"Thoughts, huh..."
Rem whispered the word softly, her slender fingers unconsciously caressing her full chest.
"That's right!" Natsuki Subaru nodded forcefully, winked at Rem, and said in all seriousness, "As long as Rem's and my thoughts are strong enough, it will definitely be sunny tomorrow!"
Although sunny dolls were just folklore, with no scientific basis whatsoever, seeing Rem happy was enough.
"No problem, when it comes to my thoughts for Subaru, Rem definitely won't lose to anyone!"
Rem suddenly clenched her small, delicate fists, her blue eyes sparkling with firm determination, but then she shyly lowered her head, "Of-of course, Rem's thoughts might not compare to Subaru's..."
"Hey, hey, you can't be sure about that~" Natsuki Subaru laughed and gave a thumbs-up. "That's the kind of unyielding spirit we need!"
Although the direction of Rem's thoughts seems a bit off...
"Th-that... What exactly do we need to do?"
Rem asked, tilting her head curiously, like a knowledge-seeking kitten.
"Follow me!"
Natsuki Subaru winked mysteriously, leading Rem to his room. Then, he rummaged through a drawer, pulling out scissors, white cloth, cotton thread, and other items.
"Today, I'll let Rem witness my craftsmanship!"
"Subaru even knows how to do needlework?"
Rem widened her azure eyes in surprise, her small mouth slightly agape, revealing a cute expression.
"Hmph, hmph~ Don't underestimate me." Natsuki Subaru proudly lifted his chin, his fingers deftly manipulating the white cloth and cotton thread in his hands.
"This level of needlework is a piece of cake for me."
Natsuki Subaru skillfully made the sunny doll while patiently explaining the steps to Rem.
"Look, first you wrap the cotton ball in the cloth... Make sure to wrap it roundly... Then tie it tightly with thread at this position..."
The white cloth fluttered between his fingers, quickly taking shape.
Halfway through, Natsuki Subaru suddenly stopped, turned to Rem, and dangled the half-finished sunny doll in his hand:
"By the way, Rem, want to give it a try?"
"C-Can I?" Rem took the materials and carefully followed Natsuki Subaru's instructions. "Is it like this... Ah! The thread is tangled..."
"It's okay, it's always like that at the beginning. Yes, just loop it around like that. Rem learns so quickly..."
Natsuki Subaru naturally took Rem's hand, helping her adjust the position of the cotton thread.
However.
Rem's palm was soft and warm, making him pause for a moment.
"Subaru?" Rem looked up slightly, noticing Natsuki Subaru staring blankly at their intertwined hands, and her cheeks couldn't help but flush. "What's wrong?"
"Ah, n-nothing." Natsuki Subaru finally came back to his senses and hurriedly covered it up. "Come, I'll teach you, it's actually very simple."
With their tacit cooperation, they soon completed a round and cute sunny doll.
Natsuki Subaru picked up a pen and seriously drew a radiant smile on the white cloth ball.
"Finally, draw a smile -- All done!"
Natsuki Subaru held up the finished sunny doll, showing it to Rem.
"Will this do it?" Rem took the sunny doll with both hands, holding it gently in her palms as if it were a rare treasure, her blue eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"That's right, next, just hang it by the window in your room, and then..." At this point, a mischievous glint flashed in Natsuki Subaru's eyes, and he suddenly leaned close to Rem's ear, whispering softly, "You have to use all your strength to pray to the sunny doll for clear weather tomorrow!"
"Er..." Rem's ears burned from Natsuki Subaru's sudden closeness, but she still nodded seriously. "All... all my strength?"
"Of course!" Natsuki Subaru straightened up, took a deep breath, clenched his fists in front of his chest, and made a forceful expression. "It has to be like this -- Ahhh -- It must be sunny tomorrow! That's how it's done!"
"Pfft..." Rem was amused by Natsuki Subaru's antics and quickly covered her mouth. "S-Sorry..."
"Hey, hey, what's there to apologize for!" Natsuki Subaru pretended to be angry and puffed out his cheeks.
"I was seriously teaching Rem the correct posture for praying!"
"Yes... Yes, Rem understands." Rem quickly nodded, imitating Natsuki Subaru by clenching her small fists, but her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"Please... Please let it be sunny tomorrow."
I can't take it!
The usually so capable Rem is actually this shy.
Thinking of this, Natsuki Subaru felt as if his health bar was rapidly dropping, yet he began to spout nonsense with a straight face:
"Your voice is too soft, Rem... You have to shout it out loud like I did just now, show some spirit!"
"P-Please let it be sunny tomorrow!" Rem suddenly raised her voice and shouted, then shyly lowered her head. "I-Is this okay?"
"Perfect!" Natsuki Subaru clapped his hands in praise, his eyes full of laughter. "Looks like Rem has mastered the essence."
"Subaru's hometown sunny dolls are really cute." Rem looked at the sunny doll in her hands, a sweet smile on her face.
"Rem is much cuter than the sunny doll." Natsuki Subaru said without thinking, but then, realizing what he had said, quickly added, "I mean... um... Rem's smile is even more radiant and moving than the sunny doll's."
"Subaru... you're making that kind of joke again..."
Rem's fair cheeks instantly flushed crimson, even the tips of her ears turning bright red.
"How am I joking!" Natsuki Subaru said in all seriousness, but after seeing Rem's flushed face, he still couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."
"Sunny doll, it must be sunny tomorrow." Rem held the sunny doll in both hands, her blue eyes sparkling with gentle light, a sweet smile unconsciously appearing on her lips.
Oh no... my heart is beating so fast.
Where did the aloof Rem from before go?
This gentle and cute appearance, who can resist it?!
Natsuki Subaru felt his heart race and quickly pretended to cough, averting his gaze:
"Cough, um... Rem, do you want to try making one too? You can hang it in your room."
"C-Can Rem make one herself too?" Rem tilted her head in surprise, her blue hair swaying gently with the movement, like a curious kitten.
"Could it be... Can there be many sunny dolls?"
"Of course!" Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but laugh, gesticulating wildly.
"In my hometown, if the school organized a spring outing the next day, every household's windows would be full of sunny dolls. Sometimes, one window could have over a dozen."
"O-Over a dozen?" Rem widened her blue eyes, her small mouth slightly agape, her expression one of disbelief.
"That scene must be very spectacular."
"Yeah." Natsuki Subaru nodded, then suddenly glanced at the sky outside the window, remembering he still had daily training tasks to complete.
"By the way, Rem, I have to go finish today's running training." Natsuki Subaru said somewhat apologetically to Rem. "Do you want to try making one first?"
"Mm." Rem nodded forcefully, a spark of determination igniting in her azure eyes.
"Rem will definitely make a sunny doll even cuter than Subaru's."
"Hey, hey, that's a declaration of war!" Natsuki Subaru pretended to put on a stern face, but couldn't hide the smile at the corners of his mouth.
"I'll have to properly inspect Rem's work when I get back."
"W-Wait a moment!"
Rem suddenly called out to Natsuki Subaru, who was about to leave, her cheeks flushed a cute pink, her voice growing softer, "Um... The one Rem makes... Can I give one to Subaru too?"
"Er..." Natsuki Subaru paused for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, you can. It's a sunny doll made by Rem herself, I'll definitely treasure it like a family heirloom."
"Then, see you later."
With that, Natsuki Subaru waved and ran out of the room.
And Rem, left behind, picked up the cloth and cotton thread, a sweet smile on her face, and began to wholeheartedly make the sunny doll she would give to Subaru.
After running back and forth several dozen times in the long corridor, Natsuki Subaru's forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat.
He stopped, panting slightly.
Just then, the familiar system prompt suddenly sounded in his mind:
[Notification: You have completed the daily quest. View rewards? Yes/No.]
"Phew... Finally done."
Natsuki Subaru straightened up, casually wiping the sweat from his forehead, a semi-transparent system panel appearing before his eyes.
