The bell for lunch break was like a bugle call for liberation, instantly igniting the long-accumulated enthusiasm in the classroom.
"Charge! Brothers! For the glory of the afternoon!"
Nino shouted, like a general leading a charge, and was the first to spring from his seat.
Kim, Max, and Adrien followed closely behind, the boys forming an unstoppable torrent, laughing, shoving, and collectively surging towards the cafeteria.
Their goal was clear—to replenish their energy for the "Ultimate Fighting Championship" partner selection match that afternoon, a matter of honor and dreams.
On the other side of the classroom, the girls' world seemed much quieter, but they also had their own plans.
Before class ended, Teacher Caline assigned a short essay on "Emotional Expression in Modern Art," which gave Marinette and Alya an excellent excuse to "collaborate."
"Marinette," Alya said, tidying up her textbooks and speaking to her still-dazed best friend, "For the essay, let's meet at the library this afternoon to discuss it. I need to go home first."
"Mm... okay." Marinette nodded, agreeing.
"Alix, Mylène, what are you having for lunch?" Alya then turned to the two other girls.
Alix rubbed her slightly throbbing temples, temporarily pushing aside the chaotic thoughts about the future from the morning, and replied casually, "Anything will do."
Meanwhile, Rose and Juleka in the third row were originally gathering their courage, preparing to go forward and invite Jaden to lunch.
Their "accidental encounter" plan hadn't even been put into action when Rose's gaze unexpectedly met Chloé's warning and hostile eyes from the last row.
That look instantly shattered Rose's newfound courage.
Her "Jaden, do you want to..." which had already reached her lips, got stuck in her throat, unable to be spoken.
Juleka beside her was even more intimidated by that aura, shrinking her neck and discreetly tugging on Rose's sleeve.
Jaden seemed oblivious to everything around him. He rested his forehead on one hand, leaning slightly forward, his eyes closed, and his breathing steady and long.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a faint golden glow on his soft black hair, making him look like a figure in a painting, quietly and beautifully asleep.
Just as Rose and Juleka were in a dilemma, Alix stepped forward.
She saw her friends' predicament and also Chloé's "territorial declaration" that brooked no invasion.
More importantly, she herself had some ideas she wanted to discuss privately with her two friends.
"Rose, Juleka!" Alix walked over quickly, taking each of them by the hand, "I just had some new ideas about comics and wanted to hear your opinions! Let's talk over lunch!"
Without allowing for a refusal, she pulled the two away from that troublesome spot.
Mylène, seeing this, immediately understood and followed, and the four girls left the classroom together.
In an instant, the once lively classroom was left with only three people in the last row—the sleeping Jaden, and Chloé and Sabrina, who guarded him like queens.
Chloé looked at the young man who remained in his napping posture, a hint of displeasure rising in her heart.
She nudged Sabrina beside her with her elbow, signaling her with her eyes to switch seats.
Sabrina immediately obediently moved to the other side, yielding the prime spot right next to Jaden to Chloé.
Chloé sat down contentedly, the faint scent of her expensive perfume wafting in the air.
She turned her head and carefully observed Jaden's sleeping face. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a soft halo on his face, and his long eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes. When he was asleep, he seemed to have lost some of his gentle aloofness and gained a defenseless tranquility.
Her gaze also softened unconsciously.
She extended a finger, its tip adorned with a freshly done, exquisite French manicure.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally gently touched Jaden's arm.
The touch was warm and firm.
"Hey..." Her voice involuntarily softened, carrying a hint of girlish petulance that even she hadn't noticed,
"It's time to wake up, my sleepy knight. Making your queen wait this long is very rude, you know."
Jaden's eyelashes fluttered slightly, then he slowly opened his eyes. He raised his head sleepily, his eyes still hazy from just waking up.
He stared at the exquisitely made-up pretty face so close to him, stunned for a moment, before realizing.
"...My Queen."
He slowly sat upright, his voice husky from just waking up, yet strangely magnetic.
He looked at Chloé, a gentle smile slowly curving his lips, and asked, "May I ask, what are your commands?"
His completely cooperative posture, fully embodying the role of a "knight," greatly satisfied Chloé's vanity.
The proud expression on her face grew stronger, and she tilted her chin up, saying in a condescending tone:
"As punishment for your oversleeping, you must now accompany your queen for lunch."
