chapter 3
Ever since our first encounter, the male lead seemed to pop up wherever the second female lead and I went.
When I bought her coffee, he appeared from nowhere and paid for it.
When I took her somewhere on my scooter, he appeared from nowhere and offered us a ride in his luxury car.
When we studied at the library, he appeared from nowhere and sat across from us.
When I secretly took her picture, he appeared from nowhere and said, “How did you manage to make her look this ugly?”
…
The list went on.
By now, I wanted to cave in his skull with a hammer. How was I supposed to make any progress with my target when he kept getting in the way?
One day, he shamelessly followed us to lunch. I finally snapped.
“Why do you keep pestering us? What do you want?”
He put on an innocent face.
“Finals are coming. I’m waiting for a merciful god to save me.”
“Heaven is fair after all,” I said. “It gave you a face and a fortune, so it took away your brain.”
Ignoring me, he turned pleading eyes on the second female lead.
“Goddess, you’re the only one who can save me! If I fail another class, I won’t graduate!”
Without looking up, she said, “Give up. I’m busy. I don’t have time to tutor you.”
His eyes filled with tears as he made his offer.
“There’s an international academic symposium in the city the day after tomorrow. That scholar you admire most will be there…”
Before he could finish, she shot to her feet, clasped his hand, and declared with absolute conviction, “I’ll do it.”
What? Wifey, where did your principles go?
The thought of the two of them studying alone—and perhaps developing feelings in the process—made me explode.
I shoved him aside and addressed her gently.
“Don’t you worry, wifey. You go in peace!”
Her: “?”
Then I swung toward him, my voice turning vicious.
“Useless trash, I’ll tutor you. Leave my wife to her research.”
She considered the arrangement for a few seconds, then murmured so only I could hear, “Not bad. You get to win over the male lead while I get to focus on academics. Everybody wins.”
Wait—what kind of thought process was that? Wifey, you had me all wrong!
But there was no way I could explain.
And so, with great forbearance and personal sacrifice, I took on the monumental burden of tutoring an idiot.
On the day of the symposium, she went off to exchange ideas with other scholars while the male lead and I sat in a study room, staring blankly at our textbook.
“What does this problem mean?” he asked. “I don’t get it.”
I looked troubled. “Neither do I.”
Despair settled over his face.
“I’d better ask how to take the make-up exam in advance.”
Half an hour later.
Me: “I miss my wifey so much. TAT”
Him: “I miss my merciful god so much. TAT”
Me: “You’re not allowed to miss her! Only I can!”
Meanwhile, at the symposium, the second female lead sneezed twice.
Another half hour passed.
“Bro, I seriously can’t do this anymore,” the male lead said. “Let’s go for a drive.”
“Of course, young master.”
Him: “…”
He drove me to the highest lookout in the city.
Facing the vast panorama, he shouted, “Heaven, please don’t let me fail!”
I copied him and cried, “Heaven, please make her fall in love with me!”
His interest instantly sharpened.
“Who? Who are you talking about?”
I rolled my eyes. “If you put half this enthusiasm for gossip into studying, would you still be failing?”
He guessed every male NPC in my orbit, one by one. I shook my head at all of them.
At last, he gave up and tossed out the second female lead’s name.
“Don’t tell me you like her.”
I immediately turned coy and slapped him on the shoulder.
“How did you know? Am I that obvious?”
I nearly made him cough up blood.
He staggered back, appalled. “You’re in love with my Goddess?”
My face hardened at once.
“She is not your goddess. You’d better stay away from her, or else…”
I drew a finger across my throat.
He recovered quickly. Then his face lit up with excitement.
“I’ll help you court her!”
“You?”
He nodded frantically. “I’ve spent years learning everything she likes so I could copy her homework!”
Me: “…You truly are the most unusual male lead I’ve ever met.”
He produced a plan almost immediately.
“She loves gorillas! Dress up like one. She’ll definitely love it!”
A vein throbbed in my forehead.
“Does anyone actually love gorillas? Are you sure you aren’t messing with me?”
He thumped his chest. “I swear it’s true! She once spent an entire day watching the gorillas at the zoo. If that isn’t love, what is?”
It sounded dubious, but I accepted his suggestion.
I bought a gorilla costume, put it on, and hid in her dorm room to wait for her return.
The male lead brimmed with confidence.
“She’ll be thrilled when she sees your surprise!”
His certainty made me giddy too.
Wifey! You were about to see the surprise I had prepared just for you!