The changing room was filled with an awkward silence. Kaguya and Qiao Xiaoqing exchanged wide-eyed looks, both caught off guard by the sudden situation.
Qiao Xiaoqing's mind went blank as she stood frozen in shock, staring at Kaguya. After a moment, she seemed to regain her composure. Casually, she crossed her arms over her chest and said softly, "Haven't you seen enough?"
Kaguya snapped out of her daze and quickly turned her head away, coughing twice to cover up her embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to... I'll just head out."
As Kaguya turned to leave, Qiao Xiaoqing suddenly grabbed her hand.
"What is it?" Kaguya's throat felt dry, and her voice came out strained.
"Do you really think you can take advantage of me and just leave without taking responsibility?" Qiao Xiaoqing pouted, her lips tightly pressed together.
"Responsibility?" Kaguya echoed.
Seeing Kaguya's confused reaction, Qiao Xiaoqing's face turned red with irritation. "What? Were you planning to just run away?"
"No, no! I didn't mean it like that," Kaguya waved her hands in defense, though she still felt a bit guilty. After all, she had accidentally crossed a line.
"Then what do you mean?" Qiao Xiaoqing huffed, stepping closer, pinning Kaguya against the wall of the small changing room, which was already cramped for two people.
"I didn't intend to run," Kaguya tried to explain.
"Does that mean you plan on taking responsibility then?" Qiao Xiaoqing crossed her arms defiantly.
"Well..." Kaguya hesitated.
"What?" Qiao Xiaoqing leaned closer. "Are you going to be wishy-washy about this, even as a 'big man'?"
"But... we're siblings," Kaguya reminded her, feeling trapped. "We've even sworn an oath."
"That was just childhood nonsense!" Qiao Xiaoqing scoffed. "We're not even blood-related, and besides, that was just a game."
Kaguya quickly added, "But now, I'm a woman."
"So what? Being a woman doesn't mean we can't be together," Qiao Xiaoqing replied without hesitation.
"We can't get married!" Kaguya tried again.
"No problem. We can go to the Netherlands," Qiao Xiaoqing said confidently, as if she had already thought this through.
Looking into her determined, clear eyes, Kaguya was speechless. Since when had this girl become so stubborn? She hadn't noticed this side of her before.
Finally, Kaguya sighed and said, "It's not that I don't care, but I'm worried."
Qiao Xiaoqing blinked, her curiosity piqued. She stayed silent, waiting for Kaguya to continue.
Kaguya took a deep breath and organized her thoughts. "You know, my time here is limited. I might only be able to stay for a month at a time, and after that, I have to complete dangerous missions. It's not something I can control; the system decides it all. The system's power is far beyond my imagination, and even with my abilities, I can't break free from it."
Qiao Xiaoqing listened quietly, not interrupting.
"These missions are incredibly dangerous. Some could last a long time, and some are nearly impossible to survive. I don't even know what challenges I'll face next or if I'll even make it back. I worry that one day... I might never return. So, we're destined to never be together. I hope you can understand."
"Is that all?" Qiao Xiaoqing asked, her face expressionless.
"That's all," Kaguya nodded.
"Who said I wanted to be with you?" Qiao Xiaoqing turned her head arrogantly and huffed. "You're so full of yourself. I was just joking."
What?
Looking at Qiao Xiaoqing's proud expression, Kaguya felt a wave of exasperation. Was this girl just playing with her the whole time?
"Thank goodness," Kaguya muttered, relieved. But for some reason, a small sense of disappointment crept into her heart. She turned away, about to say something, but as she did so—
Suddenly, a soft, warm sensation pressed against her lips, causing her eyes to widen in shock.
Right in front of her was Qiao Xiaoqing's beautiful face, blushing like she'd had too much to drink. Her lashes fluttered lightly, and her arms snaked around Kaguya, pulling her close.
The kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity before they finally parted.
Qiao Xiaoqing casually wiped her lips, pretending nothing had happened. "Don't get the wrong idea. I was just curious about what kissing felt like. It wasn't as great as I expected—probably because you didn't brush your teeth. Anyway, now we're even—you took advantage of me, and I took advantage of you."
Kaguya didn't say a word, staring silently at Qiao Xiaoqing, who was trying to act indifferent.
"What are you staring at?" Qiao Xiaoqing asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable under Kaguya's gaze. "It was just a kiss, nothing special."
Without a word, Kaguya stepped forward, cupped Qiao Xiaoqing's face in her hands, and kissed her passionately again.
Qiao Xiaoqing's eyes shot open in surprise.
After what felt like a long moment, they separated, locking eyes in silence.
Then, Qiao Xiaoqing let out a soft giggle. "Should I ask why you're so good at this?"