HER RECKONING

CHAPTER 7

The next few days passed quietly, almost too quickly. Before Trunks knew it, the weekend had arrived.

At exactly two o’clock in the afternoon, he stood in front of Angelique’s apartment door, his palms sweating, his heart racing faster than ever before. He glanced down at his notepad one last time, double-checking the list of advice Alejandro and Ryan had given him.

“Flowers? Check. Compliments? Check. Smile… not too big. Okay—big smile. Maybe too big,” he muttered under his breath.

Taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell. The door swung open, and he immediately bowed his head, presenting a bouquet of flowers.

“I bought this for you,” he said, voice tense with nervousness. A burst of laughter answered him.

“Look up, Trunks—it’s Pavitra,” she said, grinning.

He lifted his head, blinking in surprise. “Oh! I—I’m so sorry. I thought you were Angelique. She told me to pick her up at two.”

Pavitra smiled knowingly. “You know girls are always late. But it’s good you came early. Come in—she’s still getting ready.”

Trunks nodded shyly and stepped inside. Pavitra gestured toward the sofa, and he sat down stiffly, clutching the bouquet as if it were a lifeline.

Upstairs, Angelique was putting the final touches on her outfit. She wanted everything to be perfect. Her plan was simple: a relaxed, fun date at the town’s funfair—but she was determined to look effortlessly stunning while doing it.

She slipped into a fitted navy-blue bodysuit, paired it with a cropped jacket, a matching cap, and white sneakers. After a spritz of perfume and one last check in the mirror, she smiled at her reflection. “Perfect,” she murmured, then made her way to the living room.

When Trunks saw her, he immediately shot to his feet. His jaw slackened slightly.

“Wow…” he whispered, completely mesmerized.

Angelique tilted her head, amused. “So? How do I look?”

“You look… statistically beautiful,” he blurted out. “I mean—objectively. If beauty could be measured on a scale, you’d… probably break it.”

Angelique chuckled, clearly entertained. “Thank you,” she said softly.

“Oh—also,” Trunks said quickly, holding out the bouquet. “I wasn’t sure about your favorite flowers, but I read that… all women like roses.”

“That’s a huge bouquet,” she laughed, taking it from him. “You really didn’t have to, but thank you. They’re lovely—they smell incredible.”

“You… you smell incredible too,” Trunks stammered. “Like—elegant. Wait, is elegant a smell? I mean, not that I sniffed you or anything, I just—uh—yeah.”

Angelique blinked, trying not to laugh. “Euh… okay? Thank you… I guess?”

Behind them, Pavitra burst into laughter. “Okay, lovebirds, are you leaving anytime soon?”

“Oh! Right—yes!” Trunks exclaimed, practically jumping up. He hurried to the door and opened it for Angelique. “After you.”

“Thank you,” she replied with a playful smile.

Outside, Trunks guided her toward his Maybach, and the driver opened the doors for them. The ride to the funfair passed in light conversation—well, mostly Angelique talking and Trunks nodding nervously, trying not to overthink every word.

When they arrived, he jumped out quickly to open her door. Angelique stepped out, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the colorful tents, flashing lights, and distant laughter.

“This looks amazing!” she said, her excitement bubbling over.

Trunks smiled shyly, relieved that at least that part was going right. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Amazing… statistically speaking.”

Angelique turned to him with a laugh. “Trunks, you’re impossible.”

He grinned awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been told.”

And together, they stepped into the bright, chaotic magic of the funfair—two opposites bound for a date that neither would ever forget.

“I’m so excited!” Angelique exclaimed, grabbing Trunks by the hand and pulling him toward the fair entrance. Her laughter echoed through the air as she led him past the colorful booths and flashing lights.

“So, where do we start?” she asked, her eyes sparkling.

“I don’t know… what would you like?” Trunks replied nervously.

“Ring toss first!” she declared.

They went from one attraction to another—ring toss, bumper cars, the carousel, the haunted house, roller coasters, and the claw machines. Trunks, surprisingly, was a master at bumper cars and the claw machines.

“How are you so good at this?” Angelique asked, impressed. “Have you been to a fair before?”

“Hmmm… yes. With Suhee,” he said casually.

“Ah… okay.” Angelique frowned slightly, the joy on her face dimming for a second.

Sensing the awkwardness, Trunks tried to save the moment. “Do you know why skeletons don’t fight each other? They don’t have the guts. Haha.”

