Chapter Thirty: I Teach You to Paint, and You Give Me...

An odd silence fell over the room. After a long moment, Anhe finally spoke awkwardly.

“Sorry, I must have been seeing things…”

At his words, a bit of the anger faded from Rena Serizawa’s delicate face, but she still folded her arms and turned away with a huff, her cheeks puffed in a way that was utterly adorable.

Seeing this girlish display, Anhe couldn’t help but smile. He fished a lollipop from his pocket, unwrapped it, and walked over to her.

“Alright, it’s all my fault. Please accept this lollipop as my apology, okay?”

He brought the lollipop to her lips, and when she refused to take the bait, he poked her cheek with it.

With a “pfft!” sound, Rena’s carefully maintained stern demeanor was punctured by Anhe’s teasing.

She glared fiercely at him, but then, her face flushing slightly, she opened her mouth and let out a soft “ah.”

“Good girl!”

Anhe grinned, offering her the lollipop and giving her cute, delicate cheek a playful pinch.

Her face turned bright red from his touch, and she immediately reached out to swat at him. Anhe quickly withdrew his hand and darted away, and the two began chasing each other around the living room.

Since Rena rarely exercised, she quickly ran out of breath. Gasping, she bent at the waist, hands on her knees, glancing resentfully at the boy who remained just out of reach.

“Alright, enough playing around,” Anhe said, seeing her look so much like a defeated puppy. He plopped down on the sofa and beckoned her over. “Come sit. There’s something I want to ask you.”

Rena rolled her eyes theatrically but obediently came over, taking a seat at the other end of the sofa.

“What is it, Yuusei?” She raised her drawing board to cover her flushed face, leaving only her large eyes peeking over the top. This was, after all, the first time she’d addressed a boy by name, and she felt a bit shy.

Anhe didn’t notice the subtle shift in her words. Glancing around the room, he saw video game cases and her own artwork scattered everywhere, and asked curiously, “Rena, do you really love games and drawing?”

She nodded without hesitation.

“So, what do you love most? Or, put another way, what’s your dream?”

Anhe continued to gently guide her, but this time Rena didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she wore a deeply conflicted expression. After a long pause, as if making up her mind, she quickly scribbled something on her drawing board, then held it up.

“My dream is to create my very own manga, so those people who once thought I was crazy will know just how amazing I am!”

“That’s a wonderful dream,” Anhe praised sincerely. Though Rena spoke lightly of her past, only those who had truly experienced such hardship could understand its weight.

Of course!! Rena’s lips quirked in pride and her chin lifted, looking for all the world like a little puppy basking in her master’s approval.

But the proud puppy quickly wilted when Anhe continued, “So, since you work so hard for your dream, drawing characters must be simple for you, right?”

Instantly, Rena’s face fell. Her lips pouted in grievance, and her dark brown eyes beneath her black-rimmed glasses gazed at Anhe with deep reproach.

Looking at his movie-star handsome face, Rena couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: Why does such a good-looking person have to open his mouth?

Amused by her expression, Anhe quickly collected himself, remembering his original purpose. “Rena,” he called. Seeing her look at him so plaintively, he asked in an enticing tone, “Would you like to learn how to draw characters?”

The moment he finished, Rena perked up, her eyes sparkling as she flipped her drawing board around.

“Could you teach me how to draw?” she wrote—though the question was more rhetorical than not. Anhe guessed she’d written it in advance, and that she would have asked even if he hadn’t prompted her.

Smiling even more, Anhe suddenly adopted a weary look, rolling his shoulders and complaining, “After a whole day of classes, my shoulders are so sore, and my back hurts…”

Though he spoke of his aches, his eyes gleamed mischievously at Rena. She caught his meaning, and though her cheeks flushed, she quickly wrote on her board and held it up.

“I can give you a shoulder and back massage, but only if you teach me how to draw people!”

“Deal!” Anhe agreed without hesitation. Before Rena could move, he flipped over and sprawled face-down on the sofa.

“Rena, start with my shoulders,” he said.

Her cheeks grew even redder, but she set aside her board and pen, scooted over, and settled in. The sofa was spacious enough that even with Anhe stretched out, Rena could sit comfortably.

So, without getting up, she twisted sideways and began to massage his shoulders.

Her hands were small and soft, and each gentle knead sent a pleasant shiver through Anhe’s body.

After about five minutes, Anhe figured that was enough. He patted his back and mumbled, “That’s good for the shoulders. Now, how about my back?”

Rena shot him a resentful glance, her waist and stomach aching from sitting twisted for so long. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. With a burst of indignation, she gave his back a solid punch.

A dull thud sounded. Rena realized she might have used too much force and glanced nervously at Anhe’s face. But he seemed completely unfazed, still playing with his phone.

At that, her pride flared. Next, she raised both tiny fists and, gathering even more strength, pounded down on his back.

Another thud—yet still, Anhe didn’t react. He even offered a gentle reminder, “Rena, I’m ready. Start on my back, or I’ll have to go home soon.”

I already am! Rena screamed inside. Her worries about hurting him vanished. She glanced at her little fists, then, gritting her teeth, clambered up onto the sofa.

Feeling the cushions dip, Anhe didn’t have a chance to look back before a sudden weight pressed into his back.

Caught off guard, his phone tumbled from his hands to the floor.

He didn’t dare reach for it. Instead, he turned his head to find Rena stomping energetically on his back.

She wore white ankle socks, her feet soft and springy, her ten toes as plump and delicate as silkworms, the soles visible through the fabric, tinged with a hint of pink—like a piece of ice cream, tempting enough to taste.