“You made me buy a chunk of metal,” Sylfie sighed, disappointed as she eyed the wrapped bundle attached to the hip of Ryu’s waist belt.

“I told you, it’s an ancient dagger! It’s a piece of history! And you didn’t actually pay for anything but your own stuff. Besides, who knows what sort of secret power it’ll unlock in the future,” Ryu retorted.

“Until then, it’s just a chunk of metal,” Sylfie reiterated.

Ryu brushed aside her comments; he wouldn’t hear another word. [Grimm Reign]; it exuded a dark energy that made him weak in the knees every time it came into contact with his bare skin. Keeping it wrapped was necessary for now. The store clerk had seemed eager to get rid of it, selling it for the discounted price of nothing.

“T-take it!” the clerk had said, practically shoving the blade into his hands. “I don’t want any more trouble. That thing is your problem now.”

Ryu ignored the blaring red sirens sounding off in his brain, happily accepting the free knife. Ominous or not, the man would never pass up on a good deal.

They headed to the fashion district, the streets lined with little boutiques displaying haute couture. Ryu was overwhelmed by the selection of Cerulian name brands available, each with its own set of items in the windows of their respective storefronts.

Sylfie gasped, pressing her face to the glass of one of the stores. Ryu recognized the type of clothing on display. Two qipao dresses were fitted over mannequins, one a shade of cool jade with koi fish designs sewn into it, and the other a fiery ruby, with a powerful serpentine dragon coiling itself around the dress.

“The KoI brand is pretty well known internationally. Their dresses are made with high-quality fabrics and each one is handcrafted by artisans,” Wisteria explained, proud of her knowledge on designer clothing.

Sylfie eyed Ryu’s purse. He clutched it instinctively, all too familiar with the look. Working the evening shift at Java Roast, he had seen plenty of similar scenarios play out as he walked back home late at night. Usually, girls in high school or college-aged women exhibited this behavior, asking their dates or their boyfriends for “the latest dress or handbag on display”.

He had always scoffed, viewing the ones who relented as spineless pushovers. Then again, he had never been on a date himself. He waved away the thought; he was neither Sylfie’s date nor her boyfriend. He had no obligation to pay.

“Forget it,” he said.

“Let me at least try them on, and you three can give me your honest opinions,” Sylfie implored.

That sounded fine to him. Ryu agreed, and they entered the shop. A light jingle of the bell indicated that customers had arrived. The woman running the store greeted them pleasantly, asking if they had any questions and if something had caught their eye.

Sylfie pointed to the set of qipao dresses. The store owner obliged, handing her the fiery red dress to try on first.

“What do you guys think?" she asked, twirling around.

Wisteria gave her a nod of approval, Aurora matching the energy with two thumbs up. The dress was form-fitting, hugging Sylfie’s body and accentuating her features. More than anything, it made her seem delicate and refined. Ryu’s gaze traveled from her pointed ears down to the tips of her toes. She appeared softer than when she wore her rugged hunter’s gear—not that Ryu preferred one over the other—he liked both sides of her…

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

He started to sweat, tugging at his collar. He felt the heat rising in his face.

“Ryu? What about you? Do you like the dress?” Sylfie asked him.

He tried not to stare too long, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact with her. She blinked. Her eyes—one dark like a pool of honey and the other blue like an endless ocean—bore into him.

“I think it looks good on you,” he managed, forcing a calm demeanor.

“Really? That’s great! So, how about it then?” Sylfie motioned to the dress, expectantly.

Ryu laughed, his love for money overriding his lust. “Absolutely not. That’s too expensive. When are you going to wear it anyway?”

“What if we go someplace fancy? I'll need something nice to wear,” she pouted. “What about the other dress?”

“Take it out of your own pocket! That’s twice as expensive! Why would I pay for that one?” Ryu scoffed in disbelief.

“Aw, you don’t want to see me try it on?” Sylfie teased.

“Try it on, you say?” Ryu leaned forward, his line of thinking switching gears. His defenses had turned to putty. His lower command center had taken control.

Sylfie flashed a sly smile. She grabbed the jade qipao dress and walked back to the changing room with Ryu in tow. Wisteria and Aurora sat speechless in the waiting room, shocked by the sudden development. The water mage, in particular, became flustered by the idea of events happening behind closed curtains.

***

Ryu and Sylfie emerged from the dressing room just a few minutes later, handing the dress to the store owner so that they could pay. Sylfie cheerily showed off the neatly packaged item to Wisteria and Aurora. “Look what Ryu bought me!”

Ryu turned his cheek, his complexion a deep scarlet. God d*mmit! he grimaced, shaking his fist. I’m worse than those pushovers! Suckered in by a woman I’m not even dating! ...Dear God, was it worth it, though! His purse may have become a good chunk lighter, and he thought himself a fool, but he felt like a king. He had seen something divine that day.

“We have witnesses now. This supports our story even further,” Sylfie whispered in his ear.

“Witnesses? Story?” Ryu was confused.

“That we’re together. This will completely put Agrius off of me and then I’ll finally be free from his pestering.”

So that was her plan. Smart; it makes sense…Hold on—Agrius will kill me when he finds out!

“Hey! What’s the big deal, putting me in harm's way like this?! It’s your problem!” he hissed. “Why do I always have to be involved?!”

“Don’t be like that. I know you enjoyed it,” Sylfie grinned.

“Well, I did enjoy it—Wait just a second! Don’t change the subject!”

“S-stop! I demand you stop this instant! What are you two whispering about now?” Wisteria exclaimed. “I don’t appreciate the PDA in my presence,” she said, red as an apple.

What’s her problem? Ryu thought.

“New location! We need a new location! Somewhere more open and family-friendly!” she concluded, rushing out of the store.

“It’s a clothing shop, I don’t—”

“Don’t worry about her. She just needs a little time to cool off,” Sylfie chuckled. “Okay, I did say I would buy you something, so try on some of the suits here and see if you like anything.”

Ryu took her up on the offer, skimming over a few ensembles until he landed on something that suited his tastes. With the aid of the seamstress standing by, Ryu had it fitted to his measurements. He donned an immaculate charcoal grey coat and a matching pair of pressed pants. The tailor’s coat of arms, a koi fish, was sewn onto his breast pocket.

“So, how does it look?” he asked Sylfie, presenting himself.

The elf’s gaze traveled the length of his suit a number of times as she took in his appearance. The coat matched his dark, joyful eyes and his silky jet-black hair. It provided a nice contrast to his complexion, his skin as pure as snow. The cuffs had been tapered just above his wrists, leaving his gentle yet capable hands exposed—

Sylfie shook her head, blinking rapidly. She felt as if she had come out of a fever dream. “It’s good,” she stated, paying for the suit hastily before making a swift exit from the store. She left without waiting for Ryu to finish changing into his plain clothes.

“Hey! Where’d she go?” he asked, looking around, confused.

Aurora peeked her head out of the store. “Looks like she went down the street, nya. She didn’t look too happy. Did you do something, Ryu?”

“I swear I didn’t do anything!” Ryu replied, scratching his head.

“Hmm, okie then. She’s sitting at a table with Wisteria. Oh! It’s a café, Ryu! And they’re selling lattes, nya!”