After seeing how Haruka's feelings were developing, let's return to what truly matters—the couple, now enjoying a light meal together while talking and appreciating each other's company.
They ordered orange juice and two slices of chocolate cake—exactly the same. Surprisingly, despite being a themed café, the food they served was completely terrestrial. Perhaps it was prohibited to serve other kinds of food, or maybe it wasn't. Honestly, it wouldn't make much sense if they couldn't serve dishes from other planets as long as they were made with Earth ingredients.
Either way, they continued talking—about everything that had happened over the past few weeks, all the adventures they had lived through, and the family and friends they had gained along the way.
"Lala, I actually need to thank you."
Lala looked at me, slightly confused.
"Why would you thank me? I don't remember doing anything that would deserve that."
When someone does something for you, it's natural to thank them, but in this case, Lala couldn't recall doing anything worthy of gratitude.
"Maybe you don't realize it, but you did something… something very important to me."
"What was it?"
"Coming into my life."
Hearing that, Lala's heart skipped a beat and began to race.
"Before you came, I was a normal person… well, I wish I had been normal. The truth is, I was a complete mess."
Seeing that she was listening attentively, I continued.
"As I told you before, my parents died in a car accident, leaving me alone in this world—completely alone, with no one to take care of me. Thankfully, they were wealthy and left me money and a house, so I didn't have to worry about ending up on the streets… at least not for a while. But I was never able to overcome their loss. I was overwhelmed by sadness. The people I loved the most were gone, and I was left with nothing. So… I gave up. I gave up on everything. I went to school, sure, but I didn't do my homework, I didn't study, I had no friends. Everyone saw me as that gloomy, antisocial guy sitting in the back of the classroom. I was… a mess. The only good thing about me was that I didn't get into fights, but aside from that, I was a disaster."
In reality, it wasn't that far from the truth—but first, I needed to finish the story I had prepared for this moment.
"But one day, out of nowhere, I decided I wanted to change. I decided I didn't want to live like that anymore. I wanted to study, make friends, live like a normal person… but like so many other times, it was just empty words. Something I knew wouldn't happen. And then you appeared—and everything changed. When I stood up to those bodyguards to protect you, when you said you liked me, when you started living with me… a flame I thought had gone out was reignited. For the first time, I truly decided to change. I am who I am now because of you. That's why I have to thank you. Thank you for coming into my life. Without you, I'd still be the same apathetic, antisocial person I used to be. But thanks to you… I was able to change. Thank you… truly."
"Akira…"
Lala was deeply moved.
She didn't know what to say. Her happiness had reached a level she had never experienced before. She knew she was important to him—very important—but she hadn't realized just how deep his feelings ran.
Maybe the story I told her wasn't entirely true…
But the feelings were.
In my previous life, I was an adventurer—someone who loved traveling the world in search of new experiences. But thinking about it now… what started as a hobby eventually became an obligation. Living in this world, experiencing this new life, this sense of peace… made me realize something.
I had never truly gotten over my parents' death.
Their loss left a scar that never healed.
A pain so deep that I tried to escape it through my travels, through my adventures.
What began as a passion turned into a way of running away.
Some people, with strong willpower, can learn to live with that pain—not forget it, but carry it with them.
I wasn't one of them.
I couldn't overcome it.
And without realizing it, I turned my travels into an escape.
Maybe the story I told Lala was partly fabricated—but it carried my true emotions.
I wasn't as broken as the original Akira, but thanks to Lala… no, thanks to all of them, I was able, for the first time in decades, to feel genuine happiness and overcome the pain that had eaten away at me for so long.
Of course, I will never forget my parents.
But thanks to Lala and the others, thanks to this new life, I've finally been able to move forward.
That's why my feelings couldn't be more sincere.
At first, when I arrived in this world, all I wanted was a harem—to collect girls like trading cards.
But I've come to understand something.
These women… all of them… are real.
They have feelings, worries, dreams.
They are people.
And they deserve to be treated as such.
My goal hasn't changed—I still want a harem.
But my understanding of what that means has completely changed.
Now, I want all my women to be happy.
I want to dedicate myself to giving them the happiness they deserve.
