Chapter 42 The Leader of the Phantom Troupe in Meteor City 42 Machi
"Ayana?"
Under the dim lighting, the boy's eyes appeared exceptionally deep.
He called Ayana's name again, but said nothing else, and it was unclear whether this counted as urging her to respond quickly.
"I…"
Ayana opened her mouth, feeling a burning sensation on both sides of her cheeks.
Although reason told her that she should refuse Kuroro now and just find somewhere to spend the night, it would be better than this embarrassing and unsettling suggestion.
But the physical exhaustion and the feelings deep within her that even Ayana herself was unwilling to admit prevented her from decisively saying "no."
"Ayana, you've been so busy for so many days, you must be exhausted, right?" Kuroro blinked, seemingly seeing through Ayana's inner struggle, and added, "What you need most right now is a good rest."
“My bed is clean, no one else has slept in it except me, and didn’t we sleep together in the same room before? Have you forgotten?” He paused, then offered a reason that Ayana couldn’t refute: “You slept in the bed, and I just made a makeshift bed on the floor under the bed. Didn’t we both sleep very well that time?”
"It'll be the same this time, nothing will happen, don't worry."
Kuroro kept comforting Ayana, one sentence after another, as if he were making excuses for her. The boy's sincere tone diluted the ambiguous atmosphere in the air.
Ayana was drawn into the boy's mindset and could no longer find any reason to refuse.
At the same time, the fatigue from continuous work and the tension of many days overwhelmed her, making her just want to find a place to rest.
In the end, Ayana could only nod, her voice barely audible, and reply, "Then I'll take my leave."
After saying those words, she felt a strange sense of shyness and turned her head away, thus missing the boy's upturned lips.
"Then come with me."
Kuroro walked straight out of the room and led the way.
But it wasn't really about leading the way, since everyone knew his room was right next to Ayana's.
He pushed open the door.
Just as Kuroro had said, the room was extremely clean.
The books were neatly arranged on the bookshelf on the table, the bed sheets were so smooth that there were almost no wrinkles, and the clothes were all neatly folded and placed in the wardrobe.
Kuroro took out a spare mattress from the wardrobe, spread it out neatly on the empty floor next to the bed, and then sat down naturally.
After completing this series of actions, he looked up at Ayana, who was still standing in the same spot, and said, "Go to sleep."
Having come this far, even though she still felt a lingering shyness, Ayana couldn't refuse any longer.
She responded softly, then walked to the bedside, lay down, pulled the blanket over herself, and closed her eyes.
Kuroro turned off the lights in the room, plunging the room into complete darkness. Sight was completely deprived, but the other senses became unusually sharp.
Ayana heard Kuroro's steady breathing and the rustling sound of him turning over.
The two of them were only a few steps apart, and even the slightest movement could be sensed by the other.
An indescribable feeling quietly spread through Ayana's heart.
She curled up in the soft blankets, burying herself deeper into them, trying to escape that bittersweet feeling, but it was all in vain.
The bed was filled with Kuroro's scent, enveloping her in a reassuring aura.
Instead, it gave her an even stranger feeling.
Although Kuroro was sleeping below, Ayana had a vague feeling that she was lying in Kuroro's arms, being embraced by him.
The boy's scent was like an airtight embrace, surrounding her and making her feel very safe.
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Ayana's cheeks, which had finally cooled down, began to burn again.
She pulled the blanket up to cover half her face, not wanting anyone to see her current state of mind.
The physical fatigue combined with that reassuring aura gradually brought on drowsiness, and Ayana drifted off to sleep.
However, Kuroro, who was lying on the ground, silently opened his eyes, slowly moved his gaze to the blurry outline on the bed, and then looked back at the pitch-black ceiling.
He refused.
He didn't want Ayana to sleep in Finks's room.
…
[Host, a friendly reminder: because you destroyed that stronghold, you have likely come to the attention of that organization.]
Although you successfully eliminated the boss of that outpost, many people are still alive there and will return to headquarters to report the news.
Please be extra careful.
[Also, your potatoes are ripe and ready to be harvested.]
Ayana had just woken up when she heard the system continuously making sounds, constantly reminding her.
The cold, mechanical voice urged her to act quickly, waking her from sleep.
As she opened her eyes, her consciousness gradually returned, and she smelled Kuroro's scent again. Memories of last night slowly surfaced, making her cheeks flush.
