Night.
The night flowed like water.
It was almost eleven o'clock. The dormitory was completely quiet.
Only the hum of the air conditioner filled the room as his roommates slept soundly, long since lost in their dreams.
But Chen Ran wasn't asleep.
He leaned against the headboard, holding Jirachi in his arms, quietly waiting for midnight.
"Heh… I don't want to go back," Jirachi murmured softly.
She clutched Chen Ran's fingers with her tiny hands, her eyes filled with grievance and reluctance.
Tonight marked the seventh day since Jirachi's arrival.
Although Chen Ran had sworn that he wouldn't let her be taken away by a meteor to sleep for another thousand years…
This was an innate rule of the world.
And that rule weighed heavily on Jirachi's heart.
She didn't want to leave.
She wanted to stay with Chen Ran forever.
Play together.
Cause trouble together.
Eat lollipops and watch Charmeleon show off his "magic tricks."
"Jirachi," Chen Ran said gently, stroking her small, warm head. "Trust me. This time, the meteor won't take you away."
The three wish tags on top of her head still dangled unused.
The system's guarantee gave him confidence.
It had already proven capable of breaking the world's rules before.
And the Poké Ball from the system…
It could protect her.
It could prevent her from returning to the meteor and falling into that thousand-year slumber again.
"Chen Ran…"
Over the past few days, Jirachi's past memories had gradually awakened.
She had experienced this separation countless times before.
Love.
Joy.
Parting.
Repeat.
Over and over again.
The closer it got to midnight, the heavier her heart became.
Seeing this, Chen Ran quietly took two Poké Balls and slipped out of the dormitory.
He headed upstairs.
After carefully prying open the rooftop door, he stepped outside.
The night wind was cool and refreshing, far more comfortable than the artificial chill of the air conditioner.
"Chen Ran? Why are we on the rooftop?" Jirachi asked in confusion.
Instead of answering, Chen Ran released Riolu and Charmeleon.
Both Pokémon had been resting. When they appeared, they were still drowsy. But the moment they saw Chen Ran, they perked up.
"Roar!"
"Lu!"
They greeted him obediently.
"Good evening," Chen Ran said softly.
Riolu and Charmeleon soon noticed Jirachi.
Thinking she couldn't sleep, the two little guys immediately moved closer to comfort her.
Their clumsy but sincere concern made Jirachi freeze in surprise.
But deep inside, warmth spread through her heart.
"Everyone…"
"Come here."
Her eyes welled up.
Seeing her on the verge of tears, Chen Ran gently lifted Jirachi and placed her on his head.
Then he pointed toward the vast sky.
The stars glittered brilliantly.
Romantic. Boundless.
Occasionally, a shooting star streaked across the darkness.
Chen Ran knew.
Those meteors were the messengers meant to take Jirachi back into the universe.
"Jirachi," he said softly, "isn't it beautiful? Watching the stars from Earth?"
Time passed slowly.
Chen Ran wasn't worried.
But Jirachi was trembling inside.
Midnight approached.
She felt it.
Felt the invisible pull that should have dragged her away.
Her mood sank lower and lower.
So Chen Ran brought her here—to watch the stars.
The sky was dazzling tonight.
In his previous life, he had never seen such a clear, brilliant sea of stars.
Recently, he had been so focused on leveling up that he'd forgotten to appreciate the beauty of this world.
Tonight…
He borrowed Jirachi's light.
"What a beautiful view…" Jirachi whispered.
Though she came from the cosmos, she had always slept among the stars.
She had never truly watched them like this.
Gradually, she became immersed in the quiet, romantic sky.
And without noticing—
Midnight passed.
In the distance, a massive meteor shower swept across the heavens, blazing brilliantly.
Jirachi trembled.
Chen Ran immediately pulled her into his arms.
"Don't worry," he whispered firmly. "I said I wouldn't let them take you."
"…Mm."
Jirachi pressed against his chest, staring up at his face as if trying to memorize it—
Just in case.
The meteor shower came quickly.
And just as quickly—
It was gone.
But Jirachi was still there.
Still in Chen Ran's arms.
She hadn't fallen into a deep sleep.
She hadn't disappeared.
"Did… did we succeed?"
Her voice trembled with disbelief.
She broke free from his arms and flew high into the air.
Then she began to spin and dance in the night sky.
All the fear.
All the sadness.
All the anxiety from before—
Exploded into pure joy.
Chen Ran didn't stop her.
He simply stood there, watching.
"It's so cute…"
His face was full of happiness.
Completely the look of a doting father.
Riolu and Charmeleon didn't fully understand what had happened.
But they stood quietly beside him, watching Jirachi celebrate.
Even the newly hatched Riolu adored her deeply.
"Meteors can't take you away," Chen Ran said softly.
"I'll keep you here."
Under the night sky, peace settled over them.
Jirachi had stayed.
And Chen Ran's journey would continue.
At the same time—
Chen Ran used his daily refresh opportunity.
What should have been an ordinary shelf suddenly erupted with a dazzling red glow.
"Holy—"
"Championship-tier merchandise?!"
"Today's my lucky day!"
…
---
No slacking.
We keep going.
We keep adding more.