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Chapter 238: The True Colors of a Player
🕑 Added 2025-05-02 02:39:42 +0000 UTCBoston.
Near Harvard University.
Inside an apartment.
"Tsk, tsk."
Adam and Max followed Juno into the apartment. As soon as they stepped inside, their eyes lit up with admiration.
This apartment was about the same size as Adam’s—both were two-bedroom, one-living-room layouts—but the atmosphere was completely different.
Adam’s place was unmistakably a bachelor pad.
Though it wasn’t as deliberately over-the-top as Barney Stinson’s from How I Met Your Mother, where even a box set of Romance of the Three Kingdoms DVDs was displayed as a badge of singlehood, anyone who walked in would immediately know it belonged to a single guy.
Juno and Karen’s place, on the other hand, felt like a home.
"You two are really living the good life—classy."
"You could too," Juno replied with a smile. "If you actually wanted to."
"Heh."
Adam chuckled but didn’t respond.
The idea of settling down was nice, but that was something to consider after he had seen all the excitement the world had to offer.
Right now, he still wasn’t satisfied.
Adam and Max had flown to Boston, and since they had informed Juno in advance, she had picked them up from the airport.
"Hey, Karen."
"Hmm."
When Karen walked in with tea, Adam quickly greeted her.
"Thanks a lot," Max added, expressing gratitude.
"You're welcome."
Karen remained cold toward Adam but greeted Max with a warm smile.
That night, Adam and Max didn’t check into a hotel; instead, they stayed in the guest room.
While Karen helped Max settle in, Juno gave Adam a look, signaling him to step outside. The two of them went downstairs for a walk.
"New girl again, huh?"
Juno teased, "As broad-minded as ever—and getting broader, I see."
"Can’t help it," Adam said with a grin. "It just happens. I’m not picky."
"Right. As long as she’s pretty, you’re interested."
Juno rolled her eyes before sighing. "This Max is nice. How do you always end up meeting such great women?"
"Is that a humblebrag?" Adam shot back.
"Not at all."
Juno smirked. "I don’t count as one of those ‘good girls.’"
"To me, you are."
Adam looked at her seriously.
"Heh."
Their eyes met, and they both smiled.
Friendship was a fascinating thing.
There were acquaintances, friends, good friends, and best friends—each level growing deeper.
The longer the friendship lasted, the stronger the bond. But even after years, most friendships only advanced to the “good friends” level. To become true best friends, though, required something more—a connection that just clicked.
In American TV shows, a best friend was often a singular title.
For women, it was the Maid of Honor; for men, the Best Man.
Think The Big Bang Theory: Sheldon and Leonard, Howard and Raj, Penny and Amy. Or How I Met Your Mother: Marshall and Ted.
Barney was always obsessed with the title of Best Bro, often getting jealous when Ted referred to Marshall as his best friend.
Because in many ways, a true best friendship transcended even the usual definition of friendship. Like love, it could evolve into family—becoming a different kind of home.
Marshall wasn’t called “Lily’s Dad” (Lilypad) for nothing.
When Penny married Leonard, her hug at the ceremony wasn’t just with her new husband—it included Sheldon too.
A true trio.
When Raj struggled with being single and considered marriage, he planned to leave—but Howard chased him down at the airport, making Raj ultimately choose him over a potential wife.
Their dramatic embrace even led onlookers to applaud their "true love."
Amy once worried that Raj and Howard would sleep together before she and Sheldon did.
Even Bernadette, after marrying Howard, would joke, "Are you cheating on me with Raj?" whenever Howard acted suspicious.
It was all in good fun, but their friendship had undeniably surpassed the usual boundaries—it was a lifelong bond.
Nothing could come between them. Not even women.
If Adam’s system weren’t so useless, a Friendship Meter would probably show a long list of “good friends.”
But in the Best Friend section?
It was either empty—or Juno would definitely be there.
That was due not just to their instant connection when Adam first watched Hard Candy in his past life, but also the long-term camaraderie they had built in this one.
"Honestly," Juno said with a laugh. "Max is great, but I actually liked Heather more. It’s a shame she decided to stay in Texas."
"Sigh."
Adam let out a deep sigh.
His thoughts mirrored Juno’s.
Max was wonderful, but if he had to choose… he still liked Heather more.
Of course, their reasons were different.
Juno admired Heather’s personality.
Adam? He just preferred Heather’s looks and figure.
Among all the women he had been involved with, Heather had the best overall appearance.
"You could go visit her sometime," Juno suddenly suggested.
"What?" Adam blinked in surprise.
"Karen and I visited her ranch."
Juno smiled.
"You went there?" Adam frowned, looking at her in confusion.
"Yep," Juno said meaningfully. "She can’t leave easily, but you could make time to visit her. She’s had a tough time, and I know she still has feelings for you."
Adam fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed.
"Is she okay? She told me I shouldn’t go—that it wasn’t convenient for her to leave..."
"Not convenient to move permanently," Juno clarified. "But a short visit? No problem. She can arrange that, and Karen and I can go with you. Just like when we used to go hunting at the cabin—just the four of us. Nothing to worry about."
"Are you sure?" Adam looked at Juno intently.
"I’m sure."
Juno met his gaze head-on.
"Alright."
Adam nodded. "If Heather is okay with it."
"She will be," Juno said confidently.
Adam hesitated, then asked, "You think I’m kind of a player?"
"Huh? Why are you suddenly asking that?"
Juno gave him a "Do I even know you?" kind of look. "Haven’t you always been? You were already two-timing back in high school. Don’t tell me you thought I didn’t know. No way… No way, right?"
"..."
Adam’s mouth twitched. No response.
"Relax, I know you’re a 'respectable' guy," Juno said, throwing an arm around his shoulders with a grin. "It’s not like you’d be visiting Heather every week. Just once in a while. As long as you don’t do anything that would ruin your respectable image, you’re fine, right?"
Seeing Adam’s deadpan expression, she added with a smirk, "Besides, I doubt things with Max will last long anyway. We can just wait for your 'single phase' and plan the trip then. That way, you're not a typical player—just an atypical one."
"Why wouldn’t things with Max last?" Adam protested.
*"Come on~" Juno said, imitating Barney Stinson’s classic "Just admit it" tone and expression.
Except this time, she wasn’t mimicking Barney.
She was mimicking Adam himself.
Adam opened his mouth—then shut it.
He had no comeback.
(End of chapter.)
