The Girl and the Chirpuff

"Because of different states of mind." Lu Guan explained to Sigelika's question while preening the bird's feathers with his fingertips, "Animals are often more sensitive than humans. When it doesn't want to get close to you, it's very likely because it doesn't like the scent you give off."

"If you are anxious and restless, you will be seen as a dangerous predator; if you are peaceful and calm, you will be seen as part of nature..."

"Like this..." Lu Guan breathed a soft sigh of relief at the Chirpuff in his hand. The warm breath ruffled its feathers, but instead of making it spread its wings and escape, it lay down, as if it were using Lu Guan's hand as a bird's nest.

"How amazing..." Sigelika looked in surprise at the Chirpuff in Lu Guan's palm. "Senior... may I take a picture of it?"

"Instead of taking photos..." Lu Guan smiled slightly, shaking Sigelika's hand, "I have an even better suggestion..."

"A better suggestion?" Sigelika looked somewhat bewildered, then seemed to have thought of something, her cheeks turning crimson in an instant.

At that moment, a whole bunch of knowledge about relationships that Sigelika had frantically studied the night before flooded her mind.

Could it be... that you're going to do something shameful with me, senior? But wouldn't that be too unfair to Dania?

"Senior ๐·°(৹˃ᗝ˂৹)°·๐... I... I'm not ready yet... Could you give me a little more time...?"

Looking at Sigelika, who was outwardly shaking her head and waving her hands in refusal but whose expectant look was impossible to hide, Lu Guan nodded in agreement. "Hmm... indeed, if we don't soothe her mind, the little bird might escape before we know it."

Sigelika's mouth opened slightly. "Relax? The bird ran away?"

"Yes. Doesn't Sigelika want to hold the Chirpuff in her arms, feel its warmth, stroke its soft feathers, and then take a picture with it?"

"Take my picture...?" Sigelika's inner thoughts were a complex mix. She felt awkward misunderstanding Lu Guan's intentions, joy at being able to get close to the Chirpuff, and a touch of regret.

"Or what did Sigelika think it was?"

"Haha..." Sigelika tried to ease the awkwardness with a smile, "Um... I thought so too... hahaha..."

"That's obviously a dirty thought, isn't it?" Lu Guan thought to himself, cursing inwardly. Sigelika's subtle movements and changes in expression hadn't escaped Lu Guan notice, not to mention...

[Ding! Sigelika's favorability +3]

[Current character affinity: 89]

[Please keep up the good work, host!]

Affection cannot be faked. Sigelika may appear to resist intimacy, but inside she's overjoyed...

"Here... Sigelika." Lu Guan handed the squinting, dozing Chirpuff to Sigelika. "Try to relax... take it from me..."

"R-really... is it really okay?" As the moment drew near, a sense of trepidation rose within Sigelika. "What if it suddenly flies away...?"

"It's alright... I can just get another one." Lu Guan felt the girl's rapidly beating heart through her tightly clenched hands. "Relax, it's simple..."

"Relax... Sigelika... Just relax, like my senior said..." Sigelika encouraged herself silently, closing her eyes and opening her palms.

"S-senpai! I'm ready! (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞!"

As a warm, heavy, and fluffy object landed in her hand, Sigelika dared to slowly open her eyes and look at the Chirpuff in her hand, which was staring at her with curious eyes. The girl's heart pounded, and a sense of tension washed over her once again.

The Chirpuff seemed to sense Sigelika's unusual behavior. In an instant, accompanied by the girl's exclamation, it spread its wings and flew away, even letting out a mocking cry.

"Waaaaah...(*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ), I'm sorry, senior... I messed up..." A tear flashed in Sigelika's eyes, as if she regretted missing a rare opportunity, or perhaps she felt sorry for letting Lu Guan down.

"Did you mess it up?" Lu Guan smiled slightly, showing her the camera in his hand. "I don't think so. It was quite a success..."

