AN: I will start updating right now. I've already dropped the novel that I was reading around Chapter 1050+. Here's the link: https://www.mtlnovel.com/strong-waist/
As for this chapter, please be prepared for the extreme cringiness. This cringiness is dedicated to all of you, my readers.
...
"Huh?" Floyd looked at Bianca, confusion etched on his face. "Mad at you? Why would I even be mad at you?"
"Please, just... don't be mad at me," Bianca repeated, her voice laced with an uncharacteristic urgency.
"Like I've said, there's no reason for me to be—" Floyd's words were abruptly cut off when Bianca, in a surprising and bold move, rushed towards him and planted a kiss on his lips.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Floyd's eyes widened in utter shock, a mix of surprise and confusion crossing his features. Bianca, her face now a deep shade of crimson, turned on her heel and fled, her footsteps rapid against the ground as she disappeared into the distance.
"Tha-tha-that…" Floyd stammered, still rooted to the spot. His mind struggled to process the sudden turn of events, his thoughts a whirlwind of bewilderment and disbelief.
Amidst his daze, distant voices broke through his stupor. "Bianca, where are you?" The voice, tinged with concern, echoed around him.
"Bianca, don't take it to heart. That was just a joke. You aren't seriously going to follow through with it, are you, with the youngest?" another voice chimed in, a hint of teasing evident in its tone.
"Bianca, we were only teasing you. Where have you run off to?" The voices of Linh and Phuong were now discernible, but Floyd remained disconnected, his mind replaying the brief, unexpected encounter over and over.
Linh and Phuong, in their search for Bianca, stumbled upon Floyd. He was standing motionless, his gaze fixed on some distant point, lost in his thoughts.
"Youngest, have you seen Bianca?" Linh asked as she approached Floyd.
But Floyd seemed to hear nothing, his mind still elsewhere.
Seeing no response, Linh called out again, a bit louder this time, "Youngest?"
Still, Floyd remained unresponsive.
Linh, now puzzled and slightly concerned, tapped his shoulder forcefully and shouted his real name, "Floyd!"
This seemed to jolt Floyd back to reality. "Ah, eh," he muttered, his mind finally snapping back to the present. He noticed Phuong and Linh standing before him, and unconsciously, his hand drifted to his lips, touching them as if to confirm the reality of what had just happened.
Phuong's eyes widened in realization and she exclaimed, "Oh my God! Did Bianca actually do it to you?"
"Do... what? I don't know what you're talking about," Floyd stammered, his face flushing a deep shade of red, a mix of embarrassment and denial in his voice.
But Phuong, her eyes sharp and knowing, couldn't help but smile slyly at him. "Oh, really? You don't know?"
Floyd's discomfort grew under Phuong's teasing gaze, his entire face now a portrait of embarrassment. "W-w-what do you mean?" he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.
Linh, unable to contain a smile, joined in. "We had a bet, that if one of us loses in the battle, the consequence would be to kiss someone. And Bianca lost, so her consequence... well, it involved you," she explained, her smile broadening as she watched Floyd's reaction.
"S-so… it's all your doing!" Floyd exclaimed, his voice tinged with anger and disbelief. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place – Bianca's strange behavior, her shy demeanor after her loss in the earlier battle. It all made sense now. It was these two girls who had orchestrated this awkward situation.
"So, she actually went through with it and kissed you?" Phuong asked, her voice laced with mirth and a sly smile playing on her lips.
Floyd, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration, averted his gaze, unable to find the words to respond to such an unexpected and personal revelation.
Linh, trying to lighten the mood, playfully patted Floyd on the shoulder. "Well then, isn't this a pleasant surprise? Looks like you've got yourself an instant girlfriend," she teased.
"It's not like that," Floyd quickly rebutted, his voice firm yet tinged with embarrassment.
"How can you say it's not? Bianca took a bold step forward with you. And you still say 'it's not'? What's the matter, Floyd? Are you not man enough to acknowledge it?" Phuong sneered, her words sharp, as she looked down at him.
"Isn't this mess all because of you two?" Floyd retorted, his anger directed at the mischief-makers.
"Well, we might have sparked something, but it's really between you two now. Stop blaming us," Linh replied with a grin. "Anyway, we need to find Bianca, and I have a fight coming up. See you later, youngest!" She waved her hand cheerily at Floyd and bid farewell to Phuong.
"She really went through with it! Kukuku, now we can tease her endlessly!" Floyd could hear Phuong's sly laughter fading into the distance as they walked away.
In a mix of disbelief and embarrassment, Floyd slapped his cheeks with both hands, as if trying to convince himself that the recent events were just a dream. But the memory of the kiss, vivid and undeniable, replayed in his mind relentlessly. His face remained flushed with embarrassment.