It was a clever excuse that both satisfied her desire to be alone with Jaden and made it impossible for him to refuse.
However, Jaden shook his head. A gentle smile still graced his face, and his voice was soft and sincere, but his words were an undeniable refusal.
"I am very sorry, my Queen. I'm afraid I cannot accompany you for lunch today."
He explained that he needed to handle some private matters alone, using a polite yet irrefutable reason.
The reason was reasonable and impeccable, giving Chloé a way out while firmly stating his position.
Chloé's imperious expression instantly froze upon hearing him.
A surge of uncontrollable anger rose from her heart, and she was on the verge of an outburst.
But when she saw Jaden's calm and sincere eyes, she thought of the future, of the stage that belonged only to her when she was Akumatization.
She wanted him to be tainted with the same darkness as her, to become her strongest and most loyal knight.
And with the most magnificent monster created by that mysterious "peacock miraculous"... Thinking of this, this small "defiance" in front of her seemed tolerable.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the anger, and replaced it with an arrogant expression.
"Alright," she said in a condescending tone, "Since you have important matters to attend to, this Queen will graciously grant permission. Sabrina, let's go."
With that, she stood up and, with her follower, elegantly left the classroom. Although there was still a hint of reluctance in her heart, the beautiful anticipation of the future had completely occupied her thoughts.
Watching them leave, Jaden's smile remained unchanged, but a deep, unnoticed glint flashed in his eyes.
He stood up, not going to the cafeteria or home, but walking in the opposite direction from the teaching building, towards the school's indoor swimming pool.
The exhaustion from last night had, after all, left its aftereffects. He needed a refreshing swim to completely relax his body and relieve the fatigue hidden deep within his muscles... The swimming pool was empty.
During lunch break, most students were in the cafeteria or library. The blue pool water, illuminated by the overhead lights, shimmered with ripples, appearing exceptionally tranquil.
Jaden walked into the men's changing room and found an empty locker.
He took off his school uniform and hung it up, his movements fluid and natural. However, the moment he bent down to retrieve his swim trunks from the locker, the weakness he had forcibly suppressed,
like a beast escaped from its cage, fiercely retaliated with even greater intensity than in the morning!
A dizzying sensation of the world spinning violently seized his brain! The locker in front of him instantly became blurry, distorted, and then split into countless overlapping images.
A violent buzzing sound filled his ears, as if countless bees were flapping their wings inside his skull.
He tried to reach out and steady himself against the adjacent locker door, but his limbs felt heavy as lead, refusing to obey.
His body swayed, and he finally couldn't hold on. Everything went black, and he collapsed heavily, his consciousness plunging into complete darkness a second before hitting the cold floor.
And in the deepest recesses of his unconscious mind, an unseen, silent war was raging furiously.
It was a primitive and brutal territorial dispute between two branches of the "Rewrite" law.
One force was the pure power of "destruction" from the Black Cat miraculous.
It had long dominated his body like a tyrannical monarch, already considering it its exclusive territory.
It was violent and overbearing, treating all outsiders as invading enemies.
The other force was the creative power representing "emotional actualization" from the peacock miraculous.
Although it had only just awakened, it also originated from the essence of "Rewrite," carrying an inherent pride and resilience.
At this moment, these two forces engaged in a bloody struggle within his body.
The power of "destruction" transformed into a ferocious black beast, roaring and tearing, attempting to completely devour and erase the nascent emotional power, which glowed with an indigo-blue light.
"Get out!" It roared silently. "This body is mine! What dirty thing dares to contend with me?!"
The emotional power condensed into a magnificent peacock form. Although much smaller in size, it stubbornly spread a barrier of light feathers, resisting the black beast's frantic attacks.
It felt wronged, it was unwilling. It was also born here, so why should it be treated this way?
However, a tyrannical monarch never reasons. The black beast's power was ultimately superior; it opened its huge maw and bit through the peacock's light feather barrier,
then mercilessly, bit by bit, cruelly devoured and obliterated the trembling indigo-blue light... Jaden was completely unaware of all this.
He didn't know how much time had passed, perhaps a minute, perhaps an hour.
His tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxed, and he slowly regained consciousness.
