Today the weather is just right, with a clear sky for miles around.
In short, it is the perfect day for an outing.
On a certain beach, groups of young people are scattered about. Some are beachcombing, some are building sandcastles, and others are having a barbecue.
They look exceedingly happy.
Every now and then, you can even spot a few little figures of light drifting to and fro.
???
Little figures of light?
Ah, yes—just as you thought.
It is a massive group outing of the New Generation Heroes!
Ling Luo and Moroboshi Dan: ......
And it is rare for everyone to be gathered together, too.
...
Moroboshi Dan walks over to a picnic mat, sits down, and turns to look at the person lying beside him.
His tone carries a hint of dissatisfaction. "Tell me, did you really just go and tell them?"
Moroboshi Dan cannot wrap his head around it. He had figured out the truth through his own skill and deduction, so why on earth did Ling Luo just spell it out directly to a bunch of kids?
He had still wanted to watch the kids continue their battle of wits against this mystery person.
How could Ling Luo just let them copy the answers directly?! He refuses to accept this!!
"Well, maybe my conscience suddenly pricked me?" Ling Luo smiles.
"Ha, and you expect me to believe that?" Moroboshi Dan wears an expression that clearly says, *What nonsense are you spouting?*
"All right, all right, I'll tell you the truth. Don't you think their expressions when they found out the truth were utterly hilarious?"
Ling Luo recalls how, when he first told the New Generation Heroes yesterday, not a single one of them believed him.
The New Generation Heroes: Someone as wonderful as Ling Luo would never lie to us, and would certainly never use us as guinea pigs for his cooking! We must have misheard (self-brainwashing).
That was, until their reliable Dan-senpai gave them confirmation.
Good grief, look at the expressions on their faces—it was as if the sky had caved in.
Ling Luo thinks to himself: Ah, my mood has instantly improved.
Moroboshi Dan opens his mouth to scold him, asking if his conscience wouldn't hurt.
Then he remembers everyone standing frozen in place for a full half-hour yesterday, tears hovering on the verge of spilling from their eyes.
The New Generation Heroes: No, wait, how can anyone have such a massive contrast in personality? Give us back our innocent, cute, and pure Ling Luo! Hasn't he been possessed by an alien?!!
"Well, it certainly was entertaining." Moroboshi Dan silently pushes down the conscience that had just tried to rear its head.
Ah? You say he has no conscience? Well, then that settles it.
As expected of people who can play together—they really are birds of a feather.
Still, you have to hand it to the endlessly energetic New Generation Heroes. Even though they looked half-dead yesterday with their worldview collapsing around them, today they are out here riding the waves and even invited Ling Luo to join them.
They really hold no grudges at all.
...
"Hey, hey, look over there. Cousin went off to find Ling Luo again." As a devoted brother-con, Taiga is always keeping an eye on his cousin.
"Ah, what are they talking about? It's too far, I can't hear clearly. I'll go take a look."
Zett is a man of action. Ignoring the disapproving looks from everyone, he prepares to charge right over.
Fortunately, the dependable Haruki reaches out and grabs his Ultra, stopping him from doing something completely unreliable.
"Their relationship really is wonderful, isn't it?" Kurenai Gai says with a touch of envy.
"Totally."
"Ah, Riku, help me grab a bottle of juice, please."
"You want this one? Catch, Kengo!"
"Do you guys want to try the new flavor of pancakes I made?"
"Agh agh, you can't eat that, Blazar!"
"Sho! Stop! You put too much salt in!"
"Eh?! What do I do, Hikaru!"
Ah, the scene suddenly descends into complete chaos.
One truly cannot blindly trust the New Generation Heroes.
...
The commotion over there quickly draws the attention of the two men.
"What on earth are those fellows up to?" Moroboshi Dan asks, puzzled.
"Ah, perhaps it's performance art. Didn't you know?"
Moroboshi Dan: ???
"Never mind, Dan, I'll go take a look. Otherwise, I'm afraid we won't even get to eat lunch today." Ling Luo rises with a resigned sigh and walks toward the group.
"This young master will come help too." Moroboshi Dan follows closely behind.
After a bout of utter chaos, everyone finally manages to cobble together a barbecue that is at least edible.
...
Watching the tide slowly creep over one's ankles is a remarkably novel experience.
Ling Luo stands at the edge of the beach, letting the sea breeze wash over him as he occasionally picks up a smooth, pleasant-looking pebble. It is sheer bliss.
This is the exact scene that meets Moroboshi Dan's eyes: the young man walking barefoot along the shoreline, looking this way and that. Whenever he finds a beloved, pretty stone, his eyes light up, and his smile is more brilliant than the sunlight.
Even though he is the rising generation's foremost prodigy in the Land of Light, his upbringing has left him fundamentally unversed in the ways of love.
This green and inexperienced youth does not understand what fondness means; he only knows that he wants to stay by this radiant person's side, draw closer to him, touch him, and offer him the most beautiful things in the world.
At this very moment, Moroboshi Dan feels a fleeting urge to pause time itself, wishing to preserve this gorgeous instant forever.
Yet he knows he cannot—that would be far too selfish.
"Dan~ Look at this~"
Pulling his thoughts back, Moroboshi Dan watches the young man run toward him with a beaming smile, and a silent resolution settles deep within his heart.
I will protect you—not because of some ethereal, vague intuition, but because of you.
"What is it?"
"Look, look~ Isn't it pretty?" Ling Luo walks over, cradling a small seashell in his hands.
Moroboshi Dan nods. Indeed, it is completely intact, and the patterns on it are lovely.
"It still seems to be missing something... Ah, I know, wait here for a second~"
He watches as Ling Luo scuttles over to a patch of shade and sits down, producing a pile of strange odds and ends from goodness knows where.
Ling Luo makes no effort to hide it, and Moroboshi Dan asks no questions.
This is the tacit understanding that belongs solely to the two of them.
"What are you up to?" Moroboshi Dan asks with a hint of curiosity.
"Just a moment, it'll be done soon."
Moroboshi Dan has no idea what the other is busy with, nor does he dare to disturb him. He simply sits down beside him, letting his mind wander, until before he knows it, he drifts off to sleep.
...
The sun tilts westward, and the once azure sky gradually flushes with red.
"Mmrph." Moroboshi Dan rubs his eyes, the blanket draped over his shoulders slipping to the ground with the movement.
Did he actually fall asleep?
"Eh, what's this?" Turning his head, he spots a small box placed right beside him.
Opening it, he finds a delicate blue seashell and several small, smooth pebbles strung together with black thread and a few pearls.
"A bracelet, is it?" Moroboshi Dan chuckles softly, then reaches up to touch the stud earring on his ear.
*Thank you. It's very pretty.*
...
By the time Moroboshi Dan returns, everyone is just about finished with their preparations.
"Zeiss, we've just been waiting for you."
"Dan, you came just in time. Let's eat."
"You really are slow, you know."
"Ha, heroes always make their entrance at the very end."
"That line doesn't apply here at all!"
...