Suddenly Leaving Paths Again

Bai Yu's voice drifted softly through that world, though he had no idea how much time had passed.

Only Bai Yu's figure remained in that world.

Ymir continued her work, neither of them disturbing the other in the slightest.

Snow White... and the Seven Dwarfs...

Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother ate the Big Bad Wolf...

Chocolate that liked eating evil dragons...

Seven little white rabbits...

The ideology of the red star...

Howl's Moving Castle...

So many, many things...

Such a long, long time...

How much time had passed? A thousand years? A year? Or a day?

Bai Yu thought of nothing. Simply feeling the tranquility around him made him happy, so very happy-happy enough that he wanted to share that joy with Ymir.

Ymir's hand suddenly trembled, and she looked toward where Bai Yu had been.

His voice had stopped. At some point, his figure had vanished.

There was no light in Ymir's eyes, yet she slowly walked toward where Bai Yu had been, one step at a time. Her dull eyes looked down at a white earbud lying quietly on the sand.

She crouched down, picked up the earbud, and slipped it into her ear the way Bai Yu had. Soft music immediately filled her ear.

She froze for a moment and gently touched it. Bai Yu's familiar voice played from inside, seemingly telling those fairy tales or whatever they were that he had told her earlier.

Without dwelling on it, she turned around and resumed molding Titans.

Bai Yu suddenly opened his eyes. His surroundings seemed blurred, but they soon came into focus again.

Ming and Xiate beside him seemed to sense something and spoke with concern.

"Bai Yu?"

"Dear brother?"

"No, it's nothing. Something happy happened."

Bai Yu smiled softly and looked up at the sky.

"Let's go, Xiate, Ming."

"Why are you suddenly so happy, dear brother?"

"My foolish little sister, this..."

Before he could finish, pain shot through his waist.

"Wait, wait, wait! Stop, Xiate! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!"

Only then did Xiate release her hand, her face expressionless.

Watching Bai Yu's reaction, Ming glanced at his own right hand and copied Xiate's motion, twisting his fingers in the air.

His eyes brightened slightly, as though he had gotten the hang of it.

He reached for Bai Yu's waist too, apparently wanting to give it a try.

"Wait, I'm telling you, Ming, stop!"

In the end, Bai Yu found somewhere to sit and told them what had happened during his time with Ymir...

"So, after comforting some old woman who's lived for who knows how many years, you felt very moved by your own kindness, and that made you happy, dear brother?"

There was a slight chill in Xiate's voice.

Beside her, Ming tilted his head in mild confusion.

"Is that it?"

A bead of cold sweat ran down Bai Yu's forehead. He pulled Ming over to shield himself.

"Ahem, it was just quiet there, that's all. Think about it. A place with practically unlimited time where you can sleep, while the outside world barely changes-of course that would help you relax a little. As for that ancient granny, she never even said a word to me."

Only then did Xiate give a soft huff, though worry lingered in her eyes.

"Didn't you say you couldn't come back? How did you get back, then?"

"That? I don't know either. I just suddenly came back."

Ming turned around and touched Bai Yu's face before speaking softly.

"You really like it there, don't you, Bai Yu?"

Bai Yu's expression stiffened slightly at Ming's words, but then he let out a soft sigh.

"Yes."

Bai Yu's smile seemed a little distant, leaving Xiate beside him silent.

Ming, however, simply continued.

"But you really like us too, don't you, Bai Yu?"

"Of course."

"Mm. Then that's enough."

Ming took his hands away from Bai Yu's face and sat to one side to drink. But when he tipped the bottle in his hand, it was already empty, so he held out his hand toward Bai Yu.

Bai Yu immediately understood. He took a bottle of liquor from inside his clothes and handed it to Ming.

"Here you go."

"Mm."

That was why he liked Ming so much.

Xiate sat down on Bai Yu's other side and leaned against his shoulder.

"Dear brother, whatever you want to do, please don't forget your adorable little sister."

"Of course I won't."

Several days later.

Bai Yu and Ming walked down the street.

Bai Yu had come out to shop with Ming that day.

Ming didn't drink particularly fast, but he hardly ever stopped either. Especially lately-he had finished their entire stock of liquor in just two days.

That morning...

Bai Yu slowly opened his eyes, only to find a pair of bright, wine-red eyes right in front of him, staring straight at him.

He was a little puzzled.

"Ming, what's wrong?"

"We're out of liquor."

Bai Yu's eyes widened slightly at those words.

"Out of liquor?"

"Mm."

"That can't be right. Didn't we just buy a huge pile of it two days ago?"

Ming shook the bottle in his hand. It was already empty. He said nothing, yet that said everything.

"Ming, you... haven't been drinking for two whole days without stopping, have you?"

Ming said nothing. He merely turned his head slightly and looked away.

Ming's tolerance for alcohol was beyond question. He looked a little tipsy, but that was really only how he looked. No matter how much he drank, he always looked the same. It was honestly absurd.

Bai Yu could only resign himself to it.

"All right. Let me get dressed, and we'll go buy liquor today."

"Mm."

Although Ming's expression remained as serene as ever, an unmistakable happiness had crept into his voice.

And then they were out on the street.

When they reached a liquor shop, Ming immediately went over to examine the bottles on display, his wine-red eyes brightening slightly. The shopkeeper thought Ming looked underage, but since he was wearing a Survey Corps uniform, he did not throw him out.

Bai Yu walked in too. This liquor shop must have opened recently. He had never been here before.

Since he often came out to buy liquor with Ming, he had visited every general store and liquor shop around-anywhere that sold alcohol. But this was his first time here.

"Bai Yu, I want this one."

Ming pointed at a bottle on the counter. Its packaging looked rather nice, but the shopkeeper beside him frowned slightly.

"This is one of the strongest liquors we sell. Perhaps you should..."

As he spoke, he pushed forward a bottle that looked like fruit wine.