The drive was mostly silent.

My sister was texting on her phone and constantly checking the time while telling me to hurry up.

I ignored her, literally incapable of going over the speed limit.

Gina's family lived some eight blocks away from us, so we got there at exactly 21:20.

After going through security I parked in the visitor's designated area.

Javiera grabbed the bag and gave me a look.

I arched an eyebrow at her, then retrieved the condoms I bought earlier from my pocket and tossed them on her lap. “Just in case.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile, putting them in her bag. “And sorry about today.”

“Mhm,” I agreed with a nod, then leaned in to her and offered my cheek.

“Agh!” she huffed, but gave me a big kiss. “Can you open the door now?”

I touched the screen. “Call me if anything happens. Okay?”

“I will!” she replied while getting off.

“Drink a glass of water after every drink,” I told her. “Eat greasy food if you get too drunk. Don't be pressured to drink... or pressure others to drink.”

Javiera waited with an arched eyebrow.

I continued, “If anyone blacks out make sure they're laying on their stomach... same if you're too drunk. Don't mix energy drinks with alcohol. Don't take any psychoactive, pain killer, or benzo... the mix can kill you. Tie your hair if you're going to puke and wash your hands if you do. Take your high heels off after... two drinks. Let Gina's parents handle the troublesome drunkards.”

My sister rolled her eyes. “Anything else?”

“For the love of all that is sacred in the world don't drink more than two drinks if you think you'll get any action,” I advised. “Better yet, don't drink at all if that's the case.”

She gave me a non-committal nod. “I'll keep that in mind. Love you, bye!”

“Take care. Love you,” I told her and touched the screen to close the door. I watched her walk to the lift and call it. “Haaa...” I sighed while shaking my head. “Was I that troublesome at her age?” I asked nobody in particular.

The doors to the lift opened and my sister walked in.

I checked the cameras and drove off to Zhou's house.

Zhou Lingu, my best friend of fifteen years, lived in a small but luxurious apartment complex a good ten minutes by car from my house.

The building looked average from the outside just like the place I called home, but was taller at seventeen stories of height.

Once again, for the tenth time that day, I entered a basement parking lot. This time, just like the time I went home, I didn't stop at security since my car information was in their database. I parked at the Linghu family spot and got off, then bent over and looked under my car.

The floating vehicles left a neat and ordered space beneath them, giving an unobstructed view of the parking lot's walls.

I smiled, straightened, and leaned on my car. “Haoww...” I yawned and covered my mouth. “Damn!” I sighed and sent Zhou a message, letting her know I was waiting for her.

Waking up at five in the morning to go to the gym, classes until 13:00, exercise after lunch, the heat of the day, the cannabis, having sex with Monika for an hour and some change, and driving around Kanbe had left me a bit more tired than I expected.

It had been a pretty eventful day so far.

The prospect of partying until the sun went up was attractive, but the idea of staying over at Zhou's and watch movies while cuddling was more tempting.

If not for the fact our friend from school was celebrating his birthday, I might have tried to convince Zhou about the second option.

The doors to the lift opened.

I turned my head to check if it was my best friend.

A woman of unparalleled beauty stepped forward, and a pair of indescribably magnificent brown eyes that held the modern world in contempt for lacking the natural beauty of old met mine.

Her jade-like skin and creamy face looked like snow under the dim lights of the basement parking lot. Her black, thin, and curvy eyebrows similar to a pair of crescent moons went up. The delicate petals that were her lips formed an easy smile. She moved her silky, shiny black hair with a gesture that would leave the Heavenly Emperor of the Divine Way speechless, and it fell gently behind her exquisite shoulders.

It was as if the world had stood still.

Her figure was wonderful and had a delicate allure that most would wage war for. It was so graceful that words fell short. A comfortable white top supported by a choker around her neck hugged her generous breasts, and a deep neckline offered a window where all the goddesses born of human creativity would experience envy for the first and last time if they were to take a mere glimpse. Her midriff and slim waist were exposed, forcing any and all who desired a feminine figure to develop the most brutal of insecurities. A black and white skirt hugged wide hips, but allowed mortals to behold slender and long legs. The perfect arcs of her waist, breasts, and hips were affronts to the idea that all humans were born equal.

Zhou Linghu had an air of pride about her, further accentuated by the way she carried herself as she approached me. She knew she was hot, and enjoyed every second of it.

Despite being used to it, I found myself staring.

Such a description was better than simply saying 'She's a 10'. Doing so would be both an insult to her and a shout to the sky that revealed me uncultured and incapable of recognizing beauty. The Heavenly Mandate would surely punish me for such insolence, too.

