Chapter 246 Theresa: I Like You! Even if I Betray Kiana, I Want to Have You!
After the special live broadcast of "The Flower Language of Rosemary," Su Mu was browsing the blog on his mobile phone at the entrance of miHoYo. The screen displayed the message page for Magical Girl Teriri.
[Teriri hasn't streamed in a long time, has she? Is she feeling unwell lately?]
[Teriri's blog hasn't been updated in forever. Weren't there supposed to be preparations for a concert tour this year? Why hasn't there been any news...]
[Yeah, we're all worried that something happened to you...]
[It's so good to see Teriri show her face in this stream.]
[As expected of an idol, Teriri can thrive even in the streaming world. Is this just idol talent?]
[No matter what happens, we fans will always support you.]
Looking at these encouraging words from fans, Theresa hadn't replied to a single one. This made Su Mu sigh.
"Elysia... she just decided on her own to have me invite Theresa to participate in this live broadcast. It seems she's noticed something's off with Theresa, hasn't she? ... I can't help but feel there's some sort of scheme behind all this."
Bronya and Seele had also learned about Theresa's retirement. They were very worried and hoped Su Mu could find the root of Theresa's troubles. What exactly happened to make Theresa want to give up the idol identity she loved so much? Rather than overthinking it, it was faster to ask her directly.
Before long, Theresa appeared at the entrance. After today's stream ended, Theresa wanted to leave early while everyone was focused on discussing the broadcast, but she didn't expect to be stopped by Su Mu.
"Do you have some time?" Su Mu had been waiting at the entrance of the office building, as if he had predicted she would leave first.
"Why are you here..." Theresa was stunned for a moment when she saw Su Mu, then she sighed. "The famous Director Su Mu, instead of maintaining your workaholic persona during office hours, is it really okay for you to be lounging around the entrance like this?"
Su Mu shrugged. "I suddenly felt like taking a day off today. Is that not allowed?" Theresa snorted. "That doesn't sound like something a workaholic would say. Speak up, you're waiting for me here specifically, so it's probably not for idle chatter."
"Want to go for a walk?" Su Mu suggested suddenly. Though it was abrupt, he didn't give her a chance to refuse and started walking out.
"You! Wait, wait a minute!"
The two walked side by side down the street, neither speaking. It was June, and the weather was gradually getting hotter. The evening twilight fell upon them, but fortunately, there was a breeze today that dispelled much of the heat.
Theresa was wearing a white dress today—simple yet fashionable. The light fabric danced in the breeze, and a pink ribbon was tied around her waist, adding a touch of cuteness. On her feet were a pair of white lace-up sandals. Paired with her long white hair, she looked like a pure white elf.
"..." "..."
The street scenery kept receding, and eventually, without realizing it, the two arrived at a park. Walking on a sparsely populated path that felt isolated from the world, the eerie silence was broken.
"The—" "Su—"
The two spoke at the same time. Stunned by the sudden synchronicity, both showed slightly embarrassed expressions.
Su Mu: "You go first." Theresa didn't refuse and nodded. She found a bench by the path and sat down. Her blue eyes looked at Su Mu, and a smile appeared on her face.
"I'm going back." With a smile, she spoke words of farewell.
"Back?" "Back to Schicksal HQ." "... When will you be back?" "I probably won't come back again. But then again, as the future Overseer of Schicksal, I'll have to keep an eye on the branch here in St. Fountain. But the timing is uncertain. Once I become Overseer, things will get very busy..."
Theresa's cheerful words held no sadness, as if she were describing a colorful future. Su Mu sat down beside her and listened, giving a quiet "Mm."
"When are you leaving?" "Probably in the next day or two. There's still some work to hand over." "Does Kiana know about this?" "Let me think... if Rita hasn't leaked the secret, you're probably the only person at miHoYo who knows I'm going back." "... Why are you telling me this?" "There are many reasons... but mostly because I want to ask you to look out for Kiana for me in the future. After all, Schicksal HQ is very far from Shenzhou, and I won't be able to look after her every little thing. She needs someone by her side ..."
