She grinned, her fingers tightening around her sword.
"Oh, I like that. Then—here I come."
She bent her legs, her thighs glowing red for a moment. Then she lunged forward, her sword cutting through the air, aimed at my chest.
Too bad for her.
She might have been fast for others, but to me, she was moving like a turtle.
I didn't move. I just waited.
The moment her sword was about to cut into my chest, I raised my hand and caught the blade between my fingers.
Her eyes widened in shock.
I grinned.
"I told you. You're not strong enough yet."
I released her sword.
Realization dawned on her face, she had completely underestimated the gap between us.
But to her credit, she didn't back down.
She jumped back and reset her stance, gripping her sword tighter.
I cracked my knuckles. The sound echoed through the hallway.
Then I whispered.
"Here I come, Sarah."
I stepped forward.
In the next second, I was already inside her guard.
Her eyes barely had time to widen before my fist shot out, slamming into her stomach.
Her body bent inward from the force, then launched backward. Her sword slipped from her grasp, clattering to the floor.
She gagged and coughed, gasping for air.
I stepped forward and stood right beside her, looking down as she struggled to breathe.
"You should train for ten more years, girl, before challenging me."
I grinned, shoved my hands into my pockets, and stepped past Sarah without another glance.
'That felt good.'
The thought made me chuckle as I walked toward North's room.
I stopped in front of her door and knocked.
Then I knocked again.
No response.
I frowned, pulling out my phone to check if she had read my message—nothing.
At the same time, I could feel a sharp gaze burning into the back of my head.
I turned slightly and found Sarah still sitting on the floor, staring daggers at me.
She looked pissed.
I smiled awkwardly.
"She's not replying to my messages."
Sarah didn't say a word.
I rubbed the back of my head and asked.
"Uh… do you need help?"
Still, no response.
Her expression didn't change, and she wasn't even blinking.
'Did I break her?'
I waved a hand in front of her face.
"Hey, Sarah? Can you hear me?"
Finally, she moved.
She pushed herself up, dusted off her uniform, then walked over to grab her sword.
With slow, deliberate steps, she turned back to me, her black eyes cold.
"This isn't over, Billion," she said. "One day, I'll make you eat my sword."
'That sounds so wrong.'
I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, the door behind me clicked open.
North stepped out.
She blinked at both of us.
"What's not over?"
Her gaze shifted between me and Sarah, confusion clear on her face.
I turned to North with a smile.
"Nothing important.."
Sarah scoffed.
"You punched me."
North tilted her head, glancing between us.
"Did you two fight?"
I shrugged.
"Just a little spar. It wasn't much."
Sarah let out a dry laugh.
"Not much? He punched me so hard I saw my ancestors."
I held back a chuckle.
"You challenged me."
North frowned.
"Billion, you didn't go overboard, did you?"
Before I could answer, Sarah suddenly sighed and shook her head dramatically.
"It's fine, North. He clearly enjoys overpowering people. It's probably a thing he does with all the girls."
My eyebrows twitched.
"What?"
North's expression shifted slightly, her lips pressing together.
"All the girls?"
I turned to Sarah, narrowing my eyes.
"What are you trying to say?"
She smiled, her tone light but her gaze sharp.
"Oh, nothing. Just a little warning from one girl to another. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they fight, you know."
North blinked, glancing at me before focusing back on Sarah.
Sarah continued, crossing her arms.
"You shouldn't trust his words so easily, North. Think about it, doesn't it seem a little suspicious? He disappears for days, never trains with us, and now, all of a sudden, he wants to spend time with you?"
I held back a grin. North already knew exactly where I was.
Deciding to cut off before she could say anything else, I spoke up.
"So, Sarah, I'm guessing you were headed somewhere, right?"
She narrowed her eyes, glancing at North for a few seconds before shifting her gaze back to me.
Then, without a word, she turned around and walked away.
I exhaled and turned back to North.
"Hi there. Long time no see."
She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Hello to you too."
We stood there for a few seconds, just looking at each other, before I finally spoke.
"I'm sorry for troubling you to get food for me."
She chuckled.
"What are you sorry for? It was my choice. And honestly, seeing you describe the food the way you did was a delight for me."
I coughed at her comment, feeling a little embarrassed.
"I just wanted to make sure you knew how much I appreciated your effort."
Her smile softened.
"So, did you come to meet me?"
I nodded.
"Yeah. I texted, but since you didn't reply, I decided to drop by and ended up running into Sarah instead."
She tilted her head.
"Oh, you texted me? Sorry, I was watching some training videos and didn't notice."
I shook my head.
"Never mind."
She looked at me for a moment, then asked.
"So?"
I blinked.
"So?"
She huffed.
"Idiot. You came to meet me, right? Why?"
That was a good question. I hadn't really planned anything. I just sent the message and walked over. Maybe it was because I was about to leave for another few days of isolated training, and I wanted to see her before that.
So, I answered honestly.
"I'll be busy for a few days. Commander has me on personal training, and he gave me a couple of free hours, so I thought I'd spend them with you."
She watched me for a few seconds before asking.
"What about Steve?"
I shrugged.
"No idea where he is. Probably busy with his own training. He's not answering my calls either."
She bit her lip, looking down for a moment. Then, without another word, she stepped aside and said.
"Come in."
A smile tugged at my lips, and I stepped into her place.
She closed the door behind us, the soft click echoing in the quiet room.
I stood there with my hands in my pockets, glancing around her place, but my mind was waging its own battle.
The good Billion spoke first, his voice refined and composed. "Things are progressing rather smoothly. Exercise patience, establish trust, and when the moment is most opportune, confess your feelings with dignity."
The wild Billion scoffed, his tone rough and unfiltered. "Bro, stop bein' a coward. Just tell her, man. Ain't that deep. You gonna let this chance slip?"
I shoved their voices aside as North walked toward the kitchen. Without thinking, I followed.
She turned her head slightly and asked, "I'm making some coffee for myself. Would you like some?"
The good Billion chimed in smoothly. "Accept her offer. A gentleman never declines such gestures."
The wild Billion snickered. "Nah, tell her you'll drink from her mug, bro. Make it personal."
My steps faltered for a second at that wild thought. Keeping my expression neutral, I answered, "Yeah, sure. Some coffee sounds nice."
She nodded and busied herself in the kitchen, moving with that effortless grace she always had.
The good Billion sighed in admiration. "Observe her elegance. The way she moves, her poise, absolutely mesmerizing. And her eyes… warm, rich brown, full of depth. One could get lost in them."
The wild Billion chuckled. "Bruh, shut up. Who cares 'bout eyes? Look at them lips. Soft, pink. That's where your focus should be."
I barely resisted the urge to bang my head against the wall.
What was wrong with me? Was coming here really a good idea? I felt like I was about to screw this up.
North's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
"What are you thinking so hard about?"
I blinked and quickly shook my head, forcing a smile.
"Nothing. Just some random thoughts."