After finishing the cake, the group chatted around the table for a while before moving to the living room. Unfortunately, Ryn and Sparkle drew the short straws and were assigned dishwashing duty.
As soon as Ryn entered the kitchen, his eyes were drawn to a conspicuous, multicolored, and bizarre substance. Relying on his immortal body, he curiously grabbed a handful and tasted it.
"Ah! Don't eat that... Give it to me... Give it to me!" Sparkle rushed over to stop Ryn, seeing him eating her failed dessert, but she was too late. Noticing her urgency, Ryn decided to tease her by holding the substance high above her reach.
Without using Honkai energy to enhance herself, Sparkle jumped repeatedly, trying to reach Ryn's elevated "dark cuisine." Not only did she fail, but she also left herself breathless. It had to be said, Sparkle's physical condition was truly pitiful—the epitome of "delicate, weak, and easily toppled."
Finally, Sparkle gave up. She crossed her arms, glared at Ryn, and huffed, "Hmph, I hope it kills you."
"You might be disappointed," Ryn replied between bites. "I have a stomach that can rival Kiana's."
After finishing everything, Ryn gently patted Sparkle's head with his clean hand and said with a smile, "Since you didn't throw it away directly, you must have felt a little reluctant to waste your hard work. Let me finish it then. After all, it's a heartfelt gesture, and I can't let that go to waste."
"Don't touch my head!" Sparkle snatched the plate, her cheeks flushed, and kicked Ryn before stomping off to do the dishes. Ryn shrugged helplessly and joined her at the sink.
As they washed, Sparkle stole glances at Ryn, who was focused on scrubbing the dishes. After a while, her face reddened, and she turned away, vigorously wiping the plates.
That bastard Ryn... How dare he come out here and act so gentle when he already has Kiana! Does he even care about her feelings? Ugh, I can barely restrain myself... No, I can't betray Kiana... Hang in there, Sparkle! Your prince charming will come someday! I can't steal my best friend's boyfriend!
Ryn noticed Sparkle had been scrubbing the same plate for ages, her face flushed. "What's wrong?" he asked, puzzled.
"Nothing," Sparkle snapped without turning around. "I just got distracted by a pig for a moment." She then pinched Ryn's side, her expression unwavering. "Just hurry up and wash the dishes, you dead pig. Don't get any ideas."
"???"
Mei was chatting with Kiana, listening to her recount her day at the bridal shop. The wedding dress had already been delivered during dinner. When Mei saw it, she found it breathtakingly beautiful and her heart fluttered.
Mei was happy because Kiana had been so excited when talking about the dress. But she was also deeply saddened because Kiana's joy stemmed from Ryn accompanying her to the bridal shop.
"Raiden Mei, you're too humble! If you ask me, you should just pounce on Kiana first. By the time Ryn finds out, it'll be too late.
Wait... I knew that guy was no good! He's been seducing others behind Kiana's back. The perfect opportunity has arrived, Raiden Mei! What are you waiting for? Go stab him! Then Kiana will be yours!"
"Sigh..." Mei sighed. These auditory hallucinations had plagued her since childhood, partly contributing to her "Thunder Queen" title. Back then, they were faint whispers, barely audible unless she concentrated. But lately, they had grown clearer and more frequent, even affecting her mood. What could she do? To Mei, these were all things she could never bring herself to do. The voice was just venting its impotent rage...
Kiana, oblivious to Mei's unusual behavior, continued excitedly recounting her day. She was truly overjoyed—Ryn had bought her a wedding dress and even helped her bake a massive cream-covered chicken leg cake. When she returned home that evening, Mei and Sparkle had prepared a delicious meal, and everyone celebrated her birthday. She felt like the happiest girl in the world! As for Siegfried, that man who abandoned his own daughter, Kiana couldn't care less about him.
Meanwhile, what was Ryn thinking?
Heh heh heh... Kiana looks so adorable in that wedding dress... And she's even cuter when she clumsily gets cream all over her face. Kiana is the cutest girl in the world!
But Sparkle's pretty great too. That delicate, easily flustered tsundere is the best! Though I wonder where those two learned to pinch people's skin so hard. Is that just a girl's natural talent? Even my skin, which bullets can't pierce, aches from their pinches.
And then there's Mei, the perfect Yamato Nadeshiko. Every time I come home, she has a hot meal waiting, gently takes off my coat, and soothes away the day's fatigue. Mei is the best too!
Happy cuddles with Kiana in the morning, a midday affair with Sparkle, and an evening rendezvous with Mei... This is the perfect life.
Ahem, what am I thinking? I should be satisfied with just Kiana! Damn it, do you even deserve her?!
Ryn shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Why do I overthink everything? Ah well, it's just a man's nature—who doesn't dream of a harem?
"Alright, it's getting late. I should head home," Sparkle said, standing up from the sofa and straightening her clothes.
"Ah... it's so late. Why don't you stay over?" Kiana asked, tugging at Sparkle's sleeve, reluctant to let her go. Would Sparkle be scared going home alone so late? Would she feel lonely? Kiana hated the thought.
In her ideal world, everyone would stay together forever. Even better if they could all sleep together at night.
Ryn nodded, then pointed to Kiana's room. "It's too late to go home. Kiana usually sleeps with me anyway, so you can have her room, Sparkle. If that doesn't work, you and Kiana can sleep in my room, and I'll take Kiana's."
"Or you could sleep with me..." Mei added, also pulling at Sparkle's sleeve. She liked Sparkle a lot, and it would be nice if she stayed.
Sparkle wanted to stab Ryn right then and there. Kiana was still trying to convince her to stay, and Ryn was already deciding which room she'd sleep in! But with everyone insisting, Sparkle couldn't refuse. She ended up kicking Ryn out of the master bedroom and sleeping there with Kiana.
Two girls cuddling was fine, so adding a third couldn't hurt, right? That night, Mei snuck into Kiana's room to join them, and the three girls spent hours whispering secrets.
Ryn had no idea what they were talking about. They couldn't be discussing the smell of my blanket, could they?
Meanwhile, in the next blanket over...
"Hehehe... this is Ryn's scent..." "Hehehe... this is Kiana's scent..."