Normally, wouldn't this be a time for heart-to-heart topics? Why talk about first kisses?
"I know you too well. A heart-to-heart is a process of mutual understanding. If it's just you understanding me unilaterally, I feel it's meaningless."
...True to her word, she even guessed what Lin was thinking. But it wasn't completely out of nowhere; Yama had said a couple of nonsensical things before. Perhaps that was just her personality?
Her words reminded Lin of that scene in the Spiral Workshop, but neither he nor Sakura cared, and they never mentioned it again. Then again, why emphasize a "first" kiss? Lip contact is common in the animal kingdom. Between humans, a second or third kiss, or even an exchange of saliva, is no different from the first. Unless it's with different people, he didn't quite understand the significance of this "first time" complex.
Could it be that what Yama wanted to emphasize was "someone told her"?
So he asked, "Who told you?"
"..." However, Yama didn't answer. Her expression darkened instantly, her eyes filled with displeasure.
Usually, Yama was expressionless and calm, much like Lin, but occasionally she would have particularly emotional outbursts—like when she smashed the paw on the floor. It felt a bit like a child throwing a tantrum. Come to think of it, the women around him, except for Aponia and Eden, seemed to be like this. Was it a common trait among women?
"Have you kissed anyone else?"
"I have a saliva collection for a physical once a month."
Monthly physicals were comprehensive; saliva was naturally required. It was collected by a machine, a very quick process. You just placed your chin on the device, opened your mouth, and a sterilized disposable collector would suction saliva from behind the lower lip. So that had already surpassed lips touching lips...
Then Lin saw Yama expression become even more displeased, and she gave him a sharp glare. Of course, Lin wasn't that stupid; he knew that wasn't kissing. It was just that he was suddenly curious about what it would feel like to tease Yama. Would she become emotional again?
The fact was, he felt a bit... pleasant. Like the sweet joy of a piece of candy slowly dissolving in one's mouth. Lin began to understand why Elysia loved pranks so much.
"So, you haven't?" Yama fiddled with the small pebbles beneath her feet, arranging them into an abstract shape. She spoke coldly, "What a useless guy. In other parallel worlds, some versions of you already have eight children."
"..."
Parallel worlds indeed had situations where the Honkai timeline was completely different, and the Lins in those worlds lived different, ordinary lives.
"There's also one who was hacked to death with a cleaver."
"..."
"One who was locked in a basement as a 'Bleep—'."
"..."
"One who was taken turns by several people..."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"..."
Yama was talking more. Lin didn't know if that was a good thing. At least this feigned peace could last until she fully recovered her power?
"Sometimes I think about going to those worlds and killing you." Yama eventually circled back to the original topic. "They have their own personalities, rich emotions, complete families. You will gradually become them, so what I want to kill is people like them."
Killing a group of ordinary people? Lin could still see a hint of reluctance in Yama eyes. It wasn't for Lin, but for those ordinary people. Her hatred for Lin would transfer to them, but her remaining feelings stopped her from doing such a thing.
"...Have you thought about believing one more time?"
"Believing in what?"
"Believing in humanity, believing that the future can be changed."
"This is the 131st time I've heard a 'Lin' say the future can be changed." The flicker in Yama eyes stopped, and she spoke coldly, "You haven't even changed the word order."
"..."
It turned out that trying to convince someone with words who had witnessed countless endings was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
"But you are indeed different," Yama suddenly shifted her tone.
"...Different how?"
"Among all the Lins who have undergone the Project Soldier surgery, only two had side effects."
This surprised Lin. In such a critical area as side effects, were those who suffered them actually the minority?
"Only two people lost part of their senses, while the others' functions remained normal. So your transformation, compared to other Lins, will be much later."
What did that mean? Lin quietly observed Yama, finding that this time, the emotions in her eyes didn't fluctuate much.
"By the way, want to try?" she asked coldly.
...
...
Try what? Before Lin brain could process what Yama was saying, a slender palm pressed down on his elbow joint, pinning him to the ground. Then, the softness of her lips made his pupils contract for an instant before dilating.
Silver hair like snow fell by his side.
"..."
He stared calmly into the ink-jade eyes pressed so close to him. She also looked at him serenely, as if it were two other people kissing instead of them. A fresh, sweet fragrance filled his mouth...
Wait, sweetness? Why was there sweetness? Thinking carefully, this flavor seemed to be something he had tasted in his long-lost sense of taste.
"Here~"
"...What?"
"A citrus-flavored lollipop. Vil-V bought them, I secretly stole some..."
"..."
A mischievous smiling face flashed before him. He remembered; that sweet taste belonged to a citrus-flavored lollipop. He couldn't tell at all that Yama was someone who ate lollipops, and he hadn't noticed when she had eaten it.
Before Lin could finish savoring the citrus lollipop, a tearing pain came from the tip of his tongue. The person before him vanished instantly. He clutched his mouth and scrambled up, spitting out two mouthfuls of saliva mixed with blood.
He had been bitten mercilessly; it felt like the tip of his tongue had almost been bitten off. Yama, acting as if nothing had happened, stepped back and wiped the mixture of saliva and blood from the corner of her mouth. She stood with her hands in her pockets, expressionless.
"...Didn't feel like much."
"..." Lin, whose tongue still throbbed, couldn't say a word. He could only stare silently at Yama, who had performed such an outrageous act. He questioned her with a gaze that even he found bizarre.
Her reply was simple: "You haven't tried it in your life, and neither have I. So, instead of saving a first kiss until death, I'd rather try the feeling of kissing."
"Besides, this is just consciousness."
With that, Yama walked to the other side of the clock tower. Lin quietly followed and saw her take a lollipop out of her pocket and put it in her mouth.
...So she really was secretly eating candy.