"Ah... Don't be so heartless, Lumine. We've been together for so long, after all. And you, Kaito, say something for me! Without me, it would definitely have a huge impact on you guys."
Unexpectedly finding that Lumine had begun to feel things would be the same with or without her, Paimon hurriedly turned to Kaito for help.
"Indeed, it would have a huge impact..." Lumine replied quickly to Paimon's plea.
Of course, she didn't specify what that impact was.
If she absolutely had to say it, naturally, it would be that she could save money.
However, the situation was actually a bit different now; it should be said that Kaito would be the one saving money.
Ever since they started traveling with Kaito, he had basically been responsible for their food and lodging.
"That's true. Without you, I feel like Lumine would be very lonely." Kaito nodded, causing Lumine to look at him with some surprise.
Lonely, huh...
Withdrawing her gaze, Lumine knew Kaito was right.
Although Kaito and the others were here now, she still actually spent the most time with Paimon.
As for Kaito, she didn't really know what their relationship was right now.
Am I considered this guy's girlfriend?
Recalling how Acheron and Miko had previously treated her as Kaito's girlfriend, Lumine couldn't help but think this way.
In truth, she was quite conflicted. She had neither admitted nor denied it when Acheron and the others treated her as Kaito's girlfriend.
Honestly, she really wanted to ask Kaito what he said about it.
Although her opinion as one of the parties involved was certainly important, she wanted to see what Kaito's view on the matter was first.
However, she also knew that Kaito definitely knew how Acheron and the others felt, yet she had still never heard him mention this matter.
Maybe Kaito thought the same way she did: neither admitting nor denying it.
Sigh...
If we both stay like this, it feels like we'll never take that step in a lifetime...
I wonder how Acheron and the others managed to take that step with Kaito?
Were they all proactive?
Recalling what Miko had said to her before, Lumine guessed that Acheron and Wendy had taken that step themselves first.
So then...
Should I do that too?
Or should I continue to wait for Kaito and see if he takes the initiative to say something to me?
Although Lumine felt she should be a bit more proactive when communicating with Miko previously, now that she was thinking about whether she really should be proactive, she hesitated again.
Sigh...
How exactly does one be 'proactive'?
Could it be that I just tell Kaito directly, 'From today on, I am your girlfriend'?
But that feels way too weird...
Attempting to visualize how she would go about being proactive, Lumine found she truly couldn't imagine how to pull it off.
Maybe I should just ask Miko?
I wonder how she did it.
Or ask Wendy?
Thinking this, Lumine's gaze turned toward Wendy, who was walking in front.
However, she soon felt that Wendy might have actually done exactly what she just imagined—directly telling Kaito, 'From today on, I am your girlfriend.'
And if Wendy did that, Lumine felt it wouldn't be strange at all.
But if she were to do that, she herself would feel it was very strange, let alone what others would think.
Forget it...
Better to ask Miko...
Let's see how she did it.
After thinking for a moment, Lumine decided it would be better to find a time to ask Miko.
Just as Miko had said before, she couldn't hesitate anymore.
As the saying goes: hesitation leads to defeat, but decisiveness leads to... giving yourself away?
Hmm...
Giving myself away?
That seems...
Not bad either...
But I don't even know how to give myself away...
I just feel like I'll make things very awkward...
"Lumine? Lumine!"
"Huh? What is it?"
Snapping back to reality and seeing Paimon flying right in front of her eyes, Lumine asked this subconsciously.
"Were you just thinking that without me, you'd definitely be very lonely?"
Because she had just seen Lumine looking like she was thinking about something deeply, Paimon happily made this guess.
That's right, it must be so. Lumine was absolutely thinking that she would be very lonely without her.
Lumine: "..."
Looking at the happy-faced Paimon, Lumine ultimately didn't open her mouth to deny it.
"I get the feeling Lumine likes to hide things in her heart and not say them out loud," Wendy, who was walking in front, suddenly said without looking back.
"Huh?"
Stunned for a moment, Lumine evidently hadn't expected Wendy to suddenly say that about her.
But soon, she realized that what Wendy said was indeed correct; that was exactly how she was right now.
"Yeah, sometimes even I don't know what Lumine is thinking, and she won't answer even if I ask."
Paimon was quite in agreement with what Wendy said.
Similar things had happened several times, but Lumine never answered her once, or simply brushed her off directly.
"By the way, Kaito." Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, Paimon flew in front of Kaito.
What does this Paimon want to do?
Lumine, who was preparing to retort, saw Paimon acting this way and became very curious about what she was going to do.
And alongside her curiosity, she was also worried Paimon might tell Kaito some of her personal matters.
Regardless, she had been with Paimon for so long; Paimon knew many things about her daily life. If she spoke about those, Lumine definitely wouldn't let Paimon off the hook.
"What is it?" Seeing that Paimon obviously wanted to say something to him, Kaito was also very curious about what she would say next.
If you dare say those things about me, you're dead!
Looking at Paimon somewhat nervously, Lumine thought this silently.
Although she really wanted to speak up and tell Paimon to stop, doing so would make her look guilty, so she couldn't do that.
"It's just, sometimes you should ask Lumine more questions. I feel like if you ask, she'll definitely say it." Under the gaze of Lumine and Kaito, Paimon spoke slowly.
Phew—
At least you know what's good for you!
After hearing what Paimon said to Kaito, Lumine was finally relieved.
If Paimon had really blurted out those embarrassing stories from her daily life, she would have really flown into a rage.
"Sure. However, I can't ask about just anything. Some things might be better asked by Acheron or Wendy." Nodding, Kaito answered this way.
Actually, when all was said and done, it was still him asking, but Lumine and Paimon definitely didn't know this point.
Ask me things?
Then what do you plan to ask me?
Recalling what she had just been thinking, Lumine muttered this to herself silently in her heart.
Actually, she really wanted Kaito to take the initiative to ask her some things, but obviously, she couldn't control what questions Kaito would ask.
However, if Kaito started to ask her things, that would also be a pretty good opening—at least better than before, when neither of them asked anything.
____
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