Huh?
Rohan rubbed his eyes at the number Sion was showing him.
When he checked his status window, it didn’t seem like an illusion. It also wasn’t some random number she had mindlessly punched into a calculator.
Of course, there was still the possibility that this was an illusion too sophisticated for his status window to detect, but for now, he tried to accept it as it was.
One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand…
The numbers kept climbing. A sum so unreal that it felt detached from reality. Rohan shut his mouth.
His mind felt hazy, and before he knew it, words spilled out on their own.
“This isn’t some kind of hypnosis app, is it?”
“What nonsense are you talking about…? This is part of the Testarossa inheritance that was still left in Tigrova.”
“Ah!”
Rohan and Clara finally understood. The situation suddenly made perfect sense.
Putting her smartphone away, Sion urged them to keep walking.
“I’ll explain the rest over dinner. It’s too long a story to go over while standing here.”
She also needed to discuss how she planned to use the money and where she would be staying in Academy City.
But more than anything, she simply wanted to enjoy some lighthearted, meaningless chatter with the two of them.
Because to her, those moments were the happiest of all.
It was time to lighten her hands before they went to eat.
Sion unpacked the luggage she had prepared for her trip to Tigrova back into Rohan’s dorm.
“….…”
When it came time to return the jacket she had borrowed—
Sion hesitated and started fiddling with the hanger. She was reluctant to let it go.
Noticing this, Rohan walked over with a paper bag in hand.
Clara who was seated on the bed quietly observed the two of them.
“I did feel a little intimidated after seeing your account balance earlier, but…”
“Hmm?”
“Here. A gift.”
“!”
Sion didn’t bother to hide the surprise in her eyes.
Rohan, seeing her frozen in place, spoke again and handed her the paper bag as if passing off a burden.
“My arm’s about to fall off. Just take it.”
“Ah…”
On the bag, the words Waterdrop Friends were printed.
The unexpected joy made her mind go completely blank.
“Why are you giving me a gift all of a sudden…?”
“I just saw it and thought of you. Gifts don’t always need a reason, right? But if you really want one, I can come up with plenty.”
Rohan tried to downplay it, awkwardly justifying it as a simple gesture to celebrate her safe return.
But Sion saw right through him.
She could tell. Rohan found giving gifts embarrassing.
Honestly…
How could a guy so much bigger than her look this cute?
She swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding so loudly it felt like it might burst.
The presence of Rohan grew stronger before her eyes, while Clara who was still sitting on the bed and silently watching faded into the background.
“Is it alright if I open it now?”
“Of course.”
She peeled off the tape carefully, making sure not to damage the packaging.
When she opened the paper box, the plush toys inside came into view.
It was Woolwool and Bluebee. They were the characters she had doodled in her notebook.
“……”
With trembling hands, Sion lifted the plushies and stared at them in a daze.
She had wanted them so badly at the goods shop but could only admire them from afar.
And now, Rohan had gifted them to her. Without warning, without reason.
Was it really okay to be this happy?
For a moment, she even worried that she had used up her entire lifetime’s worth of happiness.
“Do you like it?”
“Mhmm…. Thank you so much. It’s the best gift ever…”
Sion smiled softly and hugged the plushies to her chest. This made her happier than suddenly coming into wealth.
The plush toys Rohan had given her would stay with her on her bed for a lifetime.
So that’s how it is.
Still holding the plushies, Sion came to a realization.
Watching Clara’s pleased expression as she observed the scene, Sion felt more certain.
That hairpin must have been a gift too.
Hadn’t Clara been fiddling with it nonstop, smiling to herself?
Sion had already noticed. That item was definitely connected to Rohan.
⋯
⋯
In a barbecue restaurant with private rooms.
Sion had offered to treat them to dinner, so she and Clara had looked around together and picked this place.
“I want to say the most important thing first.”
“The most important thing?”
Sion’s serious tone made Rohan pause as he lined up cups and poured water.
Clara who had been setting the utensils also stopped and turned to Sion.
“…Even though I have more financial freedom now, I still want to work with you. I lack too much experience.”
When Sion glanced at them hesitantly, as if asking if that was really okay, both Rohan and Clara smiled.
“Of course, you’re more than welcome.”
“O-Of course…!”
Rohan picked up the tongs and placed the meat on the grill.
It was their first time properly grilling meat in the academy city, and just the sight of it made their mouths water.
“You could think of this money as giving you peace of mind. You can challenge yourself to do what you want, and even if you fail, you won’t starve. That’s a huge advantage.”
“…You sound just like Yuho.”
Rohan who was watching Sion mumble in wonder asked,
“Sion, is there anything you want to buy?”
