Kurt shot Kai a sharp glare. He clearly hated seeing Kai get close to Katie.
Of course, Kai understood why Kurt looked so upset. That guy had feelings for the pretty girl. Kai knew exactly how he felt.
"Kurt, you shouldn't be so rude to someone you just met!"Katie scolded him, completely unaware of the real reason behind Kurt's anger towards kai. It seemed she had no idea about Kurt's feelings for her.
Kai smirked as he caught on. 'This is going to be interesting,' he thought as he watched their interaction.
"Just so you know, Katie… he's a dangerous guy. Don't get too close to him!"
"How would you even know that? You only met him today, right?"
"That's true, but it didn't take me long to realize he's a weirdo. It's better if you stay away from him."
"I don't want to be called a weirdo by someone who's always blowing things up!"
"I don't do that on purpose, you know!"
The two glared at each other, tension sparking between them.
"That's enough, you two! Stop it!"
Katie quickly stepped in before things got worse.
"Sorry… it seems you got dragged into the explosions Kurt often causes."
Katie apologized with a guilty look.
"No, no, don't worry. The moment I saw him, I could already tell he was the type of dangerous guy you should avoid. That's why I always stay alert around him."
"Who are you calling dangerous!?"
"Hahaha… Kai, you're hilarious."
"A-ah… A…"
Kurt froze, stunned to see Katie laughing at Kai's words. Meanwhile, Kai flashed him a smug grin, which only made Kurt more shocked and irritated. It felt like the newcomer had just completely defeated him.
"You can sit anywhere you like, Kai! Once you've chosen what you want for lunch, I'll make it right away," Katie said with a lovely smile on her face.
Kai felt moved by that smile, while Kurt looked gloomy seeing it directed at Kai.
"Alright, I understand," Kai said as he sat down on one of the chairs. He kept his wide smile, though it no longer looked arrogant. He then picked up one of the menus on the table, and the usual transparent screen appeared. From there, Kai could order his lunch.
"Hmm… which one's the most expensive dish here?" Kai said while choosing his lunch.
"You're really planning to rob me, aren't you," Kurt said in an irritated tone as he sat next to Kai. He also picked up a menu from the table and started ordering his lunch.
"Big bro Kurt, are you still too afraid to confess your feelings to Sis?" Yu suddenly asked as he sat across from Kai and Kurt. He also seemed to be choosing his lunch.
"W-what are you talking about!?" Kurt said, his face turning red. Kai started sweating at Kurt's reaction.
"Just as I thought," Kai said as he wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulder.
"What do you want?!" Kurt asked, still annoyed at Kai.
"Relax, I don't plan on stealing your girl!"
"W-who's my girl! I don't have a girl at all."
"Yeah, yeah… I know. Someone weak like you could never get any girl without someone else's help."
"You… hrrr…"
Kurt wanted to deny Kai's words, but he couldn't find the right words to argue back.
"You know, in this world there's something called the bro code."
Kai whispered to Kurt so Yu wouldn't hear. He thought Yu was still too young for this kind of talk.
"What are you talking about?"
Kurt asked, curious about what Kai meant.
"The bro code is a vow where we men don't go after the same girl our bro is interested in."
"Bro? What do you even mean by that?"
"It's like a bond of brotherhood between men… basically, I won't go after the same girl as you, or should I just say—I won't go after Katie!"
"K-Katie… who even said I was going after Katie!?"
"Quit that useless shy act… just so you know, it makes me sick!"
Kurt fell silent when he heard Kai's words. Not because he wasn't angry, but because he was afraid that saying the wrong thing would only make the situation worse. He'd been through that before, so he had to learn from it.
"That's right, Big bro Kurt. If you keep acting like a coward, my sister will be taken by someone else."Yu said calmly once he had decided on his order.
Kurt looked completely stunned by the child's words. He then imagined an unfamiliar man suddenly putting his arm around Katie's shoulder and walking away with her. The two of them wore very happy expressions as they left Kurt behind, heartbroken. Katie's bright smile felt unbearably painful for him.
The man's face, which had only been a dark shadow, slowly became clearer—until it turned into Kai's face with his annoying smile. At that moment, Kurt's anger boiled over.
"Kai, I'll never forgive you!"
Kurt shouted as he grabbed Kai's collar and lifted him up. Tears streamed from his eyes.
"Hey, Kurt! What do you think you're doing to my customer!?"
Katie, who had seen the scene from the kitchen, rushed over and began scolding Kurt.
"No, wait! I can explain!"
Kurt said in a panic. He quickly let go of Kai's collar and began explaining what had happened to Katie.
"Does this happen often?"
Kai whispered to Yu.
"Yeah, more or less."
Yu nodded as he answered.
