Catherine Lee

Catherine was caught off-guard by the strange question.

He asked her if she is just a normal person?

Does that mean that these people no longer think of themselves as normal?

That's just sad...

"Mister Gol-Golden Hand, I honestly believe that being interested in role playing is a perfectly normal thing!" Catherine tried to reassure him. "We don't have to put ourselves down just because of that!"

"Oh? Hahaha!" Golden Hand paused for a moment before laughing again. "Interesting! This is too interesting!"

"Miss Catherine, pardon me for asking you this. But does all of this look like mere role play to you?" Secret Keeper gestured towards the one-way mirror that showed the exhibition hall outside. "What if I tell you that everything here is absolutely real? After hearing my genuine thoughts, will you still think that we are normal people?"

"Hmm?" Catherine raised an eyebrow.

The items displayed in the exhibition booths came in all shapes and sizes, many with weird names that seemed to have come straight out of a fantasy story. No, some of them don't even sound like they would belong to any ordinary fantasy stories!

Are these people seriously so immersed in their role playing that they have come to believe that everything is real?

That puts them on a completely different level from her friend Jean...

If anything, Jean only liked cosplaying. Unless it was for a performance, she definitely did not engage in the role playing portion!

"As I thought, you no longer think that we are normal, do you? Be it in a good way or a bad way," Secret Keeper continued in his deep voice.

"That's not it..." Catherine said, but there was an obvious hint of hesitation in her tone.

She felt kind of bad to be thinking this way, but she truly did not find it normal to be obsessed to the point of believing that everything there was real.

The strange food on the table, the strange items in the booths, and even the strange titles each person is going by – they are all obviously make-belief.

How can any rational person genuinely believe all that to be real?

"Don't worry, Miss Catherine. I am not asking you to think the same way that we do. I am just letting you know that perhaps you should try to open up your heart and embrace whatever comes before you," Secret Keeper said. "How about this, Miss Catherine? Leave your number here, and we will contact you after some time. By then, I have a feeling that you would have completely changed your mind about us. After all, whether you believe it or not, you have already started walking on the path paved by Senior Fate Master."

"I have?" Catherine felt the corner of her lips twitch.

"Whether you believe it or not," Secret Keeper repeated calmly.

"Hmm, that is a good idea," Golden Hand nodded at Secret Keeper's suggestion. "Why don't we exchange numbers, Miss Catherine? That way, you can ask me if you have any questions in the future."

"I don't think I will have any questions for you..." Catherine muttered under her breath.

"You might think so right now, but that might not be true weeks or months from now. In any case, there's no harm in just exchanging numbers for now, is there?" Golden Hand added. "Or are you worried that we will do something after obtaining your number? Even if that happens, you can just block us on your phone, can't you?"

"This... okay then," Catherine eventually relented. "But just to be clear, I really don't think that cosplaying is anything abnormal! To prove that I mean what I say, here is my number, just to show that I don't find you guys strange!"

"Don't worry about that, Miss Catherine, we are not offended in any sense," Golden Hand smiled before proceeding to pull out his phone to exchange numbers with Catherine.

"Give me her number too," Secret Keeper told Golden Hand after that.

"Can I have your number as well, then?" Catherine asked Secret Keeper casually while saving Golden Hand's contact.

"No, I'm afraid that I don't usually give out my number to people I don't know well," Secret Keeper shook his head while saving Catherine's number on his phone.

"Eh?" Catherine had to do a double take. "Excuse me?"

But you just asked for my number?

Isn't this usually a two-way thing?

Maybe she's wrong. This Secret Keeper really isn't a normal person... because he's an asshole!

"Hahaha! Don't worry about him, Miss Catherine. Secret Keeper is just a little too obsessed with keeping his secrets," Golden Hand laughed. "Well then, perhaps you would like to take a look around the exhibition?"

"Oh, right! That reminds me; I still have work that I need to attend to, so I really should get going now!" Catherine quickly declined. "It's nice meeting you guys, though! I mean it, so don't please be too harsh on yourselves!"

"Yes, yes, we got it," Golden Hand chuckled. "See you around if fate decrees."

"Farewell," Secret Keeper added.

