Fairy Tail: This Healing Mage's hits hurt so much!

Life is like a slippery bar of soap; it slips right through your fingers without you even having time to bend down and pick it up.

Some came to investigate, some wanted to see the kingdom's number one guild, and some wanted to see if their idols were there...

Everyone craned their necks to look inside, clutching notebooks and pens, searching everywhere for Natsu, Gray, Erza, and so on.

Sunrise never expected the tavern to make money; it was just something to do for fun, to give those idiots a place to go home.

Who knew that this group of tourists and old drunkards would wear down the threshold every day, knocking on the door before dawn and lingering even after dark.

This isn't running a tavern, it's practically being in jail.

Riyao slumped in his large, private sofa, his legs propped up on the coffee table, his whole body as limp as a puddle of mud.

"I miscalculated, my dear wife. How about we close down and go out for some fun? It's exhausting to run a business every day."

Mirajane also dropped her usual professional smile.

She took off her apron and threw it on the bar, then leaned against Riyao's chest, her eyes half-open and half-closed.

"I feel the same way. It's so tiring, there are so many people."

Mirajane leaned against Sunshine's chest, and the two of them comfortably sprawled on their private sofa. She rubbed her aching wrists.

On the other side of the hall, Lucy held a heavy tray in both hands, on which were stacked seven or eight greasy empty plates.

Her little leather shoes wobbled as she walked, and her heels ached and burned.

Levy lay sprawled on the empty table next to her, her forehead pressed against the wooden board, her arms dangling over the edge of the table, not wanting to move a single finger.

Wendy sat on a small stool, panting, clutching a small rag. Xia Lulu lay on her head, her two cat ears drooping.

When Lucy and the others heard the conversation between the two, their eyes practically lit up like light bulbs.

Closed for business? Going out for fun?

These two words are simply heavenly music.

Lucy's hand trembled, and she hurriedly put the plate on the table, not even bothering to take off her apron, and rushed to the bar.

Levy also suddenly raised her head, her eyes shining.

Wendy held Charlotte's little hand and trotted behind her.

The women put down what they were doing, gathered around the two of them, and looked at them with their big, blinking eyes.

Lucy clasped her hands together in front of her chest, forcing a sweet smile at the corners of her mouth.

Levy gripped the edge of the bar with both hands and blinked.

Wendy tilted her rosy cheeks up, twisting the hem of her clothes in front of her, her eyes full of anticipation.

Three faces crowded around the sofa, and Xia Lulu raised her chin, her eyes revealing an undisguised longing.

Sunrise and Mirajane exchanged a glance, and they made their decision at the same time.

"Let's go on a trip for a few days," Mirajane said with a smile.

"Let's change the business hours later, three or four days a week would be fine. Working every day is too tiring." Riyao's lips curled up.

The two spoke at the same time, and their words were very tempting. Lucy and the others looked left and right, hoping to make it happen together.

Go out and have fun, and from now on, you'll only work three or four days a week!

Lucy's inner voice was already cheering, knowing she'd have plenty of time to stay home and write novels.

However, the atmosphere behind the bar suddenly changed.

Mirajane blinked, pouted, and looked at Sunrise with dissatisfaction, realizing that Sunrise wasn't on the same wavelength as her.

I'm going to cause trouble!

Riyao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly reached out and pulled Mirajane into his arms. Her body was stiff and rigid, and her expression was very dissatisfied.

Seeing this, Lucy and the others quickly made their escape, lest they get into trouble.

Lucy grabbed Levy's sleeve and took three big steps back.

Wendy also hunched her shoulders, picked up Charlotte, and carried her to the kitchen.

Riyao took Mirajane's small hand in his and gently rubbed it in her palm. It was so soft and boneless that you couldn't tell that this hand could split mountains and shatter rocks with bare hands.

"Let's go on a trip for a few days first, and we can talk about the opening hours later. How about just the two of us going out and leaving Kana and the others at home?"

Riyao rested his chin on Mirajane's head, lowered his voice, and spoke in a flattering tone.

Kana, who was wiping glasses in the corner of the bar, suddenly looked up.

Snap!

