Several more months had passed since their long talk, and February snow drifted down from the sky.
It felt awful.
Within the space of consciousness, Ling Yi sat on the ground with her arms wrapped around her legs.
Her time was up.
Today was the last day she could remain with Mobius.
She could feel some inexplicable force tugging at her, pulling her out of Mobius’s body.
“Doctor Mobius, about this experimental data…” “Just leave it here.
I’ll look at it later.” Mobius stretched and gestured for the researcher before her to leave.
As though granted a reprieve, the researcher hurriedly nodded and left Mobius’s laboratory.
“What are we having for dinner tonight?” Once the person handing over the work had left, Mobius asked the empty air while changing her clothes.
Ever since Ling Yi had talked some sense into her, Mobius no longer feared Ling Yi’s departure.
Although she was still anxious, she now treasured every second they spent together even more.
It was precisely because people left and things were lost that they were loved.
Mobius hadn’t understood those words at first, but now she was beginning to.
‘Not sure.’ Compared to usual, Ling Yi’s voice was much quieter today.
“I want zhajiangmian.” Mobius thought for a moment before speaking.
‘Okay.’ “By the way, do you secretly watch me when I’m changing?” Mobius asked softly, as casually as if she were bringing up something trivial.
‘Sometimes.
I don’t think you’re as good-looking as me.’ “Big words from a consciousness that doesn’t even have a body of its own.” ‘Idiot.’ Mobius pursed her lips.
She knew Ling Yi had once possessed a body of her own, but that didn’t stop her from mocking the consciousness currently stuck inside someone else’s body.
‘You have no idea how beautiful I was back then…
Sigh, forget it.
Let’s not talk about that.’ “What’s wrong today?
Are you in a bad mood?” Mobius asked, having noticed Ling Yi’s dejection.
‘Nothing.
I was just wondering what we should eat tomorrow night.’ Ling Yi had her own pride.
She had only told Mobius a few months ago not to be sad about parting.
If she admitted she was upset now, Mobius would definitely laugh at her.
She had thought she was prepared.
In truth, she wasn’t.
“My consciousness extraction device only lacks a core capable of interacting with consciousness and the soul.
Maybe after a while, you’ll be able to come out and play on your own.” Mobius nodded.
The new discovery of Honkai Energy had brought her enormous inspiration and progress.
All she needed now was something capable of making contact with Ling Yi’s consciousness.
Then she could extract Ling Yi and keep her trapped by her side.
Advancing human evolution and separating Ling Yi from her body had both been Mobius’s dreams since childhood.
Except…
At first, she had wanted to separate Ling Yi because she didn’t want someone else controlling her body.
Now, she wanted to separate Ling Yi because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her…
As friends.
‘I feel like you’re thinking about something bad.’ Though she was only a consciousness, Ling Yi suddenly felt a chill down her back.
She found herself wanting to know what Mobius was thinking.
“I’m not.
But if you keep lying to me, I wouldn’t mind turning you into a Dottore Segment.” Mobius sneered.
She could tell when Ling Yi was lying.
When Ling Yi had said she was wondering what to eat tomorrow night, Mobius had clearly felt that she wasn’t telling the truth.
‘I was wrong.
I’m sorry.’ Although Ling Yi apologized, she still didn’t explain what was happening.
“So, you’re leaving?” Just as Ling Yi understood Mobius well, Mobius also understood Ling Yi.
‘….’ Only silence answered her.
“I thought you wouldn’t be upset.” Mobius stretched, put on another padded coat, and left the laboratory to head home.
‘Of course I’m upset.’ “So, zhajiangmian for dinner?” ‘Sure.’ Today was the last day Ling Yi would remain with Mobius.
They both knew it, yet they still discussed what to eat at Mobius’s house as though it were any other day.
“I thought you could stay a little longer.
It’s only the beginning of February.” Mobius pulled her coat tighter around herself.
A faint chill brushed against her face.
Looking up, Mobius discovered it had begun to snow.
Ling Yi had once said that her greatest childhood joy was putting on a comfortable, soft sweater and a heavy coat on a snowy day, wearing the hat and scarf she’d long had her eye on, and going out for hot pot with her family.
It was a rather childish dream, but Mobius had always remembered it.
Every winter after that, whenever it snowed, she would make a fuss until they had hot pot at least once.
‘What’s special about early February?
Isn’t your birthday in April?’ Ling Yi didn’t understand why Mobius had specifically mentioned February.
“Saint Valentine’s Day is in the middle of February.
I’ve never celebrated it with you before, and there’s something important I wanted to do with you.” ‘Saint Valentine’s Day…
What kind of holiday is that?’ Ling Yi genuinely didn’t know what the holiday was, nor did she understand why Mobius had suddenly brought it up.
“It’s nothing.
It’s just a little regrettable.” Mobius shook her head.
The two continued chatting idly, as though everything were normal.
‘Give me control of your body.
I’m going to make the zhajiangmian.’ The moment they arrived home, Ling Yi anxiously asked for control of Mobius’s body.
She could feel the force pulling at her growing stronger.
‘Go ahead.’ Controlling Mobius’s body, Ling Yi took a step forward.
Feeling the weight against her chest, the corner of her eye twitched.
‘So heavy.
So tiring.
Being flat is definitely better.
Yeah, that’s right.
I’m not jealous.’ Ling Yi entered the kitchen and began preparing the ingredients.
‘Come to think of it, where will you go after you leave?
Will you return to your own body?’ Mobius realized she had never asked Ling Yi that question.
Where would Ling Yi go after leaving her?
Would she return to her own body…
or enter someone else’s?
If it was the latter…
‘Tch.’ “I’m not sure, but I’ll still be alive.” Feeling a sharp pain in her head, Ling Yi rubbed it before continuing to stir-fry the meat sauce.
‘Will we meet again?’ “Definitely.” ‘That’s good.’ Mobius smiled.
As long as they could meet again, that was enough.
She could accept a future where Ling Yi wasn’t by her side, but she couldn’t accept a future without Ling Yi in it.
“You’d better stay alive and well until you come see me.” ‘I will continue forward in a stronger form.
You don’t need to worry about me.’ “That’s the Mobius I know.” Ling Yi laughed as well.
She placed the noodles into the pot, cooked them, then transferred them into a bowl and set the fried sauce beside them.
All that remained was to mix the sauce into the noodles.
But…
there was still one step missing.
Something exclusively for Mobius, something she always clamored for Ling Yi to do.
“Oh, and add an egg for me, Ling Yi.” Only after speaking did Mobius realize the words had come from her own mouth—meaning she had regained control of her body.
She turned and looked around.
This was the kitchen in their home, where she had once watched Ling Yi cook.
Over the past seven years, she and Ling Yi had moved many times.
The person cooking had always remained the same, but now that person seemed to have disappeared.
Mobius hadn’t known when she arrived, nor had she known when she left.
“Ling Yi?” She waited expectantly, clinging to hope.
“Don’t scare me, Ling Yi.” No one answered her.
“You’re a pig!
An idiot!
An idiot who even had to learn calculus!
Good riddance.
My body belongs to me alone now.
As if anyone needed you!” “….” Mobius gave a self-mocking smile.
After glancing at the prepared zhajiangmian in the kitchen, she abruptly lost her appetite.
She lay on the sofa, gazing at the snowy scene beyond the floor-to-ceiling window.
She even appeared somewhat content.
But Mobius knew she wasn’t looking at the snow.
She was looking at something else.
“The window.” She murmured as crystalline tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.
★ ★ ★ T/N: If you spot mistranslation, do tell me!
★ ★ ★ Shilling time!