"Ahh... huh?"

Lingyuan froze. Completely, utterly frozen.

His first thought screamed—[Yanxi looked at me like that too. She must like me.]

But it was instantly drowned out by—[Why would she like me?]

"Class Rep Lingyuan probably doesn’t have a real girlfriend, right~?"

He had no idea where Yixinxue got such unnatural strength. Her fingers clamped down on his wrist like iron shackles, pinning him in place.

"N-no... I don’t..."

His heart hammered against his throat. A chill shot from his soles straight up his spine. Yixinxue’s unnerving expression made chills ripple across his scalp.

Just a second ago, she’d been so gentle...

"Close your eyes~."

Too terrified to resist, Lingyuan obeyed.

"Have you... ever kissed a girl before?"

"W-wait! Hold on! Class Rep, what are you doing?!"

How could he obey *this*? She was going to kiss him! His first kiss! Fir—

"So reluctant..." Yixinxue’s icy gaze locked onto the boy beneath her, his face twisted with clear unwillingness.

"Class Rep, please let me go! You know what they say—'a forced melon isn’t sweet'..."

Yixinxue nodded thoughtfully. "That’s... actually very logical."

"So... could you maybe get off first...?"

"But you have legs~."

"...?"

"I like you. I want to keep you by my side forever. But you have legs... you could run away. So~"

"N-no! I won’t run! I promise!" Lingyuan stammered desperately.

Silence thickened the air. A snow-white kitten padded over, tilting its head as it watched them curiously from beside their legs.

*Meow~*

Its soft, kittenish cry broke the tension.

"Fine. I believe you." Pouting unhappily, Yixinxue pushed herself off Lingyuan’s lap.

*Phew. That was close. Almost lost my first kiss.*

Was this what 2D otaku were like? Faced with such a blessing, he felt zero enjoyment—only the urge to flee.

Yixinxue bit her lip hard, frustration and flushed embarrassment warring on her face.

Lingyuan finally caught his breath and glanced up. The Class Rep’s expression had darkened—just like that day he’d skipped homework.

"Class Rep...?" he ventured cautiously.

No reply. Her thoughts were hidden, but her fists were clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

"Class Rep..."

"Lingyuan, you absolute idiot!" she suddenly shrieked. Whirling around, she stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

*Meow?*

Lingyuan scratched his head, exchanging a helpless look with the cat. He shrugged. "You think it’s my fault too?"

*Meow~*

"...Hey now," he crouched down, gently pinching the kitten’s scruff. "You eat *my* cat food. Don’t you dare say something that heartless!"

...

*Huff... huff...*

Yixinxue slid down the door until she sat on the floor, hands pressed against her burning cheeks. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done.

*Stupid. I gathered all that courage... and he rejected me...*

Only after her breathing steadied and her heartbeat slowed did she lower her hands. Lifting her head toward the window, despair flickered in her crimson eyes.

*[Am I really... less appealing than 2D girls?]*

This sting cut deeper than her last monthly exam failure.

*Why... why did he refuse? I’m right here...*

Her voice hitched. Tears welled, glistening but unspilled—her stubborn pride refusing to let them fall.

Her phone buzzed on the desk. Ignoring it, she replayed the scene in her head, dissecting where she fell short of fictional heroines.

After a long while, Yixinxue pushed herself up using the wall. *If he hadn’t run... I had a backup plan.*

Since he refused the direct approach? She’d make him accept it slowly. Sweetly. She didn’t believe he could resist temptation.

Wiping her tear tracks, she opened the bedroom door. Lingyuan instantly rushed over, unfurling a test paper.

"Class Rep! I swear I did my absolute best this time. The handwriting’s messy—I haven’t seriously written answers in ages. Please forgive me!"

Yixinxue stood frozen. She stared at the paper, then at Lingyuan’s unexpectedly earnest face.

"You..."

"Class Rep... were you crying?"

"Crying...?" Her crimson pupils dilated slightly before narrowing again. She turned her head away haughtily. "I don’t cry. I’m not some fragile ordinary girl. And I won’t believe you can stay stubborn for long."

*[Stubborn?]*

Lingyuan gaped at her bloodshot eyes and the faint tear trails on her cheeks. *[Who’s the stubborn one here?]*

"Oh! You haven’t eaten yet, right? I’ll make you something." Her tone was flat.

"Uh... yeah..." Lingyuan fumbled. "Class Rep... are you really okay?"

"I said I’m FINE!"

She spun on her heel and vanished into the kitchen. Moments later, the violent *thwack-thwack-thwack* of a knife slamming against the cutting board echoed out. Lingyuan flinched on the sofa, clutching the test paper like a prisoner awaiting sentencing.

*[You have legs... you could run away...]*

He swallowed hard, eyes darting toward the kitchen. *Is she gonna charge out with that knife and chop my legs off?*

But the rich aroma drifting from the kitchen soon drowned his fear. Starvation won over paranoia.

Rice filled the bowl’s base. On top, four sections held grilled pork belly, bulgogi beef, spicy kimchi, and blanched greens.

*Shame I forgot eggs this morning. A soft-boiled onsen egg would’ve been perfect in the center.*

Satisfied with her bento, Yixinxue’s gaze shifted to the cup beside it. The success of her afternoon scheme hinged on this glass of watermelon juice.

Once Lingyuan drank it, he’d be asleep within fifteen minutes. And once he was asleep... well. Everything would be *much* easier.

*Who cares if a forced melon isn’t sweet? He’ll be a melon I can shape however I like.*

A wicked smile curled her lips.

*[So many firsts waiting... He won’t feel shy when he’s asleep~]*

"Class Rep! What’s cooking? It smells amazing!"

Lingyuan’s sudden appearance made Yixinxue nearly drop the cup.

"A-ah! It’s a Japanese-style rice bowl I loved when I lived there. The presentation’s lacking, but it won’t taste bad!"

"Wow." Lingyuan peered at the bento. The glistening pork belly under the light, the vibrant green vegetables, the fiery kimchi—it looked stunningly layered.

*[Way better than Yanxi’s cooking.]*

"This looks incredible, Class Rep!"

"Hmph. And this drink’s delicious too~ Freshly squeezed watermelon juice, just for you."