Arthur scratched the back of his head, glancing behind him.
A middle-aged woman was pressing down a little girl, bowing repeatedly to apologize with a humble, almost fearful attitude.
The little girl looked up at Arthur, tears trembling in her wide eyes, clearly terrified and confused, unsure of what she had done wrong.
Arthur's heart softened instantly.
This innocent expression was a rare sight in Night City — a place where most kids looked like they were one bad day away from pulling a gun on you.
Arthur smiled, picked up a lollipop from the counter, unwrapped it with a lazy twist, and gently popped it into the girl's mouth.
Then he patted her head lightly.
The little girl's eyes immediately lit up.
She grinned brightly, the kind of genuine, heart-melting smile you almost forgot existed in a city so rotten it could glow under a luminol spray.
The mother looked at Arthur gratefully, bowing even more deeply.
Melissa, standing off to the side, watched the scene with an amused smile, as if savoring the rare, gentle moment.
Arthur shrugged.
He wasn't a cyberpsycho.
He didn't hurt innocent people — especially not a little girl who just accidentally bumped into him.
In Night City, everyone had their shields up. Everyone was ready to kill or be killed.
Sometimes, keeping a little bit of humanity was the only rebellion left.
Arthur paid for the groceries at the counter, stuffing a few extra eddies to cover the lollipops, and prepared to leave.
Just as he stepped outside — tap!
He felt something bump into his foot again.
Arthur turned around, and there she was — the same little lolita, standing there expectantly, lollipop stick poking out of her mouth, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Arthur: "..."
Melissa: "Pfffft—hahahaha!"
Melissa practically doubled over with laughter, losing the goddess-like composure she had been carefully maintaining all day.
Arthur scratched the back of his head in helpless amusement.
This little one really had potential.
Give her a few years and she'd probably be managing half the corporate scams in Watson District.
He sighed, pulled out more eddies, tossed them onto the counter, and grabbed another lollipop.
This time, he gently stuffed it into the little girl's hand.
He bent down to her level and ruffled her hair.
"Listen, little guy," Arthur said with a smirk, "not everyone you meet is gonna be as nice as me.
You can't just go stepping on strangers and expect candy every time."
The girl's mother quickly rushed forward, bowing again and pulling her daughter away protectively.
Arthur only smiled.
It was common sense in Night City — better to assume everyone's a ticking time bomb.
After a bit more wandering, Melissa led Arthur into Concord Park — a rare patch of green in a city made of chrome and blood.
Arthur thought, Finally. Maybe something romantic, maybe a little hey-hey?
But instead...
Melissa flopped down on a picnic blanket and started pulling out synthetic food.
Arthur stared at the rubbery, tasteless rations on the blanket.
Synthetic starch shaped like sandwiches, fake meat that tasted like wet cardboard, and fruit that crunched like plastic.
So much for a romantic lunch.
Arthur sat down reluctantly.
Still, sitting under the fake blue sky, surrounded by the filtered sunlight and the background hum of Night City — it almost felt normal.
Almost.
Arthur allowed himself a small smile.
It wasn't a bad date.
Aside from Melissa nearly chopping a random pick-up artist into eight pieces five minutes ago —
but that was just Night City romance.
Time slipped by quietly.
By the time Arthur checked his optics again, it was almost 3 PM.
His butt hurt from sitting on the hard ground.
Two hours into a date? That should be enough, right?
Arthur stood up, stretching lazily.
Time to make a graceful exit before Melissa's madness kicked in.
But just as he turned to say goodbye—
Melissa grabbed his shoulder.
Her cheeks were flushed red. Her breathing slightly quickened.
"Why the rush?" she purred dangerously.
"Can't handle it in daylight? You need the cover of night, huh?"
She batted her eyes at him, acting like a drunken pop diva trying to seduce her bodyguard.
Arthur froze.
What. The. Actual. Hell.
"I—I was just stretching my back!" Arthur stammered.
"I wasn't— What the hell are you even thinking?!"
Melissa laughed charmingly, ignoring him entirely, and started dragging him by the wrist toward the city streets.
The afternoon sun bathed Concord Park in warm light.
Passersby smiled knowingly at the sight of a flustered man being pulled by a giggling blonde bombshell.
A beautiful scene!
So heartwarming!
Arthur wanted to cry.
This was not the love story he signed up for.
On the way, Arthur suddenly remembered something.
"Hey, Melissa," he said, trying to salvage some dignity, "you got any way to hook me up with the Night City Rapid Bus Company?"
"I need a line running from Night City to Pacifica.
Morning drop-off, evening pick-up. Something basic."
Melissa didn't even slow down.
"Forget it," she said.
"That transit company's owned by Ye's Group.
If you want them to do something unprofitable, you might as well throw them into the landfill next to the City Center."
Arthur sighed.
He kept forgetting.
Night City wasn't about public service. It was about corporate profits.
Water, air, light — everything was for sale.
Even basic transport was a business.
If Pacifica didn't make money, there was no way in hell anyone would bother running a bus line there.
Arthur fell into brooding silence, dragged along like a dog on a leash.
Before he could figure out another solution, Melissa had already pulled him into the front entrance of a hotel.
Arthur looked up.
Pink neon lights. A giant flickering heart logo. Love songs blasting from hidden speakers.
A love hotel.
He immediately turned around to leave.
Melissa blocked him.
"I heard," she said sweetly, twirling a hotel key in her fingers, "Ye's Transit is replacing a bunch of old buses.
You might be able to buy a few if you hurry.
They're old, sure — but they work. Just like you."
Arthur: "..."
Was that an insult or a compliment?
Before he could react, Melissa winked, tossed the key in the air, and caught it smoothly.
"Well," she said, stepping into the elevator, "if you want the information... it depends on your performance."
Arthur stood there frozen, watching the elevator doors start to close.
He clenched his fists.
"I swear," he growled under his breath, "I'll show you today what real masculinity is."
"You'll be begging ME for mercy, little brat!"
And with that, he charged into the elevator.
[End of Chapter 74: The End of the Date!]