He Knew I Was Lying, But He Kissed Me Anyway Chapter 08

He Knew I Was Lying, But He Kissed Me Anyway Chapter 08

I stared, a bit shocked, as Julian bit his lip and lowered his gaze.

“After the SAT, my grandmother’s health improved. I took a summer job to save up and buy you a gift, then planned to confess. But you blocked me—I thought you were sick of me.

“I’m not as good as Ethan, nor as rich as Damon.

“Elena Sterling, you using me was my only advantage. If you don’t mind, you can keep using me.

“I’ll work hard and surpass them. Will you… give me a chance?”

His voice got quieter, but his eyes burned with quiet determination under the streetlight.

My mind went blank.

The plot was totally off the rails.

Completely messed up.

Damn.

My heart was pounding like crazy!

[Holy crap, the male lead’s putting on those puppy-dog eyes—I can’t take it.]

[What’s going on? Is this a confession?]

[I declare! This is love! The villainess-shippers are eating good tonight!]

[I said the villainess was good all along. Now our underdog ship can finally sit at the main table.]

…

“Julian, aren’t you supposed to like Iris? I remember you two had matching water bottles.”

“They’re not couple’s bottles. The shop gave them out during the summer job.” Julian looked confused. “We just say hi when we run into each other.”

A flutter of happiness rose in my chest, but I still couldn’t believe it.

“Julian, do you really like me?”

He nodded, ears red.

“If you’re tired of me, let me chase you this time, okay?”

I couldn’t picture gloomy Julian chasing anyone.

Neither could the Danmaku.

I smiled and nodded.

“Okay.”

Finally, Julian came out of my blacklist.

On the way back to campus, something hit me.

Damon’s fried chicken!

It had fallen on the ground when I saved Iris.

I dragged Julian back to queue for a new one.

He stared at me, miffed.

“You care that much about what he likes to eat?”

“Of course—he’s my sugar daddy.”

I showed him my chat history with Damon.

Basically just the rich kid ordering food, and me collecting payment.

After reading it, Julian’s brow relaxed a little.

…

Back on campus, Iris started bringing me little gifts.

Sometimes a box of fruit.

Sometimes a cute cat plush keychain.

She’d smile and say, “I saw this on the way and thought it was cute. It suits you.”

“Thanks.”

I clipped it right onto my backpack.

Iris took my hand and invited me to the cafeteria.

Julian seemed to want to say something but held back, then quietly followed.

[LOL, the male lead’s thinking: you’re using all the moves I was gonna use. What am I supposed to do now?]

[Ahhh, I thought he’d go full obsessive, but he’s just a pitiful, insecure puppy.]

I thought it was too dangerous for Iris to work late-night gigs alone.

So I made a tough call—I passed Damon, my sugar daddy, over to Iris.

Damon was skeptical.

“The collectible figure I want drops soon. She’s so scrawny—can she outfight those crowds?”

“Just let her try.”

When Iris learned it was a thousand bucks per run, she did the exact same thing I did—she ran like she was breaking a world record.

Iris snagged the figure Damon wanted.

Damon was over the moon.

[Okay, the second male lead has zero romantic interest in the female lead. It’s all about his collectible figures.]

[Does no one think the male lead and villainess are cute? Every time she talks to another guy, he watches her with that gloomy, obsessive look, probably plotting how to “deal with” her later.]

[Elaborate on “deal with.” I’ve got time—spill.]

The Danmaku was making my mind wander.

Julian wasn’t like that at all.

He always blushed, so innocent.

And his way of chasing me was basically the same as what I’d done.

The Danmaku said: How someone receives love is how they’ll love others.

Makes sense.

Besides classes and his part-time job, Julian spent all his free time with me.

He didn’t game—just being with me at the library made him happy.

He asked me out to a movie and even dressed up.

It was dark in the theater.

With such an atmospheric setting, the Danmaku was going on about stuff that was too explicit to air, all blurred into mosaics.

Then Julian handed me a letter.

“Elena, I wrote you a love letter. Would you like to read it?”

How was I supposed to read in this darkness?

I leaned in to see his burning ear.

“Julian, we’re college students now. A love letter? Really?”

“Is it too old-fashioned? I can try a different approach next time.”

As he pulled the letter back, I caught his hand.

“Julian, your way of chasing people is too slow.

“I can’t wait.”

I took off his glasses and kissed the corner of his mouth.

We looked at each other.

I could almost hear his heartbeat.

Julian opened his hand and laced his fingers through mine.

A faint smile finally broke through his gloomy face.

“Yeah, then teach me how to date, girlfriend.”