My best friend walked to me, her sneakers squeaking on the smooth floor of the basement parking lot.

“Hey, slut,” I greeted her with a smile. “How a-”

She lowered her body, spread her arms, and rushed me while growling, “Cock! Cock! Give me! Grrrr!”

Alas, the fairy was actually a goblin.

I pushed myself off my car to dodge her advance.

Zhou was faster, not being under the influence of behavior-altering substances. She jumped at me with her arms and legs spread wide, a happy smile on her face. “Vale~!”

I turned around and faced her to prevent her from falling flat on her face.

My best friend wrapped her limbs around me while growling like a frenzied gremlin. She glued her face to my neck and gnarled, “Let me get a whiff... sniiiff... Haaa... yes... Futa smell! Finally! I waited more than twenty-four hours! Nyehehe!”

Fortunately for both of us, I was strong enough to keep us from losing balance and falling down. I walked to my car with unsteady steps and leaned her back on the door. “Damn it, Zhou,” I complained while panting. “You almost pushed me down, you fucking dumbass...”

“Aww!” she pouted, taking my face in her hands and giving me doe eyes. “I'm so sorry, baby! Here, let me give you an apology kiss,” she said and gave me a big and noisy smooch on the cheek.

I sighed, hugging her tightly.

The hug – probably our billionth at that point – was warm, full of affection, and communicated how much we had missed each other despite having met two days ago.

Her body was soft, but she put strength in her arms while hugging me back. A fruity and floral scent mixed with the sweet fragrance of hair products demanded attention each time she breathed out.

Her voluptuous body warmed me up in ways summer could not.

Zhou pulled her face back and ran her thumbs over my eyebrows, then over my lips. “Hey, baby...” she greeted me with eyes full of love. “How was your day?”

I licked my lips and smiled. “Good. A bit tiring, but better now,” I replied.

She giggled, a big smile taking over her lips. She ran her fingers through my hair. “Good answer,” she approved.

“And you? How was work?” I asked, nestling my face in her neck and taking a deep sniff.

My best friend hummed in satisfaction. “Busy as usual,” she replied, hugging my neck. “I couldn't wait to see you, baby.”

A chuckle escaped my throat and I leaned my head back to look her in the eye. “Good answer,” I approved.

We stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the feeling of the other's breathing on our skin.

A throb downstairs made my face heat up.

Zhou's smile turned cheeky and she squeezed my waist with her legs, pressing our groins together. “Is that for me?” she asked in a coquettish tone, gently rubbing my earlobes with her fingers.

“No,” I laughed, leaning back. “We should get going,” I changed subjects.

She pouted, then squinted her eyes at me in suspicion. “You whore,” she laughed, realization hitting her. She released her hold on my waist and accused me, “You got laid today...”

I held her by the ass and made sure she didn't fall, then set her down. “I did,” I confirmed, not one to keep things from my best friend. “It was...” I rolled my eyes into my skull with a big smile while taking a deep breath, “...delicious,” I concluded.

My best friend nodded, an approving and genuinely supportive smile on her face. “I'm going to need details,” she stated, leaving no room for argument.

I smiled and giggled. “I'll tell you on the way,” I agreed and gestured for her to get in my car.

“Hmph!” she harrumphed and walked away. “Man or woman?”

I spanked her ass. “Woman,” I told her and unlocked my car.

We got in and fastened our seat belts.

I touched the screen on the dashboard, closing the doors, then turned the car on.

Zhou grabbed my right hand and placed it on her left thigh, then ran her fingers on my forearm. “I love the nails,” she praised, inspecting my fingers with her free hand.

“Thank you, got them done earlier today,” I shared with a smile. “So...” I started, gently squeezing the flesh under my digits. “I met her at Uni today.”

“Today?!” Zhou gasped, turning to me. “Holy shit it was fast. I mean... it's you... so I get it.”

I nodded, driving through security unimpeded. “I felt it, Zhou,” I chuckled while shaking my head. “That... urge.”

My best friend hummed in understanding. “Right,” she muttered, her fingers on my forearm becoming gentler. “How strong?”

I looked both ways, checking for any oncoming cars. I drove forward after making sure it was safe. “Pretty strong,” I admitted, giving her thigh a cheeky squeeze. “A solid nine.”

Zhou let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “So I'm still number one,” she cheekily pointed out.

I laughed, giving her a wink. “Yeah,” I agreed and focused back on the road.

“Go on,” she urged with excitement.

“I talked to her and got her number,” I shared with a shrug. “She's a bit shorter than me, dyed scarlet hair, goth vibe but super friendly, really pretty and cute. Gave her a call around seven and she invited me to her place.”

