How did this girl get in here? She wasn't even wearing a headset!
Under March 7th's gaze, Firefly, in full view of everyone, grabbed Stelle's hand with a tender expression. "Stelle, I finally found you!"
The once-noisy intersection fell silent instantly. The onlookers, who had been watching the singing for fun, held their breath. Weren't they all here for entertainment? And what could be more entertaining than gossip?
Shush glanced at the girl beside him. Though he couldn't see her expression through the headset, he thoughtfully stroked his chin. "Interesting."
March 7th had assumed that, in such a public setting, Stelle—having her hand so boldly held by Firefly—would be flustered, her heart racing, too embarrassed to stand it, and would struggle while saying, "We just met, I'm sorry, we can't do this."
But in reality:
"Fire… Firefly!"
Stelle's face scrunched up, her clear eyes misting over. She threw herself into Firefly's arms, sobbing loudly. "Firefly—! I finally found you! Do you know how scared I was while we were out of touch? I almost got sold off just now, waaah—"
"If I hadn't been quick-witted, I'd have been stuck in Penacony as a slave forever, waaah~"
Onlookers: "Whoa—"
Crack—
Shush jumped at the sound beside him. Turning, he saw a crack inexplicably appear in March 7th's plaster headset, a faint murderous aura seeping out.
Shush quickly said, "March, calm down! You can't reveal your identity, or someone will arrest you!"
March 7th shot him a fierce glare. "Why not?"
Shush: "Because there's an idiom called 'three wives, four concubines' (sounds like 'March 7th stealing')."
March 7th's forehead veins bulged. She grabbed Shush by the throat. "Tell another lame joke like that, and I'll tear you apart, got it?"
Shush nodded frantically like a pecking chick, promising to behave and keep quiet.
—"Stelle, don't cry, don't cry. I'm here now, right here."
At that moment, Firefly gently patted Stelle's back, her tone soft and her smile as warm as a mother's, soothing Stelle's wounded heart with her broad embrace.
March 7th: !!!
These two! How could they act like this!
Onlookers: Whoa—
Onlooker #1: "I know we've seen this kind of plot a million times, but it's still just as touching!"
Onlooker #2: "Yeah, this couple must have gone through countless hardships to reunite here. Sure, they're both girls, but that just makes it even more pleasing to the eye."
Onlooker #3: "What's that called? It's like, 'My fate is mine to decide, not the heavens. Male or female, I call the shots,' hahaha—"
Onlooker #4: "We should bless them."
"…!"
March 7th stood there, dumbfounded. What do you gossip-mongers know? This isn't some tearful anime reunion! This girl is clearly a third party—I was here first!
Firefly smiled faintly. "Stelle, don't worry. I'm here now, and I'll take you home right away."
What?
Hearing this, March 7th panicked. She knew that if she just stood by, her person would be snatched away by someone else!
That was absolutely unacceptable!
Ignoring Shush's attempts to stop her, she stepped forward, forcefully inserting herself between Firefly and Stelle. "Stelle is part of our Astral Express. Which 'home' are you planning to take her to?"
"…!"
The air fell silent, and the onlookers, who had been eating up the drama, began darting their eyes between the three.
Firefly and Stelle, startled by the sudden appearance of the mysterious plaster-headset girl, said in unison, "…Who are you?"
March 7th reached out and sharply knocked on Stelle's forehead. "Idiot! I'm just wearing a headset, and you don't recognize me?"
"Don't you recognize my voice?"
Feeling the familiar force on her forehead, Stelle's face stiffened. She took a step back sheepishly. "Oh, it's March… Sorry, my bad…"
"You're darn right it's your bad! Get over here!"
March 7th grabbed Stelle, locking her in a tight embrace around the neck. "Stelle is my (our Express's) person. Behave yourself and don't get any ideas you shouldn't."
Onlookers: "Whoa—"
This was too thrilling! To think they'd live to see two girls fighting over another girl. Only in Dreamflux Reef, only in Penacony's private server, could you find such entertainment.
"Miss March 7th?"
Firefly sized March 7th up, her lips curling slightly. "It hasn't been that long, has it? And your taste… tsk tsk tsk."
Her tone dripped with disdain and regret as she reached out, grabbing Stelle and pulling her back. "Miss March 7th, in the current situation, I think Stelle is better off with a normal person who can ensure her safety." (At this point, Stelle's hair was slightly disheveled.)
"A girl like Stelle deserves to be well-protected. You wouldn't want her to suffer with you, would you?"
The onlookers nodded in agreement. "Mhm, mhm."
"Huh?"
March 7th snapped angrily, "How can you say I can't keep Stelle safe? You just got lucky beating that Capitalist Bird with your copyright infringement trick. Next time that bird shows up, you think I can't take it down head-on?!"
With that, she grabbed Stelle's shoulders, yanking her back from Firefly's grasp.
(At this point, Stelle's clothes were slightly rumpled.)
Onlookers: "Oh? She beat the Capitalist Bird? That's Chairman Mikhail's pet! Impressive, impressive, I'm rooting for her."
Firefly let out a "Hmph." "Safe? Then tell me, why are you wearing that 'zero-cost purchase headset'? Couldn't afford Dreamflux Reef's membership, huh? Why don't you try taking it off?"
With that, she pulled Stelle back again.
(At this point, Stelle's clothes were torn in the tug-of-war.)
Onlookers: "Hmm? A zero-cost purchase headset? Isn't that something only broke people use? No way, no way. You can't let a kid suffer, and poor people don't have what it takes."
"Fine, I'll take it off."
March 7th snorted coldly, removing the headset like a proud queen. She brushed her bangs aside, her tone icy. "What's the big deal?"
Whoosh—
In an instant, musical note sprites descended from the sky, surrounding March 7th from four directions. "Violation detected…"
Bang!
March 7th's bow swung with lightning speed, shattering one of the sprites with sheer physical force in a sharp, tearing sound. The remaining three froze in confusion before instinctively reversing their actions…
Click click click—
But at that moment, the Clockie statue high above slowly turned toward her, its eyes beginning to charge with energy, locking onto March 7th from afar.
"Get lost!"
March 7th glared fiercely at the Clockie statue. To everyone's shock, the statue suddenly froze, then silently began reversing its previous actions.