"Ha ha ha…" Gray let out a small, awkward chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Ah, Chloe... she's one of the girls we met a few days ago, remember?" he said, trying to sound casual as he took the phone gently from Lily's hand.
Lily's eyes widened in recognition. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled in curiosity.
"Ohhh! The pretty sisters!" she exclaimed out loud, clapping her hands together as if she was excited to hear about them.
Gray laughed under his breath, amused at her reaction. He didn't think that Lily would react that way. He didn't even know if she still remembered them, but it seemed like she did.
"Yeah, those two," he said with a soft smile. "Their names are Emily and Chloe."
"Ohhhh," Lily swung her legs even more. She tilted her head to the side and smiled. "They were really pretty, brother," she said seriously, her ponytails bouncing with her every movement. "And they looked kind, too!"
She puffed her cheeks for a moment, deep in thought, before tilting her head again and looking at him with innocent curiosity.
"Brother..." Lily leaned a little closer to him, her voice dropping like she was about to share a secret.
"Do you like her?"
Gray almost choked on air.
He coughed once, covering it awkwardly with his hand.
"W-What are you even saying, Lily?!" He stared at Lily, who just blinked at him with wide, expectant eyes.
"I mean... she's pretty!" Lily said brightly, completely missing her brother's awkwardness. "And you're handsome too!"
Gray sighed deeply, slumping back against the sofa as he ruffled Lily's hair.
"You're too young to be asking stuff like that, Lil' one," he muttered, embarrassed but smiling.
"But you didn't say no, brother~" Lily teased with a giggle, swinging her legs again.
Gray shook his head, laughing helplessly.
"Just focus on picking what you want to eat, you little rascal," he said, tapping her forehead lightly. "And don't bother me anymore with that."
"Okayyy!" Lily chirped in before happily diving back into the food delivery app like nothing happened.
Meanwhile, Gray leaned his head back against the couch, a small smile lingering on his lips.
'Like her, huh...?' He chuckled quietly to himself.
'It was way too early to think about that.' Gray thought as he shook his head, removing the thought in his head.
---
The next morning came faster than Gray expected.
The faint light of sunlight slipped through the curtains of his room, making Gray open his eyes even if he wanted to sleep more.
For a moment, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling, his body still groggy because of his sleep. However, he knew he couldn't waste time today.
With a small groan, Gray forced himself out of bed, stretching his arms up high before heading straight to the kitchen to cook.
He prepared a simple breakfast. He cooked with scrambled eggs, toasted bread, and some bacon on the side. The smell of food must've traveled through the apartment because a few minutes later, Lily showed up.
Lily was still rubbing her sleepy eyes as she left her small room.
"Good morning, brother…" she mumbled in a low voice while dragging her feet across the floor.
"Morning, sleepyhead." Gray chuckled as he placed a plate on the table for her. "Eat up. We've got a busy day."
Lily nodded sleepily, sitting down and beginning to munch on her breakfast quietly.
Gray quickly ate his portion while glancing at the clock every now and then. After cleaning up the dishes, he helped Lily fix her hair and made sure she was ready for school in no time.
Soon enough, the two of them were stepping out of their apartment.
Gray walked Lily to school, just like he promised. They chatted casually on the way, mostly about what Lily wanted to do at lunch with her new friend Mia. Lily looked visibly happy, smiling ear to ear as she mentioned her friend's name.
Gray was also happy for her. He only wishes the best for his sister, so it was nice to see the wide smile on Lily's face.
When they reached the school gates, Gray crouched down to Lily's level and fixed the straps on her backpack.
"Have fun, okay?" Gray said, patting her head gently. "I won't be able to pick you up later since I got a work. So take the bus, okay?"
"Yes, brother! Good luck with your work." Lily beamed brightly before running off to join her classmates in going inside the school's gate.
Gray stayed for a few more seconds, watching her as she disappeared into the crowd with a smile on his face.
However, it quickly dropped as soon as he turned around.
'Now, time for work,' he thought, pulling out his phone.
Gray quickly called for a cab, and luckily, there was one already nearby.
The ride to the subdivision was long, taking almost an hour. Gray spent it, reviewing notes on his phone and checking if he brought all the things he needed with him. He had already reviewed the lessons he was going to tackle today.
The first session had gone surprisingly well, so he was hoping for better, this time.
After all, he needed Chloe's grades to rise as he needed that reward.
As the cab rolled smoothly through the quiet streets leading to the subdivision, Gray leaned back against the seat and let out a sigh.
Out of habit, he opened his system interface.
The translucent screen appeared immediately in front of his eyes, showing several neatly arranged tabs. He quickly chose the Status window.
[Status Window]
- - -
Name: Gray Adams
Age: 20
Status: Struggling (2%)
Wealth: $12,714
Power: 0
Influence: 3
Skills:
Basic Negotiation (Passive): Slightly improves chances of earning more through bargains.
Hard Labor (Active): Increases strength and endurance in physical work.
Giga Confidence (Passive): You are no longer easily shaken by insults, mockery, or pressure. Instead, you find them funny, as if it were just a big joke.
- - -
'Hmm… not bad, but I should do something to earn more money.' Gray sighed as his eyes lingered on his money.
[Ding!]
[Have you tried investing, Host?]