System Mission: Seduce the Final Boss [BL]-Chapter 56: Am I being unreasonable...

Beep!

Beep!!

Beep!!!

"Ack?!"

What a nice morning.

And, of course, the rest of it was going to be even nicer, since today was the day he went on a date with Myles, after all.

It was 8:40 a.m., rather early for someone who just likes to sleep on holidays.

Getting up from the floor, Blake stretched, yawning as he walked toward the wardrobe, already anticipating his struggles.

His last outfit picking had been difficult enough, but now it was simply worse.

’Man, what the hell do I even choose... this is like, our first official date, not a school project outing. The better question is how will he dress?’

Blake wasn’t even sure if Myles was taking this as a date seriously.

He did agree to it but, from someone as weird as him, you could expect anything.

"Who knows, maybe he accepted just to kill me once and for all..."

Laughing, he picked out a matching dark navy shirt and shorts set. He let the short-sleeved button-down hang open over a plain white T-shirt.

"Umm, I look casual but nice I guess? This is the nicest light outfit I own..."

Outside there was a scorching hot sun, he was not going to sweat like a pig on top of trying to entertain Myles, who was definitely not going to have fun at an amusement park.

Picking up his phone, Blake smiled.

I’m here.

Myles was already at the bus stop, waiting for him.

Going out, he felt almost excited.

Ding.

[ Mission: Make Myles Cortez smile ]

[ Time limit: 1 day ]

[ Favorability level: 8 ]

[ Penalty: ??? ]

But, of course, since when did the system let him interact with Myles normally for a full day.

’Are you shitting me right now... it’s already a miracle he shows his face, and you want me to make him smile?’

Of course many questions also araised with this: what counts as a smile? A small twitch? A smirk? Did it have to be in front of him?

He knew that it was ideal to make Myles smile in front of him, ear to ear, but that was quite honestly unachievable.

Reaching their meeting point, he spotted him immediately.

’Ah, he looks nice but... isn’t he hot, dressed like that?’

He was wearing such ordinary clothes that Blake felt stupid for trying to look nice.

Didn’t he just look like the hopeless idiot who thought about this being a date?

Not like he didn’t expect the outcome, so he was quite unfazed.

"Hey, Myles!"

Turning towards him, he simply gave a wave.

"This is such a nice day, we’re going to have plenty of fun!"

"Yes, seems like it."

The bus arrived not long after, doors opening with a loud hiss.

Blake stepped in first, glancing back just to make sure Myles was following, which, of course, he was.

They found seats side by side.

The ride was going to be thirty-five, maybe forty minutes, plenty of time.

Or just too much.

Blake leaned back, exhaling.

"So."

Myles glanced at him.

Blake tilted his head slightly.

"Aren’t you hot?"

"No."

"Seriously?" Blake gestured vaguely at him. "Long sleeves, pants, dark colors... in this weather? I’m sweating just looking at you."

"I’m fine."

Indeed, when was Myles not fine?

Blake let out a small laugh, shaking his head, then paused.

Myles’ gaze had shifted down.

Blake followed it.

He was looking at his legs.

"...Hm?"

Before he could think too much about it, Myles reached out, asingle finger poking right on his knee.

Blake froze.

"Aren’t you cold?" Myles asked.

The tone was flat, as usual, but his hand stayed just a fraction longer than necessary before pulling away.

Blake blinked, a little puzzled.

"Cold?"

"Dressed like that."

There was something about the way he said it.

It m, of course, was not teasing or even particularly concerned.

’Is this some kind of improvement? Him caring about me freezing to death in a scorching hot day?’

Blake laughed, maybe a bit louder than he normally would around Myles.

"No, no, I’m not cold. I’m actually dying from the heat."

Shifting slightly, he crossed one leg over the other before quickly uncrossing it again, deciding that somehow made it worse.

"Anyway," Blake continued, pulling out his phone, "we should probably figure out breakfast, right? I’m starving."

He opened a map app, scrolling through nearby places.

"There’s this one, looks decent."

"Okay."

"Or maybe this one?"

"Also okay."

Blake paused mid-scroll.

Slowly turning his head, he looked at Myles.

"Yeah okay, but which one do you like?"

"I can eat whatever, so it doesn’t matter."

