"Buying it online is fine, right... It'll arrive tomorrow, that's not slow."
"But I want to go out~"
Kiana's voice twisted and turned through eighteen different pitches, sweet enough to make Bronya pull a face of pure, unadulterated disgust.
But Shu had to admit her tactics were highly effective.
He was silent for a second, then spoke, trying to persuade her with logic.
"Buying online is very convenient. You just have to move your fingers."
"I know."
"Buying online means you don't have to go out, don't have to socialize, and don't waste energy."
"I know that too."
"And it'll arrive tomorrow. It's just waiting one day."
"Mhm, mhm, I know this as well."
Kiana looked at him, her smile unchanging.
"But I want to go out."
You're completely impervious to logic, aren't you!
Kiana added another sentence: "Besides, you're the one who said it yesterday."
Shu froze.
"What did I say?"
Kiana's smile turned sly.
She cleared her throat and imitated Shu's tone:
"From today onwards, my food, clothing, and daily life will all be led by you."
Shu: "?"
You're slandering me!
"When did I ever say 'all be led by you'?"
"It means pretty much the same thing." Kiana waved her hand. "Anyway, you agreed!"
Shu fell silent.
He was starting to regret saying that yesterday, even though he had been helplessly humoring her the entire time.
See? As long as there's communication, a boomerang will inevitably come back to hit you.
Seeing his silence, Kiana grabbed Shu's arm and shook it, using her whole body weight.
"Shu~"
Her voice was cloyingly sweet and soft.
"Let's go out~"
Shu performed a tactical lean backward.
"Just once! Just this once!"
"We'll come right back after buying it!"
"I promise I won't make a fuss!"
"I promise I won't run around!"
"I promise—"
"Alright, alright."
Shu interrupted her.
He raised a hand and rubbed his temples.
Kiana immediately shut her mouth, just blinking her big eyes and looking at him eagerly.
Shu was silent for a full three seconds.
Then he sighed.
"What time are we going?"
Kiana's eyes instantly lit up.
"Now!"
"Now?!"
"Mhm, mhm, mhm!" Kiana nodded frantically. "Let's go now! Before the sun goes down!"
Shu instinctively looked out the window, but only saw the drawn curtains. So he looked down, turned on his phone, and checked the time.
9:30 AM...
The sun literally just came up not too long ago, okay?
He glared at Kiana again.
Oh, so the sun is right here.
The smile on Kiana's face was like a little sun—very warm, very radiant.
It seemed... going out... wasn't so... unbearable?
Even though he truly resisted it.
Resisted going out.
Resisted socializing.
Resisted talking to strangers.
Resisted all "unnecessary" trouble.
But seeing her so happy.
It seemed... it was worth it.
He sighed again.
"Alright... let's go out at noon after we've washed up."
"Yay!" Kiana cheered, throwing herself at him and giving him a vigorous shake.
"Shu is the best!"
Shu couldn't feel the softness of the hug at all; he was just being squeezed breathless by Kiana.
"Let—let go—I can't breathe—"
Kiana let go, looking at him with a wide grin.
"Then I'm going to take a shower right now!"
She scooped up the pile of clothes on the sofa and skipped toward the bathroom.
Halfway there, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Shu.
"Oh right, why don't you change your clothes too? Um... into that suit in your wardrobe, the one that looks just like this outfit."
So you even clearly saw what clothes were in my wardrobe?!
The clothes Kiana mentioned were also from the Time Sand Light Chaser series, just the suit version.
He had originally bought it for his collection and had never worn it.
Kiana tilted her head and looked at him.
"Are you not going to change?"
Shu looked down at his casual clothes.
Then he looked at the outfit in Kiana's hands.
"I..."
"Wear it, wear it!" Kiana started cheering him on. "It's a matching set! It'll look so good!"
Shu was silent.
Changing clothes isn't a big deal, but guess why I'm hesitating?
His face felt slightly hot.
Looking at his expression, Kiana burst into a pfft of laughter again.
"What are you thinking about!" She waved her hand. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to. Besides, you actually look good in whatever you wear!"
With that, she ducked into the bathroom and closed the door.
Look good in whatever I wear?
Wait... are you the one who's supposed to be saying that to me?
Thirty minutes later.
The two met at the door.
Kiana had already changed into the Time Sand Light Chaser long skirt. The size fit surprisingly well, perfectly highlighting her figure.
It was just that her hair was still wet, draped over her shoulders, making it look a bit mismatched with the outfit.
Seeing her eager appearance, Shu helplessly pointed at her hair.
Kiana looked down at her dripping hair ends.
"Oh, forgot."
Shu helplessly picked up the hairdryer and handed it to her.
Another five minutes passed.
She finally dried her hair and used a ribbon to tie her long white hair into a high ponytail.
As the ponytail took shape, Kiana's entire aura abruptly changed, becoming heroic and valiant.
The warm little sun instantly transformed into blazing, intense sunlight.
Shu had also changed his clothes.
A white dress shirt, a black suit jacket, and dress pants. He looked like a completely different person, standing tall and meticulous.
"Woah—"
Kiana, who had just made Shu feel she truly possessed the demeanor of a Valkyrie, ruined her image the moment she opened her mouth.
"Shu, you look like one of those... those... nobles?"
Ah, that's more familiar.
"Stop messing around," Shu said, the corner of his eye twitching.
"I'm not, I'm not!" Kiana circled around him. "It really looks good! Way better than the outfit from earlier!"
Shu felt a bit dizzy from her circling.
"Alright, alright, let's go."
He bent down to change his shoes.
Kiana also put on her small leather shoes—the pair Shu had set out for her the day before yesterday.
The two stood at the door.
Shu reached out to open the door.
Just as his hand touched the doorknob, he suddenly stopped.
He looked back at Kiana.
"Um..."
"Yeah?"
"After we go out..."
He paused.
"Make sure you stick close to me, don't run around."
"Got it~"
"Call me if you need anything."
"Got it~"
"Don't talk to strangers casually, let me handle it."
"Got it—"
Kiana dragged out the sound, looking at him with a smile.
"Shu, you're so naggy."
Shu fell silent for a long time. Then he looked at Kiana, took a deep breath, turned around, and opened the door.
Sunlight poured in from outside, warm... and suffocating.
This vast, empty world was full of blind spots everywhere. Shu's breathing grew somewhat heavy, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.
He wanted to go back... he regretted this.
The urge to turn around and flee was stronger than ever. Unstoppable panic and palpitations fed back into his body, making his hands tremble uncontrollably.
Shu tried to clench his hand into a fist to stop the physiological trembling, but as he closed his fingers, he felt warmth in his palm.
Shu froze and looked down at his hand.
Kiana had taken his hand. When Shu looked up in astonishment, Kiana was standing beside him, giving him the same smile as always.
She said—
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
I've always been here.