Skadi, I Have a Girlfriend Now

The Seaborn army led by Ishar-mla was about to swallow the land, while another nascent being representing microbial proliferation, the "Origin of Life," had dyed the entire ocean blood-red. Unless the sea itself evaporated, it would not die.

The waves gently washed over his toes. Blue-white light shimmered across Mizuki's body, dreamlike and illusory.

His hair grew and spread like willow branches in spring. A patch of profound blue suddenly bloomed beneath his feet in the crimson sea. Mizuki looked back one last time and found that the Doctor had turned around at some point, silently watching him leave.

"Goodbye, Doctor. We'll definitely meet again."

Mizuki's voice was as lively as ever. He did this to put the Doctor at ease. If all he needed was to defeat Ishar-mla, Mizuki could have done that easily. But if he wanted to quell the rage of the entire Brood and the other nascent being, this was the only thing he could do.

Deep Blue spread through the crimson. Mizuki transformed his lifeform into countless microorganisms, merging into the sea and restoring it to calm.

"Hm?"

He woke from the dream. This one had been especially clear. The first thing he saw was the striking halo of his girlfriend, Exusiai, followed by the cheap fleece blanket Croissant had given them, draped over both of them.

The CD player was playing Sora's soothing bedtime music. On the nearby coffee table sat the juice Texas had brought over while they were asleep. The tentacles had told Mizuki that, and clearly, this dream had frightened them a little too.

Other than the Doctor's appearance, Mizuki remembered everything clearly, including how he had assumed that form in the end.

He subconsciously reached up to stroke his hair and discovered that its tips had actually turned into spreading vines. With a gentle touch, he returned his hair to its former state.

Now Mizuki understood. He had always been able to take on that pure white form; he simply had not known how before. Of course, that appearance was a little frightening, so he should not bring it out casually. He liked who he was as a human now.

Still, Mizuki could sense that, in that form with hair like slender vines, he could probably send the current Skadi flying with one punch. It was more like he had compressed himself into this body.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Texas was sitting on the sofa beside Mizuki, reading the newspaper. Since Mizuki had been lying down, he had not seen her.

"I don't think it counted as a nightmare."

Mizuki felt that his dreams were different from nightmares. It was just that the more dreams he had, the more chaotic his past felt. What had he and the Doctor gone through? And what was going on with Ishar-mla?

Why were the endings in his dreams all different?

"But you don't look very well."

"...You saw it?"

Mizuki kept his voice low, because Exusiai really was asleep right now. She loved hugging Mizuki while she slept. He was comfortable to hold, and comfortable to lean against.

"I saw it."

Texas did not like lying. Just before Mizuki woke up, he had been murmuring about the Doctor. Texas had seen with her own eyes as his hair stretched out like vines. If Mizuki had not woken up so soon, she would have interrupted the dream.

"Don't tell A-Neng."

There was a hint of pleading in Mizuki's gaze. He did not want Exusiai worrying too much about him. If she found out, she would definitely worry herself sick.

"I know. But..."

Texas folded up the newspaper and set it aside. Then she walked over, crouched beside Mizuki, and met his eyes.

"What are you going to offer me to keep quiet?"

"A-Neng said she could pretend she didn't see what happened last night."

A direct critical hit. Texas froze on the spot. Before she had even figured out how to blackmail Mizuki, she had been utterly defeated.

If this had been last night, Texas would definitely have been thrilled. But now, she only felt at a loss.

"How did you two...?"

"Because we were both awake at the time."

To keep Texas from running away in embarrassment, Mizuki directly exposed what had happened that night. As he watched her face gradually turn red, the surrounding tentacles formed a wall.

"So you both...?"

"Does Texas like me?"

It was a lethal question, but it effectively kept Texas's mind from getting too tangled up in embarrassment and making her flee.

"I'm not..."

"Looks like you don't like me after all."

The expectation and natural smile vanished from Mizuki's face in an instant. He looked terribly pitiful, like an unclaimed puppy abandoned by the roadside in a cardboard box.

"No, I like you!"

Seeing Mizuki make that expression, how could Texas care about anything else? She hurriedly blurted out what was in her heart. Her mind was a complete mess right now.

