In the night after the lights went out.
The two people, one sleeping on the bed and the other on a makeshift bed, both looked at the same ceiling.
But, not long after.
The slight creaking sound of loose wood was heard.
Rudolph remembered where that sound came from.
It was the sound of the ladder she had bought from a flea market because she didn't have money for good furniture.
"Shizen?"
She received no response, which made Rudolph think that the other party might have just gone to the restroom or something.
But the next second, a corner of the quilt covering Rudolph was lifted.
Then, a body, slightly cooler than her own body temperature from having left the bed, slipped in.
"Shizen?"
She called the other party's name once more.
"Don't talk."
A slightly muffled voice came from beside her, and at the same time, Rudolph felt her hand being held by the other party.
Then, a slight tremor came.
Rudolph understood that this was not due to cold, because the lowest temperature on Okinawa Island was above twenty degrees Celsius, so Tokai Nature wouldn't be shivering from cold.
Then it must be for another reason… Thinking this, Rudolph turned her head at the same time.
But she only saw Tokai Nature with only her hair and a pair of ears showing from beneath the quilt.
Tokai Nature, with no part of her face showing, left Rudolph unsure of what to say.
But after only a brief thought, Rudolph Symboli had already found the answer.
Tokai Nature was scared… Although during the day, she had acted very normally.
She even seemed more like a normal person than Rudolph herself.
But when she was alone at night, she would remember her past life spent alone in an uninhabited environment.
So, realizing this, Rudolph withdrew her hand from Tokai Nature's embrace.
Then she turned slightly to her side.
She hugged the other party again.
Her head rested close to the other party's ear.
At this distance where their breaths could be felt by each other.
"I won't leave."
The words left her mouth and, after a short distance, were conveyed to Tokai Nature.
"…Mm."
Tokai Nature, whose head was also buried in the blanket, still had a muffled voice, but her body was no longer trembling.
And this response made Rudolph speak again: "Sleep. I'll still be by your side when you wake up tomorrow morning."
This time, Tokai Nature did not respond.
She just gradually quieted down.
Rudolph Symboli, receiving no response, also said nothing more; she simply held the other party in a way that the other party could feel her presence without being held too tightly.
Subsequently, the two fell silent.
Waking up the next day, Tokai Nature, who had slept soundly for the first time since regaining her body, saw Rudolph Symboli still with her eyes open.
"Ah…" Looking at the way the other party was looking at her, Tokai Nature let out a sound she almost never made, filled with unusual embarrassment.
"Are you awake?"
But, Rudolph still responded earnestly.
Listening to the other party's response, Tokai Nature was silent for a few seconds before speaking: "You didn't sleep, did you…?"
For once,
Tokai Nature's words carried a hint of apology.
Hearing these words, Rudolph merely shook her head slightly, then sat up directly: "Get up, let's go. Shall we wander around nearby?"
"…No, you're definitely tricking me."
Saying this, Tokai Nature placed both hands on Rudolph's shoulders.
The force Tokai Nature used wasn't great, but Rudolph still complied with the other party's wishes, gently lying back down.
Looking at Rudolph, who she had pressed onto the bed, Tokai Nature stood up again: "I'll go prepare breakfast, Luna. You rest first."
Having said that, Tokai Nature turned around and opened the door.
But… one second later, she closed the door again.
Rudolph had wanted to remind her just now that she wasn't wearing any clothes.
But seeing that the other party realized the problem, Rudolph didn't intend to say anything.
She just watched Tokai Nature hastily put her clothes back on, then scurried out of the apartment again.
After Tokai Nature left, the sleepiness from a sleepless night gradually came over her.
This perfectly timed drowsiness made Rudolph almost fall asleep with just a blink of an eye.
But she still had one thing to do.
The last thing… Taking out her phone again, Rudolph Symboli saw a message from her superior.
She knew why the other party was contacting her; after all, her work ability was strong, and she was never absent during work hours, but now… Recalling what Tokai Nature wanted her to do, Rudolph simply dialed her superior's number, and then,
She resigned.
She couldn't stay here anymore.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Walking slowly along the road, Tokai Nature looked at the distant sky, but her mind was still replaying what had happened last night.
"Ah, I need to apologize when I go back later."
Saying this, Tokai Nature's steps paused for a moment.
She suddenly realized that she seemed to have walked to the cherry blossom street she had passed yesterday.
Looking at the pale pink street in her view, Tokai Nature stopped.
She stopped completely.
She knew that no matter how well she got along with Rudolph during this time.
In reality, afterward… Thinking of this, Tokai Nature just reached out and caught a cherry blossom petal that seemed to have been blown off by the wind.
She looked at the cherry blossom petal in her hand, her expression gradually turning to one of loss… She knew she would be leaving soon, and then it would be between Tokai and Rudolph.
She could only watch or simply disappear.
As for more… The hand holding the cherry blossom petal tilted slightly.
The petal in her hand gradually slipped from her palm.
Since there might not be another chance to appear later, she should help Tokai as much as possible now.
Thinking this, Tokai Nature withdrew her gaze from the cherry blossom tree.
She looked straight ahead.
Then she took a step.
She still had to prepare breakfast for Rudolph.
With this thought, Tokai Nature went to the 24-hour convenience store, then quickly bought breakfast ingredients and immediately returned to the apartment.
After opening the apartment door again, Tokai Nature saw Rudolph still lying on the bed.
Seeing the other party's quiet appearance, Tokai Nature simply walked to her side, and then she confirmed that Rudolph was asleep.
Looking at Rudolph's sleeping face, Tokai Nature merely squatted down slightly.
She poked the other party's face with her finger:
"Ah, ah, you really were tricking me, weren't you~"
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