While Klaus was still in the hallway, he heard Ashley's voice calling him.
"Hey, wait a minute! I need to talk to you!" She said in a serious voice.
Klaus turned to see Ashley approaching him. She looked nervous and determined at the same time. He felt a chill in his stomach and wondered what she wanted to talk to him about. Was she threatening him or did she think he was a stalker?
"What is it? Did something happen?" He asked, trying to sound casual.
Ashley took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "Klaus, I have to be honest with you. I liked you, but I'm afraid to get involved with you. I'm afraid you'll be like the other guys who just want to take advantage of me and then leave me. I've already suffered a lot, and I don't want to suffer again. So please tell me the truth. What do you want from me?"
Klaus was surprised and speechless for a few seconds. Even he didn't know what he wanted with Ashley, she was just a pretty and interesting girl he had met during a train ride, he didn't know her that well. But at the same time that Ashley's question was burning in Klaus' mind, the same question was burning in hers. Ashley hadn't ignored him because she didn't like him, but rather because she wasn't sure of his intentions.
So Klaus smiled confidently, held out his hand and said:
"Before I can answer that, what do you think about us having that date you promised me?"
She looked at him and seemed to think about it for a moment, but then she blushed and took two steps back as she looked at his hand.
"A-a date?"
"I bet you remember our agreement."
Ashley crossed her arms to avoid taking his hand and turned her face with an annoyed expression. "Now do you understand? I'm afraid because of the way you are. Do you know how many guys like you have appeared before me, promising me a million things? I'll never fall for that game.
"Guys like me? Ashley, I'm sure you've never met anyone like me. He said, looking at her seriously this time.
She looked at him out of the corners of her eyes and then smiled wickedly. "Ohh! Did I hurt your ego by comparing you to other guys?" She said and leaned forward.
This time, Klaus was the one who blushed a little and backed away. "N-no..."
Ashley found Klaus' shy expression cute and amusing, so she was surprised because she never thought he could have such a reaction. So she put her hands on her waist and said:
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom "All right, I agree to go on a date with you."
"Really?" Klaus asked, surprised and suspicious at the same time.
"Yes, but under one condition, which I won't give in to: you have to beat me once more in Dagger Disputes."
"What? But I already beat you that time."
"Yes, but I have no way of knowing that you did not use a hack that time. If that is the case, we can use the campus equipment to end this clash without any doubt. What? Are you scared now?"
"Of course not. Just set a date."
"You're free now, aren't you? Why put it off? Let's go to the headquarters of the Dagger Dispute Society now."
Klaus hesitated for a moment. He hadn't expected Ashley to be so impulsive and defiant, and he knew she was good at Dagger Dispute, but he also had confidence in her abilities. Nevertheless, now that he understood the reasons why she had ignored him that night, he didn't want to miss the chance to have a date with her, so he answered her firmly.
"Alright, let's go then." He said.
Ashley smiled triumphantly and took his hand.
"Great, then let's go."
"Wait, wouldn't it be better if we went to warn your friends and my colleagues?" Klaus inquired.
"Are you crazy, they would get the wrong idea about me if they knew I was out with a guy whose name I just found out." She said as she dragged him out of the establishment.
"Considering that you left the room right after I did and that we are going out together, everyone is going to come to that conclusion anyway."
Ashley shrugged, hiding the blush on her face, and said:
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that we are going to settle this once and for all. I'm going to prove to you that I'm better than you at Dagger Disputes."
Klaus laughed. "You're very confident, but I won't make it easy for you. I'll show you that I'm the best."
"We'll see."
They walked to the headquarters of the Dagger Dispute Society, which was located near the campus. It was a modern building equipped with the latest technology for the game. When they got there, they met some of Ashley's classmates, who were excited to see that she was accompanied.
"Hey, Ashley! What are you doing here? You said you weren't coming today....Who's that guy with you?" One of her classmates asked with a mischievous smile.
Ashley scowled and tried to explain. "Oh, that's Klaus. We met a few weeks ago."
"Then it must have been during the selection process. Are you seeing each other?" Another classmate interrupted, looking curiously at Klaus and Ashley holding hands.
Ashley realized what her classmate was looking at and quickly let go of Klaus' hand. "No, it's nothing like that. We just wanted to play a game of Dagger Dispatch." Ashley said quickly.
"A game of Dagger Dispute? How romantic!" A male colleague said ironically.
"It's serious. If I win, she'll go on a date with me." Klaus said, joining the conversation.
Ashley's female colleagues were surprised and impressed by the revelation.
"What if you lose?" One of them asked.
"I will leave the special program." Klaus said without hesitation.
This literally took everyone by surprise, even Ashley. She wasn't sure if that part of the bet was included now that they had both gone through the selection process.
...
Edited by: DrHitsuji
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