My best friend fell hard for the ultimate campus heartthrob from Alpha U. She spent weeks throwing herself at him, but the guy wouldn't even spare her a glance. Suddenly, she decided she was too lonely in her pursuit. Her brilliant solution? Push the heartthrob’s best friend onto me—the designated sickly drama queen of our group. I pointed to my pale, colorless lips. "Bestie, are you serious? Look at me. Do I look like I have the energy to chase anyone?" She deadpanned, "Getting a boyfriend is clinically proven to be good for your health. Consider it cardio." Fine. In the end, we both started chasing. Fast forward a few weeks. The campus heartthrob texts my best friend, his tone utterly defeated: "Look, I’ll agree to go out with you. Just please, tell your best friend to take Alpha out of her block list. My dorm room is currently being flooded by tears." 01 It only took one audit class at Alpha U for my best friend, Chloe Miller, to fall completely under the spell of their campus king, Hudson Grant. She spent weeks on a kamikaze mission to get his attention. The guy didn't even give her a courtesy glance. Instead of quitting, she got more obsessed. It was like she was possessed. "That's exactly the kind of guy I need," she declared. "If they're too easy to get, you don't appreciate them later." Because I’ve always been in poor health, my parents rented an off-campus apartment for me. Chloe lived with me. It was just after 9:00 PM, and a light rain was falling outside, when Chloe burst back into the apartment, arms loaded with shopping bags and a furious expression on her face. While kicking off her sneakers, she started venting. "Dammit! How can Hudson be so impossible to crack? I literally wore my 'guaranteed-to-get-lucky' outfit to see him today, and he still acted like a monk taking a vow of silence. Totally unfazed." I looked away from the movie on my laptop to stare at her. She was wearing a stunning, tight red tube dress. I said softly, "Since he's that hard to get, why not look at other guys? Plenty of people are chasing you." "No, absolutely not." She grabbed a soda from the fridge, flopped onto the sofa with no regards for elegance, and took a loud swig. "Hudson is different. Just looking at him gives me actual butterflies. And besides..." She covered her mouth, giggling like a complete creep. "His physique is insane. I saw him playing basketball the other day. Those abs, that V-line... he looks exactly like a romance novel cover come to life. Kissing him would definitely be an experience." I went back to my movie. I couldn't relate to her obsession. "Hey!" She gave a sly laugh and nudged me. "I got a photo." Without waiting, she unlocked her phone, opened her photo album, and thrust it in my face. Confused, I took it. A man's face filled the screen. He had intense, sharp eyes and a rugged, defined jawline. Very striking, but with a definite edge. It looked like a stalker photo she’d nicked from his social media. "So?" "Bestie, do you like what you see?" Chloe and I grew up together. The moment her eyebrows twitched, I knew exactly what kind of chaotic nonsense she was plotting. I pointed to my pale lips. "Bestie, are you asking me to chase someone, too? Look at me." She blinked her bright, sparkly eyes and grabbed my hand. "Harper, those two guys are joined at the hip every single day. Someone needs to come in and separate them. Besides, I'm too lonely chasing Hudson by myself." Putting on a pitiful face, she switched to a persuasive, maternal tone. "Just do it for me, to keep me company. Crucially, dating is good for your physical and mental health. Think of it as therapy." The movie was still playing. On screen, the main character coincidentally said, "I can't believe I'm listening to this crap!" The next second, my phone dinged. Chloe had text me the contact info for Hudson's friend. "Trust me, Harper. You need to try this. He... well, he looks a bit scary, but he's actually a decent guy." I sighed. "Fine." "I love you to death!" She leaned in to kiss me, then remembered she still had makeup on and hadn't showered. "Wait until I shower, then I'm going to kiss you to death. Wait for me, baby!" Me: ... While she was in the shower, I went to add him as a friend. I realized I had actually added him before. Huh? I stared down at his profile picture. It was a cartoon character—Bighead from Rocko's Modern Life. Weird choice for a tough-looking guy. My username was a bit embarrassing, a remnant from middle school: QueenLazy. My profile pic was Patrick Star sleeping. I just wanted to sleep, eat well, and have zero worries. His username was Bighead24. My finger hovered over the screen. I thought: A guy who uses cartoon profile pics probably