The comments section all think I'm a really good person.

However, considering that when Kita Kirihara decided to organize the Silver Garden, the first characters he released were those with earlier numbers, meaning those he had previously communicated with, Tachibana Hibiki still believed that the other party hadn't forgotten too many things.

At least, not all character cards were treated as inanimate objects.

And now, the other party is acting like a novice, projecting their emotional fluctuations onto me...

...Shouldn't I feel gratified?

Even though it seems like a shameful thing.

Hibiki Tachibana lowered her head and stirred the curry that was heating in the pot with a spoon. Unconsciously, the smile on her lips softened a little.

Then, from the side of my field of vision, a familiar, pale white bone tail appeared.

The tail, which showed some sharpness, tried to open the refrigerator next to Tachibana Hibiki and take out the cake that was saved as a snack for tomorrow afternoon.

Hibiki Tachibana shifted her gaze, her scrutinizing eyes landing coldly on the dog's furtive tail, causing the dog to pause in its action of hooking the refrigerator door handle.

"stare--"

Hibiki Tachibana's gaze was so oppressive that the latter immediately shrank back, looking aggrieved.

Turning my head, I saw, sure enough, a tuft of red hair suddenly shrank back at the kitchen doorway.

Hibiki Tachibana wasn't quite furious yet, but she was still quite troubled. She threatened, "Miss Chiho, if you send Furuhashi to steal food from the kitchen again, I'll confiscate the remaining sweets."

Jun Furuhashi let out a pitiful whimper, while Chiho Kobayashi continued to play dead, remaining silent and pretending that she wasn't the one with the craving.

"Chiho Kobayashi?" Hibiki Tachibana repeated.

After a while, Kobayashi Chiho reluctantly said, "...I understand."

She added, "But I'm starving, Tachibana, hurry up!"

Tachibana Hibiki's veins throbbed as she listened.

Why did she choose to live with these two incapable people? Was she just going to be their babysitter?

If Future Vision hadn't kept saying she was hungry, I wouldn't have gotten up in the middle of the night to heat up the leftover curry from her dinner.

Hibiki Tachibana is currently living with Chiho Kobayashi and Jun Furuhashi. In fact, she has only been living with them for less than 24 hours since she moved in yesterday afternoon.

But she had already come to understand the two men's disastrous lifestyle.

Given Furuhashi Jun's current condition, one can't expect a large dog to help with chores.

While Chiho Kobayashi is a heroine, she's also a pampered young lady who can't do housework. Although not as extreme as Saki Koizumi, who causes appliances to overreact whenever she enters the kitchen, she can't even distinguish between salt and sugar.

In comparison, the housework fell to Tachibana Hibiki.

Chiho Kobayashi is a very outgoing person.

This can be seen from the fact that the other person dragged him out of bed because they wanted to eat a late-night snack.

However, the excuse used was not that they were hungry.

After placing the chicken curry rice and iced barley tea on the table, Tachibana Hibiki turned to Kobayashi Chiho, who was covered in bandages, and said irritably, "Tell me, what exactly did you see?"

When Kobayashi Chiho mysteriously asked Furuhashi Jun to wake up Tachibana Hibiki, she said that she had already observed the treatment method for the fusion syndrome in Tachibana Hibiki through her own abilities.

To be honest, this guy had been diligently observing ever since Tachibana Hibiki assigned him the task.

Hibiki Tachibana hadn't slept well and had a nightmare. When she was woken up, she wasn't too angry; in fact, she felt a little relieved. However, it was best not to show this to Chiho Kobayashi, lest she take advantage of the situation.

She had a sour face and was very unhappy.

After using her ability, Chiho Kobayashi needed to replenish a lot of energy. She quickly devoured the plate of curry rice, then gulped down her iced barley tea, letting out a satisfying "Puha!"

Hibiki Tachibana clicked her tongue: "Don't eat so fast, it's not good for your stomach... Haha, I forgot, even though you look weak, you're still a tough-skinned ability user."

Putting everything else aside, with this wound healing speed, the bandage should be ready to be removed in another two days.

This guy looks so energetic now; you can't tell at all that he was on the verge of dying when he first arrived.

Chiho Kobayashi grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth, still feeling unsatisfied, and asked, "Can I eat that strawberry cake?"

"No." Rejected by Tachibana Hibiki's cold refusal, she said impatiently, "Just say what you have to say, don't keep me in suspense, I have to go to work tomorrow morning."

A subtle excitement flickered across Miss Future Vision's face: "Although I think this observation result would definitely be wrong if applied to other members of the Silver Garden, Tachibana, you're such a hypocritical and overly kind person, so..."

"Go and become a hero, Tachibana. The path to your liberation lies within it."

