67. an Orvantisian Man

67. an Orvantisian Man
Rose’s encounter with Lucas that morning seemed to finally answer the curiosity that had been lingering in her mind. The man who lived next door to her turned out to be from Orvantis as well. That meant Lucas was not an Earth human—he was an alien.
“How do you know about Orvantis?” Lucas asked suspiciously.
“No wonder you all look alike,” Rose murmured. “So you’re from there too, huh?”
“Shh! Earth humans aren’t supposed to know about that!” Lucas stiffened. “Who are you, really?”
“My name is Rose. I used to be quite close to someone from your planet.”
“You mean the man you call Liuz?” Lucas asked.
Rose nodded, her expression immediately dimming.
“I only arrived a few days ago,” Lucas continued. “We came because Orvantis received new information about this planet’s location, making it easier for us to travel here. It’s possible that your Liuz was a researcher assigned to this planet,” Lucas guessed.
“Yes,” Rose replied softly. “We were researchers. I helped him return home, but after that… he disappeared.”
“He disappeared?” Lucas looked shocked. “That’s strange. Beings from our planet usually place great importance on repaying kindness. Or… did you reject him?” he asked, his gaze sharp.
“I didn’t completely reject him,” Rose protested. “I just wasn’t ready to accept marriage.”
“So he wanted to marry you, and you turned him down?” Lucas confirmed.
Rose nodded again.
“That’s bad,” Lucas said gravely. “On Orvantis, women have gone extinct. Any man who leaves and returns without marrying usually spends the rest of his life in loneliness… some even die from emotional pressure.”
“What?” Rose exclaimed. “That’s impossible! Liuz said he wanted to live his life researching many things. He could be on another planet right now, maybe even falling in love with a woman from a different species.”
Lucas snorted quietly.
“That’s impossible. Men of Orvantis can only fall in love once. Our heartbeats even synchronize with those of our chosen partners. It’s actually very romantic.” He gave a crooked smile. “But I suppose an Earth girl like you wouldn’t understand. I’ll be careful around women like you myself. Hopefully, I won’t get trapped in foolish love.”
Rose’s face was instantly filled with worry. Everything Lucas said sounded logical. Even so, she tried to convince herself that Liuz might simply be consumed by major research projects—or that he might have forgotten her entirely.
“Tell me,” Rose said urgently. “How can I meet him? I want to see him! Can you take me to your planet?”
“Take you to my planet? Oh, no!” Lucas refused immediately. “I don’t want to get into trouble for bringing a woman with me! I already have a lover, so don’t drag me into this!”
“But didn’t you just arrive a few days ago?” Rose asked in disbelief.
“Well… yes, but I met her,” Lucas said dreamily. “She gave me drinking water when I was truly thirsty. Such a kind girl.”
“Wait—so you fell in love with a woman just because she gave you water?” Rose asked, stunned.
“Yes! Water is extremely precious! Pure water comes from the sky through a long process. Giving water is the same as giving life! I would devote my life to her!” Lucas declared firmly.
“Oh no!” Rose groaned. “I think beings from your planet really need to change that way of thinking!”
“What do you mean?” Lucas asked.
“It’s exactly the same with Liuz,” Rose said heatedly. “I gave him water too when he fell to Earth. Water—or a simple act of kindness—shouldn’t be the standard for falling in love! Women are complex beings. There are many things they consider, many emotions they feel! They don’t just fall foolishly in love with a stranger!”
“That makes sense,” Lucas admitted honestly. “But what can I do? My heart is already beating for her.”
“Oh my God!” Rose exclaimed. “Your people should seriously issue a warning before coming to other planets! Don’t accept water from women before you truly know them! You fall in love randomly! And since women on your planet are already extinct, at the very least you should start learning what women are really like. Not all of them are kind—some can be cruel!”
“But you don’t look cruel,” Lucas replied. “Even if you are rather selective. As for your Liuz… can’t you give him a chance?”
“I… ah, never mind. What matters is that he’s already disappeared. I don’t even have a way to persuade him to come back,” Rose said softly.
“So you’re starting to regret it?” Lucas asked. “You like him too, don’t you?”
Rose nodded.
“Ah, I see. So this is one of those push-and-pull situations between the two of you, isn’t it?” Lucas remarked.
“It’s not like that,” Rose protested. “I’m just hesitant to start a marriage.”
“You irresponsible woman!” Lucas snapped.
“You wouldn’t understand how terrifying marriage is on Earth!” Rose retorted firmly.
“Hm, I see,” Lucas replied thoughtfully. “You’re right, I don’t understand. I suppose I’ll study it later. Look—your bus is here.”
“Alright, I’ll be going then,” Rose said.
“Meet me after work. I’ll help you get in touch with your boyfriend,” Lucas added.
“It’s a promise, okay? Thank you, Lucas!” Rose said cheerfully as she stepped onto the bus, a bright smile on her face.
As soon as Rose was out of sight, Lucas activated the device on his wrist.
“She’s gone. Did you hear everything?” Lucas asked.
“Yes,” came the reply. “But she’s still the same. There’s no guarantee she’ll marry me even if I go back.”
“Come on, Liuz. Don’t you miss her too? How long are you going to keep hiding?” Lucas pressed.
“You heard her earlier. She said marriage on Earth is terrifying. Her mind is filled with all that twisted Earth-style marriage drama!”
“So what’s your plan now?” Lucas asked.
“Stick to the original plan.”
“Alright,” Lucas replied.
Lucas ended the call and let out a rough sigh.
“What a hassle! He’s the one who fell in love—so why am I the one suffering for it?” Lucas muttered with a crooked grin. “At least he has an understanding little brother like me.”
It turned out that Liuz, heartbroken as he was, had not truly left. Instead, he sent his younger brother to Earth to watch over the woman he loved.
Meanwhile, the moment Rose arrived at the office, she walked in with determined steps. Today, she intended to settle a score with her two colleagues. Without making a sound, Rose crept toward Jarvis’s and David’s desks—and without warning—
Smack! Smack!
David and Jarvis instinctively ducked, wincing in pain.
“Ouch! What was that for, Rose?!” David protested, rubbing his head.
“That was for both of you!” Rose snapped angrily. “The day before yesterday, you had the nerve to leave me alone at the club!”
Jarvis raised both hands, trying to look innocent.
“Hey, wait a second. Didn’t we pick the perfect companions for you?”
“Companions?” Rose cut sharply. “You left me with foreign male models I didn’t even know! What if they had harassed me? Would you take responsibility, huh?!”