Her voice went icy as winter glass, and Chongming Yan’s hand froze midair, caught between grabbing and not.

Nana Toki’s gaze swept cold as a north wind over Chen Yiyi behind Chongming Yan; their eyes struck like flint, and Chen flinched away like a startled bird.

Intrigue rippled through her like a fish under ice.

A sliver of playful intent flickered in Nana Toki’s eyes, moonlight teasing a pond.

Looks like the heroine’s hiding shadowed secrets behind the Protagonist Lord’s back, like dust swept under a lamp.

Heh...

System: "......"

Host, what are you up to? Why’s your laugh twisted like a gremlin in the dark?

I suddenly don’t feel like offing them so fast, like a blade sheathed under silk.

Eh?

That halo of plot armor—I’ll grind it down slow, like grit on a whetstone.

Curiosity coiled tight; Nana Toki wanted to see the calculating heroine toy an idiot Protagonist Lord like a sparrow rolling a seed in her palm.

For now... she’d go find the silly-sweet, following sugar crumbs through neon.

Under Nana Toki’s stare, Chen Yiyi’s nerves prickled like cold rain; she edged behind Chongming Yan like a rabbit seeking a rock.

Her timid look tickled Nana’s mood; humor rose like steam from a teacup.

Humming a tune from nowhere, Nana Toki drifted off the bar-lined street, light as a cat sliding through neon.

Off we go, off we go.

System: Host, you’re truly fond of nasty little pleasures, like thorns tucked in roses.

Watching her antics, the System felt stuck with a violent madwoman with antisocial streaks, a storm hitched to a kite.

Thanks for the compliment~

Nana Toki didn’t deny it; the shoe fit like a noon shadow.

Even she sometimes thought her tastes were wicked, sugar laced with pepper.

But that’s how it is; fate’s current pushes like river water against stones.

Because.

This way’s fun, isn’t it? Fireworks under a quiet sky.

System: "......"

Are you bugged out—brain full of cats chasing yarn?!

Host, are you a pervert?!

How rude. I’m plainly a normal high school girl, a daisy in a field.

Like hell I believe that—smoke without a fire.

The System didn’t buy it for a heartbeat, doubt heavy as a storm cloud.

If she were, then schoolgirls everywhere would be defying heaven, phoenixes perched on classroom desks.

If you don’t believe me, I can’t help it. Nana Toki spread her hands, leaves drifting to ground.

Even I can’t make a glitch-brained System trust me, circuits buzzing like cicadas.

System: "......"

Host, you just called my brain broken, didn’t you?

No. That’s just your wattage flickering—heat haze over asphalt.

System: "......." You’re obviously cursing me; you haven’t stopped!

How can you slander me out of thin air, smoke rising without flame?

I’ve had professional training; under any sky, I don’t swear.

Is that so?

The System didn’t believe it; doubt pooled like ink in water.

Of course—unless I can’t hold it in, a dam fissuring under flood.

System: "......."

F— (system-code.jpg)

By the way, Host, why’d you spare the leads just now?

The System felt this road would drive it mad, a bee trapped in a jar.

So.

Yes.

The System switched topics, changing lanes under rain.

Isn’t it because you said no direct—physical—methods to kill the leads?

So I’ll try something indirect, like a knife hidden in velvet.

Indirect?

Fog rolled over the System’s field; it didn’t get it.

Like letting that idiot bleed out, words dropped like a stone into still water.

System: "......"

Though it probably won’t work, like sand trying to dam a tide.

Why?

Because in a typical urban school romance, the current runs its old grooves, river wearing the shore.

With the Protagonist Lord hurt and the heroine helpless as a sparrow, the second male lead will appear, thunder rolling after heat.

So?

So keep tangling, and a gaggle of idiots with restricted weapons will pop out like clowns from a tiny car to hassle me.

I don’t want a beating for no reason; I duck punches like rain under a roof.

System: "......"

Host, you’re seasoned, a blade honed smooth.

Of course.

Not to brag, but I once wrote on X-dot a city romance like “The Overbearing CEO, Love Me Once More,” neon-title bright as a signboard.

These tropes? I’ve played them to shreds, cards with frayed edges.

System: "......"

"Suo... Suo Sen?"

She was boasting to the System, voice curling like smoke, when—

A petite figure peeked from behind a big tree, timid as a fawn in brush.

"Yo, isn’t that my silly-sweet?"

Seeing Yuzuki here surprised Nana, a sparrow’s flutter in her chest.

"Where are the ones chasing you?"

"I... I have a name," Yuzuki protested, cheeks blooming pink like peach petals. "I’m Yuzuki."

"Got it, silly-sweet."

She wore heartless ease like a devil draped in silk.

Yuzuki: "......"

"Quit hiding. Come out and tell me where your pursuers went."

As if Nana’s words were a warm lantern, Yuzuki covered her collar and stepped out, careful as a kitten on wet stone.

"How... how did you know someone was chasing me?"

She scanned the empty street; only then did she breathe out, a winter-steam sigh.

"I saw a few missing faces at the café. Add yesterday, and even toes could figure they went after you."

Yuzuki: "......"

"So, where’d they go?"

Nana burned with curiosity, wondering how a rabbit in a wolf den slipped away with its fur intact.

She kept pressing, questions tapping like rain on glass.

"Um... I just looped around a bit..."

Thinking of something blush-worthy, Yuzuki flushed deeper, dawn bleeding into clouds. "I know this street, so I shook them off."

Nana Toki: "......"

That says nothing—mist pretending to be rain.

And why the hell are you blushing—kettle whistling with no fire?

"But why did Miss Suo Sen chase after me?" Yuzuki puffed up courage like a small bird ruffling its feathers. "Were you worried about me?"

Like hell I was worried; I chased out to watch the mess, see if sparks would fly like firecrackers.

System: "......"

Host, your taste is wicked.

Thanks for the compliment! (middle finger raised like a little flag)

"I don’t care about someone who tasered me on first meeting."

Thinking of last night, Nana fell speechless, wind dropping at dusk. "Anyway, good that you’re fine. Saves me a rescue—what a pain. Since nothing happened, let’s head home."

"Eh?"

Yuzuki met her eyes, confusion bright as a deer in lantern light.

"Your apartment’s rented, right? Count me in."

Hands tucked in her black jacket, Nana looked at Yuzuki with street-lord swagger. "What? You zap someone and won’t take responsibility?"

"Uh... no... that’s not what I meant."

Yuzuki fluttered her hands; doubt flickered, then joy rooted like a spring sprout.

"If... if you don’t mind."

She lowered her head and tugged at her maid’s long dress; a smile blossomed on her face like a flower opening at dawn.