Long Live Money in Anime Crossover

First update of the day

074 Repaying a debt of gratitude is enough.

Misaka Mikoto hasn't given up yet; she's still hoping for something.

After all, Misaka Momo and Best seemed to just get along well, while she and Momo had known each other for a long time.

"Um, Momo, let's not trouble Best."

Misaka Mikoto's smile was forced, but she persisted in smiling.

"If you're worried about medical expenses, I'll pay for them for you. I also brought some money with me. I'll find you a hotel in a bit, and tomorrow we'll check your identity. Once your identity is confirmed..."

Misaka Mikoto spoke fluently, seemingly having already planned what to do after Mo Mo woke up.

As she spoke, she looked expectantly at Mo Mo, watching the changes in Mo Mo's expression. The smile on her lips gradually faded, and her words became slower and slower.

Because Mo Mo's smile also disappeared, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in Misaka Mikoto's heart.

"That's enough."

Finally, Mo Mo's three words almost instantly interrupted Misaka Mikoto's words.

Misaka Mikoto's lips trembled slightly, but the sound still escaped her lips intermittently.

"...I'll help you then...help you..."

"...I'll help you..."

Misaka Mikoto finally couldn't continue speaking. Her brain seemed to have been completely emptied by the three words Mo Mo uttered, leaving it blank. The plans she had gone through countless times in her mind evaporated in an instant.

She had planned to do many things for Mo Mo, but now... she only wanted to ask Mo Mo one question.

A question that almost suffocated her.

"Enough...right? What do you mean?"

Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible, but Misaka Mikoto immediately shouted, "Tell me, what do you mean by 'Isn't that enough?'"

Tell me, Momo!

Misaka Mikoto stared directly at Momo's face, at that face that had become expressionless, while Best also looked at Momo with confusion, because Momo's current actions were completely unexpected by Best.

What exactly is Mo Mo trying to do?

Mo Mo's expression remained calm, neither cold nor impatient, but rather as if he were looking at Misaka Mikoto with a very peaceful mindset, watching the increasingly agitated Misaka Mikoto.

“You have done more than enough for me. It is true that I saved you back then, but you also saved me. So, I say you have done more than enough for me. As a way of repaying me, you have done more than enough.”

Misaka Mikoto stared wide-eyed at Mo Mo. She opened her mouth and breathed like a fish out of air. She seemed to want to speak, but breathing alone had exhausted her strength.

The room fell silent. After a long while, Misaka Mikoto finally closed her mouth, forcibly biting her lip with her teeth to close it.

Then, Misaka Mikoto turned around, her back to Mo Mo, and started walking.

First she walked, then she ran, and finally she sprinted. Her brown hair quickly blended into the night and disappeared.

Only a few specks of light remained in the air as they slowly fell.

Momo and Best, however, remained calm throughout.

"What exactly do you want?"

Best's voice turned cold; Momo's behavior had truly angered her. If Momo, the manager, was really this kind of person, then she would even feel disgusted by the actions of the two people who had just been there.

"If I said I'm infatuated with you and can't bear to leave you..."

Best's cold gaze fixed on Mo Mo, and Mo Mo's words were silenced by Best's look.

"Tell the truth, I don't want to hear hypocritical reasons."

Momo looked at Best's serious eyes, suddenly smiled, and then reached out and placed her hand on Best's head.

This time, it was only placed on Best's hood, and Best did not refuse, still staring at Momo.

"I've already said it before, as a way of repaying me for saving my life, she has done more than enough, really more than enough."

"And you should also know that what happened that day was actually caused by me. Even if I died to save Misaka Mikoto, it was only natural. She really doesn't owe me anything."

Momo smiled gently, a smile that only made Best more confused.

What exactly do you want to do?

Best's voice softened considerably, and Momo skillfully removed Best's hood, gently stroking Best's cat ears with her fingers.

The cat ears, which were originally held high and facing Mo Mo, representing the tension and defensiveness they felt because of him, immediately softened under Mo Mo's skillful touch, trembling with a hint of shyness.

Best's breathing became a little erratic. She looked at Mo Mo with shame and anger, covered her head and took a step back, saying, "Stop touching me! Tell me why!"

"Do I have to tell you the reason before I can continue playing?"

"That's not OK!"

Momo shrugged, took a step forward, ignored Best's struggles, and continued to knead Best's ears, saying, "Simply put, I'm going to reset my relationship with Mikoto."

"Reset the relationship?"

Best was stunned.

