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Join the ServerEmmy Rock stood as the most renowned integrated shopping mall in District Ten.
[Affordable, Reliable, Everything You Could Possibly Need]
Setting aside the surprisingly accurate advertisement, I had successfully, and according to plan, coaxed Nina into a burst of enthusiasm, dragging along a somewhat reluctant Makino Kaede, while ensuring the young lady remained blissfully unaware of our escapade.
However, events ultimately veered off course.
In truth, everything had proceeded rather smoothly as Nina, Makino Kaede, and I exited the school gates, traversing the overly bustling main island road, where I experienced a myriad of scrutinizing gazes for the very first time, all the way until our arrival in District Ten.
Yet, upon stepping into Emmy Rock, I hadn’t even had a chance to discern whether it was the moment Nina demanded a crepe right outside the station, or when she spotted an adorable plush cushion, or perhaps when her gaze became fixated on a temporary stage performance…
Or perhaps, the entire chaotic process of being dragged from one shop to another was utterly irrelevant, and Makino Kaede had, in fact, simply vanished from the moment we first stepped inside?
However, I possessed no means of contacting Makino Kaede, and Nina, it seemed, had no intention of reaching out to her either.
I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt towards the young lady, especially since she had, for once, offered a definitive warning.
“Qiuqiu~ I suddenly feel like having ice cream~”
“How about we store our bags first?”
“Oh, right, carrying our school bags isn’t very convenient.”
“Let’s go then.”
Upon reaching the locker area, just as I prepared to retrieve only my phone and wallet, I watched, surprised, as Nina produced a small, light blue shoulder bag from within her school bag.
“Qiuqiu, if you don’t mind, you can put your things in here for now too; it’ll be more convenient.”
“…Of course I don’t mind. Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
A genuine curiosity stirred within me: was this an isolated quirk, or a widespread habit among them?
“Mhm, mhm, no need to be polite with me.”
With that, we walked side by side towards the elevator.
“Nina, perhaps we should plan our route first? What do you think?”
“Hmm…”
Nina fell into thought, and it was only after we stepped into the elevator that something suddenly occurred to her.
“Well then, Qiuqiu, could you accompany me to a lingerie store first?”
“…Are you serious?”
Fortunately, we were the only two occupants of the elevator, otherwise I would have been utterly at a loss as to how to meet the gazes of others.
“Mhm!”
Nina nodded vigorously, then, with a solemn expression, lowered her gaze, pressing her hands against her chest.
“Lately, it feels a bit tight…”
“…Alright then.”
This was indeed a matter requiring serious attention, though my sole hope was that she wouldn’t linger too long.
****
“Phew~~ It’s certainly much more comfortable now.”
“So… where do we go next?”
Perhaps the god of mischief was preoccupied today, for I merely had to wait outside the shop, thus completing what I considered a high-risk emergency.
While her emerging empty-handed struck me as a tad peculiar, it was an utterly trivial detail compared to the ordeal of entering the shop and transforming into a mere ornamental wooden sculpture.
“Hmm… Ah! That dress is so beautiful! Come on, Qiuqiu, let’s quickly go take a look~”
“Eh?”
I hadn’t even glimpsed the dress she spoke of before I was led by the hand, ascending the escalator, weaving through the throngs of shoppers in the gallery, and swiftly arriving inside the store.
As I stood bewildered, encircled by the gazes of other customers, Nina had already concluded her discussion with the sales associate, snatched the chosen dress, and disappeared into a changing room.
Truly, her initiative was astounding.
Even though I had witnessed it firsthand just yesterday.
Indeed, Nina, when operating at full throttle, was nothing short of a tempest.
Thankfully, girls invariably required some time to change, granting me a brief reprieve to catch my breath.
Even so, visiting a women’s clothing store with a female who wasn’t family for the very first time left me undeniably tense.
“Eh?”
Just as I glanced outside the store, attempting to ease the tension of being periodically observed by others, I involuntarily let out a soft exclamation of surprise, having spotted a couple strolling past the entrance.
It wasn’t *that* much of a coincidence, thankfully, not some pair of idiotic childhood sweethearts.
