Chapter 78: I insist.

” He’s usually goofing around around that building. ”

They pointed toward a modern glass building a short distance away, its front covered almost entirely in wide panels of reflective glass, it was one of the newer campus buildings and looked more open compared to the older structures around it.

There wasn’t a broad vehicle road in front of it, instead there was a wide paved pedestrian walkway, clean and flat, with concrete benches and bike racks lined along the sides.

” Alright, thank you, I won’t ask your names. ”

Max pushed himself up from the concrete steps in one smooth motion and gave the ladies a playful wink, just enough to make them smile, and they immediately understood why he wasn’t asking for their names, if he didn’t know them, he couldn’t accidentally mention them later if things got messy with the bully.

” His name is Maximilian. ”

” Maximilian? Huh! What a bad name. ”

Max let out a soft breath through his nose when he heard it, the coincidence landing perfectly, same name, different reputation, he tilted his head slightly and smirked like the system had just handed him an inside joke.

Max swung onto the bike in one smooth movement, settling into the seat like it was second nature, pulled the helmet back on and snapped the strap tight under his chin, the engine came alive with a deep growl beneath him as he twisted the throttle once.

*BRRRRM*

Sharp and loud enough to bounce off the glass walls nearby, then he gestured the girls goodbye with one hand, effortlessly, before easing the clutch and rolling forward.

He parked near the glass building and cut the engine, and almost immediately a wave of students began flowing out through the wide entrance doors, talking loudly, adjusting backpacks, checking their phones.

He guessed a lecture must have just ended, so instead of moving, he stayed beside the bike with his helmet still on, blending into the scene without drawing too much attention.

Passing girls gave him quick side glances as they walked by, some curious, some whispering to each other, mostly because of his height and the red Ducati parked beside him.

Max ignored all of it and focused on scanning the crowd through the visor, searching for his target, which was of course Saoirse, if he found her directly that would be the cleanest outcome, the time on his phone showed it was almost 04:00 PM, which meant his time was almost up.

I’ll wait another ten minutes, if she shows up, better.

Max shifted his weight slightly and leaned back against the bike, the cash in his backpack reminding him of its presence, he wasn’t exactly worried about carrying that much money, but it wasn’t something you wanted to stroll around campus with either.

Then through the moving crowd he noticed a familiar face, sharp posture, brown hair catching the light, it wasn’t Saoirse, it was Blanka.

Of course she also goes here, I forgot.

She was discussing something serious with her friends, maybe about the lecture that had just ended, her posture straight and composed while her hands moved slightly as she explained something, her friends suddenly glanced past her shoulder and pointed out Max standing beside the bike.

She turned and saw him, her expression shifting instantly, she thought he was waiting for her and her lips formed a small visible pout before she deliberately turned left and walked away without acknowledging him, her friends laughed softly and followed her along.

What does that mean? Whatever. There’s Saoirse, now I need to pretend it’s a coincidence.

Max let it go quickly, his focus shifting across the open walkway until he spotted Saoirse, she was not surrounded by friends like Blanka had been, she walked alone with her shoulders slightly hunched and her clothes deliberately baggy, oversized hoodie and loose jeans as if she wanted to disappear inside them.

” Tonight, I’ll force myself onto her, that Irish bitch has a nice ass and keeps her lips shut. ”

” Max, you’re such a man. ”

As Max was about to step forward and act like he had just arrived by chance, the whisper from the side froze him mid-step, the tone low but filthy, he turned his head slowly and saw a boy around his age with black hair styled neatly and an expensive shining jacket with a flowery pattern that stood out even in a university setting.

The boy was walking confidently with around ten friends, laughing loudly, a few of them openly pointing toward Saoirse as if she were a joke instead of a person.

Max gritted his teeth in anger, the sound of those words still echoing in his head, because he was wearing a helmet his facial expression wasn’t visible, but his eyes behind the visor turned immediately cold, sharp and focused, his fingers curling into a tight fist for a second before he slowly released it, forcing the tension out of his hand instead of letting it control him.

Getting angry now will only do more harm than good, to the both of us.

Max lowered himself beside his bike and pretended to check something near the engine, adjusting a bolt that didn’t need adjusting, buying himself a few seconds, and soon Saoirse was walking past him with her head slightly down.

When he stood up and lightly tapped her shoulder, Saoirse almost convulsed from the sudden contact, her body flinching hard before she turned.

” Hey, it’s me, what a coincidence. ”

Max lifted his visor and showed his face clearly, keeping his tone light, seeing him she looked around immediately and grabbed his hand without hesitation, pulling him a few steps to the side near the edge of the pavement.

” Why are you here, Sir? ”

Saoirse whispered the question quickly and kept glancing over her shoulder, her eyes restless, she was clearly afraid someone would notice them together and cause trouble for him.

” My name is Maximilian, Max for you, I was just passing by when my bike started sounding weird and I stopped to check it, when I saw you. ”

” You were passing by here? ”

Saoirse didn’t fully buy his excuse, this road was mostly used by university students and not a random shortcut, she narrowed her eyes slightly, then scanned the area again like she expected someone to appear at any moment.

” Yeah, my friend goes here, Blanka, do you know her? ”

” Eh? Blanka? Yeah, she’s a frie… classmate. ”

Max noticed the small pause before she corrected herself, even calling someone a friend seemed difficult for her, he simply shrugged as if it wasn’t important, letting the coincidence sit there without pushing further.

” Alright, I am going back to my dorm. ”

She tried to move away quickly, wanting to end the interaction before it drew attention, but Max gently held her hand, not forcefully, just enough to stop her from walking off.

” Sit down, I’ll drop you off. ”

” No… don’t need. ”

” I insist. ”

Max smiled, calm but firm, Saoirse opened her mouth several times, trying to explain how dangerous it was for him to be seen with her, how being close to her would only bring him trouble, but this dense person in front of her didn’t seem to understand.

” Alright, it’s very close, we don’t need the bike. ”

She pointed toward a nearby student housing complex just beyond the campus edge, a cluster of mid-rise residential blocks grouped together.

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