“If dreams do come true, I wanna hug a girl before I die”
– Denji (Chainsaw Man)
…
After school, as usual, Dean packed his bag and was about to leave the school when Dick, who was sitting behind him, suddenly stopped him.
“Hey! Dean, wait a moment.”
Dean turned around to look at him and asked curiously, “What’s up?”
“I know it might sound a bit sudden, but… do you have time tonight?”
Dick scratched his head hesitantly.
“Uh… can I say I don’t?”
Dean’s eyelids twitched wildly.
“Well, actually, I was planning to invite you to Wayne Manor for dinner and also discuss the campus dance performance before spring break. You know, the only talent I have is acrobatics, but that’s too dangerous and requires professional skills. The venue is not suitable for performing in schools.”
Dick coughed twice and confessed.
“So, I was wondering if you could teach me some interesting magic tricks so I can impress the girls.”
After listening to Dick’s explanation, Dean showed a suddenly realized expression and then stared at him with disgust.
“I see now. But aren’t you afraid of being caught by your girlfriend at the dance? Speaking of which, who is your girlfriend now? Laia? Emma? Cori? Or Jenny? Maybe all of them? I never thought this about you before, but now it seems you’re a real player.”
“Hehehe! Can you stop being so old-fashioned? Now is the era of free love, and breaking up and getting back together is normal! I haven’t done anything wrong, so how am I a player? You make it sound like I’m so weird.”
Dick defended himself and then looked at Dean with disdainful eyes.
“The real weirdo is a guy like you who is about to graduate from high school and doesn’t have a girlfriend yet.”
“I really can’t figure it out, so many girls have confessed their feelings to you, why don’t you try to pick a few to get along with?”
At this point, Dick scrutinized Dean suspiciously.
“Wait, are you…?”
“Shut up!”
Dean was annoyed and immediately shouted at him to stop.
In the years since he crossed over, almost ninety percent of Dean used his personal time to train his skills as a magician.
He did this to earn the system’s rewards and increase his chances of surviving future major events.
He didn’t have time to get involved in teenage romances.
“Relax, man, I was just joking.”
Dick quickly put on a smile and looked at Dean with anticipation.
“The school dance is scheduled for March 12th, and I don’t have much time to prepare for my performance. So, please come to my house today, and as a token of gratitude, Alfred will prepare a delicious dinner.”
“We’ve been friends for so many years, so please help me out, okay?”
“…”
Dean stayed silent for a few seconds, then shook his head helplessly.
“Alright, I’ll teach you a few simple magic tricks, but your dinner better be good.”
“Well, before we go, I’ll quickly head home and grab some magic props…”
Before he could finish speaking, Dick interrupted directly.
“No need! Wayne Manor has plenty of things. Time is precious, so let’s head there directly. Alfred should already be here to pick me up.”
Dick grabbed Dean’s shoulder to push him and ran toward the school gate without giving Dean a chance to speak.
Dick pulled Dean forward, and he slightly squinted his eyes.
He didn’t believe Dick had suddenly invited him to Wayne Manor to learn magic tricks.
After all, Dick was Robin, the sidekick of Batman, and he didn’t need anyone to teach him how to impress girls with magic tricks.
Even if he wasn’t as skilled as professional magicians, it’s more than enough to fool those little girls in school who don’t know anything.
Obviously, Dick was testing himself, although Dean wasn’t sure yet what he intended to test.
Dean kept his poker face on, pretending that he didn’t know anything while his mind constantly imagined what might happen next and how to deal with it.
At the school gate, Alfred really stopped beside a luxury car early, waiting for Dick to appear.
When Alfred saw the two of them, Dean noticed a flash of surprise in Alfred’s eyes when he saw him.
Obviously, he didn’t know that Dick was testing Dean.
‘In this way, the person who doubts my identity is Batgirl, it’s not that Batman is back.’
Dean thought to himself.
When Dean eavesdropped on Dick’s call before because he couldn’t eavesdrop on Dick’s voice wearing headphones, he couldn’t guess the specific identity of the other person.
Even if he removes Alfred based on Dick’s words, he cannot be immediately sure that it is Batgirl.
There was still a possibility that Batman had returned to Gotham using the unique teleportation technology of the Justice League, which allowed him to appear anywhere without any notice.
Dean really didn’t want to meet the father of DC, who was idolized by countless people in his previous life so early.
The good news was that he could be sure now.
If Batman was the one suspecting him, Alfred would surely know about Dick’s plan to test him.
It might even be an important part of their plan.
Then Alfred would not be surprised when he sees Dean, and if he does show surprise, he must have pretended to be surprised after meeting him.
The question now is, why would Batgirl suspect him?
Dean ponders the fact that even Dick has spent the most time with him and has never suspected him.
How could a Batgirl, whom he has never even met suspect him?
This kind of suspicion is absolutely impossible to come out of thin air.
In Gotham City, there are at least twenty professional magicians who fit the requirements of the Phantom Thief, not to mention countless amateur street performers.
What evidence could Batgirl possibly have to suspect him?
There is only one possibility that Dean has already met with Batgirl, and some exact parts led her to suspect him.
‘Women I’ve met recently…’
Then, Dean suddenly recalls the encounter with Barbara at the library.
It makes perfect sense if it is connected through the Roman parts on the notice letter and the fact that he had been reading books related to Rome.
Dean once suspected that three people might be Batgirl, one is Bruce Wayne’s cousin Betty Kane, one is Alfred’s daughter Julia Pennyworth, and the last one is Barbara Gordon.
At first, Dean thought that it was Betty because she was close to the Wayne family.
Now, it seemed that Barbara was the real Batgirl.
While Dick is explaining to Alfred that he wants to invite Dean to Wayne Manor for dinner, on the other side…
A shadowy figure was slowly approaching the Sutton Mansion…
