The classroom was buzzing with energy, but Yumi could hardly focus. Dani, the new transfer student, had been sending soft smiles and subtle compliments her way all morning, and each glance made her cheeks warm.
Pherrie, sitting right beside her, noticed immediately. His protective gaze sharpened, and his playful smirk widened as he leaned closer to brush against her shoulder.
"Princess," he whispered, teasingly low, "looks like someone thinks he can charm you again."
"I—I can handle it," Yumi murmured, flustered.
Pherrie chuckled softly, his fingers brushing against hers in a teasing gesture. "Oh, I know you can. But can he handle me?"
Dani sauntered toward her desk with that effortless, charming smile. "Yumi, what if we partnered for the next project? I think we'd make a perfect team."
Pherrie's eyes narrowed, and he subtly moved closer, leaning in just enough to block Dani's approach. "Nice try," he said with a low, playful tone. "But the Princess already has a partner—and that partner is me."
Dani's smirk faltered slightly, though he tried to maintain his confident composure. "Protective, aren't you?"
Pherrie leaned in even closer, his voice dropping low and teasing, just for Yumi. "Protective? Maybe. Flirty? Absolutely. And you—my Princess—stay right here with me. Understood?"
Yumi's heart fluttered, her cheeks heating. "I… understand," she whispered softly.
For the rest of the class, Dani tried multiple times to engage Yumi—offering compliments, glancing her way, leaning in slightly—but Pherrie was always one step ahead. He whispered small jokes, made playful comments, and brushed her hand lightly each time Dani tried to linger.
By the end of the lesson, it was clear: no one, not even the charming Dani, could break through Pherrie's teasing, protective, and flirty presence. Yumi's attention, and the warmth in her chest, was entirely his.
As they walked down the hallway together, Pherrie draped his arm casually around her shoulders, smirk playful but possessive. "See, Princess? No one's taking you away. Not him, not anyone."
Yumi's cheeks flushed, a shy smile tugging at her lips. "You really are impossible," she murmured.
"And yet," Pherrie whispered, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, "you wouldn't have it any other way."
Yumi laughed softly, feeling safe, playful, and exhilarated—all at once. With Pherrie by her side, teasing, protective, and impossibly flirty, Dani didn't stand a chance.