Su Mu looked at Theresa's profile—at that exquisite, doll-like face. There was no shadow on it. On the contrary, there was a hint of relief.
"Also, you and Seele should go public as soon as possible ... though if you two get married, I'll probably only be able to send a gift; I doubt I'll have the time to attend. Seele is a wonderful girl, so don't you dare break her heart." "As for Kiana... at this point, I won't say anything more about trying to set you two up. I'll tell Siegfried and the others to drop the idea." "Oh, and one more thing—please look after Fu Hua and Senti as well. It would be great if you could get them to join miHoYo. Fu Hua's combat prowess is quite impressive after all; don't let her appearance fool you, she can take on ten people by herself!" "Schicksal's branch will send someone else to manage it later, but don't worry, the partnership with miHoYo will continue smoothly. Whatever ideas you and Kiana have, feel free to propose them; they will do their best to help you. If you encounter something you can't solve, you can call me. After all, I am the Overseer of Schicksal; helping out won't be a problem." "By the way..."
Theresa wanted to continue, but Su Mu suddenly asked: "The streaming and the idol work... are you really quitting it all?" His sudden question made Theresa pause. Then, the smile on her face remained. "Yes, I'm done." "I see..." "Yeah, after all, if I'm really the Overseer, I won't have time for such meaningless things, right? I'm not young anymore, wouldn't it be weird to keep being an idol? Streaming with a virtual avatar and hiding my real appearance... I've done such stupid things for so many years. Looking back now, I was really like a fool." "..." "Besides, a single woman of my age isn't like an idol at all. Not cute at all, right?"
Although Theresa was laughing, Su Mu felt that this smiling face was truly painful to look at.
"Why aren't you saying anything? At a time like this, shouldn't you say a proper goodbye? After all, we can be considered friends, can't we?" "I haven't thought of what to say." "Eh? That's rare. You're usually so sharp-tongued, why can't you say anything today? Are you the type who isn't good at saying goodbye?" "I just think it's a pity." "A pity?" "Because the smile you show when you're streaming is a thousand times more beautiful than the one you have now. Thinking that I might not see that smile again... it's a bit of a pity."
"Is that so... do I look good when I smile during streams?" Theresa was stunned for a moment, then let out a bell-like laugh. "So that's how you see me... could it be you're charmed by the appeal of a mature woman? I can't believe you, but I guess it can't be helped. Who told me to be the idol Teriri who charms thousands?"
Su Mu didn't know how to describe the face before him. She was clearly smiling. But in the evening breeze, there was the scent of crying.
"Why?" "Haven't I already given the reasons? I feel like I should graduate from being an idol. I'm not at that innocent age anymore. It's time to be a mature and reliable adult and take on the responsibilities I should! After all, I am Grandpa's heir—" "That's not what I want to hear, and that shouldn't be your answer."
"Whew—I really give up on you." Theresa seemed to deflate, leaning back against the bench. The smile on her face slowly vanished. "There are those reasons, of course, but there's also an important one... I realized I can't keep going on like this. I have to inherit my grandfather's position and become the Overseer of Schicksal; it's the only way to live up to the expectations of those who trust me. This is the fate of the Apocalypse family—it's been decided long ago. Being able to act as an idol for so many years was only because Grandpa was protecting me. But I can't be selfish anymore. I have to go back and face my duties. Everything else is meaningless."
Duties... As she said those words, Theresa felt like laughing. She was actually saying such high-sounding nonsense. She suddenly remembered the day she asked Su Mu why he worked so hard. At that time, Su Mu smiled and said it was because he was Kiana's friend, and he hoped miHoYo could become Kiana's strength so she would have the courage to face the world. He wanted Kiana to understand that she wasn't inferior to anyone and didn't need to be anyone's shadow. She just needed to be herself.
Thinking back, why was she smiling then but felt like crying? Because in a way, she and the old Kiana were the same. Kiana had no choice, and Theresa likewise had no choice. She had to become Grandpa's heir. For Kiana, Su Mu's appearance led her onto a new path, giving her the ability to choose. Kiana's fate was changed.
