Chapter 54: Like the P.E. Teacher?
There was a strange, passive-aggressive undertone to Stella Winters’s words, but Chloe York had always been too intensely focused on her own goals to waste time on trivial matters. She never read novels, binge-watched short-form dramas, or socialized much, so she completely missed the manipulative subtext.
"Of course not. You’re my best friend. You eating them is as good as me eating them myself."
Chloe’s words instantly dispelled the trace of unease in Stella Winters’s heart. She happily untied the ribbon bow and picked out a mango-flavored mochi to eat.
"How is it?" Chloe asked after Stella swallowed a bite.
Stella Winters shook her head, her tone slightly disdainful. "It’s not very good. It’s way too sweet."
"Oh, really?" Chloe picked up a mango-flavored one herself and took a bite. "I don’t think so. It’s actually pretty good."
"Is that so? Well, they *were* made by the person who saved your life, so of course you’d think they’re delicious! I, on the other hand, just can’t seem to appreciate it. I’m just wasting such a wonderful treat and spoiling his kind gesture." With that, Stella Winters set down the half-eaten mochi and sighed.
"Stella, are you upset? Did something happen?"
Normally, Stella Winters never left food on her plate, but now she’d stopped halfway through the mochi and sighed. That wasn’t like her at all.
"Chloe, am I your most important friend?"
"Of course you are."
"Then... if you make a new friend later on, is there any chance she’ll become more important than me?"
"Of course not. You’ll always be number one to me."
Chloe said this from the bottom of her heart. After all, Stella was the only one who had helped this body’s original owner. And since arriving in this world, she had found it very comfortable to be around Stella. They got along well, and she genuinely considered Stella her friend.
"Good. You’d better remember what you said today."
"Deal!"
Stella Winters happily went back to eating the mochi. Suddenly, she found it was actually quite delicious.
In the end, Chloe only ate one mochi. The remaining five all ended up in Stella Winters’s stomach.
Perhaps because she had been so thoroughly humiliated in front of the entire school, Brooke York now just sat quietly at her desk every day and paid attention in class. She hadn’t come to bother Chloe since.
And since Chloe wasn’t living with the York Family, she hadn’t crossed paths with Brooke for two straight days.
’If she’s really given up on targeting me, that would be a good thing.’
The Godly Rich System had also been quiet, assigning no new tasks. The Scholar System had given her one, and she figured she was close to completing the mission for the Physical System as well.
What she didn’t expect, however, was for the gym teacher to single her out during P.E. class.
"Chloe, I think you are perfectly suited for a career in athletics. Have you ever considered it? Rest assured, if you choose this path, I will personally guide you every step of the way and make you a star athlete."
Chloe was surprised that her gym teacher actually wanted her to pursue sports. She hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands dismissively. "I’m sorry, sir, but I have no intention of doing that."
’Right now, all I want to do is study for the college entrance exams, get into a good university, and take back everything that should have been mine—everything I lost or never had the chance to possess in my past life.’
"Chloe, listen to me. You need to find a path that’s right for you. That’s the only way you’ll truly shine. I saw you running the other day—with that speed, you’d leave your competitors in the dust on a race track!"
"And your strength! I saw how easily you lifted that girl the other day, which proves you’re incredibly strong," the gym teacher said, flexing his bicep. "Look at this! You could have muscles this big one day. If you did, your strength would be completely unrivaled!"
The gym teacher was going to such great lengths to persuade Chloe; he really hoped she would agree.
It had been far too long since he’d seen such a promising young talent. If she didn’t get into athletics, it would be a tremendous loss for the sport!
Seeing the muscles on her teacher’s arm, Chloe took two steps back in disgust. ’A girl like me, getting built like *that*? No, thank you!’
’With the Physical System, I can be strong without needing muscles like that.’
The gym teacher noticed her look of disgust and took two steps closer. "Hey, don’t look at it like that! Let me tell you, I’m never wrong about people, and you are truly suited for athletics. If you get built like this, you’ll be incredibly charming! You’ll have girls falling all over you."
"Sir, I’m a girl!" Chloe reminded him. ’Do I look that much like a boy, or is his eyesight just bad?’
The gym teacher, who was in the habit of flexing and boasting about how much girls loved his muscles, suddenly realized what he had just said.
"Oh, sorry about that, it was a slip of the tongue. What I meant was, if you had muscles like these, people on the street would look at you with respect, admiration, and envy. Even boys—no, men—would be in awe of your arms. Imagine the prestige! You’d be so proud!"
Seeing her teacher getting more and more over-the-top, to the point of sounding a little unhinged, Chloe quickly interjected, "How about this, sir? Let me take the college entrance exams first. If I don’t do well, then I’ll get into sports. I’ll come find you then, how’s that?"
"Besides, you know about the bet I have with my homeroom teacher. In the world of sports, you can’t just back down from a challenge, right? You have to see it through."
"Ah, I see!"
"Yeah. Besides, the exams are getting closer, and I’ve been working really hard for them. I have to see it through and get a result, just to show everyone what I can do."
"Alright, then. After the exams are over, if you don’t do as well as you’d hoped, you come find me. I’ll get you on the path to athletic admissions."
"Deal. Thank you, sir!"
"Alright, go take a break."
As she walked back to the grassy spot where they were resting, Stella Winters leaned over. "What did the gym teacher say to you?"
"He wants me to go into athletics."
Stella Winters nodded knowingly. "He must have seen how amazing you were the other day, lifting that girl and running so fast. He probably thinks you’re a prime candidate for the athletic admissions track and wants to train you."
"That’s the gist of it."
"So, what do you think? Are you going to pursue it? Your strength and speed that day really did seem like a natural talent." Even now, just thinking about it, Stella found Chloe’s abilities to be absurdly impressive.
"Absolutely not. Have you forgotten about my bet with our homeroom teacher? If I were to pursue athletics now, it would be the same as admitting defeat. They might even think I’m doing it on purpose."
"Oh, right! How could I have forgotten about the bet?"
The most important thing right now was the second mock exam. And speaking of which, it was only half a month away.