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nVillain Ch 41. Headshot!

nLarissa’s eyes flicked between the two men as they spoke, confusion etched deep into her features. “Let me guess…” Larissa began hesitantly, her voice laced with confusion. “Did something happen related to gamers? Or maybe about a game?”

nAllen returned his gaze to Larissa and heaved a deep sigh. “Yeah. Gerry’s ex is a gamer,” he replied, his voice terse. “So, he said he didn’t want to date gamers ever again or even hear about games again.” Then Allen’s attention shifted to Gerry. “But it looks like someone has changed their mind,” Allen added, his tone laced with annoyance.

nGerry’s face twisted into a pout, but then he turned to Larissa, and his expression softened. His eyes gleamed with a mischievous twinkle, and his lips curled into a confident smile. “Just like Allen said. So— if you want to be my girlfriend you have to stop being a gamer,” he declared, his tone teasing and playful.

nShe cringed at Gerry’s bold declaration. A frown etched onto her forehead as she tried to find the words to refute his request. “I never said I wanted to be your girlfriend,” she said, her voice firm and unwavering. She was confused about why Gerry suddenly thought that she had a crush on him.

nAllen watched it with amusement, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He shook his head from side to side slowly, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

n“Headshot!” Allen exclaimed, mimicking the voice effects of a popular video game. His sarcasm was evident in the nonchalant tone of his voice. He had warned Gerry time and time again about his overconfidence, but Gerry never seemed to listen. It would make it difficult for him to find a new girlfriend.

nDue to her refusal, Gerry’s confidence took a nosedive. His attempt at a joke was transparent, and she could tell that he was trying to save face after being rejected so bluntly. She watched as he forced an awkward grin, his embarrassment radiating off of him in waves. “Of course… I was just kidding. Ahahaha…” he ended with a forced laugh, desperately trying to cover up his humiliation. He lowered his head, pretending to be busy eating his food. “Bury me…” he whispered under his breath; his voice barely audible.

nAllen took pity on him and decided to change the subject, hoping to ease the tension that had settled between them. He cleared his throat and turned to Larissa, flashing her a small smile. “May I ask you a thing or two about your Pilates class?” he asked, his tone casual and relaxed.

nLarissa nodded; her curiosity piqued. “Sure, what would you like to know?” she asked, her eyes bright with interest.

n“Is your class for women only?” Allen asked. It was a random question.

nLarissa sighed as she spoke about the lack of male participation in her Pilates class. “No, we also accept men. It’s just that there are very few who take it,” she said, her voice laced with frustration. “And they mostly don’t last long. They’re more interested in weightlifting and stuff. So, most of the members are women,” she added, shaking her head in disappointment. It seemed like no matter how hard she and her colleagues tried to introduce Pilates to men, the stereotype that the class was for women was too deeply ingrained. It was the same with yoga, where the majority of participants were girls.

nShe flicked her eyes up to meet Allen’s, hoping to find some spark of interest in his gaze. “Are you interested in it?” she asked, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice. Based on Allen’s body shape, which was not overly muscular, Pilates could still be suitable for him. 𝐞𝗼𝘃𝐞𝐥．𝗰𝐨𝗺

nAllen shook his head in response, immediately refusing her offer. “Not really,” he said, his tone nonchalant.

nLarissa’s disappointment was palpable as Allen declined her offer to join her Pilates class. “Pilates is a good exercise for lower back pain,” she tried to convince him. “I heard most writers have it.”

nBut Allen remained steadfast in his decision. “Still a pass for me,” he said, smiling kindly.

nLarissa let out another sigh, feeling like she had failed in her attempts to convince Allen. “Okay, just tell me if you’re interested,” she said, resigned to the fact that she couldn’t force him to join.

nSuddenly, Gerry spoke up, his voice urgent. “Guys, I think I need to go soon,” he said, his eyes glued to his phone.

nAllen turned to his friend. “Did something happen?” he asked, wondering why Gerry seemed so anxious all of a sudden. He couldn’t help but wonder if Gerry was trying to escape the awkward situation with Larissa after his failed attempt at asking her out.

nGerry’s eyes remained glued to his phone. “My childhood friend just moved into this city so he asked me to show him around. He’s around here right now,” Gerry said, his voice low and conspiratorial. “He will be arriving soon.” He finished the sentence with a quick glance around the cafe as if looking for signs of his friend’s imminent arrival. He then put his phone in his pocket and set about finishing his food with rapid intensity, as if the meal was an afterthought and his true focus lay elsewhere.

n“Is he going to eat with us?” she asked, her voice light and teasing.

nGerry shook his head, a small smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. “I don’t think so,” he said, his words clipped and precise. “He said he had lunch already. He asked me to show him where the game store is. His VR headset charger is broken.”

nAllen’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “He is also a gamer?” he asked incredulously, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

nGerry nodded, his eyes sparkling with amusement at Allen’s surprise. “Yes,” he said simply before a frown creased his forehead. “I wonder why there’s so much of ‘your kind’? Are you an amoeba?” he grumbled; his words laced with a teasing edge that Allen was all too familiar with.

nBefore Allen could come up with a witty retort, the tinkling of the restaurant’s bell announced the arrival of their guest.

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