On the third floor.
Asuna Yuuki sat at her table, visibly nervous, stealing occasional glances toward the window seats.
Her current position was in the northern section of the third floor. To her right was the aisle, beyond which, past one table and a low partition, lay Luo Shu and Ayano's table across the transverse aisle.
Though complicated to describe, the actual distance was less than 12 meters - close enough to see each other clearly.
Yet even at this distance, Asuna felt something was off. Leaning in, she whispered anxiously:
"Nanase, I think Ayano's friend just looked our way?"
"Did he?" Nanase Kudō, opposite Asuna, looked surprised, instinctively turning to look toward Ayano's table.
'Idiot! Why would you look over there?!' Asuna screamed internally.
After observing Luo Shu's table, Nanase confidently declared:
"They seem to be getting along fine over there."
Meanwhile, Yukari Shinomiya, seated to Asuna's left, facing directly toward the windows, remained completely unperturbed: "Don't be too nervous, Asuna. It's perfectly normal for three people like us to be in a restaurant like this."
"And most importantly, only Ayano is wearing that drab school uniform today. The rest of us are in normal casual clothes."
"Though I've always wanted to comment on Ayano wearing her school uniform even on weekends, I have to admit her mismatched outfit actually reduces our risk of exposure."
"So don't worry, you can look openly."
"After all, no one said girls in the same restaurant can't glance at boys at another table, right?"
Hearing this, Nanase Kudō felt something was off:
"Wait a minute, being in the same restaurant while staring at boys at another table – that description sounds problematic, doesn't it?"
"Wouldn't people mistake it for having a crush?"
Yukari Shinomiya gave Nanase Kudō a kind smile.
'Always making trouble!!'
Immediately, Nanase Kudō didn't dare make another sound.
Hearing her friend's explanation, Asuna Yuuki felt somewhat relieved.
'That's true. Since our connection to Ayano isn't exposed, it should be normal for girls in the same restaurant to glance a few times, right?'
Thinking this, Asuna Yuuki gathered her courage and looked towards Luo Shu's direction.
But the moment she turned her head, she found Luo Shu precisely turning to lock eyes with her.
'Is he... looking at me?'
Asuna Yuuki's expression stiffened slightly.
At that moment, Luo Shu, who was watching her, chuckled lightly before turning back to face Ayano Kannagi:
"How about ordering another portion of braised lion's head?"
"I'm fine with anything."
Though Ayano Kannagi preferred salty flavours, she wasn't picky and would eat whatever was available, with no particular taboos.
She looked up at Luo Shu and asked thoughtfully:
"But there's something I've been meaning to say since we met."
"Luo Shu, it seems you've been maintaining some kind of technique on yourself?"
Muttering to herself, Ayano Kannagi added:
"There's a very strange sense of incongruity."
Hearing this, Luo Shu raised an eyebrow. After calling the waiter to place their order, he calmly explained:
"I was ambushed recently, causing my physical age to regress seven or eight years. So I've maintained an illusion technique around my body."
"Does it feel incongruous?"
"Like looking at someone through reading glasses?" Ayano Kannagi gave a rough analogy.
Seeing this, Luo Shu thought for a moment before smiling at her:
"Originally, I was worried you wouldn't recognise me, so I applied the technique to your perception too. But now it seems better to lift it."
As he spoke, under Ayano Kannagi's astonished gaze, Luo Shu's appearance suddenly changed.
'Changed' wasn't quite accurate – he became 10cm shorter, his complexion a shade lighter, his face noticeably more youthful, transforming almost instantly from a young man to a teenager, leaving Ayano Kannagi stunned.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu, who had adjusted the illusion for Ayano Kannagi while maintaining it for others, shrugged:
"Laugh if you want."
"...I don't actually find it funny."
Ayano Kannagi looked Luo Shu up and down, then suddenly realised something and quickly averted her gaze.
"It's actually kind of cute!"
As she said this, Ayano Kannagi didn't notice that her ears had already begun to turn red.
The sharp-eyed Luo Shu noticed this and couldn't help feeling amused as he remarked:
"You don't happen to like the boyish type, do you?"
"Hah?" Ayano Kannagi reacted as if her secret had been exposed, immediately flustered: "Like you? Don't be ridiculous!! Stop joking around!!"
'I never said you liked me, just that you prefer the boyish type.'
Luo Shu calmly covered his ears, shielding himself from Ayano's suddenly raised voice.
"Though, don't you think you're being a bit too loud?"
Ayano immediately realised something and turned to look towards Asuna Yuuki's direction.
Ayano definitely didn't want her friend to mistake her for a shotacon!!
However, upon seeing the three girls behaving normally, Ayano's eyelid twitched.
'What's this?!'
"I adjusted the perception and hearing of people around us beforehand, so no need to worry about others overhearing your earlier words."
Hearing Luo Shu's explanation, Ayano awkwardly turned back, both embarrassed and flustered as she said:
"Well... thanks for that!"
Right now, she couldn't decide whether to praise Luo Shu for his thorough preparation or mock him for it.
But one thing was certain: with Luo Shu's intervention, Asuna and the others' plan to observe him from nearby had been completely foiled.
The troublesome part was that Ayano couldn't even explain this situation.
After all, having three friends secretly observing while she had dinner with Luo Shu - saying that out loud would definitely make her seem unlikable, right?
Even straightforward Ayano could tell this plan was problematic, but unable to refuse her three friends, she reluctantly went along with it.
Maybe she should just come clean?
As Ayano was considering this, Luo Shu suddenly asked:
"So, what exactly did you want to ask me about?"
"Eh?" Ayano blinked in surprise.
At this, Luo Shu calmly said: "That thoughtful expression just now - weren't you trying to figure out how to ask me a question?"
Luo Shu pointed at the circled menu before them with an amused expression:
"Considering you're treating me this time, I'll allow you to ask me one question. As long as it's not classified, ask whatever you want."
Realisation dawned on Ayano as she smiled and said:
"You're actually pretty nice!"
Receiving this 'nice guy' card, Luo Shu watched Ayano calmly, waiting quietly for her question.
After her initial laughter, Ayano gradually composed herself.
Taking a deep breath, she then spoke with complete seriousness:
"My father... seems to be planning an arranged marriage between me and the Director of the Hidden Management Department."
The moment these words left her mouth, Luo Shu tilted his head, a giant question mark practically appearing above him.
'Jūgo Kannagi wants you to marry... me?'
'Why does this sound wrong somehow?'
'No, not the words themselves - it's the speaker's phrasing that's off!'
'If your father wants you to marry me, why are you talking about it like some third party?'
Luo Shu was thoroughly confused by Ayano's words, and her next statement only deepened his bewilderment.
"Hey, Luo Shu, since you work at the Hidden Management Department, you must know your Director, right?"
"Could you tell me about him?"
"Is he... You know, really ugly? Fat? Nearsighted? With a terrible temper?"
'Is this what they call cursing a monk to his face?'
"Impressive, impressive!"
'When it comes to sarcasm, I bow to you, Ayano Kannagi—utterly and completely!'