novelraw Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Chapter 66
"Compensation?"
At the word, Yan Huan's throat bobbed, and his gaze settled on Spencer.
Today she wore a thin white windbreaker zipped over a black athletic tee. Her figure was stunning—curves rolling like gentle waves, outlined in perfect silhouette. A faint scent of ocean-sport shower gel mingled with her own warmth and drifted through the golden strands of her hair, bringing with it the vitality of sunlight. One look was enough to feel the raw, athletic beauty radiating from her.
Her features were sculpted yet soft, reminiscent of the huntress Artemis—beautiful, dangerous, and untamed. This was the first time Yan Huan had studied Aria Spencer up close. Strangely, despite her undeniable looks, an instinctive revulsion always rose in people, drowning the appreciation her beauty should have earned.
Spencer's cheeks flushed deeper when she noticed his stare, but her wicked grin never wavered. She lifted her chin.
"That's right—compensation, President Yan~"
Yan Huan nodded, face blank.
"Fine. Compensation is: our earlier bet is wiped clean. We're even."
"Hah?! That's it? No way! I only ate a few lousy cookies—how does that nullify the deal? You're so stingy!"
"So long has passed. Tell me—what did you finally decide you wanted from that bet?"
Spencer ran her tongue across her lips, folded her arms, and smiled.
"Ending it so soon, hm? What's so great about Sakuramiya anyway? You're not even together, and you've done nothing with her, right?"
"So?"
Yan Huan watched, curious what smooth-brained scheme she'd hatch.
"A flat, uptight Young Lady like Sakuramiya Hitomi can't give you anything. But I'm different—I know plenty. Let me teach you... adult knowledge."
Yan Huan and the cat on his shoulder froze. Without looking at each other, they wore matching "You, seriously?" expressions.
After a moment Yan Huan asked, "So, you're an expert?"
"Of course! I've got tons of experience, hmph!" Spencer patted her chest confidently, cheeks pink.
"Things like holding hands, hugging—that level."
"And kissing?"
Her proud expression froze; the flush crept higher, a bead of sweat catching the light.
In truth, ever since she'd pocketed that "Oxford Dictionary" on Sunday, she'd been puzzling over the more advanced chapters. Holding hands? Easy—she'd ordered a maid to do it. Hugging? Embarrassing, but she'd tried it with a giant Peppa-pig plush. Nothing special. The later stages...
"O-of course I know those too! Don't underestimate me!"
"Oh?" Yan Huan smiled faintly. "Then what about XX?"
"!!"
Spencer kept her arms crossed and head high, yet her face burned crimson. Her lips trembled; the corner of her smile twitched.
"Th-that too, I mean—ah, quit it! Anyway, I've decided what the bet should be!"
She fidgeted, trying to look worldly, but her stammering and burning cheeks betrayed her. Even an idiot could see the holes in her story—she'd only acquired the "incomplete scroll" at the convention two days ago; she couldn't master it overnight.
Abandoning the act, she flashed a mischievous grin and raised five fingers.
"Privately treat me as your girlfriend—five times. Each session lasts fifteen—no, thirty minutes!" She'd been gauging manga panel pacing; storyboards gave no exact runtime. After blurting the first number, she glanced at Yan Huan and revised it.
"Let me show you what Sakuramiya can't. Deal?"
She hugged her arms again, confidence restored.
Heh—later, she'd make this guy wear the exact expression she was memorizing: furrowed brows, serious face, like comparing the heroine's first and last pages.
As her thoughts raced, her brilliant golden hair seemed to glow. An invisible ripple spread outward, stirring Yan Huan's instinctive disgust. Meow-chan hissed. Yan Huan quelled the revulsion; he'd figured it out.
On the surface, Spencer's power resembled tropes from certain novels he'd read. Beneath, like Ye Shiyu's, lay a specific craving. Each time Spencer sneered, "What's so good about her?" she revealed the opposite: awareness of Sakuramiya's superiority, anger at her own shortcomings, jealousy. She wanted to steal what Sakuramiya possessed, to fill the emptiness inside and prove herself the better one.
Therefore, the way to suppress Spencer's Modifier was simple: make every attempted theft fail. Conveniently, her target was him. Whatever tricks she used, he just had to endure and deny her the taste of victory.
...Though the déjà vu was getting weird. And what strength did this fool have without her Modifier? Looking at her astonishing lack of brainpower, he could only call it anti-sex-appeal.
Yan Huan nodded at the five raised fingers and added, "Fine, I agree. Same rule as before—Sakuramiya mustn't know."
Spencer licked her lips, unconcerned. "Deal, President Yan. Then let me show you—"
She opened her arms; the loose windbreaker slipped off her shoulders with a soft rustle, catching at her elbows. Underneath she wore only the athletic tee. The straps left swaths of pale skin exposed, glowing like sunlight on snow.
A golden wave surged from her body and wrapped around Yan Huan. In his mind, despite his disgust, he couldn't help comparing her to the girl he "liked." Sakuramiya dressed conservatively; her body was slender from lack of exercise. Spencer was the opposite—tall, muscles sculpted just right, radiant. The exposed skin gleamed; the curves Sakuramiya lacked were enviably perfect.
So big! Sakuramiya's petite frame was cute, but... this athletic, feminine physique slammed into his thoughts like a battering ram, eroding his feelings for Sakuramiya.
An old Chinese saying echoed: A fine bird chooses the branch it rests on. Which is superior is obvious at a glance.
You have the right to choose what's better—even Sakuramiya can't stop you from reaching for someone more suitable.
The thought made Yan Huan hesitate, as though he'd found a reason to admire the beauty before him.
"Meow!" Meow-chan's fur bristled; a low growl snapped Yan Huan back to his senses. Her Modifier had activated again—first in the corridor, and now, minutes later, a second time?
