"Kotegawa-san, are you still going to follow us? Though I would be happy to have you visit my home," Sora said with a laugh, having reached the crossroads on the way home, looking at Yui, who had been tailing him all day.
"Hmph, as if I'd want to go to your house!"
"Kusanagi Sora, don't get complacent! I will be watching you like this every single day from now on! You'd better be prepared!"
With a blush on her cheeks, Yui shot him a glare, threw down her threat, and then turned and walked towards her own home.
"Yui-chan, come play again tomorrow! See you!"
"Ha… haha… Kotegawa-san is really… persistent," Lala waved goodbye to her, and Haruna had a weary expression. As for Rito, he let out a long sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness, that Kotegawa finally left…"
Though her target was Sora, having her around put him under a lot of pressure.
"Well then, I'm going home too. See you tomorrow, Sora-san, Lala-san, Rhea-chan, and… Rito-kun."
Haruna also said her goodbyes. She nodded to them, though her gaze towards Rito was a little complicated. She quickly looked away.
Sora and Lala said their goodbyes as well. Rito numbly replied, a sense of loss in his heart as he watched her walk away.
Lately, not only had he not made any progress with her, but the spiritual connection they once had seemed to be growing more and more distant. He had even seen a look of disappointment in her eyes.
He had tried so, so hard, but… but… was even Haruna-chan starting to doubt him, to give up on him?!
This made him incredibly sad, even a little panicked. He didn't know what to do…
Filled with a sense of loss and dejection, he suddenly noticed something and his eyes widened.
"It's falling… it's going to crash… Sora-san, Lala-san, look at the sky!"
In his field of vision, a fiery red object, like a meteor, was shooting down from the sky, heading right for them.
Seeing his terrified expression, Sora and Lala looked up. But they could see clearly that it wasn't a meteor, but a person in a strange suit, flying through the air. It was probably some kind of alien.
However, the person seemed to be unable to control their speed. The intense friction with the air made them look like a fireball from a distance. If they were to crash like that, it would undoubtedly cause quite a commotion.
Without a word, Sora threw an energy blast at it.
BOOM!!!!!
"Ah…"
With a loud explosion and a cry of agony, the unknown alien was sent flying.
"Rito-kun, Lala and I are going to buy some groceries. You can go home first," Sora said, as if he had just done something insignificant. He then took Lala to a nearby supermarket, leaving Rito standing there, stunned and speechless…
…
"Lala, what do you want for dinner tonight? I'll make it for you."
"Hehe… as long as you're making it, I'll love it."
"Heh… your mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter, Lala. I like hearing that."
Carrying several bags of groceries, Sora and Lala were walking hand-in-hand on the grassy riverbank, still acting like a lovey-dovey couple. A certain silver-haired loli perched on his shoulder had a disdainful expression, but even she had to admit that this detestable guy's cooking was irresistible.
"LALA!!!"
A shout suddenly came from the sky. They all looked up and saw the same guy who had been blown away earlier, flying towards them again.
Leaving a long trail of wind, he was incredibly fast and reached them in an instant. With a loud crash, he hit the ground, sending dust flying.
"Ah… stuck… my head is stuck! Help… help me!"
Looking at the strange guy who had managed to get his head stuck in the ground and was now struggling and crying for help, Sora, Lala, and Rhea all had speechless expressions, their eyes twitching.
"Lala, is he someone you know?"
With his ability to fly and strange clothes, he was obviously from another planet. Sora asked Lala.
"I can't remember… I don't think so…" she replied after a moment's thought.
"If you don't know him, then don't worry about it. Let's go home."
With a shrug and a cold, ruthless statement, he prepared to leave with Lala.
"Ah… I almost suffocated…"
"Lala, wait!"
Finally pulling his head out of the ground, the person flashed in front of them, blocking their path.
"Lala, have you forgotten? It's me, Pikari! Pikari!"
The blonde-haired, blue-eyed alien, who would have been quite handsome if not for his ridiculous rocket suit, beat on his chest, as if trying to jog her memory.
"Pikari… who's that?"
The cowlick on her head twitched as she tried to remember, but she still couldn't place him.
"Lady Lala, that's the uniform of the Kirarian people," Peke, in the form of her clothes and hair accessory, reminded her.
