*Crunch crunch*

  “MMMMHHH!!! I REALLY LIKE THESE BENTOS FROM THE CONVENIENCE STORE!!”

  “Hmmm, I’ve never eaten this stuff! Is it that good?”

  “Yeah, of course! Didn’t you hear me the first time?”

  “How does it compare to food prepared by professional chefs?”

  “. . . .”

  I look at Si-chan with a certain glare.

  “I apologize!”

  Si-chan bows her head to me. She finally opens her bento and takes the first bite of the shrimp tempura.

  *crunch*

  “Hmm! Crispy! Though the meat quality seems a bit subpar compared to what I usually eat.”

  “Si-chan, please stop comparing convenience store food to luxury ones!”

  “I-I apologize once again! I did it out of habit. I didn’t realize that I was doing it. I didn’t mean to be mean, Mari-chan! Please trust me!”

  “Yeah, I believe you! Your life just took a very sudden turn out of nowhere after all! I understand.”

  *Crunch crunch*

  “So, how on earth are you here? How did you even follow me? I didn’t leave any track, did I?”

  *Crunch crunch*

  “Mmmhh, no! I was just lucky that I was directly in front of the hospital when the explosion happened. And then I saw two trails of smoke flying to this location, so I ran as hard as I could.”

  “Eh? Is that so? When did you arrive here?”

  “Hmm, truthfully, I saw everything from the beginning, minus both of your crash landings.”

  “. . . so, you see the entire fight?”

  “Yup! AND YOU WERE SO COOL, SI-CHAN!!”

  *!?*

  Si-chan's face shows an expression of disbelief towards me. She probably expects a different reaction, given how brutally she killed that man.

  “I. . . I thought you’d be disgusted. . .”

  I immediately closed my face to hers, showing my excitement.

  “HOW COULD I WHEN YOU’RE ACTING SO COOL ALL THE TIME?! I WAS WORRIED THE ENTIRE TIME WHENEVER HE WAS ABOUT TO ATTACK YOU, BUT THEN YOU SHOWED THAT IN REALITY, YOU’VE BEEN THE ONE WHO’S IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION!! GAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! YOU’RE SO COOOOOOOOOOOLLLLL!!”

  Si-chan was taken aback by my extreme admiration for her.

  “O-Okay, okay! Thank you! Now, please step back a little! Your face is in my personal space.”

  *!*

  “OH! S-Sorry, Si-chan!”

  “No, it’s okay! Let’s just finish the food now!”

  “O-Oh, right! We have to get your father back to the hospital!”

  I started eating faster, but Si-chan suddenly stopped.

  *?*

  “What’s wrong, Si-chan?”

  “My father is already dead.”

  *!!!*

  I stopped munching on the food in my mouth as soon as I heard her announcement.

  “He was already in a pretty bad state before, taking him out of his medical treatment only results in his death. That is obvious. He was already dead before I even crash-landed in this forest.”

  “. . . .”

  “But as you can see, I shed no tears, nor do I feel sad. My father and I aren’t particularly close. He’s always been busy with work, and the ones who actually took care of me until now were my butlers and maids. And even towards them, I don’t feel any love at all. They all seemed to raise me simply because it was their job.”

  Si-chan turns to me and looks me in the eye.

  “So, as you can see, Mari-chan, we’re not that much different! I have always felt alone in this world. I don’t really feel any love coming from anyone. First year at high school was the first time I ever felt love from everyone, our silly friends, I mean!”

  I started shedding tears without my conscience. I feel. . . peaceful knowing someone out there in this world has a similar background to me.

  “Si-chan! Please eat the rest of the food!”

  I smiled at Si-chan with full sincerity. She nods and finishes her food a few minutes later.

  .

  .

  .

  *GRAHK*

  Si-chan lifts up a chunk of the ground into the air, creating a big hole in the ground. She lifts her father’s body, who’s already encased in dirt, towards the hole, and lowers it gently to the bottom. She closes the hole with the same chunk of the ground, gently as well.

