Infinite Cashback System

Chapter 192: 192 | Regardless of the ROI

The words came out muffled against his chest. Quiet. Almost scared.

"I know that’s probably obvious because I keep saying it and texting it and drawing pictures about it. But I want you to hear me say it when I’m not being weird or hyper or anxious. I like you. A lot. More than I’ve liked anyone in a really long time."

Jordan’s throat felt tight.

"Even though I come with complications?"

"The complications are part of you. And I like all of you. Even the parts that are confusing or scary or make me wonder if I’m making a huge mistake."

"That’s a lot of trust to put in someone you’ve known for two weeks."

Kumiko pulled back enough to look up at him. Her face was flushed, her eyes still damp, but there was steel beneath the softness. A certainty that contrasted sharply with her usual scattered energy.

"My therapist says I form attachments too quickly. She says I idealize people and then get hurt when they don’t live up to my expectations. She’s probably right. She usually is. But..." Kumiko bit her lip. "When you look at me, I don’t feel like you’re seeing someone you want to change. You just... see me. The real me. The too-much me. And you don’t look away."

Jordan didn’t know what to say to that.

So he kissed her instead.

It wasn’t planned. Wasn’t strategic. Wasn’t part of any System quest or chemistry optimization. He just wanted to, so he did, bending down to press his lips against hers while the jellyfish drifted endlessly behind them.

Kumiko made a surprised sound against his mouth. Her hands tightened on his shirt. Then she was kissing him back, rising on her tiptoes to get a better angle, her body pressing flush against his.

She tasted like strawberry lip gloss and the lingering sweetness of the energy drink she’d been nursing all morning.

When they finally separated, Kumiko’s face was bright red and her breathing was ragged.

"Haah... Jordan-kun... in public..."

"There’s no one around."

"The jellyfish are watching."

"Jellyfish don’t have eyes."

"Some of them do. Box jellyfish have twenty-four eyes."

"Are there any box jellyfish in this tank?"

Kumiko glanced at the exhibit label. "Moon jellies."

"Then we’re fine."

She laughed, a shaky sound that was half-giddy and half-overwhelmed. Her fingers were trembling where they clutched his shirt.

Jordan checked his phone again.

Kumiko Yamanaka 📍

Chemistry: 24% → 31% (+7%)

Seven percent.

One kiss. Seven percent.

Holy shit.

Chloe had never jumped that much from a single interaction. Her chemistry was stable, gradual, building block by block like someone constructing something meant to last. Kumiko’s chemistry was a roller coaster. Volatile. Responsive. Capable of surging dramatically in response to emotional stimulus.

Which meant her lows could be just as dramatic as her highs.

Jordan was playing with fire.

But the fire was warm and it tasted like strawberries and it looked at him like he was the most important thing in the world.

"We should probably see the rest of the aquarium," he said.

Kumiko nodded, still visibly dazed. "Right. Yes. The aquarium. The one we’re currently standing in. Because we’re on a date. A real date. Where you just kissed me. In front of the jellyfish."

"You mentioned the jellyfish."

"I’m processing! Give me a moment!"

Jordan took her hand and led her away from the jellyfish exhibit. The aquarium had other sections worth exploring. Tide pool touch tanks. A small shark exhibit. A display about local marine ecosystems.

They wandered through all of it, Kumiko’s commentary filling the space between tanks. She knew facts about everything. Sea stars could regenerate limbs. Hermit crabs traded shells like currency. Octopuses could solve puzzles and hold grudges.

"They remember faces," she explained while they watched an octopus hide behind a rock. "Scientists did experiments. The octopuses treated nice researchers differently than mean ones. They have preferences. Opinions. They’re basically tiny underwater cats."

"Cats with eight arms."

"Exactly! And three hearts! Can you imagine having three hearts? That’s so much extra cardio!"

Jordan laughed. Actually laughed. The sound surprised him.

Kumiko beamed like she’d won a prize.

By the time they left the aquarium, it was twelve thirty. Just enough time to grab food before Jordan’s sociology class.

They got tacos from a stand near the pier. Kumiko got fish. Jordan got carnitas. They sat on a bench overlooking the water and ate while seagulls circled overhead, hoping for scraps.

"This was the best date ever," Kumiko said between bites. "Like, objectively. The best. I’ve been on other dates and they were all terrible. One guy took me to a gas station because he forgot to get snacks before the movie. Another guy talked about his ex-girlfriend for two hours straight. Another guy—"

"I get it. The bar was low."

"The bar was underground. You could have taken me anywhere and it would have been an improvement. But you took me to see jellyfish. And you kissed me. And you held my hand. And you didn’t once check your phone to see if someone more interesting was texting you."

Jordan had checked his phone. Multiple times. But only to track her chemistry numbers.

That probably didn’t count.

"I had a good time too," he said.

Kumiko’s smile was blinding.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good enough to do it again?"

"Definitely."

She bounced in her seat, nearly sending her taco flying. "This is amazing! I have a boyfriend who takes me on dates! A real boyfriend! Who remembers things I like! And kisses me in aquariums! Chloe is going to be so jealous!"

"Chloe told me to take you out."

"She did?"

"This morning. Before she left for her vocal lesson."

Kumiko processed this information. Her expression cycled through several emotions before settling on something soft and grateful.

"She’s the best," Kumiko said quietly. "I don’t know what I did to deserve her. Or you. Or any of this. But I’m really glad I have it."

Jordan finished his taco and wiped his hands on a napkin.

His phone buzzed.

💕 TRANSACTION COMPLETE 💕

Purchase: Aquarium tickets + lunch

Amount: $47.82

Girl: Kumiko Yamanaka

Attraction Change: 31% → 33% (+2%)

Rebate: $21.04 (0.44x rate)

Net: -$26.78

Still losing money. At thirty-three percent chemistry, he was barely getting half his investment back. The break-even point was fifty percent. He needed to push Kumiko’s numbers higher before spending on her made financial sense.

But the money didn’t matter.

Not really.

What mattered was the girl sitting beside him, licking taco sauce off her fingers and talking about how octopuses held grudges, looking at him like he’d given her the moon instead of just a Tuesday afternoon at a modest aquarium.

The System could track whatever it wanted.

Jordan was keeping her regardless of the ROI.