Catherine rolled her eyes at Secret Keeper before turning to Ken, who immediately understood her intention.

"Thank you for accommodating my selfish request, Miss Catherine," Ken said while gesturing towards the door. "I will show you to the exit. This way, please."

The duo returned the same way they came, passing by the same strange booths and walking past the strange crowds.

On the way out, she witnessed how some of them haggled over the price of a piece of rock, and how others participated in a bidding war for a tree branch.

All of these transactions were being conducted in their own imaginary currency as well, something they called mana stones.

Catherine could not help but sigh in her heart.

She had always believed that she was rather open minded about the world of cosplay, but the scene playing out before her eyes was truly beyond the limits of her understanding.

At this point, she was just hoping that her friend would not turn out to be as obsessed as these people in the future!

Before long, Ken had brought Catherine back to the front lobby of the office building, where she had first met Mister Nolan earlier.

"Thank you once again for your help today, Miss Catherine," Ken did a short bow out of gratitude. "Please feel free to visit us again. I will definitely repay your kindness in the future."

"Don't worry about it," Catherine waved her hand nonchalantly. "I will be back tomorrow, though I'm not sure if this place will still be... this place. Anyway, see you when I see you!"

Catherine turned and left.

She had to admit that Ken was quite a treat to the eye, but that alone was not enough to stop her from leaving.

What kind of hot guys had she not seen before?

In this day and age, just a few quick swipes on a phone would be able to pull up countless photos of handsome and well-built guys on the internet.

It might be true that photos cannot compare to those in the flesh, but it had certainly helped to build up her resistance level!

After leaving, Catherine walked over to her parked scooter, then turned her head to look back at the office building.

At this point, Catherine could not help but rub her eyes in disbelief.

The grand office building from before had vanished, replaced with a familiar two-storey house.

It was the same house that she had always visited every morning when delivering milk to Mister Nolan.

Had she been dreaming earlier?

Yeah, what was she thinking?

There's no way the house could have turned into an office building... right?

Beep-!

"Oh shit!"

The timely reminder from Catherine's watch broke her out of her daze. She was way behind schedule!

Realising the grim situation that she was in, Catherine hurriedly took stock of the milk bottles in the rear storage of her scooter, then scooted off towards her next destination.

At the same time, she could not help but feel a lingering sense of regret in her heart.

If she wasn't already running late, she would definitely have gone straight back into the house to check on Mister Nolan.

Well, no matter.

There is always tomorrow.

***

"This is for you, Mister!" Catherine said while offering a sandwich and milk bottle with outstretched hands.

In front of her was a middle-aged man seated on a piece of cardboard by the roadside, who promptly looked up at her in response.

His hair was dishevelled, and his face was unshaven. Dirt and dust stained his clothes all over, and there were even small holes in his shoes. Given how he looked, it could be considered rather miraculous that he was not giving off any foul stench.

"Thank you as always, young lady," the middle-aged man received the items with a grateful smile on his face, just like how he did every morning.

"You don't have to thank me, they are just some leftovers from my delivery job," Catherine waved nonchalantly. "I am running a little late, so I will have to get going now. Enjoy your breakfast!"

Catherine said that they were leftovers.

They were not.

She first came across this homeless middle-aged man about a month ago when she started working as a delivery girl. Ever since then, Catherine had been buying him breakfast every morning.

Catherine might not be rich herself, but she could at least afford to help him out in this small way.

After changing into her school uniform at a public restroom nearby, Catherine rushed down to school.

Before long, Catherine found herself standing in a row with a few other students, while White Cloud Junior College's discipline master went down the line to address each student one by one.

"So tell me, Catherine," Frank finally arrived in front of Catherine. "Why are you late today?"

"I'm sorry, Mister Ng. Something came up that delayed me in the morning. I will not do it again," Catherine replied monotonously, almost as though she were reading from a script.

"This is what you said the last time as well," Frank crossed his arms. "Tell me then. What is it that came up this time?"

Catherine cursed in her heart.

Damn it, this is all because I zoned out and daydreamed during delivery earlier!

"What's with that indignant expression? Am I wronging you? What time did you come in?" Frank asked sternly.

Catherine remained silent.

She was not the only one, either.

