Fortunately, Inori's pain was only caused by accidentally touching the deepest, sealed memories in her heart, which jolted her soul. As long as she didn't dwell on those people and those events, the pain would soon fade.
As an observer, Chu Lian understood why Inori suffered when touching those memories—her face would fill with fear, regret, and sorrow. To her, those memories were like Pandora's box: once opened, they would harm her, perhaps even plunging her into a frenzied darkness.
Such darkness would be like Eve in the final scene of Guilty Crown—taking pleasure in destruction, feasting on slaughter. Chu Lian would never allow her to become that way. So once she saw Inori recover, she quickly steered the conversation elsewhere, shifting her attention.
Carefully cleaning the coffee-stained floor, Chu Lian glanced back to see Chu Chu holding several outfits up to herself, gauging which would suit her best, while Inori watched in a daze and occasionally offered a few words. Judging by Chu Chu's demeanor, she clearly wasn't taking Inori's suggestions to heart.
Shaking her head with a faint smile, Chu Lian pushed aside her earlier worries. Whatever the future held, Inori was still Inori—even if she regained her memories, she wouldn't become someone else.
Once the floor was clean, Chu Lian gathered the empty cups and washed them. She was used to such chores—whether from her solitary life in her past world or her early days in this one.
As an older sister, she felt it her duty to look after Chu Chu. Inori could help too, but Chu Lian preferred she didn't.
When everything was in order, Chu Lian checked carefully for anything she'd missed, then sat beside Chu Chu.
"What are you doing with those clothes?" she asked. The sofa, the tea table, even Chu Chu's hands were piled with lavish black dresses—some sexy, some alluring, some regal, some elegant, and some gloomy.
"Hey, Big Sis, you promised to wear these earlier, remember? Don't forget…" Chu Chu didn't explain their origin—only sought to confirm Chu Lian would keep her word.
"I promised? When?" Chu Lian was baffled. She didn't recall agreeing to wear such dark-colored clothing—it didn't suit her at all.
"When you came out after washing up and asked where Teacher Ning went, I told you, and you agreed!" Chu Chu pouted, clearly suspecting her of trying to wriggle out of it. "Don't tell me Big Sis wants to back out?"
Chu Lian's brow twitched. She clenched her small fist, then relaxed it, smiling sweetly. "When did I ever say I'd back out? Fine, I'll wear it…" She had just remembered—Chu Chu had taken advantage of her distraction earlier to extract the promise.
So much for pretending to forget. She hadn't expected the girl to be this persistent, even throwing her own principles back at her! But she had to hold back—she was her sister, her sister, her sister. No matter how aggravating, she must endure!
Seeing Chu Lian's answer and smile, Chu Chu almost jumped with joy. "Big Sis really is the best—always keeps her promises!"
"Now, it's almost nine-thirty. If we don't go out soon, people will start talking. Big Sis, hurry and change into one of these! Here, I'll help you pick…" Chu Chu was completely lost in her own world, mistaking Chu Lian's embarrassed, reluctant smile for simple shyness.
Bending down, Chu Chu rummaged through the pile of clothes. Each time she found something she liked, she wore a sly grin, clearly picturing which outfit would suit Chu Lian best.
Rubbing her forehead, Chu Lian decided to ignore her antics and turned to the quietly seated Inori. "Inori, will you come out with us, or stay here?"
Inori tapped her chin thoughtfully. After a while, she answered, "As much as I'd like to go with you, I'm not in your class. It wouldn't be appropriate. I'll stay here and wait for you, Lian…"
As expected, Chu Lian nodded. "I'll be back early. Be careful on your own. I'll leave Tina here—if anything happens, she'll get you out. Don't open the door to strangers, even hotel staff—be cautious."
Whenever it came to Inori's safety, Chu Lian became almost paranoid, rattling off warnings most of which would never come to pass. Still, she said them anyway.
"I understand…" Inori listened quietly until she finished, then replied softly. She knew Chu Lian's words came from care; though verbose, they warmed her heart.
