Morina said nothing, her face still icy, expression unreadable. She got up from the doorframe, looking like she was about to leave—but then, as if she'd changed her mind, she came back in.
"Morina..." she started, but Morina cut her off.
"Auntie, please talk to Roppuru. Tell him not to do anything so dangerous again."
Then, just as she turned to go, she spotted me. Her red lips moved slightly. "Nobita, can you come here a second? I want to ask you something."
I was a little startled. Me? I didn't think we had anything to do with each other. But I followed her outside Roppuru's house anyway.
Tonight, Koya Koya had a blue moon—last night it was red. The blue moonlight made Morina's red hair look even more vibrant, like a single red flower in a sea of blue.
We walked for a while in silence. I had no idea how to break the ice. Just as I was about to say something, she stopped.
"Nobita," she said, voice as cool as ever.
"Uh, yeah, I'm here." I didn't know what she wanted.
"Clem and the others said you're not a Koya Koya settler. You're from Earth?" she asked.
"Yeah." I didn't know what else to say.
"Then why help us?" Her eyes were full of suspicion. "Does Earth need our energy stones too?"
"No, not at all. I don't represent any organization or country. I'm just myself," I replied.
"I don't even need money. My family's already rich."
"Then what do you want?" she asked, even more confused.
Could there really be someone this nice, doing things for no reward?
"Actually, I never said I wanted to save Koya Koya," I admitted, chuckling softly. "That's just the wishful thinking of the settlers. I helped out because Roppuru and the others are my friends. That's all."
"I'm actually pretty selfish. I only help the people around me. If things go bad, I'll probably just help Roppuru and his family escape. The rest of this planet? Not my concern."
I let it all out in one breath.
Morina looked at me, her eyes no longer so cold—actually, there was a flicker of something complicated there.
Selfish? If someone willing to help friends is selfish, then what about those settlers who just look out for themselves? Are they animals?
Somehow, Morina thought I was more real this way—not some cold, distant hero.
If only her father had been a little more selfish back then—maybe things would've turned out differently...
She seemed lost in thought, but quickly recovered. Her eyes had softened a bit.
"Just promise me you'll stick to your word, okay? Protect Clem and the others—don't let them get hurt."
"I will," I answered seriously.
"And... will you keep helping Koya Koya?" Morina seemed to have trouble saying it.
"Huh? Why? Didn't you say you didn't want us taking risks? Aren't you worried about Roppuru and the others getting hurt?" I asked.
"I don't want you risking your lives, but I know that if anyone can save Koya Koya, it's probably you," she said, her expression dim. Maybe she'd never really counted on the other settlers.
"But what makes you think I'll agree? I already said I'm selfish—I might just run away when things get bad," I joked.
"No, you won't. You said you'd accept a friend's request. And with Roppuru's personality, he'll definitely ask you to save Koya Koya," Morina said seriously.
"Then why ask me? What's the point?" I asked, dropping my smile.
"Because this time, I'm asking you myself. I want to ask as you as a friend—if you can, save Koya Koya. If not, at least protect Clem and the others," Morina said, looking me right in the eye.
She was so earnest I was stunned for a moment.
Then Morina slowly reached out her hand. "Let's be friends. I'm Morina."
"Nobita Nobi. Nice to meet you," I said, shaking her hand.
It felt like we'd just made some kind of pact.
With that atmosphere, I couldn't help but think of those old movies about wandering heroes—maybe "hero" is the right word for this situation.
But I shook my head. I have no desire to be a hero. That never ends well. If things go south, I won't feel guilty about running for my life.
"Well, now we're friends," I said, breaking the tension with a grin. "But even friends help each other for a price. What will you give me if I finish the job?"
She thought for a bit. What could she offer me? Money? I didn't need it. All she really owned was her ranch—was I after that?
"What do you want?" she asked tentatively.
"Hmm, I haven't decided yet. Let's just leave it open. When I think of something, you'll agree to it, okay?" I said, pretending to ponder.
"Okay. If it's something I can do, I'll do it," Morina replied. She figured she could just give me her ranch if it came to that, and maybe ask to work there herself. That way, she could still be around the place.
Thinking about it, her face broke into a genuine smile for the first time.
Even I was a little stunned. Wow, the ice queen really is beautiful when she smiles.
I don't know what got into me, but I leaned closer and whispered teasingly in her ear, "Morina-nee, you should smile more. You're really pretty when you do."
Before she could react, I dashed off—no way was I sticking around after teasing an older woman, especially one as tough as her!
…
Morina stood there, stunned by the feeling of Nobita's breath on her ear and his playful words.
Did I just get flirted with by a kid?
Her face flushed, especially her ears turning red all the way to the tips.
She wanted to chase after him, but he'd already vanished.
"That damn brat—how dare he say that to me..." she muttered, not sure whether to be angry or happy. But she was smiling too.
As she turned back toward the house, a sudden thought hit her—was his condition going to be...me?
Her heartbeat quickened.
No way... How could I...
Her blush deepened, making her look even more stunning. But Nobita didn't see any of it.
Somehow, thinking of his face—how soft and warm it was, how gentle he seemed—Morina thought that maybe...it wouldn't be so bad.
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