“Was she nice to you?” My best friend inquired with a serious tone.

“Yes, mom,” I deadpanned with a nod. “We talked for a bit. She's super chill.”

“Talked for a bit?” Zhou repeated, not quite convinced. “And then what? She got in your pants? How long did you talk? Did she at least ask about your hobbies or something?”

I would have rolled my eyes if I wasn't driving. “Yes. Also, I made it pretty clear it was casual sex and not romantic,” I assured her.

“Mhm. Well... good for you,” she accepted. “What's her name, by the way?”

“Monika,” I replied, then remembered something and laughed. “Her roommates came back as I was leaving.”

She gasped, her grip on my arm tightening. “No wayy! What happened?” she demanded, thirst for gossip taking over her voice.

“I left the apartment and went to take the lift down and met three goths,” I retold. “They stayed in the lift and asked me some stuff. Pretty fun bunch.”

Silence met my words.

“That's it?” Zhou asked with disappointment. “You worded it like... I don't know... like they caught you fucking! That's not interesting at all!” she complained.

I scoffed at that. “You have a wild imagination. I said as I was leaving. Why did you conjure the idea they caught us fucking?”

“I don't know! I pictured you leaving naked, clothes in one hand and shoes in the other with your cock out and covered in cum,” she weakly explained, but laughed after.

“Pfft! HAHAHAHA!” I rocked back and forth, unable to hold back at the silly mental image.

“Imagine,” Zhou said between bursts of laughter. “One of them tripped and fell face first on your cock!”

“What?” My face twisted in confusion, but laughed anyway because it was funny for some reason I couldn't understand. I gave her a quick look.

She was shaking her head and wiping at the edge of her eyes while laughing.

“They had piercings of their face so that'd be painful,” I got out between giggles.

My best friend took a calming breath, then let out a shaky sigh. “Yeah, we don't want that to happen. Haaa...”

I sighed as well. “Anyway. How's your side looking?”

Zhou took a deep breath and let it out. “Yeeaahh... nah. You have no idea how hard finding sex friends is when you look like this,” she said, gesturing at herself with her free hand.

My eyebrows joined in confusion. “What about the dude you told me about? Joomin, was it? Jeolin? Or something...”

“Jong-yul,” she corrected, then sighed again. “He asked me on a date earlier today, and I was Yaay, cock! But... it was a dinner date at a fancy restaurant, and he said he wanted to get to know me more before dating. I had to end things with him.” She clicked her tongue. “Men can't fathom the idea I just want to get fucked! What's so hard, anyway? Put it in, cum, pull out, leave!”

“What an asshole,” I sarcastically commented.

“Right?!” Zhou scoffed. “It took me a whole fucking week to get him in the sack, and now he's talking about dating? Argh! After only three weeks! Absolute torture, Vale. I'm going to discover time travel and go back to the twenty-first century at this point.”

“Sucks to suck... well in your case you're not sucking anything, kekeke!” I chuckled.

“How do you pull it off, anyway?” She asked with envy. “Three this week? Four with the goth today... Share some of that luck, you bastard!”

“Oh, you're going to rage,” I laughed, giving her a shit eating grin.

Her face paled a little. “No...” she uttered in shock.

I nodded, focusing back on the road ahead, then bragged, “A classmate told me she has the hots for me and wants a strictly physical relationship. We meet tomorrow.”

“How!?” she demanded. “I'm dying of thirst while you're drowning. Stop laughing!” she lightly slapped my shoulder with her free hand.

I took a turn while slowing down and entered a drive through, stopping in the line of hovering cars within range of the building. “I don't know, Zhou,” I truthfully replied. “Maybe it's just luck.”

The dashboard lit up, announcing a coming call.

Zhou accepted the call while sighing.

“... Oh! Uh... Welcome to Wacky Star's. What can I get for you tonight?” a voice nervously greeted, stuttering the words.

Zhou spoke first, “A galaxy number nine with three espresso shots, two caramel shots, two sugars, one cinnamon shot, two vanilla shots, extra whip, truffle powder on top, and I have a cup with me.”

“Damn,” the voice quietly uttered.

I quietly laughed, covering my mouth.

“I heard that,” Zhou chuckled, then opened the glove compartment and retrieved two large metallic cups from it.

“Oh! I-I'm so sorry!” the person apologized.

“Not a problem, just be aware people can hear everything you say while the call is ongoing,” she informed them.

“I will!” the individual replied, sounding even more nervous. “Anything else I can get for you?”