Ayana quickly suppressed her unspeakable emotions, sat up in bed, and looked towards the floor mat next to her bed.
But there was no one there.
Kuroro seemed to have been up and working for a while, tidying up the floor mats neatly.
Where did they go?
Just as Ayana was wondering what was going on, the door was pushed open from the outside.
Kuroro walked in carrying two glasses of water. He had changed his clothes today, wearing a white sweater, which made him look more youthful and lively, unlike when he was dressed in black and looked lifeless.
Seeing Ayana sit up, Kuroro gave her a smile, a smile as radiant as the rising sun, capable of dispelling all gloom.
He walked to the bedside, handed one of the glasses of water to Ayana, and asked.
"Ayana, you're awake? Are you feeling better?"
Ayana took the water glass, but her fingertips accidentally touched Kuroro's hand during the handshake, making her feel a little itchy for some reason, as if an electric current was passing through her heart.
She lowered her head to avoid Kuroro's gaze, pretending to drink water to cover up her inner turmoil.
"Hmm, much better."
Ayana nodded, but then remembered the system's warning and her expression became serious: "Kuroro, although we successfully destroyed that stronghold yesterday, that organization still exists and will definitely not give up easily and let the children of Meteor City go."
"Hmm." Kuroro nodded. "I know, but it's okay. We're together, we'll find a way."
The boy scratched his face with his fingers, embarrassed. "But even so, I'm still a little scared."
Ayana understood Kuroro's feelings. She rallied her spirits, raised her arm, and strained her muscles as she reassured him, "It's alright, don't be afraid, Kuroro. I'm very strong, don't you believe me?"
Kuroro was amused by her appearance, and a smile appeared on his innocent and childlike face.
She winked at Kuroro: "My potatoes seem to be ripe. I need to go harvest them first."
A smile flashed in Kuroro's eyes as he replied, "Okay, let's go together."
…
Golden sunlight shines on the small plot of land that has just been cultivated, where plump potato fruits are half-filled in the soft soil.
Just as the system indicated, the potatoes were indeed ripe and ready for harvest.
Ayana brought Chrollo, Nobunaga, and Uvogin with her.
Feitan was still asleep, so Phinks stayed home to look after him and didn't come.
Wow, it's only been a few days! How did they get to know each other so quickly!
Uvogin's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together: "This is enough for us to eat for a long time!"
As children of Meteor City, they have always been hungry and cold, and they almost always rummage through garbage dumps for food.
Seeing such abundant fruit for the first time, their eyes practically lit up.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get started!"
Wokin shouted and rushed into the field, squatted down, and deftly pulled up the potato vines.
Looking at the plump potatoes hanging below, he excitedly picked them up and shouted to the others.
"Look!! There are so many fruits!"
Kuroro and Nobunaga joined in immediately, their movements not very skillful, but they were both very serious.
Just then, a figure appeared silently.
It was a girl.
She looked about the same age as Ayana, with pink hair tied in a high ponytail, wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts.
Her expression revealed a calmness and detachment beyond her years. Her gaze fell on Uvogin, who was working enthusiastically, and she said, "Uvogin."
Uvogin looked up at the sound, saw the girl, and grinned broadly, saying, "Machi? How did you find this place?"
Machi didn't answer his question, but just looked at him calmly and asked, "Where have you been lately? I thought you were dead."
The girl's words were sharp, yet they revealed a hint of concern.
This is her unique way of showing concern.
Uvogin paused, scratched his head, unsure how to explain the recent events, and instinctively looked at Ayana.
March followed his gaze and saw the girl, but paused for a moment.
She had a brief encounter with this girl.
At the time, she assumed the girl was a rich young lady from out of town who wouldn't last long and would probably die soon.
Even after all this time, the girl is still alive, her eyes are still bright, and she still has the same spirited look she had when she first came to Meteor City.
Ayana noticed the commotion, looked over, and gave Machi a friendly smile.
"Have you been hanging out with these people lately?" Machi's gaze swept over the group, somewhat puzzled. "Didn't you used to look down on associating with them?"
There were a few more words that Machi didn't say.
She wanted to say, "Don't you usually only know how to use your fists to solve things? How come you're acting like you're getting along well with these people?"
Machi's gaze was drawn to the potato Uvogin was holding, her eyes flashing with curiosity and doubt.
For some reason, she suddenly asked, "Do you need any help?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
