Maihima tilted her head slightly, still fanning herself with a graceful flick of her wrist. Her voice dipped into a sweet tone that barely masked the sharp edge beneath.
"Though, I must say…" she began, eyes flicking toward Shion, "that girl Astra really is something else. A walking disaster, isn't she? I heard she's always getting into trouble. You really shouldn't associate with someone like her."
Shion's expression didn't shift at first, but there was a brief twitch in his brow. His arms stayed crossed, his jaw visibly tightening.
"And what's more…" Maihima leaned in just slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret, "I've heard she's an orphan. Doesn't even know her own bloodline. Just living with a bunch of Men… not one, not two, but five, actually and calling them her 'family.' Isn't that strange? It's all a bit improper, don't you think?"
Seirou, standing calmly beside Shion, showed no reaction at all. His face was as unreadable as ever, as if Maihima's words were just air passing by. Shion, however, didn't speak. His silence stretched long and sharp, the only sign of emotion the slight shift in the corner of his mouth, as if holding back a comment he chose not to voice.
Hearing all that, Zuzu shook his head and whispered, "Seventh Prince… is this really the woman the Crown Prince wants us to gather information on?"
Daita gave him a sharp look. "Let's just do what His Highness asked," he said flatly, then shifted his gaze back toward Maihima. His voice dropped into a mutter. "Though your question isn't wrong… I wonder too… what made him search for her of all people? I can only assume he's unaware of her… unique way of thinking."
Meanwhile, Maihima continued, completely unaware of being watched.
"Maybe living with those Men turned her into what she is today reckless, tactless, and a walking disaster. Honestly, it's for the best that you aren't friends with someone like her—"
Shion's face twitched. He could no longer hide the sharp glare forming in his eyes, as if he were silently drilling holes through her. Noticing his expression, Maihima finally paused. She cleared her throat and looked away, then added lightly, "Anyway, let's not drag her into this anymore. Actually, I stopped you because I wanted to ask you something."
She hesitated for a moment, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Would you… like to be friends with me?" she asked sweetly, her voice soft and cheeks tinted with a shy red.
Shion's expression remained unchanged. But Meimei and Miaomiao's faces morphed instantly from surprise to disbelief as they exchanged stunned glances.
"Uta-rin… what do you think?" Maihima tilted her head slightly, her voice delicate. "Will you—"
Shion didn't let her finish.
"I'm sorry to break your expectations, Miss Aogane," he said flatly, shrugging his shoulders. "But I'm clearly not interested in being friends with you. And the reason is your way of thinking about someone else? I didn't like that. Besides, I have no interest in becoming friends with someone I've only met twice."
His words fell like stones. A smug grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he watched her expression shift her face pale, eyes widening in disbelief.
"You! how dare you reject—" Miaomiao took a step forward, her voice rising.
Maihima raised a hand, silencing her with a sharp glare. Then, as if regaining composure, she turned back to Shion with her returned smile in place. "Oh, I understand. Then… how about we meet a few more times? Get to know each other better, and then become friends?" She twirled her fan once, voice still sweet. "As for what I said about Astra, I'm sure it's the truth. I've watched her closely. I am completely aware of her."
Shion took a slow, deliberate steps forward. Maihima instinctively stepped back. He took another. She retreated again and just like Maihima unconsciously stepped back with each of his steps.
Step by step, it continued until only a breath of space remained between them. Then he leaned in not enough to touch, but close enough that his voice slipped past the crowd, and landed like ice against her skin.
"Then why," he said, low and steady, "are you not aware… that she isn't my friend—" He paused and his next word was a whisper,
"…..She's my family."
Maihima's frown twitched. Her lashes fluttered in confusion until realization struck. The word hit her like a slap. Her eyes widened. Her lips parted, fumbling for words.
"I… you… family…? Her—?"
Shion leaned back, tilting his head slightly. His gaze locked with hers.
"The five men you mentioned…" He let the silence hang for a second.
"I'm one of them."
Maihima stood frozen, lips parted, but no words came. Her thoughts scrambled to make sense of what she just heard. Family? Her?
Before she could recover, Seirou casually stepped forward beside Shion, hands in his sleeves, his voice light as a feather yet sharp enough to sting.
"Well….," he said with a smile, "they say beauty may catch the eye, but to earn friendship or…. love, it's Trust that wins the heart. Miss Kogane Hope you come to realize that soon."
Maihima blinked, snapping out of her daze. She shot him a sharp glare, her fan pausing mid-air as if considering whether to whack him with it.
Shion ignored the exchange and casually dusted off his shoulder. "Let's go," he said to Seirou, his tone flat but final. "It's almost dinner. We need to make some preparations also."With that, the two turned and walked off, vanishing into the moving crowd without a second glance.
Miaomiao rushed up beside Maihima, nearly tripping over herself. "Leader, what just happened? Why were you asking him to be your friend? Aren't we enough for you? And did you hear how he rejected you? He disrespected you right in front of everyone!"