“Yeah,” I spoke up. “One nebula number four with no sugar, extra ice, and I also have a cup with me.”

“Okay,” the person sighed, clearly relieved by the simple order. “A-anything else? Sorry... it's my first day.”

Zhou smiled. “It's okay, baby. That'd be all.”

“Right,” the voice sighed again. “So that's... One galaxy number nine with three espresso shots, two caramel shots, two surrgars... two sugars, one cinnamon shot, two vanilla shots, extra whip, truffle powder on top...” the person took a breath “... and one nebula number four with no sugar and extra ice. Did I get that right?”

“You did,” I confirmed, holding back laughter.

“Okay, uhm, please... uh, advance to the payment pylon,” they requested.

“Got it,” I replied. “Thank you and have a nice shift.”

“Thank you, have a nice shift as well,” the person replied, then gasped and hung up.

“We all have to start somewhere,” Zhou muttered wisely, but her lips were threatening to form a smile.

I cleared my throat and drove forward, the car in front moving as well. “I guess I work here now,” I joked and stopped in front of the payment pylon.

The dashboard lit up, showing [Ꝅ3150] on the screen.

Zhou pressed her left wrist on the screen, finalizing the transaction with her watch. “Did truffles go up in price or some shit? This is two hundred Kredits more than last time.”

“So it would seem,” I commented and drove forward, stopping at a window. “It's truffles we're talking about...”

Zhou handed me the cups, then touched the dashboard. “Sure, but two hundred Kredits? That's a bit much,” she argued.

My window went down.

I shrugged. “Maybe it's not just truffles,” I suggested.

The metallic window on the establishment's wall opened, revealing a staff person wearing the purple Wacky Star's uniform. “Cups, please,” she requested with a tired voice.

I reached out and placed them on the sill.

The worker faced away for a second, then turned back to us with two brand new cups in hand.

I received them and handed Zhou the bigger cup. “Thank you very much,” I said and sucked the straw.

The mellow taste of cold red tea made me hum.

“Thanks!” Zhou waved at her with a smile.

“Have a nice night,” the worker said with no energy in her voice, then closed the window.

I drove forward, taking another sip of tea. After checking for any oncoming vehicles I took a turn into the street.

“So,” Zhou started after taking a long sip of her drink. “How come you get more action than I do?”

I gave her a look. “Really? You still on that?” I asked, then focused back on the road.

“I am,” she insisted, took my drink out of my hand, put the cup in the spot between the seats, and brought my hand to rest on her left thigh again. “Because to be honest I don't understand at all.”

I sighed, overtaking a car that was going a bit too slow. “Well... my target demographic is anything with the capacity for thought that is of age. You, on the other hand, only go after men.”

“And you,” she added as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Also, you have crazy standards,” I continued, quickly looking at her with raised eyebrows, then back at the road. “And terrible luck.”

“What's wrong with wanting to fuck nines and tens?” Zhou protested. “I don't want an uggo...”

“Which leads us to me,” I agreed, shaking my head at her wording. “I am the thing you women look for, so I get more action. It's that simple.”

“The arrogance!” My best friend sighed in disbelief. “So, Miss female-leaning non-binary simultaneous hermaphrodite. Impart on me the secrets of the intersex so that this Zhou Linghu gets the cocks she deserves” she requested in an exaggerated tone of deference.

I pursed my lips and sucked air.

She brought the cup close to me.

I drank some tea, then nodded. “Hear ye, hear ye. For this is the word of the one above all,” I joked.

“Blessings be upon ye, enlightened one,” she joked back, putting the cup down.

I took a deep breath and let it out while taking a turn. “You're incredibly attractive. And when attractive dudes see a woman like you they think of making you their girlfriend.”

My best friend let out a long groan. “But I just want cock, Vale. Preferably two... or three so I can have a nice spread through the week. You know?”

“And that's perfectly natural,” I validated her. “But the kind of dude you like is not that kind of dude. And let's be for fucking real, Zhou. It's been a month and you're already complaining.”

She made a whiny, whimpering sound.

“Have patience, woman!” I told her with a laugh. “You can't just expect cocks to rain on you. I've been on the grind for YEARS! And you?” I scoffed, spanking her thigh. “So Yunyun doesn't what to just fuck you. Womp womp.”

“I'm trying!” she pouted, pinching my hand. “And his name is Jong-yul.”

“Mhm,” I let out a sassy hum. “I have to say I'm impressed, Zhou. You have a one hundred percent success rate with men.”

“Not the success I want,” she sighed, then smacked her lips. “Whatever. Let's talk about something else. This is too depressing.”