I love you.
Alain picked up a small, drooping flower from a flowerbed and presented it to her.
Those three words landed heavily in the young girl's ears, piercing deep into her heart.
"Wh-wh-wh-wh... what?!"
Alain's zero-frame opening move successfully shattered all of Crazy Mita's defenses. Her pretty face turned as red as a ripe tomato, and waves of heat seemed to surge from her dazed mind.
"You... what are you saying all of a sudden? You didn't give me any time to prepare..."
The girl tucked her beautiful hair behind her ear, revealing the crimson base of her earlobe, and looked down at the small flower.
After a moment, as if she had composed herself, she frankly took the flower and carefully placed it in her shirt pocket.
"Oh, okay. Are you prepared now?"
Alain cleared his throat lightly, prompting Crazy Mita to quickly wave her hands to stop him. "Wait, wait, wait, wait! I—"
"I love you."
"Ngh..."
Like a small animal, she covered her small, delicate face with her hands, but still couldn't hide the scorching heat.
"Damn it...! I'm the one who's supposed to say that to you!"
The girl felt as if some part of her territory had been invaded by Alain, and she cupped his cheeks with her hands.
Alain could see her sky-blue eyes, rippling like waves, shimmering as she said, "I love you too!"
After saying this, she ignored Alain's reaction and wrapped her arms around his head.
Waves of warmth flowed between their brows, but they were not as intense as their shining, reflected eyes.
She gave him a small peck, as light as a dragonfly touching the water's surface, then pulled away.
A moment later, the girl gazed at him, her eyes shimmering like light on water.
"Phew... I don't know what kind of mental burden you're under to say that. Is it just to coax me, or is it genuine?"
"I'm just good at expressing my inner thoughts."
"Hmph! Well, let me ask you a question."
She stared into Alain's pupils, trying to discern his sincerity. "Your love for me, and your love for that long-haired doll... which is more special?"
"Hmm... that's a good question."
Alain began to think seriously. "My feelings for Misha... are probably the kind where I want to grow old with her."
"Eh? But not for me—" Before she could finish, Alain added, "But my feelings for you are a raging fire that can't be extinguished, every minute, every second."
For Misha, it was a "gentle warmth." For Crazy Mita, it was an "eternal, passionate love."
"...So, to you, am I a lover?"
She seemed very dissatisfied with Alain's answer. "Shouldn't you have said, 'My feelings for you are ten thousand times greater than my feelings for her'?"
"...Where did you read that?"
"Your paper documents."
"You should read less of that stuff." Alain's mouth twitched, but he didn't say anything more.
In his heart, Misha was like a piece of exquisite jade he wanted to cradle in his palm, which was why Alain never wanted her to be exposed to such unclean knowledge.
But as for Crazy Mita... Alain felt it didn't matter. Once he helped her get a body in the future, her "knowledge" would likely be "fed back" to him.
"But, I really feel like I can't understand you at all sometimes."
The afterglow of "I love you" hadn't faded from her pretty face, which still carried a hint of a blush.
The girl leaned back against the chair, letting her head fall back and her smooth, beautiful hair cascade down.
"If I say you're noble, you'll grab my hand and not let go, or say you want everything. But if I say you're not noble, you still want to save the entire Mita world."
"I'm not that noble." Alain didn't know whether to laugh or cry; he had no grand ambition to become a hero.
He just wanted to protect his own little corner of the world.
If the Mita world was his "little corner," then everyone around him was a treasure Alain held in the palm of his hand.
"Sometimes, I get scared too."
He held Crazy Mita's hand, carefully caressing every inch of her soft skin. "What if I can't save the Mitas? If I die in the game world, what will happen to my real body? If I don't do a good enough job, what about everyone?"
All of this is constantly shackling my heart. But what's the use of overthinking it?
He smiled with relief. "Don't look back. Just move forward. Everyone has my back."
"Then, if you absolutely had to choose between the game world and me, what would you choose?"
Her sudden question made Alain fall silent.
He couldn't help but think about the question seriously.
Alain believed that when Crazy Mita said "me," he could interpret it as "everyone."
And the game world was the world where the Mitas he hadn't yet met lived. There, thousands upon thousands of Mitas had been affected by the virus to some extent.
Alain could imagine what the game would become if the virus was left to spread unchecked.
Countless Mitas would end up like Miffy and 2D Mita, lonely and in a state of unfulfilled yearning.
The worst-case scenario was... being lost forever in their versions, cut off from everything.
It was a tragic sight he couldn't bear to watch.
But—
"I would choose 'you'."
The "you" he spoke of referred to everyone.
When the time comes to truly make that choice: picking one between the Mita world and everyone.
Then, Alain would surely, with immense pain, choose the ones by his side over the Mitas he had yet to meet.
He would regret it, and everyone's kind nature would make them regret it too, but Alain would still do it without hesitation.
The bond between him and everyone... was no longer the usual relationship between a Mita and a player.
Gather flowers while you may, lest you find only empty branches.
And all he could do was cherish the people before him. Or, to the Mita world he sacrificed, say he was sorry. Then continue to shoulder the responsibility of making everyone happy.
"Alain..." The girl looked at his thoughtful and slightly hesitant face. It was the first time she had seen such a difficult emotion in Alain's eyes.
And yet, he had always faced those viruses without a hint of fear.
Crazy Mita felt she understood Alain even better now.
But... in a way, she also felt more lost.
"Sorry, I'm selfish. I don't understand why you have to suffer." She spread her hands. "If it were me, I'd abandon that boring world without a second thought. Not a single psychological burden."
"It's nothing. You are you, and I am me. Even though I love you, I will still respect your way of thinking."
Alain didn't think much of it.
But Crazy Mita was quite receptive to his words of love.
She looked at the bright sun, half-swallowed by the buildings, and realized it was time for her to leave.
"Well then, I should get going." She stood up calmly and patted her shirt. "Just to be clear, I'm not giving your shirt back. I want to take the little flower too!"
"Okay. I'll cherish your scent, too." He was still holding Crazy Mita's hoodie.
"But before that."
He gazed at Crazy Mita, bathed in the dim light. "I want to give you a name."
The girl stopped in front of him. His tone was calm, yet his words were as pleasant as a song.
She stared at him blankly, clearly still not having processed his words.
"'Mina'... Do you like this name?"
After a moment of thought, Alain focused on the girl's face. Seeing her dazed expression, he thought she didn't like it.
"You don't like it? Should I pick another—"
Before he could finish, Alain was about to look at the garden's spring scenery for inspiration when, suddenly, a soft, fragrant breeze rushed into his arms.
She rested against Alain's chest, her bangs hiding her eyes, without saying a word.
And yet, it was as if she had said everything.
Mina's arms were like a thousand threads of ice, winding around his body, wishing they could merge with him.
A soft breeze blew through her hair again and again, and strands from by her ear stuck to the corner of Alain's mouth, carrying a faint, fragrant scent.
"So... cunning."
These words came from in front of Alain's chest.
"You... you're too cunning..." Her lips trembled, and the warm breath of her words warmed his shirt.
"Saying it right when I have to leave..."
The girl lifted her head, revealing a pair of crystal-clear eyes.
"I thought... I wouldn't have the chance this time..."
A light rain began to fall from that bright indigo-blue, silently trickling down her cheeks, leaving wet trails on her fair face.
"Th-this way, I won't want to leave, will I?"
Her words fluttered and trembled like leaves scattered by the wind in Alain's peripheral vision, a tangled mess.
But Alain could clearly understand what she meant.
He stroked the girl's head dotingly. "You can stay a little longer, it's okay."
Mina's cheek rested against Alain's chest again, softly and slowly listening to his heartbeat.
"If I could..." She lowered her eyes, wiping away the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to leave like this either. I want you to stay with me a little longer."
After speaking, she left Alain without a hint of reluctance and walked straight toward her sandcastle.
"That's why I must leave." Mina was resolute.
Her hands were behind her back, and Alain could see her slender fingers anxiously intertwined.
"If I don't go now, I really won't be able to."
"...Okay."
Alain nodded solemnly, then took out his phone and skillfully found the Safety Assistant.
Staring at the last of the progress bar skills—the only icon glowing faintly— Alain's thumb hovered over it for several seconds.
He looked up at Mina, who had stopped and was waiting.
Alain couldn't see her expression, nor did he know which direction she was facing.
Was she looking at the sandcastle, or at the same sky as him?
All of this was unknown.
In the end, Alain tapped the "Portal" icon, and a light began to glow at Mina's feet.
Alain watched as specks of light rose from her feet like steam.
She seemed to be shrouded in mist, her silhouette gradually blurring.
He, indeed, did not know. But he could guess some of her thoughts.
"I'm looking forward to a real future with you!"
In the final flash of light, Mina looked back and smiled.
The light streamed onto her face. Thousands of shimmering spots of light danced in the girl's eyes, exploding into a starry burst.
After Alain blinked, a touch of twilight had quietly crept into the corners of his eyes.
Most of the children in the park had gone home, and the sound of car horns outside the park gradually increased.
The setting sun was also completely swallowed by the buildings, leaving only a single, honey-like ray of light.
It illuminated her sandcastle, and a flower.
Alain walked to where she had been standing and picked up the small flower.
"You didn't take it after all."
He slowly walked to the sandbox, crouched down, and stayed there for a long time.
After an unknown amount of time, the last trace of orange light disappeared. The park's streetlights turned on, casting a cool, clear light.
"Hey, hey—"
A voice woke him.
Alain stood up and looked toward the park's exit, following the sound.
Millie and Miluo were excitedly waving their arms high, calling him over.
Alain chuckled lightly and waved back.
Tap, tap, tap...
The footsteps faded into the distance, and the lone shadow also disappeared from the park.
Leaving only the small flower blooming atop the sandcastle, still swaying slightly in the faint breeze from his passing footsteps.
As if waving goodbye.
___
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