Chapter 81: Luna, Noah’s savior.
Luna remained seated next to Noah while she watched the women who were still looking in their direction.
Most had stopped approaching once she took a seat.
Noah was still uncomfortable.
He had gone out to clear his head after reading news about kidnappings, fake jobs, and workplace harassment, but ended up confirming that even waiting a few minutes alone could attract too much attention.
Luna rested an arm on the table.
"What kind of job are you looking for?"
"Anything would be fine..."
"I have another question. Why are you looking for a job?"
Noah checked the hallway where Ava had gone to the bathroom and still hadn’t returned.
"I need money."
"I already got that."
"I want to buy a computer."
Luna watched him.
"For studying?"
"For that too."
"And what else?"
Noah hesitated, since he didn’t want Luna to think his idea of streaming videogames was absurd, but hiding it didn’t make sense either.
"I want to try streaming."
Luna blinked once.
"Streaming what?"
"Videogames."
"You’re going to play in front of other people?"
"Something like that."
"And someone would want to donate money to watch you play?"
"That’s what I’m hoping."
Luna looked at his face for several seconds.
"Yes."
Noah frowned.
"Yes what?"
"Yes, I think they would want to watch you."
"Why are you so sure?"
Luna didn’t answer right away, since she wasn’t planning to tell him that, being an attractive guy, he could get female viewers even if he didn’t know how to play.
"Because there are almost no guys doing streams."
"That’s what I thought."
Noah took out his phone.
"Not long ago I tried running a test."
Luna looked at the device.
"With that phone?"
"Yes."
"Let me guess, it ended badly?"
"How do you know?"
"That phone looks like it overheats when you answer too many messages."
Noah held the phone with both hands.
"The audio failed, the connection dropped, my family almost walked in, and some viewers tried to figure out where I live."
Luna’s expression turned cold.
"Do they have your location?"
"No."
"And where you go to school?"
"I don’t think so."
"And your full name?"
Noah stayed silent.
The platform showed his username, but during the stream Ava had called him from outside, just like his mother had spoken from behind the door, so it was possible someone had recorded some details.
"They might know my name."
Luna held out a hand.
"Give me the phone."
"What for?"
"I’ll check the account."
"You can’t remove every single viewer."
"I can block the ones who tried to track you down."
"There were a lot of them."
"Then I’ll take as long as I need."
Noah put the device back in his pocket.
"I’ll check it later, okay?"
Luna kept watching him.
"You shouldn’t stream with just that."
"That’s exactly why I need a computer and a proper place."
"You also need security."
"Yeah, I know."
"And someone to monitor the chat."
"That can wait."
"No, it can’t wait."
Noah sighed.
"First I need money."
The employee from the stall set the order on the table.
There were two plates, and Luna looked at the food.
"Is one of those for Ava?"
"Yes."
"Is this a date or something?"
"No, of course not!"
Luna looked up.
"You went out with her."
"She’s my sister."
"That doesn’t change the fact that you’re out on a date."
"I just asked her to come with me because I didn’t want to go out alone."
The tension in Luna’s expression eased a little.
"Ah, so it’s not a date."
"That’s what I told you."
"I see."
Noah picked up a glass.
"Anyway, I don’t know how to find a safe job."
Luna rested her cheek on one hand.
"The café where I work needs staff."
Noah set the glass on the table.
"You work at a café?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
"Since before I met you."
"Are you a waitress?"
"Yes."
Noah tried to picture her waiting tables.
Luna always kept a serious attitude and spoke with few words, so she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would greet customers with enthusiasm.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
She asked.
"I’m trying to picture it."
"Picture what?"
"How you serve people."
"I ask them what they want."
"And do you smile at them?"
"If necessary."
"That means no."
Luna didn’t reply, and Noah remembered what he knew about her life.
She had been living alone since her grandmother died.
She studied, trained, took care of her apartment, and cooked every day, so working must have been part of that routine she had before becoming a magical girl.
"Why did you never mention it?"
Noah asked.
"You didn’t ask."
"That’s not a fair answer."
"But I answered you, didn’t I?"
Noah accepted that he couldn’t argue with that.
"Do they really need staff?"
