After Ino walked out of the main hall, she ran out excitedly.
Meanwhile, Yakumo was sitting on a bench in the palace garden, reviewing political knowledge from a notebook in her hands.
Seeing this, Ino quickly ran over and said excitedly, "Yakumo, Shun-sama agreed to let me be a secretary, and he even told me to intern at the Political Affairs Office first."
Yakumo immediately put down her notebook, her eyes full of envy. "Really? That's great, Ino. I knew you could do it."
She was genuinely happy for Ino, but a sense of loss quietly welled up in her heart.
Ino had already taken the first step, while she was still waiting for news, without even a chance to get close to Shun.
In fact, Yakumo had secretly admired Shun even earlier than Ino.
When she was young, a malicious personality had emerged due to her Kekkei Genkai, and it was Shun who had stepped in to help her overcome the difficulty. From that moment on, she had buried her affection deep in her heart.
It was just that she was introverted and never dared to express herself as boldly as Ino. She could only silently pay attention to his every move, and even signing up to be a secretary required her to muster all the courage she had.
Ino happily took her hand and laughed, saying, "Yakumo, you'll quickly get there too. Shun-sama said he would arrange a time to see you, and you're so excellent, you'll definitely pass."
Yakumo nodded gently and forced a smile, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the Political Affairs Office.
That was where Shun usually worked, and it was also the place she yearned to be close to.
A moment later, a maid walked over and respectfully said, "Yakumo-san, Shun-sama has asked to see you in the main hall."
"Shun-sama... summoned me?"
Yakumo stood up, the pen in her hand clattered to the ground, and her notebook almost slipped.
She frantically picked up the pen, brushed the dust off her skirt, took several deep breaths, and then followed the attendant to the reception hall.
Along the way, her heart pounded as if it would burst, and she repeatedly rehearsed what to say during the meeting, afraid that she would be too nervous to say the wrong thing.
The door to the reception hall was pushed open.
Shun was still seated in the main position, holding a document. Seeing Yakumo enter, he put down the document and smiled gently. "Yakumo, have a seat."
Yakumo walked stiffly to the chair and sat down, her hands clasped tightly on her knees, her fingertips clutching her skirt.
She didn't even dare to lift her head, only responding in a low voice, "Tha... thank you, Shun-sama."
She could clearly feel his gaze on her, and her cheeks instantly flushed, her heart beating a little faster.
Shun looked at her nervous expression, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes.
Because he possessed the ability to read minds, the moment Yakumo walked in, all her subtle thoughts were clearly presented before him.
Her admiration for him, the shyness of her secret crush, the anxiety of being afraid of making mistakes, and the desire to become excellent.
He didn't immediately bring up work. Instead, he softly asked, "Yakumo, why do you want to be my secretary?"
Yakumo's body stiffened slightly upon hearing the question.
She looked up, meeting Shun's gentle gaze. The answers she had rehearsed countless times in her heart now couldn't be uttered.
She opened her mouth, eventually only saying in a low voice, "I... I want to help you with your affairs, and I also want... to become more excellent."
She didn't dare to confess her secret admiration, afraid of being rejected, and even more afraid of losing even the chance to get close.
Shun watched the evasion and unease in her eyes, slowly stood up, and walked to her.
Yakumo instinctively tried to stand up but was gently pressed down on the shoulder by Shun. He leaned down and gently embraced her.
Yakumo stiffened all over, her mind instantly going blank. She could only feel his warm palm gently resting on her back. Immediately after, a soft kiss landed on her forehead.
Shun's voice rang in her ear. "Yakumo, I know your feelings."
Yakumo's eyes widened suddenly, instantly welling up with tears.
She wanted to explain, but he rudely interrupted her, "Yakumo, don't be nervous, and don't be afraid. I hope you can have more confidence in yourself. You are very excellent, your genjutsu talent and document processing ability are sufficient to handle the secretary's work."
He released his embrace, looked at Yakumo's reddened eyes, and gently wiped away her tears.
"I've already seen your resume and understood your experience in assisting your clan with their affairs. For the next few days, you will also intern at the Political Affairs Office, assisting the staff with Ino. I will observe your performance."
Yakumo stared blankly at Shun, taking a while to fully understand what he had said.
She nodded vigorously, suppressing her complex emotions. "Tha... thank you, Shun-sama. I will definitely do my best and not let down your trust."
So, he knew all her feelings... So, he also recognized her abilities.
Seeing the light rekindle in her eyes, Shun smiled and nodded. "Go, Ino should still be at the Political Affairs Office. You can learn and improve together."
Yakumo bowed again, then turned and walked out of the reception hall.
She touched the lingering warmth on her forehead, a sweet smile secretly forming on her lips. This feeling of being hugged and kissed by the person she liked was wonderful.
She hurried towards the Political Affairs Office, already planning her work during the internship in her mind.
She wanted to work hard to become more excellent, not only to become a qualified secretary but also to let Shun see that she was worthy of being liked.
In the main hall, Shun's lips curved into a gentle smile as he watched Yakumo's retreating figure.
Being liked by a pure young girl, and the pure, persistent affection in her heart, gave him an inexplicable sense of pride.
Perhaps, with a little encouragement, she could... blossom with unexpected brilliance.
In the Political Affairs Office, Ino saw Yakumo approaching and immediately greeted her with a joyful laugh. "Yakumo, you were summoned too? How was it, did Shun-sama praise you?"
Yakumo's cheeks flushed, and she smiled and nodded. "Hmm. Shun-sama also told me to intern, so we can work together."
Ino secretly leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Yakumo, I already guessed it. You'd definitely succeed too, after all, Shun-sama is famously lecherous. With beautiful women like you and me sent to him, how could he not be tempted?"
Hearing Ino's bold and explicit words, Yakumo immediately recalled the scene of Shun hugging her and kissing her forehead, and her cheeks instantly flushed slightly.
Seeing her change, Ino was a little surprised. "That guy didn't make a move on you, did he?"