"Really no cooldown?"
Then what was that twice-a-week hypnosis Ye Shiyu used on me?
Worse still, the moment Yan Huan finally tore his eyes away from the unfairly pretty sight in front of him, he looked straight at Spencer.
Her cheeks were faintly pink, her smile stubborn, her sky-blue eyes flickering away before snapping back to meet his.
"I know we don't have the full half-hour," she whispered. "But we did agree on a little compensation, didn't we? A small preview can't hurt, President Yan."
She drew a shaky breath, unnerved yet clearly thrilled by how rattled he looked.
Then Spencer opened her arms to him and said, voice trembling, "Come on—let me show you how it's—"
Yan Huan's throat bobbed; his whole body locked up as if every drop of moisture had evaporated.
He hadn't chosen that stupid "pro-creation boost" on Sunday—so why was self-control suddenly impossible?
Sss.
Has to be the Modifier messing with me!
Tap-tap.
Just then, faint footsteps stopped outside the restroom.
Yan Huan's eyes went razor-sharp; a chill of foreboding slid down his spine.
Meow-chan glanced at the door, vanished, and reappeared on his shoulder a heartbeat later.
"It's Sakuramiya Hitomi, meow!"
"!"
His pupils shrank. Instantly he grabbed Spencer's wrist.
Her face flashed scarlet; she nearly jumped out of her skin.
"You wai—"
Pressed against the stall wall, cheeks burning, Spencer started to protest, but Yan Huan whipped his head around and pressed a finger to his lips.
"Shh!"
Seeing that utterly unmoved, business-like expression, Spencer's first reaction was relief—then indignation.
This isn't how it goes in the manga!
He's supposed to melt!
At this rate, even five tries won't steal him away.
Yan Huan, oblivious to her inner tantrum, cocked his head and listened. The footsteps paused just outside the men's room.
A voice—cold enough to frost glass—drifted in.
"President? Still not done?"
"Ah—Sakuramiya. Sorry, my stomach's acting up."
"..."
Spencer's sulky pout vanished; a wicked grin blossomed instead.
Outside, Hitomi hesitated. "Club time's almost here. When you didn't come back, I..."
"I know. Go on ahead—I'll catch up."
Silence. Yan Huan's brows twitched.
He could hear her enter the ladies' room, check every stall—empty—then step out again, eyes narrowing.
"By the way, when I stopped by L501 earlier, Spencer wasn't there either. She hasn't shown up in L502.
"President, any idea where she is?"
Yan Huan's face said, Knew it. He took a breath, ready to lie—
Thud!
Two warm hands suddenly circled his waist from behind.
They met at his navel, clamped down, and pinched.
!!
The unexpected assault slammed him against the stall door—bang!
Silence outside. Yan Huan spun; Spencer's flushed face wore a devil-may-care smirk.
You little—
She mouthed, "Now what?" and winked.
Her fingers started to wander south. Yan Huan seized her wrist—she had the strength of a bull. The attempt only pinned him harder against the door.
Bang!
"...President?"
Hitomi's voice was closer now—right outside the men's room.
Yan Huan glared daggers; Spencer mouthed, "Yan Council President~"
She wasn't actually planning to go further—she just wanted noise. More chances for Hitomi to catch them.
Fine.
Yan Huan's expression darkened. Inside his head, he barked an order to Meow-chan.
Spinning around inside the narrow stall, he turned to face Spencer—who was still mid-gesture. The sudden pivot sent her stumbling straight into his chest.
Her first brush with a boy's body short-circuited her brain like a blown fuse—exactly like the first time she'd opened Charcoal-sensei's manga.
System overload: 100%.
Outside, Hitomi's hand was on the doorframe, eyes frosty, ready to step in—when a sugary mew froze her in place.
"Meow~"
She blinked. A plump black cat sprawled on the tiles, licking its hind paw, belly shamelessly exposed. Huge, clear green eyes blinked up at her.
"Meow~" it repeated, voice dripping with kitten charm.
So... so cute!
Hitomi's lips parted. She stared, torn between duty and feline adoration. She loved cats more than anything.
"Um..."
Her gaze flicked to the restroom, then back to the cat now sashaying closer. It rubbed against her ankle like liquid shadow.
"Aaaaah!"
Where did this baby come from? So forward—does it want me to take it home? It must!
Hands trembling, she reached—only for the cat to dart away, tail flagged high, casting a sly glance back.
"Meow~"
"Sakuramiya, I'll be right out."
"Ah—o-okay."
Hitomi glanced once more at the restroom. The sudden kitty cuteness had scrambled her sixth sense.
Probably just overthinking. Spencer's probably skipping club; no way she'd tail the President into the men's room like some pervert...
She really had been overthinking things.
With Meow-chan's interruption, a ripple of golden, invisible energy drifted from the restroom, and Sakuramiya Hitomi let her guard down naturally. She drew a steadying breath, turned toward the corridor—only to spot a black cat's tail vanishing around the stairwell.
"Kitty, don't run!"
Pressing her lips together, Hitomi took several steps toward the stairs to bring Meow-chan back. Each step carried her farther from the restroom.
What she couldn't see was the nearest stall inside that same restroom, where Spencer stood flushed crimson, trapped between Yan Huan's arms and the toilet. There was no room to advance or retreat; her mind had short-circuited, leaving her adrift.
Moments earlier Yan Huan had spoken to Hitomi, listening as her footsteps faded. Now he turned his head, only to feel Spencer's thick, softly curled golden hair brush his throat like a feather—carrying the crisp scent of sports shower gel.
He froze, lowering his gaze to meet the trembling, kitten-blue eyes inches from his. Spencer's arms stayed locked around him, her softness pressed to his chest, their noses barely five centimeters apart.
Their lips even closer.