Columbina smiled and readily admitted, "I was the one who acted like a hooligan."
"I know," Odette has already started setting up the oven. "You, go wash the vegetables."
When she gives orders, her face is cold, yet strangely, people want to obey her.
"Sandrone, you can skewer them."
"Okay."
"Varesa, you two fish, stay away from the fire."
Varesa raised an eyebrow, smiling as she scooped the curiously peeking Bai You back into her arms:
"Did you hear that, little fish? You're afraid of fire."
"I'm not afraid..." Bai You muttered softly, her eyes constantly glancing at the pile of charcoal.
"If you're not afraid, you'll end up like a grilled fish."
Columbina took her basket to the water to wash the vegetables.
She washed her hands twice, then turned around and saw Sandrone skewering, so she scooped up a handful of seawater and splashed it over him with a "whoosh."
Water droplets splashed all over Sandrone's face.
There was a moment of silence.
Sandrone slowly raised his head, his eyes dangerous.
Columbina.
"Yes, I'm here." The instigator smiled innocently.
"You're finished."
Sandrone put down his skewers, rushed over, and scooped up water to retaliate.
The two chased each other on the shallows, splashing water everywhere, their laughter mingling with the sound of the waves.
Sandrone was usually cold and aloof, but when she really got angry, she showed no mercy, splashing a handful of water directly onto Columbina's face.
Columbina wiped her face, and instead of being angry, she laughed. Suddenly, she stepped forward, bent down, and picked the person up in her arms.
Sandrone was thrown into the air, startled, and cried out, frantically grabbing her neck.
"Put me down! Put me down!"
"I won't let go." Columbina carried her into the water, "Who told you to splash me first?"
"You were the one who started it!"
"I don't care."
The seawater reached up to Columbina's calves, and she pretended to put him in the water.
Sandrone was so frightened that he held her tightly, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and his voice became distorted.
"I was wrong!"
What went wrong?
"... Everything's wrong! Put me down!"
"You don't know you're wrong, you just know you're going to die. (Sword?)"
"Robots might break if they get wet, and they might even leak oil..."
" Columbina! You're the one leaking oil!"
Columbina laughed so hard she trembled, but she didn't actually put her down. Instead, she carried her back to the shore and gently placed her back on the mat.
The moment Sandrone's feet touched the ground, he immediately bounced back half a step, his face as red as a boiled shrimp. He glared at her fiercely for two seconds, but then he couldn't hold back and turned his face away.
"How come you're so strong?"
"I'll hug you while I practice." Columbina smiled.
"..."
Sandrone squatted back down to skewer the meat, not daring to look up for a long time.
After that, she wore two extra pieces of meat on every skewer she wore, and she also quietly placed the washed vegetables next to Columbina.
Odette squatted in front of the oven, piled up the charcoal into a small mountain, stuffed in two pieces of kindling, and pulled the trigger.
With a "boom," flames shot up.
The orange-red flames licked at the embers, crackling and popping.
The sky was just completely dark, and the firelight reflected on everyone's faces.
Bai You hid behind Varesa, peeking out half her head to watch the fire.
Varesa wrapped her arms around her from behind and held her wrists.
He took her hand and slowly brought it close to the flame, stopping just before burning her.
The warmth enveloped my palms, gentle but not scalding.
Did you feel it?
What did you feel?
Something very warm.
"What?"
"The flame..." She kissed Bai You's earlobe, "And what about you?"
"... I'm not warm."
"It feels so warm and comfortable to hold you."
Bai You fell silent.
She leaned back into that warm embrace and turned to look at Varesa.
At that moment, the person behind her was holding her.
The charcoal burned slowly and thoroughly, the charcoal pieces turning a deep red.
Odette arranged the marinated meat in rows on the grill.
"Sizzle--"
Oil dripped onto the charcoal, sending up a puff of white smoke, and the aroma exploded with a "whoosh".
Bai You's stomach unfortunately growled.
Everyone heard it.
She suddenly clutched her stomach, her face turning bright red.
Varesa laughed so hard her shoulders shook, and pulled her into her arms:
"It's alright, our little Water Nymph is hungry."
"Don't laugh."
"He didn't laugh."
"You're clearly smiling!"
Odette flipped the chicken wings expressionlessly and said calmly, "If you keep making noise, I'll eat the first wing."
Bai You immediately shut up, sat up obediently, and stared intently at the grill.
That look made even the aloof Odette's lips twitch slightly.
She handed the first skewer of grilled shrimp to Bai You.
"... For me?" Bai You was flattered.
"Gag."
Bai You took it with both hands, blew on it, and took a small bite.
The shrimp meat is fresh and sweet, with the aroma of charcoal and a hint of garlic.
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"Delicious!"
She ate so fast that she got some sauce on the corner of her mouth without even realizing it.
Varesa looked at the little bit of sauce and didn't remind her.
She leaned in, lowered her head, and kissed the corner of her mouth.
They kissed away the little bit of sauce.
"...!" Bai You froze, almost dropping her shrimp skewer. "Wow, Varesa --they're all here!"
"Yes, I'm here." Varesa licked her lips, speaking with an air of self-righteousness, "The sauce is sweet."
"You--"
Bai You buried her face in her knees, still clutching the string of shrimp tightly in her hand, her ears burning red.
A Odette voice came from beside her.
"I haven't finished eating yet with this grill."
Columbina was laughing hysterically on the other side.
Her eyes darted around, and she picked up a plate of freshly roasted meat, moving closer to Sandrone.
Sandrone was carefully skewering the meat, doing so meticulously, ensuring that each skewer had the exact same amount of meat.
Sandrone.
"What are you doing?"
"Ah--" Columbina picked up a piece of roast meat and held it to her mouth.
Sandrone froze.
"I have my own hands."
"Skewering these makes your hands dirty."
"Then I'll eat later."
"It won't taste good when it's cold." Columbina leaned closer, the piece of meat almost touching her lips. "Just one bite, okay?"
Sandrone glanced around.
Bai You was barely able to take care of herself, Odette was busy grilling meat, so no one was paying attention to her.
Her face flushed, she quickly opened her mouth and bit off the meat.
They moved as fast as thieves.
"Is it delicious?" Columbina's eyes crinkled into a smile.
Sandrone chewed on the meat and mumbled a "hmm."
"Who baked it?"
Odette.
"Does it taste better if I feed it to you?"
"Aren't you annoying?"
Columbina smiled, picked up another piece, took a bite of it herself, and then handed the remaining half over.
"Want to try this one too?"
Sandrone stared at the half-eaten piece of flesh, her face flushing red all the way to her neck.
"You... you ate it!"
"Hmm."
"I don't want to!"
"Really don't want to?"
"..."