VIP Chapter 126: How Could I Have Such a Dream?
What kind of person was W?
Shuna pondered this question on her way to the meeting.
Although she had known for a while that W was an alias for the Young Master of the Hysterm Family, Will Systom, it was too easy to trace the source of his stationery. W was also the first letter of “Will,” his first name.
A little thought, and it was nearly certain.
But she had never met the Young Master before. Even with the convenience of cameras, she hadn’t seen any news about him at any of the Hysterm Family’s public events. There were plenty of photos of his older brothers and sisters, though.
Could it be that he was so disfavored that he wasn’t brought along to events where the entire Hysterm Family was present?
So…
What would he be like?
A frail and scrawny young master who would cry if you punched him?
A young master who radiated the air of a student and scholar at first glance?
Or… a wicked descendant like those described in stories, with a perverse, lecherous grin?
…
However, as she approached the location, Shuna felt her heartbeat quicken. Her muscles and internal organs seemed to resonate with the forceful pounding of her heart.
She had never seen W’s appearance…
Yet, upon seeing the person standing by the Pothos plant at the entrance…
He looked refined, but not in a way that implied innocence or inexperience.
He wore glasses and appeared thin, but his slim-fit, narrow-leg pants revealed a surprisingly well-trained physique.
Especially his black jacket with its shoulder pads, which made him, despite his slender build, appear exceptionally reliable among a group of strong-looking men.
The buttons of his jacket were undone, and the open style gave him a somewhat roguish air.
His brown hair seemed to have been meticulously styled, combed neatly, but she could imagine it being messy on a normal day.
—That’s right, he must be W.
Shuna confirmed this in her heart the moment she saw him.
She took a deep breath, pretending not to recognize him, and walked to the other side of the Pothos planter, holding the small illustrated guide she had brought.
Suppressing her wildly beating heart, she opened the book and began to read, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.
But in her mind, she was screaming—
—Look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me, look at me.
—Haven’t you noticed me yet?
—It’s normal not to recognize me since we haven’t met, but look over here! You’ll at least recognize the bookmark in this book, right?
—This was the first gift you ever gave me. I’ve kept it safe.
Finally, Shuna felt the gaze shift from her chest to the book.
—Great.
—I’ve finally waited for this day.
—When I startle you!
“You finally recognize me?”
“Mr. W~”
***
Will listened to her words, rendered speechless and frozen in place.
His brain was spinning at an alarming speed—
The bookmark was something he had sent to Mr. S, a custom order, and no one else could possibly know about it.
W was an alias he only used when corresponding with Mr. S, and no one else knew about it.
The Pothos plant by the entrance was a location Mr. S had suggested in their private correspondence, and no one else knew about this meeting spot.
His eyes were fixed on her, the “white rabbit,” who had bent slightly and was now facing him.
So…
So, so, so…
Mr. S, whom he had considered a good friend and pen pal, was a woman?!
And such a beautiful woman at that?!
And a top-tier Adventurer at first glance?!
A woman who… made one’s heart flutter so?!
Was this some kind of dream scenario where you meet your online buddy and discover they’re a bombshell?
Could this really be happening to him?
Thinking back, Mr. S had never mentioned their gender. Let alone gender, they rarely talked about themselves.
And when he wrote his letters… he mostly used “S” for the salutation, as it was a letter, and he used “you” throughout.
He hadn’t even… given them a chance to explain the mistaken gender…?
The girl before him flicked her long hair, crossed her arms, and stood before him with a smile.
“What? Still don’t believe it? I say, you… couldn’t have…”
“—Mistaken me for a man, have you?”
She saw through him!
Will instinctively took two steps back. Of course, he didn’t *not* believe it, it was just…
He just needed a little distance from a fact that was incredibly shocking, to give his brain a moment to process.
Then…
He didn’t know if it was the sheer impact of the situation, but his mind seemed to go a little out of control…
His first instinct was to reach out and pinch his own face.
“Ouch, it hurts. So it’s not a dream.”
“Ah… Right… Of course. My good buddy turning into a girl and appearing before me, why would I have such a dream?”
“Wait, it’s not a dream?”
After performing this rather foolish action, he looked at S, who stood there with her arms crossed, seemingly waiting for his next performance.
Awful, awful, awful, awful, awful.
What on earth was he doing?!
All the introductions he had meticulously prepared to say to Mr. S had vanished from his mind the moment he saw Ms. S. And he had even pinched himself?!
Since the other party was a woman, he should have made a good impression!
“Well… um, you… you… you… Um… Are you S?”
Why was he stuttering?!
Just as Will’s mind and body were completely out of his control, the other party did something even more unexpected.
“Pfft.”
She let out a laugh.
The laugh seemed rather unladylike.
“I… I… I…”
What did this laugh mean? Was she angry? That made sense. If your pen pal of many years mistook your gender and didn’t recognize you on your first meeting, you’d probably be annoyed…
How should he respond?
Where was Will’s rich experience in dealing with women?
He wasn’t like this in front of Liya, Treya, or Iaar!
Why was he stuttering in front of her? Although… although…
She certainly had a strong presence.
Like a very commanding, mature older sister.
And she was wearing stockings.
And her legs were perfectly suited for stockings.
So…
His good buddy turning into a woman who perfectly fit his ideal type, what kind of beautiful dream was this?!
“Sorry, I’m not laughing *at* you. It’s just that your reaction is quite cute. Honestly, seeing how eloquent you were in your letters, you shouldn’t be this flustered.”
She lowered her hands, walked around the planter, and approached him.
“Yes, I am S.”
“But, since we’ve met in person, you don’t need to call me by my alias anymore.”
“Please call me Shuna.”
Shuna smiled warmly, which helped Will recover slightly from his mental shutdown.
I see.
So that’s why her alias was “S.” This method of choosing an alias was quite similar to his own.
“Will… Will Systom.”
He nodded, instinctively extending his hand for a handshake.
Unexpectedly…
Shuna also extended her hand at the same time, but instead of reaching for his hand, she boldly cupped his face with both of hers.
She pinched his cheeks from both sides and pulled them slightly.
It hurt a little, and Will squeezed his eyes shut.
“It’s not a dream. I’ve been a girl from the beginning.”
“Consider this, perhaps…”
“Your punishment for mistaking my gender!”
“Mm, just as I imagined, your face is indeed easy to pinch.”
