"So, so from now on, there'll be another regular here, right?" C.C. looked at Jiu Ming with a faint expression. "And she's a little girl under ten? You've really learned some tricks, huh? Kidnapping?"
"Cough, cough! I'm absolutely innocent!" Jiu Ming coughed twice and hurriedly defended himself, taking out a Sealed Card and placing it in C.C.'s hand. "I just happened to run into her—just a coincidence!"
"Heh, what a coincidence. You actually made your girlfriend wait for hours over something like that?"
"..."
"Girlfriend!? Who is it!?" With a bang, the tightly shut World Crossing Gate was kicked open. Haruhi charged out furiously, her sharp eyes sweeping across the room twice. She first ignored the black cat curled up asleep, then casually overlooked the two sparrows outside lightly pecking at the glass, trying to get in through the window.
Then she spotted C.C. "Didn't you say rabbits don't eat the grass by their own burrows?"
"...I'm not a rabbit." C.C. tilted her head and glanced at Haruhi. "Isn't there another saying?"
"What?"
"A pavilion nearest the water gets the moonlight first."
"Uh... ah!!" Jiu Ming lowered his head to look at the knee Haruhi had viciously kicked. At a time like this, was he supposed to cry out in pain?
"Ah! What are you doing to this Regiment Leader!?" Haruhi shrieked when Jiu Ming suddenly picked her up.
"Hey, go out with me too. Though I might not be able to give you the greatest happiness."
"..." Haruhi, who had been struggling nonstop, suddenly went still at those words. Half-squinting, she scrutinized Jiu Ming as though he were insane, even ignoring the fact that he was tightly holding her. Instead, she reached out and touched his forehead. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Of course not. How could I possibly