Volume 1. Chapter 16: After Dinner, Part 4

After they finished discussing their plans for the next day, Lily stood up from the table, avoiding Ken’s gaze as she took a breath to gather her thoughts.“Well then,” she said, blushing slightly, “you need to get some rest, and I’ll show you to your room.”Ken stood and followed her down the narrow hallway, marveling at how this old house could feel both spacious and cozy at the same time. Lily stopped in front of a door and, glancing back at Ken, spoke with a touch of shyness:“This is… the guest room. You can stay here for the night. I’m not sure what kind of traditions you have when it comes to hosting guests, but I hope it’s comfortable enough,” she said, nervously tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “I hope you’re not offended?”Ken laughed, picking up on her nervousness, and answered gently, “Offended? Lily, you saved me, gave me shelter, fed me…” He looked at her with genuine gratitude. “I’m thankful to you from the bottom of my heart. It doesn’t matter what traditions we have in my world - thanks to you, I feel at home here.”Lily blushed even deeper this time and turned away slightly. “Well… okay then. Just try to get some sleep soon. Tomorrow’s going to be a tough day, and we need to be well-rested,” she said, still avoiding his eyes. “Oh, and… there’s a balcony from your room, so if you want some fresh air, you can step outside. The bathroom and kitchen - you already know where those are.”Ken nodded, smiling warmly at her thoughtful care. “Thank you, Lily. This really is… a cozy place.”Lily lowered her eyes, still flustered, but trying to act like everything was perfectly normal, she added, “Well… my room is right next door, so if you need anything - just don’t do anything stupid, get it?”Ken raised an eyebrow, holding back a grin. “Stupid? What kind of stupid things do you mean?”Hearing his reply, Lily froze for a moment, her face lighting up like a sunset.“I… I mean… adult stupid things,” she mumbled, desperately trying to keep a serious tone. “You know… the stuff that married men and women do. Adult stuff!”Ken barely held in his laughter, putting on an exaggeratedly serious face. “Oh, I see,” he said with mock innocence. “So I’m not allowed to do those kinds of ‘stupid’ things?”Lily turned even redder, her face practically glowing. “You… you’re pretending you don’t get it!” she exclaimed, looking at him, her voice trembling with embarrassment and frustration. “You’re doing this on purpose just to fluster me!”“Lily, why do you react like this?” Ken asked with a grin. “I’m just joking. It’s just a joke, you know?”Realizing he was teasing her, Lily’s face burned as she clenched her fists in frustration. “You… you idiot, Ken! You’re always embarrassing me! On purpose!” She looked at him in exasperation - but even then, a faint smile slipped onto her lips.Finally unable to bear his teasing gaze any longer, Lily turned and briskly walked toward her room. But just before disappearing behind the door, she paused, cracked it open slightly, and peeked out.“Good night, Ken.” Her voice was warm, though she tried to sound strict. “And even though you’re an idiot… I’ll take care of you.”With that, Lily slammed the door shut, blushing to the tips of her ears, and vanished into her room.“…Wow,” Ken said out loud.