Chapter 29 - Date with Chloe Lolo (2/2)

Vahn continued thinking as Chloe dragged him into the commercial district of the tower. Keeping true to her word, their first stop was a small cafe that served coffee and baked goods. Vahn wasn't fond of the taste of coffee, but after Chloe had shown him how to add cream and sugar he began to enjoy it.

"Nyaaaaahn~" As he had started enjoying the coffee, Chloe began gesturing towards his mouth holding a small fish-shaped cookie in her hand.

Vahn stared at the cookie while Chloe watched his expression with a cheeky grin. After a few seconds...he allowed her to place the cookie into his open mouth. It was a mix between sweet and salty and had a crunchy texture. It was good.

Chloe laughed while watching him savor the cookie. "You really like food, don't you~? You should try dipping the cookie into coffee next." She handed him another cookie and waited for him to give it a try.

Following her instructions, Vahn soaked the cookie into the coffee before placing it into his mouth. He was surprised, as the combination of the two flavors complemented each other well.

Seeing his reaction, Chloe showed another gentle smile. "You see, even if something is good on its own, that doesn't mean it can't become better when added to something else. Sometimes the combination of two individual things can bring out the best qualities of both."

Vahn nodded his head and continued dipping cookies into his coffee. After trying a few more, he agreed with Chloe's expression. Seeing that she was still looking at him, Vahn hesitated before extending a cookie towards her.

"A-aaaaaah-" He blushed at the awkwardness of the act as he tried to imitate her earlier actions.

*nom*

Before his hand was able to get close, Chloe leaned forward and slowly took the cookie into her mouth. She gave him a wink before eating the cookie with a sip of coffee.

Vahn stared, hand still outstretched, as he watched her swallow the cookie. Seeing his look, Chloe began to giggle while covering her mouth and saying, "Thank you Vahn, it was very good~nya."

After they left the cafe, Chloe once again took Vahn's hand and lead the way towards a men's clothing store that sold both outfits for adventurers as well as casual wear. Though Vahn was initially drawn to the adventurer section, Chloe dragged him towards the casual wear and began lining various shirts against his chest.

"You have very dark hair, but your eyes are a deep aquamarine... let's see, maybe peach~? No, too soft...How about a nice neutral green to compliment your eyes~nya?" She continued to hold the two long-sleeve open-collared shirts up next to Vahn, waiting for his decision.

Vahn ended up selecting the green one since she said it complimented his eyes. Nodding, she took both shirts and hung them on a rack next to the dressing room. She continued to pick a variety of other clothes while asking for Vahn's opinion. Whenever he would pick one, she would always look into his eyes before either putting one piece away or keeping both. Vahn was confused why she even bothered asking his opinion when she seemed to make the final decision...

After selecting seven shirts, three pairs of slacks, one pair of trousers, and a pair of shorts with a lot of pockets she forced Vahn into the changing room. She told him he couldn't come out until he had tried on all the clothes and checked himself in the mirror. Only when he was satisfied with his appearance would she let him exit.

Once he was in the changing room, Vahn stared helplessly at the pile of clothes. He didn't really know anything about clothing or how he should choose between the different options. He shook his head before grabbing the first shirt he had chosen when entering the store. After removing his shadowsilk tunic, Vahn adorned the loose-fitting shirt and inspected himself in the mirror for the first time.

Vahn's first impression was one of shock. Not at the shirt, but at seeing his body reflected in the silvery reflective surface. It wasn't his first time seeing his reflection, as he had stared into higher-quality mirrors in his previous life, but it was the first time he had inspected himself after arriving in this world. He slowly reached towards the surface of the mirror, as if confirming that the person reflected was truly him...

He was no longer the emaciated, limbless boy, with semi-transparent glowing skin. Instead, he saw a young man with healthy skin and an athletic build. Where it had been missing in his previous life, there was now a mop of dark brown hair arranged messily on the top of his head. Through the drooping bangs, he could see a pair of aquamarine eyes staring back at him. Unlike the lifeless image he saw within his memories, his eyes were now crystal clear. Though they weren't very lively, he could see a long-lost hope and determination within the dark pupils. After staring into them for an unknown period of time, he could even see the illusion of a fier