"My other self, I think we're really done for this time..."
"Don't say such discouraging things. It hasn't actually landed yet. We definitely still have a chance to survive."
"But you've given up running too... haven't you?"
"Hmph! It's not a loss if we die together anyway."
Watching the approaching meteor, Black and White Seele had already given up on escaping. They couldn't outrun the constantly accelerating, ever-nearing meteor.
The two of them simply lay down hand in hand, quietly watching the meteor in the sky grow closer and larger.
Seele turned her head to look at the somewhat nervous Dark Seele. Her other self's hand was trembling slightly. Perhaps she was also afraid of death's arrival?
But before she died, Seele wanted to properly apologize to Dark Seele.
"Um... my other self... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been angry with you before. I actually understood long ago that you were just trying to get my attention... but that's not the right way to do it!"
"Hmph, are you telling me to be more careful in my next life?"
"No! That's not it... I mean..."
"Hmph! If Seele isn't around in my next life, I wouldn't bother trying to get anyone's attention!"
Dark Seele snorted coldly. In her last life, this life, and the next, she would always, always like Seele the most!
Without Seele, she wouldn't want to bother with anyone, let alone clumsily use crude pranks to attract someone's attention like an idiot.
"My other self, don't always be 'hmph, hmph, hmph-ing'. It's not good. Mama Cocolia said it's a type of bad habit."
"Hmph? Hmph! Hmph!" Dark Seele snorted three times in defiance. She would do what White Seele told her to do, and she would especially do what White Seele told her not to do!
Speaking of Mama Cocolia reminded Dark Seele of how Seele used to always talk about Big Sis Bronya. Thinking of her big sister brought to mind Brother Ryn, who was willing to pause a Bubble Universe and offer up a world to celebrate their birthday.
Sigh, just mentioning them made her feel a "tiny bit" of longing for them.
Hmph, just a tiny bit, definitely not a lot!
Dark Seele stubbornly denied that she would think of Ryn before she died, but deep down, she still had a tiny fantasy that Ryn would appear like before, perform some miracle, and give them a surprise.
No, no, why am I thinking about them now! I'm about to die. I have to tell Seele my feelings before I die.
"Seele, where's your Brother Ryn? Where's your Big Sis Bronya? In the end, at the final moment of your life, I'm still the only one by your side."
Dark Seele smiled proudly, holding Seele's hand even tighter. With her other self, with Seele by her side, it was as if even death couldn't make her afraid. Her trembling body stopped shaking.
Dark Seele began to speak in a halting, hesitant manner, "Seele... actually... I..."
"Actually, just like Dark Seele, I really miss Brother Ryn and Big Sis Bronya, too! So please don't be shy. At a time like this, you should open up your heart and say what's on your mind!"
Seele smiled and finished Dark Seele's sentence.
She understood her other self very well. Her tsundere self was definitely using a sarcastic tone to suppress her own longing for Ryn and the others, and changing the subject to herself to avoid admitting she thought of Ryn before she died.
"That's not it! Seele, that's not what I meant... It's... it's..."
Dark Seele quickly denied Seele's misunderstanding, wanting to say that in her heart, Seele was the most important person to her, that she liked Seele the most.
But when the words reached her lips, she couldn't say them... Because if she took the initiative to say such a thing, wouldn't it be embarrassing? Would Seele think she was a frivolous person?
Ah! This is so frustrating.
Finally, Dark Seele turned her head away, pouted, and shouted angrily:
"Hmph! Idiot Seele, believe whatever you want!"
Dark Seele was now fuming. In her own inner world, she was already spinning in circles and stomping her feet in anger.
Seele gently reached out her hand towards Dark Seele, grabbed her hands, and pulled her closer.
As Dark Seele was pulled over with force and was about to angrily ask what Seele was doing, Seele touched her forehead to hers and spoke softly but firmly:
"Actually, just like Dark Seele... I get shy too..."
"Shy about what?"
"Shy about saying..." Seele paused, then looked up at Dark Seele's confused yet slightly expectant eyes. Seele's eyes curved into beautiful crescents, revealing her unique gentle and beautiful smile.
"Shy about saying... that I like you the very, very most too!"
"Mmph..."
Dark Seele's face immediately turned red with embarrassment. Not just her face, her whole body turned bright red, and steam even started to rise from her head as if her brain was overloaded.
"My other self, you're so cute when you're shy too!" Seele said with a happy smile, carefully observing Dark Seele's current appearance, wanting to imprint this beautiful scene deep in her mind.
"I... I also really, really... really like Seele!"
Dark Seele was completely dazed by Seele's direct confession and couldn't quite hear what Seele was saying anymore.
"Mhm, I like my other self the most, Brother Ryn second, Big Sis Bronya third, Mama Cocolia fourth, and fifth..."
Seele leaned against Dark Seele, watching the approaching meteor and listing the people who occupied her heart.
The light and heat of the meteor shone on the two Seeles' faces, making them flush red, and they could no longer keep their eyes open. The unbearable heat and the intensifying, painful burning sensation made their whole bodies feel extremely uncomfortable and pained.
But both White Seele and Dark Seele were very strong and didn't cry out in pain or discomfort once. The two little figures, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, smiled together as they faced the approaching meteor, welcoming death's arrival together.
Boom—
The meteor landed, and a giant mushroom cloud rose from the explosion on the surface.
The dust that was kicked up spread out, completely blocking the walls of the Bubble Universe and shutting out the light from the Sea of Quanta.
In the darkness, Seele, who had been clenching her teeth with her eyes shut tight, suddenly opened them.
It was pitch black all around; she couldn't see anything. Her other self, who had been beside her, was also gone...
"Am I... dead?"
"But... why doesn't it hurt at all."
Seele felt her own body. Nothing was missing, and there were no wounds.
Perhaps I died too quickly, so I didn't feel anything...
So, am I in the underworld now?
Then... where is my other self?