Chapter 179 Three Seconds for Forever

Chapter 179 Three Seconds for Forever
Tomi sat motionless while his fingers busily swiped across his phone screen, immersed in an online game. Occasionally, he stopped, letting his gaze go blank as he drifted into thoughts far away from the present.

“Terrible, I lost again,” he murmured softly while letting out a long sigh.

“Hey, Tomi. Do you know something?” Frel greeted him.

Her voice broke the silence of their junior high school classroom. She leaned her body against the edge of Tomi’s desk, blocking the sunlight coming in through the window.

“What?” Tomi replied. He always paid close attention to every word that came from the girl’s lips. He now placed his phone carelessly on the desk.

“You’re handsome,” Frel said cheerfully, without the slightest trace of shyness on her face. “So handsome that I can’t concentrate on studying,” she added with a mischievous wink.

Instantly, Tomi chuckled. As usual, the girl was always straightforward. That frank honesty was one of the things he admired about Frel.

“I know. No need to remind me.”

“But you would be much more handsome if you were dating me.” Frel crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for Tomi’s reaction with a victorious smile.

“You’re not joking, are you? That was so sudden.” Tomi exclaimed in surprise, though an amused smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

“I’m not joking. You would be much luckier if you had a girlfriend like me.”

“How could that be?”

“Because besides being pretty and adorable, you would laugh and be happy every day if you were with me,” Frel answered with great confidence. “So. . . .”

“So what?” Tomi cut in quickly when Frel left her sentence hanging. “Come on, say it. I don’t like being kept in suspense.”

“So, would you like to be my boyfriend?” Frel leaned her face forward, staring directly into Tomi’s eyes.

For a fraction of a second, Tomi was stunned. Many girls had confessed their feelings to him before, but this was the first time someone had done it without small talk and without any preparation. Usually, other girls would come shyly bringing love letters, homemade lunch boxes, cakes, or even expensive gifts, even though Tomi could afford to buy all of those himself.

“Are you confessing to me? Without flowers or chocolate? Just like this?” Tomi teased.

“Exactly. I am the best gift you can get, Tomi. No need for chocolate that can make your teeth hurt,” Frel replied quickly.

Tomi laughed in amusement at that extraordinary confidence.

“I’ll give you time starting now,” Frel continued.

“How long?” Tomi asked eagerly.

He never got tired of talking with this girl. There was always something interesting to talk about, delivered in her distinctive style. Besides being pretty, Frel was very cheerful and humorous, traits that Tomi secretly often missed.

“Three seconds.”

Tomi burst out laughing. “Why so fast? I haven’t even finished one breath, Frel!”

“Because I don’t like waiting long. You’ll regret it if you don’t accept me,” Frel answered frankly. “I can make sure you’ll truly regret it if I move on to another guy. That wouldn’t be good for your mental and physical health.”

“Imagine me holding hands with another guy in front of you. That would hurt, wouldn’t it?” she added.

Once again, Tomi laughed out loud. Goodness, this was the first time he had met a girl who confessed without preparation and at the same time forced him like this.

“So? I’m waiting for your answer, Tomi,” Frel pressed again. She spread a very sweet smile, enough to melt Tomi’s heart, who was often labeled a love adventurer. “Your time is almost up. One ... two....”

Without waiting any longer, Tomi nodded with a restrained smile on his lips.

“What kind of answer is that? I need certainty, not just a nod or a smile. Say it clearly, I want to hear it directly,” Frel demanded.

“All right, let’s date.”

“Huh? Really?” Frel asked with an adorably surprised expression. “You’re not just messing with me because I forced you, are you?”

“Yes. From now on, we’re officially dating. I’m serious, Frel. How could I possibly reject a girl like you?”

“Hooray!” Frel cheered happily. “Thank you, Tomi,” she said, then gave the young man’s cheek a quick peck. “Now you’re completely mine!”

Tomi froze. For the first time, his heart raced wildly, before he finally laughed at the reaction of the girl who had now officially become his girlfriend.

That laughter now left behind a bitter smile at the corner of Tomi’s lips as he had just come back to his senses from his daydream.

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