Chapter 41

Lemira sat in the car with Orion, her gaze drifting over the passing vehicles. She worried aloud, “Lucian is definitely going to send people after me. He might even cause trouble for you at school.” After all, this was Langston territory. This was precisely why she'd been hesitant, hoping to leave after the exam. Lemira felt guilty for dragging Orion into her predicament.

Orion patted her head. “Don’t worry, they won’t find you. What you need to think about now is where you’ll stay.”

Lemira sighed. “Guess I’ll have to rent a place.” It was something she’d considered but never acted upon. She almost wished Lucian had evicted her sooner.

Orion said, “I know a place that’s up for rent.”

Lemira followed him to the apartment complex. It was nice. Stepping inside, she commented, “This place must be expensive! I’m pretty broke at the moment.”

“Money’s not an issue. It belongs to a friend of mine. He’s not living here; you’ll housesit. Technically, he should be paying you.”

Orion stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, lean and nonchalant.

Lemira laughed. “Is this actually your place?”

“No, mine’s next door.”

Lemira was momentarily surprised. “That’s quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”

He smiled casually. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be comfortable with you living anywhere else. After all, I’m the one who coaxed you into leaving.” Lemira felt her cheeks warm. Coaxed her? It was surprising to hear such words from someone usually so reserved. Orion, realizing his words might have been a bit strong, quickly changed the subject. “Just stay here for now, don’t worry about anything else.”

Lemira nodded. “Alright, but I still need to pay rent. I can sleep on the couch and won’t touch your friend’s things.”

Orion frowned. “You don’t have to sleep on the couch. He’s never stayed here; the guy’s loaded and clueless, don’t worry about it.”

Lemira smiled. “Then you two must be really good friends.”

Orion glanced at the time. “How about playing some games now?”

Lemira followed him to the neighboring apartment; it was identical in layout. Orion’s place seemed sparsely furnished, but his study boasted two impressive computer setups.

Lemira launched a game and saw a replay of a game she'd played earlier, showcasing a twelve-hit combo. The title even mentioned K’s protégé making a comeback.

She felt a bit guilty. In her previous life, she hadn’t achieved the twelve-hit combo in the playoff, nor had she met the legend.

Orion glanced at her. “When did you learn to pull off a twelve-hit combo?”

Lemira panicked. How could she explain? Could she tell him it was from her past life? Mastering K’s twelve-hit combo was challenging; many had failed to replicate it from videos.

Lemira licked her lips. “Actually, I’m a huge fan of K. I’ve admired him since I was little and secretly practiced his signature move. I never succeeded before, but somehow, I managed it during the competition.”

Orion’s expression was complex. “You’ve liked him since you were little?”

“Y–Yeah, always been a big fan, so I’m familiar with his moves.” It was the best explanation she had. She was indeed an admirer.

She glanced at Orion, who seemed awkward as he stiffly replied, “Don’t fall for someone so easily.”

Lemira was surprised. “But this is different.” After all, it was the legend K. Anyone who played the game admired him!