Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Through my bestie's boyfriend's roommate, I managed to get hold of Brayden's class schedule, and even more...

"Leanna, have you finally found someone you're interested in?"

My bestie teased me incessantly, playfully waving her hands around.

"He's for my assignment-or rather, I need him for my assignment. It's complicated."

"Starting with role play, huh? You little minx, living the high life!"

She put down her phone, blocking my view with her hand, her face beaming with a knowing smile.

"No need to explain, my dear. Just check your messages."

Our chat history was already scandalous enough, and it just got worse.

Besides Brayden's class schedule, I also got his grades from last semester, the location of his dorm, his height, and... a bunch of other random stuff.

My bestie rested her chin on her hands, batting her eyes at me. "My beautiful baby, getting him will be a piece of cake."

Actually, it wasn't that easy.

Most of the time, I hid in the shadows, sneaking around, freeloading and eavesdropping on gossip.

The female protagonist and the male protagonist had a quarrel, and Brayden patiently listened to her complaints in a café.

The female protagonist went shopping for clothes, and the two men secretly tried on new outfits, competing to see who looked better.

The female protagonist and the male protagonist went to an amusement park, and Brayden tagged along like a third wheel, his brows furrowed so tightly he could crush a fly.

The list goes on.

Brayden, as the male supporting character, truly had a heart of gold.

In just a few days, he not only made peace with the male protagonist but also managed to hang out with the female protagonist as a trio. I couldn't help but admire him.

He also indirectly confirmed my assignment's description of the male supporting character's traits.

I could never find the right moment to make a grand entrance.

But Brayden came to me on his own.

That day, Corynn arrived late and sat at the same table with the two of them.

She looked at the two meals in front of her, delighted and caught in a sweet dilemma.

I hadn't gotten my meal yet, still busy replying to messages in the class group chat.

"Here you go."

I looked up to see a tray with three dishes and a soup.

And there was Corynn, sitting across from the male protagonist.

Oh, so Brayden's meal had been rejected too.

He must have been so embarrassed, looking around until he spotted me as his lifeline.

Brayden sat down naturally, even shifting his body to let me greet the gossiping male and female protagonists.

"I told them you're my friend. Eat up."

A smart girl knows how to seize opportunities.

I opened my WeChat QR code and silently pushed it over. "Friend, let's add each other on WeChat."

"Alright, Leanna."

"You're so smart, using your real name as your WeChat ID. Mine is just Leanna."

He didn't continue the conversation, just focused on his meal.

No worries, a small step today means a big leap tomorrow.

Using the "friend" label, I repeatedly showed my goodwill.

Running laps with him on the track, helping print materials, sending warm goodnight messages... all basic operations.

In any case, I tried to become a familiar face, working hard to become a true friend.

One day, I went to the basketball court to bring him water again.

"Leanna, if this is all for some male supporting character research, you don't have to go this far."

I pretended to be angry. "I swear to the heavens and the earth, I really don't have those kinds of thoughts."

I silently prayed: Dear heavens, help me out here.

"I just feel we have a connection and want to be good friends with you."

Brayden drank water and casually said, "What, do you want to pursue me?"

Our words clashed in the air, shattering into pieces.

Brayden choked on his water, coughing uncontrollably.

I wanted to pat his back but decided against it, so I fanned him instead.

"No, no, I really don't have any improper thoughts."

Who would dare to covet the female lead's devoted admirer? The male supporting character only had eyes for the female protagonist.

It took a lot of effort to get this close; I didn't want to be chased away like a butterfly.

His face turned red from coughing.

Before he could leave, I quickly added:

"Not a bit, not a smidge, not at all. Please don't misunderstand."

The empty water bottle was casually tossed into the trash can, and the ball bounced louder in the second half.

See, after getting the answer he wanted, he played with more energy.