Chapter 2The Replacement Upgrade

I climbed up and reached down.

Before I could touch them, my foot slipped, and I fell.

It was high. It hurt.

There was a lot of blood.

Mason carried me on his back, crying as he ran. Carter, face pale as a sheet, ran alongside, holding the wound on my head.

When I woke up, my reactions were a beat slower than everyone else’s.

Mason and Carter seemed to grow up overnight.

Like two knights, they protected me twenty-four-seven, treating me like fragile glass.

I thought the three of us would be like this forever.

I stood at the door, eyes red.

The door suddenly opened.

Mason froze. His face, flushed from arguing, turned white the instant he saw me.

"Lily, when did you get here?"

Carter followed behind, clearly panicked too.

"Don't cry. Mason and I were just messing around. Did you want us to model? It's too late to draw now, how about tomorrow?"

Mason pursed his lips, looking at me, and carefully reached out to wipe my tears.

"Okay."

I nodded, and the two of them instantly relaxed.

The next day at school, I secretly watched Chloe.

She really was pretty. With her high ponytail, she walked like a proud little peacock.

Almost everywhere she went, everyone’s eyes followed.

I felt even sadder.

Mason disappeared again this morning. Carter looked grumpy, but he still carried my backpack for me.

On the way, his expression was dark, so I didn't dare speak.

Since Chloe appeared, the three of us couldn't walk home laughing and playing like before.

I should hate Chloe.

But looking at her, I couldn't hate her at all. So I wanted to cry even more.

The girl was talking to someone next to her, but when she turned and saw my red eyes, she froze.

I quickly looked down, but a tissue appeared in front of me.

Chloe frowned at me.

"Why are you crying? Pretty eyes like yours get ugly when they swell up."

I wanted to cry even harder. Why was she so nice?!

How could I hate her now?

I took the tissue and couldn't help looking up at her.

Another hand extended from the side.

Unlike Chloe’s slender one, this one was larger, broader.

I wiped my red eyes and looked over.

Chloe’s family had great genes. The girl was beautiful; the boy was beautiful too, but with a cold, sharp edge. Lethally handsome.

Sitting in his palm was a candy.

Chloe had just given it to him. He wasn't interested, so he handed it to me.

I took it. Trying to be polite, I spoke up.

"Thank you, Chloe."

Then I looked at the boy. My brain stalled, and I couldn't remember his name. Chloe’s brother... so, brother.

"Thank you, brother."

The boy’s figure stiffened instantly. His expression looked unnatural, and when he turned his head away, the tips of his ears turned red.

Chloe looked at me, then at her brother, and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Asher, first time meeting a soft girl, huh..."

She was dragged away by her brother.

Asher.

I sighed.

Not only was Chloe’s name pretty, but her brother’s name was nice too.

After school, Carter and Mason were there, but halfway home, they both disappeared again.

I knew. They went to find Chloe.

But... didn't they promise to model for me today?

Walking the rest of the way home alone, I suddenly worked up the courage. I took out my phone and added Chloe on social media from the class group chat.

I thought, she seems easy to talk to.

maybe she would agree to my request.

I wanted to ask her to share one of the childhood friends with me. Carter or Mason, either was fine.

I just needed one person to keep me company.

It was my first time walking home alone. I was scared.