Angelique gave him a seriously? look.

“Okay, maybe that was too… boneheaded,” he added quickly.

She still didn’t laugh, so he flipped open his small notebook. “Oh! I have another one. Did you know penguins give their mates pebbles as a sign of love? I thought about bringing you one, but the florist said flowers were more romantic.”

That time, Angelique genuinely laughed, and Trunks’ face lit up.

“You have a beautiful laugh,” he said softly, almost as if the words had slipped out.

Angelique looked into his eyes for a brief moment and smiled. “Come on, let’s try the shooting gallery.”

He followed her obediently. Angelique aimed and fired—each shot precise and clean.

“You’re a pretty good… shooter,” Trunks said awkwardly.

“I like it,” she replied, handing him the gun. “Now your turn.”

Trunks raised his hands defensively. “I’d rather not humiliate myself,” he said with an uneasy grin. Angelique laughed lightly and didn’t insist.

“Whew! I’m thirsty,” she said after a while.

“Ice cream? Fruit juice? Water?” Trunks offered quickly.

“Let’s get ice cream and go to the photo booth,” she decided.

Trunks nodded, bought the ice cream, and followed her to the booth. They squeezed into the tiny space, laughing between each flash of the camera. Outside, he also bought her crêpes, popcorn, and little trinkets that caught her eye. Every time she smiled, he felt his heart swell.

As the sun began to set, they headed for the Ferris wheel. Sitting side by side in the gondola, neither spoke at first. The city lights glimmered below, and the silence between them felt heavy but comfortable.

“Do you ever think the cafeteria food is part of a social experiment?” Trunks asked suddenly.

Angelique turned to him, half amused, half exasperated. “Seriously?”

He winced. “Right… bad start. Uh—maybe a compliment?” he muttered to himself. “Those earrings are very efficient at catching light… and attention.”

Angelique blinked.

“Oh no, wait—that sounded weird. I just mean, your eyes have excellent symmetry. In biology, symmetry is a sign of health and attractiveness, so—uh—congratulations?”

Angelique sighed, a mix between laughter and pity. “Trunks… stop.”

He froze. “Sorry. I’m not good at flirting. My brain usually buffers before saying something dumb. Like now.” He exhaled and gave a nervous laugh. “I really wanted this first date to be perfect for you. I even practiced smiling in the mirror, but I looked like a serial killer. I think my natural state is just… nerd. Sorry if I embarrassed you.”

Angelique looked at him for a long moment before speaking. “Trunks, it’s true—your jokes are horrible, your compliments are terrible, you have zero emotional intelligence, and you can’t even make a simple conversation.”

He looked down, his heart sinking.

“But,” she continued softly, “you tried. And you’re cute. I enjoyed every minute of this date, and that doesn’t change what I feel for you. We haven’t known each other long, but I want to learn more about you… and I still want to be your girlfriend—if you’ll have me.”

Trunks’ cheeks turned crimson. “You’re very sophisticated,” he stammered. “I’m… the opposite. Which makes us a good scientific contrast.”

Angelique smiled tenderly. Trunks hesitated, leaning closer. “Would you mind if—”

She didn’t let him finish. Angelique leaned in and kissed him, warm and certain.

When they finally pulled apart, she whispered, “I think you and I are a couple now.”

Trunks nodded awkwardly, still dazed.

They descended the Ferris wheel hand in hand, and later that night, Trunks returned to his penthouse, butterflies still swirling in his stomach.

“Grandma Yuna!” he shouted as he entered. “Grandma, where are you?”

The elderly woman appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. “Young master, what makes you so happy?”

“I have a girlfriend! For the first time in my life, I have a girlfriend! Can you believe it? A girl actually likes me!”

Grandma Yuna’s face brightened. “So… you and Suhee are finally together?”

“Suhee?” Trunks frowned. “No, of course not!”

Her expression softened into concern. “Then who is it, young master?”

“Angelique. She’s a transfer student in my class. Oh, Grandma, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen! She liked me from the start. At first I was confused, but after this date—I’m sure she’s the one. We don’t know each other well yet, but I want to learn everything about her.”

Grandma Yuna smiled faintly, though her eyes were heavy with worry. “As long as you’re happy, my angel.”

He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Book a private shopping session tomorrow! I’m taking my girlfriend out.”

As Trunks disappeared into his room, Grandma Yuna stayed behind, a troubled look clouding her kind face.