Inside the Cerulean Gym lounge, after all the spectators had left, Xia You and the others returned and sprawled unceremoniously in their chairs, every one of them exhausted in both body and mind.
"Thanks for all your hard work!" Sakura handed out several bottles of water and said with a smile, "Did you see? The audience's response to the show was incredibly enthusiastic. You could say it completely met our expectations, especially that final kiss between Xia You and Ayame. It really was the finishing touch to the whole play!"
Please stop talking, Sakura...
Misty felt like crying, but no tears came.
She really wanted to ask, The person I like kissed my second-oldest sister right in front of me. What should I do?
Noticing Misty's odd expression, Sakura came over and stroked her head.
"Sorry I didn't choose to save you back then. How are you feeling? You're all right, aren't you?"
Glancing at Xia You, Misty forced a smile and nodded, putting on a calm face.
"I'm fine. I'm doing great. Don't worry about me, Sis. Really..."
Meanwhile, hearing them discussing the kissing scene, Ayame gave Xia You a sly smile. "Ah, you really got a treat just now. Well? Were my lips soft?"
Shhk!
In an instant, Misty felt as though a knife had plunged into her heart!
Please, stop talking about it...
"If we're talking about who got a treat, that goes both ways," Xia You said. "After all, I lost out too."
It had been acting, after all, something the situation had forced on them. Though they were joking about it now, the more casually they brought it up, the clearer it was that neither of them had taken it to heart.
"So we kissed for nothing, then." Ayame smiled teasingly. "Judging by your reaction,