"Excuse me, miss, is there anything you need?"
"Um… no, thank you."
"Alright, please call me if you need anything."
…
As the flight attendant walked away—
Firefly finally relaxed, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
She let out a long breath.
"I really couldn't tell… so you're actually socially anxious, Firefly?"
Liu Xiyue leaned lightly against her, a teasing smile flickering in her eyes as she spoke in a soft, probing tone.
Hearing this—
Firefly's cheeks instantly flushed red.
She waved her hands hurriedly in denial.
"No, no, it's a complete misunderstanding!"
Although her appearance was no less stunning than Silver Wolf—
Firefly felt like a clear spring compared to strong liquor, possessing a completely different kind of charm.
On the way to the airport and while waiting—
She had drawn attention like a moving piece of scenery.
Many people had tried to strike up conversations.
Some shyly handed over their contact information—
Only to be met with her flustered refusal, like a startled fawn.
Most didn't even get the chance to speak—
Before Liu Xiyue stepped forward with a cold expression, blocking them off with a few crisp words.
And all the while—
She kept whispering things like:
"Don't listen to them. There are rarely any good men out there."
Liu Xiyue (＞⤙＜): A girl like Firefly would never be handed over to you
Throughout the journey—
Liu Xiyue remained constantly on guard.
As if the moment she looked away—
Firefly would be snatched away.
But in truth—
There was no need for such concern.
Even though Firefly was the most normal and gentle among the current characters—
She would never suddenly fall for anyone — unless they happen to be a trash panda, of course.
…
Seeing Liu Xiyue's suspicious expression—
Firefly sighed helplessly.
She turned her gaze toward the window, her voice soft.
"In the past, due to a certain personal illness, I rarely interacted with anyone besides Silver Wolf and the others. Now that I can finally walk freely under the sun like this, I'm truly happy… I just didn't quite know how to deal with so many people all at once."
"Is… is everything you just said true?"
Liu Xiyue's pupils shrank.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around Firefly's sleeve, her voice trembling.
She stared at the girl before her in disbelief.
Firefly had always seemed like a fawn stepping into the forest for the first time—
Curious about everything.
Even stopping just to watch a butterfly.
She had never imagined—
That such a past existed.
Liu Xiyue fell silent.
Slowly lowering her head, she whispered,
"I'm sorry… I brought up something painful."
"It's fine."
Firefly didn't mind.
She was simply feeling a bit emotional.
Seeing this—
Liu Xiyue let out a quiet sigh of relief, then asked carefully,
"Then… are you suffering from some kind of illness? Can you tell me? I mean… my family has some connections. Maybe I can help."
In her imagination—
Firefly might have some rare, incurable disease.
But as long as there was treatment—
There would be hope.
Even if ordinary methods failed—
She could always find healing-type Ability Users.
There had to be a way.
But—
Firefly shook her head gently.
"Entropy Loss Syndrome. There is currently almost no cure… and even if there is, it's extremely difficult. So… please don't push yourself."
"No! Even if I've never heard of it, you mustn't give up on treatment. Trust me, there will always be a way."
Liu Xiyue Ծ‸Ծ: Once I get back, I'll definitely find healing-type Ability Users…
Although Firefly didn't fully grasp her thoughts—
She understood enough.
So she reached out—
Gently patting Liu Xiyue's head.
"It's okay. Even though my Entropy Loss Syndrome hasn't been fully cured yet… given the current situation, I'm already very satisfied."
…
This was the second character burdened with an inherent flaw—
Aside from Acheron.
(Yunli and Silver Wolf doesn't have any life-changing illness or defect.)
Just as Acheron was a Self-Annihilator—
Firefly still bore her condition.
Fortunately—
With the system's influence—
These issues had improved.
Acheron was no longer as cold, mechanical, or detached as before.
She had regained fragments of what she had lost.
Her past.
As for that sense of wandering in Nihility—
Where everything lost meaning—
Even if others shared her memories—
None dared to experience it.
Only those who had lived through it could understand.
…
And now—
Although Firefly still endured pain—
Her ending was no longer fixed.
For the first time—
She had her own life.
And the right to choose her future.
…
Liu Xiyue knew none of this.
"Alright… but don't worry. Not just Silver Wolf—I'll stay by your side too."
Her voice was soft, her eyes filled with concern.
And even if she said that—
There was nothing stopping her from secretly finding help.
Firefly, unaware of her thoughts, could only respond vaguely.
From that point on—
No matter how Liu Xiyue probed—
Firefly gently avoided the topic.
Eventually—
Liu Xiyue gave up.
Noticing her slightly downcast mood—
Firefly changed the subject.
"I remember you brought a lot of books, like novels, right? The flight just started, and there's plenty of time. Why not take them out to read?"
But the moment those words fell—
Liu Xiyue suddenly stiffened, as if struck by lightning.
"Did you just… twitch? Is something wrong?"
"No—no no, it's nothing. You're imagining things."
Firefly hesitated, but didn't press further.
Just as she was about to speak—
Liu Xiyue hurriedly changed the topic.
"It's nothing worth reading. Um… by the way, Firefly, is that pastry you're eating good? I've never seen that kind of cake roll before."
Her eyes darted slightly, her tone carrying a trace of hidden panic.
Firefly tilted her head, puzzled—
But didn't question it.
Instead, she calmly began explaining the pastry in her hand.
Liu Xiyue listened intently—
Nodding seriously.
She even accepted a piece offered to her.
Only then—
Did her tightly clenched hand finally relax, her palm damp with sweat.
As she took the pastry—
She quietly shifted her backpack farther away.
Inside it—
Were books like:
"The University Life of a Fragile Loli and a Yandere Senpai"
"After My Husband Turned into a Loli, He Was Disciplined by His CEO Wife"
"The Love Story of the Loli Elf Princess and the Dragon Queen"
(Fumina: What's her problem with lolis. She's one herself, does she self insert or something.)
Liu Xiyue (°ー°〃): That was close… If Firefly found out, my life would be over…
…
Finally—
She exhaled deeply.
Her tense shoulders relaxed.
A faint smile appeared.
Watching Firefly eat, cheeks puffed out adorably—
She couldn't help but smile.
Even the pastry in her hand seemed sweeter.
Without thinking—
She took a big bite.
"The taste isn't—mm… mmm—!"
Liu Xiyue: =͟͟͞͞(꒪-꒪ ‧̣̥̇)