"Could it be..." Sigelika's eyes gradually lit up.

"Hmm~ Just before it flew away, I managed to capture the moment you were holding it..." Lu Guan smiled and handed the camera back to the girl. "As a reliable senior, I couldn't let my lovely junior down..."

Overjoyed, Sigelika took the camera and immediately began to examine the photos Lu Guan had taken.

In the photo, an orange-haired girl stands with her back to the setting sun, gazing quietly at a light gray, Chirpuff. At this moment, the distance between them seems to shrink infinitely, and a harmony between humanity and nature resonates.

The pale yellow sunset gave the photo a hazy feel and added a soft halo to it.

Sigelika wanted to find the words to praise her, but she was at a loss for words and just stared blankly at the camera.

"What are you thinking about?" Lu Guan asked, leaning closer. "Did I take a good picture? It seems a little blurry... You don't mind, do you?"

"No, no, no... Your photos are beautiful!" Sigelika quickly shook her head. "If it were me, I probably wouldn't have been able to take them..."

Lu Guan smiled and pressed on, "How good-looking is it?"

"Hmm... how to describe it?" Sigelika couldn't think of any words to describe the scene for a moment, her lips trembling before she finally managed to utter, "In short, it's very, very beautiful!"

"Hahaha... I'll let you off the hook." Lu Guan chuckled and ruffled the girl's hair, making her blush shyly.

"Senior... you're bullying me again! (◦`~´◦)!"

"It's really funny to see Sigelika like that!"

"Ugh... senpai, really... I was just feeling touched..."

So, what does Sigelika plan to do with this photo?

"I want to put it on the first page of my birdwatching photo album!" Sigelika asked Lu Guan, "Is that alright, senior?"

"Of course you can, but why are you asking for my opinion?"

"Because it was you who took these photos, senior..." Sigelika shook her head, "It would be very impolite to just take what others have done without even asking them, wouldn't it?"

"However, I have another idea. Would you like to hear it, senior?"

"Um?"

"I want to make a copy of this photo, frame it, and hang it on my dorm wall."

"Great idea, Sigelika." Lu Guan at Sigelika's adorable face and couldn't help but pinch her cheek. "I hope that every time you see this photo, you'll remember how you felt just now..."

"Ugh... Don't pinch my cheeks! > ⤙ < ྀི!" Sigelika gently placed her hand on Lu Guan's wrist, neither pulling it away nor letting go, as if it were just a symbolic resistance.

"Okay, okay, I'm not kidding anymore..."

"I never expected that you, who always seemed so nonchalant, are actually such a thoughtful person."

"After all, I'm the reliable senior you mentioned..."

"That's not what I meant," Sigelika said shyly. "Actually, I was a little disappointed just now that I couldn't really stroke the Chirpuff's feathers like you did, senior..."

"Besides..."

"What else?"

"And it would be great if you were in this photo too, senpai..." Sigelika said, mustering her courage. "Senpai... the camera has a timer function, could we take a picture together?"

As soon as she said it, Sigelika regretted it.

She screamed inwardly, "My God! Sigelika, how could you be so greedy? You missed the opportunity because of your own mistakes, yet you still want to greedily ask for a second one?"

Thinking of this, she dared not look up at Lu Guan, afraid that her gaze would betray her panic.

"This is just a small request..." Lu Guan smiled and waved to the side, whereupon a Chirpuff landed in his hand. "If I couldn't fulfill it, how could I be a role model for you?"

"Really...?" Sigelika was overjoyed, and suddenly stood on tiptoe to peck Lu Guan on the cheek. "Thank you, senior..."

At the same time, Dania, who was sitting on the back of Nastassja's motorcycle, suddenly sneezed.

"You've caught a cold?" Nastassja stopped her motorcycle and asked. "Is it too cold outside? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No... it's just that the feeling of panic has gotten worse since I left the academy..." Dania shook her head. "Thank you, Nastassja, it's enough..."

Let's head back now!