When Mizuki mentioned that he and Exusiai had not actually been asleep that night, Texas had already wanted to run. It was far too mortifying. She had embarrassed herself all the way back to Siracusa.

But Mizuki had successfully kept her there by interrupting her thoughts. She truly had not expected Mizuki and Exusiai to both be awake that night. Did that not mean she had forced her best friend's boyfriend right in front of her best friend!?

No, why does that feel kind of thrilling and exciting instead?

Texas hurriedly threw those awful thoughts out of her mind, then sat there in confusion. Should she run or not?

"Xiao Le said she wants to beat you up. And Sora too."

"What does Sora have to do with this?"

"That night, Sora drank the half glass of juice you gave me. It took five hours to calm her down."

Texas instantly understood why Sora was still curled up in bed. So that girl had gone straight for Specter-level intensity! Five hours? Was she trying to kill herself?

"Then Exusiai..."

"She cares about it, but she cares about me more. And she cares about all of you more too."

Mizuki did not give Texas a chance to finish a single sentence. He knew that if he did, Texas would most likely deny everything and keep a considerable distance from both him and Exusiai from then on. She might even leave Penguin Logistics. That was an outcome neither Mizuki nor Exusiai wanted to see.

Mizuki reached out and gently rubbed Texas's head. He had wanted to do more, but Exusiai was pressed against him, making it difficult for him to move. Thinking about it carefully, he was probably the only person in all of Penguin Logistics who could sleep while embracing Exusiai without wearing an eye mask.

"I like Texas too. It's not that deep a feeling yet, but Xiao Le told me to try treating you as if you were her. Um, though she gets pretty jealous."

"..."

That sounded like something Exusiai would worry about. Texas gradually calmed down and quickly accepted the situation. She was even a little inexplicably excited. But when she thought about how she had dragged Sora into this, she still felt very guilty. Sora's feelings for Mizuki had been the kind between friends, yet Texas had forcibly changed them into something else.

"Is she asleep now?"

"She's sleeping very well... mmph!"

Before Mizuki could finish, Texas directly sealed his lips. The light on Exusiai's head illuminated Texas's scarlet face.

There was one thing Texas had to admit: she rather liked stealing bites. This kind of secret indulgence came with a special thrill that made her tail wag especially fast.

However, the kiss did not last long. Texas wiped the corner of her mouth and looked at Mizuki, who seemed slightly dazed.

"Just as sweet as I thought."

"Don't do things like that when Xiao Le is around. What if someone sees?"

Mizuki shifted slightly so that Exusiai, held in his arms, could sleep more comfortably. Texas did not seem to intend to stop. Her gaze gradually traveled downward from Mizuki's face before finally stopping at the place that had left her needing to brace herself against walls last night.

Though she did want to do that a little, reason still outweighed instinct for now. At least, she would not do anything too outrageous yet.

What? She had already done it? Then never mind.

"You and Exusiai... I won't interfere. I wish you both happiness."

Texas chose to step back, then gently placed her hand against Mizuki's cheek and caressed it.

"Still, I'll come find you often in the future."

"...Xiao Le said at noon that next time we have a party, just don't bring Croissant."

Texas immediately understood the meaning hidden in those words and instantly felt pity for Croissant. Then she realized something else.

"What does not bringing Croissant to the party mean?"

"She wants to push me to the limit and test how many hours I can last."

Hearing that, Texas did not know how to comment for a moment. There were too many things to criticize, yet it was indeed something Exusiai might do. After all, nobody could say what filled that girl's head all day long.

But after pondering for a while, Texas still looked at Mizuki and nodded.

"Actually, I want to know the answer too."

Thinking about it carefully, Exusiai and Specter had added up to eight hours that night, yet they still had not taken down Mizuki. Setting aside his stamina for the moment, was Jellyfish-chan really that impressive?

"Then we'll have to invite Laurentina too. But... I guess we can't bring Skadi either?"

Well, Skadi and Croissant were receiving the same treatment now. Texas could not help thinking that. Still, the two of them were mostly joking, because they probably would not have time to think about such things for a while.

