25 Chapter 24 - The question.

Justine was shocked to see the young man before him. Her friend had changed into a completely different person and would have passed him if she didn't take the moment to inspect his face.

It wasn't a heaven defying change that would entice everyone immediately but was still a noticeable change that surprised her.

He never had an unpleasant face, rather it was unnoticeable and average that the change popped up like a sore thumb especially to people that know him. 

Even for her solid hardened heart started to sway seeing his face. She may act tomboy and like wearing male clothes doesn't mean her attraction was for women. Justine finds it much better to wear male clothes than female one. 

Ryuu seeing her reaction made him smirk and understably made her stunned by his change. It had boosted his self esteem quite a bit especially when people took quick glance. 

"Yeah it's me. Oh come stop looking at me like that or you'll make me blush."

He jokingly said taking Justine out of her stupor before turning around then gave a strong punch to his shoulder that didn't faze him.

"You jerk! What happened the last time I saw you!!?"

She said taken back that her punch hadn't hurt him even a bit. Ryuu may be strong for an average teen who has been in a few fights yet it shouldn't be possible for him to shake off a punch like that.

"Santa Clause visited me and gave me some shit no biggy."

Ryuu shrugged it off as if a normal occurrence that made Justine frustrated that he was teasing her and tried to punch him in the face but he just leaned to the side dodging her fist. 

This caught her by surprise yet again but quickly used her other fist to attack. However, Ryuu's new enhanced reflexes immediately caught it while giving a slight smirk.

"Come on, no need to harm my new pretty face."

"Tch. Keep your secret then. Anyway, let's go grab lunch first. You're paying right?"

"Yeah yeah,  I will, My Princess" 

She blushed from his words and confused why her face was heating up when it never happened before when he teased her.

'The hell am I flustered for?'

Justine does have feelings for him due the amount of time they were together but she normally shrugs off his teasing and now was beet red from a simple phrase. She shook her head trying to compose herself.

"Where do you want to go? I was planning on going to Jollibee but it's your call."

Ryuu said craving for some of the meals from his favorite fast food restaurants held a special part in his childhood. It was the place where his parents and brother spent their holidays. However, he shrugged it off and wanted his friend's opinion. 

"A-Ah? Well I was craving some pizza."

"Pizza for lunch? Really? Here I thought I'm being unhealthy."

"Hahaha like fast food could be any better?"

"Touché. Alright but which Pizza joint though?" 

"Let's just head inside and see the line first knowing that Christmas is around the corner."

It was the season of Christmas where people are extremely active in spending their money and time. Furthermore, the academic break gave students time to be free from schools. 

The quota of these events are extremely long and you need to be lucky or patient enough to eat in some restaurant. 

They quickly went inside being greeted by countless winter decorations and Christmas theme promo. The two walk around the mall trying to find a Pizza joint that didn't have many people. They were fortunate enough to find one. 

"Hey what's the plan for our final project?" 

After they had paid for their food which was all Ryuu but unbothered knowing his money is numerous. The two placed their meal on their table and had two large pizzas for each other. Ryuu ordered a simple all meat style while Justine had pepperoni with two medium size coke. 

Ryuu was about to devour his meal when Justine mentioned about their school project which needed to make a report of certain events in their History class. 

He gave his thoughts on the matter even though school became nothing more than a hobby after getting the Chat group. Ryuu would have dropped out if not for his parents.

Furthermore, he couldn't be optimistic as the possibility of losing the chat group is not zero.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah shoot."

"What's your think of Anime harem?"

Ryuu leaned back witnessing Justine choke after being taken aback by his questions. She knows that he is someone who fantasizes harem like an Idiot.  

"It's stupid! How do you expect to pay everyone the attention they need when you have multiple women to take care of?"

Justine gave her honest opinion in the matter since even though she's a tomboy didn't mean her womanly nature is gone. She dislikes the idea of sharing her man with another woman that it disgusts her.  

Ryuu already expected it due his intuition and knew that though his life turning like some wish fulfillment fiction didn't mean it would always go how he wanted it. 

'How the hell do I convince her then!? It's not like fanfic where the woman would just say 'I know you would treat us equally' which is bullshit.'

He gave his own opinion in the matter even if his dream to have harem doesn't mean he'd disregard the logical thought that comes with it. 

They lived in the modern world where polygamous relationship was far from the norm. Furthermore, he didn't want to hurt their relationship for being selfish but the system seems to be forcing him to do it. 

"But I can't confirm what I said is true since there are probably people out there who are fine in such a relationship." 

Justine thought about her own uncle who had polygamous relationship with two woman from the foreign country. She did ponder how they are doing as it was only a recent thing. 

"Right, you're uncle. I'm quite jealous that he's bold enough to do that. " 

"Why did you suddenly ask that anyway?"

"Nothing much. Anyway, how about we watch some movie next then stroll around the market."

She squinted her eyes looking at Ryuu who was sweating bullets under her gaze. Justine felt a thought in her heart that she didn't want to be true and quickly shook it off. 

The feeling made her uncomfortable, especially looking at Ryuu with the thought passing through her mind. 

"Yeah, that sounds great. I heard that the new marvel movie just came out but too bad I wasn't able to buy tickets."

She was disappointed that her chances of watching it were now zero due the ticket getting sold out faster than the flash. 

"Great thing I've pre-ordered this bad boy's! Bam!" 

Ryuu took out two tickets that were difficult to find without extensive patience and luck due to people doing the same thing as him. It was just in the blink of an eye that the ticket immediately sold out even in pre-order. 

Justine was shocked to see the ticket that made her eyes shine before giving a smirk as she was an extreme marvel fan, a polar opposite of Ryuu who was more in the anime industry than the comic industry. 

"Oh my god! Holy shit men! How did you get it!?"

"Let's just say god's gave it to me."

The truth is, Ryuu bought them in the system that sold for 1 point each. They finished their meal and went to buy their snack for the movie before arriving in the theaters. Ryuu was chuckling seeing her excited like a child that made Justine blush when he kept staring at him. 

He chuckled a bit before turning his attention to the movie and silently watched everything unfold. It was full of unexpected turns of events that led to a tragic ending.

Ryuu can't forget how Justine screamed along with the people when a certain scene happened in the movie. It was an enjoyable movie but had some issues, namely the character screen time. 

"God! What an ending! I can't believe that happened."

"Careful now, we don't want people getting spoiled are we?"

"True that but come on! It just opens a whole new possibility in the movie!"

After the movie, they strolled around the mall. Their unofficial date was far from over.