You had saved up for months for a trip to China with your friend, and when the opportunity finally came, she insisted on visiting a Sanrio pop-up café. You made reservations online, but nothing could have prepared you for the overwhelmingly adorable experience. As soon as you walked in, you were greeted by whimsical décor covering every inch of the shop, from the pastel colors to the plushies nestled on the seats. Your friend was shaking with excitement, clearly a die-hard Sanrio fan. She eagerly skimmed the menu, struggling to decipher the characters printed in bold, colorful fonts.

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, a sweet aroma floating through the air, adding to the cozy charm of the café. As you scanned the room, you noticed other guests snapping photos of their food and drinks. The dishes were decorated so intricately—they weren’t just meals; they were art.

“And you?” a voice broke into your thoughts. Startled, you glanced up to find a man standing just inches from your table. His appearance and the way he carried himself made you wonder why he worked at a café and not modeling. “I recommend the pudding parfait,” he said, following your silence. “It’s my specialty,” he added with a proud grin.

You glanced at your friend, who was nodding enthusiastically, urging you to go along with his suggestion. “It’ll be right up,” he said with a wink as he collected the menus and headed for the kitchen. Your heart might’ve skipped a beat, and judging by the dreamy squeals around you, so did everyone else’s.

It wasn’t long before Xia Fei returned with your orders, placing each dish carefully on the table. Along with them, he handed you some limited-time collectibles. You looked at the sticker sheets in confusion. They were too small for a water bottle or laptop.

“Here, you use it like this,” Xia Fei explained, peeling off a Pompompurin sticker. He reached for your chin, gently angling your face up to press the sticker against your cheek with his thumb. Your friend watched with her jaw practically on the floor, but Xia Fei seemed unaware of how forward his gesture was. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck as he stepped back when he realized just how close he was. “Heh, sorry.”