"What about you?" Lillian asked.
Jameson's right eyebrow raised, "Same, I actually still love her, but I'm not sure she knows it," He softly replied.
Lillian let out a sigh, slouching as she pulled her legs from her ballet flats, spreading her toes on the grass.
"So, since it's established that we're both from Earth, what's the ultimate ramen combo you think the person you love would go for?" Jameson finally asked the trick question.
Knowing that only Shannon knew this answer.
And this was due to an accident that happened when they bumped into each other in a famous make-your-ramen shop.
Not that eating ramen is a crime, but he didn't like people within their writing circle knowing he liked Japanese culture, especially ramen.
"Hmmm, a very tricky question," Lillian responded, pausing to think.
Looking away from the grass, she looked back at him, tilting her head slightly back, since he was taller than her, even while seated.
"And what if this person doesn't have a favourite ramen combo or even like ramen?" She snickered.
Wanting to hold the ploy for long; after all, she hadn't even asked any questions of her own.
How sure was she that the prince would make a good ally?
"It depends, if the person truly likes ramen or if the person doesn't," Jameson replied, beating around the bush.
"Oh well, that'll be spicy ramen with braised pork with spring onions, with enough base soup and tofu," She answered, remembering the combo straight from her heart.
She remembered how she teased him for weeks on this combo being abnormal.
Like, who eats tofu with ramen and not seaweed? And it's not a major side dish.
He liked it soaked in the base soup till it became really squishy and soggy.
Lillian shuddered at the recollection of the soggy tofu.
At that moment, everything clicked for Jameson.
He stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth in front of the fountain.
Pondering whether he should reveal his identity or not.
He knew that if he accepted her as an ally, she'd know who he was. He needed to come clean.
Lillian watched the conflict on his face, like he was holding back, as if he had something to say but at the same time wasn't sure if he wanted to say it.
Jameson stopped and stood before her, "What's the man's name, this love interest of yours?" he asked slowly, taking his words carefully.
Lillian's eyes narrowed, not sure of what he wanted to do with Ethan's name.
And if ever there was a possibility of him being Ethan, it was zero to none.
'I was the only one that died that night, or maybe not?' Lillian thought to herself.
She narrowed her eyes somewhere till they looked like silts.
"No, it can't be possible, I know I created Jameson's facial features based on Ethan, but it can't be him." She murmured to herself.
"Huh?" Jameson asked, not hearing what she had said.
His heart began beating; he prepared himself mentally for what was to come…He looked sort of worried, biting his finger.
"There's no way he can be Ethan, only Ethan bites his pinky finger when he's worried or anxious," She murmured to herself, her eyes widening some more.
The realisation hit her; it's not like she was a stalker.
But she always made it her life mission to observe Ethan whenever they were in the same vicinity.
The corset felt tight around her chest as she tried to breathe, "Ethan," She said flatly.
Jameson smiled weakly at her, taking his hands through his hair, ruffling his hairdo, which gave him a roguish look.
"It can't be," panic flashed through Lillian's eyes.
"No, no, no," she uttered.
It couldn't be; her crush, whom she barely ever had any tangible conversation with, shouldn't be here, with her in her own novel, a system book that's based on vows.
Her brain couldn't process it; it felt like she was short-circuiting.
Suddenly, a notification popped up.
[Ding! You have 2 minutes left, ally or enemy.]
"Can this just get any worse?" Lillian whined.
Shoving the series of questions she had on the tip of her tongue, they both had to make their choice before the time ran out.
Jameson, not waiting for Lillian, picked Ally immediately; the countdown on his screen stopped.
He let out a light chuckle, only to look at Lillian.
She hadn't said anything yet, nothing still.
'The system should give her some time since I made the first move, if that's how it works,' Jameson forethought.
On Lillian's screen, the notification popped up.
[Ding! Accept ally or not?]
Lillian faltered, not sure again if she could do this, 'why did it have to be him, how did he even die?' she thought.
Tears began to gather at the rim of her eye.
[Ding! Time has been sped up, you have 10 seconds to go, accept ally or not]
Jameson's eyes widened. That wasn't meant to happen. The system sped up the time.
Lillian's chest heaved up and down, still not making a choice.
Instantly, glitches could be heard. Jameson and Lillian looked up at the sky on cue. A tiny rift in the sky was seen as it began to transform and warp.
The corset Lillian wore tightened some more; her system began to glitch, and she began to shake as she dropped to the floor.