But... what about her? Her idol career was almost at its end, but Su Mu's appearance and the creation of Honkai Impact 3rd allowed her to shine in streaming and extend her life as an idol. It was the man before her who gave her the ability to continue her dream. But a dream is just a dream after all... Her future hadn't changed, and wouldn't change. Because she was Theresa Apocalypse... that name meant her fate. Even if it wasn't what she wanted.
Ah. I'm so jealous of Kiana. Theresa thought to herself. To be supported by this man and continue living the life she wanted... what a happy thing that would be. It's time to say goodbye. That feeling... let it remain hidden in the bottom of her heart. Even if she said it, it wouldn't be returned. Better to bury everything deep inside.
"Meaningless... do you really think so?" Su Mu couldn't watch anymore. He took a deep breath. Even if what he said next might hurt her, he couldn't keep it bottled up. "To you, are all those times you spent as an idol meaningless? Do you really think so?" He opened his phone and showed her the comments on Teriri's blog.
[It's so good to see Teriri show her face in this stream.]
[As expected of an idol, Teriri can thrive even in the streaming world.]
[No matter what happens, we fans will always support you.]
[While days without Teriri streams are hard, I'll keep waiting.]
[When will you be back? Teriri's streams are so much fun.]
"Can you say 'idol life is meaningless' to these people, to these fans of yours, Theresa?" Su Mu thrust the phone into Theresa's hands. "So many people are looking forward to your return, to your streams... even so, do you still think it's meaningless?"
His questioning made Theresa's body tremble. She looked at the comments, and her hands holding the phone began to shake. "Why deny your idol self? Why deny the times you made others smile and made them happy with your performance? Maybe being Schicksal Overseer is your destiny, but that doesn't mean you have to deny everything that happened before!"
Su Mu's words rang in her ears. Enough. Truly enough. Theresa shook her head. How could she say it? How could she possibly say it? Of course she didn't think those times were meaningless. She never had such a thought. What she wanted to say was: "The time spent with you is what's meaningless. Because it only makes me realize my own ugliness and struggle... because I know that it's impossible between us, and there will be no result... even if I crave this time, it only makes me realize more deeply that I am betraying Kiana, betraying Seele. How could I do those things? How could I..."
Only, those words couldn't be spoken. "Let's go back." Theresa stood up, giving Su Mu a smile that looked more like she was crying. "Being an idol, being a streamer... I was really happy. Thank you so much, Su Mu."
—
Theresa didn't remember how she said goodbye to Su Mu. She ended the conversation as if she were running away. She had to... she couldn't... she... If she stayed with him any longer, she was really afraid she would say everything.
"Ah..." Rain. Drizzling rain. "The weather forecast said it would be sunny today." The rain wet Theresa's cheeks. She couldn't tell if it was tears or rain. It turns out that liking someone is so painful. And saying it out loud is so difficult. Su Mu must think she's a weirdo, right? Retiring on her own, leaving St. Fountain on her own. Even when they finally had time alone, she could only give him a terrible smile and say goodbye. She wasn't cute at all.
"Let's go home..." Theresa murmured. Distraught, she didn't notice a figure following her not far behind. She didn't notice the traffic light. The piercing sound of a horn made her snap out of it. The truck's headlights pierced the darkness, casting lines of light and shadow on the ground. Theresa's gaze met the light, and time seemed to freeze. She instinctively wanted to step aside, but in her panic, her feet felt glued to the ground. The driver's frantic honking echoed in the street, each sound like a hammer hitting her heart—a call from death itself.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Theresa's eyes widened. She could even clearly see the raindrops suspended in the air. It turns out that when people are about to die, time really does slow down. She thought so. Regret. So much regret. She wanted to scream it out, to vent hysterically. She wanted to tell that person. Her feelings.
"If I had known it would be like this... I should have at least confessed and been rejected before dying..." In the final moment, this thought flashed through her mind. However, in the next moment— A familiar figure appeared before her, throwing himself at her. The truck, like an out-of-control beast, roared past, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Ah..." When Theresa came to, she was sitting on the road next to a puddle reflecting her pale face. Horns. The noise of a crowd. The piercing sound of a siren. Her lost senses gradually returned. The feeling of escaping death made her limbs weak. Her body was pinned down by that person. Cold rain fell on her and on him.