"A waitress quit last week."
"Why?"
"She moved."
"Is the place safe?"
Luna looked around before answering.
"Yes."
"Do any men work there?"
"No."
Noah felt his concern return.
"That doesn’t sound all that safe."
"I work there and I’ve never had problems."
"The risk isn’t the same for you."
Luna understood immediately.
"Did you read news about male workers?"
"A lot."
"Well, yes, it’s true what happens in some cases."
"That doesn’t help."
"The café has cameras, plus the manager is strict and the employees have been working there for years."
"And the customers?"
Luna remained silent, so Noah looked at her.
"What’s the deal with the customers?"
"Yeah, some of them can be annoying."
"How annoying?"
"Depends."
"Luna."
"Relax, I’d take care of it."
Noah opened his mouth, but before he could reply, he saw Ava at the end of the hallway, walking toward the table.
"Here comes Ava."
Luna barely turned her head and, as soon as she recognized Noah’s sister, raised a hand, causing a perception barrier to expand around her body.
Luna vanished and Noah blinked.
"What are you doing?"
Her voice came from the empty seat.
"I’m leaving."
"You don’t need to leave."
"Ava will ask questions."
"I’ll just say we’re friends."
"She might find out I went to the movies with you."
Noah looked toward Ava, who was still some distance away.
"We can explain that we ran into each other by chance."
Luna stood up and Noah felt her lean toward him.
"What...?"
Luna’s lips touched his cheek and Noah froze.
The kiss was quick, but she didn’t pull away right away and her voice sounded next to his ear.
"Later you’ll have to return the favor."
Noah felt his face heat up.
"What favor?"
"I’ll recommend you at my job."
"Luna."
She moved away.
"I’ll send you the address."
"Wait."
There was no response, since Luna had already left using her invisibility.
Ava arrived a few seconds later and looked at the empty chair, then looked at Noah, who was still touching his cheek.
"What are you doing?"
Noah lowered his hand.
"Nothing."
Ava stopped walking.
"You’re red."
"No."
"Yes you are."
"Must be the heat."
Ava looked around.
The place had ventilation and the temperature was pleasant.
"Why is there a chair moved?"
Noah looked at the seat where Luna had been sitting.
"Someone used it."
"Who?"
"A... person...?"
Ava narrowed her eyes.
"A girl?"
Noah picked up the glass.
"I-It doesn’t matter."
Ava sat down across from him.
"I left you alone for a few minutes."
"I know."
"Did someone approach you?"
"Several, I’d say."
Ava’s expression turned serious.
"Did they do anything to you?"
"No."
"Did they ask for your number?"
"They didn’t get that far."
"Why?"
Noah remembered Luna’s arrival.
"They left."
Ava continued watching him.
"You’re acting weird."
"Nothing’s wrong."
"You were touching your cheek."
"It itched."
Ava raised an eyebrow and Noah pushed one of the plates toward her.
"The food arrived."
Ava didn’t seem convinced, but she started eating, and for the rest of the outing, Noah thought about Luna’s proposal.
A known café was much safer than answering an ad with no information, plus Luna worked there, which meant she knew the manager and could confirm the job was real.
Noah also felt more at ease knowing she would be nearby.
’I shouldn’t depend on Luna to protect me.’
However, after what happened while Ava was in the bathroom, he also couldn’t ignore the risks.
That same night, Luna sent him a message.
[I talked to the manager.]
Noah replied.
[That fast?]
[I told her I knew someone interested.]
[Did you tell her I’m a guy?]
Luna took a moment.
[No.]
Noah sat up in bed.
[Why not?]
[I wanted you to go before she said no.]
[Luna.]
[The interview is tomorrow after classes.]
Noah looked at the message.
[Shouldn’t I send my info first?]
[I already gave her your name.]
[And my experience?]
[You don’t have any.]
[Thanks for the reminder.]
[You learn fast.]
Noah hesitated.
[Would you be working that day?]
[Yes.]
That was what finally convinced him.
[All right. I’ll go.]
Luna replied almost immediately.
[I’ll wait for you at the station.]
Then another message arrived.
[Don’t be late.]
Noah set the phone aside.
At least he had a real chance.