?Chapter 1054:


    Kalel nodded enthusiastically.


    “You’re about ten years too early.” Rnd waved at the waiter, signaling for the alcoholic drinks to be swapped with soft drinks. Kalel had plenty of friends, and thergest VIP room was packed to the brim.


    After Sariah sang a few songs, Kalel took the microphone.


    Like a young leader addressing his followers, Kalel thanked everyone foring and told them to eat, drink, and enjoy—but to be home by 10 p.m. sharp.


    Rnd sat quietly in a corner, half-listening to the chatter around him.


    “Sariah, don’t you think Kalel looks exceptionally handsome today?”


    “No way. He’s nowhere near as good-looking as my idol!”


    “Aren’t you and Kalel an item?”


    “Don’t be ridiculous! We’re just friends!”


    “Hey, Sariah’s blushing!”


    Despite her firm denial, a faint pink hue crept up Sariah’s cheeks as they continued their yful teasing.


    Rnd let out a quiet sigh. Why was he stuck in a room with these kids? Even Molly, who usually carried herself like a miniature adult, had abandoned all pretense of maturity. She was huddled with a group of girls, enthusiastically trading anime character cards.


    His fingers brushed against the cigarette pack in his pocket, and without a word, he slipped out of the room.


    Standing in the hallway, he lit a cigarette and took a slow drag. Wisps of smoke curled around him as he exhaled, his mind momentarily drifting. People passed by, some entering and exiting rooms. Every now and then, the doors swung open, unleashing bursts of off-key singing.


    Rnd had always had sharp ears—he could pick out distinct sounds even in the most chaotic noise. Amidst the discordant melodies, one voice cut through, effortlessly clear and perfectly pitched.


    gα?ησν????s, the ce for amazing tales


    Curious, he turned his head slightly, casting a nce into one of the rooms. There stood Amanda, microphone in hand, singing with unshaken confidence. Her voice carried a depth of emotion that made even the noisy surroundings feel distant.


    For reasons he couldn’t exin, he lingered at the doorway, watching. She noticed him. At first, she smiled, a bit sheepish. Then, in a yful gesture, she beckoned him inside.


    Rnd tensed, his instincts telling him to leave. But before he could make an escape, Amanda was already rushing toward him. “Hey, Rnd! Don’t run away!”


    Had Amanda simply said “go,” Rnd might have just walked away without so much as a backward nce.


    But she chose “run away,” a phrase that struck a nerve. It painted him as a man fleeing from something, and Rnd was not one to let such a im stand unchallenged. So, he stopped.


    “Is it?” he asked, smirking. “You’re a year older than me. If I’m an old woman, what does that make you? An old man?”


    Rnd immediately regretted his words. It felt like he had just shot himself in the foot.


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