"You're not even pretending anymore?"
"Pretending what?"
X watched Eternal Meteor go to ridiculous lengths—repeatedly quoting the doctor's words—to convince Rudolf that her leg was completely healed and she could go have fun at the amusement park.
"Pretending you suddenly care about yourself. Aren't you trying to go to the outpost anymore?"
"There isn't only one way."
Eternal Meteor casually swayed her body. If she was going to places like a zoo or an aquarium—somewhere you could only look at scenery—she might as well stay home and sleep. At least in her dreams she might run into something exciting.
But unlike Eternal Meteor, who couldn't care less, X heard that and immediately knew what this "genius" was planning. It almost made X laugh in anger.
"Are you insane? Do you really have to be this extreme? I'm telling you—"
"Okay, okay. Teio's here. No time to chat."
"I'm just saying a couple words and you're already annoyed—hey! Hey!"
Ignoring the yelling inside her head, Eternal Meteor rose onto her toes and waved both hands high toward Tokai Teio in the distance.
"Over here! Over here!"
But she didn't call Teio's name out loud. If someone recognized Teio's uncovered face, it could turn into a mess.
After going out with Rudolf these past few days, Eternal Meteor had learned what "rabid fans" really meant. Even when they wore masks every time, people still recognized them easily.
And once the first person shouted, a crowd would swarm in and pack around them until there wasn't a gap left.
Worst of all—whenever she got surrounded like that, Eternal Meteor became painfully aware of just how short she was.
Tokai Teio heard the familiar call and turned with a bright smile—
—only for the shopping bag in her hand to drop straight to the ground.
The clasp hit the pavement with a crisp clack, as sharp and loud as the sound inside her chest.
"Teio, what's wrong? Teio?"
Seeing her freeze there, Eternal Meteor hurried over on her short legs, pat-a-pat-a across the pavement, then leaned in and asked softly by her ear.
This was weird.
She waved a hand in front of Teio's widened eyes—still no reaction. Eternal Meteor was about to grab Teio and shake her a little, but the moment she took the first step—
"It's nothing," Teio blurted, finally snapping back. "I'm just… just surprised."
"A surprise, right?"
Eternal Meteor rose onto her toes, hooked her right arm over Teio's shoulder, and proudly pointed with her left hand to Rudolf—who was standing where Eternal Meteor had been earlier, tapping away at her phone.
"I know you've always wanted to invite the President out, Teio, but you haven't succeeded many times. Half the time you only managed by tricking her."
"This time, after endless effort—scheming, planning, reasoning, fighting for it with everything I had—she finally agreed to take a whole day off work to play with us. Aren't you happy?"
She said it with a straight face, talking about how hard she'd worked for this chance… even though Rudolf had agreed to go out right away. She'd only gotten slightly uneasy after hearing it was an amusement park.
"A whole day?!"
"You're super excited and want to go right now, huh? Come on, come on—let's go."
"Y-yeah…"
Eternal Meteor pushed Teio—who looked oddly stiff—back toward Rudolf, assuming Teio was just shy because she hadn't mentally prepared for this.
"President! Let's go!"
"Mm. Okay."
Rudolf put her phone away and started to step forward—then paused slightly when she noticed Teio's state.
"Teio, you look beautiful today."
Teio was wearing light makeup that toned down her usual cuteness and traced out a more refined beauty instead. She'd also let down her usual ponytail—her long hair falling past her waist added a hint of sensuality.
Her outfit and shoes were a soft white, and her dress had small floral crests embroidered here and there. From a distance, she looked like a jasmine bloom in full flower.
But Teio's mood didn't match her appearance.
Normally, being praised by the President would make her happy. So why—why did she feel nothing today?
And did Eternal Meteor seriously not notice anything? Not even a reaction?
Pouting, Teio poked Eternal Meteor—who was marching ahead like a toy soldier. Eternal Meteor turned back, puzzled.
Then, as if remembering what Rudolf had just said, Eternal Meteor's eyes swept over Teio from head to toe.
That made Teio feel embarrassed… but also, despite herself, hopeful—waiting for her evaluation.
Instead, Eternal Meteor said something so baffling that even X—who had been furious a moment ago—let out a confused noise. You could practically hear it collapse.
"Teio… why are you dressed so lightly today? Be careful—you'll catch a cold. Good thing I wore an extra jacket in case something like this happened."
Under Teio's dumbstruck stare, Eternal Meteor peeled off her outer windbreaker—revealing the down jacket underneath—then draped the windbreaker over Teio's shoulders. She flashed a toothy smile and gave her a thumbs-up.
It was over.
That was absolutely "throwing a flirtatious glance at a blind person."
After Eternal Meteor turned around again, Teio's footsteps grew heavier.
But her small nose twitched slightly. The scent on the jacket made her remember that earlier hug. Cheeks puffed out and faintly red, she followed behind Eternal Meteor in silence.
At the very back, Rudolf touched her hair, baffled.
…Did those two just have a fight?
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 126)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter130)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter89)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter157)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 133
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 125
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 84
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 143
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 115
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 99
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 53
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 75
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 75
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 52
Uma Musume: I Want All 51
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
A Guide to Aid in the Underwor 26
Summoning an Evil God, but the 27
Supernatural Multiverse 27
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