Brianna Monroe showed up that day in a cool blue dress that caught the light just right.
It hugged her figure without being overly bold, but there was no hiding her long, graceful legs or the soft curves that drew attention the moment she stepped onto the field.
Almost instantly, the nearby students began to stir.
"I heard she's a senior from the English Literature Department."
"No wonder… I've always heard that department has the best-looking girls."
"Man, I really picked the right university."
"Look at her figure… that's insane."
"Who's lucky enough to be dating someone like that?"
"Compared to her, my girlfriend suddenly looks… unfinished."
"Wait, she's holding water, who's that for?"
"Let's see which guy managed to pull this off on the first day!"
One by one, heads turned in her direction.
Under all those curious, and frankly jealous stares, Brianna walked straight toward Kobe Gray. She stopped in front of him, hesitated for just a second, then smiled softly and held out the bottle.
"Kobe Gray, it's really hot out here. I brought you some water."
Only then did Kobe look up.
He didn't seem surprised. After yesterday, he'd already picked up on the signals.
If Brianna was serious about getting closer, this kind of gesture was only natural.
"Thanks, senior."
He accepted it without fuss, twisted the cap open, and took a long drink, the cool water cutting through the lingering heat.
Before he could say anything else, Brianna pulled a tissue from her pocket and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The simple gesture caught him off guard.
No one had ever fussed over him like that before, not like this, not so naturally. It left him oddly stiff, unsure how to react.
Around them, however, the reaction was anything but subtle.
"Damn… a senior like that already has a boyfriend?"
"So what if she does? They're not married yet."
"You planning to betray your brothers, huh?"
"What era are we in? People break up all the time."
"I don't see what's so special about that guy."
"Maybe she just likes freshmen."
"Senior, look over here! I'm fresh too!"
"Fresh? You're drenched in sweat, you look pickled!"
A wave of grumbling and teasing spread through the crowd.
Not far away, Isabella Sinclair stood frozen, watching the scene unfold with a deepening frown.
She knew Brianna too well. They were cut from the same cloth… girls who valued practicality, who didn't waste time on things that didn't benefit them.
Brianna had bragged more than once about the two or three devoted suitors chasing after her. All of them were good-looking, from what Isabella had seen. And yet, Brianna had never agreed to date any of them, always citing her family's situation.
So why…
Why was she now standing here, fussing over Kobe Gray like this?
Kobe might look better than before, sure… but that alone shouldn't be enough to sway someone like Brianna.
After all, Isabella herself had made Kobe's background very clear to everyone: orphaned, no support, scraping together his tuition and living expenses on his own.
Back then, Brianna and the others had been the first to urge her to break up with him.
"That kind of poor guy isn't worth it."
Those words still echoed in her mind.
And yet now…
Yesterday, she'd seen Kobe dining with a stunning woman at the Oxford Hotel. Today, her own roommate had come out of her way to bring him water, acting almost… attentive.
Even a little eager.
The contrast made Isabella's chest tighten.
'What is going on?'
Unable to hold back any longer, she strode over.
"Brianna… what are you doing here?"
She almost asked outright how Brianna had gotten involved with Kobe, but caught herself at the last second. Too many people were watching.
Brianna's cheeks flushed faintly when she saw her, like someone caught off guard. But the hesitation passed quickly.
Isabella had already broken up with Kobe. There was nothing to feel guilty about.
"It's the first day of training," Brianna said calmly. "I just came to check on him. I was worried he might get heatstroke, so I brought some water."
Her tone was casual… too casual. It sounded almost like she was visiting a boyfriend.
Kobe, meanwhile, leaned back against the tree, eyes half-closed, a faint, satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
That only made Isabella's brows knit tighter.
"…How do you even know him?"
Just yesterday morning, Brianna had been urging her to dump Kobe as soon as possible, especially with Elon Muskov in the picture.
That was why Isabella had broken things off so decisively at the school gate, to prove her loyalty.
So how had things changed overnight?
It didn't make sense.
"Ella, we ran into each other yesterday," Brianna explained. "He happened to come into the beauty shop where I work part-time."
"Him? A beauty shop?"
In Isabella's mind, Kobe had always been straightforward to a fault, hardly the type to wander into places like that.
Kobe let out a quiet snort.
"Is it so strange to buy lipstick for my new girlfriend?"
The words landed lightly, but they carried weight.
[The system has detected that the host is speaking with a member of the opposite sex.]
[Heartbeat value: 3. Binding conditions not met.]
[Binding failed.]
The notification flashed and disappeared just as quickly.
Kobe paused for a fraction of a second, then exhaled silently.
'Good thing', he thought. 'The last thing I need is being tied to her again.'
If the system had bound him to Isabella now… would he really have to spend money on her again for cashback?
The idea alone made him uncomfortable.
Across from him, Isabella's expression shifted almost imperceptibly at the phrase "new girlfriend."
Her mind flashed back to the girl she'd seen with Kobe the day before.
In terms of looks… temperament… she had to admit, that girl outshone her.
But still…
'Why would someone like that choose Kobe?'
Before she could press further, Brianna stepped in, her tone sharper this time.
"Ella, you've already broken up. Kobe doesn't need to report his life to you anymore."
It was a clean, decisive line drawn in the sand.
Among female college roommates, friendships often ran thinner than they appeared, more competition than closeness.
Every time Isabella showed off the gifts Elon Muskov gave her, it had left a sour taste in the others' mouths.
Now, the balance had shifted.
Isabella stared at her, stunned.
"Brianna… what do you mean?"
"Weren't you the one calling him a poor loser? Telling me to dump him?"
Her voice rose, sharp with disbelief.
"And now you're chasing after him the moment I let him go?"
"Don't you have any shame?"
The moment those words fell, the air around them seemed to tighten.
Nearby students, who had already been watching, leaned in even closer, eyes bright, ears pricked, waiting for what would happen next.