Aponia remained calm. "It's fine to have some occasionally, but don't eat too much, Griseo."
Griseo nodded, then turned back to look at the candy in Fu Lin's hand, speaking softly. "Understood, Aponia-mom."
"Fu Lin-uncle, Griseo wants a candy."
Fu Lin's expression didn't change (^_^), but he gripped the candy tightly, gritting his teeth internally. "Call me 'big brother Fu Lin.'"
Griseo, "...."
------------------------------
Griseo puffed up her cheeks, her eyes glistening with a hint of tears, and turned her head away, "Uncle Fu Lin, then I won't eat it."
Fu Lin couldn't help but laugh, rubbing Griseo's head, unwrapping the candy, and stuffing it into Griseo's mouth before turning to the silent Kosma with a teasing tone,"…Uncle it is, being of a higher seniority isn't bad. Kosma, hurry up and call me Uncle, and I'll give you some candy~"
Kosma held his forehead, the corner of his mouth twitching—he had never seen someone so unserious. He quickly said, "…Enough."
"Aren't you here for a photo? Hurry up, then."
"Oh, right, right, I almost forgot the main thing. Griseo, come take a picture with Uncle."
"Uncle Fu Lin, like this?"
Fu Lin smacked his forehead, picked up Griseo with one arm, and grinned at the camera, while Griseo, happily sucking on the candy, squinted her eyes and wrapped her arms around Fu Lin's neck, cooperating perfectly.
After the click of the camera, Fu Lin put Griseo down and pinched her round little face, "Mm, little Griseo is really cute."
Griseo blushed and ran behind Aponia, her little hair tuft swaying from side to side,
"Mmm… Uncle Fu Lin, please don't do that."
Aponia seemed to emit a holy radiance as she narrowed her eyes slightly, "Mr. Fu Lin, it seems you really like this child, Griseo."
Fu Lin stared blankly at her, for some reason feeling a sudden surge of guilt, "…I was wrong. I shouldn't have… to a fish…"
Aponia opened her eyes, her lips slightly parted in shock, and the sacred aura surrounding her seemed to dissipate in that instant.
Kosma quickly covered Griseo's ears, looking at Fu Lin with admiration, while Griseo gazed at Fu Lin in confusion.
Seeing their reactions, Fu Lin hurriedly waved his hands, "Ahem! I was joking just now. Who would do something like that to a dried fish? At least I wouldn't."
Aponia clasped her hands together and murmured with closed eyes, "It's okay."
Kosma's face twisted in a complicated expression, and after a long pause, he finally said, "…Brother Lin isn't that kind of person… I believe in you…"
"I… you… forget it."
Fu Lin pointed at himself, stammered for a moment, then fell into silence.…
"Farewell, sorry for the disturbance."
Fu Lin put away his camera, waved at Aponia and Griseo, then quickened his pace, eager to escape this socially fatal scene.
Kosma followed, pressing a hand on Fu Lin's shoulder with a serious expression,
"…Wait for me. Are you going to find Kalpas and Mobius?"
Fu Lin crossed his arms, looking at Kosma blocking his way,
"Yeah, I think Kalpas is actually pretty easy to get along with. As for Mobius… I think, maybe… possibly… she might be easy to get along with too."
Kosma pursed his lips, sighed, and stood in place, "…Since you insist, I'll go with you."
Hearing this, Fu Lin excitedly grabbed Kosma's face, staring into his amber eyes with a soft smile, "Ah Kosma, are you worried about me? You may usually be quiet and seem boring, but I knew I wasn't wrong about you!"
"Looking at you like this, Kosma, you're actually quite cute too~ How about…"
Kosma averted his gaze, puzzled. "…How about?" What was he going to say? Kosma was a little curious…
Fu Lin continued, "How about wearing a dress?"
Kosma's mouth opened slightly as he looked at Fu Lin's face, which was so close to his own. A faint blush crept onto his cheeks, "…"
Seeing the flush on Kosma's face, Fu Lin also fell into silence, "…" Why are you blushing like a steaming kettle?
Griseo watched the two, who were practically embracing, and shyly covered her face as a puff of heat rose from her head.
But she continued to observe them, and an idea for her next painting began to take shape in her mind, "Kosma and Uncle Fu Lin… a new inspiration has appeared."
With that thought, Griseo's eyes lit up, and she pulled out her sketchpad and brush, occasionally glancing up at Fu Lin and Kosma as she began to draw.
"Fu Lin, so you're here…"
Mei, who had been searching for Fu Lin after leaving the Elysium Archives, spotted his figure at a street corner and brightened up.
She waved and called out, running over with joy—until she saw Kosma's figure in the scene and slowed her steps, walking forward at a more measured pace.
But when she saw Fu Lin holding Kosma's face and leaning in close, her eyes widened.
Then, when Fu Lin whispered something and Kosma's face turned red, her eyes grew even bigger.
She coughed dryly, "Ahem! Fu Lin, Kosma, what are you two doing?
But inside, a storm of emotions raged as she clutched her face, unable to bear looking directly at them,
'Could it be that Fu Lin is gay? Then what was the point of me and Kiana?
But… why do I feel like shipping them…
''No, wait, what am I thinking?!'