The cafeteria buzzed with its usual lunchtime cacophony. Students jostled for seats, the air thick with the aroma of fried food and the excited chatter of teenagers. Samantha picked at her food, her appetite completely gone.
One hour and seven minutes.
The clock in her mind ticked down with merciless precision. The ridiculous sub-missions loomed over her like a twisted Sword of Damocles. Kiss Liza on the cheek? Manageable, maybe. But the other one…
"You okay, Sam-chan? You've barely touched your food," Liza said, her brow furrowed with concern.
Samantha forced a smile. "Yeah, just… not that hungry, I guess."
Liza eyed her suspiciously. "You've been acting weird all day. Seriously, what's going on?"
Samantha's mind raced. How could she possibly explain? "Uh… I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."
"Like what?" Liza pressed, her gaze intense.
Samantha hesitated. An idea, reckless and insane, sparked in her mind. It was a long shot, but… maybe?
"Okay, fine," Samantha said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'll tell you. But you can't get mad, okay?"
Liza blinked. "Mad? About what?"
Samantha took a deep breath. "Okay, so… my friend and I were playing this… this truth or dare game. And… and I got two dares."
Liza's eyes widened. "Dares? What kind of dares?"
Samantha swallowed. "Well… one of them is to… to kiss you on the cheek."
Liza's face flushed a delicate pink. "Oh. Okay."
Samantha let out a shaky breath. "And the other one is… is to… uh… touch your… chest."
Liza's eyes went wide. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
"I know it's crazy!" Samantha rushed on. "And I don't want to make you uncomfortable! But… but if I don't do it, I have to… I have to deal with really embarrassing consequences."
Liza stared at her, her expression a mixture of shock, confusion, and… something else? Curiosity?
"Embarrassing consequences?" Liza finally whispered. "Like what?"
"Like… I don't know… having to wear a chicken suit for a week! Or… or having to sing karaoke in the middle of the quad!" Samantha blurted out, her mind scrambling for plausible-sounding penalties.
Liza giggled. "Okay, the chicken suit thing does sound pretty bad."
A glimmer of hope sparked in Samantha's chest. "So… so you're not mad?"
Liza hesitated for a long moment. "No… I guess not. But… this is really weird, Sam-chan."
"I know! I know! And you don't have to do it! I can just… deal with the dares somehow."
Liza chewed on her lip, her eyes darting between Samantha and something behind her.
"Well…" Liza finally said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "If it's just a quick kiss on the cheek and a little… boob touch… I guess it's not the end of the world, right?"
Samantha's heart leaped. "Really? You mean it?"
Liza nodded slowly. "Yeah. But make it quick, okay? And don't make it weird."
"I won't! I promise!" Samantha exclaimed, relief washing over her.
Mochi zipped around her head, its blue eyes wide with excitement.
"Do it! Do it!" Mochi chanted, its tiny voice barely audible.
Samantha took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She leaned towards Liza and gently pressed a kiss to her cheek.
It was a light, fleeting touch, but it sent a jolt of electricity through Samantha's veins.
Liza giggled, her cheeks flushing even brighter. "Okay, that wasn't so bad."
Samantha swallowed, her palms sweating. "Uh… okay. The other dare…"
She reached out a trembling hand and lightly touched Liza's chest.
Liza gasped, her eyes widening. A soft moan escaped her lips.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Samantha's hand lingered for a moment longer than intended. Liza's breath hitched.
Then, before Samantha could process what was happening, Liza leaned in and kissed her.
Not a peck on the cheek, but a real kiss, lips pressed against lips.
Samantha's eyes widened in shock. Her mind went blank.
Liza pulled away, her face a deep crimson. "I… uh… guess I had a dare too," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Samantha stared at her, speechless.
Then, a sharp chime echoed in her mind.
[Sub-Mission Complete: Kiss Your Best Friend on the Cheek]
[Sub-Mission Complete: Touch Your Best Friend's Chest]
[Rewards Acquired: Enhanced Agility, Increased Charm]
A wave of relief washed over Samantha, quickly followed by a surge of exhilaration. She had done it. She had actually done it.
Her body felt lighter, buzzing with newfound energy.
[Stats Overview]
[Strength: Average Human]
[Endurance: Slightly Above Average]
[Muscle Definition: +20% Improvement]
[Charisma: +2 (Slightly less useless in combat.)]
[Intelligence: +1]
[Agility: Enhanced]
[Charm: Increased]
Mochi zipped around her head, practically vibrating with excitement.
"You did it! You actually did it!" Mochi cheered. "And you even got a bonus reward! Enhanced Agility and Increased Charm!"
Samantha grinned, a surge of confidence coursing through her veins. "I guess I did."
She glanced at Liza, who was still staring at her, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and… something else?
"Liza…" Samantha began, her voice soft.
But Liza cut her off, a playful smirk spreading across her face. "You know, Sam-chan… for someone who was so nervous about a little dare, you're a surprisingly good kisser."
Samantha's face flushed. "Liza!"
Liza giggled, her laughter light and carefree. "Just kidding! Mostly."
Samantha shook her head, a genuine smile spreading across her face.