She spoke quite solemnly, but the expression on her face clearly showed she was enjoying herself.

PS: This is a make-up for yesterday's update; there will be at least two more updates today.

66. Hold my hand tightly.

Kita Kirihara loved hugging because she rarely interacted with people, and the closest thing she had ever done was hugging Koizumi Saki.

For her, simply opening her arms to embrace the other person and listening to their heartbeat was a warm and luxurious experience.

The date with Saki Koizumi was probably quite successful.

Kita Kirihara felt he hadn't deviated from his character's setting, and Saki probably hadn't noticed anything either. They had a happy dinner together outside, followed by a walk along the river. Unfortunately, it wasn't summer, so there were neither fireflies nor fireworks along the river.

Back home, we watched the movie DVDs that Kita Kirihara had left behind a long time ago.

A classic film, The Truman Show.

If I never see you again, then I wish you peace in the morning, afternoon, and night.

The movie ended with that line, and deep blue light fell into the eyes of the two people. It was already one o'clock, and the light in the home theater dimmed.

Immediately, the list of thank-you notes and the list of cast and crew began to scroll.

Kita Kirihara checked the time; it was already one o'clock.

At this point, the live stream had already ended, and most of the people on the platform were asleep. Only Hibiki Tachibana was still working hard to heat up a late-night snack for her two older children at home.

She remembered that she had eaten dinner earlier than usual, and perhaps Saki was hungry now. So she turned around and asked:

"Oh right, Saki, I want to get a midnight snack... Hmm."

Before he could finish speaking, his lips were sealed by something.

The warm, soft touch instantly shut Kita Kirihara down.

She stood there, stunned, her eyes wide, her whole body frozen on the sofa.

It was just a simple and casual kiss, lightly landing on the child's lips, like a dragonfly skimming the water, and then quickly leaving.

Kita Kirihara froze, stunned.

……This is?

It's pathetic that someone who has experienced the world of five figures is completely ignorant about love and romance, and has never even thought about what kissing would feel like.

Koizumi Saki's sudden attack left Kita Kirihara somewhat bewildered.

She couldn't ignore the sensation of the touch falling on her lips, and even felt an unusual heat emanating from them.

As a result, his face began to heat up, and his ears also felt a noticeable temperature rise.

Kita Kirihara was thin-skinned, and almost immediately, his face turned red from his neck to the top of his head.

“…Saki?” She would unconsciously purse her lips when she was nervous, but to be honest, she hadn’t done that in a long time. Her gaze drifted, and she fidgeted. “Um…”

Saki Koizumi simply gave an innocent look and tilted her head slightly: "Don't you like it? Kissing."

She was completely open and honest; after all, the two had already confirmed their relationship, so it seemed a bit strange that they were agonizing over the issue of kissing.

The two were very close, or rather, their lips were less than three centimeters apart when they touched again, and each of them reflected the other's eyes.

“…No, it’s not that I don’t like it.” Kita Kirihara was stunned.

In fact, I'm quite happy.

His heart was pounding, and his emotions surged almost instantly. Kita Kirihara could even hear his own breathing becoming cautious.

This was a sweetness she had never tasted before, with a delicate fragrance, soft and impressive.

How embarrassing...

...but I really like it.

Her facial expressions won't betray her, and there's no need to maintain an act now.

Kita Kirihara subconsciously pursed his lips, then came to his senses and gently moved his face closer.

The white-haired, red-eyed girl's eyes were moist, no longer as empty as before. As the music at the end of the movie played, she asked expectantly yet restrainedly, "Can we kiss again?"

Those eyes were wet with desire, yet quiet and rational, simply waiting for permission.

Saki Koizumi's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she did not refuse.

She simply said softly, "If you want to."

Kita Kirihara then leaned in and, earnestly yet clumsily, placed a kiss on the corner of Koizumi Saki's lips.

The breath brushed against my face, seemingly stirring up some unknown itch, and a muffled laugh came from the other person's chest, the pleasure of which made me feel itchy inside.

He pounced on the sofa, wrapped his arms around Saki's waist, and the two rolled around together.

Their hair was all messy, then they looked at each other and laughed.

My head is a little dizzy.

But undeniably, this was an unprecedented and unparalleled experience for Kita Kirihara.

What is the emotion that rises from a heart that has always been empty?

Kita Kirihara fell into thought.

Do you like it?

Is it love?

It's the kind of feeling that I've always been pursuing—the kind that fills my empty heart.

I feel like a ship constantly disassembling parts to reach its destination faster and safer while sailing at sea.

Keep moving forward just for this final stop.

Because once you arrive at the port, there will be people who have been waiting for you to come home, to wash away the filth, repair the cracks, nail up the deck, and replace the flags with brand new ones.

You will eventually be reshaped.