He blinked, and what met his eyes was the row of gray lockers in the changing room.
His body was still somewhat weak, but the suffocating dizziness had disappeared. He moved his limbs and sat up, supporting himself with his hands on the ground.
He glanced at the watch on his wrist; the hands already pointed to the afternoon.
"Well, well..." He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I actually just slept through it."
He stood up, stretched his limbs, and was surprised to find that the weakness that had plagued him all day had vanished without a trace.
Instead of becoming stiff from unconsciousness, his body felt filled with an unprecedented vitality and lightness, as if all hidden injuries and fatigue had been completely cleared away.
He didn't know what had happened during his unconsciousness, only assuming it was the self-repair function of that mysterious power.
Ultimately, he abandoned his plan to swim, changed back into his school uniform, and left the changing room.
But when he walked out of the swimming pool and arrived at the outdoor lounge area, he saw a girl sitting alone on a bench, hugging her knees, her head buried in her arms, her shoulders shaking as if she was silently crying.
The girl had healthy, tanned skin and short, fiery red hair. Even as a sorrowful back, she exuded a vibrant energy. It was Ondine, a member of the swimming team.
Jaden initially didn't want to disturb her, but seeing her sad state, he couldn't bring himself to ignore her.
He lightened his footsteps, walked over to the bench beside her, and sat down, maintaining a distance of one person.
"Sorry to disturb you." He broke the silence with a voice as gentle as possible.
The girl was startled by the sudden voice and abruptly looked up.
Her pale blue-green eyes still bore traces of un-dried tears, and the few cute freckles on her face were even more prominent from crying.
Seeing that it was Jaden, she quickly and somewhat awkwardly wiped away her tears.
"No... it's nothing." Her voice still had a slight nasal tone.
"Did something unhappy happen?"
Jaden asked, his gaze sincere and friendly, without any hint of prying, only pure concern,
"If you don't mind, would you like to tell me? Perhaps... speaking it out will make you feel better."
Perhaps his demeanor was too gentle, or perhaps she truly needed someone to confide in at that moment.
Ondine hesitated for a moment, then slowly began to speak.
She spoke haltingly. It turned out that she had arranged to go swimming with Kim that afternoon.
She had always liked Kim, his sunny and somewhat mischievous personality.
She wanted to use the opportunity of swimming together to subtly hint at her feelings for him.
For this, she had even specially put on her favorite new swimsuit.
But... Kim, that blockhead, had only ever treated her as a "buddy for competitions."
He had spent the entire time enthusiastically discussing the fighting game tryouts that afternoon, and had even said he would cheer on his brothers.
All of Ondine's hints were like stones sinking into the sea. Finally, Kim, seeing that it was getting late, said he had to go cheer on his good friends who were competing that afternoon, and simply left her alone and ran off.
"Am I... am I really that bad?"
Ondine said, tears welling up again, "Does he... not like me at all?"
Jaden listened to her quietly, not speaking immediately.
He handed her a clean tissue, and after her emotions had somewhat calmed, he said in a calm and gentle tone:
"No, you are very good. You are lively, cheerful, and as dazzling as the sun.
During swimming competitions, the way you strive towards the finish line is very cool."
Ondine was taken aback by his sudden compliment, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"As for Kim,"
Jaden smiled and continued to reassure her,
"He might... just be a bit slow in matters of the heart.
His world might currently only contain games and friends.
He didn't grasp your feelings, not because you aren't good enough, but simply because his 'channel' hasn't been tuned to receive that kind of signal."
He looked at Ondine's still-confused eyes, his voice becoming even softer: "Sometimes, liking someone is like solving a very difficult math problem.
You've used all your methods, but the other person might not even understand the question yet. But that doesn't mean your solution is wrong, does it?"
This analogy miraculously calmed Ondine's troubled heart.
She stared blankly at Jaden, at his gentle and understanding eyes, feeling as if her misplaced grievances and disappointment had found a harbor to dock in.
So... that's how it is? It's not that I'm not good, it's just that he... didn't understand?
...Meanwhile, at Marinette's home.
The young girl was sitting in her pink attic room, writing furiously.
She wasn't designing new clothes, but writing in her diary, filled with secrets.
