Chapter 43: Sophia

Sophia didn't much like school, even at Night City's premier Arasaka Academy.

She thought most of the brats in her class were hopeless fools.

January 18, 2074, 8:50

Sophia twirled the ends of her long golden hair, watching it coil around her pale fingertips.

The call was hung up on her again.

"Stinky uncle! Dumb uncle! Old-fashioned uncle!" she couldn't help muttering under her breath as the small curls grew larger under her hands.

She couldn't help wondering about the source of those strange noises in the background during her last call with the uncle.

It didn't sound much like firecrackers.

Irritated, she licked her lips, and with a sudden tug, accidentally snapped off a few curly strands of hair.

For a moment, she almost believed what the uncle had said—that he was an Agent on some bloody secret mission.

But what kind of Agent would be getting cozy with a young girl while on a mission?

Though she knew deep down the uncle probably had no such intentions, she still arbitrarily defined the nature of their relationship.

Young girls are always like this, indulging in unrealistic fantasies, longing for a mature, steady, and reliable man to help their love-starved selves grow up quickly.

Sophia grew up in a single-parent household, relying solely on her mother, and always hoped for a father-like man she could lean on. When she felt down occasionally, she could talk to him about anything and everything.

He wouldn't ask what was wrong, nor say anything inappropriate; he would just quietly keep you company, his steady breathing telling you he was always there.

That would be enough.

By comparison, those boys her own age were far too lacking.

These fools, their faces covered in acne, always loved teasing girls, thinking that a girl's angry glare was a loving gaze; if they got hit by a few soft punches, they would even excitedly convince themselves it was flirting!

Damn it!

Sophia, who had inherited her mother's beauty in full, had honed some decent boxing skills.

One powerful punch with her pink fist would send those presumptuous brats sprawling to the ground.

The effect was immediate; from then on, no little monkey dared to tease her again.

However, it occasionally backfired; everyone was captivated by her dashing demeanor, and the girls even began to idolize her.

"The heartthrob"—that was the nickname Sophia often overheard. She had already prepared to shut her ears, expecting some evil reputation like "tigress" or "little *".

But no, she was both beautiful and capable of fighting, completely holding everyone in the palm of her hand.

In short, Sophia tried every trick in the book, yet the suitors still came in an endless stream, each like a fish gasping for air, all crowding the surface of the water, eager for a kiss of her fragrance.

If they knew their goddess had already given her heart to some uncle, these fools would probably cry in sorrow.

She curled her lips in schadenfreude, and her good mood for the day returned.

"Hey! Sophia, what are you doing sitting alone at your seat? Class is over, aren't you going out for a walk?"

"Oh, Bonnie!" Sophia snapped out of it, shouting loudly, leaped up from her seat, and lunged at the girl before her.

Bonnie couldn't dodge in time; she was caught by Sophia, pulled into her massive embrace, and thoroughly roughed up.

Compared to Sophia, who had a slim waist, long legs, perfect proportions, developed pectorals, and abs as clearly defined as if carved by a knife—a body comparable to a supermodel—Bonnie was completely like an undeveloped little bean sprout.

However, unlike Sophia's aggressive and sharp demeanor, Bonnie's advantage lay in her two shallow dimples and a heart-stirring smile, possessing a charm all her own.

To use the words of those boys, her smile had a captivating sweetness.

"I can't breathe, Sophia!" Bonnie played along with Sophia's antics, pleading with her in a weak voice.

"Hee hee..." Sophia smiled until her eyes curved, for in her view, only her best friend Bonnie in the whole class was a very interesting and smart person.

Bonnie raised her head, made a funny face at her, and said, "What were you doing just now? Sophia, I saw you spacing out the whole time."

"I was thinking about men." Sophia stuck out her tongue in a feigned seductive manner and licked her lips.

"Are you running a fever and burned your brain out?" Bonnie reached out to touch Sophia's forehead. "No... strange..."

"Tch, class is starting soon; let me send him a voice message." Sophia pretended to be angry, glaring fiercely at Bonnie, turned her back to her, opened the call list, and said, "Hello? Uncle! I have to go to class now; let's talk later!"

As Bonnie walked toward the seat next to Sophia, she couldn't help covering her mouth to tease, "I talk to my dad in that same tone!"

"Yah! You little brat." Sophia felt her fist acting on its own, hardening involuntarily.

Just before Bonnie was about to face the judgment of an iron fist, the school bell rang.

Facing Bonnie's suppressed laughter, Sophia fiercely gestured in the air with her finger, meaning "You're dead meat."

Bonnie quietly stuck her tongue out at her, not taking it seriously at all.

Sophia sighed helplessly, put on the standard Braindance Device, and her consciousness followed the data torrent, diving directly into the virtual classroom.

January 18, 2074, 12:00

The uncle didn't call.

Just as usual.

Sophia sighed and scratched her hair.

"Sophia, let's go?"

Before she could generate more sorrow, Bonnie caught up from behind and pulled her out of the school gate.

Compared to the tasteless nutrient sets provided by the school, Bonnie preferred taking Sophia to a Chinese Restaurant in Downtown to eat some hot, delicious food.

Usually, Bonnie paid; this wealthy young lady with generous spending habits didn't care about the prices in Downtown. Sophia, however, had quite a few complaints about this, criticizing her for spending money recklessly and not treating money as money.

For a child who grew up in a single-parent household, it wasn't easy to eat such expensive food with a clear conscience.

Every time they ate, Sophia would shamelessly order an extra portion of steaming hot food, pack it full, and take it away, personally delivering it to her mother, who worked at Arasaka Corporation, during her lunch break.

Bonnie understood; this was also part of the reason she deliberately dragged Sophia to high-end restaurants. Without sufficient, nutritious, and delicious meals, relying solely on that Synthetic Meat made from bugs, it would be hard for Sophia and her mother to stay healthy.

To help her beloved Sophia, she had put in a lot of effort.

The two best friends understood each other without words; one silently gave, and the other kept it in her heart, waiting to repay the favor another day.

"A rare pair of best friends in Night City, aren't they?" someone whispered softly from the shadows, holding a telescope.

He rubbed the sharp knife, a pool of scarlet beneath his feet.