The waves shimmer a blue glow at night.
A mysterious, ancient aura reveals itself to both of you in the darkness.
The blue sea...
Both you and Lucia think of the legend of the Ocean Moon Goddess.
The Ocean Moon Goddess' tears dyed the water blue.
But actually, it's a wonder called the "blue tears" phenomenon caused by massive tiny organisms that emit blue light in the water.
So the blue sea is actually caused by the "blue tears" phenomenon.
Lucia walks to the sea and observes it by the blue light.
It's... the moon jellyfish.
Many moon jellyfish gather together in the water, their transparent bodies reflecting the blue glow of their surroundings, while their four luminescent organs resemble four-leaf clovers.
Lucia gently turns around in the water as if she's dancing with the jellyfish.
Shall we... make a wish to the Ocean Moon Goddess together, Commandant?
You face the ocean and close your eyes.
Gentle rain falls on you the minute you make the wish.
You open your eyes and see Lucia standing in the sea.
Raindrops fall on the surface of the water, causing shimmers that make the sea look like a starry sky.
She stands in the blue color, like a child of the stars. Her clothes and hair spread in the water and gradually fade away.
With the crystal blue on her cheeks, she opens her eyes as her eyelashes quiver slightly, giving you an innocent gaze.
Commandant, do you want to know what wish I made?
Lucia's smile blossoms in the misty blue.
It feels as if your heart had stopped beating for a moment.
Without a word, you seem to have figured out the wish she made.
I wish we would never be apart.
The thunder rolls.
And then, the rain pours.
Gentle rain falls on you the minute you make the wish.
You open your eyes and see Lucia standing in the sea.
Raindrops fall on the surface of the water, causing shimmers that make the sea look like a starry sky.
She stands in the blue color, like a child of the stars. Her clothes and hair spread in the water and gradually fade away.
With the crystal blue on her cheeks, she opens her eyes as her eyelashes quiver slightly, giving you an innocent gaze.
Commandant, do you want to know what wish I made?
Lucia's smile blossoms in the misty blue.
Looking at her smile, you seem to have figured out the wish she made.
Sure.
You gaze into each others' eyes and speak your wishes simultaneously.
I wish Commandant and I will spend a happy summer together! I wish Lucia and I will spend a happy summer together!
The thunder rolls in the distance.
The rain falls quietly at night.
The night grows dark, and the rain falls in thick sheets.
You have to stop your stroll to find a shelter from the rain.
The pouring rain has drowned out the human and the Construct's footsteps and blurred their figures.
Over here, Commandant!
Before your eyes is a long abandoned building.
It's a relatively big single-story building surrounded by moderately high walls. An old tree overhangs the wall from inside, quietly gazing at the coastline in the distance.
You push open the door. Under your feet is a winding rock path. It extends ahead and soon forks, with one branch leading to the main building and the other to the yard.
I have only seen this place in the files. The real place is more beautiful than expected.
I heard that in the Golden Age, some people preferred traditional architecture to mainstream modern style.
They rejected many technological conveniences to maintain a more "natural" lifestyle.
Let's get inside for shelter, Commandant.
The two of you walk inside along the rock path and stop under the roof. At the entrance of the building is a modern supply crate that doesn't fit in with the style of the building.
The supply crate is here.
The inscription on the box reads, "Public items. Only for passersby's emergency use. Please follow the terms of use."
This place is on the patrol route of the conservation area guards. The conservation area decided to make it a simple supply station after discussion days ago so that they could extend the patrol range later.
Come to think of it, adding supply crates here was your idea, Commandant.
Didn't expect to use it this quickly.
After a simple registration, the supply crate with daily necessities opens. You take two towels out from it and hand one of them to Lucia.
The supply crate is still in lack of some items. It doesn't have clothes to change into at the moment.
Lucia takes out a lamp and lights it up.
You and Lucia dry your hair while walking toward the corridor nearby.
Nothing here can be used as fuel...
Besides, this doesn't seem like a good place to start a fire.
