Though Elfman was uneasy, he ultimately trusted Jehfrit.
After calming down and reflecting, he firmly believed that Evergreen's love for him wasn't just because he was easy to push around. If she truly loved him, she might get angry, but she wouldn't actually leave him.
And if this incident really caused her to reject him completely and break up...
Perhaps...
Elfman thought back to the past few days. Though they'd been sweet, there were moments when he hadn't fully agreed with her.
He aimed to become stronger as a man, always suppressing his own personality.
Evergreen treated him well, but... he felt he contributed more than she did.
Jehfrit was right. After cooling off, Elfman realized this imbalance couldn't continue!
First step: Go find her.
Knowing Evergreen's temperament, she would definitely scold him!
As expected, when he went to see her while she was still fuming, she shut him out completely, refusing to even open the door.
Elfman didn't say a word. He stood at the door for a long time.
Inside, Evergreen sat in the living room, picking up a book but unable to focus. Every now and then, she glanced toward the door where Elfman silently stood.
Her heart tightened. She wanted to go out, but... she couldn't bring herself to let go of her pride.
She had just yelled at Elfman—how could she now swallow her pride and invite him in?
By evening...
Elfman took a deep breath.
He hoped Jehfrit was wrong, but...
He turned and walked away.
"El…" Seeing this, Evergreen panicked, instinctively standing up. But after uttering two syllables, she stopped herself, sitting back down with a thud.
"You idiot, why didn't you just barge in? With your size, couldn't you…"
She trailed off.
She had read some novels where, during arguments, the male protagonists would forcefully confront the female leads, leading to reconciliation—and usually a steamy kiss. The girl would start by clawing at his back, hitting him, only to eventually surrender into an embrace.
But obviously, Elfman was a straightforward guy—he wouldn't think of such tactics.
Elfman returned home feeling somewhat downcast.
"Elfman," Laxus called out to him.
Elfman looked over, momentarily confused about who Lisanna's real brother was.
Laxus and Lisanna were eating in the shop. Lisanna rolled up the straw wrapper and blew it at Laxus's face.
Proud as he was, Laxus ignored it—completely numb to such antics.
From little Lisanna to Emily, and now grown-up Lisanna, Laxus couldn't understand why they dared to "step on his nose" despite his intimidating demeanor. Yet, he wasn't truly angry—more exasperated and resigned.
Lisanna sipped her milk tea and said, "Elfman-nii, don't worry. Evergreen-nee really likes you a lot. In private, she always tells Lucy and the others how amazing you are. When looking for a man, she says you're the type. Natsu and Gray? Forget it."
Lisanna elaborated: "Laxus is too proud—it's hard to feel romance with him."
Laxus: "…."
"Natsu's too impulsive. Look how hard Lucy has to work."
"Gray's a tsundere, but once you break through, it's bliss. Juvia needs to keep trying. High difficulty at first, but worth it later."
"Jehfrit's a Virgo—his personality is so troublesome! A perfectionist plus lazy. Always talking about the 'right time' and 'right place,' but when is anything ever perfectly timed or placed? Waiting like that will leave him single forever. Laziness is his biggest flaw. Since Mira treats him so kindly without reason, he's content staying in his comfort zone, unwilling to move forward."
"Evergreen said: Who wants a platonic relationship? Romance should be passionate! No hand-holding, no kissing, no enjoying the perks of being with a girl? That's wasting the prime of youth and beauty!"
Elfman: "…."
He wanted to comment: Do girls really talk about these things among themselves? He and Jehfrit mostly talked about robots, fishing, marbles, spinning tops… and whether high ponytails or low ponytails were better.
Wait, Evergreen said all that about him, yet all she's done is hold his hand?
"…" Laxus looked at Lisanna, equally speechless.
Lisanna seemed to know a lot. Was she no longer just a little sister in his eyes?
Laxus had always thought of Lisanna as young and innocent, but now, hearing her "bold words," he realized this girl—who he thought was still so young—was already discussing love and men with girls like Evergreen and Lucy.
