Wednesday pressed the stopwatch she had pulled from who-knows-where.
"5.20 seconds. You lasted 3 seconds longer than last time. Congratulations."
Her cool voice held no fluctuation, as if stating experimental data. However, the faint mockery in her eyes stabbed Enid precisely.
Enid buried her burning cheeks in her palms. Her brain was looping images of Vic's misty, teary-eyed gaze.
That was cheating! Total cheating!
A wave of "I can't be the only one embarrassing myself" unwillingness mixed with a mischievous impulse surged in her heart.
She looked up abruptly. Her blue eyes sparkled with the light of "mutually assured destruction." She nudged Vic with her elbow and whispered in an instigating tone:
"Vic, go."
She pouted toward Wednesday.
"Give her some intensity too!"
Vic's eyes lit up like a switch had been flipped.
His gaze immediately turned to Wednesday, who maintained her iceberg posture beside him.
Challenge a high-difficulty target? That's my favorite thing!
Wednesday keenly caught the whispered exchange between the "partners in crime." She immediately turned her face to look out the window, leaving only her elegant, cold profile and a slightly tightened jawline visible.
Her hand silently gripped the hem of her dress on her lap. Her tone carried a distant rejection:
"I will not participate in your childish games."
But her slightly accelerated heartbeat and the subconscious tightening of her fingers betrayed that she wasn't as indifferent as she appeared.
"She's scared! Vic, get her!"
Enid whispered excitedly, like she had discovered a new continent. She continued to fan the flames, even raising the stakes.
"If you succeed, I... I'll kiss you again!"
To drag Wednesday down with her, Enid was going all in.
Receiving this double incentive, the corner of Vic's mouth hooked into a wicked grin of inevitable victory.
First, he winked at Enid, mouthing "Deal." Then he took a deep breath, adjusted his sitting posture, and turned to face Wednesday.
He didn't launch the "Aggrieved Puppy Eyes" offensive immediately like he did with Enid. Instead, he stayed silent for a few seconds, gazing quietly at Wednesday's profile with a focused and deep look.
That gaze wasn't manic or teasing like before. Instead, it held a rare, almost religious tenderness, as if admiring a one-of-a-kind treasure.
Even without turning her head, Wednesday could feel the weight of that gaze. It wrapped around her cold cheek like warm sunlight, making the knuckles of her hand gripping her dress turn slightly white.
Then, Vic spoke. His voice was much lower than usual, carrying an imperceptible rasp, like the gentle plucking of a cello string:
"Wednesday~"
He didn't say anything else, just called her name.
But those three syllables, spoken in that tone, seemed to carry a thousand unspoken words and an irresistible gravitational pull.
Wednesday's eyelashes trembled almost invisibly. She held on, refusing to turn her head.
Seeing this, Vic wasn't discouraged. Instead, the smile in his eyes deepened.
He slowly reached out. He didn't touch her skin, but with his fingertips, he extremely gently brushed a strand of ink-black hair resting on her shoulder.
His movement was as careful as touching fragile glass.
"I know you think this game is boring..."
Vic's voice dropped even lower, carrying an understanding tolerance, yet hiding a sharp edge.
"But your heartbeat seems a little faster than usual."
This sentence acted like a precision arrow, instantly piercing Wednesday's shell of calm!
She whipped her head around. A flash of panic at being exposed crossed her eyes, though she suppressed it quickly.
But on her pale cheeks, a very faint blush rose uncontrollably, like a rose suddenly blooming on a snowfield—cold yet breathtakingly beautiful.
She opened her mouth to argue but found her throat dry.
At that moment, Vic seized her split-second vulnerability. His peach-blossom eyes switched modes instantly—
No longer the deep, soulful gaze, they transformed into the same "Seek Attention" eyes he used on Enid—70% sincerity, 30% pitifulness. He tilted his head slightly, like a large canine waiting to be petted.
The double impact of sight and sound caused a momentary crash in Wednesday's brain processing system.
Beside them, Enid held her breath, eyes wide as saucers, terrified of missing a single detail.
"13.14 seconds."
Wednesday released the stopwatch she had pulled out again at some point. Her cool voice rarely carried a trace of imperceptible breathlessness.
She glanced at Vic, complex emotions flashing in her eyes—
Helplessness, rebuke, and a trace of... throbbing that even she didn't want to admit.
She hadn't held out in the end.
Under Vic's gaze—a mix of devotion, grievance, and all-knowing insight—her solid mental defenses quietly cracked open between her thirteenth and fourteenth heartbeat.
So, she leaned forward. Her cool lips, light as a dragonfly skimming water, pressed a feather-light kiss onto Vic's smugly upturned lips.
A touch and go.
The speed was so fast one might think it was an illusion. But the crimson blush spreading rapidly across her cheeks like sunset over a snowy plain proved it was real.
"Hehe, I knew Wednesday wouldn't last!"
Enid immediately leaned in like a kitten that got the cream, planting a loud SMOOCH on Vic's cheek. Her blue eyes shone with the brilliant light of "revenge achieved."
"Finally, I'm not the only one embarrassed!"
She announced with satisfaction, as if she had won a glorious comeback battle.
Kissed consecutively by two girlfriends with vastly different styles but equal beauty, even Vic couldn't stop a blush from rising on his cheeks.
He touched his lips and cheek, which seemed to still hold the lingering sensations of two different textures and temperatures. His smugness was almost solidifying and drifting out of his ears.
"Hehe, this is a secret technique personally taught by Sister Mavis!"
Vic puffed out his chest, his face written with the pride of "family heritage."
"She taught me, and I passed it on to little Dennis! You guys have no idea, back at the hotel, Uncle Dracula is completely whipped by our trio combo!"
"Alright, alright, game over. Let's put the book away."
Vic said, reaching out to snatch the Succubus Seduction Guide back from Enid, his tone carrying a hint of hidden urgency.
Enid slammed her hand down on Vic's, her eyes narrowing slightly, gleaming with the sharp light of Sherlock Holmes finding a clue.
"Something's wrong, Vic," she said, tilting her head, her tone full of suspicion. "Something is extremely wrong."
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Vic's eyes darted around, refusing to meet Enid's probing gaze. His voice leaked guilt.
"You seem..." Wednesday's cool voice acted like an ice pick, precisely piercing Vic's disguise, "...unwilling to let Enid turn the page."
Vic fell silent for a moment, a panic of "I've been found out" flashing across his face.
The next second, he decided on the simplest and crudest method—robbery!
He lunged forward, reaching out to snatch the book!
"Look! Huge sale on Golden Ticket Chocolates outside!"
Enid suddenly pointed out the car window, her voice full of "surprise."
"What? Where?!"
Vic's conditioned reflex to "Golden Ticket Chocolates" overrode everything else. His head swish slapped against the cold car window, eyes widening like copper bells as he searched everywhere.
However, outside the window were only the rapidly retreating streetscape and rows of ordinary shops.
"Uh..."
Vic realized instantly that he had fallen for the most childish diversion tactic, but it was too late!