Chapter 41: Despicable

"Lucy, you're just being stubborn!" Xida pouted disdainfully, looking utterly unconvinced.

"Sometimes, I really don't understand what you're thinking." Lucy scratched her hair roughly, giving up on trying to comprehend the strange thoughts in the girl before her.

She looked up at the clock on the wall, pointed at the man sleeping like a dead pig in front of her, and said, "We won't wait for him to wake up; just carry him back."

"Alone?"

"Whoever is the man carries him!"

"Oh, Lucy, please help me out. Can you bear to leave me alone?"

Lucy shook her head helplessly, supporting Yahweh on either side with Xida, and slowly walked out of the coffee shop.

All the way, Xida's mouth kept chattering nonstop, with no sign of stopping.

"Bear it!" Lucy clenched her fists tightly, speaking through gritted teeth.

"Hee hee, where do you live? Let's see if our routes match. If not, forget it." Xida, grinning, led Lucy to the Sky Hera parked by the roadside.

"Super Skyscraper H4."

"What a coincidence, I live in H4 too! Let's go!"

"Sigh..." Lucy covered her face, feeling a heaviness in her chest.

A long sigh slowly dissipated into the night sky drifting with fine rain.

She threw Yahweh onto the back seat, slammed the car door shut forcefully, and sat in the driver's seat.

"Angry?" Xida fastened her seatbelt while secretly observing the woman in the passenger seat.

"Next time you want to make me happy, can you use a different method?" Lucy propped her head with her hand, leaning against the car window.

The glass reflected the slight curve of her lips.

"Let's talk about it next time..."

January 18, 2074, 8:00

"Ding... ding... ding." The alarm clock faithfully and punctually fulfilled its duty.

"Good morning!"

"Xida..."

He slowly opened his eyes, following the guidance of the dawn, and gently said good morning to the early-rising oriole.

Flecks of light gently dyed the pretty girl's hair golden.

"Sleeping from last night until now..." Facing the sunlight, she lay on his chest, pouting, with her nose slightly wrinkled.

"How did we get back?"

He rubbed his sleepy eyes, wanting to get up, but she pressed him back down forcefully.

"Of course by car. Lucy drove, and I was responsible for taking care of you."

"Lucy?"

"Yeah, I didn't expect she lives in the same building as us, just a floor up or down."

"Quite a coincidence..." He smiled, complying with her wishes, and lay flat on the soft bed.

"Why are you so happy?" She pressed her hands on the man's shoulders, putting her entire weight on him.

"Want to see you get jealous."

The response was Xida's disgusted grimace.

"Get up..." She rolled her eyes and continued, "The commission hasn't made progress yet, the one about catching the thief, did you forget?"

"Then we can sleep a bit longer; I guess you wouldn't want to catch the real culprit anyway."

"Why?"

"Well, right upstairs." Yahweh jerked his chin toward the ceiling.

"Sigh... then we can only give up on the commission." Xida shook her head helplessly.

She was also too lazy to do work for the Company dogs; this time it perfectly aligned with her wishes.

"Then let's sleep a bit longer." Xida lazily stretched, sat up from on top of him, quickly threw off her clothes, and crawled back into the warm bed.

"So... why didn't you ask me the reason?" Yahweh asked, somewhat confused.

"Because I love you." Xida tilted her head back and lightly kissed his dry lips.

Silver hair cascaded down, concealing the emotions surging in her eyes.

"Love?"

Their understanding of "love" seemed somewhat different.

"What is love to you?"

Yahweh asked, somewhat apprehensive.

He rarely felt such uncertainty; perhaps it was because he cared too much.

Xida was like a lively little bird, always chattering, circling around him.

The first time he felt fear was because he always worried the little bird would one day quietly fly away, to a place even he couldn't find.

Even without him, this little bird would raise its proud head high against the blinding sunlight; would soar freely in the blue sky, stretching its free form; would turn its back to the moon, bowing its head to groom its messy feathers; and on rainy nights, would hide in a small room, curling into a ball, quietly waiting for the sun to pierce the dark clouds and shine on the sky again.

He couldn't guess her heart, so he became somewhat anxious about gains and losses.

"What is love, Xida?"

He held the girl's slender waist tightly and repeated softly.

"Love is the surrender of free will..." She stroked his chest, the delicate warmth flowing drop by drop from her fingertips into her heart.

"I love you, without reservation.

So I won't ask about the stories you actively hide; I will choose to support all your actions unconditionally.

I only ask that when you love me, you are fully focused, but I don't care if you fall in love with someone else..."

"How could I possibly fall in love with anyone else? I only love you."

Yahweh rubbed his eyes and couldn't help but interrupt her unrealistic assumption.

"Fool..." she sighed softly, pressing her lips close to rub against the dampness at the corner of his eye.

"Someday I will grow old and die peacefully in your arms..."

"Without Xida, there would be no meaning in my life."

They had once envisioned the future together, and the decision he made back then would not change.

"That's why I call you a fool, Yahweh." Xida smiled gently and hugged his somewhat cold body tightly. "Humans are so fragile; our lives are limited, which is why we always pursue infinite value."

"There will always be a way. Trust me, Xida."

"Perhaps..." Xida smiled noncommittally, simply drawing circles on his chest lightly as she continued speaking.

"Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, and desire—the seven human emotions. I can only selfishly let you experience two of them.

As for the remaining five emotions, find someone else." She smiled mischievously and lightly kissed his trembling lips.

"A despicable person like me only wants to be your harbor, letting your soul remain forever peaceful; I only want to be the cotton quilt warmed by the winter sun, letting you feel a comfortable warmth... just like now." Xida blinked gently and pressed herself tightly against him.

"That isn't despicable at all."

"Despicable, selfish—that is my love, Yahweh."

"I still don't understand."

"After I leave, you will go mad and fall in love with every girl who bears my silhouette... isn't that despicable?"

"You won't leave me, Xida. I promise." Yahweh whispered softly in her ear.

"Even if I am selfish, despicable, and unreasonable, will you still love me?" Her trembling hands gently stroked his back, trying to calm the unease within her heart.

"I love you far more than you imagine, Xida." He grabbed her trembling hand tightly, demonstrating his feelings through action. "I will not forget our promise."