Chapter 165 - Friends Pt V: (Lover's Spat...)
It was only at times like these that these two would be so agreeable and obedient.
Only now would their answers be in sync.
These were clear signs of a guilty heart, ah!
When Emilin turned around, Grace and Noah were like ravaging beasts trying to tear the other down, yet the moment her gaze moved over, these beasts would suddenly turn as docile as puppies.
"My, if you both say so I guess I'll just have to believe it...
"
Believe my a**.
Emilin said as the two still seated on the couch released a sigh of relief at the same time, which of course did not help relieve Emilin of her suspicions.
In the end, she just dropped the matter altogether as she had long realized that this was simply their way of interacting.
It was still fun to see them acting as if they had no clue what she was talking about, so even though Emilin had a general idea of what had happened before she came in, she still liked to tease the two.
They were quite cute.
Emilin oftentimes found the resemblance of a married couple in the two of them.
But she wouldn't say that to them out loud because she knew them well enough to know that the combined power of both Grace and Noah's attacks were not something she could face.
And saying something like that would surely attract all the aggro.
When they worked together, they were like a power couple!
Another comment that would rest in peace in her mind, never to see the light of day.
"By the way, what took you so long? You know, Noah was wondering whether you had fallen into the toilet,
" Grace sold out her friend in a heartbeat.
It was true that their previous momentary partnership to avoid suspicion existed.
But the emphasis was really on the words previous and momentary.
It could really only last for that one second after there was no more imminent danger.
Right after the danger was gone, the amicable partnership and rapport between the two vanished into thin air, as if having never existed.
Noah, who had been sold out, resigned to his fate without another word.
He had finally learned his lesson... for now.
What Grace said wasn't wrong, he had indeed said such words.
It was just that a normal person with a conscience wouldn't repeat these words back to Emilin when they were all supposed to be friends.
Like… what was this difference in treatment?
Sigh.
Whatever.
He had decided to just keep silent and play his stupid game which he kept losing at.
"Oh, about that. Haha,
" Emilin laughed awkwardly when she heard of their speculations.
"I was heading to the bathroom when I met Mason right around the entrance. He said that he had suddenly recalled a matter, telling me that after another two weeks, I could complete my month of training on learning all the before and afters of handling a camera before actually doing so.
"
"He was telling me that he would take a look at my previous works before deciding where to start the lessons... and I told him that I would get my camera to him tomorrow so that he could check it out...
"
Emilin felt increasingly awkward the more she thought of this matter.
What she really wanted to say was that she wanted Mason to check out whether there was something wrong with her camera.
After all, during her whole trip to the Hemafuji Mountain Range, she had only taken one half-decent photo.
Everything else was... so half-assed that just thinking about it gave this young lady a migraine.
The worse part was that that was already her doing her best, it wasn't as if she had slacked off or anything.
'That just means that I have room for improvement! A whole lot of room for improvement...'
Even Emilin's self-encouragement felt deprecating.
"Anyways, after I spoke to him, I came back right after, so even if you're going to say that I took too long, it wasn't exactly my fault,
" Emilin's cheeks puffed as she was not in a good mood after thinking about her past matters.
As for Grace, who found Emilin's hamster-like actions adorable, she just giggled.
"You said that you met Mason on your way to the bathroom and then you came right back after talking to him... does that mean that you don't have to go to the bathroom anymore?
"
Grace teased.
That did seem to be the case.
Emilin blushed.
"I went before coming back,
" Emilin said meekly.
So meekly that she almost did believe her own excuse.
She too had gained the habit of not liking to admit her mishaps in speech, especially not when she was around people who were so good with their words.
"I see...
" Grace was trying her best to stay composed.
She had almost laughed out loud, but she still didn't expose Emilin.
It was the same way Emilin didn't expose Grace and Noah.
Though all three of them knew that the others knew, they wouldn't say it out loud even if they were 100% sure.
This was some kind of tacit understanding between the three that allowed their relationship to continue without anyone getting offended by anything.
"Then can I see the photos too since you're bringing them for Mason tomorrow anyways?
"
Grace asked rather casually, but that tone didn't hide the interest gleaming within her eyes very well.
"No!
"
Emilin answered quickly, almost too quickly.
"Okay then…
" Grace was like a sulking puppy.
Since Emilin had rejected the notion, her best chance at making her change her mind was to act cute, something that Grace had figured out through trial and error.
But this time, this honey trap tactic didn't work.
This was because Emilin was just too embarrassed to reveal the truth about her horrid skills right now.
At this moment, a great thud was heard from a strong impact of a hand on the leather couch.
It was Noah losing another round, nearly throwing his phone at the wall.
Thankfully, he was able to restrain himself, instead of just slamming his phone along with his hand, face down on the couch.
"What's your win-loss ratio anyways?
"
The two girls' attention was attracted by the noise that conveyed all human frustrations.
Grace and Emilin both knew what Noah was doing rather clearly, after all, he was hooked on playing this game from a few weeks back, but these two girls really didn't understand what he was hooked on.
After all, he absolutely SUCKED at it.
"No comment,
" Noah said monotonously.
He was not about to admit that his win-loss ratio was 0:321.
It was too shameful.
Grace could more or less guess what kind of ratio this would be, but even she wouldn't be able to guess that Noah had yet to win a single time after hundreds of games.
It was unfathomable to her that someone would be able to persist in playing a game that one couldn't win at, no matter how much they played.
"How did you even get so addicted to this game anyway? This... this... what was the game called again?
"
Grace couldn't recall.
"Mobba, and no matter how many times I lose, it doesn't change the fact that the game is too cool. Sister, you don't know because you haven't played before,
" Noah said in a mocking tone as if calling the other party an uncultured swine.
"Brother, you spend at least 6 hours of your day being cursed at for being trash at the game by strangers, yet you still defend it. even if you don't feel bad for yourself, I feel bad for you. I don't need to play the game to know that anyone would be able to do better than you,
" Grace mocked right back.
This sister and brother were spat out with a mouthful of poison.
As for Emilin, who sat on the sidelines, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at their eloquence.
It was just terrible, simply terrible.
She wanted to say,
"Even if you guys aren't tired of insulting each other, I'm already tired of hearing it! You people have to research some new lines!
"
She had already heard similar insults being hurled back and forth a couple of dozen times, and not once did is sound convincing.
Instead to Emilin, it sounded like they were having a lover's spat.
Emilin didn't take their words at face value, instead, she took some time to interpret the meaning behind them.
Everything was through a filter.
And of course, with this, Emilin could easily predict the next lines.
Something like.
"Sister Grace, why don't you join me in playing since you haven't played before?
"
"Yeah, sure, I'll join, I feel bad since you keep getting cursed. When I join, I'll make sure to keep you safe!
"
And the real words that came out from their dispute weren't too far off.
"If you're so good, then why don't you try!
" Noah spat out.
"I will! And I'll make sure to trample you within the week!
" Grace looked at Noah disdainfully before downloading Mobba.
See.
Not too far off.
The general meaning pretty much remained completely consistent.
And just like that, for the following week or so, in all their free time, they were both engrossed in the game with their hands stuck to the screen with the exception of the times when they were about to throw their phones away in frustration.
Seeing the two of them like this Emilin had no way of telling them that this game had anything to do with her.
And thus, she consistently kept mum on the matters related to Mobba.