Chapter 77

I shook my head, smiling as I explained, "Don't overthink it." "I'm overthinking?" Shanice stared at me in surprise before her eyes finally lit up. "So what you're saying is that you don't have anyone you're interested in right now, right?" I was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond. She had a knack for turning the tables and approaching my questions from unexpected angles. "It's not exactly like that..." I said with an awkward smile. Even after my response, Shanice's expression remained playful. "What do you think of me?" she asked with a tender gaze. "What do you mean?" I looked at her in shock, not understanding why she was asking that. "Oh, come on, don't play dumb." Shanice looked at me gently, her smile radiant as she continued, "What if I were to become your girlfriend?" Startled, I quickly waved my hands in refusal. Shanice laughed, shaking her head and pointing at me. "Look at you! I was just joking, and you really took it seriously!" I was at a loss for