"That's right. Resetting the relationship doesn't mean a savior-savior relationship, but a more ordinary and commonplace relationship, which can even start as a friendship."

"After all, I didn't really save Mikoto. If Mikoto approaches me with false gratitude, it will make me uncomfortable."

"I don't like Mikoto always treating me like a benefactor. I'd rather she treat me like an interesting stranger now. Do you understand what I mean?"

Best's eyes lit up, and he nodded, saying, "This is... human emotion? It's really complicated."

"I misunderstood you, but you must promise to repair your relationship with Misaka Mikoto as soon as possible."

Momo nodded, then smiled and leaned closer to Best, saying, "As an apology for misunderstanding me..."

As she spoke, Momo suddenly pulled Best's shoulders into her arms, then opened her mouth wide and took Best's ear into her mouth again, licking it.

Best screamed and tried to push Momo away, but her body quickly became weak. In addition, she had just wronged Momo and did not want to use her power on him. Therefore, she soon fell into Momo's palm.

After playing with Best's ears for a few minutes, Momo gently kissed each of Best's two trembling, red cat ears before releasing her and saying, "This is tonight's farewell kiss. Next, I'm going to kowtow to Mikoto to apologize."

With that, Momo helped the aching Best to her feet, then released her and turned to leave.

Best opened his eyes in confusion and looked at Momo's departing figure. He subconsciously reached out his hand and opened his mouth.

Momo seemed to sense something, and with his back to Best, he raised his hand and waved goodbye to Best.

Upon seeing this, Best withdrew her hand and placed it on her chest. She felt her heartbeat become erratic, as if she were injured, and she felt a little uncomfortable.

This is……

What's the matter?

Best wasn't quite sure what she had sent, but she knew that if she left Momo there and let him continue to hold her, her strange injury might heal immediately.

"An inherent deficiency in the human body... How strange."

Best pursed her lips, wanting to leave, but her feet remained motionless, her eyes fixed on Mo Mo's back until it disappeared into the darkness, at which point she regained control of her body.

"It's really... so strange."

……

The night wind blew through Misaka Mikoto's brown hair as she sat atop a pillar of the steel bridge, looking down at the calmly flowing river more than thirty meters below.

Height is not a problem for Misaka Mikoto; she can turn herself into a magnet and easily stay on vertical metal surfaces, and can even walk horizontally on vertical steel pillars.

That's probably how she got here.

At this moment, Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at the dim river water, her eyes lifeless, lost in thought.

No, she wasn't thinking about anything; her mind was completely empty, as if the ability to think had vanished entirely.

She didn't understand why things had turned out this way, why all her previous thoughts had vanished in an instant.

Momo refused her offer of repayment.

Misaka Mikoto had never imagined such a development.

After all, it was only natural for her to repay Mo Mo, and Misaka Mikoto didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

She even considered that if she and Momo had personality clashes and a conflict arose between them, she decided to hold back and repay Momo's kindness first.

Now, Momo suddenly rejected everything, as if he had cut off all the future that Misaka Mikoto hoped for, leaving Misaka Mikoto's heart completely empty.

In an instant, it seemed that nothing was left.

A drop of cold water landed on her hand, causing Misaka Mikoto to shiver. She instinctively looked up at the sky and asked, "Is it raining?"

The sky was filled with stars, so it was clearly not raining.

If it wasn't raining, where did the water come from?

Misaka Mikoto touched the corner of her eye and discovered the source of the water, or rather, it was a tear.

"Why……"

Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at her hands and asked, "Why am I crying?"

"Logically, since he refused my offer of repayment, I should have no further relationship with him. This would make me feel much lighter, and I wouldn't have to worry about him not eating or sleeping well, or that he might become a burden on me for the rest of my life if he never wakes up..."

"I should be happy, so why... do I feel so sad?"

"Could it be because... he's been getting close to Best? But what does his closeness to Best have to do with me..."

"I don't understand..."

Misaka Mikoto was stunned for a moment, then took out her phone, turned it on, and checked the time. As soon as she turned it on, countless notification sounds rang out wildly. All of these notification sounds came from the same person: Shirai Kuroko.

"Ah...it's so late, I'm doomed, if I don't get back soon..."

Misaka Mikoto shouted loudly and exaggeratedly, as if trying to regain her energy. However, her body did not move as she said. Instead, her fingers seemed to turn off the vibrating phone because of annoyance.

"I don't want to care about anything anymore..."

Misaka Mikoto stared blankly at the murky river water, her gaze vacant once more.

"So tired...I don't understand..."

Author's Note: