Chapter 45

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the blue sea, creating a vast scene of clear sky and azure ocean. Golden sands stretched along the shoreline, marked by a series of small footprints.

Klee was running barefoot across the beach, her little feet kicking up the water playfully as she jumped into the sea every now and then. Luo Xiaobai was squatting on a nearby reef, bending over to catch something. After a few tries, he managed to lift a large crab and ran towards the barbecue stall.

Hiroshi was busy grilling the seafood that Klee and Luo Xiaobai kept bringing him, while Infinity sat quietly beside him, watching and learning the art of grilling.

Not far away, the frustrated cries of Hilichurls echoed in the air. Four Hilichurls, armed with wooden clubs, glared angrily at Hinata, who was floating in the sky above them, shouting in frustration.

"Be careful, Hinata," Ruri Gokou called out from the side, keeping an eye on her. The Hilichurls seemed to ignore Ruri Gokou entirely, perhaps due to the two Hilichurl archers who lay defeated nearby, a testament to her strength.

As for running away, the Hilichurls had tried and failed many times already.

"Don't worry, Sister Ruri," Hinata responded, recalling the knowledge in her mind. She focused her spiritual energy, channeling it through her body and letting it flow with her intent. Her hands, wrapped in green wind energy, swung downward as she shouted, "Wind Blade!"

A blade of wind shot downward, grazing the panicking Hilichurls and leaving a mark in the sand.

"Gah!" Hinata, still in the air, stomped her foot in frustration. She clasped her hands together, and a small whirlwind formed in her palms. With a determined shout, she unleashed the whirlwind downward, turning it into a flaming tornado as it swept over the Hilichurls' campfire and carried the four Hilichurls into the sky.

Descending slowly, Hinata's energy was almost depleted. She curiously watched the flaming tornado and was reminded of an anime Ruri Gokou had shown her. Covering her left eye dramatically, she lowered her voice and said, "Evil creatures, you shall be reduced to ashes under my flaming tornado!"

"Ouch!"

Hinata uncovered her eye, rubbing her head as she looked up, tears welling in her eyes. Hiroshi was standing behind her, holding a plate of freshly grilled seafood.

"Don't imitate your sister. If you do, no one will want you in the future, Hinata," Hiroshi said as he retracted his hand from delivering the light chop. He handed her the plate and looked at the still-screaming Hilichurls, his nose wrinkling at the unpleasant burnt smell.

Hinata was still engrossed in watching her flaming tornado, so Hiroshi picked her up, holding her at his side. He blew a gust of wind at the tornado, sending it and the foul smell into the sea. Satisfied, Hiroshi patted the struggling Hinata and said earnestly, "Hinata, as a young lady, you should strive to be more refined. This training is for you to learn to control your powers, not to get overly excited about creating a flaming tornado. Understand, Hinata?"

He walked over to Ruri Gokou, handing her the small girl. With a smile, he said, "Ruri, let's go. Hinata's power control is getting much better. This was a win for us."

"Mm," Ruri Gokou responded quietly, taking Hinata and moving closer to Hiroshi.

Hinata, hanging in Ruri Gokou's grasp, shook her head in exasperation. They're using me as a relationship tool, aren't they? Well, since Sister Ruri finally likes someone, I'll let it slide this time.

By the beach, Klee and Hinata reunited, holding hands as they prepared to run back to play in the water.

Hiroshi caught them both, lifting the two little girls and placing them by the table. Smiling, he asked, "Where do you two think you're going?"

Seeing Hiroshi's smile, the two girls immediately sat up straight in their seats. Klee raised her hand, her big eyes blinking at Hiroshi, "Brother Hiroshi, Klee wants to go blow up a big fish and roast it!"

"No," Hiroshi shook his head, rejecting her idea. He pointed up at the sun, "It's mealtime now. You need to eat properly on time, or you won't grow tall. I'll catch the fish for you."

After saying this, Hiroshi walked over and pulled Ruri Gokou along with him toward the sea. "Ruri and I will be back soon."