isn't a bad person at heart. By the time Chloe came out, I had switched the movie to Spirited Away. I didn't have many hobbies; anime and movies were among the few. "Harper, did you add him?" She walked out drying her hair, wearing a camisole nightgown. "Mhm." I was absorbed in the anime, giving a distracted answer. Suddenly, I remembered something. I scratched my head. "Do I need to notify him that I'm chasing him?" "Hmm..." She thought about it. "Text him and ask if he's single. If he says yes, then you say: 'Would you mind if I added myself to the list of people who like you?'" "Huh?" I gave her a look of pure disgust. "Why does that sound so incredibly cheesy? Please don't tell me that's how you chase people." "There are too many mind games these days," she argued. "Only something simple and unadorned like this can make him feel your pure, innocent intentions. Do as I say, it'll work." "We call this... the polite approach before the invasion." Despite feeling it was totally unreliable, I typed into the chat box: "Hi, quick question, do you have a girlfriend?" After hitting send, I figured it would be a long time before I got a reply, so I put the phone down to watch the anime. The next second, my phone buzzed. A message popped up: "?" "What if..." What if he just sends a question mark? What do I do with that? Before I could ask her, another message came through: "No." I shivered slightly. Chloe leaned over. "Sister, send what I just taught you. I'm going to blow-dry my hair now." "Fine." From his end: "What about it?" Me: "Would you mind if I added myself to the list of people who like you?" The moment I sent it, I threw the phone away with a grimace. Too cringey. My phone remained silent for a long time, so I focused on the anime. After Chloe dried her hair, she lay down next to me, took out her phone, and asked, "Well? How'd it go?" I said honestly, "No reply." She gritted her teeth, thinking. I thought she was reflecting on her dating advice, but instead she said, "It's fine, totally normal. He didn't reply to me at first either." Me: ... I wanted to say that maybe it was because my message was too intense, like a lightning bolt that left the other person utterly stunned and paralyzed. Chloe had an online group project meeting, so she started working hard on a PowerPoint presentation and video editing. I picked up my phone casually, and what I saw almost gave me a heart attack. Right then, Chloe mentioned, "By the way, his friend's name is Austin. Austin Reed." Austin: "Ugh, what is that supposed to mean? I don't just accept anyone who decides they like me." Austin: "I'm not that kind of easy guy." Austin: "Does your silence mean you don't like me anymore?" After that message, there was a minute of silence. He was probably waiting for my reply and got nothing. Austin: "Actually, I am pretty easy. Are you still chasing me?" Austin: "I'm actually very easy to get." Another minute passed. He was panicking: "If you like me, let's just be together." Austin: "Sorry, I was just pretending to be cool back there." Austin: "Are you busy? Can you just reply to me at least?" Austin: "Ten seconds have passed. Are you still busy?" Austin: "I said it wrong before. I should be the one chasing you, you don't need to chase me. Can you just reply to me please?" Austin: "I was wrong. I shouldn't have pretended to be cool like that. Actually, it's just because I was too excited. I asked my bro, and he told me to reply that way." Austin: "He said if I agreed too quickly, you'd get it too easily and wouldn't appreciate me." Austin: "Baby, I was wrong. Don't be mad, okay?" Austin: "Actually baby, I've liked you for a really long time, but I didn't know how to tell you. I never expected you to like me back." ... Me: "..." Chloe asked, "What's wrong? Did he reply?" I pursed my lips, silent for a moment. I asked her, "Isn't the other person supposed to reject you when you chase them?" "Yes." Then what was this? A flash of inspiration hit me. I texted him: "Reject me." That way, I would have a reason to actually chase him, and I wouldn't leave my best friend hanging alone. Austin texted back with a crying emoji: "No, I don't want to reject you." Austin: "I really messed up. I hate myself for trying to act tough back there." Austin: "I shouldn't have pretended, I shouldn't have listened to my bro. I know I was wrong. You can hit me or yell at me, just don't make me reject you." Me: ... "No, you reject me, then I chase you." Austin didn't reply as fast this time. The status bar at the top kept showing "typing..." After a long while, he carefully sent: "Baby, is this some kind of roleplay kink?" Austin: "You promise you won't actually leave me." Austin: "Then how long