"Ah, ah, ah—" Her eyes widened, making incoherent sounds. That strong embrace held her tightly. Then, a pair of black eyes looked at her with deep concern mixed with a hint of anger. "Theresa, are you okay? What on earth are you doing? Do you know you almost..."
Su Mu held her. The girl was like a frightened bird, her body shaking uncontrollably. But in the next moment, she hugged him with all her might, as if trying to merge herself with him. She buried her face in his chest and began to wail like a child.
"I love you..." The crying was mixed with intermittent words, hoarse and desperate. "I love you, I love you, I've always, always loved you!"
Her cries made Su Mu freeze. He looked at her in his arms, feeling lost. So that was it. ... Elysia was right. He really was a fool.
"Hey! Doctor! Over here—this person's arm is bleeding a lot!" The noise brought Su Mu back to reality. He felt a tearing pain in his right arm. Looking down, a wound nearly half a meter long was bleeding. The blood stained Theresa's white dress red, like a dazzling blood rose.
—
"Are you an idiot?!!!" "I can't stand it, I really can't stand it!" "Who dives in like a hero in a manga? Do you know you almost died?!"
In room 301 of the hospital in St. Fountain. Su Mu, his right hand heavily bandaged, was in a hospital gown on the bed. Before him, an angry Kiana almost pounced on him. Looking at the Kiana who was like a dinosaur, Su Mu awkwardly rubbed his face.
"If you were a second late—no, half a second—you'd have been reincarnated in another world! Do you have any sense of urgency at all?!!" Pardofelis and Carole held Kiana back to prevent her from lunging. "There, there, Kiana-chi. Su Mu has already reflected on it... he's a patient now, if you keep yelling, something might actually happen..."
Kiana kicked her legs in the air. "Have some self-awareness, you idiot Su Mu! If you really died, how would you pay back your debt to me?! Idiot, idiot, idiot—!!" Her eyes were red, her voice thick with tears.
Beside the bed, Bronya and Seele remained silent. It wasn't that they had nothing to say, but Kiana was making such a scene that they couldn't get a word in. An hour after the accident, everyone from the company had rushed to the hospital. Hearing what happened made their hearts jump. According to witnesses, if Su Mu had been any slower, he and Theresa would have been gone.
After the commotion, Kiana finally seemed to run out of energy, letting out intermittent sobs. "... Thank you, thank you... Su Mu, thank you for saving Auntie... if something really happened to her, I... I really wouldn't know what to do..."
The door was pushed open. Standing there was a pale and dazed Theresa, also in a hospital gown. Beside her was a sweating and nervous Otto. "Theresa, my dear granddaughter, you should be resting... please go back, Grandpa is begging you..."
Theresa didn't speak. Her gaze fell on Su Mu, and she bit her lip. Seele and Bronya looked at each other, then exchanged looks with Carole and Pardo. "Um, Kiana's eyes are swollen from crying. I'll go ask the doctor for some medicine." "I'll go with you!" "Seele, Bronya is a bit hungry. Let's go buy some bread..." "Me too, Bronya-oneechan. Strange, we just had dinner..."
The girls left the room one by one, leaving only Otto still pestering. "That's enough, you damn granddaughter-con!" A hand grabbed Otto's ear from behind. Yae Sakura dragged him out of the room. "It hurts! What are you doing, you fox?!" "Can't you read the room? You perverted granddaughter-con!" "Hah? What's wrong with being a granddaughter-con?!"
The two arguing in the hospital attracted a lot of attention. Bronya and the others were helpless; these two were rivals everywhere.
"Is it okay?" Pardofelis looked at Seele and Bronya. "It's okay. After such a thing, the Principal must have something to say to Su Mu." "Yeah, let's let Su Mu-niichan and Theresa-neechan talk for a bit..." "But still, for Su Mu to do something so dangerous... even if it was to save the Principal, it's understandable..." "But we still can't let him off easily. Since he's a patient now... once he's healed, Seele will settle the score with him." "Bronya will settle the score too."
