Chapter 25: I Should Probably Wear Complicated Clothes More Often

"Lillie-chan, do you want to go to the festival with me tonight?" Haruka asked, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I can't. And neither can you. We're not done with the game's developments yet," Lillie replied curtly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Aww, come on~ Let's call today a rest day! We've been cooped up in this damn computer lab for hours!" Haruka whined, pouting dramatically. "Also, I think your dear hubby misses you already."

She wasn't wrong. They had been working inside the mansion's computer lab for nearly an entire day, engrossed in perfecting the latest game development project.

Meanwhile, Ethan had taken a trip to check on the progress at the Japanese branch of the corporation. 

His unexpected visit had sent the entire office into chaos. Employees were already on edge after hearing rumors that their formidable CEO was in Japan. But never in their wildest nightmares did they expect him to show up unannounced.

You could almost hear their collective gulp of terror as Ethan strode in.

They had assumed he was busy—no doubt spending time with his supposed lover.

By the time Ethan returned to the Fujikawa mansion, the evening had settled in. Stepping inside, his sharp eyes immediately landed on Lillie, who was just stepping out.

She was dressed in a black-and-purple floral yukata, adorned with intricate gold patterns. Her hair, softly curled, was pinned into a low, messy bun, with a single delicate rose hairpin tucked into place.

Haruka stood beside her, practically vibrating with excitement, showering Lillie with endless praise.

Ethan, however, was frozen in place.

He had seen Lillie Bai in high-end gowns, in crisp business attire, even in casual wear. But seeing her like this… ethereal, traditional, soft—

He felt his throat run dry.

Haruka, catching sight of Ethan's dazed expression, smirked. She had to bite back a laugh before calling out, "Ethan, great timing! I got a yukata for you too!"

Before he could protest, Haruka teleported in front of him, grabbed his arm, and dragged him to a room, shoving him inside before he could react.

"The yukata's on the bed—hurry up! You don't want to keep Lillie waiting, do you?"

Then, as if delivering a final blow, she added, "You do know she hates tardiness."

That snapped Ethan out of his trance. Hastily, he put on the yukata, still processing everything that had just happened.

When he finally stepped out, Haruka took one look at him—and promptly burst into laughter.

Lillie, who had been waiting patiently, lifted an eyebrow as her gaze landed on him. A flicker of amusement crossed her usually impassive face.

Ethan, the always composed, always refined CEO, looked absolutely disheveled. His normally sleek, jet-black hair stuck up in random directions. But more importantly—

The way he had worn his yukata…

With the sash tied far too loosely, it had slipped open, revealing his chiseled chest and broad shoulders. Combined with his slightly tousled look, he resembled something straight out of an Edo-era pleasure house—a male courtesan rather than a dignified businessman.

Ethan, despite his embarrassment, schooled his features into neutrality and attempted to fix it himself.

Haruka, however, was nearly on the floor wheezing.

Oh man, if I took a picture of this and sold it, my family could live in luxury for generations!

Lillie let out a quiet sigh before stepping forward. Without a word, she moved behind Ethan and untied the sash. Then, her arms reached around him, pulling the yukata closed properly before expertly retying it.

Ethan stiffened.

He had faced boardrooms filled with cutthroat executives. He had stood unflinching in the face of economic crises.

Yet, in this moment, with Lillie's arms around him, adjusting his clothing with steady hands, he felt his heart hammer so loudly he was certain she could hear it.

More than that—he felt her.

Because of his height, Lillie had to press close to reach around him. And in doing so…

He could feel her warm breath against his shoulder. He could feel the subtle brush of her soft curves against his back.

…What a lovely experience this was.

Maybe I should "accidentally" wear complicated clothing more often.

"Fix your hair," Lillie muttered, stepping back once she was satisfied with the adjustments. She had already done enough—fixing his hair too would be pushing it. Besides, even though she was taller than the average woman, reaching up to tame his unruly locks would be… awkward.

Ethan simply ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back. It wasn't as neat as his usual style, but the slightly tousled look only made him appear more striking—like one of those dangerous, brooding bad boys.

Haruka, who had been spectating the entire exchange, suddenly regretted everything.

"Lillie-chan, you have to be more considerate of your single friend! Don't act so lovey-dovey in front of me!"