I Slapped the Villain After 99 Rebirths Chapter 08
After school, he came straight to my classroom.
He dropped his bag on my deskmate’s table, his expression cold and arrogant. “I’ll tutor you.”
I smiled to myself. Hooked.
Joseph was a savage when he tutored me. He loved to roast me for being dumb.
At first, I was furious. But eventually, I found a way to turn the tables.
“That’s okay. Our kids can take after you.”
“The only reason I’m trying so hard is so I can get into the same college as you. Or at least somewhere
close.”
“You’re so smart, Joseph. No wonder you’re my future husband.”
Stuff like that shut him right up.
His cold, arrogant look would soften into something almost shy.
“I’m tutoring you, not giving you an excuse to chase me.”
“Stop talking.”
“Stop looking at me.”
“Stop…”
“Stop what?” I asked, curious.
He stared at my lips as I unconsciously chewed on my pen cap. His swallowed.
Then he reached out, pinched the back of my neck, and turned my face away.
“Stop tempting me.”
I didn’t think he actually knew what “tempting” meant.
Over the next few weeks, I subtly tried to steer him toward staying in the US for college.
But every time I asked, he’d deflect. “We’ll see after the scores come out.”
Then, after the SATS were over and our scores were released, he said, “I’m going abroad.”
I grabbed his hand, panicked. “Why? I’ll miss you if you go overseas!”
He pulled his hand away, his fingers twitching slightly.
His voice was light. “It’s a family thing.”
I was completely stunned.
If he followed the book’s plot, he’d eventually get tangled up with the male and female leads again, derailing Olivia’s redemption mission. And I’d be stuck in junior year hell forever.
“Can you please not go?”
Joseph stared into my eyes and asked suddenly, “Why do you like me?”
I froze. My mind went blank.
I scrolled through every rom-com and romance novel I could remember before finally answering.
“There’s no ‘why.’ I just do. The first time I saw you, I was drawn to you. I think about you every day. I’m happy when I see you. I want to be with you forever.”
I thought my heartfelt confession would move him. But Joseph just stared at me, his dark eyes unreadable.
A strange, creeping feeling went up my spine.
I replayed my words in my head. I hadn’t said anything wrong.
“Love. Forever.” Joseph smiled. “How can you be so sure you’ll love someone forever, that you’ll never change?”
I met his gaze, feeling the pressure. “We’re married in the future.”
“A passionate person is passionate; a constant person is constant. I know myself. Once I choose someone, I stick with them. If I choose you, I’ll always be on your side.”
“A passionate person is passionate; a constant person is constant.” Joseph repeated the phrase.
“I remember the first time we met, you hit me and said I’d die in the future. A suicide.”
“I know myself pretty well. I’d never do something as weak as commit suicide. I’d destroy whatever or whoever made me unhappy.”
“Emily, you keep telling me the future is so great. So why would someone like me kill himself?”
