"Is there a problem?" Utaha Kasumigaoka met Shichen's gaze calmly and counter-questioned.
"Indeed, there's a bit of a problem." Shichen nodded.
"Don't overthink it."
Utaha Kasumigaoka smiled lightly, "You're my first fan. Isn't it normal for me to care about my fan's love life?"
"Are there authors that good?"
"Naturally. And as a novelist, isn't it normal for me to be a bit more curious? Learning more might even help with my writing."
"You have a point. If you put it that way, I have no rebuttal."
"Good then. You go get busy. Guests have arrived, I need to focus on my writing." Utaha Kasumigaoka seemed to be shooing Shichen away.
"You can write normally now?" Shichen asked with a mischievous grin.
"..." Utaha Kasumigaoka glared at him, annoyed and embarrassed.
"Haha, then take your time writing. I really can't wait."
"Got it!" Utaha Kasumigaoka's tone was a bit fierce, clearly from vexation turning into anger.
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Shichen didn't mind; in fact, he found it quite cute. However, a little teasing is good for the mood, but too much can harm the relationship, and their relationship wasn't that good yet.
It's best to know when to stop.
Shichen stopped bothering her and went to greet the guests.
The coffee shop was very quiet all morning, but compared to the past few days, it was noticeably livelier today, as students were on break.
Many female students came in groups to drink coffee here.
Shichen really didn't believe that female students would like coffee; it's an exclusive drink for office workers. He couldn't be bothered to expose why they were really there.
Anyway, it was pretty good.
It provided money and also made him feel quite proud.
Shichen was still enjoying the attention his appearance brought him for now. Before he got used to it, he definitely had to savor it.
At noon, the coffee shop was a bit noisy, and Utaha Kasumigaoka found it hard to write, so she took a short break.
Shichen called her to eat lunch with him and the two of them, and she agreed, though Tohru was a bit unhappy.
It wasn't exactly unhappiness; it was more like hostility towards Utaha Kasumigaoka. She couldn't even eat properly, constantly sneaking glances at her.
However, Utaha Kasumigaoka completely ignored her, eating gracefully and quietly, even praising the food.
Unfortunately, Tohru wasn't in the mood to appreciate it.
Shichen ate quietly, just like Utaha Kasumigaoka, not looking at either of them. Since the two wouldn't really quarrel, he had a clear conscience.
Not being enthusiastic about eating means there's a problem with one's thinking.
Tohru was as if isolated, but she was completely oblivious, too naive. Once she focused on one thing, she didn't care about anything else.
Lunch was reluctantly harmonious. The number of customers in the shop had decreased significantly, and Utaha Kasumigaoka went back to typing.
Shichen accompanied Tohru in the kitchen to wash dishes. Tohru was responsible for washing, and he was responsible for drying.
After washing just one plate, Tohru couldn't help but ask again, "Lord Shichen, you really won't get tired of the old and favor the new, will you?"
"Tohru, you have to believe in your own charm." Shichen patiently comforted her. He could indeed feel Tohru's unease, which was why he was accompanying her here.
"But that person named Kasumigaoka is also very beautiful…" Tohru pouted, replying unconfidently.
"But aren't you even more beautiful than her?" Shichen asked back with a smile.
"Does Lord Shichen really think so?" Tohru couldn't hide her joy.
"Really." Shichen nodded seriously, "Tohru is truly very beautiful."
He wasn't lying. Tohru's appearance completely surpassed Utaha Kasumigaoka's.
Although Utaha Kasumigaoka was very beautiful and possessed all the charm a woman should have, she could only rank among the top among humans.
Tohru, however, was different. She transformed from a dragon. Whether it was her superb transformation skills or her inherent beauty as a dragon, her human form was already fixed, with unbelievably delicate features, like a human enhanced with dreamlike beauty filters and special effects, utterly flawless.
How could Utaha Kasumigaoka compare?
As long as she remained human, she couldn't compare.
"Lord Shichen isn't lying to me, are you?" Tohru's smile was irrepressible, but she still lacked a bit of confidence.
She was clearly a dragon, and her identity was extraordinary, yet she was so anxious and insecure because of him.
Shichen felt it was necessary to make her completely confident, but this kind of thing depended on her own mental enlightenment. How could he help?
There was one very obvious way.