However, the man was undeniably someone I recognized.
He was Ye Wenxuan from Class 5, same school, same grade – a quintessential handsome, stylish man.
The reason I remembered him stemmed from the club recruitment day.
“Ah~ what a pity, truly a pity. I could, indeed, achieve breathtaking glory for all of you, yet to do so would necessitate severing the numerous shackles that bind me, thereby plunging the entire world into chaos. Thus, I can only regretfully decline, and I implore your understanding, for my transgressions are, indeed, far too profound.”
Anyone witnessing him strike such an utterly Chuunibyou (TL Note: A Japanese slang term for ‘eighth-grade syndrome,’ referring to a phase where adolescents develop grandiose delusions and act dramatically, often believing they possess special powers or a hidden, darker past.) pose, delivering such equally Chuunibyou lines, all while being an undeniably stylish and handsome man, would, I believe, find it impossible to forget him, regardless of gender.
To me, however, he seemed merely half-hearted, neither genuinely Chuunibyou nor truly literary—just, in a word, strange.
Despite his eccentricities, he was undeniably talented, particularly in sports, a fact that had all the athletic clubs scrambling for him, nearly coming to blows in their efforts. Yet, ultimately, none succeeded in recruiting him.
Regarding the female companion strolling at his side, as they were engrossed in conversation, I could only make out her long brown hair, streaked with peach highlights, and her tall, graceful silhouette.
Her school uniform, however, was immediately discernible.
[Private Blue Hibiscus Girls’ Academy High School]
While not a noble academy, and with relatively relaxed regulations, the caliber of its students consistently ranked among the best in similar institutions. Consequently, the school was quite renowned, its students inevitably drawing attention wherever they went.
In summary.
So that guy actually managed to land such a high-caliber girlfriend, huh.
Just as this thought surfaced in my mind—
“Qiuqiu~”
I turned, only to see Nina, now changed, happily scamper towards me, playfully twirling with her skirt hem held aloft.
“Ta-da~ How is it? It should be pretty good, right?”
It was a sleeveless dress, a vision of purple-blue gradient from top to bottom. Beneath its heart-shaped neckline lay a daring mesh design, complemented by a wide black belt and a flowing skirt that draped beautifully. While it undeniably accentuated her proud figure, it also perfectly captured her innocent and straightforward nature, lending her an air of noble elegance.
On her feet were flat-heeled strappy sandals in a matching color scheme, likely slipped on while my attention had been diverted outside the shop.
“Oh~ truly an angel. I feel as though my soul has been utterly purified.”
This was my genuine, immediate reaction, and in that moment, I finally understood why our classmates regarded her as an angel.
“Eh? Eh~ That’s a little too exaggerated, isn’t it?”
Nina clasped her hands behind her back and lowered her head slightly, appearing quite shy.
How rare! I had fully expected her to be brimming with confident exuberance.
“Mhm, let’s buy it then. Qiuqiu, wait for me here.”
Nina turned and headed back towards the changing room.
“Oh…”
Of course, I hadn’t forgotten that my moment to pay was fast approaching.
However, my wallet was with Nina, so I decided to wait until she had changed back into her school uniform.
Nina, however, spoke briefly with the sales associate, and then they both entered the changing room together.
The sales associate soon emerged alone, holding the dress, and then swiftly walked towards the door from which she had retrieved the clothing earlier.
Did the size still need adjusting?
I thought the current size looked perfect.
Of course, a looser fit would also suit Nina well.
However, the sales associate took a rather long time to return with the dress this time, and Nina still hadn’t emerged from the changing room.
After about ten minutes, the sales associate finally returned to the store with the dress, now encased in a dust cover, and, after knocking, re-entered Nina’s changing room.
A short while later, Nina, still in her previous attire, walked directly out of the changing room with her bag slung over her shoulder and approached me.
The sales associate behind her, meanwhile, quickly headed straight for the cash register.
Eh?
This didn’t seem quite right at all.
“I’m sorry, Qiuqiu, for making you wait so long.”
“It’s fine.”
Before I could process what was happening, the sales associate quickly returned, presenting a very familiar VIP card to Nina’s side.