"...The appearance of the peacock really scared me. I even wondered if he might be Jaden... But Tikki is right, Jaden is so healthy, it couldn't be him. Seeing that he's okay, I'm really... really happy..."
She was writing intently when Tikki suddenly popped out from a pile of fabric, a small macaron in its mouth.
"Marinette!" It mumbled, "Look at the time! It seems you're already late for your essay discussion with Alya!"
"What?!" Marinette snapped out of her trance. She abruptly looked up at the clock on the wall.
— — The hands of the clock were already pointing to half past two in the afternoon!
"Ah ah ah ah! I forgot!"
A scream echoed throughout the entire bakery. Marinette frantically slammed her diary shut, grabbed her backpack, and without even a chance to greet her parents downstairs, she dashed out of the house like a gust of wind, running desperately towards the school.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ondine had just opened her heart to Jaden. The feeling of being gently understood had significantly calmed her mood, which had been sour because of Kim.
Just as this rare tranquility settled, an abrupt phone ring cut through the hollow echoes of the swimming pool.
Jaden took out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID — it was Nathan.
"Sorry,"
Ondine immediately stood up, understanding, and prepared to step back a few paces, "Do you need me to step away?"
"No need."
Jaden gently shook his head, motioning for her to sit down.
He gave her a reassuring smile before sliding the answer button and bringing the phone to his ear.
His demeanor was calm and open, as if the content of this call held nothing he needed to hide from her.
"Hello, Nathan, what's up?"
Nathan's voice, filled with an artist's exaggeration and anxiety, immediately came through the phone, mixed with the noisy chatter of teenagers and the unique intense sound effects of video games in the background.
"Jaden! Oh my goodness, you finally answered! Where are you?"
"The swimming pool. What happened that has you so anxious?" Jaden's tone remained calm.
"Something big happened!"
Nathan's voice rose a few octaves,
"The school's 'Ultimate Fighting Championship' partner selection, you remember it, right? It's in the library!
All the top e-sports players in the school are here! Just now... just now a battle of the century ended!"
Nathan took a deep breath and quickly said, in a tone almost like a "live commentator," "Max! Our King of Video Games!
He... he actually lost! Lost to Adrien! Adrien is now the player with the highest score on the field!"
Jaden's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing this, then relaxed.
He shifted into a more comfortable sitting position, a hint of confusion in His tone.
"So? What does that have to do with me?"
He calmly retorted,
"Since the winner has been decided, then Adrien is Max's partner, isn't that great? Why call me?"
He paused, then continued with a matter-of-fact logic: "After all, with Max's gaming talent, plus an equally top-tier Adrien,
I think winning the city championship this time shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Uh... well..."
Nathan on the other end of the phone was stumped by Jaden's series of "soul-searching questions."
He looked speechlessly at the "shuraba" he was in. The multimedia reading area on the first floor of the library had been transformed into a small e-sports arena.
On the giant projection screen, the frozen image of Adrien's character winning with a last-gasp counter-kill was still displayed.
Around them, the school's gaming enthusiasts gathered, their faces still showing the shock and excitement from the recent peak duel.
And in the center of this clamor Alix stood with her hands on her hips, looking at him with encouraging eyes;
Marinette stood behind Alya, her beautiful blue eyes filled with undisguised anticipation, as if saying, "Nathan, it's all up to you!"
Looking at his side, his good friend Marc, who should have been sharing the pressure with him, had long buried his head in his arms, diligently playing the role of an ostrich saying, "You can't see me, you can't see me."
Nathan immediately felt overwhelmed.
All of this began half an hour ago when Marinette breathlessly arrived at the library.
Half an hour ago · Library
When Marinette rushed into the library, the atmosphere here was completely different from the quiet study environment she had imagined.
The reading area on the first floor had been cleared, with several large-screen TVs and professional game consoles set up, and countless cables intertwined on the floor like vines.
Most of the students in the school were gathered here, staring at the screens, letting out gasps and cheers.
"Alya!"
Marinette finally squeezed through the crowd and found her best friend,
"What... what are you doing? Didn't you say we were discussing the thesis?"
"The thesis can wait!"
Alya excitedly grabbed her hand and pointed to the largest screen in the center,
"Look! The school is holding an internal selection for the 'Ultimate Fighting Championship'!"
"A competition?" Marinette was a little bewildered.