  She lowers her head and whispers.

  “Rest in peace, father!”

  She lifts her head, and not a single tear is shed.

  “Soooo, what are you going to do now, Si-chan?”

  “I. . . don’t know actually. I have no idea what to do with my life as a whole.”

  “Hmm, for now, wanna stay in my house? It’s awful compared to your luxurious mansion, but I swear it’s livable! Hehehe!”

  “Alright, alright! Please stop teasing me about my rich-people habit! I didn’t do it on purpose to downplay you or anything! It was just a habit!”

  “Hehehe! Sorry!”

  I turn my head towards a certain direction and start walking.

  “Alright, let’s go to my home, then, Si-chan! I think it’s this way!”

  “Eh? Are you sure that’s the way?”

  “Y-y-y-yeah, of course!”

  “You know I can clearly hear you stuttering, right? *Sigh* Hold on a second!”

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  *!?*

  I stopped myself, and Si-chan approached me.

  *GRAAHHKKK*

  *!*

  “UWWAAAAA!!”

  Suddenly, a chunk of the ground below us was lifted up into the sky with two meters in diameter. The shake made me fall to my knees.

  “Hm, I forgot this is the first time for you!”

  Si-chan lifted many smaller pieces of the ground, and they all floated towards the edge of the circular platform we’re flying on, and they shaped themselves into DIY railings, standing at 3/4 of our own height, all around the edge of the ground.

  “WOW!!”

  I stand up and approach the railings and rest my hands on them.

  “WOOOOWWW!! THIS FEELS SO GOOD, SI-CHAN!!”

  Si-chan also stood up and rested her hands on the railing next to me.

  “Wow! You’re right! This feels good!”

  “Eh? You’ve never done this? But this is made from your Faith power.”

  “Well, I usually just either stand still or sit in the center of my platform as I fly high without the railings because I’m used to it.”

  “Ooohh! I see!”

  Si-chan lifted us higher into the sky to the heights of the clouds.

  *!!!*

  For the first time in my life, I’m flying in the sky.

  “. . . .”

  I am at a loss for words. I have never been in an airplane before, so this view is a first for me. The view of Saitama city from the sky at nighttime is. . . breathtaking. I cannot describe what I am seeing. There are countless amounts of lights everywhere I see down in the city. So many cars' headlights are moving here and there, and the neon signs are particularly very eye-catching and stand out the most. There are also so many lampposts that add to the overall view, and not to forget about the windows in the buildings with their lights on and off. Kinda giving it an asymmetrical vibe, and even then, my words are simply not justifying the true beauty that I saw that night.

  I didn’t realize it, but Si-chan was looking at me with a smile, and she stayed silent the whole time I was in awe.

  “HIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!”

  *?*

  All of my admiration and awe suddenly went down the drain as reality hit me. Being this high in the sky at night is very cold and windy, and I feel like I’m going to catch a cold, really fast.

  I immediately hugged myself and crouched. I hid under the railings to stay away from the cold wind.

  “Brrrrrrr!!!”

  “Ah! It’s cold, isn’t it?”

  I looked toward Si-chan and was surprised.

  “E-e-e-e-eh? S-s-s-s-s-si-ch-ch-chaaannnn. . . How are you not cold? Th-this is pretty c-c-c-cooolldddd. . .”

  “Hmm, I guess I just got used to it, huh? I’ve been flying in secret every time my driver couldn't pick me up at school. But to avoid any suspicion, I usually take my time in the sky, flying really slowly as I enjoy the view from up here.”

  “I see. The view is extraordinary, but the cold is extreme, Si-chan.”

  “Ahahahaha! I get it, I get it! Say, wanna hang out somewhere before we head to your home?”

  “Hm? But, Si-chan, you know I have very little experience in hanging out! I’ve only known everything from you and everyone.”

  “Ah, right! Then, is there any place you want to go but you never did because you were all alone?”

  . . . .