Come to think of it, she was 17 years old now.
Wait!
Lisanna was the same age as Lucy!
Despite spending so much time together, Laxus only just realized this now!
He looked at Lisanna with new eyes.
At that moment, the image of the annoying little brat vanished from his mind. Sitting before him was someone whose posture wasn't entirely proper, leaning forward with her chest pressed against the table—slightly deformed.
She played with a straw, her rosy lips chatting casually about dating and men, looking completely at ease—as if she were a seasoned player in romance. Or rather, like Jehfrit, confidently spouting theories despite zero practical experience.
"Laxus-nii…" Lisanna suddenly turned to him, smiling. She tilted her body slightly, resting her chin on her palm with a faint smile.
In Laxus's eyes, she suddenly radiated a different kind of charm.
Lisanna chuckled, "What Evergreen said makes sense. So… you need to fix your bad attitude. Only then will girls come close."
"Hmph." Laxus snorted. "No need to change. Girls already come close to me."
Change just to attract girls?
To Laxus, that sounded like saying: You must grovel to find love.
Hah. For him, getting into a relationship was simple—a nod, and women would flock to him.
Though he hated to admit it, Jehfrit was the same way. So, Lisanna's judgment was flawed!
"Sigh…" Lisanna sighed dramatically and stomped hard on Laxus's foot.
After this little interlude, Lisanna turned back to Elfman. "But for you, Evergreen says you're her top choice."
"So… if it's just a small conflict, don't be afraid."
"Evergreen-nee cares about you more than you think. Just because she sounds confident doesn't mean she knows how to handle relationships. It's her first time too—you know?"
Elfman fell silent, feeling slightly reassured.
"It was Jehfrit-nii causing trouble, right?" Lisanna said knowingly.
"Yeah." Elfman nodded.
"My advice is, sure, Jehfrit-nii is smart, but don't blindly follow an outsider's advice. After all, you're the one with actual experience. He hasn't even held a girl's hand!"
"But…"
Lisanna continued, "That said, I do support your plan."
"Even though Evergreen-nee and I are close…" Lisanna frowned slightly, "you're my brother. I don't want to see you stressing over trivial matters. Dating shouldn't be this exhausting."
"Yeah." Elfman nodded, then suddenly realized: "Wait, you know our plan? Did Jehfrit tell you?!"
This plan was something Jehfrit had whispered to him telepathically—only the two of them knew. If he hadn't told anyone, that meant Jehfrit must have spilled the beans.
"Oh please." Lisanna smirked dismissively. "Only Evergreen-nee is blind to it. To us bystanders, your little schemes are crystal clear!"
"???" Laxus looked at Lisanna. He was also a bystander—why didn't he see any of this?
Seeing Laxus's expression, Lisanna laughed. "By 'us,' I mean us girls—not the idiots in the guild, from you to Jehfrit-nii to Natsu and Gray. All blind fools."
Laxus: "…."
Lisanna returned to the topic: "Don't tell anyone, but Bisca privately is even more of a theoretical expert than Evergreen-nee. As for practice…"
Bisca and Alzack in the guild were a pair of mutual lovers—deeply fond of each other but refusing to confess.
In private tea parties, Levy shared various dating tips, only to be harshly countered by Bisca and Evergreen.
Evergreen said: The key is good judgment. Picking a man is like choosing fruit—big on the outside doesn't mean tasty on the inside. If it's not good, switch! The priority is to taste first!
But in reality, Evergreen—who secretly wanted to take things further with Elfman—always acted aloof. And Elfman, being honest, wouldn't understand unless she spelled it out.
Bisca said: Astrology and dating theories are scams for little girls. Real romance is about long-term companionship and mutual effort. Confession is the flag of victory, not the starting gun.
But in reality, Bisca missed Valentine's Day year after year…
So… they were all theory experts!
The hallmark of a theory expert? They sound brilliant critiquing others but turn into clueless amateurs when it's their turn.
Evergreen was a prime example.
Privately praising Elfman's personality, physique, and claiming his pecs gave her a sense of security—but never once leaning on him.
