Chapter 15: Chapter 14
’Something has gone off track,’ Simon Lockwood thought, ’but thankfully, there’s still a chance to fix it.’
Joanna Kennedy had been a bit bored lately. 166 had popped up for a moment, then disappeared again.
Simon Lockwood had always been cold, and after the birthday party, he started treating her as if she were invisible.
With winter break approaching, the weather was so cold you didn’t even want to stick your hands out. Some girls in class were secretly knitting scarves, and Anna Yates was no exception.
She had gotten a boyfriend a couple of days ago, an art student from another school.
"Why are you doing that? Wouldn’t it be easier to just buy one?" Joanna Kennedy said dismissively.
Anna Yates glanced at the lecturing teacher, her hands never ceasing their work. She lowered her voice and said, "What do you know? Something you make yourself is so much warmer, so much more heartfelt."
Joanna Kennedy glanced at the loosely knit scarf. "..."
’It doesn’t look very warm.’
Anna Yates said she just didn’t get it and asked, "Tomorrow’s Christmas. What are you getting the top student?"
After several exams, Simon Lockwood had cemented his position as number one by a wide margin. His "top student" title was rock solid.
He’d certainly earned it.
By the window, Simon Lockwood was listening attentively, his expression placid. Joanna Kennedy looked away, a bitter taste in her mouth. "We’ll see," she mumbled.
Holidays like Christmas were always popular among students. Even though the teachers had warned them against celebrating "foreign festivals," it did nothing to dampen the high schoolers’ enthusiasm.
First thing in the morning, students were already going from classroom to classroom delivering gifts. For friends, it was fruits like apples and oranges packed in pretty boxes.
For significant others, it was more meaningful gifts like chocolates or scarves.
Simon Lockwood’s desk was piled high with gifts. All of them, quite openly, contained love letters, showing no consideration for the fact that he already had a girlfriend.
In fact, as time went on, the dynamic—Joanna Kennedy’s unrequited affection and Simon Lockwood’s cold indifference—had become glaringly obvious to everyone.
The girls who had a crush on Simon had gone from being envious of Joanna Kennedy at the beginning to openly mocking her now.
’So what if she’s some rich young miss? She’s still shamelessly clinging to a guy who doesn’t like her. How pathetic.’
Beside her, Anna Yates was secretly texting her boyfriend, a sweet smile plastered on her face. "He said he has a surprise for me tonight."
Joanna Kennedy replied, "That’s nice."
Anna Yates giggled, her cheeks flushed. "So, what did the top student get you?"
"...I don’t know."
Joanna Kennedy lowered her eyes, her expression gloomy.
Anna Yates tried to comfort her. "Don’t worry, the day’s only half over. I’m sure the top student is saving a surprise for you for tonight."
But even after the last class ended and the teacher dismissed them, Simon Lockwood still hadn’t said a single word to her.
Simon Lockwood took the bag of gifts to the school’s lost-and-found, and Joanna Kennedy sat in his seat, waiting for him.
Bored, she started flipping through one of his books. They were neat, his handwriting was excellent, and his notes were sparse—concise and detached, just like the man himself.
Just as Joanna Kennedy was about to close the book, a small note fluttered out—"Tonight at 7:30, Century Plaza. I’ll be waiting." It was signed: Serena Sutton.
"..."
Joanna Kennedy lowered her gaze, put the note back exactly where she found it, and kept her expression neutral.
When Simon Lockwood returned for his things, they left the school grounds as usual, one walking behind the other. Seeing him head toward the bus stop, Joanna Kennedy chased after him and grabbed his arm. "Today... can you maybe take the day off?"
Simon Lockwood pulled his sleeve free. "Why?"
"It’s Christmas..." Joanna Kennedy said, embarrassed, her voice barely a whisper.
Simon Lockwood nodded slightly. As a light began to dawn in Joanna Kennedy’s eyes, he said unhurriedly, "There will be more customers out for Christmas. I should get a bonus."
Joanna Kennedy’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you that obsessed with money?"
"I’ll pay you! I’ll pay you, alright?" She was so angry, she declared, "Spend the holiday with me tonight, and I’ll pay you double... no, triple your wages!"
...
The air fell silent for a moment. All the surrounding sounds faded, leaving only their breath hanging as white puffs in the cold before being whisked away.
"...Triple?" After a long pause, Simon Lockwood laughed abruptly. "So generous, Miss Kennedy."
The bus pulled up just then. Simon Lockwood turned and boarded without a hint of hesitation, leaving Joanna Kennedy stunned and alone at the stop.
The doors closed and the bus drove off, leaving the stop empty. Joanna Kennedy stood there alone for a long time, her face flushed from the cold.
She slowly curled her stiff, ice-cold fingers and exhaled a warm breath.
Something cool and icy landed on her face, melting almost instantly. Joanna Kennedy tilted her head up and squinted.
It was snowing. The first snow since she had come to this world.
[You like the snow?] 166’s mechanical, electronic voice chimed in.
[No, not really,] Joanna replied.
’A vast expanse of white... It’s too lonely.’
She says she doesn’t like it, yet she’s holding out her hand to catch the flakes. 166 found her behavior strange. Then again, humans were strange creatures. With that thought, the system stopped dwelling on it.
This weather was perfect for hot pot. Instead of heading home, Joanna Kennedy searched online for a nearby hot pot restaurant.
The sky was growing dark by the time she arrived. A waiter greeted her as she walked in, "Welcome! How many in your party?"
Everyone else eating hot pot was in lively groups of twos and threes with their friends.
"Two," Joanna Kennedy said casually after glancing around. After ordering the dishes and the soup base, she added, "My guest will be here in a bit. You can go ahead and bring the food out; no need to wait."
"Of course," the waiter replied, not suspecting a thing.
Joanna Kennedy took a corner table by the window. She had ordered the spicy red chili oil soup base, and the moment it arrived, a savory, fragrant aroma wafted up to greet her.
She swished a piece of tripe in the broth, a sight that made 166 want to drool. But alas, it was only a system and could do nothing but watch Joanna Kennedy eat.
Outside, the snow fell thicker, blanketing the ground in white. Across the street, the lights of the plaza came on, illuminating a massive Christmas tree in the center that had attracted crowds of young men and women taking pictures.
Joanna Kennedy stared at a familiar figure for a long time. The same person who, just over an hour ago, had rejected her by saying he was going to work, was now standing in Century Plaza.
Serena Sutton was wearing a short, white padded jacket and a scarf that framed her smiling face, making her look cute and gentle.
Beside her, Simon Lockwood wore a simple, long black padded coat that made him look composed and handsome.
’The attraction between the protagonists is truly inevitable,’ Joanna Kennedy thought, the realization hitting her all over again.
Century Plaza was always crowded, but with the double buff of Christmas and the first snow of the year, even more people were out and about.
The girl beside him said something with a laugh in her voice. Simon Lockwood pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped the screen a few times, only to find it had shut down from the cold.
He had originally been on his way to work at The Crimson Hall, but when he got there, he found someone waiting at the entrance. It was Serena Sutton.
"I knew you wouldn’t have seen..." Serena Sutton mumbled something that Simon Lockwood couldn’t quite hear. Still, he stopped out of politeness. "Is something wrong?"
"Um... are you free?" Serena Sutton asked, not daring to look at him, her face turning a little red.
His expression unchanging, Simon Lockwood rejected her without a second thought. "Sorry, I’m not."
Serena Sutton looked up and, seeing he had already started to walk away, hurriedly called out, "I have something important to tell you!"
"It’s about Joanna Kennedy."
"..."