Kai didn't look surprised at all. He already suspected that one of the reasons their relationship never moved forward was because of Kurt's cowardice and Katie's lack of awareness.
"Relax, Katie! I'm fine. We were just talking about something between bros!"
Kai said while throwing an arm around Kurt's shoulder, making it seem like they were close friends.
"Really?"
Katie tilted her head slightly. Even though Kurt clearly looked uncomfortable being pulled in like that, with Kai grinning so broadly, they really did look like good friends.
"If you say so, then maybe that's true… Sorry if I interrupted your time as fellow men."
Katie apologized politely.
"No, no… a pretty girl like you could never get in the way of us bros!"
"Is that so? Ahahaha… you really are funny, Kai. I like people like you!"
Kurt's jaw dropped wide open at Katie's words, while Katie herself didn't seem to realize why he was so shocked.
"Well then, I'll head back to the kitchen."
Katie said with a wave to Kai before walking away. Kai waved back with a wide smile.
Kai then glanced at Kurt, who looked gloomy beside him. 'Now what am I supposed to do with this guy?' he thought, unsure how to cheer Kurt up.
"For now, just sit down and let's order some food!"
Kai sat Kurt back down in his chair. He immediately ordered the most expensive meals for both of them. Kurt didn't even seem to care about what Kai was doing anymore.
"Calm down! Like I said before, I'm not after her!"
Kai whispered to him.
"I-Is that true?"
Kurt asked, still looking downcast. Kai nodded firmly.
"In return, you're not allowed to go after the girl I like!"
"The girl you like? Do you already have one?"
"Of course!"
"Who is it?"
"Every pretty girl here!"
"Do you even know what shame is?!"
Even though Kurt snapped at him, Kai only grinned. He was glad the guy was finally acting like his usual self again.
"Relax! Even though I said 'every girl,' I won't chase after any girl my bro already has his eyes on, just like I promised. So don't worry!"
Kai's words weren't exactly trustworthy, but for now Kurt decided to believe him. He didn't want to keep imagining Kai stealing the girl he loved.
"Fine, I get it… Besides, I'm not interested in anyone else but her."
Kurt muttered with his shoulders still slumped. He didn't even realize that he had just confessed his feelings.
"Hm? What are you two talking about?"
Katie asked as she brought over Kai and Kurt's orders.
"That's probably just men's talk… ufufufufu."
Gina answered while serving her son's food. Unlike her daughter, she was quick to pick up on what Kai and Kurt were really talking about.
"She really does take after her father in that regard, so you'll just have to be patient with her."Gina said with a teasing smile aimed at Kai and Kurt.
"Mother, what on earth are you talking about?!"
Katie asked after setting the dishes on the table. Her brows furrowed, clearly showing she had no idea what they were all talking about.
"If you don't get it, then it just means you're still a child, Katie."
Gina replied as she walked away from Kai's table.
"Ah, Mom… you're treating me like a little kid again!"
Katie pouted, puffing out her cheeks cutely before hurrying after her mother back into the kitchen.
"You're seriously trying to rob me, huh,"
Kurt muttered when he saw the most expensive steak on the menu now sitting in front of him and Kai.
"It's fine, right? You're the one who said you'd treat me,"
Kai shot back, already picking up the utensils laid out for him.
After that, Kai and Kurt chatted while eating their lunch, with Pete eventually joining in halfway through their conversation.
"So that's how it is… so you were assigned to help us deal with them, huh,"
Pete said after hearing Kai's story.
"But is that really true? Does the Fairy Goddess even exist?"
Kurt asked, clearly skeptical.
"Maybe you don't believe me, but she's literally waving at us right now,"
Kai replied, pointing at the Fairy Goddess, who was indeed waving her right hand. Since Kurt couldn't see her, he still couldn't bring himself to believe Kai's words.
"But Kai, why are you even telling us this? Isn't it supposed to be a secret?"
Yu asked, looking curious. He seemed to actually believe Kai's story.
"She never told me to keep her existence a secret from others, so it should be fine… though she did warn me to be careful talking to her in public, since people would think I'm crazy for talking to myself."
"I think she's right… I already thought you were crazy even before I saw you talking to yourself."
"I'd say I'm still more sane than someone who keeps blowing up his own stuff."
"I didn't do that on purpose! How many times do I have to tell you before you get it?!"
"Maybe when you stop blowing things up."
"You only saw me blow something up once, didn't you?"
"But you've done it plenty of times before, haven't you?"
"Mm… yeah, that's true."
Kurt had no words left to argue with Kai, so he simply sat down and continued his lunch.
"But Kai, what are you going to do? As you can see, there's nothing interesting here, and not much to do either—especially since there are so few people in this village,"
Pete asked, his voice filled with concern for Kai's future.
"Don't worry! With me around, I guarantee this place will get lively! Especially with kids running around!"
