It was a bright, sunny morning. Sunlight fell outside the apartment balcony window, almost level with Saitama's shoulder as he woke to the chirping of little sparrows outside.
"Ahhh..."
"It's already seven?"
"Guess I'd better get up..."
With his eyelids half lowered, Saitama picked up the little green elephant-shaped watering can he kept at home again. He filled it with water and headed straight out onto the balcony.
"!!"
"Stop right there!"
"Baldy, what are you doing?!"
But as soon as he stepped onto the balcony, before he could perform one of his habitual actions, a certain cactus startled awake. It instinctively shielded the bright red, delicate little flower on its spiky head and cried out at him. The cactus was a spherical shooter named Qiuqiu.
"I..."
"I wasn't going to do anything..."
"I just..."
"Thought I'd water you?"
Saitama looked at Qiuqiu, who had stuck its feet into the soil to sunbathe so early in the morning, then at the watering can in his hand. He spoke with complete innocence.
"Water me?"
"Get lost!"
Qiuqiu looked at the watering can in Saitama's hand, then at his solemn, bald face. The cactus immediately frowned and snapped through gritted teeth.
"Ah..."
"Are you sure you don't want me to water you? I haven't watered you in ages."
Saitama was a little reluctant, so he raised the watering can again and asked uncertainly.
"..."
"Get lost!!"
The cactus emphasized its words, and all its densely packed little spines stood on end, pointing at Saitama.
"Okay!"
"I-I'm going!"
Saitama put down the watering can and fled back into his apartment.
Still, he silently decided to wait until noon, when the sun was strongest and Qiuqiu was getting drowsy, before watering it.
Saitama knew that a few days ago, the little magician Annie from