When Grace saw Evan accept her friend request, she finally relaxed—a tension she hadn't noticed let go. She unlocked her phone, a small, quiet smile sneaking onto her face.
Her thumbs hovered above the screen for a second. Then she started typing.
Grace:
Hey, Evan. Sorry to bother you—I'm putting together the final list for group assignments. Just wanted to check which topic you signed up for.
It was a safe, harmless reason to reach out. Still, once she hit send, her heart sped up a little. She locked her phone and tried to look interested in whatever was happening at the front of the room, but really, her mind was somewhere else, waiting for that reply.
---
Evan spotted Grace's message right away—he was already scrolling through chats with Emily and Lena when it popped up.
What caught him off guard, though, was the tone. There was something a bit playful in her words, almost...flirty? That wasn't what he expected from Grace at all.
He'd always thought of her as steady and put-together. The sort of person who kept things organized, never seemed rattled, and got things done without a fuss. If something needed coordinating, she'd just handle it quietly and efficiently. She never made a scene, but when she spoke, people paid attention. She just had that kind of presence, like she'd been carrying responsibility her whole life.
So yeah, he was honestly surprised when he caught that tiny spark of softness in her message. It just didn't match the picture he had of her.
Why the change?
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he sat there, thinking it through.
The answer came to him pretty quickly, actually.
He wasn't the same as he used to be. Back then, he blended in—quiet, kept to himself, barely a blip on anyone's radar. He could sit through an entire class without anyone noticing he was there.
But now? He'd switched up his style. He looked sharper, more confident. But it wasn't just on the outside—something inside him had changed, too.
He carried himself differently now. Calmer. More grounded. He walked and talked with a quiet confidence, nothing flashy or cocky, just real.
People noticed. He caught a few glances that morning, heard the soft whispers when he walked in. He wasn't invisible anymore.
So maybe it wasn't so strange that Grace had started seeing him differently, too.
She'd looked his way more than once. She was the one who sent the friend request. And now, this message—there was something in her words that hadn't been there before.
Thinking about it, Evan let out a slow breath, the corner of his mouth lifting just a little.
He looked down at his phone. Grace's message sat at the top, looking innocent enough. But now that he knew what to watch for, he could sense the pause behind her words. The carefulness. The moment she hesitated before pressing send.
Interesting.
He stopped chatting with Emily and Lena and turned his attention to Grace's message.
Evan:
Yeah, I've got a minute. I picked the marketing analysis topic—the one with the case studies. Let me know if you need anything else.
He hit send and slipped his phone into his pocket just as the lecture ended.
Chairs scraped back. Zippers whined. The room filled with the usual chatter as everyone started packing up for lunch.
Up at the front, Grace felt her phone vibrate. She glanced down, read his reply, and couldn't help the small, satisfied smile that spread across her lips.
"Everything okay?" Anna asked, swinging her bag over one shoulder.
"Yeah," Grace said, locking her phone. "All set."
They merged into the crowd heading out for lunch. Grace's eyes drifted down the hallway, almost without thinking—but Evan was already gone.
A flicker of disappointment crossed her mind, but it faded fast.
It's fine, she told herself. We'll talk at lunch anyway.
Still, as they walked, her fingers brushed the edge of her phone again.
Anna caught it right away.
"Huh?" Anna said, half-laughing in surprise.
"Huh?" Grace echoed, glancing over.
Anna slowed down, leaning in with a sly grin. "Okay," she whispered, "you've definitely got something going on."
Grace shot her a look. "Nothing's up."
"That didn't sound convincing."
Grace didn't answer. She just kept walking, only half-listening to their talk about food and cafeteria lines. Her mind was somewhere else—already skipping ahead to lunch, to the conversation she'd planned about assignments… or maybe something more.
----------
Down the hall, Evan stepped into the sunlight outside, his phone buzzing in his pocket again.
He ignored it.
He adjusted his bag and moved across campus, weaving through students pouring out of the buildings. The quad buzzed with life—people laughing, arguing about where to eat, a few stretched out on the grass like they owned the place.
His phone buzzed again.
This time, he slowed down.
He pulled it out and checked the screen as he walked. A message from Grace.
Grace:
Thanks! That helps a lot.
If you're free later, maybe we could talk through the rest in person? I was thinking of grabbing lunch anyway.
Evan stopped at the edge of the walkway.
He read the message once.
Then again.
So this was it. A conversation. Lunch. Still couched in practical terms, on the surface. But it wasn't just about logistics anymore. The shift was small, but clear.
He let out a slow breath and replied.
Evan:
Yeah, that works.
I was planning to eat off-campus—there's a place near the west gate. You're welcome to join.
Send.
Across campus, Grace's phone buzzed.
This time, she checked it right away.
Her steps slowed as she read his reply. The noise around her faded out.
Off campus
For a moment, she forgot Anna was right next to her.
"Grace, did something good happen? You look like you're in a great mood," Anna said, giving her a once-over.
"Do I?" Grace tried to play it cool.
"Absolutely!" Anna nodded so hard her ponytail bounced.
"So tell me," Anna insisted. "What's the good news? Don't keep it to yourself, let us celebrate with you!"
"Yeah, spill!" The other two roommates piped up, eyes bright.
This time, Grace didn't argue. She tucked her phone away and said, "I'm eating out for lunch."
Anna's eyebrows shot up. "With who?"
Grace paused a beat too long.
Anna's eyes went wide. "No way. Oh my god."