Most of the other latecomers had chosen to remain silent when questioned about the reason for being late.

If they were going to be penalised anyway, what's the point of saying so much?

It would just make them look desperate and uncool in front of the other students!

Of course, there were also some students who answered without hesitation. These were usually the students who were not as familiar with being late, or who were slightly more afraid of trouble.

"All right, all of you write down your names and go to class," Frank said after he was done questioning all the latecomers.

The students glanced at each other in surprise, but they did not need to be told twice.

They quickly came forward and wrote their names in a thick log book before rushing off. Catherine was no exception.

"Tch!" Frank clicked his tongue in frustration as he looked at the disappearing backs of the students.

If not because the University Entrance Examinations are just around the corner, I won't be letting you off so lightly!

With such an attitude towards school, let's see just how well you bunch of bad students can score!

***

"Catherine, you are finally here!" a female student exclaimed when Catherine stepped into the class.

Catherine could not be more familiar with this voice. Even without looking, she knew that it was her best friend Jean.

"Yeah, finally," Catherine replied in a tired manner before slumping into the seat behind Jean.

"What happened?" Jean leaned over and asked. "Did your scooter break down again?"

"Don't ask. Even I can't believe what happened earlier," Catherine sighed.

"Eh?" Jean blinked blankly. "What do you mean?"

"No, it's nothing much," Catherine shook her head. "Maybe it's just too early in the morning, and my mind hasn't cleared up yet."

"Oh, okay," Jean shrugged it off nonchalantly before putting an exercise book on Catherine's table. "Anyway, about this part in your notes, what do you actually mean?"

"Oh, this? Here, let me show you..." Catherine picked up a pen and started explaining.

Now that they were this close to the University Entrance Examinations, the majority of the students had started revising in earnest. This naturally applied to Catherine and her friends as well.

When one was focused on something that they had to do, time seemed to pass especially fast.

In the blink of an eye, school had ended for the day.

"Are you really not going to join us for ice cream?" Jean asked.

"Yeah, it's almost the end of the week. Let's take a break from studying," another male classmate named Robert added from the side. "Shawn is going too."

"Nah, I'm good. Just don't bully Jean while I'm not around, Robert!" Catherine playfully slapped Robert on the upper arm.

"I won't!" Robert replied with an irritated frown.

"Hahaha, see you tomorrow then!" Catherine picked up her bag and walked off.

"She must be going back to continue studying," Shawn said. "It looks like it's just the three of us then!"

"Just how did she change so much, and so quickly too?" Robert wondered out loud.

"Tell me about it. She used to be such a delinquent!" Shawn chuckled.

"Isn't it good, though? The University Entrance Exams are almost here after all," Jean said. "We really need to buck up as well. Otherwise, not to mention the same course, we might not even be able to enter the same university as her!"

Robert frowned when he heard that. "That's not good. I have to enter the same university as her."

"Eh? Were you saying something?" Jean turned towards him in surprise.

"No, it's nothing," Robert replied. "Let's go."

***

Just as her friends had guessed, Catherine headed home right after school ended. However, she did not dive straight into her notes as her friends thought she would.

Upon reaching home, the first thing she did was to feed her cat Peanut. After which, she changed into her sports outfit, tied her long black hair into a ponytail, then started her daily skipping routine.

An hour later, the sweat-drenched Catherine finally put down the skipping rope in her hands, taking deep breaths as she tried to regulate her breathing.

Ding-dong - !

"Coming!" Catherine walked over to answer the door, only to be greeted by a familiar face.

Jack, son of the landlord.

He had just turned 30 this year, though his good looks made him seem much younger than his actual age. Moreover, he had a great fashion sense, so it would not be strange even if a stranger mistook him for someone who was in his early twenties.

Not only did he come from a good background as the son of a building owner, he also had a prestigious job as a doctor.

All that should have been more than enough to make him a good catch, especially in the eyes of young and impressionable girls like Catherine.

But on the contrary, her impression of him was not a good one at all, and what happened next only served to remind her of the reason why.

The moment Catherine opened the door, she could see Jack's gaze immediately start wandering all over her body, ogling at her tight-fitting sports outfit that was drenched in sweat.

Catherine had to consciously suppress the urge to slam the door in his face.