Seeing the near-overflowing anger from the two girls, Pardofelis whistled and looked away. Inside the room, only Su Mu and Theresa remained.
Su Mu spoke first: "Um... are your injuries okay?" Theresa nodded. "The doctor said just some scrapes. I'll be out soon." "That's good." "Mm."
The room fell into an awkward silence. Su Mu didn't know what to say. He felt the atmosphere was suffocating. He'd rather stay up for three days making games than be in this mood. Theresa held her arm. "Um, don't you have anything to say?" "Ah, of course. You were too reckless. You have to look at the lights when you walk—" "Not that. I mean, other things..." "Uh..."
Su Mu sighed. You can run, but you can't hide. "Alright... I want to hear the real reason you're retiring." "Haven't I said it already?" "At this point, there's no use hiding it... and there's another reason, right?" "Mm. What I said before were secondary reasons. The real reason I'm retiring... you should know by now."
Seeing her self-mocking smile, Su Mu paused, then spoke uncertainly: "Is it... because of Kiana and me?" "Mm." "... Because of Kiana and me, you want to go back to Schicksal HQ and avoid us?" "Something like that." "But, I don't really understand..."
Looking at the man who was still surprised, Theresa sighed inwardly. Was he really this dense? Even after she said those words... But at this point, it didn't matter. Even saying it again was fine. "Because I love you, Su Mu."
It came out easily. The regret she felt when she thought she was dying made her see through many things. People really do wake up between life and death. Now, she just wanted to tell him her heart. She didn't want to regret anymore.
Su Mu's eyes wandered. "Mm... is this an April Fool's joke? It's June now, though." "If you didn't hear clearly, I'll say it again." Theresa stepped forward, leaning over Su Mu. Their faces were less than thirty centimeters apart. Su Mu could feel her breath.
"I love you, Su Mu. That's why I had to leave. Because I couldn't bear that I fell in love with a boy so much younger than me, and who might become my niece's husband, and is already my former student's boyfriend. Do you hear me? That's the truth... you must be disappointed, right? Thinking I gave up so many fans for such a reason. And a single woman of my age liking you... you must not be happy at all... and I fell for a man who should be my niece's husband, I must be disgusting, surely..."
Looking at her pale face and her expression that was about to cry again, Su Mu took a breath. "No, not disgusting at all... on the contrary, I'm happy." His words made her eyes widen. "Seeing you tell me your real thoughts... I'm really relieved. Mr. Otto was worried too; he specifically asked me to find the root of your trouble."
"Don't joke! You don't have to comfort me now! Being liked by an old lady like me—" "I'm really happy." "You—" Su Mu looked at her. His gaze was sincere, without a hint of a lie. "It's not a lie. Theresa, in my eyes, you are a very charming and excellent woman. How could I hate being liked by someone so charming? I'm more than happy."
Theresa's eyes became confused. She instinctively grabbed his collar. "You... stop lying... what do you mean by saying this? Are you accepting my confession?! Don't forget, you have Seele—"
Su Mu said seriously: "That's one thing, and this is another. Being liked by you makes me happy, it's an honor. But I can't make Seele and Bronya sad because of it."
Theresa's eyes widened in disbelief. "Hah? Bro-Bronya? When did you... you, do you really want to be a harem king? Two-timing?! No, if you're already two-timing, why on earth would you leave Kiana out of it?!"
Su Mu looked helpless. "How should I put it, I'm troubled too. We have a certain troublesome little elf in our company... anyway, for various reasons, it just developed this way." "You, a two-timer, have the face to say that?" "I said I was forced by circumstances... but you're right. Regardless, me two-timing is a fact. And ultimately, it was my own decision..." "You don't even hide it? What about bigamy? Will the laws of Shenzhou allow it?" "On that point, Bronya and Seele said we could go abroad to get married..."