"So you're saying you want to get all the girls here pregnant, huh!?"
"Hey! Don't just say things like that! Of course I'll marry them first, you know!?"
"'Them,' huh… so you really are planning to marry a lot of girls."
"Yep, that's right!"
Kai said proudly, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Hahahaha… you really are an interesting one, Kai. I hope you can truly make this village more exciting." Pete laughed, entertained by Kai's words. He wasn't sure whether Kai was being serious or not, but he felt the boy had no ill intentions whatsoever.
"I don't know what you're planning, but you do have some kind of idea to help this village, don't you?"
Kurt asked, now finished with his meal.
"Hmmm? For now, I just want to look around… and maybe find out who could be my first wife."
"Isn't that already straying far from the original reason you came here!?"
Kurt wasn't sure if he could really trust the village's future to this guy.
"Relax! I'll definitely do something! That's why I came here in the first place!"
Kai said with confidence.
"Yeah, I also believe Big bro Kai can accomplish something… I'm not even sure why I'm saying this, but I just feel like Big bro Kai will bring change."
Yu spoke with sincere hope in his eyes. His innocent gaze made Kai feel guilty at the thought of betraying that trust.
"Y-yeah, of course… you can… trust me!"
"Kai, your voice is shaking, you know."
"Shut up for a moment, you bomb freak!"
"Who the hell are you calling a bomb freak!?"
"Hahaha... man, you two are gonna make one hell of a duo."
Pete would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about the village's future, but watching Kai and Kurt bicker like that made him want to protect their smiles even more.
"Since you're done with lunch, I'll head back to the kitchen to continue my work... Hopefully, I can serve you something even better than what you just had."
Pete said as he carried away the plates Kai and the others had used.
"Today's lunch was already delicious, so I'll be looking forward to it!"
Kai said with a smile.
"Yeah, thanks."
Pete replied before heading back inside. He gave Kai and the others one last look before disappearing into the kitchen.
"I'll be taking Yu back to my shop since there are things we need to do... but what about you? Do you have any plans?"
Kurt asked as the three of them stepped outside the diner.
"Like I said earlier, I'll just walk around and look out the village."
Kai answered while glancing around. Even though Pete said there wasn't much to do here, Kai felt like there were actually tons of things that could be done in a place this underdeveloped.
"If that's the case, I suggest you head to the carpenter's workshop over there!"
Kurt said, pointing at a wooden building not too far ahead. From where he stood, Kai could clearly see it.
"Oh? Is that place special or something?"
"I wouldn't say they're particularly amazing compared to carpenters from other villages, but you'll probably need their help if you really want to develop this place."
"Hmm... I guess you're right. I'll go check it out."
Kai said after thinking for a moment.
"Alright then, we're outta here."
Kurt said as he started walking away.
"Wait up!"
But Kai quickly stopped him.
"What is it?"
Kurt, who had already walked a bit ahead, turned his head back toward Kai.
"Since Yu's gonna be with you, make sure you don't blow anything up while he's around. It's for his safety."
A vein popped on Kurt's forehead at Kai's words.
"Don't worry, Big bro Kai... I'll keep an eye on him so that won't happen. I've never let Brother Kurt blow anything up while I'm watching!"
"Oh wow, even though you're still a kid, you're really reliable!"
"Can you guys not talk about that in front of me!?"
With that, Kurt walked off without caring what else Kai wanted to say. Worried that Kurt might actually blow something up, Yu hurriedly ran after him.
Once they were gone, Kai headed toward the carpenter Kurt had mentioned earlier, with the Fairy Goddess fluttering behind him.
"Do you know anything about the carpenter here?"
Kai asked the Fairy Goddess as they walked along.
"Hmm... most of the job in this village is passed down from generation to generation. So the carpenters here are a father-and-son pair.... they might not be the best in the world, but you can trust their skills when it comes to building."
"I see... I just hope they're not weirdos."
"Ahahaha..."
The Fairy Goddess's laugh was a bad sign. Kai was pretty sure he was about to meet another weirdos.
As he approached the wooden building, Kai heard strange noises coming from inside. Despite the uneasy feeling creeping over him, he decided to take a peek. After glancing at the Fairy Goddess's face to make sure she would be fine once he opened the door, Kai hesitantly peered inside. Through the narrow gap, he caught sight of two men.
"You're not swinging that axe hard enough! If you want to become the best lumberjack out there, you've gotta swing it with more strength!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"Don't you want to be like me?!"
"..."
"Hey, answer me, Joe!"
"..."
"Joe! Don't just keep quiet—say something!"
"... Sorry."
Inside, Kai saw a man swinging an axe as if it were a sword, while an older and muscular man seemed to be training him. Just as he suspected, he had once again run into another weirdos.