Back to the present, while driving home with Lena to Ellie's house, Lena turned to look at Dylan, who was seriously driving the car.

"What did Grandma talk to you about?" Lena asked, curious.

"I'll tell you later. She went there because she wanted to change her will," Dylan answered.

"Oh... I see. Did she talk about my mom and dad?" Lena asked.

"Not at all. Don't worry, I'll take care of you and our baby... as well as Ellie, Amy, and Maya... and their babies," Dylan answered, looking serious.

"Hehe... thanks, honey," Lena replied, leaning on Dylan's shoulder.

They kept driving. When they passed a supermarket, Lena suddenly grabbed Dylan's shoulder, making him slow down.

"Let's stop here, okay? We need to do the monthly shopping, right?" Lena asked.

"Oh... okay. Right now? Don't you want to ask anyone else first?" Dylan asked.

"I'll ask in the group chat first. You just park the car," Lena said, pulling her smartphone out of her bag.

"Alright, I'll park inside," Dylan replied.

Dylan immediately turned the car into the supermarket parking lot. After parking near the entrance, they waited for replies from the others. Dylan saw that Ellie, Amy, and Maya also asked for some things to be bought, as did Aaron, who asked for school supplies and colored pencils for Fiona and Iris. After that, Dylan and Lena got out of the car, then walked to the entrance.

But before he could open the automatic sliding door, it was already open. Three young men and three girls walked out. All six were surprised to see Dylan and Lena, and they recognized them as their classmates, including Derek, Connor, and Sharon.

"Huh... Le-Lena?" Derek asked.

"Dylan... Lena... what are you doing here?" Connor asked.

"W-we meet again, haha," Sharon added nervously.

"Going shopping, what about you guys?" Dylan asked.

All six immediately turned to look at each other. They seemed confused about how to answer Dylan's question and also looked embarrassed. Finally, Connor stepped closer to Dylan.

"We're shopping for the graduation party in three days. If we don't shop now, there won't be any time left," Connor muttered.

"Oh... okay," Dylan replied, realizing he hadn't been invited to the graduation party.

"Come on, honey, let's go inside," Lena said knowingly, taking Dylan's arm.

"Aren't you coming, Lena?" Derek asked again.

"No, thank you. You didn't invite my husband, did you? So there's no need for me to show up," Lena replied curtly.

Connor, Sharon, Derek, and the other three suddenly looked ashamed after hearing Lena's words. Then Lena pulled Dylan inside, walking past them without another word. After going in, Dylan briefly turned to see his six classmates discussing something in front of the automatic glass doors.

"That's enough, why are you staring at them," Lena said, pulling Dylan.

"Yeah, yeah, don't pull me," Dylan replied, looking forward again.

Then they grabbed a shopping cart and went inside. Lena checked the list on her smartphone while Dylan pushed the cart behind her, following like a good husband. Suddenly, "ding," a notification came into Dylan's smartphone. He saw an invitation to the group chat for the graduation party. "Ding," then a message popped up, and he immediately opened it. It turned out Connor had sent it, and he was the one who suggested inviting Dylan to the party.

Dylan looked back at the group invitation notification he hadn't accepted yet. Lena, noticing Dylan had stopped, immediately backed up and peeked at Dylan's smartphone screen. She immediately pressed "no" without hesitation. Dylan turned to look at Lena.

"We're having our own party, right? So we don't need to go to theirs, hehe," Lena said.

"That's true. Thanks, Lena," Dylan replied, smiling.

"Okay, let's move on. We need to buy some cut chicken," Lena replied.

Along the way, several invitations and messages from Connor came in, but Dylan declined the invitations and ignored the messages because he understood Lena's intention in rejecting it: his classmates were inviting him so that Ellie, Lena, Amy, and Maya would come to the party. Then he set his smartphone to vibrate and put it in his pants pocket. When they finished shopping and were waiting in line at the register to pay, Dylan saw his six classmates still outside the door.

"Wait, they haven't left?" Dylan asked in his head.

Lena, who also looked towards the door because she saw Dylan turn his head, immediately shook her head. Outside, Connor was seen arguing with Derek, and Sharon and the others were trying to separate them.

"Why are they making a scene outside a supermarket?" Lena muttered.

"I don't know, let me check the message from Connor," Dylan said, taking his smartphone out of his pocket.

When he read the string of messages Connor had sent, it turned out Derek was the one who suggested not inviting Dylan at first. He still couldn't accept that Lena and Amy, two girls he had declared his love for, were now with Dylan. Connor said he hadn't invited Derek because he had just found out Derek's real reason. Dylan showed his smartphone to Lena, then Lena looked angry and gave the smartphone back.

"Wait here, honey," Lena replied.

"Uh... what are you going to do?" Dylan asked.

Without answering Dylan's question, Lena walked towards the exit and opened the door. Then she was immediately seen joining Connor in attacking Derek.

"CATS, can you tap into their conversation?" Dylan asked in his head.

[Of course, sir. Please listen in.]

The argument between Derek, Connor, and now Lena was immediately audible in Dylan's head as he patiently waited in line at the cash register.

"Please don't bother inviting Dylan, me, Ellie, Maya, or Amy again. We definitely won't be coming to the graduation party you're hosting. Please respect our privacy and don't force it," Lena said loudly.

"S-sorry, Lena, I didn't mind inviting Dylan from the start, but this guy keeps protesting just because he was the one who suggested the event," Connor replied, glancing at Derek.

"Even if he was invited, he wouldn't come anyway. I already know what kind of person he is, but I'm confused why Lena and Amy would refuse if he wasn't included. I don't accept this, you know? We're having a party to celebrate graduation and make memories together one last time. Why is it turning out like this?" Derek said.

"Hah... if that was really your goal, you should have invited Dylan from the start. Whether he comes or not is secondary. He's also our classmate. You're completely pathetic," Connor replied.

"Stop it, both of you. Don't fight out here, it's embarrassing," Sharon said.

"You don't understand, Connor. You already have Sharon," Derek replied.

"Hah... even if you invite Dylan to the party, Amy, Ellie, Maya, and I won't come. The reason is because we're tired of rejecting guys like you who we barely know but suddenly declare your feelings, and when you're rejected, you act like this," Lena quipped.

Hearing Lena's words, everyone immediately fell silent, including Derek, who looked very defeated and couldn't say anything.

"Um... Lena, you're usually nice to everyone, why are you being so fierce now?" Sharon asked.

"Because I'm tired. My choice of Dylan is my business, not yours, right? You all interfere too much. The others and I aren't your dolls or idols," Lena said angrily.

Dylan, listening inside the supermarket while queuing, suddenly had a flushed face.

"She's getting angry because of hormone changes, not because she's tired or because she chose me... right, CATS," Dylan said, covering his face with one hand.

[That is correct, sir.]

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