The office door was gently pushed ajar, and the two "Stelles" walked out one after the other.
The expressions on their faces had been adjusted back to the slightly lazy, deadpan mode. Their steps were steady, and they had even deliberately smoothed out the wrinkles on their clothes.
They had thought that by the time they came out, the shop would be empty.
After all, the badge girl had been so frightened, she would surely have dragged her companions away from the "crime scene" at the first opportunity.
To be honest, the two of them felt that if the badge girl had really been scared away like that, although it would have damaged their reputation, at least it would have been a settled matter.
However, reality once again gave them a small "surprise."
The girls from the fan club hadn't left.
They were gathered near the cash register, chattering about the afternoon's "achievements," their faces flushed with excitement.
And the badge girl, who had just returned, was standing among them, her face a little pale, a trace of shock still lingering in her eyes. The twin-tailed girl was shaking her shoulders, asking questions.
"Hey, hey, what did you see? Why did you suddenly run out screaming, and say that the Stelle sisters were 'busy'?"
The badge girl opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to describe the terrifying scene, but when her eyes fell on the two "Stelles" who had walked out of the office unharmed, their expressions "calm," the words got stuck in her throat.
The two "Stelles" appeared in everyone's sight at the right time. Shu cleared his throat a little awkwardly and took over the conversation in as natural a tone as possible. "We've finished cleaning up, we can go now."
[Shu] also nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone calmly, as if the tense scene in the office just now, with baseball bats facing each other, had never happened.
This overly normal attitude, on the contrary, made the badge girl fall into self-doubt.
Did I really just see things?
Or did I have a hallucination from being too tired in the afternoon?
After all, at this moment, the two "Stelle sisters" looked so calm, and their relationship... seemed to be no different from before?
Although they weren't particularly close before, at least they weren't at the point of fighting with weapons, right?
Or...
A strange thought, with a unique romantic color of otaku culture, struck the badge girl's mind like a bolt of lightning.
She remembered some of the anime and games she had seen before, and the jokes about "male friendship" that circulated online—
It was said that between true brothers/best friends, the way they expressed their feelings was often particularly "hardcore"!
Trading insults was a daily routine, and sparring was a way to enhance their relationship! After a fight, they could still put their arms around each other's shoulders and go for a drink together!
That kind of tacit understanding and trust, outsiders simply couldn't understand!
That's right! It's right that they don't understand!
Although the Stelle sisters looked like girls, their temperament was so calm and reliable. Maybe their way of getting along was this kind of "hardcore brother" style on the inside!
What happened just now might not have been a life-and-death battle, but a unique way for the sisters to "communicate their feelings" and "reach a consensus"?
Just like masters sparring in a wuxia novel, it looked dangerous to outsiders, but they both knew what they were doing?
Once this idea took shape, it immediately took root in the badge girl's mind and quickly perfected itself.
And the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
They were masters, after all!
They always had some eccentric habits and ways of communicating.
The fact that they could "discuss" issues with baseball bats, didn't that just prove that their relationship was solid and their trust in each other was high?
Oh~ no wonder I always felt that the Stelle sisters had a special sense of reliability. So this is the reason!
Thus, under the puzzled gazes of the others, the fear on the badge girl's face quickly faded. After a moment of realization, it was replaced by a subtle smile that said, "I get it."
"The sisters' relationship is really good~"
The badge girl's envious eyes darted back and forth between the two.
This gaze made the two "Stelles" feel a strange chill down their spines.
Shu's eyelid twitched, and the corner of [Shu]'s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
They had no idea how this girl's train of thought had made such a bizarre transition from "terror" to "relief" in just a few seconds, but their intuition told them that this was definitely not a good thing.
But what could they do?
Only smile.
"N-Nothing!" The badge girl quickly waved her hands at the twin-tailed girl who was still asking questions, her tone becoming cheerful. "I saw it wrong! The Stelle sisters were just... um, having an in-depth discussion about the shop's development plans! The way they did it was just a bit... passionate! Yes, passionate!"
Although the other girls were still a little confused, seeing that the badge girl had returned to normal and the two shopkeepers looked like "everything is normal," they didn't pursue the matter further.
After all, they weren't super-sensitive individuals, nor were they master detectives. They wouldn't pay attention to such small, hidden details in their daily lives.
Soon, everyone's attention returned to the important matter of "eating dinner."
"Let's go, let's go! To the cafeteria!"
"I'm starving! I'm definitely eating an extra bowl today!"
"I wonder if they have braised pork ribs today..."
And so, in a slightly strange but harmonious atmosphere, the group once again marched towards the cafeteria on the fourth underground level.
At dinnertime, the cafeteria was still bustling.
With the experience from noon, the two "Stelles" wisely chose a relatively secluded long table in a corner and tried to minimize their presence.
The girls from the fan club seemed exhausted as well. They didn't have the excess energy to promote Kiana everywhere like they did at noon. Instead, they sat together, enjoying their food and reminiscing about their "work" experience from the day.
"Phew... my legs are so sore from standing all afternoon." The twin-tailed girl rubbed her calves, but there was a smile on her face. "But it was so fulfilling! Seeing how happy that uncle was when he bought the complete set of "Homu-Man" made me happier than when I get a limited edition for myself!"
"Yeah, it was tiring, but so rewarding!" The short-haired girl shoveled food from her plate, her eyes shining. "I've never done this kind of 'service industry' job before. It turns out that helping people find things they like feels so great!"
"Me too! And I met so many fellow fans!" another girl chimed in, her gaze sweeping over everyone present. "And you, Stelle sisters! If you hadn't opened this shop, we wouldn't have gathered together, and we wouldn't have had the chance to do something so meaningful!"
The topic naturally shifted back to the two "Stelles."
The badge girl put down her chopsticks, propped her chin on her hands, and looked at the two with an adoring gaze that said, "I've seen through everything," her tone filled with emotion.
"Stelle sisters, you're really amazing! Not just at running a shop, but that... um, unique way of getting along and your tacit understanding, it's really enviable!"
It really is a true, hardcore sisterly bond!
The other girls were also influenced, and they all cast curious and admiring glances at them.
"Yeah, yeah! Stelle sisters, you work so well together! You don't talk much, but it seems like you can understand what the other is thinking with just a glance! Is this the telepathy of twins?"
"And you know so much! Those Homu discs and figures... it's like a walking Homu museum! No, a Homu treasure trove!"
The girl with the headband who had spoken first then said thoughtfully, "Speaking of which... Stelle sisters, what did you do before? How did you end up at the base and opening a shop like this? It feels like you... are a little different from most of the people here."
The questions came one after another, filled with sincere curiosity and the unique enthusiasm of fans "digging into their idol's background."
The two "Stelles" simultaneously slowed their chewing.