When he heard the girl's voice from outside, Hunter paused for a moment.
"Mia? Dom's sister?"
"Why is she here?"
His vigilance was sky-high. In his past life, he'd seen too many videos of gunfights in "The Land of the Free." Until his System powers kicked in, Hunter was fully embracing the coward's way: safe is better than sorry.
So, even though the voice sounded exactly like the Mia from Hunter's memories, Hunter didn't swing the door open. Instead, he cracked it open just a sliver, keeping the security chain engaged.
Sure, for a guy like Vince, that chain was basically a decoration that would snap with one kick. But for Hunter, it was a psychological comfort.
Through the gap, Hunter immediately saw her.
Standing in the hallway was a young, stunning mixed-race beauty with an effortlessly sexy vibe. She looked to be in her twenties, a blend of Caucasian and Latina heritage that gave her a striking, sun-kissed look.
It really was Mia Toretto.
"Mia? What brings you here?"
Confirming her identity, Hunter finally undid the chain and opened the door fully, inviting her in.
Mia carried herself with a maturity that belied her age. In reality, she was only seventeen or eighteen—slightly younger than Hunter. But Westerners often developed earlier, giving her the appearance of a fully grown woman.
Hunter had to admit, Vince had taste. Even at this young age, Mia was already a knockout.
However, scanning Hunter's memories, Hunter found it strange.
Hunter barely knew her. He'd only started working at Dom's garage recently. The only reason they had interacted was because old man Parker assigned Hunter to service Mia's car.
Their "relationship" amounted to a few casual conversations about engine oil and spark plugs.
Getting targeted by Vince for that was baffling enough. Now, having Mia personally show up at his apartment felt even weirder.
Mia stepped inside, her eyes sweeping over the small but tidy studio apartment.
Having been raised by a rough-around-the-edges brother like Dom, Mia was used to chaos. Seeing a bachelor pad this clean made her eyes light up. Beneath her gorgeous exterior, Mia had a bit of a tomboy streak, but she appreciated order.
"Hey, Hunter. Nice place you got here," she said.
Mia wasn't the shy type. Like Dom, she had dropped out of high school early. With her brother's financial backing, she now ran the Toretto Market and Cafe. Being in the service industry made her outgoing and strong-willed.
Hunter smiled and nodded, gesturing toward the kitchenette.
"Take a seat," he offered. "I only have beer and canned coffee. Want something to drink?"
"Beer sounds good," Mia replied.
Hunter gave her a slightly surprised look—it was barely noon—but he pulled a generic supermarket beer from the fridge and handed it to her.
"Thanks."
Mia cracked the tab and took a long swig. She didn't sit on the sofa immediately. Instead, her nose twitched.
Her mesmerizing amber eyes locked onto the pot simmering on the stove.
"Are you cooking?" she asked, sniffing the air. "It smells amazing."
Hunter's face changed. Crap.
He rushed over to the stove and killed the gas, moving the pot of "Improvised Tomato Beef Stew" to a cold burner. He lifted the lid to check if the sauce had reduced too much.
Whoosh.
A cloud of steam escaped, filling the tiny room with the rich, savory scent of beef, mixed with the creamy sweetness of butter and the tang of tomatoes.
Hunter waited for the mechanical notification in his head.
Silence.
Weird, he thought. Where's my EXP notification?
Before he could ponder it further, Mia, drawn by the scent like a cartoon character, leaned in close to the pot and inhaled deeply.
"Seriously, that smells so good!"
Hunter snapped back to reality, remembering he had a guest. He glanced at the wall clock. It was practically lunchtime.
Even though Mia was technically the reason he (or rather, Hunter) had suffered, she had come all this way to apologize to a guy she barely knew. That kind of gesture deserved respect.
Hunter decided he liked this girl.
"It's lunchtime," Hunter said, improvising. "Care to join me? It's a special Chinese recipe I picked up from a chef in Chinatown."
Mia blinked her large amber eyes. There wasn't a trace of shyness in them.
She looked at Hunter—young, quiet, and admittedly quite handsome in a refined way.
Aesthetic appreciation was universal. Growing up around Dom and his crew of roughnecks, Mia was surrounded by guys like Vince—loud, aggressive, and crude. She had zero interest in that type.
Originally, she hadn't thought much of Hunter. He was just the quiet guy fixing her car.
But when she found out Vince had knocked him out purely because of her, guilt gnawed at her. She had gotten his address from Letty just to apologize.
She hadn't expected to find this hidden side of him. A mechanic who kept a tidy home and cooked like a chef?
Mia smiled warmly. She didn't hesitate.
"I'd love to!"
Hunter wasn't used to dealing with foreigners yet, but Hunter's memories confirmed that Americans were generally direct. It was refreshing compared to the endless polite circling he was used to in his old life.
Hunter grabbed two plates from the cupboard and ladled out the tomato beef stew. He carried them to the small dining table.
Normally, this kind of dish begged for white rice. But Hunter's stomach—and pantry—was thoroughly Westernized.
Hunter grabbed the bag of sliced bread. He tossed a few slices into a hot pan with some butter, toasting them until they were golden brown and crispy.
"It's not much, but I hope you like it," Hunter said, placing the toast and stew in front of her. He handed her a spoon and fork.
Mia sat down next to him. She didn't complain about the simplicity. Instead, she smiled, stabbed a chunk of beef with her fork, and popped it into her mouth.
Her eyes widened. A genuine, happy smile spread across her face.
"It's delicious! Seriously, this is amazing!"
The moment the words left her mouth, the mechanical voice finally chimed in Hunter's head.
[Ding! Cooking session complete. Duration: 57 minutes. Rating: Very High.]
[Received 41 Cooking EXP. Please continue to improve your culinary skills.]