Halfway to the parking lot, rain suddenly began pouring from the sky.
Heavy droplets struck the pavement in rapid succession, the light drizzle intensifying into a steady curtain of rain within moments.
With nowhere nearby to shelter except the campus cafeteria, Suzy quickly changed direction and headed inside.
It happened to be lunchtime.
The moment she stepped through the doors, warmth wrapped around her immediately.
The rich aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, comforting and familiar, completely different from the damp chill outside. Students crowded around the serving counters, chatting lazily while steam curled upward from trays of hot dishes.
Suzy paused briefly.
Once she left campus this time, she probably wouldn't have another chance to eat here again.
The thought made her change her mind instantly.
She decided to pack several meals and store them inside her spatial dimension.
Outside, rainwater streaked across the glass windows in shimmering lines. Judging from the clearing sky, the storm likely wouldn't last much longer.
Using a club gathering as an excuse, Suzy ordered twenty boxed meals in one go.
Every container was packed generously with meat and vegetables, all dishes she genuinely enjoyed eating.
The cafeteria staff worked quickly and efficiently, neatly stacking the lunch boxes before packing everything into a large cardboard container for her.
Perfect timing.
By the time Suzy carried the box outside, the rain had already stopped.
The air smelled fresh and earthy after the storm, and the pavement beneath her feet was still damp with rainwater.
She had barely walked a few steps when someone suddenly stepped into her path.
The figure was tall enough to block her entire view.
"Senior!"
A bright, clear voice sounded above her head.
Suzy looked up instinctively and met a pair of shining amber eyes.
The young man standing before her wore a simple gray hoodie, casual and understated, yet somehow it only made him stand out more.
He was unbelievably handsome.
His skin was fair, his chestnut-brown hair soft and slightly curled, falling naturally across his forehead. His features were refined almost to perfection, as though sculpted deliberately by careful hands.
The corners of his eyes tilted downward slightly, softening his appearance, while his warm amber irises gleamed like polished glass beneath sunlight.
Sharp features paired with smooth skin created a strangely captivating contrast.
There was even a faint hint of mixed heritage in his appearance, making him even more striking.
"Derek… what a coincidence," Suzy said automatically, smiling faintly.
Derek Martin was her junior from the same university.
The two had met through a collaborative club project before.
In the dream, this beautiful mixed-race boy had eventually become one of the female lead's admirers—and later, one of the powerful figures of the apocalypse.
Back then, he and Suzy had actually gotten along fairly well during the early days.
In fact, after the apocalypse began, it was only because of Derek that Suzy had been allowed to remain with the protagonist group at all.
But later, after she repeatedly tried to target and frame the female lead, Derek's attitude toward her had changed completely.
The warmth faded first.
Then came indifference.
Eventually, even the disgust in his eyes became impossible to hide, and he no longer bothered protecting her.
Lost in those memories, Suzy drifted into a brief daze.
"Senior, let me carry that for you."
Derek's voice was warm and easygoing as he naturally reached out to take the box from her arms.
Their fingertips brushed lightly against each other.
At that exact moment, a cold mechanical voice suddenly echoed inside Suzy's mind.
[Activating Handsome Men Collection Guide.]
Suzy froze completely.
…What?
For a second, she genuinely thought she had misheard.
Handsome Men Collection Guide??
What kind of ridiculous thing was that?
Suzy instinctively shook her head, suspecting it might be some bizarre aftereffect caused by altering the original storyline.
"Senior? Are you alright?"
Derek's concerned voice pulled her back to reality.
Only then did Suzy realize the box was no longer in her hands.
She glanced sideways instinctively.
Derek was already holding it effortlessly.
Under the soft sunlight after the rain, his handsome face carried a trace of genuine concern.
Especially those eyes.
Clear, open, impossibly sincere.
Being looked at by someone with eyes that beautiful made Suzy's heartbeat become strangely unsteady.
She quickly looked away and answered as casually as possible.
"I'm fine."
"Where are you headed, Senior? I'll walk you there," Derek offered immediately, smiling brightly.
Suzy hesitated slightly.
"Wouldn't that trouble you?"
"Not at all," he replied without even pausing.
By then, the rain had completely stopped.
The entire campus looked freshly washed clean beneath the pale afternoon light.
Derek carried the box beside Suzy as they walked toward the parking lot together.
Standing side by side, the height difference between them became especially obvious. Derek towered over her by nearly two heads.
Every now and then, he secretly glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
The corners of his lips curved upward ever so slightly.
"Why did you buy so much food?" he asked curiously.
Suzy was still distracted by the strange mechanical voice echoing inside her head.
Because it hadn't disappeared.
Soft loading notifications were still chiming faintly in the background of her thoughts.
It took her a moment before she finally processed his question.
"I'm helping a friend pick it up," Suzy answered with a small smile.
Derek didn't question her further.
Instead, he asked casually, "Senior, are you coming to the club event in a few days?"
Although his tone sounded relaxed, there was an unmistakable hint of anticipation hidden underneath.
He clearly hoped she would say yes.