Hawaii, Here We Come!

(Bai Ziye)

I'd miscalculated.

I didn't have my phone on me, so I couldn't take a picture of Ceruno looking so adorable.

This airhead was the type to cling to whatever was nearby while sleeping. When she had stayed over in my room before, she'd liked sleeping with a pillow caught between her legs too.

I just hadn't expected that one day, I'd become the "pillow."

"Hmmmm..."

She made a sleepy mumbling sound. I didn't know whether she normally had this habit, and while it was cute coming from her now, if the original A-Yao had made a sound like that, I might have enthusiastically greeted his face with the horseshoe on the sole of my boot.

Come to think of it, how had things ended up like this?

After Yin Wei and I finished discussing the plans for our trip to Hawaii, the flight attendant ushered us back to our first-class cabin. By then, the Bubble Membrane covering Ceruno's hair had vanished, and her sleek black hair had returned to its fluffy, soft pink state. Her petite, lovable body lay curled on the bed like a princess from a fairy tale. Simply looking at her was pleasing to the eye.

But not long after I sat down, this "fake princess" turned into a snake that had sensed heat. Her arms wrapped around my waist, her fluffy head rested against my side, and she slept like a shrimp, like a kitten with its back arched. Her raised knee pressed down on my leg, and she clung to me like an octopus, utterly unaware of it herself.

Regardless of what was inside that body, Ceruno was, for now, a high-quality beautiful girl. Unconscious in sleep, she was even more endearing.

It would be a lie to say my heart didn't flutter when a soft, sweet-smelling girl hugged me so intimately. I was still a healthy high school boy, after all.

But fluttering was one thing; taking action was another. There was no way I would do anything. At most, I let her hold me like this, smoothed the hair on her back, and secretly enjoyed the zero-distance contact.

"Hehe, Miss Miluno, don't be like that."

Already feeling guilty, I jumped when she called my name.

But after taking a closer look at her sleeping face, I realized it was just sleep talk. Who knew what kind of dream had made her say something like that?

What would you become in the future?

And what would become of our relationship?

Right now, I couldn't see the answers to any of those questions.

First class was quiet and steady. With the curtains drawn, it hardly felt like I was on a plane at all.

Both my hands were free, and my upper body could still move around, so rather than disturb her sleep, I picked up the magazine beside the bed.

It was actually a Hawaii travel guide. Come to think of it, I'd boarded the plane without doing any research. I really should brush up on Hawaii.

Honolulu International Airport, our flight's destination, was located on Oahu, Hawaii's third-largest island. It was Hawaii's capital and its most populous island. Though it was an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it was a modern city filled with skyscrapers. Its beaches, active volcanoes, and ranches were all famous tourist attractions.

To visit Hawaii Island, known as the Big Island, one needed to take a scheduled ship or flight. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, formed by two active volcanoes, was located there, where visitors could experience volcanic terrain up close...

Mm. Not long after flipping through the magazine, my feet went numb.

Staying completely still in one position was more exhausting than I'd imagined.

"Emmmmm~"

I tried to shift my legs so the blood could circulate again, but it ended up waking the octopus beauty.

My legs still weren't easy to move, but I held up the magazine and looked at her.

"Good morning, Ceruno."

"Miss Miluno~"

Her body was awake, but her mind didn't seem fully awake yet.

She murmured my name in a soft, syrupy voice, then rubbed her face against my side again. But a few seconds later, her eyes flew wide open and she rolled backward to the other side of the bed. Flustered and embarrassed, she said, "S-sorry! Miss Miluno, I didn't mean to hold you while I slept! Huh? When did I start holding you?"

It seemed her mind had finally caught up.

"Calm down. I don't mind something like that."

"You don't mind? Oh, you still don't know my true identity... Miss Miluno... I need to confess... I-I'm actually..."

I see. This airhead thought she'd taken advantage of me, so she was feeling guilty about it.

I held out a finger in front of her mouth, cutting off her already stammering words.

"You don't need to force yourself to reveal that kind of information. I think it's a magical girl's most important secret."

Though I had already known her secret.

"I understand, Miss Miluno."

She scratched her flushed cheek and sat up on the bed while still keeping her distance.

Then she asked, "Um... how long was I asleep?"

I thought about it for a moment.

"About three hours since takeoff. If you haven't slept enough, you can keep sleeping."

"Five hours left... Miss Miluno, you should sleep for a while too."

"I was planning to. I just didn't want to wake you earlier."

"So you stayed sitting still the whole time? How could I possibly accept that? I'm sorry."

Her guilt seemed to have grown even stronger.

"Then I'll sleep for a while first."

It would be a lie to say I wasn't sleepy. Sleep wasn't only for adjusting to the time difference; the wound on my back from fighting that werewolf still hadn't healed. I really did need to rest.

Ceruno patted the sofa bed beneath her. "Then lie down first."

"Hmm?"

"Lie down first."

At her repeated urging, I set down the magazine and lay down.

Then she wrapped me in Bubble Membrane and blew out a bubble cover half the size of the bed.

Tap tap.

She reached out and knocked on the cover, then flashed a foolish smile.

"Hehe~ This bubble rejects human bodies, so even if I fall asleep, I won't disturb you anymore."

...But I couldn't get out either.

"You don't have to do this."

Though it wouldn't block the air, this shape was definitely uncomfortable... It looked far too much like a coffin.

"Go to sleep. This time, it's my turn to watch Miss Miluno sleep~"

"...Sigh."

It was a little exasperating, but once I closed my eyes, I wouldn't have to see that indescribable bubble cover.

I shut my eyes and slowly drifted into sleep.

(Sun Yao)

Miss Miluno fell asleep quickly after lying down.

But I wasn't sleepy in the slightest.

I'd actually clung to and hugged Miss Miluno like that. Her shirt's texture and warmth still lingered on my hands, body, legs, and face... I was only a false, temporary woman. What right did I have to touch her so directly? This was blasphemy! Utter disrespect!

"Miss Miluno is far too kind. She should've woken me up immediately."

I pulled open the curtain.

The sunlight above the clouds passed through my pupils, making my eyes sting.

It had been evening when the sky was darkening at takeoff, but now it was broad daylight. According to Miss Yin Wei, when we arrived in Hawaii, it would be around nine in the morning yesterday.

This really was a flight that traveled back through time.

Wow, we'd flown past the land... I could see the ocean!

**It merged with the sky at the distant horizon. That breathtaking deep blue was so beautiful that I couldn't look away, and my gloomy mood was swept clean away.

This was amazing. I had to take a picture and show Yezi!!

With that thought in mind, I reached for my phone beside the bed, only to catch sight of Miss Miluno inside the bubble cover.

Slanting sunlight spilled across her lower body. It turned out the beautiful scenery wasn't only outside.

I opened the camera.

I aimed it at Miss Miluno.

I tried to find the perfect angle...