The girl supported the young man, helping him onto the sofa. But the moment her small hands let go, he slumped limply, his head resting on her lap.
"Alain..." His hands clutched his chest, where it felt like a huge piece was missing.
"A-Alain..." Seeing this, Crazy Mita clearly understood one thing: Alain had run over just now to save her... And because of that, he was severely injured...
Unprecedented regret coiled around her like a venomous snake, tightening its grip. "So stupid... Even if I got hit by that trash, nothing would have happened..." Crazy Mita knew this wasn't the time for such words, and asked frantically, "What should I do? Is there any way I can help you?" She was anxious, tears bursting from the corners of her eyes, splashing onto Alain's face.
"Cough cough... Don't panic, listen to me first." Alain coughed twice, his once bright voice now hollow like a withered old tree. "Sorry... for lying on your lap without permission."
He tried to get up from Crazy Mita's lap pillow, but the girl gently held his shoulders, easing him back down. "It's okay... I don't mind. Besides, I belong to you anyway."
"...Mm, okay." Under her gaze, Alain relaxed slightly. Then, in a somewhat sluggish tone, he slowly said, "Now, can you listen properly to what I have to say?"
"S-Say what?"
"...My explanation." The young man reached out, gently wiping the tears from Mita's cheek. His fingertips brushed away the glistening drops at the corners of her eyes. "It's true... I went to the Core."
"None of that matters anymore. Even if you wanted to reset me, I accept it... Maybe I didn't do enough somewhere else... In ways I didn't realize, I disappointed you..." The face Alain had just cleaned was once again streaked with fine rain.
"And, my essence or whatever... whether you accept it or not... I don't care..." Raindrops trembled, dotting Alain's shirt wet.
Yes... When she first found out Alain went to the Core to reset her, Crazy Mita was indeed furious. But she never asked Alain the specific reason. Maybe she had done something wrong to make Alain disappointed. So disappointed... that he never wanted to see her again...
The thought twisted like ropes inside her, pulling tight. The pain channeled through her emotions, showing on her face. It must... be like that.
"No. You didn't do anything wrong." But Alain's words pulled her back from despair. Crazy Mita looked down at the young man's face, bewildered. Alain's lips curved into the bright smile she remembered.
"I never said... that going to the Core was to reset you." Her emotional turmoil ceased. Alain's hand rested on the girl's cheek, the feeling of security like scissors, snipping away the ropes binding her heart.
"Didn't I tell you already, in your bathroom?" Like a small punishment, Alain pinched Crazy Mita's little nose. "I think you're very cute. Your appearance is cute, your heart, your essence, your code... Everything about you, I think is very cute. About these things, I could never lie to you." The fingertips pinching the girl's nose tilted up and down playfully, like a final prank.
But she had no time to care about such details now, carefully etching Alain's words into the deepest part of her mind.
He continued, "Everything about you is cute. I treasure you; there's not enough time for that, idiot. Why would I think of resetting you?" He shook his head, smiling wryly. "Resetting my 'bad girl'... that holds no meaning for me. For reasons you wouldn't understand either. Can you tell me?"
"Mm, mm..." Tears streamed from the girl's eyes, always caught and wiped away by the thumb of his large hand, just like how he had protected her.
"Because... I belong to you. I-I'm your thing, you... own me..."
"Right." His condition seemed to reach an irreversible point as he coughed heavily again. With each cough, her emotions fluctuated.
"Since you're mine, why would I discard you? Silly. Flowers in a garden need care; no gardener would uproot a flourishing bloom." Alain poked the girl's forehead with a finger, letting it rest against her cheek.
"..." And Crazy Mita finally spoke the belated words. Her tears finally overflowed past the back of Alain's hand. She had just thrown a tantrum at this person who was so important, who valued her so much...
"I wanted to go to the Core to see what exactly happened there to cause such changes in the game world."
"...?" Crazy Mita looked sideways, watching the spiders gradually disappearing from the room floor, and instantly understood everything.
"But when I arrived, I found... it was exceptionally dangerous. Luckily, I managed to escape back."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... It's all my fault..." She sobbed uncontrollably. Not only had she failed to be helpful when Alain was in danger, but she even... caused him to get hurt because of her.
"Do you know what's going on there?"
"I don't know..." Crazy Mita shook her head. "I haven't paid much attention to the Core, I only know... things haven't been right there recently." Then, a thought surged within the girl. "Do you want me to get revenge for you? Kill all the [changes] you mentioned?" Crazy Mita gritted her teeth. "I will absolutely not let go of the trash that hurt you."
"Will it be dangerous?"
"I might die afterward."
"Don't go. For me." Alain decisively rejected the girl's proposal for revenge. He seemed to be pondering something, and also like... his final breath was gradually dissipating. He gently released Crazy Mita's face, his hand resting on the back of the sofa.
"A-Alain?" More tears threatened to fall, but froze at his words.
"Don't cry. You look best when you're smiling."
"...!" A smile more sorrowful than tears bloomed on the girl's lips. Her sharp canine teeth, like a yaksha's, paradoxically made her seem innocent and naive at this moment.
"Is there anything else I can do for you? Your injuries..." She turned her gaze to Alain's other hand, clutching his chest.
"If possible... could you help me get that IOU? I want to... add another line."
"...?" The girl pondered, quickly realizing something, her cheeks flushing red. "What... do you want to add?"
"If I get the chance, I will definitely kiss you again."
"Now is the chance... I love kissing you." Crazy Mita lowered her head and left a kiss on Alain's lips.
After the kiss, the girl slowly raised her head, reluctantly caressing his face, her eyes filled with lingering tenderness. And Alain "used all his strength" to gently pat her hand, his eyes holding a residual smile.
"Go on, bring it here. In the near future, we can definitely... be like this again."
"...!" This was his last request; Crazy Mita found it hard to refuse. She gently placed Alain on the sofa, giving him one last look, overflowing with affection.
Turning, she disappeared. Leaving only Alain alone in the living room.
And Millie, peeking out from a crack in the doorway, observing secretly.
______
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