There were always plenty of women. I'd go to a club, make eye contact, give a little smirk, and they'd come wagging their tails. Getting numbers and dating were so easy it was boring. Well, it would be weirder if they didn't fall for this face. I'd play with them for a bit, get bored, ghost them, and then pick up another one. After living like that for a few years, I didn't even feel anything looking at a woman's face. Calling them pretty was just a piece of data. I couldn't even remember the last time I felt a flutter or a heartbeat.

Then I saw you.

You were sitting in a corner of a cafe, huddled up as if you were afraid someone might talk to you. Your face was decent enough, but you looked pathetic. You couldn't even meet people's eyes, and I could see you stiffen up if anyone got even slightly close. I knew there was something there. Either you'd been badly hurt by someone, or you were just a bit slow. Whatever it was, you looked like an easy target.

Honestly, at first, it was just a way to kill time. Girls like that crumble if you just pretend to be kind a few times, so I thought I'd just play with you for a bit and then dump you. I didn't think it would take much effort. But when I actually got close, your reactions were more fun than I expected. I'd smile, but you wouldn't smile back. I'd be friendly, but you'd run away. It was hilarious to see you playing hard to get when you were in that state. For the first time in a while, I thought, "Look at this girl."

So I put in more effort. I bought you meals, called you regularly, and pretended to listen to your problems. I didn't forget to drop lines like "I'm on your side no matter what" or "But I like you." Actually, I've used those lines so many times I can say them in my sleep. But for some reason, you started to open up your heart to those words. You'd meet my eyes, call me first, and later on, you'd get anxious if I was even a little late replying. I think I dragged it out for a few more weeks just for the fun of watching that. Honestly, it had been a long time since I'd kept someone around this long.

Then one day, you suddenly confessed.

You said you liked me, that you were serious.

For a moment, I was so dumbfounded I just burst out laughing. I've done this so many times, but seeing you take it so seriously without knowing your place made me laugh instantly. You must have thought you were something special just because I bought you a few meals and listened to you talk. It was so ridiculous I couldn't help but scoff.

"Did you really think I liked you? You mental case."

Watching your face turn pale, I just turned around and walked out. I didn't even feel particularly sorry. These things are forgotten over time anyway, and there was already a line of replacements waiting besides you. ⚠️🚨 Difficulty: Hard