I want to build relationships based on love and trust—not collect them like Pokémon.
I've come to understand all of this thanks to the girl sitting in front of me.
A girl whose warm and cheerful personality turned my life into an oasis… when before it had been nothing but a barren desert.
That's why…
Thank you.
"Akira… if that's the case, then let me say that I should thank you too."
After a few moments of silence, Lala finally managed to speak again.
"Really?"
"Really. From the outside, it might seem like I've had an easy life. I'm the daughter of the king of the galaxy, the first princess—someone who has everything, someone who has never struggled. But the truth is… being a princess isn't as wonderful as it seems."
Seeing that Akira was listening, Lala continued.
"Unlike Momo and Nana, who had more freedom, I—being the first princess and future empress—was like a bird in a cage. Always protected, always confined, never free to go out on my own. My parents gave me everything, and they loved me dearly. But my father, even though I love him, never had much time for me. Don't get me wrong—I understand. His responsibilities are immense. His work is difficult. Still… he was rarely there. My mother, on the other hand, was different. She was always at home, taking care of us, showering us with love. But in the end, she was just like me—a bird trapped in a cage. Always in the same place. No freedom at all."
Lala let out a soft sigh before continuing.
"Every day was the same—learning things I wasn't interested in. The only place where I felt free was through my inventions. I don't know who gave me this talent, but I've always been extremely intelligent, able to invent almost anything I could imagine. At first, all my inventions were disasters… but over time, they began to work."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"As the years passed, my freedom became even more restricted. Always moving from place to place without being able to deviate even slightly. I was tired. I wanted freedom—the freedom I had never had. I even tried to run away, but none of my attempts succeeded. They always caught me within minutes. But when my father told me about that arranged marriage with that frog… that was the final straw. That same night, without any plan, I took my spaceship and ran away. By pure chance, I ended up here—on Earth, specifically in your bathroom."
A small smile formed on her lips.
"I have to admit… at first, I saw you as a way out of my monotonous life. That's why I told those bodyguards I had fallen in love with you—even though it wasn't true. But when you saved me from them… my heart started beating differently. At first, you were just an excuse to escape that life… but before I realized it, I had fallen deeply in love with you. For the first time in my life, I felt free—truly free. And I owe all of that to you. Without you, I might have escaped those bodyguards, but Zastin would have brought me back. Because you fought for me—for my freedom… I fell completely in love with you."
Her expression turned serious.
"Akira, I love you. To me, you are the light in the darkness. I love you deeply, and knowing that you feel the same way—hearing you open up to me, feeling that trust you have in me… it made me so happy. I'll say it as many times as I need to—I love you, Akira. And I want us to always be together… all of us."
"I love you too, Lala. And I hope we'll always stay together—all of us. Not even death will be able to separate us."
The Omnitrix must hold the key to making that promise a reality.
Lala smiled, and the two of them shared a gentle kiss—not one of lust, but one of pure affection. A kiss that conveyed their feelings, their love, everything they meant to each other.
Meanwhile, Haruka, who had been listening to everything with her sharp hearing, felt ashamed of herself. After hearing their conversation, she realized not only how foolish she had been trying to seduce Lala, but also how terrible she had been for trying to separate two people who loved each other so deeply—two people bound by an unbreakable connection.
"I was an idiot… and a terrible person. My arrogance and my lust blinded me, and I tried to tear apart a couple that loves each other so much… I'm the worst…"
Her obsession with Lala and her desire to conquer beautiful women had blinded her. Hearing their story made her realize just how awful she had been—not only for trying to separate them, but for all the relationships she had ruined because of her obsession.
But she hadn't always been like that.
When had she become such a terrible person?
Listening to their story, seeing how much they loved each other, moved her deeply and made her reflect on everything she had done.
"I've broken so many relationships… was it really worth it just to satisfy my lust? Are my feelings for Akira just another way to get what I want? A way to get closer to Lala? I think I need to seriously reflect on my actions… and my feelings."
After that, she paid for her coffee and, deep in thought, returned home to reflect on everything—her actions, her feelings for Akira and Lala.
She needed time.