Loviki froze completely. Her hands hovered in midair, unsure of where to rest, while her face pressed against Chen Mian's neck, where she could smell the faint scent of Moonlight Grass lingering on him.
Chen Mian gently rested his chin against her forehead and said softly, “Silly girl. I don't even know what kind of nonsense you're trying to explain.”
Loviki's breathing became incredibly light. Only after a long moment did she whisper, “...I was afraid you'd misunderstand.”
“I'm not that foolish.”
“...Oh. Then let me go,” Loviki whispered, her face flushing red, though she made no attempt to struggle.
“No,” Chen Mian said with a chuckle. “You barged into my room in the middle of the night to say all these random things. You have to pay some sort of price.”
“...What price?”
Chen Mian didn't answer. He simply lowered his head, his gaze falling on her reddened ears and her slightly trembling eyelashes.
Loviki felt a bit self-conscious under his gaze, and her eyes drifted away again. “...Why aren't you saying anything?”
“I'm thinking.”
“About what?”
Chen Mian's voice grew slightly softer than before. “You just said you were afraid I'd misunderstand.”
“Yes...”
“Are you still afraid now?”
Loviki was stunned for a moment. She looked up to meet his gaze and, after a brief pause, blushed and shook her head gently. “No.”
Chen Mian's gaze lingered on her face for a brief moment. Then, he leaned down slightly and kissed her lips.
Her eyes flew wide open.
The kiss was very brief, a gentle touch that parted almost as soon as it began.
Having done this, Chen Mian kept his head lowered, their foreheads almost touching. “Do you know the price now?”
Loviki stood frozen in place, her face burning red, looking completely dazed.
After a long while, she squeezed out three words with a slightly trembling voice: “...You're playing dirty.”
“Yes, I am.”
Loviki fell quiet again for a moment. Then, she reached out and gently gripped the fabric of his shirt at his waist, burying her face in his chest. “...T-Then... is that... the whole price?”
Chen Mian reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “Not yet.”
“...What else do you want to take?”
“I'll wait until you're mentally prepared, so you won't accuse me of bullying you,” Chen Mian said with a smile.
“You are bullying me!” Loviki retorted, raising her head with flushed cheeks.
“Since you've already said so...” Chen Mian leaned down and touched her lips again, this time slightly firmer than before.
Loviki's fingers gripping his clothes tightened at first, then slowly relaxed, and finally came to rest against his waist.
Chen Mian's hand gently caressed her hair before stopping at the back of her neck, lightly brushing against her ear.
Loviki's breathing faltered for a second. The fingers resting at his waist tightened slightly, then let go as she wrapped both arms around his neck.
Unconsciously rising slightly on her tiptoes, she drew their bodies even closer.
Chen Mian's hand slid down through her hair, his palm eventually resting just below Loviki's slender waist. Loviki's eyelashes fluttered slightly before she slowly closed her eyes.
When their lips parted, her entire body felt soft. She rested her forehead gently against his shoulder, her breathing still uneven, her fingers still loosely draped around his waist.
Chen Mian kept his head lowered, resting his chin on top of her head. He could feel the warmth of her breath. The two of them stood quietly like this, neither of them speaking, leaving only the sound of Loviki's gradually stabilizing breath in the room.
Only after a long while did Loviki's voice sound again, soft and slightly nasal: “...Where is your hand?”
“You didn't say no earlier.”
“That's because I was too embarrassed to say it!”
“Then that means yes.”
Loviki looked up, her cheeks completely flushed. There was a trace of embarrassment in her eyes, yet also a very clear hint of a smile. “...You really are something.”
“Really what?”
“...Never mind.” As she spoke, she buried her face back into his chest. “But... who told me to...”
“Who told you to what?”
Loviki's grip on his clothes tightened, but she didn't say another word, keeping her face buried against him.
Chen Mian could feel her heartbeat racing even faster, and her ears had grown noticeably redder.
He withdrew his hand slightly and slowly stroked down her hair, as if comforting a panicked, conflicted kitten.
Loviki's breathing gradually calmed, but her heart was still beating rapidly—so fast that he could feel her body trembling slightly.
After a long while, her voice sounded again, even softer and gentler than before: “...You really have a very nice scent on you.”
Chen Mian's hand paused.
“I don't know when it started, but I always smell this nice scent on you...” Her voice trailed off again. Then, she tilted her head slightly, pressing her ear against his chest. “...Every time I smell it, I just want to get closer.”
“...Your heart is beating a bit fast too.” Loviki's voice came from his chest, carrying a hint of smugness. “So you get nervous too.”
“Of course I do,” Chen Mian said, somewhat helplessly.
Hearing Chen Mian's confirmation, Loviki's fingers tightened slightly on his clothes before she slowly looked up. Her cheeks were still flushed, but there was something different in her eyes now—something very resolute. “Then...”
“Then I want to keep doing this in the future.”
“Doing what?”
Loviki pursed her lips, then gently stood on her tiptoes, leaning in to lightly press her lips against his. “...Just like this.”
Having done this, Loviki looked at him with flushed cheeks, her eyes filled with anticipation. “...Is that okay?”
Looking at her like this, Chen Mian felt something gently tug at his heartstrings.
He had known Loviki for quite some time now.
From the cold-faced, proud, and competitive genius girl who secretly woke up early to train just to defeat him, to the girl who clumsily washed dishes and played games with Velyan until she was thoroughly defeated... She was indeed changing, bit by bit.
But for someone with Loviki's personality, throwing away her pride to come and explain herself over such a bizarre reason was incredibly difficult.
Chen Mian didn't say anything. He simply reached out to pull her back into his arms, leaning down to kiss her.
Loviki's body tensed for a split second, but then she wrapped her arms gently around his neck and stood on her tiptoes to respond.
When they parted, neither of them spoke.
Loviki lowered her head, her breath still shaky, but she whispered, “...After Mother passed away, Father was always very busy. Even if I spoke my mind, no one cared, so I stopped wanting to say anything. I don't know when, but eventually, I just couldn't say it anymore.”
Chen Mian lowered his head, resting his chin on her hair. With his palm resting against her back, he could feel the tense lines of her spine slowly relaxing.
“But I will change.”
“You don't need to change. I can tell what you're thinking,” Chen Mian said with a gentle laugh.
“...Liar.”
“You're thinking of me right now.”
“Hmph! Anyone could guess that!” Loviki's arms tightened slightly around his neck.
After a long while, she let go of her grip and pressed the side of her face against his chest. Her voice sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet room: “Then... could you like me too? The kind of liking where I get to live in your heart, just like Flora.”
As she said this, her voice trembled slightly, and her entire body tensed up.
“I already like you. Why else would I kiss you?”
“...Then you should have told me sooner.”
“I was afraid of startling you.”
Chen Mian, of course, knew Loviki's feelings. He could tell even without the system's help; she was simply a bit slow to realize them herself.
And he liked Loviki as well. Over the past few decades, he had met many people, and indeed, he hadn't liked anyone else besides Louise.
But strangely... the people he found through the system's guidance always seemed to attract him.
This was why Chen Mian sometimes wondered if these encounters were prearranged... But just as Flora had said, even if someone could arrange it, their feelings were real.
That was enough.
“I'm startled right now too.” Loviki looked up at him, her eyes slightly watery but incredibly bright. “But I'm very happy.”
“Loviki, you're telling me so much now. Won't you regret it tomorrow?” Chen Mian reached out, gently brushing the corner of her eye as he asked with a smile.
“These are my true feelings that I worked so hard to say. Even if I regret it, you must take it seriously!” She didn't dodge his hand. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, pressing her cheek into his palm.
Rate on N.U.