“Esteemed guest, thank you for your patronage. The receipt and the dry-cleaned garments will be delivered to your residence as soon as possible.”
“I appreciate your trouble.”
Nina took the VIP card and tucked it into her shoulder bag.
But when the sales associate handed over the card with both hands, I had already clearly seen the different serial number on it.
Fearing embarrassment, I had inquired about the VIP card with the young lady, and naturally, I had memorized its number.
In other words, that was Nina’s own VIP card.
Emmy Rock’s VIP card wasn’t merely designed to attract more customers; it required a significantly high regular top-up amount and also granted access to various services from a dedicated team.
Even some residents of District Three might not qualify for this VIP card.
The source of this information, of course, was the young lady.
“Let’s go, Qiuqiu.”
Just as I managed to piece things together, Nina immediately wrapped her arm around mine and pulled me towards the store exit.
For a moment, I could only stare blankly at her profile.
‘So this girl is also a young lady …’
“Qiuqiu, why do I feel like you’re suddenly distancing yourself from me?”
Not long after we stepped out of the store, Nina abruptly stopped and questioned me.
“Eh? Why would you think that? It’s just… I didn’t realize you were also a young lady, or something?…”
While I could have chosen to brush it off, I was unwilling to lie, especially not to Nina.
Even the mere thought of ‘wanting to hide it from her’ filled me with guilt.
“Hmmph~~~ I’m angry!”
Nina crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and turned her face away, openly expressing her displeasure.
This, paradoxically, made me relax.
It was true; Lan Xinyue didn’t put on any airs as a young lady, let alone Nina.
Perhaps being overly cautious and hesitant was, in fact, disrespectful to them.
“I’m sorry, Nina, it was my fault. Please give me a chance to make it up to you.”
I quickly clasped my hands together in apology.
“Do you really know you were wrong?”
Nina closed her left eye and looked at me.
“Yes, I really know I was wrong.”
“Then your reward is to cheer me up until I’m satisfied! Let’s go!~”
True to Nina’s nature, she had already grabbed my hand, beaming, and continued walking forward.
“Shouldn’t it be a punishment?”
“How could I punish a good friend? Qiuqiu, you’re truly wise in a foolish way~”
‘Shouldn’t it be more like dull-witted, or even dumb as a donkey?’
‘But… is that right? Are we already good friends?’
‘That’s really…’
‘Heartbreaking.’
“Ah~ Qiuqiu, are you thinking something bad?”
“No, I just suddenly realized how truly adorable you are.”
“…Sigh, Qiuqiu, you really don’t understand a woman’s heart.”
“Eh?”
‘Why? I was clearly complimenting you.’
Immediately after—
One hour later, at Cloud Sea Park, the highest observation point, the Cloud Terrace.
“Qiuqiu, don’t just stand there, hurry and take my picture.”
“Oh…”
At her words, I raised my phone and captured her adorable pose in my album.
This was District Eleven’s most popular spot for couples to check-in.
As a member of the dark faction, I should have had no business here.
Honestly, even though I was dragged here, I couldn’t help but feel a little happy, but the overall atmosphere was still too heavy for me.
“Next is over there, hurry up.”
“Slow down, don’t fall!”
“I know~ Qiuqiu, you’re so nagging!”
“You think I want to be… Eh?”
Just as I was about to follow, I unexpectedly spotted Ye Wenxuan and his girlfriend again, not far to my left, with their arms around each other’s waists, heads leaning together, taking a selfie with a phone.
They came here too, huh.
That’s not right to say, since it’s a couple’s check-in spot… It really isn’t right!
Realizing something, I quickly looked back.
They had just finished taking photos and were slowly walking towards me, chatting and laughing, which allowed me to confirm.
The girl next to Ye Wenxuan at that moment had a bob haircut in light blue, was slightly shorter, and wore the school uniform of [Public Ruize Academy High School].
So, was it cosplay, or exactly what I was thinking?
Because of this thought, to avoid bumping into them face-to-face, I quickly jogged towards Nina, who was still choosing a spot.
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, Not Me, The Fans is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : Not Me, The Fans
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