"Whoa, you shaved your leg hair? Impressive. Let me feel it, hehe... Nice texture, huh?"

Yue Feather was seriously annoyed with Ji Fan. He should just rename himself "Ji Annoying."

Even in an era where cross-dressing boys weren’t rare, being seen in girl’s clothes by a friend was inevitably embarrassing.

"You’re so annoying."

"Hehe, blushing? Come on, let’s go out and have fun."

"I’m not going."

"Don’t be scared. No one’ll recognize you if they don’t look closely. Don’t you wanna try walking around in girl’s clothes?"

"Not even a little."

"Haha, fine. How about this—we play a round of The King of Fighters. If I lose, I leave. If you lose, you go out in girl’s clothes. Deal?" Ji Fan suggested with wicked glee.

Yue Feather hesitated.

His skills weren’t as good as Ji Fan’s, but he still had a slim chance of winning. If it got Ji Fan to leave, he could dive back into his own world.

"Fine. Let’s do it." He agreed.

No need to download The King of Fighters—they found an old online version. Ji Fan dragged over a chair, sat down with a mischievous grin, and started picking his fighter.

"Best of one or best of three?" Ji Fan asked confidently, as if he couldn’t lose either way.

That made Yue Feather a bit nervous. He thought carefully. "Best of three. And no Orochi."

"OK, no problem."

Ji Fan picked Iori. Yue Feather chose Mai Shiranui.

Both selected their mains—this was serious now.

Round one: Yue Feather barely won. He suddenly regretted setting best-of-three rules. A single round would’ve sealed his victory.

"Hehe, not bad. Does cross-dressing boost your combat power?"

"Hurry up. Stop wasting time," Yue Feather snapped.

Round two: Yue Feather lost. Round three: he lost again, barely.

So close to winning.

"Haha, I won! Let’s go?"

Yue Feather’s face darkened, but he couldn’t back out. He wasn’t one to break promises.

He couldn’t just kick Ji Fan out. As much as he wanted to see Silver Bell again, he knew friends mattered.

Losing the few he had wasn’t an option.

"Let’s go!" Ji Fan declared triumphantly. "Haha, this feels so new."

Yue Feather frowned, slipped on oversized women’s shoes, and stepped outside. Every step felt unnatural. Especially downstairs, spotting passersby.

The embarrassment was off the charts.

Ji Fan deliberately steered him toward crowded spots, clearly teasing him.

That’s what a true troublemaking friend was like.

"Hey... stop heading where people are..." Yue Feather tugged Ji Fan’s sleeve, whispering.

"It’s fine. Everyone’s used to it, see?"

"Used to my ass—they’re all staring at me."

"No worries. At comic cons, way more people will stare."

"When did I ever say I’d go to a comic con?"

"Hehe, you’ll go eventually."

"You’re so annoying."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Another trait of troublemaking friends: mocking each other without anger. It was their way of bonding.

Though Yue Feather was genuinely irritated right now...

"Cheer up. I’ll buy you coffee."

"...Hmph." Yue Feather tried to stay grumpy but failed. "I want steak."

"Sure thing. My treat."

Bribed by food, Yue Feather’s mood lifted instantly.

At home, meat wasn’t scarce, but expensive steaks were rare. He rarely even ate at KFC—too pricey for him.

Let alone fancy cafes where a single steak cost dozens or hundreds of yuan.

Cafes tried so hard to feel artsy and upscale. To Yue Feather, they weren’t a step above a cheap local diner.

Since he almost never ate Western food, his knife-and-fork skills were clumsy. Cutting steak was a struggle.

"Haha... do you even know how to cut steak? Not like that." Ji Fan never missed a chance to tease.

"Shut up." Yue Feather rolled his eyes, gave up, and speared the steak with his fork to bite it—utterly savage.

"Hey, act like a lady."

"Lady my ass. I never wanted to wear this in the first place."

"Then why dress up alone at home? Hehe."

"No girlfriend. Can’t I pretend?" Yue Feather grumbled.

