Helping humanity?
When the girl looked at Kevin and Elysia conversing from a distance, the idea that popped into her head made her stop chewing for a few seconds. Only after swallowing the food in her mouth did she return to normal.
This phrasing was subtle. What constitutes helping humanity? What are the scope and content of this definition?
But she wouldn't deny that she was helping humanity.
At least… not right now.
The invisible girl took a final look at the two people conversing, who hadn't noticed her at all, then turned and left the corridor, gradually exiting her invisible state in a place where no one could see her.
"Are you… MSA-970?"
A hesitant voice caused her to stop. Kosma was standing nearby, just around the corner ahead.
"...Kosma." She naturally recognized him.
"…"
"Speak. Don't think a whole lot then say nothing." The girl spoke directly, interrupting Kosma's complicated inner monologue. After their first encounter, she could tell that he was prone to overthinking. Normally, she was the type who wouldn't speak unless asked, but having to guess Kosma's psychological activity during a conversation was too exhausting.
Kosma was startled. This person had immediately seen through his divergent thoughts. Was this the skill of someone personally trained by Captain Lin?
"Last time... I'm sorry, I was too emotional." Kosma wanted to apologize to the girl. He completely understood the girl's perspective, as he was the same way. However, after having been in the Fire Moth for several years, he still couldn't control his emotions and argued about such trivial things with others. It was really inexcusable.
So, seeking her out this time was also a way to make up for his mistake. He believed Kevin, standing in the same position, would surely do the same.
The girl tilted her head: "It doesn't matter."
"Oh…"
Their conversation reached a stalemate again. Kosma simply didn't know how to start, and the girl mostly interacted with Lin. Lin rarely spoke, and they usually understood each other without much communication.
"Want to go get something to eat?"
The girl asked abruptly.
…
"Shenzhou Wonton Noodles... Lin said he would make them for me, but we were assigned to different missions before I could eat them."
The girl broke apart the disposable chopsticks, picked up the uniformly thick noodles, lifted her helmet, brought the noodles to her mouth, and began slurping them down.
"Uh, you…" Kosma saw that most of the bowl of noodles was gone in an instant, and once again didn't know how to comment on the girl.
How could she look so refined while eating, yet eat with such terrifying speed?
The girl raised her eyelids and glanced at him: "Speak. Don't give me the silent treatment."
"...This isn't the silent treatment."
"You're neither eating the noodles nor speaking, just sitting there without any expression." The girl put down her chopsticks and let out a light burp. "Isn't that giving me the silent treatment?"
"…"
In the blink of an eye, the girl had finished the bowl of noodles. Kosma hadn't even clearly seen how she finished it, and the noodles in front of him were still steaming hot, untouched.
How to put it, the girl gave him a feeling similar to the Vil-V he had only met a few times: her thinking was too jumpy, perhaps even more so than Vil-V. Vil-V, at least, had a basis in reality and logic, but this girl seemed to act on impulse. One second they were talking about serious matters, and the next she was asking if he wanted to eat.
Kosma sighed, broke apart his chopsticks, and started eating the noodles.
Since he was originally a resident of Mu, he wasn't familiar with using chopsticks. The headquarters cafeteria offered international cuisine, so he hadn't learned how to use them, causing him to use the chopsticks like a fork when eating the noodles.
"You don't know how to use chopsticks?" the girl asked.
Kosma could answer this honestly: "No."
"Oh, I'll teach you." The girl nodded seriously. Under Kosma's bewildered gaze, she picked up her chopsticks and demonstrated to him: "If you don't eat Shenzhou noodles with chopsticks, the flavor drops by a whole level."
"That... is unnecessary, isn't it?"
"Of course it is. Chopsticks are very simple. Lin taught me once, and I knew how to use them."
Kosma was confused but followed the girl's instruction on how to use chopsticks. The lesson lasted the entire afternoon. The whole bowl of noodles had turned into a cold, congealed mass, and he still hadn't eaten a single bite.
The girl was exceptionally serious about this. She wouldn't quit until she had taught Kosma. Any attempt he made to eat the noodles with a half-learned grip would be forcefully stopped by her.
"Mmm, good."
The girl nodded with satisfaction. Through her unremitting efforts, Kosma finally learned how to use chopsticks. At least his posture was quite proper now.
And Kosma, looking at the chopsticks in his hand, which felt like an extension of his arm, felt a sense of accomplishment and laughed along with the girl.
"Grrrr…"
Kosma's stomach let out a grating rumble.
"…"
"…"
Kosma and the girl simultaneously looked in silence at the doorway, which was now completely dark outside. Then they looked at the empty cafeteria, and finally fixed their gaze on the completely solidified wonton noodles.
What followed was an awkward stare-down.
The girl suddenly pointed at Kosma with a serious face: "It's your fault. If you had learned faster, you could have eaten the noodles."
"Huh?"
...
The two sat bored at a small table, with two cups of instant noodles steeping.
Ultimately, the girl had to bring Kosma back to her room to eat instant noodles. Since she wanted a late-night snack anyway, she figured she might as well let the hungry Kosma eat with her.
The most frustrating thing for Kosma wasn't that the girl offered him instant noodles, but that they would ultimately use a fork to eat the instant noodles...
"Do you... do you seriously eat like this all day long?" Kosma couldn't help but ask when he saw the "tip of the iceberg" of the girl's stash of reserve food.
"Yes, but Lin makes me a lot of good food at once, so I don't need to buy snacks." The girl admitted without hesitation. "Eating helps people relax. The process of chewing and swallowing provides satisfaction, so it's the healthiest and most normal form of entertainment."
It's probably not that healthy if you eat too much... Kosma thought silently.
However, Kosma had to admit that being around this girl made him feel inexplicably relaxed. It was as if there were no barriers in communicating with her, and she would sincerely voice her inner thoughts.
Even though he didn't even know the girl's name.
"By the way, Kosma, do you have a lover?"
"No."
"Oh, you don't look like the type to have one."
"…"