"So... how is it?"

Chloe asked Kai right as he stepped out of his boss’s office.

The mall was busy but honestly still cool because of all the ACs here compared to actual cool air, and honestly, the mascot costume Chloe was wearing wasn’t too hot.

"Hmm, yeah, I got accepted." Kai showed his work card, still slightly warm from being freshly printed. "Looks like my shift will be the same as yours. I can start work this Thursday."

"Hmm, good... oh yeah, I heard Miss Campbell is also going to join the student council later... umm, wouldn’t it be better to make her your vice president instead of you?"

"Honestly, I feel more comfortable talking to you than Lily."

Because you’re honestly more normal and not as crazy as the girls here. Kai thought that because it was a fact. Chloe was a girl who wasn’t weird... maybe just a little narcissistic, but after everything that had happened to Kai in the past few days, dealing with a little narcissism from a girl wasn’t so bad.

"hehehe you’re more comfortable with me, huh~" Chloe giggled before putting on the white bunny mascot head to hide the blush growing on her cheeks. She shook her head, making the mascot ears flop around. "Welcome aboard then~ see ya, I gotta get back to work."

Chloe then took some brochures and walked around handing them out to people. Kai watched her and smiled to himself. His mood was really good, but a little worry still lingered in his heart.

Ren had appeared, even getting close to his sister, just his presence alone like a "key" to unlocking the hearts of "capture targets." However, making up with Risa yesterday closed that door again.

His presence really is like a cheat code.

Kai sighed. He already had many connections with everyone now. If that’s how it is and according to his choices, he would become more "selfish," more greedy in doing anything.

Kai then walked through the mall. There’s no way he came here just for a part-time job interview and went home empty-handed.

Seeing the arcade section, Kai entered that area. The dazzling glittering lights, the sounds of machines and BGM from games that felt like they belonged in the past, the laughter from players playing really filled the room.

Kai wasn’t lying when he said he enjoyed life in this world. A busy world, yet still warm. Somehow when he thought about it, since the pandemic of 2019-2020, everything moved very fast, and so did his life.

So he really enjoyed this second life.

"Ahh... fell again..."

Kai stopped when he heard a soft, familiar voice. He looked toward the row meant for crane games. There he saw a girl wearing her school uniform, long light brown hair, like a sweet chocolate bar.

"Daisy?"

"Hyaa!!" Daisy was startled after hearing someone call her name. Her eyes dilated wide, seeing a boy walking toward her. "K-k-kai?!"

"Hmm? You’re alone, where’s Caleb? Did you two fight again?"

"Uhmm." Daisy shook her head like a cute little guinea pig.

"He has something to do?"

"Yeah... Caleb had family matters so he went home early..."

"Hee... I thought you weren’t the type to go out alone like that."

The words that came out of Kai’s mouth sounded a little ironic because he knew the "possibility" of Daisy herself going wild in the future if she got a "bad ending." But again, that was all just a possibility... but remembering he had already given a lecture to Caleb, as a fellow character who was supposed to be a "Villain," Kai would try to trust all of Caleb’s actions.

Come to think of it, I’ve never interacted with Daisy except at the cafe that time...

Why interact with Daisy? Kai weighed that question in his mind. Because according to him, his role was no longer needed for the "Daisy Route," since Caleb was already by this girl’s side.

But if it’s just being acquaintances and friends, that’s fine, right? Besides, it could be dangerous if he got involved in the future without having more than an "acquaintance" relationship.

"Umm... wanna play together? I mean, arcade."

"S-sure." Daisy turned and touched the glass of the crane machine she had been playing earlier. "I wanted to get that turtle animal plushie."

"Looks difficult... it’s right in the corner."

Kai looked at the pile of plushies all packed tightly together, locking each other in place. The turtle plushie Daisy wanted was in the far right corner, squeezed between a lion and a crocodile plushie.

"No way, huh..." Daisy said with a slightly disappointed tone. Her palms let go of the glass and fell back to her sides.

From any angle, this girl was really cute, Kai thought before inserting some coins to start the game.

The claw swung like a pendulum as Kai moved it toward the machine. Lowering the claw as usual in this scam game, the grip strength was really, really weak.

"Can’t get it, huh..."

Daisy watched the claw go back up empty-handed.

"Yeah... what can you do. The first try doesn’t guarantee success, right?"

Kai inserted more coins, again, again, again, and again. So much change he had put in, but on the thirteenth try, he finally got that turtle plushie plus an extra bunny plushie that fell along with it.

Kai gave the turtle plushie to Daisy, whose eyes were absolutely sparkling like a little kid.

Taking it, Daisy examined the plushie carefully. The curve of her lips forming a smile with a blush appearing on her cheeks made Kai a little happy.

"Thank goodness... only about 13 tries."

"Thank you."

Daisy threw a sweet-as-sugar smile at Kai. Her hand then reached for something in her pocket, like money. Kai saw that and then grabbed her hand.

"No need... this is just pocket change to me, I mean it’s not even $10" 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Ehh... but I’d feel bad if I don’t give something back..."

Ahh... this trait... I remember again, the reason I didn’t prioritize Daisy’s route back when I was ’playing’ that dating sim game.

Daisy is a pretty innocent girl. She’s like a blank canvas. Either the route writer for the game also didn’t like "Daisy" much, giving her a plot twist where she would become... "promiscuous" just to help her family’s economy, that really wasn’t necessary.

Daddy issues... and becoming a parasite for attention... the easiest route.

Kai put his finger under his chin, pretending to think when he already knew the answer. "Hmm..."

"Hmm?" Daisy raised an eyebrow, waiting for what Kai would say so she could give something back to make it even.

"I’m a little thirsty... maybe a drink would be nice."

"I’ll buy you one."

Kai then pointed to a shop selling cold drinks, and Daisy followed.

"That drink looks good, and it’s quite cheap... buy one get one deal sounds good."

"Okay."

They left the arcade area and walked across to the drink shop "I&Chocolate". Daisy ordered the buy one get one promo drink.

Getting their drinks, they sat at the chairs in front of the shop, enjoying their drinks. Until a bunny mascot stood next to Kai.

The mascot took something from its belly pouch, a pair of eyes and eyebrows. After swapping the eye and eyebrow stickers, the mascot’s smile changed into an expression that said "What are you two doing together while I’m out here being a clown?"

Kai responded by raising his drink and slurping loudly. The sound of the straw could be heard, which made the mascot smack Kai’s head pretty hard.

"Hey stop that, don’t hit my friend!"

Daisy was about to get up from her chair but saw Kai grab the mascot and tussle with it a little until the mascot head came off, revealing who was inside.

"C-chloe?!"

Kai sighed and flicked Chloe’s forehead pretty hard. "Don’t take me for an idiot, you said you were working."

"How can I focus on work when I see someone I know hanging out with a girl I also know without me! I don’t want to be the ’loser’ in this friendship!"

Chloe then got up and grabbed a chair to join them. Of course the chair was really small and not wide enough because her mascot costume was bulky, but she forced it.

Taking Kai’s drink, Chloe drank quite a lot until only half was left. Kai just watched this greedy girl, devouring anything that’s good.

"Haa... stupid girl..."