Although this is an abandoned building, it's still not appropriate to start a bonfire in a wood house on a rainy night like this.
In that case... I'll raise my frame's temperature and keep it at a level that won't produce flames.
Come closer to me, Commandant.
Lucia turns up her body temperature. The space instantly warms up.
...
Lucia glances at the distance between you and moves closer to you silently.
Dark clouds have come along with the cool night rain and stolen the moonlight and time. The hair on your foreheads is almost dry.
The pool is overwhelmed by the rain. Lotus leaves emerge from the water and then get pressed down by the rain.
A few tadpoles can be vaguely seen among the stems underwater, appearing briefly and vanishing again.
I haven't felt this relaxed for a long time.
The heavy rain gradually slow down but still resists to stop. Water comes down from the roof, making crisp yet sticky noises.
In the rainy dark night, it feels the world had been squeezed, and everything had been paused. The waves were gone and so were the stars, leaving only the two of you snuggling up together in a small corner.
The human and the Construct sit in the corridor, listening quietly to the rain.
A faint voice comes from beside you.
The world feels so small...
The human didn't hear the girl in a trance and asks softly.
The girl doesn't look back. She gazes at the yard and speaks again.
It's just that... usually, the world feels so big, and you are always busy with so many different tasks, Commandant.
Many see you as a "hero," hoping you can lead us forward.
I understand that... And you are also working hard to meet their expectations.
So you're always pushing yourself with thoughts like "just try a little harder, just hold on a little longer."
...
Lucia pauses for a moment without saying anything.
She looks a bit sad with the wet hair on her cheeks, holding a kind of broken beauty.
But at this moment, the world is small, and Commandant... belongs to me alone.
A distant frog croak comes from outside the yard. The rain stops.
Lucia stands up and speaks with a barely perceptible hint of amusement in her tone.
The rain has stopped, Commandant. Let's go back.
Back at the supply crate, you put the towels in the recycle slots, turn around, and walk outside.
The long untrodden path is now covered in moss. You accidentally step on the moss and slip.
Commandant!
Lucia immediately pulls you into her embrace and prevents you from falling down.
A pain shoots through your ankle.
Lucia notices the slight frown between the human's eyebrows and leans down to check.
Your ankle is sprained. I'll go get some medicine.
Lucia takes out the ointment from the supply crate, lets you sit on the step, and starts to apply it to your ankle.
She does it so swiftly that cool ointment has been evenly applied to your ankle in no time.
Lucia smiles without saying anything.
She turns to look at the path outside the door and turns around to check the human's wound.
It's a long way back...
She squats down with her back to the human.
Let me carry you back, Commandant.
Without any shyness or hesitation, you readily accept her offer. Having been together for so long and gone through so many things, you have witnessed each other at your best and worst. Between you, there is only calm honesty.
At night, the girl walks to the beach, where the "blue tears" are still visible. In the blue glow of the waves stand two figures on the beach.
It's surprisingly cool after the summer rain. The human's clothes are still wet. And when the breeze blows, it takes away the heat, making the human seek warmth instinctively.
Sensing the slight movement behind her, Lucia turns up the temperature of her frame, passing the warmth between you.
With each breath in the silence, everything feels damp and sticky.
The girl's body quivers. She slows down quietly.
...Yeah.
An unspoken understanding has spread across your hearts.
It feels like we were living in the Ocean Moon Goddess' story.
Do you think they used to walk on the same beach that we are standing on?
Where do you think they went at the end of the story, Commandant?
Do you think we could be like them someday?
That day will surely come.
In the sea wind, Lucia speaks after a brief silence.
Is this a happy summer for you?
You and Lucia agreed in Catania that you'd get a dog together in the future.
Lucia's mouth curls into a smile.
Yes, Clover it is.
In the night without stars, footsteps on the beach extend into the distance.
The girl suddenly chuckles.
Hmm... It's a secret.
It's rare to hear playful remarks like this from Lucia.
Nope!
Laughters come from the beach and fade away on the sea.
Their silhouettes gradually fade into the dark of night.
