Chapter 226: The Bicycle Turns into a Motorcycle
"Damn it, what happened to 'take a gamble and turn your bicycle into a motorcycle'?! Come on, spit it out already!"
Following the voice, Kouya turned around and saw the lazy angel standing in front of the vending machine. Her left hand was shoved deep into her pocket, and her right hand was pounding relentlessly on the glass door, her golden hair swaying wildly with each strike. The faint halo that once symbolized her divine grace was long gone—replaced entirely by raw frustration. Her forehead pulsed with anger, her cheeks puffed out, and she muttered curses that were definitely not befitting of an angel.
Kouya stopped in his tracks, blinking at the bizarre sight. It wasn't every day you saw a celestial being about to pick a fight with a vending machine.
When he leaned closer, he finally noticed the problem. Inside the vending machine, several bottles of drinks were stuck mid-air, stacked one on top of another like an impossible tower of failure. Not a single one had dropped into the tray.
Gabriel stomped her foot hard enough to make the glass rattle. "What are you staring at? Come over here already!"
Kouya sighed and walked over, his steps slow and casual. He slid his hands into his pockets and tilted his head slightly, watching her struggle. There was something oddly entertaining about it.
Gabriel pointed accusingly at the stuck drinks, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I was just thirsty! I bought one drink—just one—and it got stuck right there! It didn't fall!"
She clenched her fists in fury. "So I thought, fine, I'll buy another one to knock it loose. Two drinks, no big deal, right? I could take one back for later. But the second one—" She jabbed her finger at the machine. "—also got stuck!"
Kouya tilted his head, amused. "You're kidding."
"I wish I were! So I bought a third one. And a fourth! And a fifth!" Her voice rose higher with each number. "And every single one got stuck! It's a disaster!"
Kouya glanced inside and let out a small laugh. "You've created a vending machine monument."
Gabriel groaned. "Stop laughing! Do you have any idea how much money I've wasted?! I was just trying to gamble a little—maybe turn my bicycle into a motorcycle! Instead, I got robbed by this stupid hunk of metal!"
Kouya couldn't resist smirking. "You could've stopped after the second one."
Gabriel glared at him like she was about to commit a heavenly crime. "You think I could just walk away? I've invested too much! If I quit now, I lose!"
He raised a brow. "You already lost."
That only made her huff louder. She extended her hand toward him like a demanding loan shark. "Hey. Lend me some change."
He blinked. "For what?"
"I'm broke," she admitted, scratching her head awkwardly. "Come on, lend me a few coins. I'll pay you back later. I'll even give you one of the drinks—if they ever come out."
Kouya sighed and dug into his pocket, dropping a few coins into her open palm. "Here. Don't say I didn't warn you."
She flashed a confident grin. "Watch and learn, mortal. This time it's going to work!"
She inserted the coins, pressed the button, and waited.
A whirring sound came from inside the machine—followed by silence.
Gabriel's smile froze. Then her wings twitched. "Ahhh! Are you kidding me?! I swear I'm going to punch this thing to death!"
Kouya burst out laughing. "You really have the worst luck."
Gabriel turned on him immediately, eyes blazing. "What's so funny?!" She threw a weak punch, but her tiny fist barely brushed against him.
Kouya caught her hand easily, wrapping his fingers around her soft, warm skin. Her hand was so small it disappeared inside his palm. For a split second, the flustered angel forgot her anger.
"Let go!"
"Not until you calm down. You'll just punch me next."
He smirked. "Want me to give it a try?"
She blinked, caught off guard by his calm confidence. There was something about the look in his eyes—steady, certain—that made her heart skip a beat. Quickly, she turned her face away. "Do whatever you want... not that I care."
Kouya placed his hand gently against the glass and gave it a light tap. The machine vibrated, a subtle tremor running through its frame. Then—crash! The tower of trapped bottles collapsed in a glorious cascade, all falling into the tray below.
Gabriel's eyes sparkled. "Ha! Finally! Justice!" She snatched a bottle, twisted it open, and took a huge gulp. "That'll teach you to mess with me! I'll drink every single one of you out of spite!"
Kouya stared. "You'll regret that tonight."
Eight bottles later, they had their bags stuffed to the brim. When there wasn't enough space, Gabriel simply slipped one bottle into Kouya's pocket with a smug grin. "Perfect. Problem solved."
"If the problem was filling my pockets, sure," he muttered.
She ignored him, sipping cheerfully as they walked away. "Hurry up, let's go home."
By the time they reached the apartment, the sky was bathed in soft twilight. The air had cooled, the scent of night blooming flowers drifting faintly around them. The city lights blinked on, scattering their glow across the streets.
They stopped by a convenience store on the way back, the familiar hum of the fridges filling the quiet shop. The bright packaging of the bentos looked more artificial than appetizing.
Gabriel sighed. "Bentons again? These things are getting worse every day."
Kouya chuckled. "You just got spoiled by Alice's cooking. After gourmet food, convenience meals always taste like cardboard."
Gabriel nodded solemnly. "You're right. Her cooking was divine! These bentos... they're basically edible disappointment."
Then her eyes lit up. "Wait, you can cook, right?"
Kouya gave her a look. "Define 'can'."
"You know what I mean," she said, grinning. "Let's cook dinner ourselves! You cook, I eat, and we'll use the leftover drinks to pay for ingredients. Perfect teamwork."
He sighed deeply. "So I do all the work and you just eat?"
"Exactly!" she said cheerfully.
Still, the idea wasn't bad. Kouya hadn't cooked in a while, and part of him missed it. He thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine, but you're washing the dishes."
"What?! No way! Dish soap ruins your skin!"
He raised an eyebrow. "That's your excuse?"
She nodded seriously. "It dries your hands! Look, I'm delicate."
He turned toward the bento shelf. "Then we'll just buy these."
She panicked instantly. "No, wait! Fine, I'll wash them! Just don't make me eat those sad little boxes again!" She grabbed his arm dramatically. "I want a feast tonight! A legendary dinner!"
They made their way to the grocery section. Gabriel pushed the cart, humming some random tune. Despite her loud words, her choices were simple—eggs, mackerel, pork, potatoes. She picked each one carefully, as if shopping for treasure.
Kouya watched her quietly. For all her laziness, there were fleeting moments where she almost looked... normal. Human. Even responsible.
He was reaching for some seasoning when a deep, hearty laugh echoed through the aisle.
"Kid, so you two really ended up together, huh?"
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