"Marinette, you're here!"
Kim, who had just been eliminated from a match, saw Marinette and immediately enthusiastically came over to explain,
"This is a super popular mech fighting game! And while it's called a competition, it's actually just to select the strongest partner for Max to participate in the city-wide championship!"
He pointed to Max, who was sitting in the main seat, expressionlessly defeating seven or eight challengers in a row, his face full of admiration.
"In our school, Max's APM is the highest!"
"APM... what's that?" Marinette asked, puzzled.
"It's hand speed! Actions Per Minute!"
Kim explained in an expert tone,
"Max has been immersed in this game for a whole year! His operations, his awareness, are all professional level! In our school, no one can beat him!"
Kim's tone was filled with absolute confidence in his good friend.
However, the very next second after he finished speaking, the battle situation on the screen changed dramatically!
Max, who had always maintained a dominant position, crushing his opponents with overwhelming advantage, fell into a bitter struggle for the first time.
And his opponent was Adrien, who had just entered the arena!
On the screen, the mech controlled by Adrien moved with nimble grace, every dodge perfectly timed, every counter-attack elusive like a hanging antelope horn, leaving no trace.
Meanwhile, Max's mech, known for its precise calculations and perfect combos, was constrained everywhere, unable to exert its proud suppressive power.
Everyone held their breath. Time seemed to slow down.
After one last thrilling exchange of offense and defense, both mechs were left with only a sliver of health.
Just when everyone thought it would be a draw, Adrien's mech, with an unexpected, extreme sidestep, dodged a fatal blow and simultaneously returned a simple, unadorned straight punch.
KO!
Huge red letters filled the entire screen.
First, there was a deathly silence throughout the venue, followed by thunderous applause and cheers!
"He won! Adrien won!"
Kim was stunned; he gaped, looking at the screen in disbelief.
Adrien excitedly jumped up from his seat, giving Max a victory gesture.
Max stared blankly at the "YOU LOSE" message on the screen.
He hadn't expected to fail.
He had thought that no matter how strong Adrien was, he couldn't possibly surpass him in a field he had dedicated a year to.
But after a moment of disappointment, he quickly adjusted his mindset.
He stood up and extended his hand to Adrien, a look of genuine admiration on his face.
"You're very strong. I think, the two of us together will definitely be the strongest."
"Yes!"
Adrien happily shook his hand. But then, he looked around, as if suddenly remembering something, and asked, puzzled:
"But... it seems like someone is missing?"
Adrien's words, like a switch, instantly woke up the other students.
"That's right! Where's Jaden? Why didn't Jaden come?"
"Yeah, at this time, he should be at school too!"
"He's also very good at games, I saw him at the arcade last time!"
Everyone's eyes, by common accord, simultaneously shot towards Nathan and Marc in the corner of the crowd.
Everyone knew that Jaden had the best relationship with these two.
Teacher Caline and the principal, standing by, were also very satisfied with this result.
The principal smiled and said, "Alright, alright, since the result is out, the combination of Adrien and Max is very strong.
Even without Jaden, I believe they can still achieve good results for the school in the competition."
"Exactly." Teacher Caline also agreed.
However, Adrien shook his head. He said earnestly, "Teachers, Principal. Since it's a selection held for the school's honor, then all capable students should participate.
This is respect for the competition and fairness to other students.
Who knows... Jaden might be more suitable to be Max's partner than me?"
His words were impactful, filled with the magnanimous demeanor of a gentleman.
The principal and Teacher Caline exchanged glances, thought for a moment, and felt that Adrien had a point. After all, it was still very early before the library closed.
So, the principal turned his gaze to Nathan:
"Nathan, do you know where Jaden is? Can you contact him?"
Under the expectant gazes of all his classmates, teachers, the principal, and Marinette, Nathan... had no choice but to bite the bullet and make the call.
"...That's how it is." Nathan concluded weakly over the phone.
Jaden couldn't help but chuckle after hearing the whole story. He could imagine Nathan's predicament at that moment.
And Ondine, sitting beside him, although she couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the phone, she could roughly guess from Jaden's occasional responses and facial expressions that something important at school was looking for him.
A hint of disappointment quietly rose in her heart.
"Alright," Jaden finally spoke, "I understand, I'm coming over now."