"Don’t be so desperate..."

"You don’t get it. Only like this will she stay by my side."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Did writing novels drive you crazy?"

"You wouldn’t understand," Yue Feather snapped. "As long as I can see her, that’s enough."

"Holy crap, that’s creepy. Oh, I get it—you binged Anohana and started roleplaying, huh? Seriously, don’t become a hardcore otaku."

"Says the guy who’s just like me."

"I’m an otaku, but not a hardcore shut-in. Those are terrifying. Wait—you haven’t left home all month, have you? I saw your takeout boxes piling up like a mountain."

"Why go out? Nothing to do. Unlike you, with a girlfriend."

"Hehe, if I had one, would I be here with you?"

"Where’s your girlfriend then?"

"What girlfriend? Who told you that? I’m single. Look how lonely I am—won’t you keep me company?"

"Get lost..." Yue Feather rolled his eyes, nearly choked on steak, and gulped coffee to swallow it.

"Wow, wasting coffee on you. You’re treating it like water."

"It’s instant anyway. Don’t act like it’s fancy," Yue Feather scoffed.

Maybe his poverty made him a bit resentful of the rich.

Like sour grapes.

"Tsk tsk, that’s some strong sourness."

"Seriously, how’s it going with Murong Qiuyu?"

"Eh, she’s back home for summer break. Can’t see her for now," Ji Fan replied seriously, dropping the jokes.

"With such a pretty girlfriend away, aren’t you worried?"

"Pfft. Life’s smooth only if you’ve got a little green on your head, right?"

"I don’t believe you’re that chill."

"Fine. Girls that pretty are just for fun. Not girlfriend material. Think I don’t know how many guys she flirts with behind the scenes?" Ji Fan twirled his spoon. "Goddesses always have backup guys."

"Tsk. Good thing I don’t like pretty women."

"Hehe, you’re jealous. But messing around’s fun—at least she’s hot. Feels good in bed."

"Stop! That topic’s gross. Too harsh for a poor single guy like me. I refuse to listen."

"Don’t run from reality, haha."

"What’s wrong with it? At least I’m happy."

"In girl’s clothes?"

"Pretending to be my own girlfriend. Doesn’t that sound fun?"

"Not at all..." Ji Fan sipped his coffee. "I just think... it’s sad."

"Tch. You don’t know anything." Yue Feather scoffed, but agreed inside.

So what if it was sad? If self-deception brought happiness, he’d take it.

Like surgery—you knew anesthesia wore off, but you still needed it.

Nothing lasted forever. Only the duration differed.

"Huh. She’s back."

"Back?"

"Yeah. A month at home—normal to return now." Ji Fan stretched lazily. "I’m picking her up at the station. You head home alone."

"Damn, prioritizing romance over friendship."

"Haha, girlfriends can sleep with me. You can’t."

"Is that all you care about?" Yue Feather deadpanned.

"Dating’s for that. Girlfriends change, but brothers stay. Brothers matter more."

"Then why not walk me home?"

"Ugh, don’t be so sappy. We’ve got time. No need for formalities."

"Nope. Formalities are necessary."

"Fine, fine. I’ll walk you."

"Nah, just kidding. Go get your girlfriend."

Yue Feather devoured the leftover food on the table like a whirlwind, shooting Ji Fan a disdainful look. "You're basically a second-hand item that could split anytime—why even bother caring so much?"

"Pfft, what do you know? You've never even been in a relationship," Ji Fan retorted, giving Yue Feather a withering glance. He called over a waiter, paid the bill, and left the café first.

"Finally, I can go home..." Yue Feather let out a huge, relieved yawn and trudged wearily toward home.

That previous state of immersing himself into Silver Bell was rare and precious; now, he couldn't seem to reach it again.

Besides, he was drenched in sweat—it'd be best to shower first once home.

"Ah..." Back inside, Yue Feather stripped off his clothes and let the cool water wash over his body. "If only I could stay immersed in that wonderful world forever... Even if it's illusory, it'd still be good..."