Chapter 87 - Sunk-Cost Fallacy Breakfast

  The school cafeteria was closed, its metal shutters pulled down with a finality that left no room for negotiation, so Myrrh and I wandered to the nearest fast food joint for breakfast. The place had that familiar hum of morning activity — coffee machines hissing, trays clattering, and soft chatter filling the air.

  We ordered the same thing: golden hash browns glistening with oil, fluffy scrambled eggs, and crisp, smoky bacon. The meal came with steaming cups of creamy coffee, each sip melting away the lingering morning haze and jolting us awake.

  Myrrh stirred her coffee absentmindedly, the spoon clinking softly against the ceramic cup. "Are you sure you're fine now?" she asked, her eyes flickering with concern as she glanced over at me.

  "I’m fully healed now, no need to worry about me," I said, flashing her a reassuring smile before popping a forkful of bacon into my mouth. The savory crunch filled my senses, but my mind was already drifting elsewhere. "I’m just worried about what I should do today. Going back to Earth would be counterproductive since I’ve already wasted two days here, and booking a space shuttle ticket at this rate would be impossible."

  "Huh." Myrrh leaned back slightly, her gaze thoughtful. "I guess we’re both stuck with each other for this week."

  The conversation lapsed into silence, the only sounds between us the soft clatter of utensils against plastic trays and the distant hum of the kitchen. I stared into my coffee, its surface swirling with delicate clouds of cream, while Myrrh scrolled through her phone. I didn’t pay her much attention until she shifted slightly, angling the screen towards me.

  "Hey," she said, a playful lilt in her voice. "Does this look sexier than the bodysuit Orbital Tech issued us?"

  I blinked, my eyes falling on the image of Myrrh in a sleek white and blue bodysuit. The fabric hugged her figure perfectly, the bold contrast of colors accentuating her curves in ways that made my brain short-circuit for a second. She looked stunning — like some kind of futuristic heroine ready to dive into action.

  "Yeah," I muttered, trying not to choke on my coffee. "That pure white university bodysuit looks pretty bland compared to that."

  I wanted to add that the color contrast made her sexy silhouette look even more striking, but I swallowed the thought along with my next bite of bacon. Some things are better left unsaid.

  “How about this?” Myrrh swiped her phone and tilted the screen toward me, revealing another picture of herself in a sleek blue and black bodysuit. The contrast between the colors hugged her figure, making the suit look both futuristic and stylish. “Doesn’t this look cooler?”

  I glanced at the image while cutting into my eggs. “Yeah, that darker shade makes you look a bit more awesome.” I chewed thoughtfully. “I usually prefer white, but I think the black and blue one suits you best.”

  “Alright, I’ll go with this then.” Myrrh smiled, seeming pleased with my answer.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Why are you letting me pick your bodysuit anyway?”

  With a flick of her long hair, she smirked. “Well, you’re the only guy around I can ask about this. I know you always stare at me, getting all hot and bothered over my perfect, sexy body—so obviously, you’re the best person to judge. You're such a gooner goon after all.”

  I nearly choked on my coffee. “You really know how to insult me between the lines, huh?” I forced a smile, shaking my head.

  “Never mind that.” Myrrh casually ignored my reaction as she swiped to another image. “How about this one?” She leaned in, showing me another bodysuit—this time, black with bold red accents that gave it a striking, almost dangerous edge.

  Before I could comment, a soft beep interrupted the moment. Her phone screen flickered with a chat notification, and my stomach dropped slightly when I saw the name. A familiar one.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  It was him—the effortlessly handsome guy from our high school days. Myrrh’s ex.

  It was Ephraim.

  The screen lit up with his name, clear as day, making my stomach twist.

  Ephraim: Good morning, Myrrh. Please, I want to talk to you.

  I blinked. Once. Twice. My jaw hung open, the words sinking in slowly. My heart gave a dull ache — brief, but enough to leave a weight in my chest.

  “So? How is it?” Myrrh asked, leaning in, her lime-blonde ponytail swaying slightly with the movement.

  “All I can see is your ex-boyfriend greeting you.” I cringed, the sour taste of awkwardness settling in my throat.

  “Huh?” Myrrh frowned, yanking her phone closer. Her eyes narrowed at the screen. “No way! I blocked his other six accounts already! There was a seventh?”

  “How the hell does he keep making all those social media accounts?” I muttered, shaking my head.