do you plan on chasing me? You have to tell me so I can get ready." I glanced at my best friend, who was still working hard, and text back: "Don't know yet." Austin: "Then... Baby, I reject you." Austin: "This sentence is a reply to your previous prompt, not a reply based on my actual feelings." After reading that, I could finally tell Chloe, "He rejected me." Chloe leaned over. "It's fine. We women must have magnanimity. Wait until later, and your sister here will teach you some tricks for the chase." Then, I watched her with my own eyes as she switched to a high-pitched, cutesy voice and sent Hudson a voice note: "So, are you going to help me and my best friend save seats tomorrow? We want to watch you play basketball from up close!" I quietly went online to search for "how to chase a guy." A blog listed several points: Master the pull-and-push; don't be too eager. Be hot and cold; if he's hot, you're hot. If he's cold, ignore him for a while. Establish a good persona; act appropriately innocent. Never become a desperate clinger (a 'licking dog'). ... I asked Chloe, "Did you look up your dating techniques online?" "Ha." She confidently flipped her hair. "Does your sister look like she needs to copy someone else's moves?" No wonder she hadn't succeeded after so long. Turns out she was being taught by a complete amateur. 02 The next afternoon, right after class, Chloe dragged me along her well-worn path over to Alpha U. By the time we arrived at the gym, it was already packed with people. She spotted someone, her fox-like eyes lighting up. She waved at the guy. "Hudson!" I was still searching through the crowd when she pulled me over. The guy was wearing a sleeveless black and white jersey. He looked aloof. I had never actually seen Hudson Grant in person, only on Chloe's phone. Since I was a kid, due to my health, I didn't like going out much. "Harper, if you feel unwell at all, tell me immediately. It's a bit crowded in here, the air might not be circulating well." She leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Okay." I gave her a thumbs-up. Just as we were about to walk away, we heard Hudson turn to another guy and ask, "Where's Austin?" "No idea. Haven't seen him all day." The next second, a guy pointed to the entrance, his jaw dropping. "Holy crap. Is that Austin Reed? What is he wearing?" Everyone instinctively looked over. I saw a very tall guy with a stylish American-style blowout haircut. He had a stud in his left ear and looked like a total bad boy. "What... what happened to him? It's only been one afternoon. Did he seriously go get a whole new hairstyle?" "Who provoked him this time?" From the moment Austin entered, his gaze darted left and right, until he couldn't help but lock onto a flash of pink in the crowd—me. No, he had to play this right. He started walking straight toward me, but veered off halfway. Just as Chloe was about to pull me along, a girl clapped Hudson on the shoulder from behind. "Hey, Hudson. I thought you said you were saving seats for us?" The girl speaking had shoulder-length hair and was followed by a few other girls. "Who's that?" I asked. The smile on Chloe's face faded. "His childhood best friend. They grew up together." I didn't like talking to people, but I loved reading novels. Right then, I could smell a strong scent of 'fake-innocent drama queen' in the air. A term immediately popped into my head: "The Sister-Zone." "Ugh..." Austin was still fighting the urge to come over and talk to me, but before he could, Chloe dragged me away. Her mood had gone from sunny to overcast. "Out of sight, out of mind." I quickly looked back and caughtAustin’s crestfallen expression. He looked exactly like my mom’s Golden Retriever when she wouldn't give him a treat—utterly pitiful eyes. "Over there... just go sit yourself down..." Hudson lifted his head and pointed out the seats to the girl,宋沫 (Mia). Austin, with a dark expression, walked right past Hudson, deliberately bumping his shoulder. Hudson was stunned for a moment. "Are you on drugs or something?" Austin silently stripped off his outer jacket. Some girls came over to talk to him, but were stopped cold by his glare. ... In our seats, I tentatively asked Chloe, "How is he with that girl Mia?" Hearing this, Chloe glanced at me, pursing her lips. "I don't know how to describe it. But wherever Hudson is, she’s there too." Speak of the devil, and she appears. Mia and her entourage walked over. Hudson, that idiot, had actually saved a whole row of seats. