Chapter 472 - 468: You’re So Useless

Seraphina’s response made Ethan’s eyes light up.

"Uh, it’s really hot out, so I got it iced. You can drink cold stuff, right?" he said hurriedly.

Seraphina looked at him and nodded.

Ethan was so happy he just stood there in a daze, completely forgetting what to do, until Seraphina asked, "Was there anything else?"

"N-no, that’s all. I’ll... I’ll get going. You all carry on." Ethan snapped out of it, answering reflexively in his flustered state. Under the girls’ gazes, he turned and hurried away, his face burning.

After he was gone, Seraphina’s classmate couldn’t help but ask, "Seraphina, do you know him? You treated him completely differently than that other guy."

"Which guy?" Seraphina pushed a straw into the cup, took a long sip of the ice-cold fruit tea, and then reflexively frowned. ’A bit too sweet.’

Still, the icy-cold drink was a great way to beat the heat.

"You know, that tall, skinny guy from the cafeteria. Isn’t this the same playbook? Buying you a drink, and he even noticed you were on your period that day."

At the mention of Owen Griffin, Seraphina just pursed her lips. "Oh, him. I don’t even know him. I thought he was being pretty presumptuous. Plus, he’s super clingy on WhatsApp, messaging me every day. It’s kind of annoying."

She didn’t really have anything against Owen Griffin personally; she just didn’t like his approach.

"So, do you know the guy from just now?"

"I wouldn’t say I know him, but we’ve seen each other a few times," Seraphina explained casually. "The first time was way back, during the winter before the college entrance exams..."

Even though they had never spoken, they had crossed paths before. Then, they recognized each other on the athletic field the other day. It just felt less weird than with a total stranger like Owen Griffin.

"Besides, on the first day of military training, he got a stitch in his side halfway through a run, and I gave him a bottle of water. He probably just bought me this drink to thank me."

"Do you really think that’s all it is? From his reaction just now, it’s obvious he has a crush on you," her classmate said, looking at her knowingly.

Hearing this, Seraphina lightly bit her straw and smiled. "If he likes me, he likes me. That’s his business. I can’t control it."

This was her attitude toward any guy who approached her, even those who had confessed their feelings. It was their business if they liked her; she couldn’t stop them.

But if their behavior made her uncomfortable, she would reject them unequivocally.

Just like Owen Griffin that morning.

’Ethan, on the other hand, is fine. He blushed so hard just from giving me a milk tea, and with his fair skin... he’s actually rather cute.’

The girls couldn’t help but exchange glances. One of them asked Seraphina, "Honey, counting today’s guy, how many is that now? Aren’t you going to pick one and see how it goes?"

"We’re dead tired from military training every day. Who has the energy to think about this stuff?" Seraphina said.

Another girl couldn’t help but sigh. "It’s a real feast or famine situation, isn’t it? How come no guys are buying me milk tea?"

"Seraphina, that campus promo video you filmed should be coming out soon, right? You’ll have even more admirers then. Don’t get overwhelmed by the options."

"What’s the point of having so many? You can only pick one in the end," Seraphina laughed.

"You could always juggle a few if you wanted!"

"Be a master player!"

"A time management guru!"

"Hahaha..."

The girls dissolved into laughter. At that moment, Ethan, who had already walked a fair distance away, suddenly came to his senses.

’Oh crap, I forgot to ask for her WhatsApp!’

"You’re so hopeless!"

Back in the dorm, when Wayne heard that Ethan had successfully given her the milk tea but forgot to ask for her WhatsApp, he was so frustrated he stamped his foot. "Aren’t you normally so outgoing and bold? How does delivering one milk tea turn your brain to mush?"

"I was just nervous! And when she actually took it, I was so overjoyed that I... I just forgot," Ethan mumbled with a guilty look.

He was genuinely kicking himself over it.

At this, Rabbit, who had been gaming off to the side, looked up. "It’s no big deal. She was willing to take the milk tea, which means she doesn’t hate you. Just ask for her WhatsApp next time."

"That’s true." Wayne nodded. He clapped Ethan on the shoulder, encouraging him. "Rabbit and I are both rooting for you. Put in a little effort and you might even get a girlfriend before Vince does."

At the mention of Victor Tucker, Ethan glanced instinctively toward his bunk. "He’s out again?"

Rabbit scoffed. "Oh, he’s trying real hard. We’re all dead tired from training every day, only wanting to collapse in bed when we get back. But him? He’s having the time of his life, lugging that camera out every day to take pictures of that girl."

"That girl must really love having her picture taken, huh? Doesn’t she ever get tired of it?" Wayne sighed and shook his head. "This whole thing is making me scared of dating. Vince hasn’t even successfully wooed her yet, and I swear his shutter button is about to catch fire from overuse."

"You don’t think she’s just stringing him along, do you? Using him as a tool!" Rabbit said.

"Ethan, why’d you go quiet? Still dwelling on it? Stop overthinking. Just go get her WhatsApp tomorrow." Wayne, seeing Ethan’s silence and assuming he was still beating himself up, leaned in to console him.

Ethan snapped back to reality and shook his head. "No, it’s not that. I was thinking about Vince. He’s had that camera for a few days now, hasn’t he? Is it okay for him to keep it this long? I was thinking he should just use mine. I don’t want him to break the one he borrowed..."

’He can’t afford it.’

Ethan didn’t say those four words, but his buddies all understood.

"You’ve got the headspace to worry about that? If someone was willing to lend it to him for this long, it means they’re on good terms. Maybe they’re even closer to him than we are."

"The camera looks brand new. The box is still in Vince’s locker."

"Doesn’t look borrowed at all. Looks like it’s brand new."

That one sentence made all three of them freeze, and they instinctively looked at each other.

But a moment later, all three laughed it off. They knew instinctively that it was impossible. While Vince’s family wasn’t struggling, he was definitely not someone who had the spare cash to buy such an expensive camera.

And just then, Ethan’s phone suddenly buzzed with a message from Renee Reid.

The lingering smile on his face vanished. When he saw the message on his phone, his expression turned to shock, and he shot up from his chair.

"Ethan, this is bad! Owen Griffin is downstairs from the girls’ dorm with a huge bouquet. I think he’s going to confess to Seraphina!"

"What’s wrong, Ethan?" Wayne asked, surprised by his reaction.

But Ethan didn’t have time to explain; he just bolted out of the room.

"Shit, what’s going on?" Wayne said, shoving his feet into his flip-flops and chasing after him.

Rabbit immediately went AFK, shouting as he ran after them, "Wait up! I gotta put on some shorts!"

A crowd had already gathered at C-Block of the girls’ dormitory, eager to watch the drama unfold.

The sun hadn’t set yet, and the sweltering evening heat was still unbearable. In the middle of the open area stood Owen Griffin, clutching a bouquet of vibrant roses. He stared up longingly in the direction of Seraphina’s dorm room.

But the window to her room remained firmly shut. Seraphina hadn’t so much as peeked out.