Noah wanted to tinker with the system more, desperately in fact. The thrill of seeing that $1000 appear out of nowhere was still buzzing in his blood like caffeine on steroids. But without any woman to practise his skills on, he simply hit a wall.
He had no idea what to do next. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the glowing blue interface. "What now?" he muttered.
And the truth was, he didn't really have anything else going on in his life.
Noah had already graduated from high school a few months ago. He didn't get into any proper college. His grades were fine, but not scholarship-worthy. There was no "college fund," no "safety net." He barely had a mattress that didn't squeak.
Still, he hadn't given up entirely. He'd scraped together enough dignity to email a local college professor, some low-level research guy from the biotech department, and ask if they needed an intern. By some miracle, they said yes. It wasn't glamorous. He mostly cleaned petri dishes and organized data, but it was something. Something he hoped would grease the wheels for next year's application and give him some living expenses.
Naturally, he had to pick up more part-time jobs if he actually wanted to put himself through college, even with a big loan on his back.
But now? He stared down at the glowing system interface again. What was the point?
Why would he go to college?
What was the point of chasing that kind of life anymore? Why suffer through debt, lectures, and two years of ramen noodles when he could just talk to a girl, give her a trinket, and make more money in ten minutes than he did in a month of scrubbing espresso machines?
And yet… There was still one thing college had going for it. People. Specifically, women. Hundreds of them. Smart, driven, stressed-out college girls who were probably in need of emotional comfort and a shoulder to cry on.
It was tempting. Strategic. Even logical.
But then another thought slipped into his mind. What about the mall?
A constant rotation of new faces. No student ID, no awkward class dynamics. Just crowds of women and shops full of stuff to buy for them.
It was not like he was being specific right now, looking for any specific type of woman. Any hole was a goal. Understanding the system came first and foremost.
Noah got up, threw on his hoodie, locked his door, and headed for the nearest bus stop.
Within minutes, the bus hissed to a halt in front of him. He climbed on, tapped his prepaid card against the reader, and made his way to the back, slipping into a window seat. The city rolled past in a blur of pastel walls, neon signs, and commuters glued to their phones. Noah barely registered any of it. His eyes were open, but his thoughts were on the system.
Would it work on strangers? Did the emotional bond need to be real? What counted as a meaningful interaction? Would any woman work? He had so many questions that he did not know the answers to yet.
But today, he was going to find out.
The mall wasn't far, just ten stops. A few of them passed in silence, and then, the familiar glass-and-steel structure came into view. Three floors of polished tile, stores of every kind, and more foot traffic than a city square. Teens hanging out near bubble tea kiosks. Moms dragging toddlers. Couples on awkward dates. Solo shoppers with earbuds in and no desire to talk.
Noah stepped off the bus and took a deep breath as he approached the entrance. He started walking around with a constipated look on his face. After all, going over and talking to a stranger was easier said than done. He did spot a couple of beautiful women, but before he could walk over to them, they had already disappeared.
"Fuck. Maybe I should have just gone to college as usual and picked someone up there." He let out a sigh and continued walking around. He still hadn't had breakfast yet, so he decided to at least accomplish that.
He hit up the food court and stood in line for McDonald's. Yup, it was disgusting to eat this shit early in the morning, but he did not care. His turn came, and he ordered a sausage and egg muffin combo with a coffee, then moved to the side to wait. As he stood there, a couple of women walked past him, chatting with each other.
"Don't worry. She won't fire you. I am sure you can make some sort of sale today. Even if you don't, it should still be fine. Why is it on us to sell their expensive shit? Shouldn't it be their responsibility? We can only attend to the customers who walk into the shop to the best of their ability." One woman consoled the other, grumbling about many things.
Noah turned to look, and unexpectedly, the two women were quite good-looking.
They were attractive. Polished. And clearly part of one of those upscale fashion stores that sold $300 blouses and called them "essentials." Their outfits were professional but tight enough to catch attention, slim skirts, heels that clicked authoritatively on the tile, and perfectly fitted blazers.
Noah's eyes followed them. They were heading toward the escalator, one of them still muttering under her breath. "Move, dumbass," Noah muttered to himself and shoved his breakfast into his mouth in a hurry. He clutched his coffee like a lifeline and jogged a few steps to catch up.
Thankfully, he did not lose them and reached them just in time to see the two women walking into the luxury boutique store called Verde, the kind that never displayed price tags and had sales assistants who eyed you like you didn't belong the moment you stepped in.
Noah hesitated outside the entrance, heart pounding like he was about to walk into a boss fight under-leveled. He then entered the shop.