Newlyweds And Everyday Life (5)

The second day ended with the phones in hand.

Nothing particularly eventful happened.

We had a few plans, but thanks to the phones, we didn’t do any of them.

We woke up, went to the supermarket, then battled with our phones, and by the time we ate dinner, it was already late.

After doing the dishes and tidying up, I returned to find Rurin lying flat on her stomach on the bed, messing around with her phone.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed.

Probably because of the number of beers she’d had, but it was obvious she was in a very good mood.

She wore a completely natural smile on her face.

If I had to pick one of my favorite looks from Rurin, this one would easily be in the top three.

That kind of unconscious, gentle smile—it’s just so beautiful.

And when her cheeks are flushed like now, with a faintly elevated glow added on top, she somehow ends up looking subtly seductive—to the point that I just freeze, like a statue who can’t look away.

Rurin is stunning even when she’s doing nothing.

It’s not just because I’m biased either.

She’s always been like this.

Adorable, with a palm-sized face—with features so delicately placed, it’s like a god sculpted her with care.

And her long black hair just adds to the pure esthetic.

Since her recent birthday, she seemed to have gained an extra, mysterious glow—to the point I didn’t even know where to store all that overflowing charm.

“My love? Are you done?”

As I was zoning out admiring her again, Rurin seemed to notice my stare and lifted her face from the phone to ask.

Snapping out of it, I quickly sat on the edge of the bed and answered.

“Yeah, all done. What are you up to, gripping your phone like that?”

“Practicing texts.”

She showed me her phone screen as she spoke. The keyboard was displayed on the screen. Looks like she was studying the layout.

“Really?”

“Yep. I got faster now.”

“Seriously?”

“Hehe.”

Rurin giggled and nodded, then took her phone back and began typing again. And exactly five seconds later—

Dding! My phone chimed, so I tapped the screen.

[How about that? I’m super fast now.]

“Whoa, you really are fast. When’d you get so good?”

When I expressed surprise at her message, Rurin flashed me a V-sign with her fingers.

Probably meant something like “Well, I am me, after all!” Grinning with confidence, showing off her white teeth.

I mean, fair enough.

She was already faster than me at this point.

“Anyway, there’s actually one more feature I haven’t shown you yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, that phone in your hand still has a hidden function.”

“Ohhh?”

At that, her interest visibly spiked, she sat up on the bed, and held her phone out toward me.

That clearly meant: “Well? Show me!”

Her sparkling eyes alone said just how much she was into this phone stuff.

“Rurin, you know, getting too into your phone’s not a great thing. I’ve heard some people here can’t even live without it.”

“Hm? What are you saying? The only thing I can’t live without is you. I don’t need any of this, as long as I have you. As long as I can see your face up close like this!”

She pulled her phone back in, and leaned her face close to mine—declaring it without hesitation.

It goes without saying—I wasn’t upset about that one bit.

Actually, as always, her words struck me right in the heart. Even though she can’t say “I love you” outright, she’s basically a master of all the indirect heart-killers.

If she does this on purpose, she’s terrifying.

When I didn’t respond, Rurin tilted her head curiously. Looking at her pure, innocent expression, I started to think maybe it really just slipped out from the heart.

“Well…thanks.”

“Yeah, sure. That.”

“But what’s that other feature?”

“I mean, I don’t need it—but since it’s in my hand, now I’m curious.”

“The feature is called a camera.”

“Camera?”

“You remember what a photo is, right? From our last trip here—there’s still one hanging in the lair.”

“I remember. It had you and me in it.”

“Yep. This is the same thing.”

“…?”

Rurin’s face was full of question marks.

She clearly didn’t get it.

I mean, who in her world could even imagine that this little square device has calling, texting, and camera functions?

“Okay, look this way.”

I pulled out my own phone.

Then turned on the camera and snapped a photo of Rurin.

Same approach as with calls and texts—seeing is believing. No better way to explain than to show.

Click!

As the shutter clicked, Rurin’s startled, slightly dazed expression was captured perfectly on my phone.

“Wh-what was that sound?”

She just blinked in confusion—so I crawled over and held the phone up to her face.

“Here, take a look.”

I brought the screen close to her face.

Rurin stared at the screen, bringing the phone practically to her nose, and squinting hard.

“Who’s this idiot?”

“Idiot? I mean, sure it’s a weird expression—you do look kind of…dazed.”

“You…!”

Rurin narrowed her eyes and started glaring at me sharply.

Scary. Her dragon aura was leaking out like she was ready to devour me. They say even birds would drop out of the sky under that glare.

And with Rurin? That’s not even an exaggeration. If there were birds in this house, they’d have all crashed by now.

“Why are you glaring at me? That’s you in the photo.”

“I know it’s me! But I’m not this idiotic-looking version of meeeeee! Why is my face doing that! Ughhhh!”

Ah, that’s what she was upset about?

“Well, I think it’s cute. That silly face is kinda worth keeping forever.”

