"Is today's date at the mall?"
Sleepy Mita looked around, completely uninterested. Her gaze was focused on Alain.
"Mhm. We need to buy some of your daily necessities." Alain led her toward a clothing section and naturally started picking up items from the shelves to examine them.
"Oh, I see. Thank you." Sleepy Mita lowered her head slightly, then asked with a hint of confusion, "In that case, why did you bring me to the children's underwear section?"
"Huh?"
Alain's hand, holding a hanger, froze in place. Only after a moment did he notice the strange looks from the other shoppers.
"You're right."
He silently put the item back on the rack and led the girl to another section.
"This should be the right place."
"The sizes here are too small for me, you know." Sleepy Mita patted his shoulder.
"?"
Alain realized he was being rather strange today. The moment he left the children's underwear section, he had walked right into the teen underwear section.
"That's not right. What she wants is adult underwear. I almost forgot…"
He tapped his forehead, about to head to the other end of the clothing section.
But Sleepy Mita grabbed his hand. "Who are you buying this for? When it comes to sizes, as a girl, I should know better."
"..."
Alain wondered, who was he buying this for again?
He thought long and hard but couldn't come up with an answer.
"Alain…" Sleepy Mita looked at him with concern. "Did you not sleep well last night?"
"Maybe." He scratched his head, realizing he did feel a bit drowsy. "I've probably just been too tired lately."
On the way back, Alain continued to point out and explain things they encountered to the girl.
On the same street as yesterday, they happened to run into Misha again, carrying groceries.
"Darling? What a coincidence~" The girl giggled. Seeing that Alain was about to offer a hand again, she quickly shook her head.
"You should just spend some more time shopping with her." With that, she walked away without a second glance. She left only one sentence behind, "See you back home."
-------
The Next Day
Silence hung over the dining table, where three sets of tableware were placed. A man and two women ate without a word.
Outside the balcony, a fine drizzle pattered down, the curtain of rain like a screen in a movie theater.
Alain looked at the two girls eating.
Misha faced the light from the window, taking small sips of the congee in her bowl.
Sleepy Mita, sitting opposite her, had her back to the light, her entire body shrouded in shadow. She too ate in silence.
Alain's fork cut into a corner of his fried egg. The dim light made the normally bright yellow dish look sallow and mottled.
He looked at the piece of food on his spoon and silently brought it to his mouth.
It felt like something was missing. It was a bit bland, without any other seasonings to liven it up.
"Darling, the sauce!"
Unexpectedly, Misha didn't move. She finished the last of the hot food in her dish, then looked at Alain.
"Darling, are you going on a date again today?"
"Mhm, I was planning on taking Sleepy Mita to the arcade to check it out." Alain looked at her, puzzled. "Do you want to come too?"
The long-haired girl mulled over the words. After a moment, she shook her head.
"No, I have things to do today as well."
She stood up, walked to the kitchen, poured some sauce for Alain, and brought it to him.
"See you when you get back."
-------
The Next Day—
The rumble of thunder brewed outside the window. The gloomy weather made the new house's natural lighting hit rock bottom.
A flash of lightning illuminated the colorless room with a momentary burst of white. The two sets of tableware on the table suddenly gleamed, only to return to their dim state after Alain blinked.
The somber atmosphere during breakfast created a low-pressure zone around the two of them.
Alain couldn't stand it anymore and decided to turn on the TV.
[Today's city-wide forecast is sunny, perfect for outdoor activities.]
"Looks like it's going to clear up." Sleepy Mita turned her head to look at the broadcast. "But it doesn't make a difference, does it?"
"It just means we can't go on a date today."
Alain picked up his plate and bowl, walked to the kitchen, and put them in the sink.
Sleepy Mita slowly walked to his side, joining him in washing up.
He looked at her profile. Her eyes were still drowsy and vacant, showing no hint of emotion.
"So? Reality."
"...It's okay." She hesitated for two seconds, pursed her lips, and said flatly.
"I knew it…"
Alain wasn't surprised. His own state of mind hadn't been great these past few days either.
On the second day of their date, he had taken her to the children's underwear section… we'll set that aside for now.
On the third day, without even knowing Sleepy Mita's preferences, he took her to some random arcade.
Today, the fourth day, they were met with a thunderstorm.
In all this time, he hadn't managed to elicit the slightest emotional response from Sleepy Mita. The only thing that made her eyes light up a little was an advertisement on the street.
"Is there anything you want to do?"
"Hmm…" The girl pondered for a moment, her sleepy eyes opening slightly.
"In that case, I want to try that."
"Which one?"
"That advertisement."
Splashing water gradually soaked her sleeves.
Alain thought back for a moment and recalled the ad's content:
[Write down the words you want to say to the one who is important to you.]
"Sure."
After they finished washing up, Alain found some stationery at home and gave a sheet to Sleepy Mita.
Then, they both tacitly turned their backs and went to separate tables to write.
A short while later, they met in the living room, face to face.
"Are you ready?" Alain asked solemnly.
"...Mhm." She also showed a rare emotional fluctuation, her wide-open eyes filled with hesitation.
"Then let's exchange." Alain smiled faintly, handing her the piece of paper he had folded into a square.
He took the girl's wish in return.
He unfolded the white paper. On it was written a single, simple sentence:
[I hope you and I can find happiness together.]
This is truly…
Alain was surprised. Should he call it telepathy or a coincidence?
He had written the same thing.
Though the content had a slight difference, the meaning was more or less the same.
"What a coincidence—" Alain looked up, about to make a remark or two.
But he saw Sleepy Mita staring at the letter in her hand in disbelief. Then, she unfolded the paper and showed it to Alain.
"This is what you want to say to me?"
Alain thought he had written something wrong and focused his gaze on his own handwriting.
[I hope you, me, and everyone can find happiness together.]
"Yeah, is there a problem with that?" Alain felt there was nothing wrong with it.
He wished for happiness, for happiness with the Mitas, so naturally he hoped Sleepy Mita could also find happiness with them.
"You still don't get it? After all I've done, why are you still—?!"
The girl's gaze was deep, her eyes shimmering with incomprehensible emotion as a crystal tear trembled at the corner of her eye.
"What's… wrong? Did I say something wrong?"
Alain frowned slightly. He didn't think there was anything wrong with what he wrote.
For her to find happiness with everyone.
Everyone…
Everyone?
Seeing his confusion, Sleepy Mita also realized she had lost control of her emotions.
"I'm sorry. The low pressure is making me feel down today. I'm going out for a walk."
"Do you need me to go with you?"
"No… I need to be alone."
"Okay."
Watching her departing figure, Alain called out, "See you when you get back."
"CRACK—!!!"
Thunder and lightning crashed, and a flash of white light illuminated half his face.
A sharp, piercing static suddenly erupted in Alain's ears, shaking his entire mind to its core.
[See you when you get back.]
That's what she said, too.
"Back home... see you again."
______
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