Chapter 35

But since the other party was her superior, she could only obediently do as she was told, no matter how much she hated it.

Meanwhile, it was already eight thirty the next morning. Let's turn our attention to Lingmeng.

Lingmeng had arrived at the café early and was waiting for Shido Itsuka, her date for the day.

When Shido first asked her out, she had refused. But... he had offered her far too much money.

And so, tempted by money, Lingmeng once again set foot on a path of no return.

"Ugh, why is Shido late again?"

Lingmeng glanced at the time on her phone and grumbled. She absolutely hated being stood up.

She took a sip of the coffee in front of her and was about to close her eyes for a moment when a voice interrupted her.

"Um... sorry, Lingmeng. I had to make some preparations before leaving, so I'm late again. I'm really sorry!"

It was a girl's voice. Lingmeng didn't recognize it, yet the way the speaker talked to her felt strangely familiar...

Shido in Women's Clothing

Lingmeng looked up at the speaker and froze.

Standing before her was a girl with waist-length blue hair, brown eyes, a four-leaf-clover hair clip, and a touch of makeup. She was a few centimeters taller than Lingmeng.

She wore a low-cut white tank top, a blue jacket, a short brown skirt, and women's sneakers. She was beautiful.

And perhaps because her clothes were rather loose, Lingmeng could clearly see the girl's delicate collarbones and the long, pale legs beneath her skirt.

"Uh... have a seat first." Lingmeng blinked, then came to her senses and pointed to the chair opposite her.

"Mm... okay..." The girl nodded shyly and sat down.

"So... who are you, beautiful? Do we know each other?" Lingmeng asked awkwardly, then took another sip of coffee.

"I'm... Shido Itsuka..."

"Pfft—"

The revelation sent the coffee spraying straight out of Lingmeng's mouth.

"Cough, cough..." Choking, she patted her chest in discomfort.

"Lingmeng, are you all right?" The girl claiming to be Shido looked panicked.

"Would you like a handkerchief, miss?" a warm, resonant voice asked.

Lingmeng looked up. A handsome young man in butler's attire stood beside her, smiling as he offered her a handkerchief.

Without a second thought, she took it and wiped her mouth.

"Thanks for the handkerchief. And you are...?" Lingmeng asked, lowering it.

"My name is Wataru. I'm a waiter here." The young man bowed like a butler as he introduced himself.

"Wataru, one coffee, please."

"Of course. I'll be right there. Please excuse me."

Another customer had called from the right. With that, Wataru left.

"What a good waiter," Lingmeng remarked before turning back to the girl opposite her.

"Ahem. You just said you're Shido? Don't joke with me. The Shido I know is a guy. How could he possibly be a beautiful girl like you?"

Lingmeng frowned.

"Uh... well... I'm dressed as a girl right now..."

The girl scratched her cheek, looking deeply embarrassed.

"I don't believe you! There's no way a loser like Shido could turn into a beautiful girl like you! You're so cute—how could you be a boy?"

Lingmeng slapped the table and shouted.

"Hey, calling me a loser is a bit much." The girl's mouth twitched.

"Come with me!" Lingmeng stood, grabbed the girl's hand, and dragged her toward the women's restroom without another word.

"Lingmeng, let go..."

Ignoring the girl's protests, Lingmeng pulled her inside.

Bang! The restroom door slammed shut. Lingmeng backed the girl against the wall and planted a hand beside her, trapping her there.

"Lingmeng... what are you doing...?" A bead of sweat appeared on the girl's forehead.

"Why else would I bring you in here? I'm going to find out what you really are!"

With that, Lingmeng reached toward the girl's lower body and tried to lift her skirt. But beneath it, she found—safety shorts.

"Lingmeng, what are you doing? That's so rude!" The girl shoved her away, her face bright red.

Lingmeng's face darkened.

I went this far, and that's all I get to see?

Lingmeng was about to make another attempt.

"Hold still and let me look!" she roared.

"No!" the girl refused at once.

Ignoring her protests, Lingmeng lunged and tried to force off her clothes.

"Lingmeng, stop! Let go of me, please..." The girl struggled with all her might. But as an ordinary human, how could she match a Spirit's strength? In less than a minute, she had surrendered to Lingmeng's overbearing force...

"Waaah... Lingmeng, that was too much..." The girl sat on the cold floor with her legs folded to either side, her voice thick with tears.

One hand covered her lower body while the other wiped tears from her eyes. With that pitiful expression, she looked as though she had just been violated.

Lingmeng stood before her, staring blankly. She had definitely felt something between the girl's legs that no girl would have.

