Flora's Confession

“...So I wanted to ask you, Mr. Chen Mian...”

Flora looked up again, her gaze exceptionally earnest, though her voice remained soft and gentle. “Could you... accompany me to the Fluorescent Forest one more time?”

After saying this, she looked a little tense, as if she had used up every last drop of her courage. Yet she didn’t avert her gaze, simply watching him quietly.

Chen Mian looked at her eyes, which were filled with anticipation and unease, and her hands tightly clutching the cup.

“...It’s fine if you find it too troublesome, Mr. Chen Mian,” Flora said, a faint smile on her lips, though a light mist shimmered in her eyes.

Chen Mian took a step forward and gently pulled Flora into a hug. “When did I ever say it was troublesome?”

Flora stiffened for a moment, caught off guard. Then, she slowly set her cold tea on the railing and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Her voice carried a slight nasal quality. “Then it's a promise...”

“Okay,” Chen Mian said with a smile, reaching out to gently pat her head.

Flora’s hair always carried a faint fragrance, just like when they had first met.

“Mr. Chen Mian, am I a lot of trouble?” After a long while, Flora's voice came muffled from his chest.

“No, not at all,” Chen Mian said, shaking his head. “Without you, I wouldn't be able to eat such delicious meals every day.”

Flora looked up slightly, her face flushed red, her lively eyes filled with a touch of mock annoyance. “Oh, Mr. Chen Mian... so you only like my cooking.”

Chen Mian looked down at Flora’s face. The unease was completely gone, replaced by joy, anticipation, and a hint of playfulness.

He couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch her cheek. “It’s true that I like your cooking, but if you think that’s all I like...” He paused, a hint of a smile creeping into his voice. “Then you're being too naive.”

Flora blinked, her face flushing even redder, but she didn’t pull away. “...Then what else do you like?”

“Naturally, I also like the Flora who cooks for me every day.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Flora’s face burned even hotter. She lowered her head and wrapped her arms tighter around him, her voice incredibly soft. “...I like you too... I like you, Mr. Chen Mian.”

Chen Mian looked down at Flora in his arms. Instead of saying anything more, he simply held her a little tighter, resting his chin gently on her head.

After quite a while, he let go, looked down at Flora, who was still standing there dazed with a flushed face, and naturally took her hand.

Flora's hand was very soft, but because she had been out on the balcony for so long, it felt a bit chilly to the touch.

Flora froze for a moment, looking down at their joined hands, then looked up at Chen Mian's smiling face.

Chen Mian pulled her toward the stairs. “Let’s go.”

“...Where are we going?”

“Didn't you want to go to the Fluorescent Forest?”

“But the cup is still there.”

“It won’t run away.”

Flora looked at her hand in his, took a couple of quick steps to catch up, and walked down the stairs beside him.

As they walked past the second-floor corridor, Louise’s door suddenly cracked open. Half of her head popped out, her silver-gray hair swaying slightly. Spotting their joined hands and then Chen Mian’s expression, she silently gave him a thumbs-up before quietly closing the door again.

Of course, Flora didn’t notice any of this.

The Forest of Death was very quiet at night.

There were no cries of magical beasts, only the faint, distant chirping of insects. The air was filled with the fresh, crisp scent of plants and earth.

The two walked hand in hand through the woods without saying a word. Flora simply stared at their joined hands, occasionally stealing a glance at him before quickly looking away, a constant smile gracing her lips.

As they walked, the trees ahead began to thin out, and the meadow blanketed in fluorescent spores finally appeared at the edge of their vision.

Under the moonlight, countless tiny specks of light drifted and intertwined among the grass, creating a dreamlike scene.

Chen Mian temporarily let go of Flora's hand, bending down to part a few low-hanging branches in their path. He stepped aside to let her through, then took her hand again, leading her into the heart of the glowing meadow.

He pulled a blanket from his storage space, spread it over the grass, and sat down, patting the space beside him. Flora obediently sat down next to him.

Flora leaned sideways, resting her head gently on his shoulder as she quietly watched the shimmering lights fill the air.

“Mr. Chen Mian, am I being too greedy...?” Flora murmured, a trace of anxiety in her voice. “Even though my days in the apartment are so happy, I still made a request like this, making you accompany me all the way out here in the middle of the night.”

“I’m jealous of Loviki being able to practice swordsmanship with you every day, and I’m jealous of Louise being so strong and helpful. It feels like I'm only good at cooking, and you don't even need me to give you massages anymore.”

“I couldn't find an excuse to spend time with you. You don't wash or dry my hair like you used to, or suddenly offer to feed me... I was so scared that we would grow further and further apart.”

Chen Mian didn't say much after listening. He simply wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer into his embrace.

He looked down, his gaze resting on Flora's face, before slowly leaning in.

A flash of panic crossed Flora’s eyes, and her face flushed red at a visible speed. Yet, she didn't turn away. Instead, she slowly closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

The moment their lips met, Flora’s mind went completely blank. Her fingers reflexively gripped his clothes tightly.

After a moment, her tight grip slowly relaxed, and she began to respond awkwardly.

When they parted, Flora kept her eyes closed, her eyelashes still trembling. It took her a few seconds to open them. A thin mist veiled her lively eyes, and her face was completely flushed, the deep crimson spreading from her ears to her neck, incredibly vivid under the soft glow of the spores.

Chen Mian looked at her flushed face. He reached up and gently brushed his thumb against her lips as if wiping away some nonexistent trace. Then, he withdrew his hand, wrapped his arm back around her waist, and rested his chin on her head. “Then I’ll keep washing and drying your hair for you... I’m serious about liking you, you know. Since we've made it official, I'll have to trouble you to keep cooking for me from now on, until you get tired of it.”

“I'll never get tired of it,” Flora whispered, leaning against his chest.

The two leaned against each other, watching the glowing lights fill the sky. Their rapid heartbeats overlapped, beating incredibly fast...

Flora squeezed Chen Mian's hand, her voice low, carrying a hint of hesitation and earnestness. “Mr. Chen Mian.”

“Hmm?”

“I... don't want to monopolize you.” She looked up, her eyes bright under the fluorescent glow. There was no unease in them, only an honest sincerity. “I know Loviki and Louise are also at the apartment... They are important to you, and you are important to them. I like them a lot, too.”

“I just...” She lowered her head, her voice softening. “I just want to have a place in your heart. Wherever you are, that's where I want to be.”

“Besides, if I really tried to monopolize you, Loviki would probably pick a fight with me every single day.” Flora's tone grew slightly lighter.

Chen Mian couldn't help but chuckle.

Flora looked at his face, her expression suddenly turning a bit bashful again. She said shyly, “Mr. Chen Mian, I want more...”

“More what?”

“Just... you know... k-kiss me.”