Yuki was lounging back, savoring another perfectly cooked takoyaki—warm on the inside with that irresistible crunch on the outside. She'd mastered the art of shutting down pointless drama, until something felt off this time. Instead of the usual market chaos, there was a heavy tension hanging in the air. And then there was Taiyo—the damn Prince—who just couldn't take his eyes off her. His stare wasn't some polite glance; it was an intense, unyielding glare that started grinding her gears.
Yuki squinted at his amber eyes, wondering what the hell he was looking for. She tugged at the frayed edges of her patched-up goblin-thread dress—the only scraps she had left after that slime monster incident melted her real clothes into a sticky mess. No armor, no proper undies; just a last-minute fix to look "okay." Then it hit her like a lightning bolt: maybe he wasn't just probing for secrets—maybe he was checking her out.
Annoyed, her eyebrow twitched. In a burst of exasperation, she slammed her chopsticks onto the table, sending a few takoyaki tumbling and drawing curious stares. Taiyo froze, clearly caught off guard. "W-What? No, I was just… thinking," he stammered. Yuki leaned in with a sarcastic edge, "Thinking, huh? Thinking about what—my answers? Or maybe… my…" She gestured vaguely at her boobs. "I mean, come on." A fierce red flush shot across his face. He tried to protest, "I wasn't—!" but she cut him off with a scowl, arms crossed. "You're the damn prince, Taiyo! You think you can just fix your gaze on people in a takoyaki shop? Have some decency."
Around them, bystanders started whispering. Adventurers grinned with amusement, and an old merchant nodded like she'd seen this crap a thousand times. It was obvious the prince was squirming, wishing he could vanish. "I wasn't staring like that," he mumbled. "I was just trying to figure something out—"
Yuki interrupted sharply, leaning close so only he could hear, "Listen, that slime ate my real clothes, so I'm not even wearing proper undies tonight. I'm busy enough without you leering at my boobs. Just let me eat in peace."
Taiyo stood there, silence weighing on him, his face turning even redder and his hands twitching nervously. The haughty heir of the Sunfire Kingdom—a skilled fighter, a sharp thinker—now looked like he'd stepped into his worst nightmare. "I—I wasn't trying to be weird!" he finally shouted, "I was just—"
"Yeah, sure," Yuki snapped dismissively, turning back to her meal. "Just don't make it any weirder."
Trying to salvage his dignity, Taiyo rubbed his forehead and sighed in defeat. Earlier, he'd used his evaluation skills to dig into Yuki's real identity, but now all he'd uncovered was his own humiliating mess. Instead of learning her secrets, he'd only managed to come off as a complete jerk. His only hope now was that something would smooth over the situation before he dug himself into an even deeper hole.
In short, what started as a simple supper spiraled into an uncomfortable, embarrassing showdown full of miscommunication and harsh words. One thing's clear: Yuki isn't your average explorer, and if Taiyo wants any real answers, he's going to have to tread damn carefully—or risk losing her entirely, leaving him with nothing but regret.
That's the lowdown, folks—an uncomfortable clash of egos in a takoyaki shop that left everyone questioning what the hell was really going on.