…
12:55 pm - The final battle was imminent. Phuong observed Bianca, who persistently turned her back to her. Bianca was sitting, her knees drawn up to her chest, while Swablu rested comfortably on her hair.
"Bianca!" Phuong approached and sat down beside her. Bianca, still sulking, turned even more away, her face a deep shade of red, clearly still embarrassed by the recent events.
"Are you mad at me?" Phuong asked with a smile, trying to break the ice.
"I hate you two," Bianca muttered, her voice muffled as she hid her face in her knees. She was not only angry but also deeply ashamed, especially after learning that Linh and Phuong had set the whole situation up as a joke. But the reality remained – she had acted on their dare with Floyd, and the thought filled her with both embarrassment and indignation.
"We're not friends…" Bianca's voice trailed off, then with a firmer tone, she added, "anymore."
"I'm sorry, Bianca. Can you please forgive me?" Phuong implored, fully aware that Bianca was still sulking because of their prank. She hoped her sincerity would be enough to mend the rift between them.
Bianca remained silent, her posture stiff and unyielding.
Undeterred, Phuong moved to stand in front of Bianca, who promptly turned her back to her once again.
"Eh, you're still upset with me?" Phuong's voice carried a mix of surprise and remorse. "I'm genuinely asking for your forgiveness. Aren't we friends anymore?"
"You… you need to apologize," Bianca murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes, I am apologizing. Please, forgive me," Phuong replied, her tone gentle and earnest, a stark contrast to her earlier teasing.
"You… must promise not to bully me," Bianca paused, her resolve firming, "ever again."
"Okay, I promise, I won't," Phuong quickly agreed, then, in a bid to lighten the mood, she rushed in front of Bianca again, asking, "So, are we good now? Friends again?"
But Bianca turned away once more, her body language still guarded.
"You say we're friends, but why do you keep turning away?" Phuong's voice held a note of hurt as she tried again to face Bianca.
Bianca responded with a soft "Uhm," and a slight nod, yet continued to turn her back to Phuong.
"Why do you keep avoiding facing me if we're friends?" Phuong's frustration was evident, but she persisted in her efforts to reconnect, repeatedly trying to face Bianca who continued to avoid her gaze.
Then, a realization dawned on Phuong as she noticed Bianca's increasingly red face. A sly smile crept onto her lips. "Ah, I get it now. You're still embarrassed about what happened earlier, aren't you?"
Hearing this, Bianca's face turned an even deeper shade of red, almost as if steam was about to rise from her ears. "You… must… not… tease...me," she managed to say, her words deliberate and spaced.
"Okay, okay, I promise I won't," Phuong sighed, a mixture of playfulness and resignation in her voice. She finally sat down beside Bianca, who remained curled up, hugging her knees, her back still turned to Phuong.
A few minutes ticked by, and it was already 1 pm. The much-anticipated final battle was about to start. Linh and Ivan emerged onto the middle of the field, poised for combat.
…
In the commentator's booth, Nakamura's voice crackled with excitement, "Here it comes, the final battle! Who would've thought that it would come down to a duel between the Captain and Vice Captain of the scouts? This is beyond my expectations!" He then turned towards his fellow commentators, eager for their insights. "Professor, Floyd-san, what are your thoughts on this matchup? Who do you think will emerge victorious?"
"This time, the outcome is really up in the air. Both contenders are incredibly strong," Kanraku began, his tone reflecting the uncertainty of the match. "In terms of the strength of their beasts, Linh seems to have the upper hand with two Pro level beasts, while Ivan only has one. But in battles like this, it's never just about raw power. Strategy, timing, and a bit of luck all play crucial roles. So, it's really hard to make a definitive prediction," he elaborated, turning towards Floyd for his input. "What about you, Floyd-san? Who do you think has the edge in this match?"
Floyd, however, seemed distant, his mind evidently still preoccupied with the unexpected encounter he had experienced earlier. The memory continued to play on a loop in his mind, making him oblivious to the ongoing conversation.
"What is it?" Floyd asked, suddenly realizing he was being addressed and remembering his role as a commentator.
"I was asking who you think will win the match. You seem a bit distracted, everything okay?" Kanraku inquired, a look of concern mixed with confusion on his face.
"Maybe, Floyd-san is just deeply invested in this match. After all, Linh and Ivan aren't just competitors in his eyes; they're close friends of his," Nakamura interjected, smoothly steering the conversation and covering for Floyd's momentary lapse.
The battle, meanwhile, continued to unfold with intense fervor. After more than 10 minutes of strategic maneuvering and fierce exchanges, the tense atmosphere reached its climax.
In a decisive moment that captured the attention of everyone present, Le Mai Linh emerged victorious.
