/
Youngster and Young Girl’s Night
The youngster walked to the window by the balcony and stood there. Liu Yue was leaning on the railing and in a daze.
“Struggling to sleep, Your Highness?”
Liu Yue was admiring the flower garden below and humming a tune from her homeland. She supported her head in her hand. Her body exuded the scent and moisture from just having come of the bath. She turned her head around when she heard the youngster’s voice. She twirled her tail then smiled bashfully: “I came out for some fresh air. I just finished having a bath. I, therefore, felt too hot to sleep.”
“You should be careful. The coronation ceremony is tomorrow. It is dangerous for you to be by the window. Plus, you could catch a cold.”
The youngster removed his cloak. Liu Yue didn’t refuse his polite and kind gesture, so she draped his cloak on. The youngster’s smell was so faint that she virtually couldn’t smell it. Instead, she smelt the fumes in the imperial palace. She intuitively tugged on the cloak. The youngster inquired, “You plan to stand here for a while, correct?”
“What made you think I won’t head straight back in?”
“Because you will not be able to sleep before events, isn’t that right?”
The youngster smiled noticed that some time ago. He just didn’t explicate it.  Liu Yue’s face went a little red. Softly, she said, “Busybody,” before turning back to look at the flower garden.
“Is it all right for you to be standing next to me? You don’t stand next to others you guard. I know that I’m a pretty and nice girl, but I already have somebody I like, so you can quit while you’re ahead.”
The scene below was just a field of darkness to the youngster. There was light down there, but it wasn’t enough to light up the entire garden. The flowers that competed with each other during the day were engulfed in darkness. Liu Yue possessed superior vision thanks to her fox genetics, though. She was out there for fresh air, since she couldn’t sleep due to excitement, but that wasn’t the case for the youngster. That was her reason for teasing him.
The youngster choked on his words, and then he hopelessly smiled: “Sorry, Your Highness. While you are correct about that, I do not have the courage to have such feelings for you. I think your sisters, Miss Ying and even King Troy would not spare me, right? Daisy alone is more than I can handle, let alone even more people.”
Liu Yue pursed her lips into a smile: “My sisters won’t be angry as we do have a bit of a problem between us despite how close we are. That’ll depend on whether I want to mention it or not, though. I’m just kind of worried about tomorrow. I know it’ll be a grand event, but that’s precisely why I’m worried. We came under attack last time, so wouldn’t there be even more attackers this time? Wouldn’t it, consequently, be more dangerous?”
Liu Yue turned to the youngster: “I’m not worried about myself but my sisters. If some mishap were to befall them here, I’d never be able to forgive myself for I was the one who brought them here. I’m now feeling afraid. I’m very worried about my sisters meeting with misfortune
 If something happens to them, I’ll never be able to forgive myself. I
 I’m truly scared.”
A gentle breeze blew in. It was soothing but different to the way it felt during the day. Liu Yue, therefore, tightly wrapped the cloak around her and assumed a hunch posture. The youngster looked at her. She appeared so small and helpless right now.
“She’s worried and scared, which is different to how she was before. Her concern and fear could crush her,” realised the youngster.
Hesitant, the youngster said, “Miss Liu Yue, can I hug you? I’m afraid of tomorrow. My mom always hugged me, and so would Miss Vera. I would feel much more reassured afterwards. Of course, I know my request is problematic
, but this is the only solution I know of.”
Liu Yue was rendered dumbstruck. She slapped him across the face. He stumbled as a result. She backed off and tightly grabbed onto her clothes. She exclaimed, “What do you want?! You bully! Pervert! Horny animal! You want to violate me in this situation?! I can’t believe you would say that!! Nobody has ever said something so filthy to me before!”
“It is
 just a hug
”
“What
?”
According to Liu Yue’s memory, whenever her mom and dad did that, her mom would tell her dad to hug her at night, which was why she understood a hug as that. Liu Yue hadn’t come of age yet, but she was one among the students who understood mature subjects. That was why her first reaction was to slap the youngster without any hesitation.
Liu Yue apologetically gave the wronged youngster a light hug. He smelt her scent and felt her warmth, wiping his mind blank. His thinking capacity instantly malfunctioned. His hands by his side froze in mid-air. He didn’t know if he should reciprocate the hug or not. He wanted to, but he wasn’t bold enough to. The same could be said for Liu Yue. His scent, warmth and wide chest rendered her embarrassed. She hugged him feeling guilty, but she blushed.
Liu Yue soon released him: “Hehe, sorry, hugs aren’t such a pure thing in my mind. Though I don’t know how this alleviates fear, I think it can help distract me, I guess
 Geez, I’m already worried about my sisters, yet now I have another thing to worry about. Still, thank you and sorry.”
“Ah, no, it is all right.”
Liu Yue helplessly smiled then turned around. She didn’t know what changes were coming in the future, but her steps felt a lot lighter.