Lisiluo frantically pulled the jacket away from her chest like it was a hot potato, her entire face burning.
“Oh my~ You were hugging it so tightly, I wasn’t sure whether I should even point it out~”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I really didn’t mean to!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Everyone has a few embarrassing little habits. If you like smelling people’s scents, should I keep it a secret for you?”
Mu Wan poked Lisiluo’s waist, her eyes curved like crescent moons, full of mischief.
“I don’t need— I mean, I do need you to keep it secret!”
“Got it. Pfft.”
Mu Wan covered her mouth and laughed, her black twin-tails bouncing with the movement of her shoulders.
Only then did Lisiluo realize she had walked right into a trap.
No matter how she answered, it sounded like she was admitting to having a scent fetish.
“I-It’s not like that! I don’t have that kind of habit at all!” Lisiluo denied in a panic, waving her hands so fast they blurred.
“A-Anyway, I’m really sorry! I’ll take it back, wash it thoroughly, and return it to you, senpai!”
She bowed repeatedly, her bangs flying up and down with each movement.
After laughing enough, Mu Wan clapped her hands to stop her.
“Hmm… Never mind. This jacket is already a bit small on me anyway. I might as well buy a new one.”
“Eh? Th-Then what about the old one?”
“The old one, of course— cough. Never mind, do whatever you want with it. It’s a small matter, you can handle it yourself.”
Mu Wan waved her hand dismissively and turned toward the door.
Lisiluo looked down at the jacket in her hands. It was a little wrinkled, but overall still in good condition.
This was an academy uniform. They were expensive.
She carefully folded it neatly.
She couldn’t bring herself to throw it away, and selling it was obviously out of the question. So the only option left was…
Yeah. I’ll just keep it for now. Like I’m holding onto it for Mu Wan.
She might suddenly ask for it back someday, right?
Before putting it into her bag, Lisiluo found herself leaning in again, almost unconsciously, wanting to catch that scent one more time.
It was sweet, but not overpowering. Probably some kind of perfume.
Since it was the kind of perfume a young lady like Mu Wan would use, it definitely wasn’t cheap. At most, she could only smell it.
If Mu Wan keeps sticking to me every day… will I end up smelling like her too?
And if Yu Weian-senpai notices…
“Junior~ Aren’t you ready yet?”
Mu Wan’s voice drifted in from the corridor, startling Lisiluo so badly she jumped.
“R-Right! I’m coming!”
Wait, what was I just doing?
The sense of guilt, as if she had been caught doing something shameful, made her cheeks burn even hotter. She quickly stuffed the jacket into her bag.
“Hurry up, or it’ll get crowded later—”
“Coming!”
Lisiluo shook her head hard, trying to fling the strange thoughts out of her mind, then hurried toward the door.
—— —— —— —— —— ——
Outside the teaching building, afternoon sunlight bathed the campus. Students walked by in small groups every now and then.
Lisiluo stood at the edge of the shaded corridor, her feet right on the boundary between light and shadow.
She looked up at the sky.
The clouds were thin, and the sunlight at this hour wasn’t too harsh, but for her skin, prolonged exposure still felt like it was burning.
“I already put on sunscreen… It should be fine… right?”
It wasn’t that Lisiluo didn’t want to use an umbrella.
But with her silver hair and red eyes, she already stood out enough. Walking around with an umbrella for no reason would make everyone turn their heads.
She didn’t have the courage for that.
So on normal school days, she always arrived at the classroom right after dawn and returned to the dorm only after the sun had set.
Going out in the afternoon like this to wander around was a first for her.
Lisiluo fidgeted with the button on her sleeve cuff, hesitating for a long time without taking a single step forward.
Mu Wan took one look and immediately understood the situation.
She reached into her small shoulder bag, pulled out a silver coin, and skillfully flipped it between her fingers twice before flicking it into the air.
The silver coin vanished at its peak. In its place, a delicate parasol appeared and began to fall.
Mu Wan caught it smoothly and immediately shoved it into Lisiluo’s hands.
“Here. Hold it for me.”
“Eh?”
Lisiluo, standing in front, hadn’t noticed Mu Wan’s little trick. To her, the parasol had practically appeared out of thin air.
The canopy was blue, edged with a ring of golden lace. It looked expensive.
“As my lover, isn’t it only natural for you to hold an umbrella for your senpai? Any objections?”
Mu Wan looked up at her with the air of a senior, her tone making it clear refusal was not an option.
“N-No objections at all—”
She didn’t… snatch this from some random passing student, did she…?
Lisiluo didn’t dare think too deeply about it. She obediently opened the parasol and held it out in front of her, only covering Mu Wan’s small figure.
“…What are you doing?”
“Eh? Didn’t you say to hold the umbrella for you…”
Before she could finish, Mu Wan reached out, grabbed the dazed Lisiluo, and pulled her under the parasol with her.
The two of them were now squeezed together in the small shaded space.
“Since we’re lovers, this is how you’re supposed to share an umbrella.”
“B-But…”
“Don’t wanna hear it. Let’s go!”
Mu Wan marched forward on her own. Lisiluo could only hold the parasol between them and quickly follow.
On the stone path, the blue parasol cast a patch of shade.
Lisiluo tilted the umbrella slightly, trying her best to keep Mu Wan fully covered.
Passing students occasionally glanced their way with curiosity.
A white-haired underclassman girl holding an umbrella for the young lady of the Mu family. It looked exactly like a little attendant serving her mistress.
Lisiluo actually felt a bit relieved.
Partly because the parasol protected her from the sun.
But mostly because being seen as a follower was much better than being seen as a lover.
Everyone knew Mu Wan’s personality. If people thought she was just a follower, there wouldn’t be much need to explain.
But if they thought she was Mu Wan’s lover… that would be a lot harder to explain.
While she was thinking this, her sleeve was suddenly tugged.
“Hey, why are you walking so fast?”
Mu Wan’s slightly breathless voice came from beside her, clearly displeased.
Oh no.
Lost in her own thoughts, Lisiluo had unconsciously walked at her usual speed.
She naturally walked quite fast, and Mu Wan, who was a head shorter, had to almost jog to keep up.
“Hmm? Are you bullying me for being short?”
“N-No! Absolutely not!”
Lisiluo stopped immediately, not daring to meet Mu Wan’s eyes.
“I just… wasn’t paying attention and walked a little too fast. I really didn’t mean to! Senpai isn’t short at all! It’s because my legs are too long—”
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
Sure enough, Mu Wan narrowed her eyes, and the curve of her lips turned dangerous.
“Oh? So you’re saying it’s my fault for having short legs~?”
“Uuu… I-I misspoke. Please forgive me.”
Lisiluo shrank her shoulders, unsure what else to say. She wanted nothing more than to hide inside the parasol.
Mu Wan let out a small huff, then reached out and looped her arm around the one Lisiluo was using to hold the umbrella. She pressed herself almost completely against Lisiluo’s side.
Her height only reached up to Lisiluo’s shoulder. The warmth of her body passed straight through the thin white shirt and into Lisiluo.
Lisiluo froze on the spot, not daring to move an inch.
“Senpai?! Isn’t this a little too…”
If anyone sees us like this, there’s absolutely, absolutely no way to explain it!