![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yumemory[Location: Jungle, day]
Heathcliff: It’s sweet!
Akira: I told you!
Akira: The refreshing aftertaste would make this a perfect dessert!
Heathcliff: The reference book also said that this fruit is delicious as a juice. We can take some back to the manor as a souvenir.
Akira: Yeah, I think everyone will like it. You really know your stuff, Heath.
Heath: I just happened to read about it in a book. Murr knows way more about plants and their fruit. The knowledge I have is definitely nowhere near what he has…
Akira: That’s not true. If you weren’t here with me, I wouldn’t have been able to get that fruit, let alone find where it is.
Heathcliff: Thank you… I’m glad to be of help to you, Master Sage.
Heathcliff replied bashfully, before quietly casting eyes to the ground. He then continued sheepishly:
Heathcliff: ...I’m really sorry about earlier. Shino and I must have made you uncomfortable…
Akira: No, it’s all right…
I remembered their exchange from earlier, and I didn’t know what to say. Shadows fell upon his handsome features.
Heathcliff: Just like earlier, Shino always tries to keep me away from danger, even if it’s just a small risk.
Heathcliff: I know he does it to protect me, but honestly, that’s precisely what hurts me the most. It’s like he’s drawing a line between us…
Akira: Heath…
Akira: Shino just wants to protect you. I’m sure he does that because he treasures you…
Heathcliff: Well... It’s not like I treasure him any less.
Heathcliff smiled bitterly.
Although both Shino and Heathcliff cherish each other, they clash in their ways of expressing that care
I was once again deeply reminded of how complicated their relationship is.
Heathcliff: ...What’s gotten into me? Drowning in my thoughts and stopping in my tracks…
Heathcliff: I need to face my weakness and move forward, even if just by a step.
Heathcliff: I want to become stronger, just like Nero and Master Faust.
After that, we gathered so much fruit that our hands could barely hold them.
Thanks to Heathcliff’s magic, the fruit remained in perfect condition, just as shiny as the ones seen in fruit stalls.
Akira: I can’t believe we managed to gather this many!
Heathcliff: We need enough for today and tomorrow, after all. I’ll show all of these to Shino and surprise him.
Akira: Ahaha, I’m sure he’ll be amazed.
We were suddenly interrupted by the sound of rustling leaves.
...And then a huge, wild boar appeared from between the trees.
Akira: Waaa...!?
Heathcliff: Waa!
Akira: ….Huh?
Shino: Oh, it’s just you.
After taking a better look, we realized it was a wild boar… that was flung over Shino’s shoulder.
Nero, who was obscured behind the huge dead animal, also appeared.
Shino: Look at this big thing we caught. We're having steak for dinner, right, Nero?
Nero: Yeah.
Heathcliff and Akira: ………..
Akira: Our plan backfired…
Heathcliff: It did…
Akira: (That was a little disappointing…)
[Location: Beach, night]
When night fell, Nero began preparing and dressing the ingredients that we had gathered.
Our dinner was a splendid boar steak and whole roasted fish.
We bit into the meat without worrying about dirtying our hands. The next moment, everyone bloomed into a smile together.
Mitile: Delicious!
Akira: Yeah, it really is!
Rutile: The meat is so thick, but I don't think I'll be full any time soon!
Shino: Better thank me. I caught this boar.
Shino: If we didn’t find anything, then we’d be having Lennox’s sheep for dinner.
Lennox: Right, thank you, Shino.
Akira: (He swiftly tucked away his sheep….)
Figaro: This is pretty nice, isn’t it? I feel like we’re really out in the wild with this straightforward sort of dinner.
Nero: A newfound ingredient is best served real simple, after all.
Heathcliff: The fish you caught are really delicious, Rutile.
Rutile: I’m glad! There were a lot of fish, maybe because of the clear water? We almost caught an even bigger fish, but it got away….
Lennox: Oh, that one. I think it was as big as Mitile.
Mitile: Eeh!?
Beneath the starry sky, the food that filled our stomachs while we laughed together tasted truly special.
We had no roof to protect us, and the bonfire was our only source of light. Normally such things would be inconvenient, but under these circumstances they became a special seasoning that spiced up our evening.
Heathcliff: We gathered some fruit earlier, too. We should have them after dinner.
Figaro: Wow, we have dessert? Can this get any better?
Mitile and Murr: Yaaay!
Mitile: ...Huh?
Akira: Murr!? When did you…
Lennox: Welcome back. I’m glad you made it for dinner.
Murr: I’m hooome!
Murr: Hey, I finally found the place where we can get the raw materials.
Rutile: Wow, really?
Mitile: Let’s go fetch them tomorrow!
Shino: Oh, right. Tell us, Murr. What kind of plant do we need to make the dream-eating ring anyway?
Murr tilted his head in confusion.
Murr: Plant? What plant?
Heathcliff: Huh, is that not it? I was certain we were going to make use of processed plant fibers to make one…
Murr: Nope, wrong answer!
Nero: What’re we gonna use, then?
Murr: Spiderwebs.
Murr: The dream-eating ring is made with the nest of a very special spider that inhabits this island, and this island alone.
Heathcliff, out of his fear of bugs, recoiled at the mention of spiders.
Heathcliff: S-Spider…
Heathcliff: No, I need to do this for Master Faust…!
Without regard to the conflict Heathcliff was facing, Murr innocently threw out a question:
Murr: Back in the past, people used to live on this island. But why do you think we can't find anyone here now?
Akira: What do you mean…?
TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle
