Honestly, even by the end of Honkai Impact 3rd's story, it's hard to pin down whether the bond between Kiana and Raiden Mei qualifies as "love."
From a rational, "real-world" perspective, yuri is one of Honkai Impact 3rd's selling points. Beautiful protagonists getting cozy is a way to hook fans who love this stuff, making them happily fork over their cash.
But in a real world, things aren't so simple.
As the heiress of ME Corp, Raiden Mei was raised with an elite, aristocratic education beyond the reach of ordinary people, so her orientation was naturally unremarkable.
But the hand Kiana extended on the rooftop of Senba Academy seemed to shake Mei's convictions. Add to that Kiana's relentless pursuit during their time at St. Freya Academy, plus the academy's atmosphere where lilies bloomed everywhere.
At some point, Mei stopped resisting Kiana's daily attempts to get close.
Truth be told, Mei wasn't sure of the nature of these feelings. She'd searched online for "What does love feel like?" The answers and comments only left her more uncertain.
Always thinking of her, worrying if she brought an umbrella on rainy days, asking if she ate properly at every meal, like caring for a little kitten at home, and so on.
Mei read through it all. About half matched, while the other half felt vaguely off.
It wasn't until she clicked a related search, "What does being a mom feel like?" that it hit her. Then she tossed her phone away—mom, what the heck!?
Just kidding~
In short, calling her and Kiana lovers was definitely out of the question—at least not right now!
But saying they were just close friends felt like it crossed some subtle line.
In this situation, hearing someone claim to be Kiana's boyfriend sent Mei's emotions into a tangle, like earphones left in a pocket for days, her heart a jumbled mess!
"You said you're Kiana's what?" The sudden twist made Mei forget Shiraki's overly familiar gesture moments ago.
Suppressing the excitement that belonged to Kiana, Shiraki answered without hesitation, "Boyfriend."
"Impossible!" Raiden Mei's words were firm and final.
After over three years of constant companionship, there was almost nothing about Kiana that Mei didn't know!
Kiana barely interacted with boys, always clinging to her. She didn't even have male friends, let alone a boyfriend!
"Don't believe me? Just ask Kiana when she wakes up."
Shiraki's casual, confident demeanor left Mei speechless, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.
Theresa and Bronya watched their exchange blankly, unsure what expression to make.
As for Tesla and Einstein, they had no reservations, practically pulling up chairs and munching on watermelon to watch the show.
But what no one expected was…
"So, Mei, how's your condition?"
Shiraki's tone was sincere, devoid of any hostility toward a "rival." His genuine concern made Raiden Mei's jaw drop slightly.
Kiana is Shiraki, and Shiraki is Kiana. Synchronized memories aren't just empty words.
Through Kiana's perspective, with Kiana's emotions, Shiraki had spent over three years with Raiden Mei day and night!
Of course he'd care about her.
At this, Theresa and Bronya stared at each other, clearly dumbfounded.
W-what's going on?
Mei, weakly leaning against the wall, was equally stunned. A button on her hospital gown strained open, revealing dazzling fair skin, unnoticed by her. She gaped at the youth before her, her pale lips slightly parted.
Mei wondered if she was dreaming.
When did the world turn so surreal?
Could it be that when the Void Herrscher choked her to extract the Conquest Gem, she hit her head, causing memory loss?
Considering that possibility, Mei's attitude softened with a touch of guilt. "Um, have we met before?"
If she'd really forgotten a familiar friend, how hurtful would that be?
But that scenario seemed unlikely.
"Met…"
Feeling the suddenly sharp gazes behind him, Shiraki continued, unfazed, his face calm and heart steady.
"It's more like I know you one-sidedly. Kiana told me a lot about you, saying Mei is her favorite person."
With a chance to help "himself" score points with a girl, Shiraki spared no effort in playing wingman.
"?????"
Looking at Shiraki's gentle, kind expression, Raiden Mei's head sprouted a string of question marks, her whole being a bit dazed.
Theresa and Bronya wore equally bewildered expressions.
They genuinely couldn't follow!
"What did you just say?" Mei asked after a long, stunned pause, her eyes tinged with strangeness.
"Hm? I said Kiana likes you the most!" Shiraki said matter-of-factly.
"Then what's your relationship with Kiana?" Mei felt like she was facing a master of oblivion, her head spinning.
"Boyfriend, obviously!"
Shiraki's tone was natural, then turned slightly nuanced. "If that's hard to grasp, think lover, partner, soulmate—someone who'll stay by her side forever. Got it?"
Her eyes blinked rapidly, her brain overloading from the logic of those statements, causing Mei's thought process to crash.
"Don't you think… something's off?" Mei managed to stammer after a long pause.
"Off?" Shiraki tilted his head, puzzled.
"Of course it's off!" Mei snapped, her face flushing red, a bit frantic.
"What's wrong with it?" Shiraki's tone was baffled, as if he genuinely couldn't see the issue.
To Shiraki, he is Kiana, and Kiana likes Mei, so he'd act in Kiana's best interest.
Simple, straightforward logic.
Besides, Kiana's wife is Shiraki's wife, which means his wife.
"Wait, you're right, something is off!" Shiraki suddenly seemed to spot a blind spot, his expression growing serious.
He believed in love, but living with Mei for three years through Kiana's perspective and emotions, saying he liked Mei wasn't wrong, but it wasn't quite love.
The prerequisite for Shiraki to love someone was that they be "himself." So how should he view Mei?
This was a question worth pondering!
Shiraki stared at Raiden Mei, sinking into thought.
[Is this guy nuts?]
Behind Shiraki, out of his sight, Theresa and Bronya exchanged weird looks through eye contact.
[Correction, Bronya thinks it's a mental issue.]
Mental illness and neurological issues are different concepts, you know!
The former is psychological, the latter physical.
Mei looked at Shiraki's grave expression with an odd gaze, her rising sense of crisis inexplicably dissipating.
Gurgle—!
A familiar yet unfamiliar sound rang out, especially loud in the quiet atmosphere.
Everyone's gazes subtly shifted to Shiraki, whose stomach's protest snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Aun—cough, Principal Theresa, can you get me something to eat?"
Though he hadn't fought since arriving in this world, Shiraki had spent days in intense "battles" prior, and with Reverie, their taste for the marrow often kept them up until the wee hours.
"No problem." Theresa nodded, her expression odd, as if seeing a certain white-haired dumpling.
It seemed Shiraki and Kiana might indeed have a lot in common.
Bronya led Shiraki to Hyperion's cafeteria, the little duck proactively starting conversations, though really probing for intel.
Her delicate, cute face remained calm, but ripples stirred in her silver-gray eyes. Bronya's expression grew stranger, feeling like she was facing another Kiana.
Could this be what the internet says, that couples start resembling each other after being together long enough?
Not only did she fail to extract much info, but Bronya's trust in Shiraki's "Kiana's boyfriend" claim grew stronger.
After quickly filling his stomach, Shiraki and Bronya returned to Kiana's ward, where Theresa and Mei were keeping watch.
"Kiana still hasn't woken up?"
Now reconciled with Sirin, the consequences of Honkai energy overload weren't severe, more like extreme exhaustion.
With her true Herrscher body post-emergence, this long… Kiana should've woken by now, right?
Shiraki approached the bed, and despite Mei's hesitant look about whether to stop him, he naturally took Kiana's hand.
Due to their identical souls, even outside the mysterious space, the Shirakis shared a unique telepathic bond, enabling mental communication through physical contact.
Even when Kiana's consciousness was dormant, Shiraki could control her body, and vice versa.
Their souls were completely the same!
Shiraki discovered this when he arrived in this world and held Kiana's hand.
The moment he touched her delicate hand, Kiana's subconscious echoed clearly in his mind.
[Woo-hoo! Now let's see who dares say Mei and I have no future, or can't have kids?]
Shiraki could handle that, right~!
Shiraki and Mei's kids would be her kids, biologically!
But, that said, Kiana realized Shiraki's heart, open only to "himself," was a towering mountain range to others.
Even with her memories synced, Shiraki wouldn't easily accept Mei, and without revealing the truth to her, it was tricky.
She was still herself. Even if Shiraki prioritized her, what about Mei?
How to make Mei like Shiraki?
How to set them up?
This lady needs to plan carefully.
[Hey, hey, hey! Wait! Other me, when did you get here?]
After brainstorming ways to wingman for Shiraki and Mei, Kiana belatedly noticed Shiraki's presence in her mind.
[Right when you started cheering.] Shiraki's tone was light.
[Alright, everyone's worried about you. Time to wake up!]
As if submerged underwater, Kiana suddenly felt someone grab her hand, yanking her upward.
Her consciousness cleared like breaking the surface, her bodily senses rapidly returning.