"Ah… you're Rocket-kun from the Kirarian people!" Lala clapped her hands, as if she had finally remembered.
"Not Rocket, it's Pikari!"
"Lala, I came all this way to see you! I heard you're already engaged. Is it true?"
"And I heard he's a human. Is it the guy next to you?" Pikari asked, pointing at Sora, his voice a little shaky, a suspicious look on his face.
"Yeah, this is Sora, my husband. We're very happy together," Lala said, clinging to his arm and nuzzling him, her face full of bliss.
"How could this be…"
"Lala, I'm the one who loves you the most! Please leave this human at once and come back with me to Planet Kirara to get married!"
Clutching his chest with a heartbroken expression, Pikari quickly pulled himself together. I'm one of the most promising warriors of the Kirarian people! Am I not better than a weak and useless human?
"No! I'll never leave Sora!" Lala said, hugging him tightly, her expression a little angry.
She would never leave him and marry someone else! Never ever!
"Lala, don't worry about it. Just give him an energy blast. Let's go home," Sora said, comforting her.
Another guy from another planet, chasing after her. Though it was a little annoying, it also proved how wonderful his Lala was. He patted her head.
"Mmm!!!"
With a nod, completely obedient to him, Lala held out her small palm, and a basketball-sized energy blast formed.
"Here, you can play with this, Pikari. Don't bother us anymore," she said, handing the blast to him, her pout making it clear she didn't want to be bothered again.
"Ah… thank you."
Numbly taking the blast, the poor Pikari even politely said thank you.
Hand-in-hand, Sora and Lala walked around him and left. Pikari looked at the blast in his hand, which was glowing brighter and brighter, and he finally seemed to realize something. But—
BOOM!!!!!
With a loud explosion and a flash of light, the blast detonated, engulfing him.
"He's not dead, is he? Well, who cares," Sora muttered to himself. But neither he, Lala, nor the silver-haired loli munching on a snack looked back. No one cared about Pikari's fate.
"Ahem… wait! Lala! Human!"
Pikari's voice. It seemed he hadn't died in the explosion. He flashed in front of them again.
Though he looked battered, he didn't seem to be seriously injured. A strange light flashed in Sora's eyes. As expected of one of the most powerful races in the universe, the Kirarian people. Though Lala hadn't used much power in her blast, it wasn't something an ordinary person could withstand.
"Pikari, you're really annoying! Get out of the way! We have to go home and make delicious food!" Lala said, glaring at him and raising her little fist. She was ready to throw another blast at him if Sora gave the order, one that would definitely send him flying this time.
"Human, I challenge you to a duel! The loser will leave Lala. How about it?!"
Not looking at Lala, having apparently learned his lesson from the last blast, Pikari's fiery gaze was fixed on Sora.
Hearing his words, Lala didn't react much, but the loli on his shoulder looked up, sneered coldly, and had an expression that said she was looking at an idiot.
"Hah… honestly, why does everyone always want to duel me? Do I really look that weak, that easy to bully?"
"Alright, Pikari-kun, is it? What do you want to compete in?" Sora said, covering his forehead with a weary expression. Though this Pikari was a powerful Kirarian, an opponent like him really didn't get him excited.
"Speed! We'll compete to see who can fly faster!"
All awakened Kirarian people possessed the power of light, so speed was their absolute strength and advantage. Pikari answered without a second thought.
And in his mind, it was doubtful if a weak human could even fly.
"Fine. We'll race to see who can fly around the Earth and get back here first. Let's start now," Sora said, not wanting to waste any more time.
"Alright, human! Let me show you the unparalleled speed of the Kirarian people!"
"Lala, wait for me! I'm off!"
Incredibly confident that he would win, Pikari activated the rocket system on his waist and shot into the sky, leaving a long trail of light as he disappeared into the distance.
"Sora, aren't you going to start?" Lala asked, tilting her head in confusion, seeing him still standing there.
"You silly Lala, start what? We're going home," he replied, tapping her on the head.
"Oh…"
Still a little confused, she nodded. But if he said they were going home, then they were going home.
And so, Sora and Lala went home with their groceries. As for the poor Pikari from Planet Kirara, he could just fly off on his own…