"W-where is he…?"

Alicia mumbled to herself as she looked around the town square, having the image of one person in mind.

—Rey!

'I thought he would want to hang out together…'

This would be the first time they were going to explore the town together, so she thought he would want to do it with her.

They would check out the marketplace and even have tons of fun in this world… like on a date.

But he was nowhere to be found now.

'I guess I was the only one who was looking forward to this…'

As Alicia tried her best to dismiss her heavy thoughts, she felt a shadow cast over her from behind

Someone was approaching her, and for a moment she suspected it would be Rey.

'Maybe he quickly went to get something and came back for me.'

It was sort of rude, and she would have to give him an earful for it, but Alicia was relieved.

That meant they could finally hang out.

However, the moment she turned back and looked at the person who approached her, she could see it wasn't the boy she was hoping for.

She recognized the face, but that didn't mean she was happy to see it.

'It's him!' Alicia tried to hide her disappointment that it wasn't Rey, but she wasn't a great actress.

"H-hey… Billy. I thought you already went off with your friends."

Alicia hoped he would take the hint that he could just go and hang out with the many friends he already had.

She just didn't feel comfortable under his gaze.

"Well… I… just thought maybe we could hang out together? You know, since it's our first time in town and all."

Alicia wanted to leak out a tear.

Why were the words that she wanted Rey to say being spoken to her by Billy?

It was a tragedy beyond compare.

"Erm, I was hoping to explore on my own. You know how I am… haha…"

Alicia didn't want to be rude to Billy, but she felt like she had given him enough hints to back off.

"I just want to be alone." She smiled, trying very hard to break the tension.

However…

"… Because Rey isn't here, right?" Billy's whisper suddenly greeted her ears.

"What was that?"

"Rey isn't even here! He went off on his own. He clearly doesn't care about you… not like I do!"

Alicia was stunned that Billy would make such an outright confession after he had been so subtle and indirect in the past.

Especially now that they were in the middle of the town square.

"Billy, lower your voice and—"

"You think I don't have eyes? I see you with him all the time. How can you be going to his room so frequently? Even spending so long there up till late at night?!"

Alicia knew what Billy was referring to, and it proved her point that he had been indeed stalking her.

In retrospect , Alicia realized she had spent way too much time in Rey's room that night.

They had both lost track of time due to the fun conversations they were having.

Would she change that if she could?

Alicia's answer was no! It was clearly because they were having fun that they had taken so much time without either of them realizing it.

'And it's not like we did anything…'

But those thoughts aside, Billy was really getting on her nerves.

"I told you to lower your—"

"Do you know what people are saying? Do you know how hard I try to fight the rumors and help you out, even in secret? Yet you spend time with that loser that abandons you the slightest chance he gets."

Right now, Billy was whining and shouting like a bratty child. Alicia couldn't help but crease her brows in disgust as she looked at him.

He kept blabbering on and on about what he had done for her, how hard he was working… and how unfair she was being to him.

It got to a point where Alicia couldn't take his pathetic display any longer.

'This idiot. There are eyes on us… and he won't stop talking.'

It was at this point that Alicia reached the limits of her patience and

It was for that very reason that she finally spewed out her undiluted thoughts.

"Would you shut up already? You're the most insensitive asshole I've ever spoken to. Why don't you just leave me alone?"

The moment she said this, Billy paused in downright shock.

It suddenly felt like she was the bad guy.

Alocia didn't care, though. She was done being polite to this guy.

'The reason I was subtle and indirect to him was because he was also subtle. I didn't want to be too forward, and I considered his feelings, which is why I didn't outrightly reject him…'

But now that Billy had revealed himself as the creep that he was, Alicia had no reason to keep the farce going.

"I don't like you, Billy. And if you keep pestering me, I'll have to personally defend myself. You wouldn't want a fight between the two of us, would you?" Alicia threatened, deepening her glare.

At that moment, Billy shuddered.

Everyone knew that Alicia was much stronger and skilled than Billy.

Her Skills were much better than his, though their Classes were in the same Tier. If they were ever to fight, it would be an embarrassingly easy win for Alicia.

"Exactly. So back off. If you keep pestering me, I might have to tell Adonis and the higher-ups too."

The look on Billy's face as she said this made it clear he was nervous.

Of course, someone like him wouldn't want to lose all the goodwill he had been getting thus far.

Alicia found it to be even more pathetic.

'Unlike you, Rey doesn't care about any of that…'

And yes, he did abandon her in this town to wander on her own, but at least he didn't embarrass her out in the open and bombard her with so many terrible words that Billy used.

Last but not least… Alicia actually liked Rey.

… Not this guy in front of her.

"Just leave me alone and don't bother me again, okay? Don't follow me."

Alicia walked away, leaving Billy standing like a lifeless statue.

She didn't feel particularly good about her actions, but it had to be said.

'Look what you've caused, Rey. Because you left, this guy went and reared his big head.' Alicia found herself smiling.

She wasn't particularly mad at Rey, just a tad disappointed.

'I wonder what he's up to…'

********

"I… I… I just…"

Billy was mumbling to himself as he stood at the town square.

He remembered how his friends had wanted him to come hang out with them but he chose to come for Alicia instead.

He recollected how happy he was that Rey wasn't present, and Alicia appeared lonely.

He thought… he actually thought she would be happy to have him as company.

Well… he was wrong.

Not only did Alicia thoroughly reject him, but she did so in the most humiliating way possible.

Billy was heartbroken to the core, and his hollow facade was enough evidence for it.

*

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Thanks for reading!

Man… I honestly feel bad for the gigachad, Billy.

After everything he's done… tsk tsk… Alicia really is ungrateful.