Multiplayer Lei Heng

Описание: Dreamgazing

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Back at Alice 12, the evening was quiet.

The soft hum of the refrigeration units filled the inconvenience store, accompanied by the occasional rustle of packaging and the faint ticking of a wall clock.
Behind the counter, Mako rested her head on Mei’s lap, arms folded as she pouted stubbornly.
She hadn’t forgiven her sister for sending her away like that.
Even if… she understood why.
Mei absentmindedly ran her fingers through Mako’s hair.

“Onee?”

“Hm~?”

Mako shifted slightly.

“…What happened to her?”

A small pause followed.
Mei blinked once, then leaned back against the chair.

“Tria? Well… I don’t really know either~”

She spoke casually, as if recalling a strange afternoon rather than a battle that shattered a tower.

“I did tell her that we were already friends.”

Mei giggled softly.

“She seemed pretty disgusted by that idea though~”

Mako groaned quietly.

“You’re unbelievable…”

Mei continued, unfazed.

“But one thing’s certain.”

“The Tower of Temptations is gone.”

“When it started collapsing… I didn’t see her anymore.”

“…Is that so?”

Mako’s voice was quieter now.
Mei shrugged lightly.

“Under different circumstances, she probably would’ve been someone I’d get along with.”

A small smile appeared on her face.

“…Honestly, I still kind of consider her one now.”

Mako slowly lifted her head and stared up at her.

“You’re such a weirdo…”

She sighed.

“I seriously don’t know what trait we even share.”

Mei leaned down slightly, grinning.

“Heh~ Mei Jr.~”

Her fingers gently scratched under Mako’s chin.

“Your complete devotion to me says it all~”

“…Tsk.”

Mako turned her face away.

“Stupid Onee…”

But she didn’t move from Mei’s lap.
The store fell quiet again.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Outside, the night passed by in distant waves of light.
Mako eventually relaxed, her annoyance fading as Mei continued idly playing with her hair.

“…You scared me back there,” she muttered.

Mei blinked.

“Oh?”

“You sent me away like I was just luggage.”

Mako frowned.

“I thought… maybe you weren’t coming back.”

Mei paused.

Then she leaned down and lightly tapped Mako’s forehead.

“Silly Jr.~”

Her voice softened.

“Didn’t I promise I’d come home?”

Mako muttered something unintelligible.

“…Still stupid.”

Mei chuckled quietly.
Ding.

The doorbell of Alice 12 Inconvenience Store rang.

Both sisters looked up.
A customer had entered.
Mei turned toward the entrance—
And immediately smiled.

The figure standing there was familiar.
Very familiar.
Yet…

Different.

The woman stepped inside calmly, closing the door behind her.

“So this is where you live, huh?”

Her eyes scanned the store.

“Even the Meido Faction is here.”

A faint smirk appeared.

“You really are something else.”

Mei waved lazily from behind the counter.

“They stayed here on their own~”

She tilted her head, studying the new vessel carefully.

“Now that you’re a ‘different’ person…”

Her smile widened.

“I assume you’re willing to be a bit more lovely with me~?”

Mako groaned from the chair.

“She means becoming friends…”

The woman didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, she simply watched Mei.

Then—

A faint smile appeared.

“You’re not going to drop that, are you?”

Her tone carried the same dry edge as before.

“What exactly is so appealing about being ‘friends’ with the embodiment of restrictions…”

She crossed her arms.

“…when you yourself are the embodiment of freedom?”

Mei immediately covered her ears.

“Nuuh~ not listening~”

Tria stared at her.

“…You.”

Mako buried her face in her hands.

“Welcome to Alice 12 Inconvenience Store~”

Alice 12 Inconvenience Store