Of course he could, Blake already knew his whole act and everything, but still, that didn’t really help.

Because whatever didn’t mean likes everything.

It just meant he wouldn’t complain.

Which, honestly, might make things worse.

Blake went back to scrolling, slower now, more careful.

Though his hungry eyes kept drifting toward cafés with sweet menus: pancakes, pastries, overly sugary drinks.

His kind of place.

But...

’What if he hates sweets?’

It felt like something he’d do. There were so many villains with this weird, edgy, anti-happiness trait.

Blake frowned slightly at his phone.

Before he could spiral any further, a finger tapped his screen.

Blake blinked.

"Hm?"

"Let’s go to this one."

He looked, then looked again.

It was, objectively, the nicest one on the list.

Sweet-focused, cozy, not overly flashy, and the price range wasn’t all that ridiculous, either. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

’Eh, but is this really his taste or what?’

Blake stared at it for a moment, then at Myles.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

There was no hesitation, as usual, so he couldn’t really tell if he was being honest.

Blake let out a quiet breath he didn’t even realize he was holding.

"Alright, that works."

At least one problem down.

Putting his phone back into his pocket, Blake leaned back slightly, then paused.

"Hey."

Myles looked at him.

Blake tilted his head, squinting just a little.

"Your bangs are kinda in your eyes."

"So?"

"Did you not sleep well or something?"

There was a brief pause.

Myles looked at him, then shook his head.

"I was just busy."

Blake smiled awkwardly.

"...Right."

’Busy doing what, exactly?’

He did not ask, since he valued his life.

A few seconds passed in silence before Myles spoke again.

"Why were you walking like that earlier?"

"Walking?"

"At the bus stop, you were stiff."

Blake tilted his head, genuinely confused for a second.

Then, he realized.

’Oh, right, maybe he’s talking about the bruises.’

He had a big one on his chest. A few on the abdomen. To top it off, there was one hand mark on his shoulder that was definitely not subtle.

The painkillers were doing their job, but not perfectly.

And for someone like Myles...

Yeah, no way he didn’t notice.

Blake smiled.

"Ah, that? It’s nothing. I’ve just been walking around too much during the break, my legs are kinda stiff."

Myles didn’t reply immediately, just looking at him.

"I see."

Blake clapped his hands together lightly, shifting the mood.

"Anyway! Have you ever been to this amusement park before?"

"Yes."

Blake froze.

"Wait, seriously?"

Myles nodded.

"I walked on the ground there."

Blake stared at him, then sighed, feeling a bit disappointed.

’Of course you did!’

That sounded about right.

Recovering quickly, Blake grinned.

"Well, I’ve never been, so this is our first time. Together."

He turned slightly, giving him a wink.

"...Pretty romantic, right?"

Nothing followed, not even a blink.

Blake held the expression for a second longer before dropping it like nothing happened.

’Yeah, I expected that.’

A little bit ofsecond hand embarrassment wasn’t going to kill him anyway.

The bus suddenly jolted hard.

Blake wasn’t sitting by the window, so the sudden movement sent him sliding sideways.

"...Whoa—!"

Before he could fall, an arm firmly wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him back closer.

Blake’s breath caught for half a second.

Everything felt weirdly still, way too close.

His brain just... stopped.

"You’re going to fall, be careful" Myles said.

Blake did not respond at all.

"Blake."

"...Huh?"

"We’re here."

Blake blinked, snapping back to reality.

"...Oh."

Embarrassed, he quickly stood up, stepping off the bus alongside Myles.

The moment his feet hit the ground, he exhaled.

The air felt warmer, brighter and louder.

They were close now.

The amusement park stood ahead, colorful and noisy, filled with people and movement.

Blake’s heart was still beating a little too fast.

He frowned slightly.

’Calm down... it’s not a big deal.’

It was just a normal thing.

Walking toward the entrance, Blake shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to act natural.

Then, his eyes caught something.

"...Oh."

Rows of stalls lined the entrance.

Bright.

Colorful.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Headbands with bunny ears. Mouse ears. Sparkly things. Fluffy things. Things that should honestly be illegal.

Blake’s expression lit up immediately.

Of course, this was perfect!

Turning slightly, he tapped Myles’ shoulder.

"Hey."

Myles glanced at him.

Blake pointed.

"We should wear those."