Fox Lian's gaze fell on the edge of Emma's notebook—on a chibi drawing of a round silver fox turning his face away in embarrassment, his paw tightly held by a glittering little qilin cub, surrounded by pink hearts.
Emma's mind went completely blank.
Almost by reflex, she snapped the notebook shut with a loud smack, clutching it to her chest. Her cheeks flamed red, even the tips of her ears burned.
"Y-Your Highness, what are you talking about?" she tried to play dumb, but her voice trembled uncontrollably. "This is just… ordinary class notes!"
Fox Lian raised a brow, violet eyes glinting with knowing amusement. Instead of pressing her with questions, he stepped closer, silver hair swaying slightly, his dangerous, fluffy ears nearly brushing Emma's forehead.
"Oh?" His tone stretched, the trailing note hooked with mischief. "So Emma's class notes… are this childlike?"
Driven back, Emma's spine hit the cold stone pillar—no escape. She could smell his crisp, cool scent, feel the tickle of his breath against her hair. Worst of all, his fluffy silver tail was lazily sweeping against her tense leg.
Double strike! A test of both sight and touch!
"I-I just…" Emma stammered, eyes darting everywhere but his piercing gaze. "Just doodling… yes! Artistic creation!"
"Artistic creation?" Fox Lian repeated, lips curving into a playful smile. He extended a hand, long fingers tapping lightly on the notebook she clutched, his fingertip mere millimeters from hers.
"Then perhaps…" He leaned down, voice lowered at her ear, warm breath brushing her skin. "Emma could create… one just for me?"
Emma: "!!!"
He knows! He definitely knows!
Shame and panic at being exposed nearly suffocated her. She ducked her head, wishing she could vanish into the floor.
Seeing her desperate urge to disappear, Fox Lian chuckled softly. He straightened, withdrawing the pressure, his tail ceasing its teasing sweep.
"Seems," his tone returned to lazy calm, though his violet eyes stayed locked on her, "Emma is quite interested in my 'relationships.'"
Emma bit her lip hard, unable to reply.
"But," Fox Lian shifted, fingers brushing the fur of his own ear as if idly, "compared to those irrelevant people…"
He tilted his head, exposing the elegant line of his neck and the faintly trembling fox ears, voice laced with temptation: "Doesn't Emma want… to know me more deeply?"
With that, he turned away before she could react. His silver hair traced a graceful arc in the air, the tip of his tail leaving one last fleeting touch against her leg.
Emma froze, staring until his figure vanished down the corridor. Then her knees gave out, sliding down the pillar to the floor. The notebook in her arms burned like a branding iron.
It was over. Not only had her secret "ship" collapsed—she might have just been… reverse-conquered by the main character himself?!
And worse…
Emma raised a trembling hand, brushing the spot on her leg where his tail had swept.
…Why did the touch of the real thing feel… not nearly as terrifying as she had imagined?