Urban System in America-Chapter 152 - 151: Alas, life! It’s all about acting

Driving slowly and sneakily, he eased the car forward, weaving through the sluggish morning traffic, and finally pulled closer to the sidewalk where she was walking. And then—like the universe was on cue—Daisy just happened to turn.

Cinematically.

Like, no joke, full-on rom-com timing.

Her long black hair caught the breeze just right, fluttering behind her like she was in some perfume ad or K-drama opening. If soft instrumental music had started playing in the background, he wouldn’t have questioned it. Honestly, he half expected flower petals to start drifting down from the sky.

And Rex?

Gone.

Absolutely critical hit. Out cold. totally KO’d.

Daisy blinked, slightly confused. Just a second ago, she thought she’d heard some strange noise—like distant yelling or maybe cursing—and instinctively turned her head to check. But before she could see anything, a sleek black car rolled up and stopped right in front of her, completely blocking her view.

"Huh?" she blinked, confusedly tilting her head in an unintentionally adorable way, lips parting just a little. The car looked... oddly familiar—not in a generic "I’ve seen this brand or model before" kind of way, but like this exact car had crossed her path before.

She squinted her eyes, trying to recall from her memory—maybe in the parking lot? Or on campus?

Just as she was narrowing her eyes, trying to place it—

Click.

The door suddenly swung open, and a handsome—no, ridiculously handsome face appeared in front of her.

Sharp jawline. Smooth skin. messy-styled hair that was clearly intentional, Eyes that seemed to smirk even before his lips did. And that natural, magnetic kind of confidence that couldn’t be faked, not even with filters or good lighting.

Daisy blinked.

Once. Twice.

Her brain stalled for a second like an old computer trying to load too many tabs at once.

It was him.

Rex.

There’s no way she wouldn’t recognize him, even if she forgot about her whole class, this was the face that she doubted she’ll ever forget.

Still, the Rex in front of her was different, this wasn’t the usual "hoodie-and-headphones, half-asleep in class" Rex. This Rex was leveled-up, like he’d stepped out of a fashion commercial—chill, effortless, and undeniably cool.

On the other hand, even though his mind was completely KO’d, he still greeted her with usual relaxed confidence, his voice lazy but smooth,

"Sup?"

Simple. Chill. But it hit with the impact of a mini heart attack.

Daisy blinked, finally snapping out of her daze. "Ah—hey," she said, trying to sound normal, but her voice came out a little too soft, a little too... off.

What the heck, Daisy? Pull yourself together! she screamed internally.

But then a quieter, more honest voice whispered in the back of her mind:

But seriously... he looks ridiculously good today.

She tried not to stare. She really did.

But as her gaze drifted over him—his slightly tousled hair, crisp black shirt rolled at the sleeves, casual jeans paired with designer sneakers—she caught herself wondering when Rex had gotten this... well, hot.

Meanwhile, Rex raised a brow with that usual half-smirk of his. "So? Why are you wandering around solo today? Where’s your gang?"

"I, uh... went to visit my parents," she replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Just got back."

"Ohhh," Rex nodded, then narrowed his eyes playfully.

"And what about you? Why were you absent again?" she tried to divert her attention.

"Nothing serious. Just... wasn’t feeling it," he said with a lazy shrug. "Anyway, the campus is still a bit of a walk from here. Come on, let’s go together."

He gestured toward the passenger door with a smooth flick of his hand.

Daisy blinked. "Oh, no—it’s okay. I can walk."

Rex tilted his head, amused. "What’s wrong? Think I’m gonna kidnap you?

Rex tilted his head, lips twitching into a smirk. "What’s wrong? You think I’m gonna kidnap you? Eat you up or something?" novelbuddy.cσ๓

"What? No!" She blurted out and waved her hands in panic, her voice an octave higher. "It’s not like that!"

"Good. Then it’s settled," he grinned, slipping back into the driver’s seat without waiting for her answer.

Daisy stood frozen for a second, then sighed in defeat. Why is he always like this? Still, after a beat of hesitation, she gently pulled the door open and sat down, clutching her bag to her lap.

As she settled in, a subtle, clean fragrance immediately hit her senses—something a bit woodsy, fresh, and expensive with a whisper of citrus and something warm—like salt, sun. Soft, but distinctly masculine.

Her eyes blinked in surprise. Whoa... he smells amazing.

She stole a side glance at Rex as he adjusted the mirror and shifted gears, looking effortlessly cool with his hand resting on the wheel and that relaxed, confident posture. She could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks.

She blushed, flustered by her own thoughts. Why does he smell so good today? And more importantly Why am I... why am I smelling some stranger?

Then she immediately corrected herself, Well—technically, he’s not a stranger... but still!

Her cheeks burned hotter as she looked away.

"Ah, Daisy, get your mind out of the gutter, it must be Sophie’s fault," she screamed silently in her head, immediately blaming Sophie’s bad influence. Yeah, definitely Sophie’s fault—no question about it. She threw all the blame on her best friend without hesitation.

Meanwhile, somewhere far away, Sophie suddenly sneezed. She looked up, puzzled. Why was she sneezing out of nowhere when she was perfectly healthy? What Sophie didn’t know was that she’d just been officially scapegoated for whatever weird thoughts Daisy was having—and probably for a lot more to come.

She instinctively looked out the window to compose herself, but a moment later... she still couldn’t help but steal another tiny sniff of that clean, addictive scent.

There it was again—that scent. Unconsciously, she breathed in deeper, trying to be discreet, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. He didn’t used to smell like this, right? Or maybe I just never noticed...

And it wasn’t just the scent. His whole vibe today was throwing her off. His outfit, simple but sharp—black slim-fit pants, a crisp white tee layered under a sleek jacket—along with his styled hair and clear skin, made him look like he’d stepped out of a magazine shoot or a rom-com scene. He looked... composed. Striking. Dangerous to anyone’s heart.

Rex glanced at her, lips twitching. "You good?"

"Y-Yeah!" she replied a bit too quickly, turning her gaze out the window again.

He chuckled softly and shifted the car into drive, eyes back on the road.

Inside the car, it was seemingly calm on the surface, but deep inside both of their minds was in chaos.

Complete chaos.

Daisy was quietly screaming at herself for acting weird. Rex, on the other hand, was silently panicking about whether he’d said too much, looked too smug, or smiled too wide.

"Alas, life! It’s all about acting."

(End of Chapter)