"It's not like that," Grace blurted, a little too fast.
Anna just grinned. "That's exactly what people say when it is like that."
Grace rolled her eyes, but there was no real bite to it. "We're just talking about an assignment."
"Uh-huh. Sure you are."
"There's nothing to celebrate, you guys are imagining things." Grace raised her hand, and someone swatted her arm.
"Come on, Grace, you're glowing and you won't tell us why. Aren't we supposed to be best friends?" Anna pressed a hand to her heart, pretending to be wounded.
Grace watched Anna's act and relented with a grin. "Fine. I'll buy you all something good tonight."
Anna perked up instantly. "You mean it?" Her foodie side came out in full force.
They reached the steps outside, sunlight pouring over everything. Grace stopped and turned to her friends.
"I'll see you all later. Don't wait for me."
Anna gave her an exaggerated salute. "Good luck, assignment girl."
Grace rolled her eyes again, but she couldn't hide her smile as she walked away.
------
Off campus
A few minutes later, Evan was waiting near the west gate, hands shoved in his pockets, watching the crowd flow by.
He spotted Grace before she saw him.
She walked over, steady and calm as always. But when their eyes met, something softened in her expression—something warmer, not so guarded.
She stopped right in front of him.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," Evan replied.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Evan nodded toward the street. "You hungry?"
Grace nodded back. "Yeah."
"Good," he said, falling in step beside her. "I know a place."
They headed off together, campus noise fading behind them.
Lunch hadn't even started yet, and neither of them was thinking about assignments anymore.
They walked side by side, not saying much, just finding the same pace without even trying.
The restaurant Evan picked was tucked away and easy to miss—brick walls, big windows, the kind of place where you catch a whiff of coffee and grilling food before you even open the door. It was still pretty quiet. A few students hung around, backpacks on chairs, conversations drifting in low, lazy voices.
"This the spot?" Grace asked, glancing at the sign overhead.
"Yeah," Evan said. "Hope that's cool with you."
"It's perfect," she told him, meaning it.
Inside, all the campus noise faded out. Evan placed their order, then pointed to a table by the window. Sunlight spilled in, catching little glints in Grace's hair as she sat down across from him.
For a second, everything felt...different.
Not awkward. Not stiff.
Just unfamiliar enough that Grace noticed herself sitting there, really aware of it.
"So," Evan said, leaning forward, elbows on the table, "group assignments—bringing strangers together since forever."
Grace grinned. "Weirdly effective, huh?"
She hesitated, then admitted, "Honestly, I was relieved when you said yes. I wasn't sure if it'd get awkward."
"It didn't," Evan said right away. "I just didn't expect it, that's all."
"Why not?" she asked, tilting her head.
He met her eyes for a second, then glanced away with a small, thoughtful smile. "I just didn't have you pegged as someone who'd reach out first, that's all."
Grace blinked, then gave a soft laugh. "Guess we're both full of surprises."
The food showed up, and that broke the tension. They ate, and it turned out talking was easy—stuff about classes, professors, rolling their eyes at deadlines, joking about random campus rumors. Nothing heavy. Nothing forced.
But underneath, something was different. They both felt it, even if neither said a word.
Grace caught herself watching Evan as he talked—how at ease he looked, how he managed confidence without seeming to try. He wasn't the quiet guy she'd barely registered in the first few weeks.
Evan picked up on things too. The way Grace listened—really listened—when he talked. The way she smiled without realizing it. She wasn't putting on an act. She was just herself.
When they finished eating, Evan checked his phone. "I've got class in twenty minutes."
"Me too," Grace said, standing up, not quite ready to go.
Outside, the light had gone soft, spilling across the sidewalk. Students wandered by, laughter and chatter filling the air again, but it felt like a little world still hung around them.
"Well," Evan said, shifting his bag onto his shoulder, "thanks for inviting yourself."
Grace shot him a look. "You invited me."
He shrugged. "Fair."
She paused, then said, "We should probably finish that assignment sometime."
"Yeah," he said. "Definitely."
They both hesitated.
This time, it felt like they meant to.
"I'll message you later," Grace said.
"I'll reply," Evan promised, half smiling.
She turned and walked off, not looking back, but she felt lighter on her feet.
Evan watched her blend into the crowd, letting out a quiet breath.
Interesting, he thought.
Whatever this was, it started as an excuse. But it wasn't ending like one.
Somewhere between lunch and a half-hour of conversation, the whole thing had shifted.
Evan leaned back in his chair, sunlight slipping in through the café window. No deadlines. No pressure. Just good food, quiet music, and a rare moment where everything felt easy.
For once, he wasn't scrambling after the next big thing.
He was actually enjoying what he had.
Then, almost out of nowhere, a little chime echoed in his head.
[System Notification]
Host reached a Life Enjoyment Milestone.
Condition Met:
– Mind steady
– Stress down
– Positive engagement with life
Reward Granted:
• Cash reward: $50,000
• Passive Income Skill (Lv.1) unlocked
• Mental Fatigue Resistance +5%
Evan just sat there for a second, stunned.
"…Cash?"
His phone buzzed. He picked it up and saw the bank alert pop up.
Deposit received — $50,000
He stared at the screen, almost expecting it to vanish. Then he just laughed, quiet and a little disbelieving.
"So, what, I get paid for enjoying myself now?"
And that's when it hit him—
This system didn't just hand out rewards for chasing after goals.
It actually paid you for living well.
******