Just then, Chu Chu let out an excited shout. "Found it! This is the one! Big Sis, you have to try it on—you'll look amazing!" Chu Lian and Inori turned to see her holding a black short-sleeved dress, beaming.
Without a word, Chu Lian took the dress and unfolded it. It was entirely black, the skirt composed of layered, airy gauze. The sleeveless bodice featured embroidered rose patterns at the waist. It was mysterious and elegant—different from traditional Gothic styles, but still an alternative form of Gothic.
"This one?" Chu Lian frowned slightly but didn't refuse. It only left her arms bare, making it suitable for the weather. The hem would fall just above the knee—paired with longer stockings, it would cover her legs entirely; with over-the-knee socks, it would reveal a tempting sliver of the absolute territory.
Truthfully, she liked the design, though black wasn't her preference. She favored light tones—especially white—not just because of her Orchid in the Valley charm-enhancing talent, but because she genuinely preferred them.
"Big Sis~~~ Big Sis~~~ Hurry and change!" Chu Chu clasped her hands over her heart, calling to her like a fangirl, her face full of expectation, leaving Chu Lian no room to refuse.
"Fine, but just this once! And stop tricking me into agreeing to strange things when I'm not paying attention. Got it?!" Chu Lian folded the dress, warning her before taking it into the room.
Watching her disappear inside, Chu Chu murmured, "Usually you'd never agree to this. If I didn't catch you off guard, you'd never say yes, my dear Big Sis. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. I'll make you quietly accept some of my decisions for you." Her final words were too soft for anyone but herself to hear: "After all, I'm not Inori. I can't show my feelings for you so openly…"
Seated beside her, Inori seemed to sense something. She looked up and gazed at her deeply for a moment before lowering her head again to quietly read the book in her hands—the previous week's issue of Firefly magazine, featuring the first serialized chapter of Sword and Fairy. That was the story she was immersed in.
A few minutes later, Chu Lian emerged from the room, fully changed. The moment Chu Chu saw her, she couldn't tear her eyes away.
The pure black sleeveless top left both arms bare, her fair skin dazzling against the dark fabric. Around her slender waist, embroidered roses shimmered with her every movement, adding a seductive allure. The skirt fell just above her knees, paired with black lace over-the-knee stockings that revealed a striking strip of absolute territory—white enough to take one's breath away.
On her feet was a pair of petite black high heels, adding five centimeters to her height. Combined with her already slightly over-1.4-meter frame, it lent her a more mature air.
The most captivating part, however, was her expression. Normally sweet and pure, her face now carried a hint of seduction in the Gothic dress. Her soft pink lips parted slightly, as though inviting someone closer. Her long hair, falling to her waist, had been tied into a high ponytail, with only a few long strands left to frame her cheeks.
"Oh~ oh~ oh~" Chu Chu made an ambiguous sound that snapped Inori from her thoughts. Looking up, she caught sight of Chu Lian striding over. Without warning, Chu Lian grabbed Chu Chu by the collar and tossed her toward the room. "Go change! If you're not ready by 9:40, you can try jumping from the thirty-seventh floor to experience flying firsthand!"
Afterward, Chu Lian turned toward Inori with an intrigued expression. "You're Inori, right? No wonder he treats you so well—you really are a beauty."
Inori's eyes widened slightly, a gut feeling telling her something was off. Before she could pinpoint what, Chu Lian hooked a finger under her chin, lifting it gently. Her black-violet eyes locked onto Inori's wine-red gaze, and her smile deepened.
The moment she saw those eyes, Inori's pupils shrank in realization. "You're the second personality?"
"Bingo. No prize, though…" Chu Lian breathed softly in reply.
"You… how…?" Inori began, but before she could finish, Chu Lian suddenly pressed her lips to hers.
It was a deep, heavy, lingering kiss—one that left Inori's eyes hazy and shimmering with tears, while Chu Lian closed her own eyes in indulgent enjoyment.