"Hey! What do you mean? You two went out for a romantic getaway, leaving us beautiful girls all alone at home?!"

Kana stood with her hands on her hips, her big eyes wide open, and her loud voice made the cup shake.

Sunlight's forehead creased with annoyance as he stared speechlessly at Kana, that idiot.

A beautiful girl who is all alone in her empty room.

I regret it. If only I had sent them all away, wouldn't it have been better to spend a year or two alone with Mira?

I impulsively built this tavern and gathered all these guys together. Now they're always hanging around like third wheels, and I can't shake them off.

Riyao rolled his eyes, not wanting to pay attention to this idiot, and completely ignored Kana's gaze.

Mirajane leaned against Sunshine's chest, and upon hearing the words "it's just the two of us going out to play," her temper subsided considerably.

She thought about it and realized that it really didn't need to open the shop every day, since they weren't in it to make money anyway.

She grasped Riyao's hand in return, her slightly cool fingers slowly slipping between his fingers, clasping them tightly together.

"Then let's close for a few days, go out and have some fun, and when we come back we'll do as you said."

Mirajane turned her head, a gentle smile returning to her lips, and pecked Sunrise on the chin.

Her body, which had been stiff just moments before, was now as soft as cotton, and she nestled obediently into his arms.

Lucy and the others jumped up with joy upon hearing this.

"That's awesome!"

Lucy jumped up on the spot, waving her little fists forcefully, almost causing her headband to fly off.

Levy hugged Wendy and spun her around, with Charlene sandwiched between them, wagging her tail.

Kana snorted, picked up the rag, and casually grabbed half a bottle of rum, taking a sip.

The guests present scratched their heads.

Several businessmen, holding their wine glasses, looked at each other, watching these men celebrating the strike as if no one else was there. It seemed they were really going to be turned away tomorrow.

Riyao placed a cushion under Mirajane's lower back, and Mirajane pulled an old map from a drawer and spread it on the coffee table.

The four of them and the cat immediately surrounded them, their heads huddled together in a circle.

"How about we go to the beach? Sunshine, sand, and the sea—it sounds so relaxing."

Lucy cupped her cheeks in her hands, her face filled with blissful fantasy of sunbathing in a bikini.

"Or let's go to the capital. It's such a pity we didn't get to explore it properly last time."

Levy pointed to Kukas in the very center of the map.

"Back when we were at the Grand Magic Games, I was so focused on the competition that I didn't even get to visit the Royal Library or the Old Book Street in the capital once!"

Kana squeezed her head in: "Anywhere is fine, as long as the liquor there is good. I heard the rum from the southern port is exceptional."

Wendy whispered, "I want to go somewhere with lots of flowers..."

The group chattered amongst themselves about where to go for fun.

The hall was noisy, and the map was covered with fingernail marks from seven or eight fingers.

Mirajane was also having a hard time making a decision for a moment. She rested her head against Sunshine's neck and rubbed against him.

She was so annoyed by the noise that she simply passed the problem on to Riyao.

"Honey, where should we go?"

Mirajane looked up at him with soft eyes.

Riyao scratched his unruly blond hair, looked at the messy map, and sighed.

"Hey, should I choose? I'm having a hard time too, everything seems fun."

"Why don't we all go?"

Mirajah said casually, in a lighthearted tone.

Riyao brought his mouth close to Mirajane's ear and whispered something in a low voice.

"No rush, let's shake off these third wheels first."

Mirajane paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"That makes sense, hehe."

She laughed so hard her shoulders swayed, she covered her mouth with her hand, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Although their voices weren't loud, they still clearly reached Lucy and the others' ears in the instant the silence fell.

The two conspired loudly, completely disregarding everyone else.

Lucy, Levy, Wendy, and Cana's smiles froze simultaneously.

Several pairs of eyes stared at Riyao, veins popping out on their foreheads in unison.

So after all that arguing, they were just "third wheels to get rid of" in these two people's eyes?!

"Hey! That's going too far!" the group shouted in unison.

Lucy frantically grabbed at the blonde hair, Cana grabbed a peanut and threw it at Sunrise's forehead, and Levy stomped her foot angrily.