  That question kinda irks me, but I can’t really say anything to her because it’s just reality; I really was a loner. No question about it. And a certain place immediately came to my mind.

  “Game center!”

  “Hm? Arcades?”

  I immediately stood up and closed my face towards hers as I was suddenly filled with excitement.

  “HM!! HM!!”

  I nodded frantically. Si-chan has no other choice but to agree.

  “A-Alright, alright! I, myself, have never been to an arcade before anyway! So, at least I’m also kinda excited!”

  “YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!”

  I frantically jumped and hopped around the ground platform without a care in the world.

  “O-OI! THAT’S DANGEROUS, MARI-CHAN!! SIT DOWN PLEASE!!”

  “AH! I-I’m sorry, Si-chan!”

  “*Sigh* It’s fine, Mari-chan.”

  And Si-chan makes our way towards the closest game center from our location.

  .

  .

  .

  10 minutes later. . .

  “WOOOOOOGGGHHHHHH!!!”

  “W-Wow!”

  We’ve both arrived at the game center and are standing in front of the entrance. The neon signs and the decoration of just the entrance were very bright and colorful. It’s clear that their designs were very impactful, at least to us.

  “LET’S GO, SI-CHAN!!”

  “O-Okay!”

  I take Si-chan’s hand and drag her with me to enter the arcade.

  *BEEP BEEP BEEP*

  “W-WOOOOOWWWWW!!”

  We were both in awe once again. The atmosphere inside the game center was completely different from the city outside. There is so much noise, but it’s all noises that I am very familiar with. This feels like a personal heaven for me. I feel so happy right now, and we haven’t even played anything yet.

  “SI-CHAN!! WE HAVE TO PLAY THIS ONE!!”

  I drag Si-chan towards a certain game in the corner.

  “W-What is it?”

  “IT’S A FIGHTING GAME!! I’VE NEVER PLAYED AGAINST SOMEONE IN REAL TIME, ONLY IN ONLINE PLAY!! LET’S PLAY, SI-CHAN!!”

  “EH? I’ve never played a fighting game before! I mean, I’ve tried, but I suck at it!”

  “IT’S ALRIGHT, SI-CHAN! I’LL GO EASY ON YOU!!”

  “Somehow, I doubt that. . .”

  We went on to play the fighting game after I bought some coins for the machine.

  . . . .

  And as expected, Si-chan didn’t stand a chance.

  “K! O!” the game loudly declares.

  “WOHOOOOOO!!! I WON!!”

  “Grrrrrrrrr!! YOU TOLD ME YOU’RE GONNA GO EASY ON ME!!!”

  “Eeehhh? But, I did! I only use low kicks occasionally on you. I didn’t do a full combo or anything.”

  “I don’t understand a single thing that you’ve just said. But I have a feeling I’m gonna feel so humiliated if I do.”

  “Hehehehe! Don’t worry about it!”

  “Next, let’s play a game that I choose!”

  “Alright, what do you wanna do?”

  Si-chan drags me to a table of air hockey.

  “Khu khu khu! I reckon someone who spends her time on anime, manga, or video games has no stamina to be moving around too much!”

  “Khu khu khu! You’ve misunderstood me, Si-chan! I may be a loner, but I am no pushover!”

  “We’ll see about that!”

  *CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK*

  We started playing, and the game immediately went intense. We deflected the puck back and forth without any of us missing a single hit.

  “HRRRRAAAAGGGHHHH!!!”

  “RRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!”

  *CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK*

  Our game of air hockey was very intense, and there was a crowd gathering around us. They all suddenly cheered for both me and Si-chan because of how evenly matched we were.

  “GRRRRR!!! HOW IS THIS LONER MOVING THIS AGILE AND ACCURATE?? DROP DOWN ALREADY!!”

  “AND HOW IS THE RICH SPOILED BRAT LIKE YOU MOVING SO FAST WHEN YOU KEEP RELYING ON YOUR BUTLERS AND MAIDS FOR EVERYTHING IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE?? GO DOWN!!”

