"A notebook?" March blinks as Zhi Jiang picks a notebook from one of the Space Station's stores.
"Yeah..." Zhi Jiang says, not showing a lot of emotion.
"Are you planning to record any moments of your adventures? Because if you are, then we're both thinking alike!" March exclaims as she pulls out her own book filled with sticky notes, pictures, and bookmarks. Zhi Jiang blinks before chuckling a bit.
"I am, but probably won't be as fancy as yours." Zhi Jiang says as he grabs a few pens. "This is more of a diary note than an album."
"That's nice. That means you will preserve your memory with your mind and your book." March says excitedly before noticing Zhi Jiang frowning. "Um, did I say something wrong?"
"N-no, it's just..." Zhi Jiang says as he rubs the back of his neck. "I don't think I could trust my own head to preserve my own memory...."
"Eh?" March was expecting something, but this isn't one of them.
"..nevermind, it was nothing," Zhi Jiang simply dismisses it before he approaches the cashier and tries to pay, but he pauses a bit as he looks at his phone and looks at March.
"...March? Can you tell me which one of these apps is used to pay?" Zhi Jiang asks innocently. March's mind goes blank as she doesn't expect this at all, before she starts bursting into laughter. Zhi Jiang can't help but blush in embarrassment while the cashier respectfully tries to stop himself from laughing as well.
"Come on, March. Help me out, will ya?" Zhi Jiang begs as March tries and fails to stop herself from laughing and approaches him. After paying for the notebook and pen, they were greeted by Asta and Arlan, who had just happened to pass by.
"Oh, Zhi Jiang, March. I wasn't expecting you two to be here," Asta greets with a huge smile.
"I had to drag Zhi Jiang around the space station so he could buy something that he likes," March says teasingly. "No offense to him, but his room is so plain that I find white-painted walls have more personality."
"Give me a break, will ya?" Zhi Jiang groans exasperatedly.
"Okay, okay..." March giggles a bit, earning an amused smile from both Asta and Arlan.
"Hey, I never got the chance to say this before, but thanks for helping us protect the space station," Arlan says as he glances at Zhi Jiang. "Especially you. I was too preoccupied by everything that happened that I never got the chance to say thanks."
"It's fine," Zhi Jiang waves it off. "I couldn't just stand there and watch a bunch of children being in danger. And since I was just happening to be nearby, I figured that I should do something."
"Still, it would be considered rude not to thank the person who helped protect the innocent bystanders," Arlan says with a smile as Zhi Jiang simply nods.
"I would love to give you a tour around the Space Station, given that the Astral Express needs to wait for Madam Herta to arrive for official business, and not to mention this is your first time here. Unfortunately, with the destruction around the space station caused by the Antimatter Legion, we had to focus on repairs," Asta says apologetically.
"Do you guys need any help with the repairs?" Zhi Jiang asks as everyone blinks. Neither of them expects Zhi Jiang to offer a helping hand. "I might not be good enough to help with the actual repairs, given how out of touch I am with the intergalactic world, but I could help with some heavy-lifting."
"We are thankful for the offer," Asta says while waving her hands dismissively. "But, that wouldn't be necessary. We haveequipments and workers for the repairs."
"I...see..." Zhi Jiang says while scratching his cheek. "...now that I think about it, I won't be able to help much, especially with the geniuses and all the techs in this space station."
"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to make you feel that way," Asta can't help but apologize.
"It's fine. But still, if you guys need a hand, I won't hesitate to lend you one," Zhi Jiang says with a smile.
"And don't forget about me," March exclaims. "As a Nameless, it's our duty to lend a helping hand to anyone in need."
"The more I spend time with you guys, the more I question the 'We are not saints' quote from Himeko," Zhi Jiang says as March giggles.
"Thank you, both of you," Asta says with a smile. "We'll keep your words in mind."
"So, aside from the obvious flaws, what do you think of our Space Station?" Asta asks.
"...honestly, it's a place I wouldn't even expect to visit in any of my lifetime," Zhi Jiang answers honestly. "Back in my home planet, travelling to space requires a tremendous amount of time to train ourselves to prepare for space training, and only a select number of people were chosen for this."
