"Ma... Master, please don't tease me like that," Ayaka stammered, her cheeks flushing as she instinctively leaned back a little.
Was Luo Qing joking with her? He had to be... right?
"Oh? But I'm being completely serious~" Luo Qing chuckled softly, leaning forward and propping his chin up with both hands on the table.
Watching Ayaka's cute, embarrassed expression, he felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and pinch her cheeks.
"Um..." Ayaka didn't know how to respond.
If Luo Qing was serious, did that mean he was actually asking her to...?
"If Ayaka doesn't want to, there is a second option~"
"Eh?"
Ayaka froze, her mind racing. She had just started mentally preparing herself, only to find out there was another choice?
"A second option?" she asked, peeking up at him.
"Just let me pinch your cheeks, and it'll be enough~" Luo Qing said with a playful smile, his gaze locked onto Ayaka's soft, fair face.
He knew he might not get another chance like this anytime soon. If she was coming to him for a favor, he had to make the most of it.
"E-Eh?!"
Ayaka was taken aback. She hadn't expected such a... strange request from him.
But if it was just a quick pinch on the cheek...
For the sake of meeting the Shogun, for the chance to overturn the Vision Hunt Decree...
She'd do it!
Taking a deep breath, Ayaka suddenly bowed her head and closed her eyes, as if summoning all her courage.
"M-Master, you're really only going to pinch my cheeks, right...?"
"That's right."
"Alright then... I-I agree," Ayaka said with a slight nod, her eyes squeezed shut.
She shifted her knees closer to the table and leaned forward, raising her face towards him. Her nervous, uneven breaths revealed just how tense she was.
"Well, then..." Luo Qing thought, a bit surprised himself.
He'd expected Ayaka to hesitate a bit more, but she'd dived straight in.
Was it his irresistible charm, or did her determination to overturn the Decree run that deep?
"Then I won't hold back, Ayaka~" he said with a gentle laugh, reaching out his mischievous hands toward her adorable face.
Step by step. A meal should be savored, just like how flirting should progress at the right pace.
Right now, she was letting him pinch her cheeks. Who knew? Next time, she might let him hold her hand.
And after that, who could say...?
Luo Qing gently cupped Ayaka's soft cheeks, feeling the cool, delicate skin under his fingertips. Then, he started to pinch and rub her cheeks ever so gently.
"Mm... H-Hn..."
Ayaka squirmed a little, her soft voice barely a whisper. She felt embarrassed, having never let a boy touch her face like this before.
Why was Luo Qing taking so long...? Hadn't he said it would be just a quick pinch?
Why did it feel like he was rubbing her cheeks forever...?
Meanwhile, as Luo Qing admired Ayaka's shy and passive reaction, a bold idea formed in his mind. As an experienced flirt, he knew how the mind of a young girl worked.
Despite her current expression, which suggested she was doing this out of a sense of duty, he could tell she didn't truly dislike him.
If she hadn't developed some level of affection, she wouldn't have agreed to let him pinch her face in the first place.
So what if, at this very moment, he leaned in and kissed her...?
What kind of reaction would Ayaka have?
Should he try it?
Taking a deep breath, Luo Qing decided to take the risk. He began to lean in closer, inch by inch.
Ayaka could feel his breath getting nearer. A sense of confusion filled her chest.
Was Luo Qing getting closer to her...?
Just as she was about to open her eyes—
The door to the room suddenly swung open, and Kayo's voice echoed inside.
"Miss Ayaka, your sakura mochi is ready—oh! I apologize for interrupting! I'll just leave them here, please continue!"
Kayo quickly placed a plate of sakura mochi on the table and disappeared before they could say another word.
Ayaka's eyes flew open, finding Luo Qing's face just inches away. She froze, staring at him, her mind racing.
She quickly glanced toward the door, but Kayo was already gone, leaving only the soft pink sakura mochi on the table.
"..."
"..."
They locked eyes, the atmosphere between them becoming unbearably awkward.
Yet, neither of them moved, still maintaining the pose of Luo Qing pinching her cheeks.
Ayaka's mind was in chaos.
If she wasn't mistaken, had Luo Qing really intended to kiss her while her eyes were closed?
Wasn't he supposed to just pinch her cheeks?
Luo Qing's thoughts weren't any calmer.
He regretted not acting faster. Those few seconds of hesitation had cost him; he'd been thwarted by the arrival of Kayo.
Now that Ayaka's eyes were open, any chance he had was gone.
Sigh...
Regret washed over him.
"Um... M-Master, are you alright?"
Ayaka's voice broke the silence, her words muffled by Luo Qing's hands still on her cheeks.
"One more minute," he replied calmly.
"..."
One minute later.
Luo Qing finally released his grip, satisfied.
Though he hadn't managed to steal a kiss, the moment had still been worthwhile.
Ayaka, feeling the lingering warmth of his touch, couldn't help but gently rub her cheeks.
Her mind was a blur of confusion, replaying that almost-kiss over and over.
What would she have done if Kayo hadn't interrupted?
Would she have let Luo Qing kiss her?
Did he... actually like her?
And did she like him?
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't come up with an answer.
"Ayaka, did I press too hard? Does your face hurt?" Luo Qing asked, noticing how she kept rubbing her cheeks.
He'd stopped referring to her as "Miss Kamisato," switching to a more intimate "Ayaka."
And she didn't seem to mind. That was a sign—a sign of deepening trust, at least by Inazuman standards.
"N-No, it doesn't hurt," Ayaka quickly shook her head.
"Then... please don't forget about my request concerning the Shogun," she added softly.
"..."
For some reason, the way she said it felt strangely out of place to Luo Qing.
"Ayaka, when would you like to meet with her?" he asked.
"The sooner, the better. The quicker we can end the Vision Hunt Decree, the less suffering there will be," Ayaka replied firmly.
"Alright," Luo Qing said, nodding thoughtfully. "How about tomorrow?"
"Huh? Tomorrow?"
Ayaka's eyes widened in surprise.
Was Luo Qing's relationship with the Shogun really so strong that he could arrange a meeting without prior notice?
But then... why had he said it would be difficult earlier...?
Had he just wanted an excuse to pinch her cheeks...?
---
T/N: It's a fucking Miracle. Looks like it's actually Kayo now. (future me im killing myself)
Hi, besties! Future me here to share my latest translation, Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman! Picture this: a young, in-training Bruce Wayne traveling the multiverse with his super mysterious (and a fraud) owl god father!. Their first stop? The magical world of Harry Potter! You just know there's going to be drama, action, and perhaps the birth of the strongest Batman!
Oh, and guess what? I've got even more stories coming your way this week, so stay tuned for all the fun. As always, thank you for being amazing—your support means the world to me. Love ya, and happy reading! (I don't actually love ya)
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
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