Chapter 129: Stelle: This One, and That One... Why Can't They Both Be Mine?
"Forget it. Since they're back safe and sound, let's not scold them."
A complicated expression flickered across Himeko's face, somewhere between amusement and utter exasperation. She let out a soft sigh.
This, too, was just another part of the Trailblaze experience, she supposed.
"Conductor, let me ask you something," Himeko said, turning her gaze downward.
"Pom?"
"I mean... if there were a little March running around the Express, would you get a headache?"
"What do you mean by 'little March'?" Pom-Pom tilted its head, its fluffy ears twitching in confusion.
"Well... how should I put this?" A smile tugged at the corner of Himeko's lips. "Something along the lines of... little March and Rekka having a new little March?"
Pom-Pom, standing faithfully by Himeko's leg, went completely still. Its two long ears shot straight up, its small head cocked to the side, its face a perfect picture of innocent bewilderment.
"Passenger Himeko, are you saying Passenger March 7th is going to undergo mitosis, pom?" the conductor asked, its unique linguistic pattern unwavering.
'—Actually, it might even be a little Rozaliya and a little Liliya,' Welt thought silently to himself, a wry smile hidden behind his hand.
"I think it's also possible a little Stelle might appear," Dan Heng added, his tone as calm and even as ever.
The entire Express knew that March 7th and Rekka had feelings for each other. The only person who didn't know that everyone was in on her little secret was, of course, March 7th herself.
...
"He hasn't even confessed to me! We haven't dated! I haven't even gotten a ring from that guy Rekka yet, aaaaaah!"
"Just because he's a pervert doesn't mean I can't like him, right?! I just happen to like that pervert..."
"The music box he carved for me with his own hands is still sitting on my nightstand, waaaaaah..."
March 7th buried her face in the bathwater, sending a torrent of bubbles rushing to the surface.
'It's over, it's over, it's so over. The entire Express heard everything.'She suddenly shot up, splashing water everywhere.'Wait.''Rekka must have heard it, too.''Then what was with that look he gave me just now? He acted like nothing even happened!'
Was he just pretending he didn't hear?
Or... did he not care at all?
A cold knot formed in March 7th's stomach.
'No, if he didn't care, he wouldn't have brought the Hyperion to save us. He was running faster than anyone... that nervous look on his face, I've never seen him like that before—'
'Wait a minute. I was crying my eyes out back then. How could I have possibly seen his expression clearly?'March 7th submerged herself in the water again with a despairing groan.'Aaaaaah... this is so annoying!'
Meanwhile, in her own room, Stelle was soaking in the bathtub, staring blankly at the floating bubbles.
When she and March 7th were drifting in the void of space, they had said some very, very incredible things. She had been crying too hard at the time to remember exactly what was said, but a few fragments still echoed in her mind.
"March, when did you start liking him?"
And...
"Actually... I like Rekka, too. Sorry, March—"
That was the last thing Stelle had shouted before the blinding lights of the Hyperion had appeared.
Stelle suddenly sat bolt upright, sending a wave of water sloshing over the side of the tub. She covered her face with both hands, her damp, grey hair clinging to her cheeks.
She replayed the scene in her head. The pitch-black universe, the freezing cold, March crying beside her, lamenting that she hadn't even dated Rekka or gotten a ring. In the heat of the moment, thinking they were both about to die, Stelle had just... poured out everything in her heart.
'What on earth did I shout?!'Stelle sighed deeply at the ceiling before slumping back into the water.'What do I do now?!'
'Is March... going to shoot me in the butt with her bow?'
With another splash, Stelle scrambled out of the tub. She quickly wrapped her wet hair in a towel, threw on some clothes, and ran out barefoot. She had to talk to March 7th. Even a formal, groveling apology was better than overthinking things alone.
She tiptoed to her door and peeked into the hallway. Good, no one in sight. Everyone was likely in the Parlor Car or their own rooms.
Like a thief in the night, Stelle jogged over and slipped up to March 7th's door. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door was suddenly yanked open from the inside.
The two girls stared at each other, and for a moment, the very air in the hallway seemed to freeze.
"You..."
"I..."
They spoke at the same time, then fell silent at the same time.
March 7th grabbed Stelle by the arm, dragged her into the room, and slammed the door shut, locking it with a decisive click.
"You heard it all, didn't you!" March 7th whispered, her voice tight like a bristling kitten's.
"I heard it." Stelle's face fell as she pressed her hands together in a prayer-like gesture. "March, my dear March, I really didn't mean it. I just thought we were going to die, and in the heat of the moment..."
"Who cares if you meant it or not!" March 7th ruffled her own hair in frustration. "The point is, the whole Express knows now! Himeko, Mr. Yang, Dan Heng, Pom-Pom, Rozaliya, Liliya! Everyone heard it! I even called Rekka a pervert and then admitted I like that pervert!"
"Um... March, are you mad at me?"
"What's there to be mad about?" March 7th's muffled voice came from beneath the pillow she'd just buried her face in. "It's your freedom to like whoever you want. I'm just embarrassed! So, so embarrassed! How am I ever going to face anyone again?!"
The thought of everyone looking at her with those knowing, meaningful expressions—even if they were well-intentioned—made March 7th feel a wave of shame so powerful it was almost physical.
"Guh... kill me!" she groaned, her voice muffled by the pillow, sounding for all the world like a captured knight from some ancient legend.
Hearing that March 7th wasn't actually angry with her, the heavy weight on Stelle's heart finally lifted. She patted her chest in relief, picked up the hairdryer March had just been using, and started drying her own hair while trying to offer some comfort.
"Didn't you like him anyway? Just take this as a chance to let him know. It saves you from agonizing over it every day. It's a blessing in disguise."
"What blessing in disguise?! If he likes me back, then fine! But what if he only sees me as his senior? I'll have lost face all the way to outer space!"
"If he only saw you as a senior, would he have stayed up half the night carving a music box for you?" Stelle countered confidently. "Besides, I confessed too, so I'm losing face right along with you."
"...You asked if I was mad because you were afraid I'd turn against you over this?"
"Yeah." Stelle turned off the hair dryer and looked at her seriously. "March, we're best friends. I don't want something like this to make things unpleasant between us."
"Silly."
March 7th sat up and took the hairdryer from her, reaching out to help her dry the rest of her hair.
"We're like sisters. How could I really turn against you? We're family, aren't we?"
"March," Stelle said, sitting obediently. She watched the reflection of the girl behind her in the mirror, carefully tending to her hair. "What do we do now?"
"What do you mean, 'what do we do'?"
"About... Rekka." Stelle's voice dropped to a near whisper. "We both like him, so..."
March 7th's hand paused for a fraction of a second before she resumed drying.
"To each their own, I guess," she said gloomily. "He's not an object. It's not like he can be handed back and forth."
Stelle shook her head. "No, I have a better idea..."
"?"
A deep, almost philosophical expression dawned on Stelle's face. She slowly raised her hands, pointing one index finger at March, then gesturing with the other toward the general direction of the rest of the Express.
"This one... and that one," she declared with an air of enlightened wisdom.
"Why can't they both be mine?"
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