"...I mean no offense, but how weak are you all?" Arlan can't help but blurt out before Asta slams her elbow into his guts. Zhi Jiang looks away in embarrassment while March gives Arlan an unimpressed stare. "...sorry, that was out of line."
"N-none taken..." Zhi Jiang says in a weak tone. It was obvious that he did find those words offensive. "As I said before, our planet's technological advancement was... slow."
'We can clearly see that,' Asta, Arlan, and March thought in unison, but chose not to voice them out so as not to offend the poor guy.
"...can we talk about something else?" Zhi Jiang mutters, feeling self-conscious as he rubs his arms. March sympathetically pats his back while both Asta and Arlan look sheepish.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Later
"U-ugh..." Stelle mutters as she slowly opens her eyes. She was greeted with a very bright light shining into her eyes, causing her to wince and squint her eyes.
"You're finally awake," Stelle wasn't expecting someone nearby and turned her head to her left to see Dan Heng (She remembers her first encounter with him, trying to lean closer to kiss her) sitting next to her with a book in his hand.
"W-where am I...? A-am I still in the space station...?" Stelle mutters as she tries to get up, but Dan Heng stops her.
"Easy there. You had just recovered from tanking a full energy blast from the Doomsday Beast, and the Stellaron in your body..." Dan Heng pauses as he notices the puzzled look on Stelle's face when he mentions Stellaron.
"W-what's a Stellaron?" Stelle asks as Dan Heng hums.
"...you're the second person who has no idea what the Stellaron is." Dan Heng muses as Stelle tilts her head.
"Second person?" Stelle asks in confusion. She didn't remember a lot of things, but she did remember how a purple-haired woman shoved something into her body (She wondered if that's the Stellaron). And she was pretty sure that the woman and her companion, a silver-haired, short girl, had left the station without any traces, as she didn't see any sign of them while moving around the station.
"Anyways, the Stellaron is a tool used to grant anyone's wishes, in the worst possible way. It was so bad that it could destroy a planet," Dan Heng says as simply as possible.
"...I have a bomb in my heart?" Stelle can't help but be horrified by this; her face turns as pale as paper while clutching her chest.
"Y-you don't have to worry about it," Dan Heng waves his hands. "Mr. Welt, our senior, had sealed the Stellaron in you. It won't do anything to your body or your surroundings any longer."
"...oh," Stelle blinks, looking slightly relieved. Dan Heng lets out a sigh as well, before an awkward silence filled the room, as they had no idea how to continue their conversation. Thankfully, March and Zhi Jiang enter the room as March perks up upon noticing Stelle.
"Stelle! You're awake!" March exclaims as she rushes over her. "Oh, thank the Aeons you did! And don't you ever do that again! I am grateful you're protecting me, but don't go full suicidal! You have no idea how worried I am, despite everyone keeping saying you're gonna be fine!"
Stelle feels overwhelmed as March speaks nonstop before silently mouthing 'Help me!' to Dan Heng and Zhi Jiang. Dan Heng looks a bit helpless, while Zhi Jiang pats March's shoulder, snapping her out.
"Easy there, March. Now that she's fine, you should be at ease." Zhi Jiang says as March takes a deep breath.
"Yeah...you're right..." March mutters before looking at Stelle. "Still, don't you ever do that again."
"No promise," Stelle says plainly, causing March's left eye to twitch.
"...nevermind," March sighs as Zhi Jiang pats her back. "Anyways, we never got to introduce you to him before. This is Zhi Jiang, he's the newest Nameless that joined our Astral Express Crew not long ago."
"Hi," Zhi Jiang greets awkwardly as Stelle waves at him. "Thanks for saving March from the Doomsday Beast. I've heard how you shielded her from...whatever creature you guys are handling."
"..." Stelle feels a bit unsure about how Zhi Jiang sounds like he's dismissing how dangerous the Doomsday Beast is, which March notices.
"He never saw a Doomsday Beast, so don't think he's trying to dismiss how dangerous it is," March says as Stelle merely nods.
"So..." Dan Heng starts, but a loud growling sound interrupts him as everyone blinks and turns to Stelle, whose face turns bright red.
"...fair, she was unconscious for days..." Zhi Jiang mutters as Stelle looks away, avoiding any eye contact with anyone.
"Let's get something to eat first before we continue our conversation." Dan Heng suggests as everyone nods in agreement.
To be Continued