Meimei followed, her voice laced with disbelief. "We've never seen you ask anyone to be your friend. Leader… are you feeling unwell?"
Maihima stared after Shion's retreating figure, her expression unreadable. Then, without answering, she stepped back a little, quietly fanning herself again. A slow smirk curved her lips.
"He's the most prettiest man I've ever seen," she murmured, half to herself. "Say what you will… but I'll make him my friend. No matter what it takes." "He's the most beautiful man I've ever seen," Maihima murmured, almost to herself. "Say what you will… but I'll make him my friend. No matter what it takes." Her eyes lingered in the direction Shion had vanished, a quiet glinting beneath her usual poise.
"He's like a rare diamond among glass pebbles," she continued, voice low. "And something that rare, something that unique should belong in my hands. After all, I'm the daughter of Minister Kogane, blessed by the God of Wealth himself."
The twin girls exchanged a look, then blurted in perfect sync, "Leader… don't tell us you've fallen for that guy?"
Maihima's face flushed a deep red. She began fanning herself furiously, averting her gaze as she turned on her heel. "W-we should head back. The event's almost over," she said briskly, clearly avoiding the question.
Meimei tilted her head and muttered, "I think she has… but it's so strange. I didn't think someone like our leader even had a heart for love." Before she could say more, Miaomiao smacked the back of her head. "Shut up. Our leader does have a heart and she can love whoever she wants. Now move before she hears you and turns us into frogs!"
Zuzu sighed heavily as he watched the trio disappear into the crowd. He had seen enough for one day. As he turned, he noticed Daita holding up a delicate dress with an intense focus, examining it as though he was contemplating a rare artifact.
Zuzu's eyes widened in disbelief. "Seventh Prince… why are you looking at women's clothes?" he asked, clearly flabbergasted.
Daita didn't even glance at him, his attention fully absorbed by the fabric. With a smirk, he casually tossed the dress toward Zuzu, who instinctively caught it in mid-air. Zuzu's eyes went even wider as he looked down at the dress in his hands.
"What… what are you doing?" Zuzu stammered, feeling the weight of the moment pressing in.
Daita finally looked up, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Purchasing it."
Zuzu blinked. "For who? Don't tell me you found some random girl here and started flirting!"
Daita gave him a sideways glance, unfazed. "This Daita has a type. My taste is never random, understood?"
Zuzu blinked in confusion, still staring at the dress. "Then… who exactly are you purchasing it for?"
At that, Daita's grin grew wider, the mischievous gleam in his eyes only intensifying. He slowly pointed at his direction. Zuzu turned to look behind him, expecting to see someone…anyone but the space behind him was empty. A sudden realization hit him like a thunderclap. His eyes widened in horror as he turned back to Daita and started shaking his head violently.
"It's for you, mule-bag….You're going to become a woman now."
Zuzu's jaw dropped, and he immediately shook his head, horrified. "No! Seventh Prince, you're joking, right?!"
Daita gave him a deadpan look. "Why would I joke with you?"
Zuzu's voice was a mix of disbelief and panic. "Then why are you suddenly making a man into a woman?! It's against my will!"
Daita shrugged nonchalantly, tossing his hair back. "Well, get ready to break it, because you're going to spy on the minister's daughter by becoming her friend… while I try to convince Grandpa."
Zuzu threw his hands up in protest. "Why?! We already know who she is! Her name, where she's from, whose daughter she is… We've gathered all the information we need! Why can't we just stop here and focus on getting Grandpa to agree?"
Daita leaned in closer, his smirk turning into a grin, "Because, my dear friend Zuzu, I'll be bored while staying here. And I can't stand just sitting around doing nothing. So you, my loyal mule-bag, will infiltrate her little circle, gather some interesting gossip, and entertain me until our main goal is achieved."
Zuzu was flabbergasted. "Seventh Prince, this is injustice! Just because you're bored, I have to become a woman?!"
Daita patted him on the shoulder with a look of mock sympathy. "It's for the greater good, Zuzu. You'll thank me later… probably not, but you'll definitely be more useful to me this way."
Zuzu groaned loudly. "I can't believe I'm being dragged into this…"
"Be thankful. I'm asking you to become their friend. I had other ways in mind to make use of you."
Zuzu shot him a suspicious look. "Seventh Prince… If not this, then what were you planning to do with me?"
Daita shrugged lazily, gave him a teasing smirk. "I don't know… I forgot."
Zuzu was not convinced. His gaze narrowed as he shook his head in disbelief. "They say it right… If anyone can stay with the Seventh Prince and actually understand him, it's either the Crown Prince or his sister, Young Master Daiyuri. No one else can ever guess what you're planning until it's already done."
Daita slapped Zuzu's shoulder, his smile widening. "Zuzu, you got it spot on. Now… are you ready to be a woman?"
Zuzu sighed, rubbing his sore shoulder as he gave a reluctant nod. "What other choice do I have? Even if there were options, they'd probably be worse than this."
"That's my mule-bag!"