In the early morning, Sora chatted with Mikan-chan by the window as usual, only turning back after she left to make breakfast for herself and Rito.
"Ahem!"
As if choked by something, Lala sat up, rubbing her sore little mouth and wiping away the mysterious liquid still lingering at the corners.
"Lala, you've been improving a lot lately," Sora praised, patting her head.
"Heehee…"
Lala beamed, hugging his arm.
Unable to watch any longer, a certain silver-haired loli turned her head away, trying to suppress her endless shame and anger.
You wicked Kusanagi Sora! Just how far will you go to defile us before you're satisfied?!
"Hah… let's go make breakfast," Sora said with a satisfied stretch. He picked up his little pet and, with an arm around Lala, walked out of the room.
When they entered the living room, they found someone was already up. It was a figure with their back to them, but it wasn't Run.
As if sensing them, the person suddenly turned around. It was a handsome boy with short, silver-gray hair, a red rose held between his teeth.
He walked towards them with an elegant, light-footed grace, performed a perfect gentleman's bow, and offered the rose to Lala.
"Ah… Lala-chan, to see you again at last…"
"You must be surprised and moved. I have come to fulfill our promise," he said, gazing at Lala with a look of deep affection and anticipation.
Seeing this boy who had suddenly appeared and was clearly trying to court Lala, Sora's eyes narrowed into a smile, but he said nothing. Rhea let out a disdainful snort, obviously recognizing him.
As for Lala, she had a thoughtful expression on her face. She tilted her head and asked in confusion—
"Um… who are you?"
Who are you… who are you… who are you…
Lala's voice echoed in the room. The boy, who had been full of affection and anticipation, stood with his mouth agape, feeling as if an arrow had just pierced his heart and shattered it into a million pieces.
"Ha… haha… As expected of Lala-chan. Winning your heart is no easy task," the boy said, clutching his chest and stumbling back. But he seemed to be used to such blows and quickly regained his composure.
"But I will not give up! And why? Because—"
"I am a man now!!!" he declared, clenching his fists, an overwhelming aura of confidence radiating from him.
"A man… ah, I remember now! You're the crybaby, Ren-chan!" Lala clapped her hands, as if she had finally remembered something.
Indeed, the boy was Lala's childhood playmate, the Memorzorian who shared a body with Run, Ren Elsie Jewelria.
"Hmph, so you finally remember…" Ren said, a smirk on his lips as he coolly brushed back his short, silver-gray hair. "It's true, I used to be just Lala-chan's toy. Because I looked like a girl, you dressed me in girl's clothes and often used me as a test subject for your new inventions. Every day was so painful, yet so fulfilling."
"Though you made me cry every day, those are fond memories…"
His deep eyes seemed to gaze into the past, his face filled with nostalgia and happiness.
Lala aside, Sora and Rhea were utterly speechless, a large bead of sweat on their foreheads. This poor boy had apparently been bullied and tormented by Lala his entire childhood, but not only did he not resent her, he had developed a case of Stockholm syndrome and fallen in love with her.
What a pitiful and tragic kid…
"Lala-chan, do you remember? We once promised that if I became very manly, you would marry me," Ren said, his expression changing as he looked at Lala again, his eyes filled with endless anticipation.
"Lady Lala, did you really say that?" Peke, in the form of Lala's hair accessory, couldn't help but ask quietly.
"Ah… maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't remember clearly," Lala replied, her chin in her hand, deep in thought.
Ren temporarily ignored Lala and turned his gaze to Sora.
"Kusanagi Sora, do you know what my presence here means?"
"Yes! Everything is for the sake of making Lala-chan acknowledge my manliness! In the end, I will be the one to marry her!" Ren declared, his arms spread wide as if to display his boundless confidence.
"Alright, alright, the farce ends here. Though I feel sorry for you, Lala is already mine. I won't give her to anyone," Sora said with a look of mock defeat as he walked forward, holding Rhea.
If it had been anyone else trying to woo Lala, he would have already sent an energy blast their way. But knowing that, both in the original story and now, this boy was just a pitiful, tragic character who would never win Lala's heart, Sora didn't even have the heart to teach him a lesson. He plucked a small strand of Rhea's silver hair and tickled Ren's nose with it.
"Kusanagi Sora, what do you think you're doing?"
"Damn it! To use such a despicable trick! Stop… ah… ah… achoo!"
He tried to resist, but it was too late. The hair tickled his nose, and he couldn't help but sneeze.
With the sound of a small explosion, Ren vanished, and in his place was Run, looking lost and confused.
"Hah… Ren-chan turned into Run-chan!"
The thoughtless Lala ran over and gave Run an affectionate hug.
"Nngh… Lala, let go…"
"Sora, d-did you already know?" Run asked, finally struggling free from Lala's grasp. She looked at Sora, her head bowed, flustered.
"Yeah, I've known for a while. That Run is a Memorzorian and turns into a boy when she sneezes," Sora replied with a smile.
"Do you… do you think we're weird? Will you… dislike me now…" she asked, her voice small, clearly very nervous and worried.
"No, I won't. A girl as pretty and cute as Run… I could never dislike you," Sora replied with the same gentle smile, stroking her forehead, not seeming to mind at all.
The harsh living conditions on their home planet had led to the Memorzorians' unique gender-swapping physiology, but once they reached a certain stage of maturity, the male and female would separate into independent individuals. He didn't care what happened to Ren, but he had no intention of letting the girl Run go from the very beginning.
"Aww… Sora!"
As if a great weight had been lifted from her heart, Run was so moved that she threw herself into his arms.
"Sora, I… I want to be your… your fiancée too, just like Lala!"
As if she had made a great decision, the girl looked up, her face blushing, and spoke, her voice stammering but firm.
"Heh… Are you serious, Run?" Sora asked, a strange light in his eyes.
"Mmm. When I was being bullied by those bad guys, you appeared and saved me. And I can't forget the feeling of my body and soul being released when we kissed."
"I thought about it all last night. I know I've fallen in love with you, Sora. So, I want to be your fiancée too. Can I?"
Her big, watery eyes sparkled with a captivating light, her beautiful face filled with a mix of shyness and anticipation.
Run was a girl who was brave enough to express her feelings. Having finally met a boy she liked so much, she didn't want to miss her chance and regret it for the rest of her life just because of a moment of shyness.
"I like you a lot too, Run. That's my answer…"
It was completely against his nature to refuse someone who offered themselves to him so willingly. He whispered in her ear and then forcefully captured her lips.
Watching the shy and dazed girl respond to him, a devilish light flashed in Sora's eyes. Both Lala and Run were his now. Poor Ren Elsie Jewelria could just spend the rest of his life alone, like Rito-kun…