"Really? I'm looking forward to your performance."

Days seemed to have reverted back to the way they were before, as if nothing had changed, save for the empty plastic bottle on the windowsill, devoid of roses.

"Stop arguing," Dubian Che spoke up.

"I almost forgot," Jiutiao Meijie, having locked eyes with Kiyono Lin, turned her head to look over.

"Why haven't you undressed yet, Mr. Dubian?" asked Kiyono Lin, who had been locking eyes with Jiutiao Meijie, also turning her head to look over.

"..."

Dubian Che had lost count of the times he had undressed in front of Jiutiao Meijie, but it was the first time in front of Kiyono Lin.

He tried not to feel awkward, nonchalantly took off his tie, and unbuttoned his shirt one by one.

Collarbone, broad shoulders, abs, narrow waist—the scene was so enticing it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a seductive display of masculinity.

Jiutiao Meijie rested her hand on Dubian Che's chest, sliding it slowly down, helping him unbuckle his belt with both hands.

Dubian Che grabbed her hands: "There's someone else here; I can do it myself."

"Let go," commanded Jiutiao Meijie.

Once Dubian Che let go, she immediately broke into a grin.

As his pants began to fall, revealing Dubian Che's thighs, Kiyono Lin's heart suddenly started pounding uncontrollably.

"Meijie?!" Dubian Che was so startled he almost pulled his pants back up.

"Pervert!" Coldly uttering that single word, Kiyono Lin finally turned her back.

After removing his pants, Jiutiao Meijie let Dubian Che dress himself in the maid outfit, as she said with her arms folded, addressing Kiyono Lin's back:

"Mr. Kiyono, there's still a side of Che you don't know, isn't there?"

She walked behind Kiyono Lin and whispered in a voice that rippled with allure:

"It's totally different from the clean and elegant image you're used to seeing..."

"Meijie! Meijie!" Dubian Che tried to stop his lover.

"Alas," Jiutiao Meijie teased with a smile, "someone who doesn't care about the body has red ears, don't they?"

"Meijie! Come help me!" Dubian Che called out, "This outfit is too complicated; I can't manage!"

Jiutiao Meijie blew a breath at Kiyono Lin's blushing earlobes, sending her involuntarily shrugging her shoulders, before cheerfully turning to approach Dubian Che:

"Do I look like a maid to you, to help you dress!"

She helped Dubian Che pull up the zipper, adjusting his shoulders and skirt.

"Anything else uncomfortable?" she asked.

"I'm uncomfortable all over," Dubian Che responded.

"If you're uncomfortable, go serve tea—oh, and remember the mannerisms of a maid. With your experience in Izu, you should know what I mean."

"That kind of experience is exactly what I don't remember."

"Oh?" Jiutiao Meijie's hand lifted Dubian Che's chin, "So the agreement about 'you wear what I wear'—I shouldn't remember that either?"

"Princess Meijie, what would you like to drink?" Now that he was dressed, Dubian Che definitely didn't want to be at a loss.

Tonight, he had to pull an all-nighter!

Finally shedding her shyness and regaining her composure, Kiyono Lin turned her head back to look at Dubian Che.

"Mr. Dubian, you look really cute, really pretty," she said with a smile, propping her chin in her hand.

"If you dressed up, Mr. Kiyono, you'd definitely look even prettier."

"Maybe, but I won't lose," said Kiyono Lin in a rare show of humility, indicative of how good Dubian Che looked in maid attire.

"What won't you lose? It's just underhanded tactics!"

"Is that what Jiutiao taught about maid etiquette?" Kiyono Lin asked, puzzled.

"Lo—Lord Kiyono."

Kiyono Lin began smiling, a clear sign of her happiness.

"Who told you to listen to her?" Jiutiao Meijie's exquisite face darkened.

"I'm the essay competition winner, aren't I, Jiutiao?" Kiyono Lin inquired.

Both were winners, splitting the 200,000 yen prize, which suggested that the so-called essay competition had its shadows.

Kiyono Lin stopped paying attention to Jiutiao Meijie and, holding her SLR camera, said to Dubian Che:

"Mr. Dubian, could I trouble you to pose with this tea tray?"

"I'm supposed to play a maid, not pose for maid photographs!"

"Hurry up."

"Meijie..."

"As for photos, we could take some; last time I regretted not using a professional camera."

"Meijie—!"

"Mr. Dubian," Kiyono Lin handed the tea tray to Dubian Che.

Dubian Che took it shakily, and Kiyono Lin looked on amusedly.

After surviving the grueling club time, the school bell rang, signifying the end of the day.

"Mr. Dubian, I'll post the photos in the group chat tonight. Treasure them," said Kiyono Lin, as she packed her camera into her bag, ready to leave first.

She didn't want to see Dubian Che getting dressed anymore; there was also that little bit of anticipation to go back and enjoy the photos.

"Make it clear, which group?" Dubian Che quickly asked.

If she posted it in the family group that included Dubian Zhi, he might never be able to return to Iwate Prefecture again in this lifetime.

"'Jiutiao, Qingye, Dubian'"

That was a five-person group comprising two generations of the Jiutiao family, the Kiyono family, and Dubian Che.

"Can't we three just start our own 'Human Observation Department' group?" Dubian Che suggested.

"No," replied Kiyono Lin, as she slid the door open and stylishly disappeared from the clubroom.

"Meijie, your mom's definitely going to tease me," Dubian Che walked toward the door, intending to close it and change.

"With you here, they probably won't tease me and Kiyono as much anymore."

"Was that the real reason you didn't stop her just now?"

As Dubian Che approached the door, at that moment, Saito Huijie came running up.

"Dubian, I've come for the script. I have to deliver it to Chichiko today so she can read it and then immediately start drawing... Huh—cough cough, what's this?"

"Getting ready for the Cultural Festival."

"The Cultural Festival? It's only June!"

"You think I got first place nationwide just this semester? I've been studying hard since the day I was born, so that's why I got first place now. Got it? Do you know what I mean?"

"Only with adequate preparation and sufficient diligence can one do a good job?"

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