I lowered my head and turned around. Suddenly, I recalled the present that he’d been making for me. That… star, I should first find that star. He’d taken so many days to prepare the present for me, so I should go pick it.

Then, I would have the courage to face him again.

As I turned around, I saw Harry standing there stiffly. He finally showed up?

He stood there stiffly, as if I’d turned around too quickly and he hadn’t managed to hide in time.

He and I stood at the tunnel as we looked at each other. He suddenly blushed.

“I- I’ll leave.” He turned around awkwardly.

“Harry!” I quickly called. I’d finally gotten the old decisive me back.

His body stiffened again, like he wanted to leave but also didn’t want to leave at the same time. He was as hesitant as that night when I’d hidden but also wanted to face Raffles.

He looked disturbed. It seemed that he hadn’t slept well for the past few days either.

“Harry, let me ask you a serious question. You have to answer me honestly.” I walked up to him. He blinked and nodded but he didn’t look at me.

“Do you really like Raffles?!” I really couldn’t hold it in anymore. Although he’d explained to Sis Ming You before, his actions were really suspicious.

He swiveled to stare at me with his amber eyes wide open, “Why would you think so?!”

“Why did you avoid me then?!” I was restless as I stared at him. “You don’t like Raffles. Then, why did you ignore me for the past few days?!”

“I didn’t ignore you.” Harry was fidgety. He sighed and rolled his eyes at me impatiently, before he finally turned around and said, “Raffles made it clear that he likes you. I can’t be by your side after you rejected him and he is all alone…” Harry was pouting in the end. “That’s hurtful to him… He will be sad…”

“I didn’t want to upset him too…” I lowered my head. “I am sad too. But… I really… didn’t know what to do…”

“Tsk, then just lock him down! Then, it’ll be easy for all of us. We can be like before again and I wouldn’t feel awkward,” Harry suddenly shouted at me as though he couldn’t hold himself back.

I lifted my face and looked at him. “You want to go back to before too?”

“Of course!” He held his forehead impatiently. “God knows how torturous it was for me. I am going crazy. This is even worse than when you ignored me back then…” He massaged his temples as though he was having a headache. “I really want to go back to before soon. The three of us can eat together, talk together, play together, go on missions together, together!” He put his hand down and looked at me. Then, he got carried away and started staring at me blankly again.

I furrowed my eyebrows and bit my lip, then nodded heavily. “Alright! I will take care of this!” I finally made up my mind. I had to end this terrible situation among the three of us! This whole thing had been caused by my indecisiveness. It had started because of me, so I had to be the one to solve it. I decided to look for Raffles. I was going to pick that star!

I walked past Harry in huge strides.

“Where are you going?!”

“I am going to figure out a way for us to go back to before! I don’t want this to continue!” I began running through the tunnel.

In this world, there were fewer females and more males.

In this world, males viewed females as the moon while they were the stars that kept moon company.

In this world, males would be content as long as they were by the side of the females they liked.

What I thought might not be what Raffles thought.

However, what Raffles wanted was something I could give to him.

Since I could give Raffles the happiness that he wanted, why wouldn’t I give it to him?

He was my best friend. He was the most important person to me after I’d come to this world. He’d taken up an important position at the bottom of my heart since long ago. I didn’t want him to be unhappy, I didn’t want him to become the old Raffles again. I wanted him to stay by my side and continue to live happily with me.

How would I know if I didn’t try?

How would I know if the ending would be bad or good if I didn’t try?

How could I adapt to this world if I didn’t try?

I already lived in this world. There were some things that I could change for the happiness of the people around me.

I plucked up the courage to try. I plucked up the courage to face this feeling. I plucked up the courage to accept the final outcome.

I ran to the reservoir. Under the silent moonlight, there was a lonely figure.

It was Raffles…

Raffles stood by the reservoir in silence, not moving an inch. The night breeze blew against his short grayish-blue hair that he had cut to become a true man in my head. The short hair revealed his slender neck.

Now, I understood that all his changes were for… me…

He had been trying hard to change but I had been clinging onto my old customs from my own world, which were completely incompatible with this world.

He slowly looked up at the starry night sky.

He seemed to have… lost weight…

I walked up behind him, but he didn’t notice me and continued to look up at the night sky in silence. He looked at the brightly lit moon in the night sky. If it wasn’t because it was a full moon, I would have thought that he was admiring Silver Moon City, like Arsenal.

Looking at him, I felt calm. Yet though I’d become calm, my face began to blush.

Because I didn’t know what to say…

Should I say: Hey, Raffles, long time no see?

That sounds so silly….

Or: Raffles, I think you are quite easy on the eyes. Why not let’s give it a try?

That’s so unsophisticated…

I should have read more literature. In such a situation, would speaking in a genteel manner be better?

This is so barbaric…

Raffles gradually lowered his face and looked into the lake. He startled when he saw my reflection in the lake, so shocked that he nearly stumbled into the lake. I subconsciously grabbed his shoulders and he looked away hastily. “So- sorry. I caused you trouble.”

I stared at him in distress. He still felt that he’d caused me trouble, when it was actually my refusal that Harry and everyone had become awkward. I was the one who was really causing trouble.

“I- I am really okay. Don’t worry.” He lowered his face and took a deep breath. He faced the lake but didn’t look at me. “I won’t bother you, I…”

I looked at him and let go of his arm. “Where’s my birthday present?”

Raffles was stunned, but kept his back to me.

I continued to watch him. “Where’s that star? Are you here today to take it back?!”

He finally turned around to look at me in surprise. I immediately lowered my head bashfully. “I don’t like how we are now. I like how we were back then. I like being with you, so…” My heart started racing. From his reflection on the lake surface, I saw the way his burning gaze was fixed on me. I only understood now that it was a gaze of deep affection because he liked me.