The cozy warmth of the lounge was alive with the sound of chatter as Fie, Laura, Alisa, and Emma relaxed on the couches. A fire crackled softly in the hearth, lending a comforting glow to the room as the girls shared stories of their recent adventures and experiences. Alisa had been animatedly recounting something she and Rean had done recently, gesturing enthusiastically as she spoke.

"So, then Rean and I—" Alisa began, but Fie, leaning lazily against Laura's side, cut in with a sly look.

"How are things going with you and Rean, anyway?" Fie asked, her tone light but unmistakably teasing.

Alisa froze mid-gesture. "W-What do you mean by that?" she stammered.

Fie raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "I mean… you like Rean, don't you?" she said matter-of-factly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Alisa's cheeks went crimson, and she nearly jumped out of her seat. "W-Who said that?!" she exclaimed, her voice high-pitched in panic.

Fie glanced around the room, confused. "Uh, nobody had to say it. It's written all over your face whenever he's around. Isn't it obvious?" She looked at Emma and Laura for backup.

Emma giggled softly behind her hand, and Laura nodded with her usual calm composure. "I must admit, I've noticed as well," Laura said, her voice gentle but teasing.

"You guys!" Alisa groaned, burying her face in her hands. "It's not like that, okay? Geez…"

Fie smirked. "If you say so," she said.

Alisa peeked out from behind her hands, still blushing furiously. "Well, I mean… it's not impossible or anything," she muttered, her voice quiet now. "But you know how Rean is. He's so dense when it comes to…stuff like this. The mysteries of a young maiden's heart… and the battlefield called love…"

"Mm-hmm," Fie said with a knowing nod.

Emma let out another soft laugh. "That's true," she said. "Rean does tend to miss those kinds of things."

Laura inclined her head slightly, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "Once again, I am inclined to agree."

Alisa sighed, throwing her hands in the air. "See? I mean, I've tried everything. I throw hints at him all the time, but he just doesn't seem to pick up on them. What am I supposed to do?"

Fie shrugged casually. "Well, how it went with Laura and me was… we just kind of started doing stuff together. Flirting a bit here and there, dropping hints, wondering if the other person was feeling the same way. And then, boom. Confession. Mutual escalation."

Laura smiled softly. "Yes, in our case, it was a shared development over time. But perhaps, Alisa, you'll need to take a more direct approach. Rean may require that level of clarity."

Emma nodded in agreement. "I do think Rean likes you back, he just doesn't know how to show it yet."

"Wait, really?" Alisa asked, her eyes lighting up with cautious hope.

The other three nodded unanimously. Alisa's blush deepened, but this time she smiled. "Thanks, guys. I mean it."

There was a brief pause, and then Fie leaned forward with a sly grin. "But wait a second… I thought it wasn't like that, though?"

Alisa blinked, her expression blank for a moment as the realization hit her. "I—! You—! Ugh, you're impossible!" she said, grabbing a pillow and playfully throwing it at Fie, who caught it effortlessly, laughing.

Laura and Emma joined in with warm laughter as Alisa huffed and crossed her arms, though the smile she couldn't quite suppress betrayed her true feelings.