However, Zenin Kiyoshi did not realize this. It had not been long since he had transmigrated, and he was not very familiar with the Japanese way of addressing people.
And in a way, he himself did not particularly like the surname Zenin.
But the moment Riko Amanai's face turned slightly red, he realized that he had just spoken a bit too imprecisely.
Fortunately, Miss Kuroi discovered this in time. She looked at the two of them, and instantly realized the reason for Riko's blush, and also noticed the somewhat awkward Zenin Kiyoshi at this moment.
So she took out a towel, wiped Riko's slightly wet hair a few times, and at the same time, she said with a light laugh to clear the air:
"Kiyoshi-kun is not Japanese. He grew up abroad when he was a child, so he may not be very familiar with our way of addressing people here. Miss Riko, you must be hungry, right? I also brought you a portion of fried noodles when I went to buy some for Kiyoshi and Mr. Toji today. It's your favorite shrimp flavor. I put it in the refrigerator, and I'll go heat it up for you now."
Through the warm towel with a faint fragrance, Riko could feel the care and warmth from Kuroi. She was like a wet kitten, snuggling in the warm and comfortable arms of her owner.
Kuroi had been instilled with the idea of being a [tool] by everyone including her parents since she was a child. Riko had lost her parents before she even understood things.
These two people were lucky enough to walk together, supporting each other with the kindness of their hearts, and struggling to survive in this cruel world.
Darkness, coldness, hatred, disgust... It seemed that from the moment they were born, the malice of this world came rushing in like a tide.
They had no ability to resist, and they could not even generate the will to resist silently in private.
The gears of fate carried them forward. Even if they knew that what lay ahead was separation and death, even if they knew that this short companionship would only bring greater sorrow.
They were still like this.
Kuroi did not want Riko to become a Star Plasma Vessel to be fused with Master Tengen. The more she got along with Riko, the more reluctant she became.
Every time she thought of this, it would be the ten-year-old Riko who would comfort her.
But Kuroi knew that Riko was not as magnanimous and cheerful as she appeared on the surface. When she was tidying up Riko's diary, the wind blew open a page of Riko's diary.
And the words on that diary were eight characters that Kuroi still could not forget to this day.
"Do not form bonds, it only increases loneliness."
This is a phrase often used to describe the love story of a long-lived species and a short-lived species.
A yokai and a human fall in love, but after the short-lived one dies, what is left for the long-lived one is only endless years of loneliness.
Rather than being destined to be lonely, it is better not to meet at the beginning.
And for Riko and Kuroi, their fate was so similar to this sentence.
Around the age of sixteen, Riko would be assimilated as a Star Plasma Vessel.
No one knew what would happen after assimilation, but just as no one knew what would happen after death.
In the end, they would not see each other again.
Riko could face death with magnanimity. She was not afraid of death. She was just afraid that her departure would cause Kuroi to suffer.
A gentle and brave person would choose to die after their lover's death, because they knew how painful it was to leave their beloved to bear the loneliness and longing.
Compared to letting their lover bear the pain, they would rather experience that wet rest of their life themselves.
Watching Kuroi walk towards the kitchen, Riko put down the towel and said to her:
"Kuroi, I'll go with you. You probably haven't eaten either. When you were driving back, your stomach was growling."
Hearing Riko's words, Kuroi blushed slightly. She glanced at Riko and did not refuse her request, but said with a smile:
"Miss Riko! Then be careful not to burn the kitchen later. Also, don't add chili sauce to my noodles!"
"Hehe, I won't!"
After a little interaction with Kuroi, Riko's mood, which was originally a little fearful and worried because she had seen an outsider, was also much better now.
She turned back to look at Zenin Kiyoshi and Toji, a bright smile like the sun blooming on her face. A few strands of wet hair stuck to her fair forehead, looking like a flower blooming in the rain.
"Do you want to eat something? Kuroi's cooking is very good, definitely more delicious than the fried rice you eat outside! And I will cook for you too~ I'm going to be a great person like Master Tengen in the future! It's not an easy thing to taste my cooking."
Riko had a faint smile on her face. She often mentioned her identity.
And the reason for doing so was actually very simple. She needed to constantly numb herself like this, to numb herself into accepting her identity.
At the same time, she was also numbing others. Through this way of accepting it with a laugh, she made everyone understand and comprehend that she was never afraid of death. She was a qualified Star Plasma Vessel, a Star Plasma Vessel that did not need much effort to manage.
It should be known that there used to be disobedient Star Plasma Vessels. That Star Plasma Vessel was very resistant to merging with Master Tengen, and even made several attempts to escape from Master Tengen.
In order to ensure the perfect fusion of the Star Plasma Vessel, in that era, people used chains to bind her in a basement. She ate, drank, and relieved herself all in a small room of less than ten square meters. She was watched at all times, even when washing and using the toilet.
That person finally went mad and completely lost control of her excretion, but no one cared. As long as she was prevented from committing suicide and her body was kept intact.
As for her mental state? In fact, they didn't care.
But according to ancient records, after Master Tengen fused with that Star Plasma Vessel, she seemed to have cried and wailed for a short period of time.
And after that incident, Master Tengen strictly forbade the use of severe punishments such as confinement on Star Plasma Vessels.
In order to avoid suffering that kind of fate, and to prevent implicating Kuroi, Riko would tirelessly repeat the saying that she was "honored to be a Star Plasma Vessel" in front of everyone who knew her identity.
She needed to use this saying to protect herself, and to use this foolish behavior to protect Kuroi.
For her, who was weak and feeble, playing the fool was the only means she had to protect herself and those around her.
Zenin Kiyoshi looked at Riko in front of him, only feeling a little uncomfortable in his heart.
A person who worked hard to live, but in the end got that kind of ending, and it was when the other party had finally mustered up the courage to live for themselves...
Thinking of this, Zenin Kiyoshi glanced at Toji, who was sitting there watching TV without a care in the world, coughed, and then said with a smile:
"Can you go buy some rice? Buy two more bags. I'm going to cook later, some Chinese dishes."
"Now? It's raining outside!"
-------
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