"Well, at this point, I don't think there is a need to return to class." I say that while gazing at the sky above us. It is still bright and clear, imbued by cotton-white clouds like any other day. Although compared to before, the bright blue color has somewhat adjusted to something with a deeper hue, everything is relatively similar. In addition, the temperature has shifted slightly, making the winds graze my skin cooler than when we first came here.
This world does not teach anything realistic anyway. Everything is just a filler for the main plot. Who would waste resources on creating a procedurally generated sky?
Alas, it has been some time since the bell rang. Kurokawa and I have really taken our time to laz around, doing absolutely nothing.
"How is the wound right now? Do you still feel any pain?"
After hearing my question, the bookworm, with her head on my shoulder, lifts her bandaged hand and shakes it a little, signaling that she is completely fine. Her gleeful gaze focuses on the butterfly knot, scanning every part of my work. One that resembles what she made for me in The Breaking World, which I am still uncertain about its legitimacy.
"No, husband. Everything is fine now." Kurokawa then shows me her arm. "Look at this! Isn't it cute?"
"Yes, it suits you." I answer, curling my lips.
Smiling softly on one side of mine, Kurokawa remains silent.
After all that has happened throughout this morning, she is enjoying this moment more than I thought. And it is not just our bookworm who is appreciating the breeze. No longer in its place, her luscious hair flies all over the place and keeps tickling me, forcing me to scratch every now and then. Sometimes, it touches my face, sending a floral scent to my newly formed nose. Her cheeks are flushed, and she keeps her eyes closed while leaning against me, unburdened by anything. It is the ultimate sign of trust. She knows that she is safe here.
She knows that she will not be judged. Even when her scar is wide open for me to see, she is unafraid of it being seen.
"This...feels nice...Being by your side..." Kuro whispers quietly.
"I think so, too."
Unlike the other two, who always indirectly try to bring an energetic atmosphere by fighting against one another, the air around Kuro has shifted from a solemn tone of loneliness to a more relaxed state. As if she has finally found a place where she belongs, the bookworm puts on a completely different attitude to how she was yesterday. Even when some things are left unsolved, Kuro's thoughts should be able to untangle a bit.
Since we are two different beings, I can not say in her place that all of her anxieties are gone forever. One that I can be sure of, though. With her outer shell broken, Kurokawa can now start to be who she really wants. From the pieces of predetermined characteristics, our bookworm will stand.
"It's immoral, Kurokawa. Don't you think so too?" My voice goes up unconsciously.
"That's nature, my husband." Replies the bookworm, still in a calm and gentle manner. "A male lion has many mates. He even goes as far as killing the cubs of the previous pack leader. It's perfectly normal for a good male to leave more offspring."
Okay, I did not know that.
"Is that true?" I look over at my shoulder.
The girl nods. "It is."
Damn, nature is scary as heck!
"Wow... Hold on! We are talking about our human society! In case you have not noticed it. I'm definitely not a lion. A lion is at least strong enough to defend its turf. Yet I have noodles for arms! And legs! Look at me! I can barely fend for myself."
She thought she could deceive me with the knowledge she gained from her books. Hah! I am stupid, but not that irredeemable. Rather than calling me a lion, a worm fits me better.
"If you are talking about a normal human society, C, then isn't it better for us to group up? First of all, we humans are herd animals. That means living together is better than living alone. Besides, it'd be perfect to protect you by having everyone by your side." Kurokawa takes her head off my shoulder and turns to look at me intensely. There is a light flickering inside her emerald eyes. "Secondly, no one gets left behind, and everyone is happy. Isn't that just wonderful?"
Not good! This is not looking good!
If I try to debate Kurokawa, I will lose. The chance of me winning is less than the size of a molecule. I mean, books are the only thing she knows the most. Even if she got a fraction of the knowledge and wisdom from those books of hers, she would still fare much better than me by a thousand times. There is no way I can defend myself against Kuro's continuous bombardment.
Kurokawa is not the planner just because the system made it so. She has the wits to prove it.
"We can use our advantages to make up for the disadvantages of the others. That will make our bond stronger and more resilient to outside forces. Don't you feel afraid of what the future might hold? What if there is a threat so big that we can not deal with it alone?" The bookworm continues with a calm voice. "For example, C, I'm not physically gifted like Rachel or have a courageous heart like Laura. I don't think I can handle much heavy lifting."
Shit! She really has some good points there. The more we do this, the more screwed I look!