Shichen didn't hesitate. He put down the plate in his hand and moved closer to Tohru.
"Lord Shichen?" Tohru blinked, looking at him alluringly.
Shichen didn't answer. Instead, he reached out and cupped her plump, bouncy cheeks. Just as she was about to panic, he gave a smacking kiss on her right cheek.
Tohru froze instantly. She stared blankly at Shichen, forgetting to blink, forgetting to breathe.
"Don't be silly." Shichen smiled and shook his head, releasing her.
"Do you believe me now?"
"I… Lord Shichen… so sudden…" Tohru was a bit incoherent, but her flushed cheeks and overflowing smile proved her current mood.
"You don't like suddenness? Isn't a surprise good?"
"I wasn't prepared…"
"What preparation is needed for just a kiss on the cheek?"
"I could turn my face so Lord Shichen could kiss me directly!"
"...I shouldn't have kissed you!"
"Eh? Lord Shichen, was I wrong~ Can we do it again? This time, kiss the other side, to be symmetrical."
Shichen was expressionless: "The other side was already kissed last time."
"How come I don't remember?"
"You're really… never mind, I shouldn't have comforted you, let's go!" Shichen shook his head and left directly.
"Lord Shichen, no!"
Tohru reached out to hold him back, but Shichen left the kitchen without looking back.
Tohru was too easily pleased and prone to getting carried away. Her anxiety was real, but her delight was also real. He needed to make her calm down a bit.
But how could Tohru calm down at this moment? Even though Shichen was treating her coldly, she was still beaming, one hand unconsciously stroking her right cheek, giggling foolishly.
Both sides of her face had been kissed; how much longer until the middle was kissed?
Tohru was already starting to look forward to it.
Shichen, back at the cashier, was naturally not angry. He wasn't worried about Tohru anymore; the effect of the kiss was quite obvious.
Girls in the two-dimensional world treat kisses differently. They look forward to being kissed by the person they like, not because of desire or their own wants, but because of the meaning the kiss represents.
A kiss is not about satisfying desires, taking advantage, or even foreplay; it's about expressing one's liking, one's affection.
To kiss someone also means to like and love them.
Therefore, being kissed is a very happy thing.
This is also why so many people like the two-dimensional world; everything in it is beautiful and pure, making people yearn for it.
Shichen naturally didn't kiss her for no reason; he did like Tohru, but it also served the purpose of comforting her.
Fortunately, it was just a kiss on the cheek, which didn't betray his pure intentions.
In the afternoon, the coffee shop was quiet and leisurely, filled with the rich aroma of coffee and a unique soothing atmosphere that made people want to linger.
Utaha Kasumigaoka focused on writing all afternoon and finally completed the first volume of her first novel.
Because Shichen didn't have a phone, and they hadn't exchanged any contact information, Utaha Kasumigaoka directly handed her laptop to Shichen and then left in a hurry.
Her fleeing back clearly showed her embarrassment about watching him read her novel in front of her.
Most people who just start writing novels are like this; they don't mind strangers reading, but they're embarrassed to show it to acquaintances.
Shichen understood Utaha Kasumigaoka's behavior because he had been through it himself.
He had once wanted to live the easy life of writing novels at home, but his talent was limited, and he soon gave up, then joined the workforce.
Now it seemed he should be grateful for his limited talent; otherwise, if he had stayed at home, he might not have been hit by a meteorite and transported to the two-dimensional world.
If he had stayed at home, who knew if his phone would have gotten a virus and given him the opportunity.
Now that he felt happy, he naturally had to thank his past self.
Shichen didn't rush to read Utaha Kasumigaoka's novel. Instead, he put the laptop away, planning to enjoy it properly tomorrow.
Tonight, he was going to decorate his study. Many things had been bought, only the fundamental things were missing—novels and manga.
Now that he had a novel, it was definitely more suitable to read it in the study; atmosphere was important.
In the evening, with Tohru's help, Shichen easily decorated his study, though it was a bit empty.
The bookshelves were empty, the desk was empty, there was only a laptop. He would have to find time to fill it up.
He wondered if there were any good novels or manga in this world.
Shichen was still looking forward to it.
Tohru was also looking forward to it, but certainly not in the same way as him; it was about sleeping at night.
Because she had helped, she could sleep with Shichen again; he had promised her personally.
Last night?
The duration of that sentence was merely one night.