March 7th pouted, looking just like a little octopus.
Her eyes, resembling intertwined fates, were fixed on Bai Ming in front of her.
However, Bai Ming, who was the center of attention, didn't notice this at all.
Her focus was entirely on Himeko beside her.
Even though she knew that she and her were not flowers blooming from the same stem.
Facing that nearly identical face, Bai Ming couldn't help but feel a little moved.
"What's wrong again?"
Noticing Bai Ming's gaze, Himeko tilted her head slightly, her beautiful golden eyes looking at her.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, no!"
Bai Ming quickly waved her hands.
"There's nothing, nothing at all!"
"Then you…"
Himeko looked at Bai Ming with interest.
She didn't dislike this girl she had just met, but she found her thoughts a bit too unpredictable.
After all, no one would dare to ask for a hug right off the bat.
Not to mention actively asking to hold hands just moments ago.
It had been a long time since she had met someone like this.
Next…
Would there be other actions?
Himeko was curious.
Sure enough.
Just as Himeko had guessed, Bai Ming looked at Himeko and leaned her head closer.
The loose gray bangs became the only barrier between Himeko and her.
They could even feel each other's breath.
In the long starry journey aboard the train, this was the first time Himeko had experienced something like this.
Even though she was a composed person, she couldn't help but feel a bit cautious at this moment.
"Sister Himeko." Bai Ming's voice sounded.
"What is it?"
"Can I…"
"Can you what?"
"Can I touch your face?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Himeko was taken aback.
Although she had mentally prepared herself a little, she was still somewhat shocked when she actually heard it.
This girl… how dare she say something like that?
Is her skin so thick that even a railgun couldn't pierce it?
Seeing Himeko suddenly fall silent, Bai Ming immediately activated Plan B!
She clasped her hands together, raised them high above her head, and put on a pleading expression.
"Sister Himeko!"
"I've contracted an illness called 'I'll die if I don't touch Sister Himeko's face'! Please let me touch it! Otherwise, I'll die!"
"Please, please!"
As she spoke, Bai Ming secretly observed Himeko's reaction through the gaps between her fingers.
This move had been especially effective against March 7th earlier!
Maybe it would work on Himeko too!
However—
Faced with Bai Ming's words, Himeko showed no sign of being swayed.
With her experience, she naturally didn't believe such a claim.
However, she didn't plan to directly expose Bai Ming either.
She had a better way to handle this.
Himeko pursed her lips, sizing up Bai Ming in front of her, then nodded and spoke in an extremely serious tone:
"I never expected such an illness to appear in the space station."
"So, Bai Ming, when did you contract this illness?"
"Huh?"
Bai Ming hadn't expected Himeko to suddenly turn the question back on her and was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
What she didn't know was that this reaction was already within Himeko's calculations.
Himeko then spoke as if offering a way out:
"Then, is it possible that you contracted this illness during the battle with the Antimatter Legion earlier?"
"Yes, yes! That's it!" Bai Ming quickly agreed. "That's definitely a possibility!"
"In that case…"
Himeko reached out from under her uniform and solemnly patted Bai Ming's shoulder.
"Perhaps we'll need you to make a small sacrifice."
"Sacrifice me?" Bai Ming widened her eyes.
"That's right." Himeko nodded, then looked at Bai Ming with a serious expression.
"If this illness can only be cured by touching my face, we must consider situations where I'm not around."
"To study this scenario, we first need to simulate an environment where I'm absent but someone has contracted the illness…"
"Bai Ming, you're the only one who can accomplish this."
"I'm counting on you. For the safety of the entire space station, please live on with the absolute determination not to attempt this until we've found a solution."
Himeko spoke these words with such seriousness that Bai Ming almost felt as if she were listening to some academic report.
"Um, well…"
Bai Ming realized that Plan B had also failed!
Then, Plan C!
Wait a minute!
She didn't have a Plan C!
Darn it… it's over…
Can I get a do-over?
Seeing Bai Ming clutching her head, looking utterly devastated, Himeko really wanted to laugh.
Because in this state, she looked quite adorable.
But rather than laughing, Himeko was more curious about why, from the moment she appeared, Bai Ming seemed to have a natural fondness for her.
Now, that fondness had even turned into some kind of obsession.
She felt as if the space around Bai Ming had been distorted by it.
"I was just joking with you."
Himeko withdrew her hand from Bai Ming's shoulder, then crossed her arms and looked at her, continuing:
"Why do you want to do this?"
"Bai Ming, there must be a reason, right?"
"Huh?"
Bai Ming scratched the back of her head and muttered softly.
"I'm afraid you'll get angry if I tell you…"
"Why don't you try telling me first?" Himeko smiled faintly. "Maybe I'll understand?"
"Then…" Bai Ming swallowed.
"I thought since Sister Himeko's chest is so soft, maybe her face would feel the same when touched!"
"I'm curious!"
"Are you sure that's something you should be curious about?" Himeko asked.
"Then it's not curiosity—it's exploration!"
"You really are…"
After a moment's hesitation, Himeko slowly guided Bai Ming's hand to her own face, then gently tapped Bai Ming's lips with her finger.
"Is this enough? No more requests from now on, okay?"
"Eh—!"
Feeling Himeko's cheek under her hand, Bai Ming's eyes lit up.
She couldn't help but ask:
"Sister Himeko! If you were my girlfriend, would I be able to touch your face like this every day?"
Not long after she spoke, the classic reward interface popped up.
[Heartthrob Event Completed]
[Evaluation Score: 12/100]
[Rewards Obtained: Crystal *120]
[First-Time Favorability: Additional Crystal *100]
Huh—?
Why did I suddenly get a reward?
Bai Ming looked around in confusion, searching for the event she had triggered with Himeko.
But when she saw the description, she was taken aback.
It read:
[Himeko finally experienced the illusion of being confessed to]
[12/100]
Huh—?
How could that be the reason?
Could it be…
That Himeko in this world also has an obsession with not being able to get married?!
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A/n: While I am a new translator, I have a Patreon! While it may be a bit empty right now both this and the other book on my page has advanced chapters posted on patreon.
patreon.com/deadlygoober