  Myrrh’s fingers flew across her phone, her brows furrowing with each tap before she finally set it down with a heavy sigh. “There. Blocked again. That’s what he gets for dumping me.”

  I forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. “Aren’t you being a little harsh?”

  She scoffed, crossing her arms. “Don’t you think cheating on me was harsh enough?” Her eyes darkened, the weight of old wounds making her words sharp. “Jennifer told me Ephraim and that drug-addict bitch Clarisse broke up. Maybe that’s why he’s suddenly pestering me again.”

  The air between us grew heavier, the echoes of past heartbreak lingering in the silence.

  “Ooooh…” I leaned forward with a teasing grin. “Maybe Ephraim wants to rekindle the flame. You two have been in love since you were kids, right? Twelve years, wasn’t it? Maybe you should reconsider.”

  Myrrh huffed, crossing her arms — a motion that made her frilly green dress shift slightly, her bosom giving a subtle jiggle. “That’s where you’re wrong, Zaft.” Her eyes narrowed, a sharpness creeping into her tone. “That’s a sunk-cost fallacy. A decade of love means nothing if he cheated and dumped me for someone else. I refuse to go through what my mother endured.”

  That caught my attention. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “Now I’m curious. What’s your mom’s love story?”

  Myrrh scoffed, leaning back in her chair, her green ponytail sliding over her shoulder. “It’s nothing special. My parents met here in Xyraxis while training as WAIFUs and support units. They worked together, fought side by side, and eventually fell in love. Sounds romantic, right?” She let out a bitter chuckle. “Little did my mom know, she was just the side chick. Turns out my dad had a whole family back on Earth.” Her eyes flicked to the side, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Classic, huh? Anyway, that’s the gist. You should ask my mom for the full drama next time.”

  “Yeah, I’ll be sure to do that.” I scratched the back of my neck, trying to process the weight behind her words. “But back to the elephant in the room… what about Ephraim?”

  Myrrh rolled her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a flick of her fingers. “I’ll just ignore him until he dies. That’s the plan. The end. Moving on.” She tossed a playful smirk my way, slipping effortlessly back into her usual sassy attitude.

  Seeing Myrrh so irritated about love was… priceless. Her sharp words, the way her nose scrunched up slightly, and the little huffs of frustration — it was almost too easy to poke fun at her.

  I wanted to tease her more, to see her squirm and fire back with that signature sass. But for some reason, a heavier part of me held back. Maybe it was the look in her eyes, or maybe I was just afraid she’d launch something at my head again. Either way, I kept quiet.

  Myrrh stayed glued to her phone, her finger flicking over the screen. Her brows furrowed, then suddenly shot up, her face brightening like someone had just handed her a free milkshake. “Oh! The Xyraxis New Year is tonight! They’re holding a fireworks display near the Metropolis Edge.”

  I blinked. “Wait, what? It’s still early January.”

  “Yeah, but remember? Even though Xyraxis adopted Earth’s yearly calendar, this planet orbits the sun in 525 days.” I could almost hear the ‘duh’ in her tone as she gestured vaguely at the window. “That’s why the months and seasons feel all messed up here.”

  “Right…” I scratched the back of my head. “So, what do people here do for New Year’s?”

  “The same as Earth, pretty much. Fireworks, concerts, midnight markets…” Myrrh’s eyes glimmered with excitement. “Oh! And Sammelplatz pizza parties!” She giggled, her lime-blonde ponytail bouncing slightly with her laughter.

  I raised a brow. “You just made up the last one, didn’t you?”

  “Maybe.” She smirked. “Oh, there’s one more thing — just like some countries on Earth, there’s a tradition of kissing at Xyraxis New Year’s Eve.”

  I let out a dry laugh. “Well, I knew this event wasn’t for me.”

  “Hahaha…” Myrrh laughed too, but it trailed off awkwardly. “Not for me either…”

  Silence settled over us. The kind that stretched too long, making the air feel heavier with each passing second. Usually, I’d sip my coffee or nibble on my food to break the tension, but our plates were scraped clean, and our cups were empty. I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

  Then Myrrh shifted, her fingers curling around the edge of the table. Her gaze flicked to the side, a soft pink dusting her cheeks. “Hey…” She hesitated, biting her lip. “How about I repay my debt fully today?” She puffed out her cheeks in a playful pout. “Let’s have our third and final date.”