"The day after tomorrow, you'll leave for Chernobog. Only you, Skadi, and Laurentina can go. We'll wait for you to return in Lungmen."

"Aren't you afraid the people at Rhodes Island will steal me away?"

Mizuki was naturally referring to the Doctor. Though he had not actually met the Doctor after losing his memories, and his memories of her were vague, Mizuki instinctively wanted to find her. That alone was enough to prove that the Doctor's place in his heart was no lower than Exusiai's.

It might even be higher.

"Then we'll just go find you. Penguin Logistics has signed a one-year contract with Rhodes Island. We'll open a branch there. You can't run away."

Texas rarely smiled.

"Remember to check on Sora. She probably has some unresolved feelings too."

Do Your Girlfriends Have the Same Boyfriend?

Texas was right. Sora did have some unresolved feelings, though they were probably not what everyone imagined.

It was not that she felt guilty about betraying Exusiai. Texas had started it, after all, and Sora herself had not wanted to ruin her best friend's love life. At most, she would help remove a few bricks and carry away a few tiles.

She was only thinking about how to steal a bite in the future. It had hurt after yesterday, but she really had become addicted. That unforgettable feeling still lingered in her mind, and it was hard to say she did not want to do something with Mizuki again.

But the problem was that what happened last night could not be replicated. Sora did not even know why she had become like that last night. Whenever she thought of Mizuki's face and... she felt an unbearable itch she could not scratch.

"But Mizuki is Exusiai's boyfriend."

They saw each other every day. How awkward would it be if she stole someone else's boyfriend? Sora was even more worried that after stealing Mizuki, Texas and Exusiai would paint her head green together.

As long as she did not become Mizuki's girlfriend, she would not be the one getting painted. Instead, she could become the painter. It was just a pity she could not do it openly.

"Sora, are you asleep?"

There was a knock on the door. It was Mizuki. Sora sat up too quickly and forgot that she was not in great condition right now. She sucked in a sharp breath from the pain and fell back down.

Next time, she could not abuse her body like this. She probably would not be getting out of bed today.

"Come in."

With Sora's permission, Mizuki pushed open the door and entered. Seeing Sora still wearing the nightgown from last night, he was briefly at a loss.

"...This is another one. I have a spare."

Although she had just been thinking about how to sneak another taste in the future, Sora was still very shy when facing Mizuki. She considered herself a respectable girl, but the five hours last night could not be treated as though they had never happened.

As for respectable? Judging by her performance last night and the fact that she had just been thinking about becoming a painter, she probably could no longer be considered respectable.

"How are you feeling?"

Mizuki got straight to the point and sat at Sora's bedside with some food. This was clearly the girls' bedroom, but he did not feel awkward at all. After all, he was the only boy in all of Penguin Logistics.

Sora glanced toward the door, and Mizuki immediately understood. A tentacle reached out from beneath the bed, closed the door, and locked it, ensuring nobody could eavesdrop.

Though she had never understood why Mizuki's abilities were so strange, Sora could not be bothered to dwell on it. She merely rubbed her stomach.

"It still hurts a little. If you want to, I can only use x..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Mizuki hurriedly covered Sora's mouth, his face full of confusion. Had he accidentally fried this girl's brain last night? Why was she saying things that would never pass review the moment she opened her mouth?

"Mmph?"

Sora blinked in confusion. Seeing Mizuki close and lock the door before coming in alone, she had thought he was just as addicted to what happened last night as she was.

A damp sensation spread across Mizuki's palm. He withdrew his hand, but Sora caught it, gently sucked on his finger, and gave it a lick before finally letting go.

"Why didn't I hear you tell me to stop last night?"

Sora looked at Mizuki resentfully. She still could not get out of bed, mainly because Mizuki had been far too rough with her.

"If I told you to stop, would you have been willing to?"

"I guess not."

Only then did Sora remember that Mizuki really had called for her to stop many times last night. But she had been completely swept away and refused to let go, proving that her flexibility had not been for nothing.

"This ointment is for external use. It can reduce swelling and relieve pain, and it works quickly. Xiao Le has used it before."