Kael's relaxed string showed no signs of tightening again; instead, it seemed to be developing more towards a kind of 'liberation of nature'.
Kael's commander's office, once synonymous with coldness, efficiency, and a sense of technology, had recently acquired some incongruous 'decorations'.
For example, in one corner of Kael's large desk sat a wobbly, obviously handmade white clay Haxxor Bunny, next to which was a test tube bottle filled with green liquid, containing a... bitter melon?
The label on it read: "Theresa's Special Refreshing Agent (Physical)".
Another example was how Theresa had secretly used her authority to draw a small, grinning Haxxor Bunny avatar in one corner of his electronic screen, originally used for marking strategic star maps, with a small line of text next to it: "Go Kael!"
Kael merely raised an eyebrow when he discovered it and didn't wipe it off; instead, whenever he looked at the star map, his lips would subtly curl upwards as his gaze swept over that corner.
That day, Theresa again snuck into the office, carrying a pile of strange and curious items.
"Kael, Kael! Look what I found!" She excitedly dumped a pile of colorful magnetic ceramic pieces onto the report Kael was reviewing.
Kael looked up from his document, somewhat bewildered, at the magnetic pieces imprinted with Haxxor Bunny, Haxxor Bunny (female version), and various strange symbols: "This is...?"
"New tactical simulation tools!" Theresa spouted nonsense with a straight face, then picked up the magnetic pieces and began slapping them onto the metal whiteboard nearby. "Look! This red Haxxor Bunny represents the Honkai Beast army! This blue Haxxor Bunny (female version) represents the Valkyrie squad! This green... uh... bitter melon represents the logistics supply line!"
She busied herself with great seriousness, and soon an abstract "battlefield situation map" appeared on the whiteboard.
Kael couldn't help but laugh as he looked at her earnest profile and the "simulation tools" that were clearly children's toys. He put down his pen, walked to the whiteboard, and cooperatively picked up a magnetic piece representing the "Captain," placing it in a particularly tricky position.
"Hmm... according to Chief of Staff Theresa's simulation, I believe a surprise force should be deployed here to strike directly at the heart," he said, pointing to the blank area behind the bitter melon magnetic piece, his expression serious as if discussing a real strategy.
Theresa's eyes lit up, and she immediately picked up a large golden magnetic piece representing "Oath of Judah," slamming it onto the spot Kael indicated: "Approved! General Theresa will personally lead the charge!"
The two discussed "tactics" like real strategists, facing the abstract drawing for a long time. In the end, Kael actually gained some inspiration from it and solved a small problem that had previously stumped him.
"It seems Chief of Staff Theresa is still somewhat useful," Kael said with a smile, ruffling her hair.
"Of course!" Theresa proudly lifted her chin, then seized the opportunity to firmly stick the chibi Kael magnetic piece and another chibi Theresa magnetic piece together in the very center of the whiteboard. "Strategic core! Never separate!"
Kael looked at the two small magnetic pieces pressed tightly together, his heart skipped a beat, and his ears felt warm, but he didn't move to separate them.
The headquarters observatory predicted a small meteor shower tonight.
Theresa pestered Kael relentlessly until she finally dragged him away from a pile of data reports and climbed to the highest observation deck of the Asgard.
The view here was excellent, far from the ground's lights; the deep night sky was like a giant velvet curtain, studded with brilliant diamonds.
The evening breeze was cool, and Theresa subconsciously rubbed her arms.
The next second, a jacket still warm with body heat was draped over her shoulders. It was Kael's usual uniform jacket.
Theresa's heart sweetened, and she snuggled into the jacket, which carried his scent, softly saying, "Thank you."
"Look over there, it seems to have started," Kael said, pointing to the horizon.
Sure enough, several silvery streaks cut across the night sky, fleeting in an instant.
"Wow! It's really here!" Theresa excitedly jumped up, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and began to make a wish.
Kael looked at her devout appearance and found it somewhat amusing: "It's just a meteor shower, making a wish so seriously?"
"Of course I have to be serious!" Theresa opened her eyes and said earnestly, "If you say your wish out loud, it won't come true!" She leaned closer to Kael, her eyes remarkably bright under the starlight.
Actually... her wish was — that for every meteor shower from now on, Kael would be there to watch it with her.
But how could she say it?
Kael looked at her face, so close, and her eyes, filled with stars and expectation, and was speechless for a moment. The evening breeze stirred her white hair, brushing against his cheek, bringing a slight tickle.
He didn't answer; instead, he silently and very naturally reached out and took her somewhat cool hand.
Theresa's body instantly stiffened, her mind went blank, and all her attention was focused on the hand enveloped by his warm one.
His palm was dry and warm, with the calluses left from years of holding guns and operating instruments, rubbing against her skin, bringing waves of heart-pounding tingling.
Kael also seemed a little embarrassed, turning his face to look at the meteors, his ears glowing with a suspicious blush in the night, but he didn't let go of her hand.
Theresa tightly squeezed his hand back, her lips uncontrollably curving upwards, and countless fireworks exploded in her heart. What meteor shower? At this moment, nothing was even a fraction as wonderful as the warmth of his palm!
The two stood hand in hand, side by side under the starry sky, watching the silver streaks occasionally sweep across the heavens. Neither spoke again; the air was filled with an unspoken sweetness and understanding.
The next morning, Kael's biological clock woke him up on time. As soon as he finished washing up, there was a knock at his dorm room door.
Outside the door was Theresa, holding a tray with a mysterious smile on her face: "Kael! Breakfast surprise! Guess what it is today?"
The tray was covered, emitting an enticing aroma.
Kael cooperatively pretended to think: "Hmm... based on the diffusion rate of aroma molecules and Chef Theresa's historical data... I guess it's fried eggs and sausages?"
"Wrong, wrong!" Theresa shook her head triumphantly.
"Then it's... vegetable salad and whole wheat bread?" "Also wrong!" "It wouldn't be bitter melon scrambled eggs, would it?" "Close! But not quite!" Theresa kept him guessing for a while before suddenly lifting the cover.
Inside the tray were two heart-shaped fried eggs, drawn with cute smiley faces in ketchup, next to a few perfectly roasted crispy sausages, and a small portion of... noodles... drizzled with black sauce?
"This is..." Kael looked at the black noodles, a little hesitant.
"Ta-da! It's squid ink pasta! I specifically learned it from the cafeteria's master chef!" Theresa said, as if presenting a treasure. "Quick, try it! I tried so many times!"
Kael picked up a fork, twirled some noodles, and put them in his mouth. The texture was springy, and the fresh aroma of squid combined perfectly with the rich sauce; it was very delicious.
"How is it, how is it?" Theresa watched him nervously.
"It's very good," Kael gave a "sincere" evaluation, then took another bite. "It's really... very good."
Theresa immediately beamed, then picked up a fork and started eating herself. But after a few bites, she stuck out her tongue: "Hmm... the taste is good, but it feels like something is missing..."
She was referring to her beloved "pain" or bitterness.
— Of course, she actually tasted nothing.
Kael looked at her small expression and suddenly got up, taking a small jar from the refrigerator. It contained his homemade, super-concentrated bitter melon chili sauce. He scooped a small spoonful and mixed it into Theresa's portion of noodles.
"Try this 'Theresa's Special Edition'."
Theresa took a bite, half-believing, half-doubting, and instantly her eyes widened! The fresh aroma of squid ink, combined with the extreme bitterness and the subsequent explosive spiciness, created an incredibly unique and addictive complex flavor!
"Wow! This is good! This is amazing! Kael, you're a genius!" Theresa ate, sweating on her forehead, thoroughly enjoying it.
Kael looked at her satisfied expression, smiled, and pushed his own normal-flavored noodles a little closer: "If you like it, eat more."
Sunlight streamed into the dorm room through the window, as the two shared breakfast, discussing strange yet harmonious flavor combinations.
💎 Power Stone Bonus: Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter
🌟 5-Star Review Bonus: Every 5 (5-Star) Reviews = +2 Extra Chapters
💬 Comment Speed-Up: If any chapter reaches +10 Comments = The Next Chapter Will Be Released Faster!
🔥 Want to Read Ahead? If you want to read advanced chapters, check out my buymeacoffee(.)com/02netnovel