Another few uneventful days drifted by.
Gray, looking like life had lost all meaning, shoved the blue-haired girl clinging to him. "Hey, Gajeel, can't you control your partner?"
"Hah? You expect the great me to handle this?"
Gajeel gave Gray a scornful glance, then turned to Juvia beside him. "Juvia, everyone's watching. Could you act a little more reserved?"
"Juvia doesn't care."
Even as she spoke, Juvia wrapped herself around Gray again.
Gajeel shot Gray a helpless look and slipped away, leaving Gray alone in despair and regret.
He'd been wrong—wrong from the very start.
If he hadn't fought Natsu and Cana for the right to challenge Juvia, he wouldn't have defeated her, wouldn't have caught her eye, wouldn't have reached the point where he checked under his bed for Juvia before sleeping… The guild had long since grown used to Juvia's harassment of Gray.
The day after Gajeel joined Fairy Tail, Juvia had shown up "for love." Because they'd gotten along in Phantom Lord, they formed a team and took jobs together.
But these past few days Juvia hadn't done a single mission, while her clingy pursuit of Gray never let up—utterly deserving the label "lovesick maniac."
An exhibitionist and a love-crazed girl.
Both sounded like terrible traits, yet on the two of them the combination felt weirdly harmonious.
Behind the bar, filling in for Mirajane, Hope slid Cana a mug and couldn't help muttering, "Never thought cold Juvia could get this passionate. Gray's about to break."
(Both body and spirit are on the verge of collapse.)
Cana, missing the subtext, chuckled. "Of course. I'm the one who gave Juvia pointers on chasing Gray."
So you're the culprit… Hope understood. Before, Juvia had kept some distance even if she liked Gray. Now her fervor was thanks to Cana's awful advice.
"When Gray finds out, he'll kill you."
Cana waved it off. "Relax. With my method Juvia will land him. Big sister here is a seasoned veteran in love."
Seasoned veteran?!
Looking at the confident eighteen-year-old, Hope hadn't expected she'd had countless boyfriends.
Never judge by appearances—someone out there even dated a booze hound.
Curiosity burning, Hope subconsciously cast Telepathy to eavesdrop on Cana's thoughts while asking aloud, "So how many boyfriends have you had?"
"Hahaha!"
Cana boasted, "Boyfriends? Big sister's lost count. Want flirting tips? Buy me a drink and I'll advise you for free."
The moment the words left the drunkard, Hope's expression turned odd. "Cana, I just used Telepathy on you."
"Your heart tells me the number of boyfriends you've had… is zero."
"And all that 'rich experience' came straight out of romance novels."
Exposed, Cana's face flamed. "Damn Warren, why'd he let you copy that spell?"
Now it was Hope's turn to grin. "Didn't expect Ms. Sexy, the mature beauty, to be a pure maiden inside."
Cana covered her face. "I give up, stop the spell already."
"Almost done—one last question." Hope leaned in and whispered, "Cana, is there anyone who makes your heart race?"
Cana flushed, glared, and fled without finishing her drink.
Hope stared after her, stunned.
The answer he'd caught via Telepathy was clear: the drunkard maiden did have a crush—and it was him.
Hope slapped a hand over his face.
He'd been an idiot; how could he face her now?
"Yo, slapping yourself for fun?"
Erza, just back from a job, sat at the bar. "I passed Cana—she looked off. Know what happened?"
Hope awkwardly shook his head. Admit he'd read Cana's mind? He'd be scolded senseless, then beaten senseless.
Seeing no answer, Erza let it drop. Of their peers Cana had one of the sturdiest minds; she'd be fine.
"By the way, Hope, free anytime soon?" she changed the subject.
He didn't know why she asked but replied, "Aside from next month's 'exchange' at Mildian Magic Academy—really just a brawl—I'm open."
"Good."
She tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "Since we got back from Twilight Town I've wanted to thank you, but Phantom Lord and the Council got in the way."
"So if you're free, let me treat you to dinner."
Erza lowered her voice. "My last client gave me two new movie tickets. If… if you don't mind… would you… go with… me…?"
The red-haired girl couldn't finish, face scarlet.
Hope's heart surged.
Dinner and a movie—the oldest date combo in the book—yet Erza was asking him.
So she likes me too!
Heh, my charm is irresistible!
Then his thoughts tangled: he liked Erza, but choosing her would hurt Cana.
Sigh… I really am too kind-hearted.
While he agonized, his pre-arranged wingmen burst in at the perfect moment.
Natsu and Happy raced through the hall to the bar. "Hope! Just like you guessed, Loki's acting weird—he sneaked out of Magnolia alone today without telling anyone."
"And we heard he broke up with every single girlfriend," Happy added.
"Only Lucy's tailing him now—let's move!"
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