Anby looked a bit downcast, disappointed that she couldn't afford a new W-Engine. Wise, standing beside her, couldn't just watch without doing anything.
"Well, you know, Anby, I happen to have one here. It's a thank-you gift from the boss, but it's not of much use to me, so I'll give it to you."
"Really? Then it'll definitely make things a lot easier when we deal with that High-level Ethereal."
Although Anby's expression didn't change much, Wise could still feel her happiness, like a child with a brand-new toy.
[Ding! Target: Anby has increased her favorability toward the host by 13. Her current favorability is now 80.]
Afterward, they handed the W-Engine to Susie and asked her to take it into the store for the "boss" to modify.
Some time later, she came back with the modified W-Engine.
"Hmm, I really like this design," Anby said flatly, but her eyes betrayed her feelings.
The modified W-Engine's color matched her perfectly, and the way she stared at it without blinking showed how much she genuinely liked it.
"Yeah, the design and color both suit you perfectly. It'll definitely perform even better in your hands," Wise said, patting her shoulder with a smile.
"Thank you, Wise, and please thank the boss as well. I'll treasure it," Anby said with a small smile.
After all, Nicole had only given them enough money for minor maintenance on their old W-Engine, and there was no way they could afford to spend a large sum on a brand-new one.
"Alright, since the item has been delivered, I'll need you, Wise, to pay close attention to the toy store's commission."
"Yes, I will." He nodded.
Wise didn't mind at all. He was being paid to do a job, and on top of that, the new W-Engine she had given him was quite valuable.
"Anby, are you busy right now? Do you want to stay in the Video Store for a while?"
After the two left the toy store together, Wise tried to start a conversation with Anby, who kept her head down, seemingly lost in thought.
"No, thanks for the offer. Nicole gave me other tasks, so maybe another time," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of dejection.
"Is that so? That's fine, but you seem distracted. Something bothering you?"
Realizing Wise had seen through her thoughts, Anby finally dropped her guard and spoke honestly.
"Because the gift Wise gave me is too precious, I've been thinking about how I can return the favor," she said, locking eyes with him.
"Oh, so that's it. You don't need to worry too much. We'll still need your help to finish the commission anyway."
Wise told her not to worry, but Anby didn't agree. She shook her head and said, "Those are two different things. Besides, this client item is Cunning Hares' responsibility, and even without the W-Engine, we still have to complete it."
Seeing Anby's insistence, Wise felt a bit helpless. After a moment's thought, he stopped resisting.
"Alright then, Anby, have you thought about what you want to give me?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Hmm…"
At Wise's question, Anby lowered her head, pausing to think. When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with determination, and she stepped toward him with firm, resolute steps.
"Eh? Wait— Mmph!"
Before Wise could react, the girl was already on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. She leaned in with her eyes tightly closed.
A moment later, she pulled away on her own. When they separated, a thin, glistening strand of saliva still connected them, snapping only when they moved slightly farther apart.
He stared at Anby, surprised, while she kept her eyes down, her usually calm face now flushed and her cheeks softly reddened.
Recalling the sensation from just moments ago, Wise subconsciously pursed his lips, as if trying to confirm it had really happened.
Seeing this, Anby, who had been quietly observing him, blushed even deeper. Noticing her reaction, Wise awkwardly cleared his throat a few times.
"Ahem, Anby… uh… I have absolutely no complaints. Kissing a beautiful girl is truly an amazing experience."
Worried she might misunderstand and think he was unhappy, Wise hurried to explain, but his words only made her go totally red.
[Ding! Target: Anby has increased her favorability toward the host by 5. Her current favorability is now 85.]
After a moment of silence, Anby gathered her thoughts and spoke again.
"I don't really know what to do, but I heard that doing this would make you happy, isn't that right?"
"Uh, where did you hear that?" Wise asked.
"…In a movie."
'Ah, so that's how it is. But what kind of movie was that…?' he thought.
'Still… it was… really wonderful, Anby. You can watch as many movies like that as you want,' Wise mused internally, but spoke aloud. "Is that so? Did the movie say anything else?"
"It also said we need to… wait, I just remembered! Nicole's task is really urgent and needs to be finished quickly. N-Next time I'll tell you. I'm leaving now."
Anby seemed to recall something, and her face, which had just started to relax, flushed crimson again. Without thinking much, she quickly left.
[Ding! Target: Anby has increased her favorability toward the host by 5. Her current favorability is now 90.]
'Well, I guess it wasn't a very proper movie after all,' Wise sighed inwardly.
At the same time, Anby's actions had genuinely surprised him. Now that he thought about it, this was his first time kissing a beautiful girl, and it had felt surprisingly good.
'No, wait… it's not really the first time. I remember there was an accident when I was little… Forget it, I shouldn't dwell on that. Belle is probably waiting anxiously at home. I need to get back quickly and start preparing for the commission.'
Wise was walking toward the Video Store, lost in thought, when his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He checked it and saw the message was from Anby. There was no text, just an emoji.
A small smile appeared on his face as he returned a heart emoji.
><
Meanwhile, Anby, who had already returned home, blushed again when she saw the message. She held her phone against her chest, wrapped herself in a blanket, and fidgeted restlessly on the bed.
A wave of emotions filled her heart, a mixture of nervousness, excitement, and joy. Experiencing the thrill of infatuation for the first time, she felt completely overwhelmed.
For her, these feelings were as intoxicating as drinking alcohol.
><
Back with Wise, he saw the Emotional Value steadily rising, reaching an astonishing 794. He realized just how much impact his heart emoji had on Anby.
[Ding! Target: Anby has reached 90 in favorability. A special reward will be issued to the Host for excellent work.]
[Rewards include Anby's combat awareness and techniques being automatically adapted for the Host's use. Additionally, new items have been unlocked in the Emotion Value Shop.]
[The system also specially reminds you that two of your current favorability targets have reached 90 or above. Please raise Target Anby's favorability as soon as possible to avoid triggering the ending of Legendary[1] Hero, Makoto Itou.]
[1] Not Really