  *CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK CTAK*

  *CLACK*

  *!!!*

  “YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

  “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

  I messed up, and the mallet slipped out of my hand when I hit the puck back to her. She saw what happened and reacted quickly, and scored a goal. The score is 1-0, and the 10-minute time limit for the game is over. Si-chan won.

  “WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! FEELS GOOOODDD!!!”

  “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!”

  But in the middle of Si-chan’s victory screams and my frustration, we both heard the loud clapping from the crowd all around us.

  *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*

  They were so genuinely impressed by our play, and they respected us for it. There are even some veterans who have been going to this specific arcade, and they have never seen air hockey being played that way.

  These veterans gathered around the two of us and asked us to take a photo with them. We had no choice but to agree.

  .

  .

  .

  A few minutes later. . .

  “Isn’t it kinda impressive how our little rivalry became an entire event that everyone in the arcades celebrates with us?”

  “Hahahahaha! Yeah, it’s so silly! But it’s so warm at the same time! I love this feeling!”

  “Hehehe! Me, too, Mari-chan!”

  “Well, then, LET’S GO TO THE NEXT GAME!!”

  “BRING IT ON!!”

  And so, we played so many games within the arcades.

  We played the claw machine, and neither of us could grab a giant bunny plushie that we both really, really wanted. We decided to stop before I wasted all of my parents’ inheritance.

  We played the mini basketball machine, and we got a 100-point high score within a minute. We both played on the same machine and worked together and paced ourselves to get as many scores as we could within the time limit.

  We played a water gun machine where we had to shoot pirates but avoid the hostages, or we’ll lose points. We got a 43 score within 2 minutes, but that’s because Si-chan kept shooting at the hostages.

  We played a bowling machine, and we both scored 250 points for working together on the same machine.

  And we spent an entire two hours at the game center. It was so much fun playing every game with Si-chan. This has become yet another core memory in my life.

  .

  .

  .

  My house at 21:00. . .

  “HOAAAMMM!! I’m getting sleepy. . .”

  “Welcome to my home, Si-chan! Go take a bath and go to bed immediately after! I’ll prepare the bed and your clothes in the meantime.”

  “Mhhh! Alright! Thank you, Mari-chan! Also, sorry for intruding!”

  “You’re welcome!”

  Si-chan lazily walks towards the bathroom while I quickly prepare some of my clothes for her. I put the clothes outside the bathroom, and I went into my bedroom to clean it up.

  .

  .

  .

  30 minutes later. . .

  We both have taken a bath and worn our pajamas. I lent Si-chan mine. We both sleep in my bed inside my room. The bed is big enough for our small bodies.

  “This is kinda fun, Mari-chan! It’s called a sleepover, right? I’ve never done that!”

  “Eh? Really? Even after you met everyone back in your first year?”

  “No. We were still trying to close the distance with each other, so no one ever thought of having a sleepover.”

  “Well then, it’s my first too, since. . . well, you know!”

  “Ahahaha! Alright, alright! What do you usually do in a sleepover?”

  “Eh? Don’t you just spend the night with a friend, sleeping together in the same room or house?”

  “Eh? That’s it? There’s no actual activity besides sleeping?”

  “Hmm, based on anime and manga that I watched, that’s all it is. But they usually have already spent time together before bedtime in the house. We already did that in the arcade anyway!”

  “Oh, you’re right! Ahahahahaha!”

  “Hahahahaha!”

  “HOOOOAAAAAMMMMM!!!”

  “Wow, what a big mouth.”

  “Mari-chan, I’m already sleepy. I am going to go ahead and sleep, okay?”

  “Okay, Si-chan! Sleep well!”

  .

  .

  .

  After a while, I also fell asleep. But without me knowing, Si-chan had already searched for something in my house when it was my turn to take a bath.

  “Hm. . . Mari-chan genuinely doesn’t have any other relatives. I guess she’s clear.”

  *BEEP*

  She did something with her phone.

  “Onto the next target. . .”