Natasha listened in silence, her gentle gaze resting on the scrapes adorning Xing's arms and calves. As the story concluded, a faint, relieved smile brushed across her lips.
"I see. Bravery is a noble virtue, but remember to prioritize your own safety next time."
She stepped toward the medicine cabinet, retrieved a bottle of antiseptic and some ointment, and handed them to Xing along with a pack of sterile cotton swabs.
"They're just minor scrapes, nothing too serious," Natasha's voice carried a grounding, calming strength. "Apply this ointment once a day in a thin layer; it will reduce inflammation and speed up healing. Don't worry, if treated properly, it won't leave a scar. You two can help each other apply it—just use that empty bed by the window."
She gestured toward a pristine hospital bed near the glass.
"Thank you, Dr. Natasha!" Xing and the girl chimed in unison.
The two sat on the edge of the bed. The girl took the medicine from Xing and carefully unscrewed the cap. Dipping a swab into the antiseptic, she began to clean the most prominent wound on Xing's arm with meticulous, tender movements.
The icy sting of the liquid made Xing hiss, drawing in a sharp breath.
"Does it hurt?" the girl asked instantly, her movements becoming even lighter.
"It's fine, just a little sting," Xing grinned.
Only then did the girl relax slightly. She took a fresh swab, coated it with the pale yellow ointment, and carefully spread it over the wound. Her focus was absolute—her lashes cast soft shadows over her cheeks as the sunlight filtered through the window, bathing her profile in a warm, ethereal glow. It was a moment of profound, quiet beauty.
The stinging coolness of the antiseptic was soon replaced by the soothing sensation of the ointment. Sitting so close, Xing could clearly catch the faint, floral scent lingering in the girl's hair.
In the silence, as the girl tenderly tended to a small scratch, she spoke softly, as if stirred by a distant memory.
"Actually..." Her voice was light, carrying a nostalgic warmth. "Something similar happened when I was very, very small."
Xing looked up, shifting her gaze from the wound to the girl's face. The girl's eyes were unfocused, as if staring through the dust of time.
"It was... probably back in kindergarten?" Her fingers paused momentarily. "In our neighborhood park... I didn't quite fit in. I was always being sidelined and bullied by a group of older girls. Once, they pushed me into the sandpit, ruined my favorite new dress, and snatched away my doll..."
Her voice trembled ever so slightly, recalling the helplessness of that day. Xing's mind began to churn, unearthing faded fragments of the past.
"And then..." A soft curve formed on the girl's lips. "A 'knight' stepped forward to protect me and chased them away. Even though she got her own dress dirty, the way she stood in front of me with her hands on her hips... she was so small, yet so full of spirit."
The fragments snapped together!
The blurry park scene became crystal clear: a tiny version of herself, hands on her hips, shouting at girls taller than her: "You're not allowed to bully people!" And in the corner of that memory, a timid figure in a light-colored dress...
"Ah! You... you're..." Xing's eyes widened. She pointed at the girl instinctively, a realization surging through her like an electric current.
The girl's eyes erupted with brilliance, like a night sky filled with stars. "You remember?"
"You're the child Kafka-mama used to bring around, right?!" Xing blurted out, ecstatic.
The starlight in the girl's eyes instantly vanished. Her emerald orbs lost their luster, and her cheeks puffed up like an angry pufferfish.
Thump! Thump! Thump! She balled up her tiny fists and began drumming them against Xing's shoulder with zero lethal force.
"Fine! Xing! You big idiot!!" her voice cracked with a mix of frustration and tears. "You only remember Kafka?! You don't remember me at all, do you?! After all these years... I've kept you in my heart all this time!"
"Ah! Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it!" Xing panicked, overcome with guilt. "It's been ten years! And you've changed so much! You were so tiny back then, and now you're so beautiful... my brain just didn't connect the dots! I just remembered how cool Mama Kafka looked..."
"Hmph! Excuses!" The girl turned her head away, crossing her arms in a classic 'I'm never talking to you again' pose.
After a few tense seconds, the girl peeked back with one eye, filled with a final shred of hope. Xing's heart was struck by that look. The blurry shadow of her childhood finally merged with the vivid girl before her.
"Firefly..." Xing's voice softened with genuine sincerity. "I'm sorry. I was stupid for taking so long. Your name... Firefly... I remember it. The way you used to grab my skirt... it's always been there, in a corner of my memory."
"Really?" Firefly scrutinized her, still pouting.
"Really!" Xing raised her hand as if taking an oath.
The Arrival of the Transfer Student
The school day progressed. In the classroom, Xing's friends—March 7th and Dan Heng—were waiting.
"Xing! Why are you so late? Did you go diving in the trash cans again?" March teased. Dan Heng, usually the 'Cold Dragon Young Lord,' actually had a faint smile on his face, which weirded Xing out. Is his character breaking? she wondered.
Xing explained the encounter, the rescue, and the "destined" reunion.
"Wait! You rescued the girl you protected as a kid?!" March's eyes sparkled with gossip. "That's a 'Heaven-Sent Childhood Friend' (天降青梅) trope! In anime, that's a guaranteed Female Lead flag! Your win rate is massive!!"
Suddenly, Natasha entered the room. "We have a new exchange student today."
Firefly walked in, elegant and poised. "Hello everyone, I am Firefly, an exchange student from the Entropy Academy. Please take care of me."
She winked at the stunned Xing and sat right next to her.
The "Pioneering Gaming Club" and the Hawaii Trip
The group grew closer. They formed a club called the "Pioneering Gaming Club," claiming to study independent game development while actually just playing games and eating snacks. Even the strict Student Council President, Bronya, and the cold Disciplinary Officer, Seele, couldn't find a reason to shut them down thanks to Dan Heng's genius-level coding "front."
Then came the school trip to Hawaii.
Sun, sand, and bikinis. March 7th was busy taking photos of "hot sisters," while Firefly was shyly asking Xing to help her apply sunscreen.
The sensation of Xing's warm hands on her back made Firefly turn redder than a ripe tomato. She buried her face in her arms, her heart pounding louder than the ocean waves. By the time she gathered her courage to return the favor, she saw March and Xing already helping Dan Heng with his sunscreen.
Darn it! I missed my chance! Firefly grumbled inwardly, hitting the sand with a tiny fist.
The New Year Festival: A Secret Revealed
As the year ended, the four friends visited a festival in traditional kimonos. Amidst the lanterns and the scent of roasted mochi, they ran into two familiar faces: Bronya and Seele.
The "Iron-Willed" President Bronya was currently leaning head-first onto Seele's shoulder, looking soft and dependent—a side no one had ever seen.
"Ahem!" Bronya snapped upright the moment she saw them, her face flushing crimson to the tips of her ears.
"Oh ho~?" March grinned mischievously. "President? Disciplinary Officer? Since when did your relationship 'evolve' this much?"
Seele, despite her usual sharp tongue, didn't push Bronya away. Instead, she naturally reached out and took Bronya's hand, weaving their fingers together.
"Tch," Seele muttered, her voice losing its edge. "It's... a long story."
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 139)
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 (Chapter171)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter100)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter184)
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 168
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 156
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 105
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 185
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 160
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 150
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 76
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 97
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 116
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 75
Uma Musume: I Want All 93
I Can Copy Unique Skills 79
Summoning an Evil God, but the 55
Supernatural Multiverse 75
My Harem Is Indescribable 68
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 70
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 69
Still playing traditional Honk 49
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 53
What Should I Do After Switchi 42
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 50
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 38
Transmigrated as Sukuna 35
Checking In in Demon Slayer 40
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 55
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