As Alex walked toward his dorm, the sound of footsteps echoed behind him.
He glanced back—and blinked in surprise.
Ella.
Walking in the same direction, her calm expression matched the quiet of the evening.
"You left the party too?" Alex asked, his tone genuinely curious.
Ella gave a small nod, her brown hair swaying slightly with the motion. "Yeah. It was getting stuffy in there. I just went to relax, not... all that."
Her voice was calm, but there was something thoughtful behind it. After a few steps in silence, she spoke again—this time more quietly.
"About earlier… I'm sorry."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"I felt like I was part of the reason they treated you like that," she said, glancing sideways. "They clearly wanted to use you to show off in front of me. I didn't stop them. I should have."
Alex looked at her, surprised not by the words but by her sincerity. She didn't owe him anything—yet she still chose to say it.
"I figured that much," he said, half-grinning. Then, with a playful wince, he added, "But tell me the truth... Do you actually like that kind of guy?"
Ella let out a sharp exhale and rolled her eyes.
"Hmph. Not at all. They just made all that up and turned it into a mess."
Alex chuckled. "Yeah, I guessed so." Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he offered lightly. Then how about this—don't apologize. Just treat me to something good tomorrow and we'll call it even."
Ella blinked, caught off guard.
Most boys either tried to impress her or asked if they could treat her. This was… different. Casual, confident, no pressure—just real.
Then she laughed, a light and honest sound.
"Alright," she said with a grin. "Deal."
The two kept walking side by side, the awkwardness gone, replaced by something else.
"Just contact me with this tomorrow morning…"
Ella stopped at the entrance of her dormitory, her fingers flicking across her phone before she turned it toward Alex, revealing her Link ID.
Alex saved it, giving a simple nod.
She gave him one last glance—calm, composed—and turned. As she walked away, her figure swayed with a natural grace, casting soft shadows under the dim dorm lights.
Alex found himself watching quietly, eyes lingering just a moment longer than he meant to.
"She really does look good…" he muttered under his breath, lips curling into a faint smile.
A second later, she turned the corner into the building and disappeared from sight.
The silence that followed was a little too sharp.
With a light sigh, Alex turned and headed back toward his own dormitory. The hallway lights buzzed overhead as he entered, the old door clicking shut behind him.
It was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
Most of the guys in this building weren't around at night—either hanging out in luxury hotels or crashing at the high-end apartments owned by one of their richer "bros." The place always felt like a ghost dormitory after 10 PM.
But Alex didn't mind.
As he was already used to it.
+
Early the next morning.
Alex stood in front of the mirror one last time.
He didn't overdo it—just a clean, casual outfit, light cologne, and his usual calm expression. Though technically this wasn't a date, part of him still treated it like one. Ella had offered to treat him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't make a good impression.
With that thought, he left the dorm.
As he walked down the quiet path outside, morning light filtered through the trees, and the soft breeze carried a bit of early summer warmth.
At the entrance of the girls' dormitory, he spotted her.
Ella stood there in a simple jogging suit, her brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail. She looked fresh—relaxed—but clearly hadn't just rolled out of bed.
"Good morning," Alex greeted, giving a small nod.
Ella glanced up and offered a small smile.
"Hmm. Good morning."
For a moment, neither of them said anything. The silence was light but a bit awkward—like neither of them had figured out what tone to strike yet.
But Ella, being who she was, didn't let it linger for long.
"So... you're surprisingly early. Most of my friends always make me wait at least ten minutes."
"I was awake early anyway, plus they must be girls. Any guy would not be late for this." Alex replied, smirking faintly. "Also, I didn't want to give you a reason to call off the treat."
She chuckled at that, and just like that, the tension melted a little.
As they began walking, their conversation flowed more naturally—small talk about class, dorm life, and campus gossip. Ella wasn't overly chatty, but she knew how to keep a conversation moving, and Alex was good at responding without overreaching.
Eventually, he led her down a quieter street just off campus.
"So, where are we going?" Ella asked, raising a brow.
"You'll see. It's a small lunch place I found a few months back. Not flashy, but the food's great."
"Huh. Confident pick."
"One of my favorites. Figured since you're treating me, I should at least make it worth your while." That earned a real laugh from her, and as they kept walking, a small notification pulsed quietly in Alex's pocket.
[System Rebate Applicable in This Scenario.]
That familiar chime echoed in Alex's mind again—gentle, mechanical, unmistakable.
