"Ms. Himeko! Please consider me!"
Bai Ming's voice echoed through the hallway as she waved both hands frantically.
"I don't eat much but I work hard! I'm super easy to take care of! I can climb seven flights of stairs without even getting out of breath—and I'll even say 'I love you' on holidays!"
Her enthusiasm only grew.
"Oh right! I'll even let you win when we play games!"
"Please, Ms. Himeko! Be my bulb light and light up my lamp!"
With every additional declaration, March 7th's cheerful face grew darker and darker.
By the end, the normally radiant girl—who could cosplay as an Intertwined Fate herself—was practically turning into an Acquaint Fate.
Finally, March 7th snapped.
She rushed forward, clamped a hand over Bai Ming's mouth, and said with exasperation,
"Alright, that's enough! Stop shouting already!"
"You could shout until you lose your voice—Himeko's not going to agree!"
But March 7th didn't expect that her offhand comment would strike Bai Ming right in the heart.
"Eh—"
Bai Ming froze, her expression dazed.
"March 7th, what did you just say?"
"Uh…" March 7th blinked, a little confused. "I said stop shouting?"
"Not that one! The next part!"
March sighed, realizing she couldn't dodge this.
"I said… even if you shout until you're hoarse, Himeko won't agree to it."
Her voice softened a little as she repeated it.
"Why?!" Bai Ming cried out, covering her face dramatically. "Why won't Ms. Himeko agree to me?"
"Why would she agree to you?!" March 7th shot back.
"Because I'm sincere!" Bai Ming declared, pointing at her golden eyes.
"March, look!"
"Look at what?" March asked, confused.
"Love!" Bai Ming said seriously, blinking her large, doll-like eyes. "Both of them are filled with love for Ms. Himeko!"
"I've been practicing this look for two and a half years!"
March 7th's mouth twitched. She couldn't even find the words anymore. After a long pause, she finally gave up.
"It's impossible!"
"Even if your eyes sparkle like that, Himeko won't agree to you. Her dream is the stars and the sea!"
"Then my dream can be the stars and the sea too!" Bai Ming countered immediately.
"But it's not the same!" March protested.
"How is it not the same?"
"It's not the same in any way!" March groaned. "Bai Ming, stop having those weird—"
She didn't finish her sentence, because the Bai Ming in front of her suddenly lost all color.
The once bright, energetic girl now looked as gray as burnt ashes.
Her expression even was QAQ.
Literally.
She clutched her face and started mumbling like a broken record.
"Failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed failed—!"
"Another confession failed! I don't want to live anymore!" she wailed.
"Can't I just have one sweet romance?!"
"Then act normal!" March 7th shouted, completely flustered.
"Why does it always have to be Himeko—or me?!"
"Because!!!"
Bai Ming suddenly raised her head, tears in her eyes but her expression deadly serious.
"Girls are amazing!"
"They're fragrant and soft! Hugging them feels like holding cotton candy! Just one whiff and you're full of energy all day!"
"Wait—" March 7th stared at her. "But… you're a girl too, aren't you?"
"Exactly!" Bai Ming nodded proudly.
"That's why we attract each other!"
"At… attract each other?" March 7th repeated blankly.
"Mm!" Bai Ming nodded gravely. "If you don't believe me, I can prove it to you right now."
"Prove it?" March tilted her head, her curiosity piqued despite herself.
"Yeah! Come over here first!" Bai Ming waved her closer.
March hesitated but eventually walked over, still cautious.
"Okay, I'm here. What now?"
"Open your arms."
"Oh… like this?" March stretched her arms out, uncertain.
"And then?"
"And then..." Bai Ming grinned mischievously.
In the next instant, she pounced forward and hugged March tightly.
"See? We're totally attracting each other now!"
"Eh—?!"
March 7th froze, realizing too late that she had been tricked—again.
Before she could protest, a voice crackled through the nearby broadcast system.
"Projection radar tracking normal. Telemetry signal frequency high—maintain at average levels!"
"Predictions show the Legion will launch ten or more consecutive waves of attacks. Everyone, stay on alert!"
The moment Bai Ming heard that voice, she stiffened.
It sounded strangely familiar.
Her mind immediately began playing random memory snippets.
"From the first budding of life beneath the sea…"
Wait—no! Wrong one!
It switched.
"The creatures in the sea each have their own ways of survival. The strong devour, the weak evade. The unlucky get eaten. Thus, the weak unite, forming a surging school—"
"Stop!" Bai Ming smacked her own head. "No more DNA recollection!"
That voice… she knew it.
She had to find the source.
Her gaze shot toward the passage ahead. That had to be where it came from!
"March 7th, let's go!"
"Hey! Put me down first!!"
"No way!" Bai Ming said as she scooped March 7th up like a princess.
"March is my treasure! Once I've got you, I'm not letting go!"
"Who said I'm your treasure?!" March yelled, flailing her fists—which, unfortunately, dealt exactly one point of damage per hit.
Ignoring her protests, Bai Ming charged down the corridor toward the source of that familiar voice—her heart pounding with curiosity, mischief, and maybe just a hint of chaos.
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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