Rudy was waiting for Jessica at the school gate, but she didn''te out even after five minutes. So Rudy decided to go in and see if she was busy with something.


    It wasn''t rare for Jessica to do that as she used toplete her homework in Elena''s office— although she used to do it in her ssroom when Elena was on leave. But she had promised to go shopping after school, so it was weird for her to not run out while jumping.


    "She might have forgotten."


    When Rudy was walking through the hallway, he found Elena talking with Jessica outside the ssroom.


    "Is everything alright?" he asked.


    "Oh!" Elena stepped back and said, "Yes, of course."


    Jessica pulled Rudy''s finger and said, "She asked me if you were seeing someone. I don''t know what it means, but do you?"


    "Jessica!" Elena whispered violently and said, "Why are you telling him?!"


    "Isn''t it best to ask him for yourself?"


    "That''s not what it''s about."


    Jessica nced back and forth at Rudy and Elena and then ran away while saying, "I will wait for you at the gate!"


    "Wait!" Elena tried to run away, but Rudy blocked her way.


    "So? The teacher who was suspecting me in the morning is suddenly interested in me?" he asked with a slight smirk.


    "No, I am not! I was asking her to get more information about you because I still don''t trust you fully."


    "And how is that relevant in any way?"


    "Well, I assumed you might be bringing your lover home when the sisters were away or something. I didn''t want them to get involved in all this stuff."


    "You know, I can tell when someone is lying. But sometimes, even the lie is actually the truth. There could be two reasons for the same action, so if someone tells one reason, it doesn''t mean the other reason is a lie," Rudy stated with a proud face.


    "I didn''t know you were a magician," Elenamented.


    "Excuse me. Magicians don''t do that kind of stuff. Don''t lump me with the likes of fakes who basically con everyone."


    "Then tell me, mister Robert." Elena looked into Rudy''s eyes and asked, "Was I telling the truth, or I lied?"


    "Hmm~" Rudy stared into Elena''s eyes purposely to make her nervous, and he kept staring at her until she averted her gaze.


    Elena''s face flushed a little as she asked, "Why are you staring so much?"


    "It seems my power is not working. I will have to stare more," Rudy responded with a grin on his face.


    "Oh. I see what you are doing. I have to admit, that was a nice one."


    "Hmm?"


    "Don''t y dumb now. I realized your intention."


    "Umm…"


    "You were trying to hit on me, right?"


    "No."


    "I won''t believe you. You are a terrible liar."


    "No, seriously. I wasn''t trying to do that."


    "Well, I will say it worked." Elena wrote something down on the note and said, "See you soon."


    She handed the note to Rudy and walked away.


    "...." Confused, Rudy looked at the note and saw a phone number written on it. On the other side, she had written an address of a coffee shop and a meeting time.


    "Did I just… get asked out for a date…?" he asked himself.


    Rudy left the school and met up with Jessica. And then they went to the market together to buy ingredients for dinner tonight.


    However, Rudy''s mind was still on the note.


    ''I don''t understand. I was only staring at her so her attention would be diverted from the topic. But she misunderstood and thought I was hitting on her. And… then she gave me her number and asked me out on a date?


    I mean… wasn''t that too easy? I wasn''t even trying to do that. Keeping that aside, what should I do about this? I honestly don''t think I should have had a rtionship in the past timeline.


    What if I do something and that changes the future entirely? But I did a few things that were already established in the 2008 timeline. For example, the washing machine. I think the electric stove too, but that might be reced by my momter in the future.


    There were no sr panels and water motors, so I am not sure about that. Regardless, I should reject Elena''s offer, but how? I don''t have a sim card or a phone that works in this timeline, so I cannot contact her on the phone.


    I guess I will go to the meeting ce and exin to her my circumstances while leaving time travel rted things aside. And… if she invited me on a date, doesn''t that mean she is interested in me?


    Like, even if she thought I was hitting on her, she would have acted repulsively if she was against it, right? It''s been two weeks since we met, and we talk about a lot of things whenever I go to drop Jesica at school. So… is it safe to assume that she likes… me?


    Now, this is awkward. I can''t imagine what she will feel like when I tell her that she is mistaken. I kind of feel bad, but I have to do what I have to do. She is a responsible adult, and I am sure she would understand.


    We don''t know anything about each other. Whenever we talked, it was always about Reba and Jessica and something rted to them.''


    Rudy let out a deep sigh and muttered, "This is actually not my first time feeling like this."


    ''It happened in my past, too, whenever someone showed interest in me. I would feel guilty for turning them down for my selfish reasons, but it is what it is.''


    After reaching home, Rudy cooked dinner, and theyter fell asleep. It was a weekend the next day, and it was also the date day.


    Rudy got up early and took a long bath. He then made breakfast and ate with Jessica and Reba.


    "Are we going anywhere today?" Reba asked hesitantly. "You always take us outside whenever it''s the weekend."


    "Umm… not today. I have something else to do. I will take you to the water park again tomorrow."


    "I know you are going to see Miss Elena!" Jessica dropped the bomb.