"Eh? Eh?"
Mei was still immersed in her twilight melancholy when her best friend suddenly did something completely unexpected.
It was so abrupt.
Ye Feng had to hand it to Kiana. You don't just open with a move like that.
Well, what's done is done. Might as well record this.
At this moment, Mei's head was completely buzzing.
"...Kiana... what are you doing? Quick, get up."
Mei tried to help Kiana up, but the little bug was rooted to the spot as if by a thousand-pound weight, kneeling motionless.
"No! If Mei doesn't agree, I'm not getting up."
"Alright, alright, I agree. Just get up quickly."
"Really?"
Kiana took a pen and paper from her pocket, held them out, and mimicked Ye Feng's earlier demeanor.
"Put it in writing."
"..."
Wait, Kiana, you...
Mei looked at Kiana's pitiful, teary-eyed expression and couldn't bear it. Without even looking at the contents, she quickly wrote her name.
"There. Can you get up now?"
"Wuwuwu!! Mei, you're too good to me!"
Kiana launched herself at Mei, rubbing her cheek against Mei's.
"Don't, don't do that... Kiana... hehe, that tickles..."
Mei offered only token resistance.
After all, she didn't know what was wrong with Kiana. Having finally calmed her down, she was worried that pushing her away would just make her kneel down again.
It was quite frightening.
"Kiana, don't take this opportunity to take advantage of Mei."
Ye Feng appeared, grabbing Kiana by the back of her collar and lifting her away like a little chick.
"....Feng-kun?"
"Hi, Mei. A new day begins with a beautiful encounter."
Ye Feng gave a little wave.
A flash of joy appeared in Mei's eyes, then she flinched away slightly before looking at Kiana, who was still being held by Ye Feng. Her gaze slowly lowered.
Did Feng-kun come here with Kiana?
"What's wrong? You look a little listless."
Mei turned her head away, a knot forming in her chest. "...It's, it's nothing."
Ye Feng tossed Kiana to the side. "Mei, have you ever seen the anime Kimi ni Todoke?"
"...No."
"It's about how, when pure girls in the Far East fall in love, they never say the important things out loud. You can't solve problems by running away from them, you know. Look, Kiana has already tried so hard."
"...Wh-what?"
Mei's gaze shifted to Kiana, who was now W-sitting on the floor, looking at her with an imploring gaze.
Mei instantly realized something was wrong and frantically looked down at the "written statement."
[Raiden Mei agrees to become Ye Feng's girlfriend along with Kiana.]
"??"
Mei's already confused little head didn't just crash, it completely short-circuited.
"Mei, you put it in writing, so you can't go back on your word..." Kiana said cautiously.
"Huh?"
Wait.
What is happening right now?
Who am I?
Where am I?
Kiana said, "Anyway, you're not allowed to run away by yourself..."
"Run away?"
Who?
Run away to where?
Why?
"No, that's not it... Kiana, I..."
Mei wanted to say that Kiana was here first, that she herself was the third party, and she wanted to ask for Kiana's forgiveness.
But seeing the dizzying content of the "written statement," Mei felt that saying any of that would be pointless.
So Kiana knew all along.
She was always thinking of me.
And yet I was always clinging to Feng-kun...
At that moment, Ye Feng walked up. "Mei, I like you," he said, and then kissed the still-bewildered Mei.
"?"
"??"
Mei's eyes shot open, and she froze on the spot.
Kiana was also stunned.
This development didn't seem quite right.
Wait, is this dog Ye Feng making out with her right in front of me?
Mei was dazed for a moment before she started to struggle.
If this were before, she would have certainly sunk into the tender trap woven by Ye Feng.
But at this moment, she didn't want to hurt Kiana anymore.
Just how much heartache did Kiana have to endure to bring Feng-kun to me... How could I, how could I possibly—
「Kiana, grab Mei from behind.」
Ye Feng communicated with her telepathically.
「Huh?」
「What 'huh'? Now is not the time to hesitate.」
Hesitation is defeat.
Kiana watched Mei struggling in Ye Feng's arms and assumed she was rejecting her proposal.
Otherwise, why would she resist Ye Feng's kiss?
If she agreed to the three of us being together, there'd be no need to struggle, right?
In that instant, Kiana's mind raced through a disastrous chain of events: Mei rejects the three of us being together → things will be awkward between us from now on → Mei will drift away from me → Mei will leave me.
I don't want something like that!
A future without Mei is not the future I want!
This has to work! Otherwise, watashi...
Kiana quickly moved behind Mei, threaded her hands under Mei's armpits, grabbed her from behind, and hoisted her up. Mei's toes instantly lifted slightly off the ground.
"??"
With her cherry lips sealed by Ye Feng, Mei's eyes widened helplessly.
She could only scream internally: Kiana, what are you doing?!
"Mei, it's a promise. We'll always be together," Kiana whispered, her lips close to the girl's ear.
"Mmph, mm..."
Ye Feng's head pushed down, causing both Mei and Kiana to lean backward simultaneously.
Ye Feng's momentum was heavy. He didn't stop until their upper bodies were parallel to the ground.
In this position, Mei was completely pressed on top of Kiana.
"Chong Chong's core strength is amazing."
Ye Feng pulled away from Mei's lips, looking at their current posture.
Not only had the little bug leaned back until she was parallel to the ground, but she also had Mei pressing down on her and still hadn't collapsed.
Kiana was bent back a full ninety degrees, strenuously supporting Mei, who was pressed against her, her long, black-stockinged legs dangling in the air.
The two of them worked together, struggling to find their balance.
「Dog Ye Feng, don't just stand there watching! I can't hold on much longer!」
"Oh, I'm coming."
Ye Feng spoke aloud, clearly intending for both of them to hear.
He grabbed Mei's ankle.
Squelch~
"Ah, Feng-kun~~ Mmmph....."
Kiana: "...?" , "—!!!"
---o---
In the waters surrounding St. Freya High School.
"What? Danzhu, you went to that world again!" Cangxuan exclaimed in shock.
"Sister, why are you shouting so loudly?" Danzhu tried to pick up a seashell from the beach, but her phantom hand passed right through it.
"Mmm... I guess we really are ghosts."
"Danzhu."
Cangxuan came up behind her, her expression serious. "Did you really go back to that world?"
"Yeah. And I met a really interesting person. We became good friends right away."
"Good friends?"
Cangxuan's gaze grew pensive. Could this have been arranged by Ye Feng?
What is he planning?
"Can you tell me more about this friend?"