"Hold on, don’t rush off yet—there’s one more thing!"

My heart jolted. What now?! What’s happening?!

I forced my racing thoughts to calm down. Had my acting skills slipped? No way! I replayed my performance—sure, the opening was a bit stiff and goofy, but it couldn’t be that obvious! I aimed to be an actor someday. How could such clumsy acting ever make me a top idol?

*This is a trap. Don’t fall for it. Handle her like before.*

"Officer Calm," I said, forcing steadiness, "the breathalyzer’s done. I wasn’t drunk driving. I’m just dropping someone home—I’m pressed for time. Could we wrap this up?"

"Sir," she countered, eyes narrowing, "your face looks awfully young. Hand over your license. And ‘dropping someone home’? I’ll check who that is."

"Officer, really—no need! I haven’t broken any laws. Skip the license check? How about... I treat you to bubble tea instead?"

*Crap. Why did I say that? Now I look guilty!*

Just as I feared, my blunder sparked her suspicion. Her eyes sharpened like a fox’s—adorable, yet chilling as a demon’s grin.

*It’s over! My life’s ruined! I knew I shouldn’t have left home today. Should’ve checked the almanac. First, Tsurumi Misuzu forces me to drink. Then babysitting duty. Now this?! Why’s my luck so rotten?! Bad streaks have limits!*

I had to stall. Every second counted—I wasn’t ready for a jail cell.

"My license is in the car. Walk with me to get it?"

"Fine. Lead the way."

The distance was short, but Einstein’s relativity theory kicked in: time crawls when you dread what’s coming. Like school days feeling endless. If I had just three days left, I’d choose studying to slow time down.

But this wasn’t working. Why did time fly when I needed it most? Before I could brainstorm an escape, we were already at the car.

*Time to face the music. No—confess! Full disclosure might lighten the sentence!*

*Goodbye, my youth! Goodbye, my bright future!*

I hadn’t even savored high school snowfalls. Now I understood "eternity."

*Maybe my acting will earn sympathy points. Reduce my sentence.*

——————

I turned my back to Officer Calm. The wind howled like a funeral dirge for fallen heroes. It whipped my face, bringing eerie calm. After a lifetime of lies, I’d test my limits. Tears welled—*perfect*. Step one: play the pitiful victim.

"Can I call you Calm?" I asked, voice trembling with forced sorrow.

"Hm?" She sounded startled.

I deepened my tone, adding a rasp for effect. "Why are you crying?" she asked.

"Just the wind," I whispered. "It moved me."

"I have a story. Will you listen?"

I locked eyes with her—channeling my inner Tony Leung—pouring out poetic melancholy. Her cheeks flushed with surprise, her gaze softening under my "authentic" sorrow.

"Go on," she said gently. "Helping citizens is our duty."

"I’ve longed to share this," I sighed, pausing to "gather courage." *She looks kind. Easy to fool.* "Truth is... I never knew my parents. Grew up alone, bullied but always hopeful. I’m just a high schooler—I don’t even have a license! Today, my classmates ganged up on me again. Campus violence never stops. The woman in the passenger seat? My teacher, Tsurumi Misuzu. She..."

I spun the day’s events dramatically, omitting the drinking. *No adding DUI to unlicensed driving. Only novel protagonists are that reckless.*

But after mentioning Tsurumi Misuzu, Calm’s attention drifted.

"...So she forced me to drive her home. That’s why I was behind the wheel. I confessed—will this lighten my sentence?"

Calm studied the passenger seat, then nodded. "Go. I’ll overlook the unlicensed driving. Poor kid—you drew the short straw with *her*. You’ll survive."

Shock hit me. *My bluff worked that well? I could’ve been a con artist!*

She paused, her figure shifting under the uniform. Even in darkness, her silhouette was striking. Her delicate face glowed mysteriously as she added, "Tsurumi Misuzu’s my friend. I knew she became a teacher—but your homeroom teacher? You’re doomed. She’s... unreliable. What you described? Totally her style. Not your fault, kid."

*‘Kid’? Whatever. I’m free!*

"Thank you, Officer! However tough it gets, I’ll uphold our nation’s values. Honoring teachers is tradition—even unreliable ones!" *Ugh, that sounded nauseating. But impressions matter.*

Calm pulled a notepad from her pocket, scribbled something, and handed it over. "My contact. Since you’re Misuzu’s student, consider me family. I’ll help where I can. Your name?"

"...Xia Chuan Yuan."

"Then I’ll call you Yuan-kun. Keep this. If life gets heavy, reach out. You’ve endured enough."

*I didn’t lie. I truly don’t remember my parents. The rest? Just... artistic exaggeration.*

As Calm turned to leave, her foot slipped. She stumbled backward—straight toward me.

"Careful!"

I lunged to catch her. Her flailing arms sought balance.

*Cosmic forces at work!*

I caught her—but her momentum sent us both crashing to the ground. If she hadn’t thrashed, I might’ve held her gracefully. Instead, my hands landed somewhere... awkward.