Four Of A Kind

Chapter 106: [3.8] The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions and Taro Bubble Tea

“I don’t know,” I said finally.

Mira studied me for a moment. “You’re in trouble, aren’t you?”

“Probably.”

She nodded slowly. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think your mystery kisser will reveal themselves eventually. People don’t usually kiss other people and then just… never mention it again.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Maybe.” She gathered her notes. “But if I kissed a boy I liked, I’d want him to know it was me. Especially if I had identical sisters who might get credit for my bravery.”

Something about the way she said it—the slight emphasis on “I” and “him”—made me look up. Mira wasn’t meeting my eyes anymore, and a faint pink had crept into her cheeks.

Oh.

Well, that complicated things further.

I checked my watch and realized I’d been sitting there for fifteen minutes. “I should go. I’m going to be late.”

“Right! Your fancy employers.” Mira stood up quickly, grabbing our empty cups. “Let me get those drinks for you.”

She hurried behind the counter and busied herself with preparing the two boba orders and packing the ramen packets, her movements slightly jerky compared to her usual smooth efficiency.

“Here you go,” she said, sliding a carrier across the counter. “One taro with extra pearls, one strawberry with lychee, and two times spicy ramen. All set.”

I pulled out my wallet, but she shook her head.

“On the house. Consider it payment for the math help.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I insist.” She smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Good luck with your twin situation.”

“Thanks.” I picked up the carrier. “And good luck on your test tomorrow.”

“Thanks to you, I’ve got this in the bag.”

I turned to leave, but Mira called out one more thing as I reached the door.

“Hey, Isaiah?”

“Yeah?”

“Whoever she is—the one who kissed you—she’s lucky. Just so you know.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just nodded and pushed through the door, stepping back into the late afternoon sunlight. The weight of the drink carrier in my hands reminded me of my immediate priorities: get to Valentine Manor, tutor Cassidy, deliver Sabrina’s ramen, and somehow navigate the minefield of four identical sisters, one of whom had decided to make my life significantly more complicated with a single impulsive kiss.

And now I had Mira to think about too. Great. Just great.

I slid into the Lexus and placed the carrier carefully in the cupholder, checking the time. Thirty-one minutes until Cassidy’s session. If traffic cooperated, I’d make it with minutes to spare.

My phone buzzed with a new message from Cassidy: Where are you? I’m setting up the library already

The message itself wasn’t unusual. The fact that she was willingly setting up for a tutoring session? That was unprecedented.

I typed back: On my way. Traffic. 25 min

Three dots appeared immediately, then disappeared, then appeared again. Finally: Fine. Don’t be later than that

I started the car and pulled onto the main road, trying to focus on the concrete problems at hand rather than the chaos of my personal life. I had a job to do. I had a sister to support. I had a contract that depended on getting Cassidy’s grades up.

Everything else—kisses from mysterious Valentine sisters, calculus problems with friendly baristas, the growing tangle of feelings I refused to acknowledge—that would have to wait.

Or so I told myself as I merged onto the highway, pushing the Lexus just a little faster than was strictly legal. Twenty-five minutes. I could keep my professional mask intact for twenty-five minutes.

What came after that… well, I’d figure it out when I got there. I always did.

The GPS guided me through familiar turns toward the Valentine estate. My phone buzzed again—Harlow this time: Are you bringing boba? Can I have some of Cassidy’s if she doesn’t finish hers?

I smiled despite myself. Some things never changed, no matter how complicated others became.

As I approached the gates of Valentine Manor, I put on my game face. The security guard recognized the car and waved me through without the usual thorough check, which saved precious minutes. I parked near the front entrance and grabbed the drink carrier, making my way toward the massive front doors.

Mrs. Tanaka opened the door before I could knock, her expression as unreadable as ever.

“Mr. Angelo,” she said with a slight nod. “Miss Cassidy is waiting in the library. Miss Sabrina has requested her package be delivered to the east wing after the tutoring session.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Tanaka.”

“Miss Harlow asked me to inform you she’ll be waiting in the main salon to ’ambush you for boba,’ her words.”

I smiled. “Noted.”

“And Miss Vivienne left a folder for you on the side table. She expects your review by morning.”

The Valentine machine was in full swing today, it seemed. I nodded my understanding and headed toward the library, the drink carrier balanced carefully in one hand. As I walked through the now-familiar corridors lined with judgmental portraits of Valentine ancestors, I couldn’t help but wonder what those long-dead aristocrats would think of the current situation—of their quadruplet descendants and the scholarship boy caught in their complicated web.

Probably nothing good.

The library doors stood partially open, and I could see Cassidy through the gap, sitting at our usual table with textbooks open and colored pens arranged in a perfect row. Her wine-red hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, revealing the sharp line of her jaw as she bent over her work, her forehead creased in concentration.

Was she the one who kissed me? The thought sent an unexpected jolt through my stomach.

I took a deep breath and pushed the door open wider.

“I brought reinforcements,” I said, holding up the drink carrier.

Cassidy looked up, her purple eyes widening slightly before narrowing again in her trademark scowl.

“You’re late.”

“I’m exactly on time.”

“Whatever.” She pointed to the papers spread across the table. “I did the first five problems already. And I need help with the quadratic formula.”

I set her boba down beside her textbook and took the seat opposite, sliding the rest of the carrier to the side.

“Let’s see what you’ve got.”