"D-Don't come any closer…"
"I'm not going to eat you." Shichen stopped beside her with a helpless look.
"'Eat me'?! You big perv!" Nana's face flared red.
"?" Shichen blinked at her, baffled.
"M-Momo and I looked up some of this planet's culture. 'Eat'… 'eat' means a man doing naughty things to a woman! Are you planning to do something indecent to me?"
"…How would that even—" The corner of Shichen's mouth twitched. Half-baked cultural 'lessons' really did cause the worst misunderstandings.
"B-But you are a total playboy. You even don't spare tiny girls like Frieren…" Nana muttered.
"Frieren and I are deeply in love—mutual, okay?"
"Mutual?"
"What I've been through with Frieren isn't something you'd understand."
"Maybe so… but that doesn't change the fact you're a playboy."
"Fine, fine, I'm a playboy, okay? But it's not like I force anyone." He gave up and owned it.
"That…" Nana couldn't refute that one. Even in this short time, she could tell everyone liked him—and accepted the others' presence. They might gripe about his roving eye and squirm under his affection, but it was obviously shyness.
Was his charm really that strong?
By her standards, he was very handsome—and so strong—basically perfect boyfriend material. If her first impression hadn't been him being lewd, she might have thought he was just an excellent man.
But first impressions mattered! Just as men hated promiscuous women, women disliked philanderers. Except in special cases—shared life-and-death bonds, weird preferences… Normally, to love a cheater, you first love the person and then accept the cheating. Accepting cheating up front meant he was special or filthy rich—that wasn't real love.
Nana didn't know why everyone loved him, but whichever way she looked at it, it boiled down to him being amazing. And he really was.
Endless abilities, utterly unbelievable.
"Let's not talk about me. I came to apologize." Shichen steered them back, tone turning serious.
"Apologize?" Nana set aside her spiraling thoughts and looked up.
"Yes. If I hadn't gotten carried away bickering with Lala, you wouldn't have ended up like that," he said, honestly.
"Mm…"
At his reminder the scene of her top being swept away crashed back over her—shame and mortification all over again. Why had nothing happened to the others while hers fell off? If someone else had been in the same boat, she might not have felt so awful. But it was just her. It wasn't the few—it was the unevenness that stung.
And he'd seen it. Directly. With nothing in the way. Face to face.
No one but her sisters had ever seen her like that—especially not a man!
And that man was her brother-in-law!
Her heart knotted up with a hundred mixed feelings.
But she also knew it wasn't fair to blame him. It really wasn't his fault; she was the one who lost it—because she was small… Realizing that was just salt in the wound.
"And I stared, which just made it worse for you," Shichen added.
"D-Don't—don't say it…" Nana ducked her head; the blush on her cheeks shot to her ears in a heartbeat.
"I know you're a modest girl, so I really am sorry." He bowed his head.
"You…" She couldn't help lifting her gaze, surprised. She'd half expected him to brush it off—he was a philanderer. Maybe he'd even tease her about being flat. But he was sincerely apologizing.
Maybe he was a decent guy. Maybe there was a reason her sister liked him.
"Nana, if you have any request, name it. It was my fault—I'll make it up to you."
"Make it up… you don't have to… it's really… not a big deal…" Nana shook her head, lips pressed tight. How big a deal it was depended on her. Being seen—seriously embarrassing, yes—but it was an accident; and he was her brother-in-law. There really wasn't anything to do but quietly let it go.
"No, it is a big deal. You're a girl. It matters," he said.
"But I don't… need you to make up for it…"
"For a girl this kind of thing sticks. If you find a boyfriend, a partner someday—won't remembering this make you feel you're wronging him?" Shichen asked gravely.
"When you put it that way… but what can I do? I'll just… not tell him." Nana said helplessly.
"And that won't weigh on your conscience?"
"I…" She fell speechless.
"These things leave knots—unless you truly don't care. But you're not that kind of girl, are you?"
"Of course not!" she shot back.
"Then let me make it up to you."
"You really don't need to… F-fine—fine, I just won't get a boyfriend, okay?" Nana blurted, face earnest.
"Not get a boyfriend?"
"It's not like I need one. And I'm so small… maybe no one will like me anyway." Her voice softened. She really was hung up on her body. With a big sister that stacked—and a twin that stacked—being a girl and seeing them every day was a waking nightmare. She dreamed about it at night.
"No way." Shichen reached out and gently mussed her hair.
"Eh?" Nana blinked up at him.
"That's not what decides if men like you. You're adorable; you'll be beautiful later; there'll be lots of people who like you." He smiled.
"A-Adorable… N-no I'm not!" Her cheeks flamed.
"Nana, you're really adorable. I promise."
"Mm… D-Don't… don't say that…" She bowed her head, unable to meet his eyes. What was he even saying, suddenly? Calling her cute… What did that mean?
"Nana, swearing off boyfriends isn't right. Love is a beautiful thing. You can see how happy your sister is, can't you?"
Honestly, Shichen didn't care whether someone dated or not—single had its own joys—but Nana was very clearly not the 'never love' type.
"When you put it like that… but I already…" She chewed her lip. She did want to fall in love. But after what happened, she felt like she'd wrong any future boyfriend. Yes yes, girls with pasts were common; accidental flashes happen; it doesn't mean you swear off romance. And she was a princess. This was tiny in the big picture. He'd just talked her in circles.
"In that case, I have an idea." Shichen smiled.
"Idea? What idea?"
"Nana, why don't you date me?"
"Eh?" She froze, wondering if she'd misheard.
"I said—date me."
"Eeh—!"
"Since I saw you, I'll take responsibility. Then there's no problem, right?"
"No problem my— that's nuts! How could I date you? You're my sister's boyfriend!"
"What's that matter? It's not like I can only have one girlfriend."
"It does matter! You're my brother-in-law! How could you… how could you…"
"It's fine as long as there's love—even if it's a little sister-in-law," he said, hands on her shoulders, gaze earnest.
"…As long as there's love? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Because I like you, Nana."
"Eh?" She went blank.
"Maybe you don't realize it, but I liked you from the first moment I saw you. Love at first sight. You're so cute, so lively—you just grab the eye."
"Y-you—you—what are you saying?! No way! You even said my chest was small…"
"What else could I say? You called me a playboy—so I had to get your attention somehow."
"W-What is that…" Nana's face burned. H-he'd just confessed to her! Even if he was her brother-in-law…
"I mean it. I don't care about small or big—you've seen my relationship with Frieren, right?"
"Th-that…"
"So—go out with me. I'll talk Lala around. I'll treat you well. Trust me."
"T-Trust you…" Nana stared at him, mind whirling. Her first confession ever. Of course she was happy—and it was her brother-in-law. He had a point, too—he'd seen everything already; dating him actually made the most sense.
But—
"You really are a playboy—!"
~~~
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