The Magic That Made the Playboy Who Never Dates Fall for Me Chapter 09
By the time the middle segment rolls around, the principal and school admins in the front row are already on their feet, phones out, recording. 📺
Then Evan steps on stage—and a wave of gasps ripples through the crowd.
Makes me wonder if I should’ve brought him up earlier.
Aside from being my stage assistant, Evan and I do a trick together—nothing technically crazy, but visually stunning.
When we bow to the audience together, Evan smiles again.
The crowd has never seen their resident ice prince crack a grin.
Applause rolls in like waves—one crashing after another.
Out of habit, I glance toward the seat I checked at the start—
And freeze.
Mason’s seat is empty.
He was there when the last act ended.
That hollow feeling creeps up again.
System is still gushing in my ear about how amazing my magic is, completely forgetting the whole “winning him over” thing. ðŸŽ
When the final grand illusion begins, the entire auditorium holds its breath.
—
A far cry from the restless energy at the start.
My mind is on Mason, but my hands don’t miss a beat.
With a flick of my wrist, a pure white feather appears in my palm.
I hold it up—and blow. 🥳
Instantly, the feather transforms into a snow-white dove that soars into the audience.
As the dove circles the auditorium and flies back toward me, a sheer curtain rises into the air.
The dove returns—but I’m gone from the stage.
The audience shoots to its feet in shock. Stage lights go dark.
Ten seconds later—a single spotlight clicks on.
Heads turn like dominos, craning toward the back.
I stand at the entrance of the school auditorium, take a bow, and walk out the door.
The moment it clicks shut—the applause from inside punches through the heavy wood, startling birds off nearby branches.
I don’t stop to look. I break into a run and ask System:
“Where’s Mason?”
Still riding the high of [“LOOK HOW AWESOME WE ARE!”], System snaps back to reality.
[Checking, checking—he’s in the woods behind the school!]
—
[West side—on the bench by the lake!]
By the time I find Mason, my legs are shot. 🥺💔
He’s sitting on the bench, tossing pebbles into the lake.
“Mason.”
He stops mid-throw at the sound of my voice.
Turns to look at me—and the pebble slips from his fingers.
“How’d you—no. Wait.” He changes track. “How’d you know I was here?”
I don’t answer. Instead: “Why’d you leave?”
He goes quiet. Sullen.
Figuring he won’t answer, I say: “Was my performance that boring?”
“NO!” He shoots back immediately.
[Host, in this situation, you can, uh, well… you know…] System flounders, coming up blank.
Without its advice, I just go with what comes naturally.
Straight up.
“I kept thinking about you during the whole show.”
I pause, then carefully hook one of his fingers with mine.
“After every act, I’d look for you in the audience. Because seeing you there made me feel safe.”
—
One side of Mason’s face is half-hidden in shadow. I watch the tips of his ears go red and ask:
“If it wasn’t boring—then why’d you leave?”
……