Using her chopsticks, Klee poked at Hinata beside her. She watched Hiroshi and Ruri walking away hand-in-hand and whispered in Hinata's ear, "What's up with Brother Hiroshi today? He seems strange. And why is he holding Sister Ruri's hand? Is he afraid she'll fall?"

Swallowing a bite of delicious fish, Hinata sighed as if she were much older, looking at Klee. "They're just two clueless lovebirds. Brother Hiroshi is such a coward, taking the roundabout way to hold Sister Ruri's hand. It's obvious she likes him already. I noticed they realized each other's feelings this morning. If I were Brother Hiroshi, I would've just hugged her and made her mine already."

Picking up another piece of fish, she glanced at Hiroshi leading Ruri Gokou by the hand. Hinata sighed again, "And Sister Ruri, she's so brave about wearing all those embarrassing outfits, but she's scared now. Brother Hiroshi is such a good guy, and someone else might like him if she keeps hesitating. I told her before, if you like someone, you need to take the initiative."

On either side of Hinata, Klee and Luo Xiaobai blinked in confusion, not understanding a word. They just took a bite of their food, heads tilted in puzzlement.

Infinity, who had been listening, was stunned. He stared at Hinata, who spoke like she had years of experience in love, and asked, "Hinata, how do you know all this stuff?"

Hinata gave him a strange look, "Isn't this basic knowledge from kindergarten? I'm already in fifth grade. Even if I haven't had a boyfriend, people still like me. Some of my friends have had several boyfriends already."

"...????"

Watching Hinata resume her meal, Infinity's mind filled with questions. He felt like his worldview had taken a massive hit.

He hugged Luo Xiaobai, who was still looking puzzled, and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Seeing that Luo Xiaobai and Klee didn't understand a word Hinata had said, Infinity nodded in relief. His worldview was fine; it was just Hinata's world that was strange. For the first time, Infinity felt the strangeness of different worlds deeply and decided to leave it at that.

On the other side, Hiroshi walked along the shore with Ruri Gokou, the breeze gently blowing her long black hair across his face, bringing with it a pleasant scent of shampoo.

He glanced down at her, her white dress swaying in the wind. In the reflection of the sea, she looked like a beautiful light spirit, ethereal and enchanting.

Thinking back to how they had been getting along lately, Hiroshi—who had never experienced romance—decided to take a leap.

He stopped walking, sneaking a glance behind them, and swallowed nervously at the sight of Ruri Gokou's flushed face.

Turning to face her, Hiroshi looked into her eyes, his voice trembling, "Ruri, do you... do you..."

Clearing his throat, he looked around nervously before finally summoning his courage. "Ruri, I like you. Will you go out with me?"

"Ah!" Ruri Gokou gasped, her face turning bright red as she covered it with her hands. In a soft but clear voice, she replied, "Yes, I like you too."

Hearing her response, it was as if something exploded in Hiroshi's mind. He hugged Ruri tightly, lifting her into the air and spinning her around as she let out a surprised yelp.

His heart was overflowing with joy, and the world seemed to sparkle around him. The girl he had liked for so long liked him back—what a wonderful feeling.

Long ago, when Hiroshi was still a teenager, he had fallen for the girl on the screen—her sharp tongue, her tsundere nature, her adorable moments, her demeanor at home, the way she treated her friends, and how she approached relationships. All of it captivated the lonely teenager. It was the first time he understood what it meant to fall in love at first sight.

Years passed, and the once-lonely boy grew up, becoming an adult with the help of society. Without much in the way of skills, he saved up what he could from his part-time job at a barbecue place and opened his own small stall. Whether it was luck or the kindness of his customers, the 18-year-old managed to survive and lived each day with determination.

He had never had anyone stay by his side, and he never expected anyone to. Then one day, the world changed, and the young man found himself gaining a new life and experiencing things he had never imagined.

Joining the chat group, he found the girl he had long admired. But back then, he had no reason to talk to her, instead immersing himself in surviving in a new world until he found a reason.

After much thought, he finally opened a private chat, using trade as an excuse to get to know her. Slowly, they became friends. As time went by, they grew closer, and eventually, they realized each other's feelings.

Now, holding Ruri in his arms, Hiroshi wanted the whole world to know—this was his girlfriend!