After this period of persistent training, these daily tasks were no longer a challenge for him, but rather a habit.
"Hmm... Restore status, or save it."
Skillfully navigating the system interface, Natsuki Subaru first chose to save the status restoration reward, then unhesitatingly added the 2 attribute points he received to Strength.
As a warm current flowed through his body, his Strength attribute increased from 52 points to 54 points.
"Next is the random box..."
Natsuki Subaru rubbed his hands together, full of anticipation, and chose to open it.
However, as a faint white light flashed, an ordinary ballpoint pen appeared in his hand.
"~Tsk, another useless thing."
Natsuki Subaru disappointedly pursed his lips, casually twirling the ballpoint pen.
"If only it were a blessed random box, I could definitely get something good. But it seems that kind of special reward can only be obtained by completing hidden quests."
Thinking of this, Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but sigh.
"Seriously, hidden quests aren't that easy to come by."
Just as he was lost in thought, his peripheral vision suddenly caught the scene outside the window, and he couldn't help but freeze for a moment.
"Huh? When did the rain stop?"
Natsuki Subaru quickly walked to the window, surprised to find that the sky had completely cleared at some point.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, making the puddles in the courtyard sparkle.
In the distance, a rainbow arched across the sky, incredibly beautiful.
"This... Could it really be thanks to the sunny dolls?"
Natsuki Subaru half-jokingly muttered to himself, then shook his head.
"But Rem should still be making her sunny dolls, right? I wonder how they're turning out..."
Thinking this, Natsuki Subaru turned the doorknob and gently pushed open his room door—
A ray of sunlight slanted in through a small gap in the slightly drawn curtains, cutting a bright swath of light in the dim room.
In this ray of sunlight, the blue-haired girl was napping at the desk.
Her peaceful sleeping face was gently caressed by the sunlight, her long eyelashes casting small shadows on her cheeks.
"This is?"
What shocked Natsuki Subaru even more was that on the desk around the blue-haired girl, dozens of completed sunny dolls were neatly arranged.
Each one was exquisitely made, with different cute expressions drawn on their faces, glowing with a warm white light in the sunlight.
"Speaking of which, no matter which world, there will always be these exaggerated children who, out of intense longing, hang their entire room full of sunny dolls."
Natsuki Subaru looked at the table full of sunny dolls, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and emotion.
"Good job, Rem. It seems even the heavens couldn't wait to respond to your thoughts."
Looking at the bright sunshine outside the window, Natsuki Subaru whispered softly in his heart.
Tiptoeing closer, afraid to wake the sleeping Rem.
He noticed that beside Rem's hand, there was an unfinished work, with needles, thread, and cloth scattered nearby.
"Looks like she fell asleep halfway through because she really couldn't hold on any longer."
As he casually picked up a sunny doll, Natsuki Subaru noticed that this one was different—
It had hair meticulously crafted from silky blue thread, the hairstyle and color identical to its creator.
"This is... Rem herself?"
The bright smile sketched on the doll's face made Natsuki Subaru feel incredibly familiar and warm.
"Subaru..." Just then, Rem suddenly murmured softly in her sleep, "...It's so good to have met you."
"Is she really talking in her sleep, or is she pretending to be asleep and being mischievous?"
Natsuki Subaru unconsciously reached out, gently stroking Rem's blue hair with utmost tenderness, feeling the strands flow through his fingertips.
As he looked down at Rem's sleeping face, besides that heart-stirring faint smile, he also noticed she was tightly clutching a special sunny doll in her hand—
It was a fellow with glaring, sanpaku eyes, looking particularly fierce among all the smiling faces.
"Hey... This couldn't be me, could it?" Natsuki Subaru's lips twitched, and he laughed silently. "By the way, am I that fierce?"
Looking at this fierce version of his own sunny doll, then at the bright clear sky outside the window, a warm current surged through Natsuki Subaru's heart.
Come to think of it, tomorrow will definitely be good weather.
The next day.
It was a beautiful day with a cloudless sky, bright and clear from early morning.
"This must be the good luck brought by all the sunny dolls Rem hung in her room yesterday."
Natsuki Subaru thought, looking at the azure sky.
The cherry blossom forest was some distance from the mansion. The two set off early in the morning and finally arrived at their destination before lunch.
As they stood before the cherry blossom forest, a gentle breeze brushed their faces, as if welcoming their arrival.
"So beautiful!"
Rem looked up at the cherry blossoms in full bloom, her blue eyes reflecting the sea of pink flowers.
"Yeah..."
Natsuki Subaru nodded in agreement, stopping with Rem to admire the breathtaking scenery.
The gentle breeze carried the fragrance of cherry blossoms, the green grass beneath their feet was like a carpet, the sunlight fell gently, and even Rem beside him was intoxicatingly beautiful.
Suddenly, a piercingly painful image flashed through Natsuki Subaru's mind.
It was the cruel scene from the original work:
Rem's desperate figure being swallowed by the White Whale when she faced it alone.
Rem's tragic appearance, her limbs broken by the Sin Archbishop of Sloth as she tried to save him, yet still desperately crawling towards him.
And Rem's pale face after her memories were stolen by the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, falling into an eternal sleep...
"Ugh..."
Natsuki Subaru violently shook his head, forcefully expelling these nightmarish memories from his mind.
Those are just possibilities from other world lines, completely unrelated to us now. But precisely because I know those possibilities, I must protect the happiness we have now even more.
"Subaru?" Rem's worried voice suddenly sounded beside him, pulling him back to reality, her azure eyes filled with concern.
"Subaru suddenly spaced out... Did you encounter some trouble?"
"It's nothing." Natsuki Subaru came back to his senses, a gentle arc naturally forming on his lips as he reached out to brush away a cherry blossom petal that had fallen on Rem's shoulder, and said softly,
"I just feel that being able to view cherry blossoms with Rem is simply too blissful."
Those tragic endings.
I will absolutely not let them be repeated in this world!
No matter who the opponent is, if they dare to harm Rem, I'll even kill a god for you!
Natsuki Subaru clenched his fists, making a firm vow in his heart.
"Mm, it's great that Subaru is okay." Rem blinked her large azure eyes and smiled sweetly.
"Then, Rem will go prepare lunch now."
"Rem, do you need my help?" Natsuki Subaru walked over to Rem's side and asked.
"No need." Rem glanced at Natsuki Subaru and continued preparing the picnic. "Subaru just needs to act like a husband and put on airs nearby."
"Oh..." Natsuki Subaru subconsciously nodded, then his eyes suddenly widened. "Ah?"
Hus...band?
Did he hear wrong?
Did Rem just say... husband?
"Heehee..."
Rem suddenly stuck her tongue out playfully at Natsuki Subaru, and before he could react, she darted past him with the picnic basket, running towards a cherry blossom tree not far away.
Her blue hair fluttered in the spring breeze, and he could vaguely see the tips of her ears turning red.
"Unknowingly, has my relationship with Rem become so intimate..."
Natsuki Subaru muttered to himself, watching Rem's busy figure.
"If we were to calculate it based on affection levels in a game, our intimacy should have long surpassed the lover level, right?"
Natsuki Subaru chuckled and shook his head, walking towards Rem.
Pink petals fluttered down, adding a touch of romance to this warm scene.
"Subaru, is it okay if Rem spreads the picnic blanket here?" Rem asked.
"It couldn't be more perfect." Natsuki Subaru looked around and praised sincerely, "The spot Rem chose has a wide view and is shaded by trees. It's simply the best place for a picnic."
Hearing this, Rem showed a sweet smile: "Then please wait a moment, lunch will be ready soon."
A gentle breeze swept across the clearing under the trees, Rem's blue shoulder-length hair fluttering in the wind.
She gently tucked the scattered strands behind her ear. This simple action, set against the backdrop of dancing cherry blossoms and swaying green grass, was like a vivid oil painting.
Natsuki Subaru, at the side, couldn't help but be mesmerized.
"Subaru, these cherry blossoms are really beautiful." Rem tilted her head up, looking at the sea of pink flowers blooming above.
"Mm... Yeah, they're really too beautiful."
Natsuki Subaru's gaze, however, remained fixed on Rem's profile, softly outlined by the sunlight, and he couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"After lunch, when we're resting, let Rem massage Subaru's shoulders like last time."
Rem said while setting out the tableware.
"Then I won't be polite." Natsuki Subaru replied with a smile.
"I can also add a back-rubbing service." Rem added, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Wow! This treatment is too good, isn't it?" Natsuki Subaru slightly widened his eyes, pretending to be in disbelief.
"Let me think, what other benefits can I fight for?"
"If Subaru wants a lap pillow..." Rem's voice grew softer, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"...It's also okay..."
"This is simply a critical hit!" Natsuki Subaru exclaimed in surprise, then pretended to shake his head seriously. "No, no, this kind of treatment is too luxurious, I'm afraid I'll get addicted."
"Heehee..."
Rem was amused by Natsuki Subaru's reaction, reached out to brush away a cherry blossom petal from his black bangs, and then poured him a cup of fragrant tea.
After enjoying the lunch Rem had carefully prepared, Natsuki Subaru contentedly stretched and lay down on his side, facing the sun.
Then, he shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted at the sky.
It was still a cloudless, beautiful day. The azure sky was pure, without a single flaw. The warm spring breeze caressed his face, bringing with it the scent of cherry blossoms.
Natsuki Subaru crossed his hands behind his head and comfortably lay down on the picnic blanket.
Seeing his action, Rem, like a well-behaved little rabbit, also gently lay down less than half a meter away from Natsuki Subaru.
The two lay shoulder to shoulder like this, jointly admiring the blue sky adorned with cherry blossoms above their heads.
"Su...baru..." Rem suddenly spoke softly, her voice tinged with a hint of shyness, "Are we... considered to be on a date?"
"Hmm?" Natsuki Subaru paused for a moment, then showed Rem a gentle smile.
"Ah, of course, we are. This is a special date just for me and Rem."
Facing such a gentle and cute Rem, how could I not cherish her feelings.
Although my feelings for Emilia are sincere, this feeling for Rem is also equally sincere.
"It's so nice, Subaru. Rem suddenly has so much she wants to say..." Rem sighed contentedly, turned her head, her watery blue eyes filled with tenderness.
"Can you listen?"
"Of course." Natsuki Subaru also turned on his side, meeting Rem's gaze. "Come on Rem, let me hear your voice some more."
"Mm." Rem's face bloomed with a happy smile. "Rem is really so happy. From now on, no matter what happens, at least the only thing Rem can do now is to cherish this moment with all her heart and strength."
"Yeah." Natsuki Subaru gazed into Rem's eyes. "I also cherish this time immensely."
A sweet atmosphere permeated the air. It was hard to tell if this intoxicating feeling came from Rem's gentleness, the surrounding cherry blossoms' fragrance, or the wonderful combination of both.
"Rem." Natsuki Subaru suddenly called out softly.
"Mm, Rem is listening..." Rem's cheeks turned slightly red, yet she still looked directly into Natsuki Subaru's eyes.
"This moment." Saying this, Natsuki Subaru took out the mobile phone he had brought from his original world from his system inventory. "We have to record it forever."
Then, he pressed the power button. To save battery, this phone had been kept off, and now it was finally being put to use.
"Come, let's capture time together..." Natsuki Subaru held up his phone, aiming the camera at himself and Rem lying under the cherry blossom tree. "Let's use this magic device to preserve this moment forever."
"Ready—" Natsuki Subaru stretched out his arm, framing their happy smiles in the viewfinder. "One, two, three!"
With a "click."
The phone permanently captured this beautiful moment.
In the picture, the black-haired young man and the blue-haired girl lay shoulder to shoulder under the cherry blossom tree, their faces beaming with sweet smiles.
Pink petals danced in the air, sunlight filtering through the leaves and sprinkling onto them, creating an eternal image.
__
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