Which meant the girl crying in front of her really was her friend, Shido Itsuka...

"Shido, could you stop doing that? I admit I was wrong, okay?"

Lingmeng pressed her palms together, looking apologetic. She truly had trouble connecting Shido with such a beautiful girl.

"Fine... just don't do that again..."

Shido stopped sniffling. His face was still a little red from crying, though, and Lingmeng felt a pang of guilt.

She composed herself and said with forced calm, "That's better. What kind of grown man cries like that?"

"Come on, get up." Lingmeng held out a hand and pulled Shido to his feet.

Shido merely brushed the dust from his skirt and said nothing more.

An awkward silence fell over them.

"Ahem. Let's both forget what just happened. Today stays between us, all right? Don't tell anyone."

"Mm... I understand..." That was what Shido said, but he doubted he would ever forget what had happened today, even if he lived to be a hundred.

"Um... can you explain why you look like this? Shido, do you have... a thing for dressing as a girl?"

Lingmeng pointed at Shido's outfit, puzzled.

"No! I dressed like this specifically for you."

Shido shook his head vigorously.

"For me? When did I ask you to dress as a girl? Don't use me as an excuse just because you're into it."

Lingmeng looked utterly baffled.

"You said yesterday that you weren't interested in men, remember? After I told Kotori, she had the Fraxinus crew make me look like this..."

Shido recalled how the crew had treated him like a dress-up Doll yesterday, and the knowing smiles they had worn before he left.

Then there was Kotori's parting line: "Good luck, big sis!" Remembering it made him grimace.

Shiori-chan

"Now I'm even more curious about what you went through yesterday to win me over."

As Lingmeng listened to his explanation, the corners of her mouth twitched.

"Mm... yesterday really was terrifying." Shido nodded in agreement, then gave her a pleading look. "Lingmeng... don't you like how I look now? , , ?^? , ,"

Thump—

Lingmeng felt as if something had struck her heart. It began racing beyond her control.

Wait... is this really the Shido I know? He's way too cute!

No wonder makeup is one of Asia's four great arts of deception, Lingmeng thought. Blushing, she scratched her cheek.

"I don't dislike it... Actually, I rather like how you look now. You're really... pretty."

Shido nodded sweetly and broke into a delighted smile. "Mm!"

Lingmeng had finally approved of his appearance. To Shido, that made the gamble with his dignity worth it.

"Oh, right. You didn't bring that hidden Earphones today, did you? Kotori and the others aren't watching us, are they?"

Lingmeng hurriedly asked, as though she had remembered something important.

"Mm... Kotori agreed to stay out of it today, just as you asked."

Shido answered shyly.

When Lingmeng agreed to go on a date with Shido yesterday, she had added a special condition: "I hope the members of Ratatoskr won't interfere with our date."

Kotori and the others had objected at first. But after Shido persuaded them and they spent hours discussing it, they finally agreed to let him face Lingmeng alone. After all, if they missed this chance, there might not be another.

"I see... as long as they aren't here." Lingmeng murmured, then smiled in relief.

She had made the request because she knew Kotori and her organization secretly supported Shido whenever he dated a Spirit.

She figured that without Kotori and the others, Shido would pose far less of a threat to her.

What surprised her was how readily they had agreed. Were they really that confident in Shido's appearance as a girl?

"Speaking of which, Shido, calling you by your usual name feels strange when you look like this. Using a boy's name for someone who looks like a girl feels a little odd."

Lingmeng rubbed her chin and looked Shido up and down. At last, she decided he needed a different name.

"You think calling me that is strange?" Shido tilted his head in confusion. "Then what would you like to call me?"

"Uh... well..." The question stumped Lingmeng. She hadn't expected to have to name someone again, especially when she was terrible at it.

"Wait, give me a moment to think..." She raised her right hand and fell deep into thought.

What should I call him? Kiriko? Red Ponytail? Hideyoshi? Or Astolfo?...

"Shidomi... I'll call you Shidomi from now on."

After wavering for a while, Lingmeng offered a name she wasn't particularly happy with herself.

"Isn't that a little lazy?" Shido said bluntly, unaware that Lingmeng thought so too.

"Yeah, sorry it's so lazy. I guess an otaku like me just can't come up with a good name."

Lingmeng's head drooped. Her mood had clearly taken a turn for the worse.

"H-hey, don't be upset, Lingmeng! It's just a name. Honestly, I don't mind what you call me."

Shido waved his hands anxiously, trying to comfort her.

"Come on, don't force yourself. Even I don't like the sound of that name."

"I'm not! If I had to come up with a name, I might have thought of Shidomi too."