on people. The pay is $14/hour. If I bring someone else, I get a commission... so I'll accept your offer if you're willing to work with me."
"Ok. Even though I don't really need extra money, I don't see anything wrong with working."
Kai and Chloe then shook hands. An agreement had been made. For Kai, this was truly the perfect step to really secure his relationship with Chloe, plus the path to becoming student council president would get even smoother.
Even though he knew there were no other candidates who would beat him (because he was the top-ranked student at school), well, Chloe's popularity would certainly act as a booster for his name.
And as for Iris... maybe later. She was still less relevant to Kai.
They then continued karaoke. Even though most of the time Kai only clapped and Chloe sang, Chloe seemed to really enjoy the passing time.
Until the end of the day, when the sun began to be replaced by the moon, Kai parted ways with Chloe at the bus stop. Kai's phone kept ringing throughout the trip home. Well, one thing was certain from today's activities: Risa was really going to interrogate him.
⌈I'll be home soon.⌋
Message sent, with Kai staring at the neon lights along the road outside the bus window. This view was very beautiful. It seemed like from now on, things would get better, he wish.