His lips curled into a faint smile as they approached the small food stall tucked into a side alley. Nothing fancy. Just a red awning, a few metal tables, and the aroma of real spices hanging in the air.
They ordered two plates of fried rice, freshly stir-fried with egg, veggies, and slivers of meat.
"Mmm. This is good," Ella said after a few bites, lifting her brows in genuine surprise. "Like, actually good."
"Told you," Alex said, grinning as he took a bite of his own. "Hidden gem. One of my favorites."
As they ate, Alex heard another soft ding in his mind.
Perfect.
He stood up a moment later, brushing off his pants. "I'll be right back. There's something nearby I need to grab."
Ella blinked. "Hmm? Alright." She didn't pry.
She watched as he walked away—hands in his pockets, posture relaxed, confident without trying too hard.
Her eyes lingered longer than she expected.
Then, with a quiet breath, she muttered to herself,
"Hmph... those idiots. Always filling my head with garbage."
She shook her head slightly, irritated at how easily her so-called friends had shaped her expectations about Alex—just because of his background. But here she was, enjoying the food, the company, and, surprisingly, the calm.
Meanwhile, Alex made his way a few blocks down, reaching a small boutique café. His package was ready—a pre-ordered artisan dessert box he'd spotted a few days back. Honestly, he hadn't known it was this expensive when he ordered it… but after seeing the rebate system at work, he figured, why not double down?
He scanned the payment app, thanked the guy behind the counter, and peeked inside the box briefly—six neatly arranged mini cakes in different flavors, crafted like edible jewels.
Alex smirked to himself.
"Smart spending," he muttered, turning back toward the stall.
As he returned, he saw Ella finishing the last few bites of her rice. She looked up as he approached.
"Sorry for making you wait," he said smoothly, holding up the box. "But I thought lunch deserved a proper finish."
"Hmm? What's that?"
Ella tilted her head slightly as she noticed the elegant box in Alex's hands. Her eyes narrowed with a quiet smile.
"It's my treat today, remember?"
Alex raised both hands in mock surrender, placing the box carefully on the table.
"I hope you'll accept it anyway. Or else… well, a silent grave will be dug for me tonight."
"What?" she blinked, caught off-guard by the phrasing.
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice in mock seriousness.
"You know those guys. If word gets out that I made our class belle pay for my meal, I'll get at least ten 'I'll kill you, bastard' stares tomorrow."
Ella couldn't help it. She laughed—quiet but genuine, her shoulders relaxing.
"I don't think they'll go that far…"
"Better to be safe," Alex replied, tapping the lid of the box.
"Besides, this isn't about repaying a meal. Consider it… insurance."
Ella studied him for a moment, amused. His tone was casual, but something about his eyes—sharp, self-aware, but kind—gave it more weight.
She gave in with a light nod.
"Right. I'll accept it then."
As they shared the final bites of the mini cakes, Ella let out a quiet, satisfied breath. The sun had risen a bit higher now, casting dappled shadows across the path they were walking back on.
Alex handed her another box—this one neatly wrapped.
"For you and your dormmates," he said casually.
Ella blinked, surprised, but took it without resistance.
"You're different than I thought you'd be," she said after a moment, her voice thoughtful. Her lips curved slightly, not quite a smile, but something close. "In a good way."
Alex shrugged, keeping his tone even.
"No one ever really gave me a chance to be friends with them. This is… my usual self."
That was a lie, of course—a smooth, practiced one. There was no way he could explain reincarnation, the system, or the sudden confidence he'd found overnight.
But it was enough.
As they neared the fork between the dormitory buildings, Ella slowed her steps.
"Then… I'll be leaving here."
She paused, glancing over her shoulder.
"Thanks for the treat. And let's stay in contact—as friends."
She turned and walked off without waiting for a reply.
Alex stood still for a moment, watching her retreating figure. A few strands of her ponytail danced in the breeze before she disappeared behind the dorm gates.
His eyes drifted to the box in her hand.
'Thank goodness she hasn't eaten the cake from that shop yet…'
He exhaled. 'If she knew the price, she definitely wouldn't have accepted it.'
Then—
[System Alert: Rebate x3 Activated]
+2700 USD credited to account.
Alex's phone buzzed lightly in his pocket.
He blinked, then rubbed his temple with a tired grin.
'Two boxes. 900 bucks each. Damn… chasing a girl is expensive.'
But the thought didn't bother him.
This time, it had paid off.