Mono had good hearing; although Six didn't speak fluently, he heard her clearly.
Hearing this, he laughed:
"Hahaha, hey, I say, I didn't actually guess right, did I?"
"Were you really scared witless by those horrible monsters?"
"Hmm... is that why you've become so slow, unable to even speak clearly, and can only hug a shabby box all day to comfort yourself?"
It was easy now that Sixth Master had spoken.
He just wanted her to talk.
He just wanted to make her uncomfortable.
Why?
Because doing so, he felt, was very satisfying.
Sixth Master would betray him later, and now she was giving him such a gloomy face; naturally, Mono had to take the chance to give her a hard time.
A flicker of displeasure and... helplessness crossed Sixth Master's originally flat expression.
"My name is Six..." she couldn't help but say.
Correcting the name she was being called, she muttered again, "And, I... won't be scared."
In this world, she had already endured and experienced enough.
She wasn't that pathetic.
Fear had long been blocked out by her numbed nerves.
So how could she possibly be afraid?
She wouldn't be afraid.
Seeing this, Mono smiled again.
His words seemed to be working; Sixth Master was even introducing herself.
However.
"You say you won't be scared?"
"Then back on the shore, why did I seem to see someone crying?"
"And with a face full of snot, no less."
Hearing this, Six's originally steady body couldn't help but stiffen, and a hint of awkwardness flashed in her flat eyes.
She just... cried? And, snot?
Even with her strong composure, her face couldn't help but feel hot thinking about it now.
It was indeed a bit embarrassing.
However, she tilted her head and turned away, saying once more:
"I, I didn't cry..."
It was for the music box, so it didn't count as crying.
"Hahaha~"
Mono laughed.
What was with this duplicitous behavior?
It was truly rare and amusing!
For some reason, hearing Mono's laughter made Six even more restless and uncomfortable.
"You didn't cry? Right, right, you didn't."
Mono continued to clutch his stomach, nodding and laughing as he spoke,
"You were just having a runny nose earlier; that's nothing, hahaha..."
Six pursed her lips, squeezed her hands, and suddenly stood up.
She stepped over and raised a hand, directly covering Mono's mouth.
Mono's laughter stopped abruptly.
"Forget... what just happened," she said slowly.
Mono looked at Sixth Master, whose face seemed slightly flushed, and blinked in confusion.
He was surprised by Sixth Master's actions.
Then, he slapped her hand away and said nonchalantly:
"Sorry, but I won't forget. In fact, I'll remember it for a lifetime. If you want me to forget, forget it."
Mono certainly wouldn't grant her wish.
Because he took great pleasure in seeing Sixth Master suffer a setback.
Or rather, he was happy to see any expression on her face other than numbness and calm.
Sixth Master's small brows knitted together.
For some reason, a strange impulse suddenly surged in her heart.
She really wanted to communicate with Mono in a more direct way to make him understand her feelings.
But looking at the slightly smug Mono, she hesitated. Although she had already raised her hand, she eventually lowered it.
Friends... don't hurt each other, right?
Six thought silently.
Then, without a word, she crouched back down on the wooden raft.
It would be fine as long as she acted like it never happened.
As long as she pretended not to see or hear, she wouldn't—and wouldn't need to—be angry.
She quietly watched the water again, listening to the music box, attempting to return to her own world.
Mono, however, was in high spirits.
"Hey, are you okay? You're not discouraged just because you couldn't convince me, are you?"
"Don't lose heart..."
"How about this: why don't you beg me? Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll forget about it."
"Well? I'm actually quite easy to talk to."
"Hmm? Ignoring me? Believe it or not, I'll tell everyone else about how you cried."
"I'm going to shout it out right here, you believe me? Hurry up and beg me."
"Are you going to say something? I'm really going to shout."
"Ah~"
"Six is an ugly girl—"
Mono suddenly shouted toward the lake,
"When she cries, her snot is all runny and ugly—"
Six finally reacted again.
Ah~
There are some sounds, some people, that she simply can't ignore.
"Shut up for me—!" she stood up again and yelled.