"…" Both Elfman and Laxus were silent, feeling as if their perception of Lisanna and the others had been completely refreshed.
"And," Lisanna added smugly, "there's the ultimate big boss—Mira-nee."
"She's the one who sees everything most clearly."
"Of course, 'we' exclude Erza-nee. She'll just gasp, 'Eh? Why?!' Then munch on snacks and devour cakes without an ounce of feminine insight!"
"…" Elfman, Laxus.
"In short…" Lisanna raised her straw, now empty of water, and aimed it at Laxus, blowing air.
"Whoosh—"
Laxus's hair fluttered from the gust. Ignoring the vein throbbing on his forehead, Lisanna continued, "Mira-nee said: Staying like this isn't bad for now, but when you feel it's not working, stop according to your heart. Jehfrit doesn't understand you—or at least, he doesn't understand Evergreen like you do."
"I see." Elfman nodded.
"Elfman." Laxus finally spoke. "Here."
He handed over two tickets.
"Eh?" Lisanna exclaimed. "Laxus-nii has finally wised up!"
"Hmph." Laxus snorted.
Elfman took them and looked closely: Tickets to Paradise Inn!
"After making up, go have some fun," Laxus said.
"Thanks, Laxus." Elfman nodded and left.
"Laxus-nii…" Lisanna pouted, looking aggrieved. "I've never been to Paradise Inn."
"…"
"I've never been to Paradise Inn!" Lisanna repeated, raising her voice this time.
"…"
"Hmph!"
Seeing Laxus remain silent, Lisanna huffed angrily, pursed her lips, and slumped onto the table, sulking.
"After the S-Class exam ends, we'll go," Laxus said helplessly.
"Just the two of us?" Lisanna looked up.
"If you want."
"Then tomorrow, come with me to buy swimsuits!"
"…" Laxus sighed. "You can handle that yourself—or ask Mira-nee and the others. I'm not suitable for that."
"Sigh…" Lisanna lamented dramatically. "If I told anyone, they wouldn't believe it. Two people planning a beach trip, and the guy says, 'You go alone—I won't join.'" Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
"…" After a long silence, Laxus finally relented. "Fine."
"Acting so reluctant…" Lisanna complained. "Letting you watch teenage swimsuit shows, and you're not even happy. If it were Jehfrit-nii, he'd agree in a heartbeat."
Laxus: "…."
---
A night passed.
Evergreen hadn't slept well.
In the early hours, she forced herself to sleep one last time, only to dream of Elfman decisively breaking up with her. His face filled with disappointment, he said, "Let's break up, Evergreen. Your personality is too domineering—I can't handle it anymore." Then he walked away resolutely, leaving her shouting, "No!" She woke up drenched in sweat.
Calmly reassuring herself, she thought, "Impossible. That idiot wouldn't do something like that."
Glancing out the window, she saw the sky was already bright. Expectantly, she muttered, "That idiot should already be waiting outside for me!"
Without bothering to put on shoes, Evergreen hurried downstairs, only to remember that part of the living room—including the stairs—was visible from the window.
She couldn't let him see her running barefoot, as if she were desperate!
It was all Elfman's fault! Sure, if no one had given him bad ideas, he'd never have said those words!
Most likely, it was Jehfrit!
That twisted psycho just wanted to watch the show!
Jehfrit was the mastermind, but Elfman's blind trust in him made her look foolish. He was wrong too!
Especially since... he shouldn't have used cheesy pick-up lines on her to achieve his goal!
Evergreen turned back to her room, got dressed, and slowly descended the stairs.
Out of the corner of her eye, she kept glancing outside.
"Where is he?"
Yesterday, Elfman had stood right by the door.
Based on her understanding of him, this was exactly the kind of dumb self-punishment tactic he'd come up with.
But Elfman hadn't come?
Evergreen quickly grabbed a bag of trash and pretended to take it out.
But after searching around, Elfman was nowhere to be found!
*Bang*
She angrily tossed the trash bag on the ground and stormed back inside, slamming the door behind her.