With that, he hung up the phone and stood up.
"Sorry, Ondine,"
He smiled apologetically at her, "Something urgent came up at school, I have to go."
"Uh... it's okay..." Ondine also quickly stood up. She looked at Jaden and bravely said, "Today... thank you."
"You're welcome." Jaden responded gently, "Next time if you encounter something unhappy again, remember, don't keep it to yourself."
With that, he turned and walked towards the exit of the swimming pool.
Ondine stood still, quietly watching his tall and reassuring figure gradually disappear into the light and shadow of the doorway.
She lowered her head, thinking again of Kim's indifferent, departing back.
Once again, she was left behind.
It was like this with Kim, and it was like this with Jaden.
A feeling of loneliness mixed with being abandoned and disappointment in her own incompetence, like a vine, quickly wrapped around her heart, tightening more and more.
That fluctuating frequency resonated with something that had been lurking in the air for a long time.
Just in the shadow of the swimming pool's outer wall, a pitch-black butterfly, emitting an ominous aura, had silently hidden for over ten minutes.
It waited patiently, waiting for its prey's emotions to ripen.
Now, the time had come.
The Akuma Butterfly flapped its wings, silently flying towards Ondine.
Ondine was still engrossed in her thoughts, completely unaware of the approaching danger.
The Akuma Butterfly lightly landed on her left wrist, where she wore a sports bracelet, then, like ink dripping into water, silently merged into the bracelet.
The color of the bracelet instantly darkened, and a purple butterfly symbol flashed across it.
Ondine's body trembled violently!
A seductive, low voice echoed directly in the depths of her mind:
[Frightningale, I am Hawk Moth. Your feelings cannot be conveyed, your efforts go unnoticed, you are always the one left behind. This feeling, it's painful, isn't it?]
Ondine's eyes began to glaze over, and a faint purple halo appeared in her light blue-green eyes.
[I can give you power. Make you the center of everyone's attention, make that oblivious boy unable to ignore your existence anymore. You will become the queen of the celebration, everyone will cheer for you!]
Hawk Moth's voice was full of magic.
The pleasure of revenge, the desire for attention, burned like a flame in Ondine's heart. She was almost about to nod in agreement.
However, just as she was about to be swallowed by darkness, another face uncontrollably appeared in her mind — Jaden's gentle face with a slight smile, and his clear, understanding eyes.
[...Sometimes, boys are just such oblivious creatures... But that doesn't mean you're not excellent, or that your efforts are meaningless.]
That warmth of being understood, like a strong dam, steadily blocked the dark tide of revenge and hatred outside.
What she wanted was not to force Kim to turn back, but... to hope that the next time she failed, the next time she was sad, there would still be such a person by her side to comfort and understand her.
And this hesitation was immediately captured by Hawk Moth, far away in his secret lair.
[...Hmm?] Hawk Moth's voice carried a hint of surprise.
He could feel that the negative emotions in this girl's heart were weakening.
The strongest obsession in this girl's heart had quietly shifted from "love and hate for Kim" to "the desire for Jaden's understanding."
A more insidious, longer-term plan instantly formed in his mind.
Instead of creating a simple-minded villain who only knew how to cause trouble, why not... plant an emotional seed in this girl's heart.
A seed of dependence, gratitude, and admiration for Jaden.
Let this emotion become an even more deadly weapon that he could use in the future.
Thus, the voice echoing in Ondine's mind suddenly changed.
[...It seems you don't need my power. You seem... to have found a new 'frequency.']
As the words fell, the Akuma Butterfly that had just merged into her bracelet silently flew out again, transforming into a dark shadow and disappearing into the shadows.
Ondine was stunned.
The voice in her mind disappeared, and the seductive dark power receded like a tide.
Everything returned to normal. As if everything just now had been merely her illusion.
But she knew it wasn't an illusion.
Yet, the intense feeling of grievance and loss in her heart had, for some reason, calmed down a lot.
It was replaced by a deeper, somewhat melancholic sense of loneliness.
She looked up in the direction Jaden had left, and her beautiful light blue-green eyes were clouded with moisture.
In a voice only she could hear, she softly, with a hint of humble pleading, murmured:
"If... if I fail again next time... will you still comfort and understand me, like you did today?"