Chapter 20

The grand library of the Mizuyari Manor, with its towering bookshelves and soft lantern light, hums with quiet focus. At a tucked-away table near the stained-glass window, Lily flips open her glittery pink phone case and waves Sanguinella over.

LILY:
Sanny, over here! I brought cookies. And a highlighter. We are not playing games today.

Sanguinella shuffles over in her oversized sweater, plops down in the seat, and immediately grabs a cookie.

SANNY:
You said “covert ops.” I was picturing something a little more Mission Impossible and less sugar and sparkle.

LILY:
Sparkles are tactical. They lower suspicion. Now. About Astera.

SANNY:
Right. The ride home. The deflection. The sudden subject change. Sus.
Do you think he’s dating that girl Nalea from his class?

LILY:
I don’t know. But I plan to. Which is why… we gather intel.

She pulls out a folder with “Operation: Bloom Snare” scribbled on the front in pink ink.

SANNY:
…you made a file?

LILY:
Please. I’m my parents’ daughter. I make files for fun.

She opens it to reveal scribbled notes, a suspiciously well-drawn map of the Floral Kingdom Palace grounds, and screenshots of text timestamps.

SANNY:
Wait. Is that… a message log?

LILY:
Time-stamped. Cross-referenced with his school schedule and our guesswork. He messaged someone named “N” at 12:25 last night. He doesn’t even text me that late.

SANNY:
Lily… what are we even trying to prove?

LILY:
That Astera’s heart may be blooming, and we need to know if it's for a girl we can tease him about for the rest of eternity. Preferably at his wedding.

Sanguinella giggles, then leans in.

SANNY:
Okay… what’s the plan?

LILY:
Simple. He always takes his afternoon break in the west gardens. Tomorrow, we go there. Casual-like. Watch from the reading alcove. If he meets someone there, boom — we catch him in the act. And if not, we wait until the next afternoon.

SANNY:
That’s not stalking, is it?

LILY:
It’s “cousinal concern.” Totally ethical.

Sanguinella grins, biting into another cookie.

SANNY: Alright. Operation: Flowerfall is a go.