“Ughhh!? Give it here! I’m smashing it! And then buy a new one! Gimme gimme gimme!”

“Whoa—don’t go smashing things. I can just delete it. So don’t jump on other people’s phones.”

As she lunged at my phone, I quickly twisted away. Did she really hate it that much?

Of course, I had zero intention of deleting it. Zero. Why would I delete such a rare expression? It’s adorable.

“Alright, anyway—let me show you how to use it.”

I smoothly changed the subject and picked up Rurin’s phone.

“Did you really delete it? That face was too stupid… Head tilted, weird expression—ugh.”

“Exactly. So when you turn this on, you can see the target on the screen, right?”

She was about to grab my phone again, but when I turned on the camera for her, her eyes immediately followed it.

“Oooh? This is a fascinating thing.”

Luckily, all her attention had shifted to the camera.

She fiddled with her phone, then aimed it at me.

“Right, now once what you want to capture is on screen, you just press the shutter button. See that round one at the bottom?”

“This guy?”

As she said that, click! went the shutter.

If it clicked, then it worked. I just nodded like, “Yup, that’s the one.”

“You get it?”

“To see it, press this here—like this.”

“Like this?”

“Yup.”

Rurin mimicked my gesture, and pulled up the photo she just took.

Her face lit up.

No, she didn’t just light up—she practically shouted in wonder, jaw dropped.

“It’s you! You’re right there!”

“Right?”

“I can keep looking at this?”

“Yeah—unless you delete it.”

The moment I said that, she lifted her phone again.

And click!—another photo.

“Hey, wasn’t that way too close?”

She definitely took that one right in my face.

That’s gonna look ridiculous.

“Lady Rurin, please calm down.”

I reached for her phone.

But this time, she dodged me.

“Puhahaha! You’re hilarious! It’s just your nose!”

“What? Just my nose? Let me see—”

Ack.

“Stay back! I’ll show you. This here is the line you do not cross.”

Rurin mimed drawing a line in front of her—then tapped her phone again. And handed it to me.

Yikes.

Even I had to admit—it was funny. Why’d she take such a cursed shot?

“Rurin, hand that over.”

“Nope!”

But she leapt away in a flash, retreating to the corner of the bed. Then she raised her phone again.

And grinned.

“Hehehe, your nose is cute.”

“Oh shut up. Hand it over.”

And click! Another photo fired off.

And again—my face was a mess. Is catching me off-guard your new specialty?

“Hey!”

“You look funny again!”

Ugh. Why is that the only time you take pictures?

But even if I chased her—she’d bounce around dodging every time. And even while dodging, she somehow managed to hold her stance and click click away.

She was like a war photographer dodging mortar fire.

Even now.

Her phone was aimed at me again.

No way I was letting her catch me looking weird again—so I stared straight into the camera with a normal face.

Click! Rurin let out a gasp of admiration.

“Ooooh?”

“What? What now?”

“You look so cool! Hehe—kiss!”

…Huh?

I just froze.

Because Rurin…kissed the phone screen.

Then squealed and ducked her head.

…What was that?

“Uh, Lady Rurin?”

“What?”

“I don’t recall you ever giving me a kiss like that in person? Why does a photo get such affection?”

“Photos are less embarrassing.”

“……”

I was so shocked I almost levitated.

“Kyaaaah!”

Since she was crouched in a flustered pose, it wasn’t hard to tip her over onto the bed.

So I grabbed her by the waist and playfully slammed her onto the mattress—which left us tangled up on the bed.

Rurin was underneath.

And my face was resting on her midriff. So I quickly lifted my head and reached for the phone she’d dropped.

But she was faster—she snatched it back.

“My love.”

“Yeah?”

“I already took a ton of photos.”

“Then hand it over.”

“My love, I’m not an idiot.”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t delete the photo you took of me either, right? So we’re even. Nyeh~! Not giving it!”

“Oh, is that how it is?”

I thought she’d forgotten about that…but nope—not even a little. She’s strangely sharp about stuff like this.

“But I really love this thing. I can carry you around in my hand now.”

“Hehe… And I wanna take a picture of you sleeping too!”

“So go to sleep!”

“…Taking pictures of someone sleeping is not okay, my dear.”

“I’ll do it without you noticing.”

“You?”

I just laughed.

Her? Getting up from sleep to do anything?

She doesn’t fight off sleep—she surrenders to it every time.

Yeah right. Good luck with that.

“There are so many versions of you I want to capture.”

“To think this thing even exists!”

“This kind, that kind…”

“And that kind too—kyaaa!”

What on earth were you imagining to squeal like that?

She had been muttering to herself, and now had both hands over her face— What exactly were you picturing in that head of yours?

I stared at her squealing mess for a bit—then let it be.

If this makes her happy, I’ll let her take as many pictures as she wants. Honestly, knowing Rurin, she’ll keep them all to herself—she’s not the type to show them off.

She straight-up ignores everyone else to the point they barely exist to her.