This High-Teen Mid-Series is Scheduled for Early Cancellation 5

“Wait.”

David left those words arbitrarily and closed the window. In the meantime, I desperately tried to calm my embarrassment while locking my bicycle. Perhaps because I was needlessly nervous, I fumbled several times.

Actually, I had debated whether or not to use my helmet and knee pads, but if I had worn them, it would have been even more embarrassing. It was because my parents and hyung, who are doctors, always taught me to wear protective gear properly when riding a bicycle, and to never ride motorcycles or electric scooters.

“Let’s go.”

David, who had parked his car nearby, approached while spinning his car keys around his finger. Those car keys were from an expensive brand, which made my bicycle feel even more shabby. I have a proper car too…! Of course, I don’t know how to drive though…

“Is that your taste?”

David kept giggling as if the sky-blue bicycle was funny.

“…No.”

It was Mom’s bicycle. The rattan front basket even had a ribbon attached to it. I should have taken the ribbon off. …I thought it wouldn’t be visible because it was dark.

“You’re really… peculiar. I heard you used to dress like a goth before.”

“…It’s not goth, it’s EMO.”

I’m not an EMO follower July, but the correction was actually important, so I replied quietly.

“Right. Pfft! EMO.”

David openly laughed while covering his mouth with the back of his hand. Are you mocking me? You’re mocking me? A sixteen-year-old mocking a nineteen-year-old hyung? If we had met in Korea, you’d be dead. You’re only alive because this is America.

LOL

Even the system, which arbitrarily read my thoughts, ridiculed me. Ah, nothing’s going right already.

“…But did you ask other kids about me?”

I changed the subject. Now that I think about it, I wondered how that kid who knew me as a new student knew about former July’s weird tastes. David, who was just under 2m tall and built like a door, glanced down at me with his hands shoved in his pants pockets.

“Ah, yeah. I was curious. Why? Is that not okay? Should I have asked you directly?”

“No… You could ask…”

Why is he curious about me? I’m just an extra character. I wish he would show deep interest in Natalia Newton, who we’ll meet later, instead of me.

“Today’s party seems really big.”

“It is. Harper’s throwing it.”

“Are you two dating?”

In the early part of the drama, Harper Cruz and David Evans had a thing going on. But I was anxious thinking they might have started dating without me knowing. If that happened, things between David and Natalia would fall through.

“Harper and me?”

David chuckled and pointed at himself with his index finger.

“She doesn’t like me.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Huh? But in the drama, don’t Harper and Natalia fight over David? How can there be a love triangle if Harper doesn’t like David?

“But why are you curious about that?”

David, who suddenly blocked my path, asked while tilting his head slightly to the side. His slightly smiling face was truly handsome and pleasant to look at. The moonlight seeped in, making it glow softly.

“Uh… Because you two are famous.”

You’re the male lead in the drama, and you have to be terribly entangled with Harper. And with Natalia too. I couldn’t say these things, so I swallowed them down. At my answer, David raised his left eyebrow.

“That’s all?”

“Yeah. That’s all.”

“Well. Okay…”

David pulled up one corner of his mouth in a smile. It was an enigmatic smile. Just as I was wondering why he was smiling like that, I bumped shoulders with someone! It was because we had arrived at Harper’s house garden, which had become crowded with people before I knew it. David grabbed my forearm and hid me behind his back, then smiled brightly at the person I had bumped shoulders with.

“Dan. Long time no see.”

“Dave!”

They seemed close as David hugged the guy and bumped shoulders with him, showing intimate behavior. The arm David was holding felt strangely too hot, so I quickly shook off his hand and stepped back.

I was quietly looking at David’s broad back, then moved my feet toward Harper’s house where loud music was blaring—boom! boom! boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The vibration of the music resonantly pounded all the way to my heart.

But what should I do? Should I artificially arrange for Natalia and David to meet? David is out there, but has Natalia come here? She’ll definitely come since they’re supposed to meet here, but when will she come? How do I know who Natalia is? The system only gave me text information about the characters, not images.

Tip! You can receive rewards by completing quests.

A status window popped up. It seemed to mean I should just obediently do the quest. It was a good place for it. Since it was a party, everyone’s hearts would be soft and open, so they’d easily accept greetings.

“Ugh!”

I bumped into someone again. It was because there were so many people it was dizzying. But the other person didn’t seem to notice they had bumped into me. With eyebrows drawn down in a troubled expression, she was having a conversation with her friend.