“Hmm…?”
“Like upgrading to a new phone? The one I got you wasn’t the latest model.”
“No, I have no plans to do that.”
Sion had no plans to replace her smartphone. She was just going to change the registered owner and keep using it.
It would be an unnecessary luxury anyway, and since Rohan had bought it for her, she had no intention of replacing it.
“If I had to say what I want right now… I guess I’d like to buy a house.”
A bold statement.
But considering the balance Sion had shown them, it wasn’t an issue at all.
“That’s a good idea.”
“I don’t know much about that sort of thing, so I’d like you two to help me with it…”
“Let’s go take a look after exams. I’ll do some research too.”
“Mhmm.”
Sion turned to Clara, who was sitting beside her.
Feeling Sion’s gaze, Clara blinked in confusion. She wasn’t sure what Sion’s intentions were. Then Sion reached out and gently pinched her soft, adorable cheek.
“Once I find a place in Academy City, I plan to live there with Clara.”
“W-Wait… Are you sure about that, Unnie…?”
“Of course. You were the one who made the first gesture of goodwill, after all.”
Before they had left for Tigrova, the situation had been the other way around.
Back then, it was Clara who had willingly suggested that if they managed to get a house with Rohan’s reward money, she would live there with Sion.
“It’s not just about returning the kindness you showed me. More than anything, I genuinely want to live with you.”
“H-Haaah…”
Caught off guard by Sion’s bluntness, Clara’s head spun as her eyes swirled in flustered confusion.
From Rohan’s perspective, it was a heartwarming scene. One he had no reason to interfere with.
“Clara was kind and sincere, so she’s being rewarded for it.”
After he said that, Rohan began slicing up the meat, which was now starting to cook.
By the time Clara had finally accepted Sion’s proposal, the meat was perfectly done.
“If we do get a house… I should probably set aside a room for Rohan so he can store large equipment or bulky gear.”
“W-Wait… Oppa too?!”
“Even me?”
At this point, the three of them were as good as a team.
The group only got up from their seats after filling their stomachs and chatting until their throats were dry.
It was also a good opportunity to teach Sion how to make payments using her phone.
“That was a great meal.”
“Unnie… it was really good…!”
Even after settling the bill and stepping outside, parting ways so soon felt a bit disappointing.
Since Rohan had been treated to a meal, he insisted on buying dessert and led the girls to a café.
Only then did he bring up the topic of the upcoming exam.
“From Monday to Friday. Do you think you’ll be okay?”
“….…”
As if they had planned it beforehand, Sion and Clara both pressed their lips together in silence.
Swirling the ice in his drink, Rohan continued.
“There’s a high chance I won’t be able to contact you from the island, but I’ll do my best to keep in touch until I leave.”
The girls pouted like ducklings, but in the end, they had no choice but to accept reality.
Still, their curiosity got the better of them.
“Rohan, how exactly will the exam on the deserted island be conducted?”
“It’s hard to explain precisely, but since they’ve been emphasizing Monolith countermeasures, it’s likely to be a survival and crisis-response test in a resource-scarce environment.”
“O-Oppa… then, does that mean you’ll be on the island with those unnies…?”
There were only a few people Clara would refer to as “those unnies”.
Most likely, she meant Noah Frozenheart and Ichinose Yui.
Clara held her breath and waited for his answer.
Meanwhile, Sion folded her arms and furrowed her brows with a serious expression.
“I mean, we’ll all be on the same island, but I’m not sure how the teams will be divided.”
“Hmm.”
“I-I see…”
After that, they chatted again. They ended up spending more time at the café than expected, staying out until late.
Clara led Sion to her house, while Rohan, having returned to his dorm, squeezed his refreshed mind dry and refocused on his studies.
Sunday, the day after Saturday.
Rohan spent the day concentrating on wrapping up his theory studies.
He only met Sion and Clara during mealtimes.
***
Monday.
He had breakfast with the girls, knowing it would be a while before he could see them again.
Upon arriving at Orion Academy, Rohan sensed a different atmosphere than usual.
Everyone had come to class earlier than usual, and the room was silent. There was no idle chatter.
He looked over at Ichinose’s seat and saw Noah sitting next to her, clutching her head and staring at her book with an intensity that could burn a hole through it.
“Hoo…”
It was the perfect environment for concentration. Taking a deep breath, Rohan sat down and opened his book.
Starting today, things are going to be crucial.
There could be no mistakes on the exam, and to safely see everything through, he would need to make bold decisions.
I wonder who I’ll be paired with on the deserted island.
For Sion and Clara, this was the beginning of an ordeal.
For Rohan, it was time to face the next chapter of the main story.
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