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't bring myself to say them. Sigh. Love is blind. Before the starting buzzer sounded, Austin text me several messages: "Why aren't you talking to me? Didn't you say you were chasing me?" "Are you not chasing me anymore? Then can I switch and chase you?" "I'm about to go on court. You have to keep your eyes on me." I looked down, and coincidence would have it that Austin was looking right up at our section. Beside me, a few girls started whispering: "Austin Reed looked over here. Mia, is he looking at you?" "I'm so jealous that you have two such handsome childhood friends." Mia's cheeks flushed slightly, a hint of smugness in her eyes. "Oh stop it, it's not what you think." Chloe let out a cold snort next to me. I calmly retracted my gaze. Austin's uplit grin immediately slumped back into a frown. Once the game started, I got bored because I didn't understand basketball. My ears were filled with screams and cheers, or the sounds of girls chattering about who was hotter. Suddenly, Austin made a massive three-pointer that set the entire arena on fire. The young man's face was flushed with the exertion of the game. His exposed arms were defined, muscular, and nice to look at. He instinctively looked up toward us again, causing another round of gasps from the girls near me. "Is his girlfriend here? Why is he looking over here so many times?" From the right came a voice filled with envy: "Mia, if both Hudson and Austin liked you, who would you choose?" "They're both so hot, it's such a hard choice!" "Oh stop it, you guys! Just watch the game, don't talk nonsense!" Sitting next to me, Chloe turned to me and silently mouthed the word: "Fake." When the game ended, Chloe turned to me. "Harper, you stay sitting right here. I'll be right back." With that, I watched her run down with a bottle of water, while Mia on the other side had also disappeared. I sat obediently at the top. The guy wearing the black and white jersey was cutting against the crowd, coming straight up toward me. I watched, unblinking, as Austin Reed walked right up and sat in the empty seat next to me. Seeing this, he laughed. "I thought you said you were chasing me? Where's my water?" "Sorry, first time chasing someone. No experience." My voice was soft, but my eyes didn't show much apology. Austin had just finished playing; he was breathing heavily, his chest heaving slightly. Hearing that, he actually laughed from exasperation. He tilted his head back, taking a swig of water, his Adam's apple bobbing. He was already the bad boy type, and with his eyes slightly rimmed with red and his face flushed, he looked utterly captivating and alluring right now. He wiped some sweat, seemingly resigned, and leaned his head down close to me. He whispered, "Stop torturing me, baby." "Let's just make it official right now, okay?" The male pheromones were too strong. I couldn't help leaning my whole body backward. "Sit up properly." I used my finger to poke his chest. I tilted my head and asked him, "You like me?" He immediately sat up straight, nodding with utmost sincerity. "But..." My voice shifted, and I pointed down to where Mia was standing in a sailor-style outfit. "What's the deal with her? I heard you guys are childhood friends." Austin looked at me with his pitch-black eyes and explained, "Mia, Hudson, and I did grow up together, but we are strictly just normal friends." "Really?" My gaze drifted over behind him to Mia, whose expression was priceless. She was gritting her teeth, staring at me. She hissed out, "Austin Reed!" "I was wondering where you went. I looked all over down there for you. Turns out you're up here abandoning your friends for a girl!" I watched them both without saying a word. Austin pursed his lips and turned away. "I already told you I don't drink water from just anyone. Only from my girlfriend." "I... am I just 'anyone' to you? We grew up together! What’s wrong with me giving you water? Does having a girlfriend mean we can’t even be friends anymore?" Instantly, Mia’s eyes welled up with red. She gritted her teeth, looking incredibly pitiful. I looked at Austin. He spoke up: "I didn't say we can't be friends just because I have a girlfriend. It just means there needs to be some boundaries between us." Mia looked at me with her red rimmed eyes, her voice shaking with tears. "I didn't see you just now. I didn't know you were his girlfriend. I made things awkward. I'm sorry." Wow. Straight out of the gate she was pinning a 'jealous girlfriend' label on me. Spending all my time cooped up at home, I’d only read about these inner palace dramas and female leads battling fake-innocent girls in books. I’d never experienced it in real life. Looks like theory was about to be put into practice. I was ready for battle.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "395070", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel