The early morning sunlight leaked in through the gap in the curtains as Su Yu changed his shoes at the entryway.
"I'm heading over to the studio to check out the place. Stay put at home. There's leftover pizza in the fridge from yesterday—just heat it in the microwave for two minutes and it's good to eat."
The white-haired head wrapped in a blanket on the couch stirred, revealing a single sky-blue eye.
"Got it."
Kiana's voice was muffled inside the blanket, slurred and indistinct, as if she still hadn't fully woken up.
Su Yu gave her a glance, said nothing more, grabbed his keys, and went out.
She listened as the footsteps in the stairwell gradually faded.
Kiana threw off the blanket and sat up, the white hair on her head sticking out in three different directions.
She rubbed her eyes, ran over to the window and took a peek, confirmed that Su Yu's little e-scooter had already ridden out the community gate, then immediately flipped off the couch.
First, a quick wash-up, tidying her messy white hair into a high ponytail that was easy to move in.
Then she changed out of her pajamas and tossed them into the laundry basket—Su Yu had left in a rush this morning and hadn't gotten around to washing last night's clothes. Looking at her own clothes piled together with Su Yu's, including a flash of her own white...
Kiana's face suddenly went red. Only now did she recall a detail she'd been overlooking for a very long time.
It seemed that ever since she'd come to this world, the clothes she changed out of had all been washed by Su Yu—not just the T-shirts and pants, but her intimate garments as well.
Tch.
A blunder, a blunder, a total blunder. Back when she was at St. Freya, it had been Mei who helped wash her clothes, and since they were both girls, she'd never thought anything of it.
Had she subconsciously been treating Su Yu like Mei? He was a boy, and besides…
Thinking this, Kiana pulled her intimate garments back out of the laundry basket.
"F-from now on, I'd better wash them myself."
She mumbled, face flushed, but her mind inexplicably started running wild—what would Su Yu think when he saw such "childish" underwear?
Would he decide that she really was just a little kid who hadn't grown up?
For no reason she thought of Himeko dropping by to visit yesterday—that sexy, bold black lace, and those heart-stoppingly surging waves.
Kiana stood blankly in front of the mirror, looking down at her own chest, as if making some kind of comparison.
A few minutes later.
Kiana came out of the bathroom red-faced, firmly resolved to drink more milk and eat more papaya.
[Dummy Kiana, are you awake yet? Don't tell me you forgot about the mission.]
Bronie had sent another message, hurrying Kiana along.
[Got it.]
Kiana fired back a reply, then changed into clothes easy to move in.
The phone screen lit up; Bronie's message had already popped up.
[Sent you the route. Today we hit the Tiger Claw Gang's third hideout. Don't be late.]
Kiana stuffed the phone into her pocket, pulled open the door, and walked out.
With a "bang," the door shut.
Only an odd-eyed white cat was left in the living room.
Chongchong lay sprawled on the armrest of the couch, its two differently colored eyes fixed on the direction of the door, its tail giving a flick.
Off again.
This Number Two pooper-scooper had been slipping out every single day lately, leaving it without even anyone to play with.
Before, it could at least lie on Kiana's belly and bask in the sun. Now, look at this—gone without a trace first thing in the morning.
But whatever.
Waiting for its owner to come home was part of a pet's job description too.
Chongchong hopped down from the couch, gave its ears a shake, and took stock of the temperature in the room.
It had rained yesterday, so today's temperature wasn't quite so deadly.
With a cat-walk strut it slipped into Su Yu's bedroom, jumped onto the nightstand, and stretched out its right front paw to precisely smack the power button of the electric fan.
With a "whir," the fan started spinning.
Chongchong narrowed its eyes in satisfaction, leapt from the nightstand to beside Su Yu's pillow, curled into a ball, and buried its head in its tail.
Three seconds later, an even purring began to rise.
Clearly, for a kitten that could turn on the air conditioner by itself, switching on a fan or whatever was no challenge at all.
In Arc City in July, the sun opened for business as early as six in the morning.
The schools had all let out for summer vacation, and the streets were full of kids running around clutching popsicles and young mothers out for strolls pushing baby carriages.
Su Yu rode his little e-scooter through two streets and stopped at the entrance of the Mobius Laboratory.
The same familiar laboratory.
The same iron door plastered with the sign reading "Experiment in Progress, No Unauthorized Entry."
The same boy at the entrance striking a chuunibyou pose.
Kosma covered his right eye with his left hand, five fingers slightly spread, glancing over through the gaps between them, the corner of his mouth curled into an arc he thought was very cool.
"You've come, Brother Su Yu."
He kept his voice low, as though reciting some kind of sealing incantation.
"Before I tell you today's intel, answer me one question first."
Su Yu kicked out the scooter's stand and pulled out the key.
"Go ahead."
Kosma lowered his hand from his face, stepped two paces closer, glanced left and right, and only spoke once he'd confirmed no one was around.
"Did you know? Recently our Arc City has produced a legend of a Vigilante!"
The corner of Su Yu's mouth twitched.
"They say she has crane-white hair and a youthful face, with skills that reach the heavens!" Kosma grew more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing in the air. "A dozen-plus thugs couldn't get near her! You heard about that street-racing gang case last week, right? One person, bare-handed, four minutes, took them all down!"
His eyes blazed, his fists clenched tight.
"Tell me, do you think this Vigilante is that Little Martial Aunt down from the mountain that Sister Hua mentioned before?!"
A faint laugh, forcibly swallowed back, escaped from Su Yu's throat.
He recalled that last time, also here, Kosma had bragged endlessly in front of Kiana about that "mysterious Little Grandmaster"—all "the bearing of an immortal," all "ethereal as a transcendent being"—hyping it up to the skies, utterly unaware that the very person he was praising to high heaven was standing right beside him munching an apple.
Kiana's expression at the time—how to put it—was probably one of wanting to find a crack in the ground and vanish on the spot; her toes could surely have curled out an entire Golden Courtyard.
"Ah, if only I could meet that heaven-reaching master just once!" Kosma pressed his palms together and gazed up at the sky. "I feel like, just with one pointer from a true master, my Ren and Du meridians would be opened right up!"
Su Yu bit his tongue.
And held it in.
A soft sigh came from behind him.
Griseo stood on the steps of the laboratory, a small light-blue drawing board held in her arms.
Today she wore a white floral-print dress, two butterfly hair clips pinned in her hair, and a pair of round-toed little leather shoes on her feet.
The white over-the-knee socks clung to her slender, heart-achingly delicate calves, the cuffs at the knees rolled down slightly, and the hem of the dress fell just over a spot three fingers' width above the sock cuffs; as she moved, the edge of the dress brushed lightly against that strip of fair skin, like flower petals stirred by the spring wind.
She had clearly dressed up with great care.
But that little face was filled with helplessness.
"Kosma." Griseo spoke up, her voice not loud but clear enough. "Didn't Sister Daisy say she was giving you tutoring today too?"
Kosma's body froze.
The whole of him was as if someone had pressed his pause button; the chuunibyou boy who'd been so high-spirited moments ago now had the color visibly draining from his face.
"Tu-tutoring…"
He swallowed.
"Um, Griseo, look how nice the weather is today—tutoring really isn't all that urgent…"
"Sister Daisy said," Griseo tilted her head, "that if you're late, next time the review scope gets doubled."
Kosma's mouth opened, then closed again.
He glanced at Su Yu, then at Griseo, and finally, with the expression of a martyr facing death valiantly, "handed off" Griseo to Su Yu and turned to run.
After two steps he turned back and shouted, "Su Yu! If you ever meet that Vigilante senior, you've got to get me an autograph!"
Then he vanished in a puff of dust.
Watching his disappearing back, Su Yu finally let a bit of the laugh he'd been holding in for so long leak out.
"Last time played out pretty much the same way, didn't it," he said, turning to Griseo. "Looks like Daisy Tobia really is Kosma's nemesis."
Griseo didn't laugh.
She lifted her head, those pale-purple eyes looking straight at Su Yu.
Not vacant, not dreamy.
She was glaring at him.
Su Yu's smile stuck at the corner of his mouth.
"Um… Teacher Painted World? Might I ask whether I've done something wrong?"
"No."
Griseo hugged the drawing board a little tighter.
"Griseo knows Big Brother Su Yu is very busy."
She lowered her head, staring at the tips of her shoes.
"Just like Auntie Mobius. Lately she's been obsessed every single day with that thing Big Brother Su Yu brought over—she won't even eat unless Griseo carries the food in to her."
Her voice was very soft, popping out one word at a time.
"Sister Eden has lots of engagements, and so does Sister Elysia, and Kosma has to study with Sister Daisy."
The little painter's fingers rubbed at the edge of the drawing board, a thin sheen of moisture glistening on her fingernails.
"Before, Sister Nuwa used to take Griseo out to play often."
She lifted her head.
Those eyes were brimming with moisture, the rims slightly red, her lips pressed into a line, her chin faintly taut—even though she hadn't said anything outright, her whole face was written all over with two words.
Aggrieved.
It was as if someone had given Su Yu's chest a hard squeeze.
The people Griseo had named—Mobius was engrossed in researching the White Comet armor, Eden was busy handling engagements and investments, Elysia was tangled up in promotional work, and Nuwa had been poached outright by him to serve as art director.
All because of him.
One by one, he'd snatched away every single person around Griseo who could keep her company.
Su Yu, oh Su Yu, repent! You truly are a sinner!!
He crouched down, bringing his eyes level with Griseo's.
"No."
He softened his voice.
"How could I possibly forget Griseo?"
Griseo didn't answer, but those purple eyes didn't move away from his face.
Su Yu sighed inwardly.
Given this atmosphere now, the matter he'd meant to bring up—getting Griseo to keep drawing the new comic chapters—was something he couldn't get a single word out about.
He'd have to soothe the little painter first.
"Today I came specifically to find you," he said, holding out his hand. "Want to go check out the new studio together?"
Griseo's eyelashes quivered.
"Griseo is the studio's soul artist, after all. Once the studio is officially set up, you won't have to stay here at Auntie Mobius's place every day."
"Sister Nuwa will be there, and Kiana too, and there's a really impressive big sister named Bronie—even Kevin will be stationed there by then."
Su Yu counted off the names on his fingers.
"They'll definitely give you a warm welcome."
In Griseo's eyes, that layer of mist seemed to disperse a little.
She lowered her gaze, staring for two seconds at the palm Su Yu held out.
Then she reached out her little hand and grasped his index and middle fingers.
Her hand was cool, her fingers as slender as freshly sprouted willow twigs.
"Strawberry milkshake."
she said.
Su Yu paused.
Griseo lifted her face; the grievance of moments ago was already gone from those purple eyes, replaced by an extremely serious, non-negotiable expression.
"Griseo wants a strawberry milkshake. A large one."
Su Yu hurriedly nodded.
"I'll buy it! I'll buy anything!"
The corner of Griseo's mouth moved—the arc was extremely faint, but it was indeed curving upward.
Holding onto Su Yu's two fingers, she walked toward the e-scooter parked at the roadside, her little leather shoes going "clack, clack," the drawing board tucked under the arm of her other hand, the butterfly hair clips flashing once in the sunlight.
After the strawberry milkshake had been bought.
Su Yu rode the little e-scooter, turning onto the main road with a "vroom."
Griseo sat on the back seat, the drawing board wedged upright between the two of them, one hand gripping the clothing at Su Yu's waist, the other cupping that large strawberry milkshake with pearls, the straw clamped in her mouth, her cheeks puffing in and out.
The wind blew her long, pale blue-purple hair streaming backward.
While waiting at a red light at the intersection, the driver of a van beside them rolled down his window, glanced at the two of them, then glanced again, a knowing smile of the "oh, taking your daughter out for a ride, huh" variety spreading across his face.
Su Yu pretended not to notice, muttering inwardly, Buddy, don't get me in trouble—I don't want to get "promoted" by Uncle Hen. And by promoted I mean hauled up and reamed.
The light turned green, and the scooter darted forward again.
"Any plans for summer vacation?" Su Yu turned his head to ask half the question, then turned back to fix his eyes on the road.
From behind came the sound of a straw stirring ice cubes.
"Drawing."
Griseo's answer was terse to the extreme.
"While it's summer break… draw a bit more. Colors."
Su Yu waited two seconds to confirm she'd finished.
"What about your mom and dad? Aren't they taking you out over the summer?"
The sound of the straw stopped.
"Papa went with Mama to the Mu Continent," Griseo said. "Academic research. Mama said… it'll be a long while."
Su Yu paused.
The Mu Continent.
He remembered.
Su, the other good buddy of his and Kevin's, was also over on the Mu Continent studying medicine.
The last time they'd talked on the phone, Su had even said he didn't know when he'd be able to come back, and asked him to help water the succulents on the balcony.
That pot of succulents had long since been watered to death by Su Yu—something he still hadn't dared to bring up to this day.
The scooter rounded a bend, and Su Yu began taking mental stock of just how many people were even left at the Golden Courtyard now.
Eden and Elysia went without saying—the two of them were so busy their feet barely touched the ground.
Kevin had just quit his job to join the studio, and now spent every day over there sorting out the account books.
That lunatic Vill-V was either holed up in the Golden Courtyard's underground workshop turning screws or running all over the world, claiming to be gathering inspiration for magic tricks—last week she'd even mailed back a crate of live crickets, nearly scaring Pardo into jumping off the second floor.
Sakura was a textbook overtime Office Slave; getting to see her once a week counted as good luck.
Aponia, besides her main job as a nurse, had also opened an orphanage and taken in lots of children; Kalpas had to go over there every few days to help cook.
Pardo had it even worse, often nabbed over by a single phone call from Aponia to serve as free labor.
As for Mobius, don't even get started—ever since Su Yu had brought over the White Comet armor, this snake lady had welded herself into the laboratory, not stepping out for days on end; according to Griseo, she'd only eat if food was carried in to her.
Ah Hua had the dojo's affairs to manage on top of school, and simply couldn't be in two places at once.
Going through the whole circle, it seemed that he himself—the Golden Courtyard's off-the-books member—was the one with the most free time.
Sigh.
Such was the fate of the Little Blackie downstairs—not only fixing all sorts of things, but also moonlighting as a child-minding dad.
What's that? Kosma? That chuunibyou boy was being aggressively pursued by his senior Daisy Tobia, completely oblivious himself, still sealing away his Evil King's True Eye every day.
After Su Yu poached Nuwa away from Mobius, the people around Griseo who could play with her had been reduced completely to zero.
The vast Golden Courtyard—a single elementary schooler, guarding an empty building.
Su Yu really wanted to slap himself twice.
You're really no decent human being!!
I despise you! Past Su Yu!!
Sigh, he could sort of understand now why Red A wanted to kill off his past self—seriously empathizing, that's for sure!
But since things had already come to this, he'd have to find a way to make up for it.
Kiana didn't dislike Griseo at all—that time at the amusement park when Griseo helped her win the big HOMEI doll, Kiana still went on about it to this day.
The two weren't far apart in age (genuinely not far apart—if you went by the original work, Kiana might even be younger than Griseo?), so they should be able to get along as good big-and-little friends.
That Bronie character never gave an inch with her mouth, but she absolutely could not hold out against Griseo's face.
After all, Griseo really was adorable.
Not the deliberately cutesy kind of adorable, but the kind that made you want to buy her all the strawberry milkshakes in the world at a single glance.
The Golden Courtyard's darling-of-the-group hadn't earned the title for nothing.
Just as Su Yu was thinking this, Griseo's voice came from behind him.
"Lately, everyone's been really busy."
The wind blew her words into fragments.
"Whether it's Papa and Mama, or Mama Aponia, or Auntie Mobius."
She paused.
"Big Brother Su Yu is the first person to come find Griseo to play this summer vacation."
Su Yu's hands tightened on the handlebars.
"Griseo… is actually really happy, you know."
She said this in a very soft tone, so soft it was nearly drowned out by the wind, as if afraid of being a bother to others, voicing even her happiness with the utmost care.
Su Yu felt as if something had given that spot in his chest a fierce twist.
What an absolutely peerless little angel.
He took a deep breath, forced back the surge of sourness rising up, and made his voice as light and breezy as he could.
"It's all right. Once the studio is sorted out, our renowned Teacher Painted World will be able to really show her stuff over there. By then you can draw whatever you want, with all the paint you could ask for."
He mulled it over and found a topic that could lighten the mood.
"Oh right, did you know? That Sister Nuwa of yours is actually a devoted fan of Painted World."
The sound of the straw behind him stopped.
"Last time, it was her who hyped The Three-Year Sakura up for us. She recommended it round after round in her livestream room, and the comments section blew up."
Two seconds of silence.
"Big Brother Su Yu."
Griseo's voice suddenly changed its tune, carrying a very subtle note of scrutinizing a criminal.
"You wouldn't have deceived Griseo and told Sister Nuwa about Griseo's identity, would you?"
Su Yu almost wrenched the handlebars crooked.
"No way! Do you think I'm that kind of person?"
Griseo didn't answer right away.
Su Yu could feel those purple eyes on the back seat sizing up the back of his head, the weight of the gaze very serious.
"But," Griseo finally spoke, "Little Sister Elysia says, Su Yu's mouth is a lying devil."
The corner of Su Yu's mouth twitched.
"She also said you keep everything hidden from her."
The corner of Su Yu's mouth twitched again.
"Is this Pink Piggy-Cat my mother or something? Why does she keep asking about everything nonstop?!"
Griseo didn't pick up the conversation, but Su Yu could feel the little head leaning against his back rub gently against him, as if she found Su Yu's flustered exasperation rather funny.
The scooter rounded the last intersection.
The glass curtain wall of the Arc City Tower reflected the light beneath the noon sun, the forty-eight-story building rising up from the street level, the outline of the observation deck ringing its top floor cutting a clean straight line against the blue sky.
Griseo tilted her head up, raising the milkshake cup halfway into the air, the straw still in her mouth, those purple eyes reflecting the image of that building.
"We're here." Su Yu parked the scooter in a roadside spot and pulled out the key. "Come on, Teacher Painted World, let's go take a look at your future new base."
Griseo hopped down from the back seat, her little leather shoes making a soft sound as they landed.
She shifted the more-than-half-finished milkshake to her left hand, lifted the drawing board with her right, and, head tilted, looked the building over from bottom to top, then from top to bottom.
A ring of pale-pink strawberry-milk stain clung to her lips, and the butterfly hair clips glittered on and off in the sunlight.
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