"You—you—" Theresa's hand trembled on his collar. Her face turned red with shame and anger. "Ah, I can't take it! If I knew you were such a playboy, a harem manga protagonist! Why was I so worried?! You must have planned to take Kiana too from the start! Don't tell me you founded miHoYo just to build a harem—"
"Wait, wait, the topic is getting dangerous. I'm stating now, I never had such thoughts. It's all Elysia's doing!" "You wanted a harem of beauties from the start! Since that's the case, better me than them! I... I'm not that bad! I can support you! No, it's not too late. Let's just—"
Seeing her on the verge of exploding, Su Mu cried out. "The wound! It's going to open! Ow, ow, ow!!"
This made her stop. Realizing what she just said, her face turned bright red. "You! What did you make me say?!!!" "Didn't you say it yourself? I'm the victim here, in many ways!" "Shut up! Do you want to be smashed by Judah?!" "Aaaaah!! Elysia, look what you've done!!"
In Mobius's lab, Elysia, who was eating noodles with Mobius, suddenly looked up. "—Su Mu? (Unconcerned)" "What is it?" "Nothing, I thought I heard someone calling me..." "By the way, your phone rang. It was Pardo, saying Su Mu was in a car accident..."
"Wh-What did you say?!" Elysia jumped up, her face pale. "Su Mu! Wait for me, you can't die! My beauty harem plan—nooooo!!"
As Elysia ran out, Mobius finished her sentence. "... but they're just surface wounds, nothing serious... and the room is already crowded, so stay home as Pardo said]..." "Honestly, let me finish."
Inside the room, Theresa finally calmed down and took a deep breath. Seeing her like this, Su Mu laughed. "What are you laughing at?" "I just think that the noisy Theresa just now is the one I know." "Sorry for not being cute." "But I think you should have more confidence. You're the famous idol, Magical Girl Teriri. How could anyone not be charmed by you?" "Is that so? Are you charmed?" "Half and half? When you're interacting seriously with fans... you're very beautiful and charming. I've watched closely." "So you were just staring at me during the stream?" "Ahem, don't mind the details..."
Theresa couldn't help but laugh. "Su Mu, do I have a chance?" "How am I supposed to answer that?" "No, I don't need an answer. Just take this as me talking to myself." Theresa took a breath and, to Su Mu's shock, kissed him lightly on the lips.
"This is exclusive treatment from the idol Teriri. Only for one person." Her face turned red. After a moment, she coughed and spoke in a different tone. "Even if I'm not cute and an old single person who's never dated! But Su Mu isn't a good person either, he's a two-timer! So, I have no reason to give up! One more person for a harem king is no big deal! And if I let him reach out to others, even Bianca and Susannah might be led astray! So, I, Theresa Apocalypse, must sacrifice myself to the demon! It's all to protect those children!"
Su Mu felt a bit of a sweat. What was she saying? This was too self-righteous! "Anyway—Su Mu, listen up!" Theresa pointed at him. "I will absolutely not let you reach out to Bianca and the others. A Slaanesh like you will be purified by me! I'll make you fall for me completely!" "For that, I stake my name as the idol Teriri!"
Su Mu froze, and after a moment—the two laughed together. "What's with that speech? It's so stupid!" "I said I was talking to myself... anyway, wash your neck and wait!"
Coming out of the room, Theresa's face was flushed and her skin seemed to glow. There was no trace of her previous state. "Theresa? Great! Seeing you recover, Grandpa is so moved!" Otto rushed to hug her. Theresa dodged and made a face. "I'm not a kid, don't just hug me!"
Otto Apocalypse was in tears. "Ah, it's the usual Theresa, and she seems even more lively, like her middle school rebellious phase..." "By the way, Grandpa, I don't want to go back to Schicksal HQ for now." "Eh?" "Idol work, and streaming, I want to keep doing them." "Eh?" "In short, that's it. Sorry Grandpa, but I don't want to go to my grave with regrets!" "Eh, eh-eh-eh?! Then my retirement plan!!"
Otto collapsed on the ground, his head spinning. Yae Sakura patted his shoulder with a sympathetic smile. "Unfortunately, Mr. Otto, it looks like your retirement is delayed." Her words were like a blade to his chest. "Noooooo!!!"
In the hospital, an appropriately timed song played from someone's room. "Snowflakes flutter, the north wind blows, the world is vast and white~"
END OF CHAPTER
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