“Sandy. I’m not really into parties…”

“Nat, don’t be like that and let’s have some fun, okay? It was really hard for me to get invited to this party! It’s Harper Cruz’s party!”

She was a pretty girl with slightly messy long brown curly hair who looked plain, and a short girl with bright red hair.

“But I want to do my homework…”

“Natalia Newton! Don’t talk about such boring things here!”

The bright red-haired girl shouted. Though she hurriedly covered her own mouth in surprise, I definitely heard it. The name Natalia Newton.

“Hey, you bumped into me.”

“Oh my, I’m sorry!”

I’m an extrovert, I’m an extrovert! After self-hypnotizing myself, I turned around while trying my best to give a pleasant-looking smile. Natalia, who seemed flustered, blinked her eyes and covered her mouth with her hand.

“It’s okay. It didn’t hurt. I just wanted to talk to you. I’m July, what are your names?”

I was looking at Natalia, but it was Sandy who opened her mouth. Red-haired Sandy linked arms with her friend intensely and shouted.

“Hi, July! I’m Sandy, Sandra Stone, and my friend is Nat, Natalia Newton!”

NEW!

Greet 100 students [21/100]

NEW!

Greet 100 students [22/100]

<Character Status Window>

◈ Name: Natalia Newton

◈ Age: 17 (11th grade)

◈ Popularity: 21%

◈ Affection: ???♥

◈ Nickname: ???

◈ Special Notes: The only protagonist of ‘Pizza Saver’, has scopophobia and stage fright.

“She’s a plain nerd, but if you look closely, she’s pretty. Why does she go around hiding that beauty?”

<Character Status Window>

◈ Name: Sandra Stone

◈ Age: 17 (11th grade)

◈ Popularity: 4%

◈ Affection: ???♥

◈ Nickname: ???

◈ Special Notes: Natalia Newton’s childhood friend

“If you keep looking at that bright red hair, your eyes hurt too much! I wish she’d wear a hat or dye it!”

System windows popped up dizzyingly.

Turn them all off, turn them all off because they’re noisy! Don’t notify me one by one about the quest to greet students until I check it myself! I thought to myself while smiling brightly.

F**K U!

Whatever the system grumbled, Natalia in front of me was more important right now.

“Hi, Sandra and… Natalia.”

I bought time by calling their names, but what should I do? What do I do? I frantically racked my brain. Now that I think about it, where’s David? I shouldn’t have just left him behind…

“July! Are you already hitting on girls?”

Making my worry meaningless, warm body heat wrapped around my nape and shoulders. David Evans had put his arm around my shoulders. With about a 10cm height difference, quite a bit of weight pressed down heavily.

“Ah! David!”

“I told you to call me Dave.”

David shook his head while sipping on a tall can drink.

“Right, Dave. …But what’s that?”

I heard American kids drink alcohol from a young age, could that be beer? Is this sixteen-year-old already drinking alcohol that even this hyung hasn’t tried yet? Huh? And he’s still wet behind the ears!

“Want to try some?”

“Ugh!”

Dave, who smiled playfully, forcibly brought the can to my lips. Something he was drinking from! Drip! Something flowed down my chin and into my mouth at the same time, and pop, pop pop, pop! The carbonation burst sharply in my mouth.

“…It’s sweet?”

As far as I know, alcohol is bitter…? I smacked my lips and looked closely at the can held in Dave’s hand.

“…It’s cola.”

A global beverage brand logo was stamped on the outside. It was even cherry-flavored.

‘Pizza Saver’ is rated for all audiences. 🙂 Underage drinking is wrong! No, alcohol is just bad!!! X0

Right. Their ideology is sound for once…

“Delicious, right? It’s my favorite.”

“Yeah. It’s good.”

Actually, I didn’t really like the artificial cherry flavor… No, this isn’t the time for this…! Natalia, who was awkwardly fidgeting, caught my eye. Right! These two meet for the first time at the party! Originally they bump into each other by chance, but for now, I thought I should introduce the two.

“David, this is Sandra Stone. And this is Natalia Newton. They’re in the same grade as you. Natalia, Sandra. This is David Evans.”

“…Of course we know David!”

Sandra covered her wide-open mouth with her small hand. Natalia rubbed her arms awkwardly while glancing at David. David sipped his cola can while observing Natalia, who was much shorter than him, carefully. Somehow I could feel the tension. Right, there’s something between these two, right? Right?

NEW!

Romance points increased by 1!