As Zeke had planned, various matters in the Far East Region took him three days to handle.
During these three days, Kiana remained exceptionally well-behaved. Apart from occasionally clinging to Zeke whenever he was free, even her usual clinginess seemed reduced—perhaps due to anticipation of their Mondstadt date mixed with shy excitement.
Raiden Mei temporarily replaced Bronya as Zeke's assistant—an attempt to treat her severe Zeke-phobia. The effectiveness remains unknown; however, each day after work, her speed in fleeing noticeably increased.
Bronya spent more time caring for Seele and, notably, no longer deliberately restrained Sin.
After all, Sin's patience had its limits. If continuously suppressed over these few days, her longing would intensify, making it harder to control her when Zeke went out with Kiana. By allowing Sin ample access to Zeke during this period, Bronya ensured she could keep the less-addicted Sin under control in the Far East, preventing any disruptions to Zeke and Kiana's time together.
In summary, Bronya is genuinely clever, in every sense of the word.
Three days later, as dawn broke, Zeke and Kiana departed from the base aboard their prepared cruise ship.
"Yee-haw! Let's go! Ha ha ha!"
Her energetic voice conveyed the girl's carefree spirit but also hinted at her unmistakable goofiness.
Despite being undeniably attractive—donning a white string bikini that accentuated her vibrant figure, flawless skin like fresh snow, and long silver hair gracefully dancing in the wind—a pity she was still just a paramecium.
Zeke set out breakfast on the table, pulled out a chair, glanced at the back view of Kiana stretching her arms towards the morning sun, and sighed. She had everything going for her—if only she weren't a paramecium.
"Breakfast is ready."
"I'm coming!"
Kiana hooked her fingers behind her hips, adjusting her swim shorts over her curvy bottom before skipping happily to the table.
"Mmm~"
"It's delicious! (???)ノ!!!" Kia exclaimed while chewing, toast slice in hand.
With a gentle chuckle, Zeke reached over, tucking stray strands of her hair behind her ear and playfully pinching her soft, pink cheeks.
The intimate gesture and Zeke's affectionate smile made Kiana blush slightly.
"W-wh-what was that for?!"
"Because you're cute."
Typically, Zeke doesn't lie; he speaks his mind straightforwardly and candidly.
This directness amplified the impact of his words significantly.
Kiana scratched her face, feeling bashful, and burst out with a silly grin.
"Heh-heh~~"
"Pity you're still a ditz, though."
"Hey!" Kia playfully swatted Zeke's hand, then continued munching on her breakfast while grumbling under her breath: "How am I dumb? I've learned plenty! Even if I took school exams, I'd definitely be a top student, okay..."
"Learning without applying it is no different from not learning at all. You need to use your smart brain more often." Zeke gently tapped Kiana's forehead, sighing with evident fondness.
Kiana puffed up her cheeks, creating a soft and round appearance that seemed quite endearing despite her attempt at looking stern. In reality, this expression always tempted Zeke to poke her just to witness her animated reaction when she got flustered.
With no one else around, Zeke actually poked her forehead this time.
"Pfft!"
Kiana couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
Her joyful expression remained untouched by the shadows of her burdensome past, like a sunrise slowly emerging above the horizon, brimming with hope and vitality.
This reaction was unexpected for Zeke, but he still smiled warmly.
There's nothing wrong with laughter; if possible, he wished Kiana could smile like this every day—after stripping away all the complexities, what truly sustained Zeke throughout their journey was this simple aspiration.
In just over ten minutes, Kiana polished off the meticulously prepared meal from Zeke. She then patted her slightly swollen, snow-white belly, wearing a contented grin.
"Burp!"
"Drink some water and take deep breaths."
Zeke handed her a glass, instructing Kiana to control her breathing and alleviate hiccups.
She gulped down the water quickly, held the cup, blinked her bright eyes, and sheepishly said:
"Uh, I think I ate too quickly; there's not much left for you, Zeke."
"I don't rely on food for energy anymore, so it doesn't matter. As long as you're satisfied."
"That's good... By the way, why are we leaving so early? We haven't even said goodbye to everyone yet!"
"To avoid Sin and Rozaliya following us, plus, since it's a rare opportunity for travel, wouldn't you want to set off sooner?" Zeke replied casually while clearing the dishes.
Kiana nodded in agreement.
"You're right! Indeed, if those two found out... especially Sin, she'd be impossible to shake off! Good thing we left early - smart thinking, Zeke!" Kia patted her chest, relieved.
The gentle white waves caught Zeke's glance momentarily before he nonchalantly looked away.
However, with them being so close and Kia's attention almost entirely focused on Zeke, how could she miss his subtle gaze? She glanced sidelong, smiling smugly as she proudly straightened her chest.
"Like what you see? The feel is even better than they look, you know!"
"Snap!"
Zeke decided to abandon tidying up and let a few worker bees handle it instead. Then, he delivered a firm yet not overly harsh chop on Kiana's shoulder.
Kiana stuck out her tongue playfully before wrapping her arms around Zeke's arm, ensuring he felt every bit of the pressure. With a carefree tone, she exclaimed:
"We're already this close, so don't be too reserved, Zeke!"
"...Have you heard of playing with fire and getting burned?"
"Eh-heh! There isn't a single part of my body I'm ashamed of, missy or not!"
"Don't quote game lines, and besides, that context doesn't quite fit."
Rubbing Kiana's small head gently, Zeke found it impossible to maintain his usual cold demeanor amidst her sweet smile. His deep sapphire-like eyes now radiated only warmth.
Kiana felt herself almost intoxicated.
A lightness enveloped her, as if both her body and soul were soaking in a warm spring, forgetting all worries.
At that moment, her eyes and heart held nothing but Zeke, the person who brought her infinite joy.
"The cruise ship isn't very fast, so we still have several days ahead, right? What should we do next, Zeke?"
Kiana spoke softly, her gaze now holding less of its usual naivety and more profound tenderness.
Zeke's heart skipped a beat.
Unfazed, he tapped on the table surface, summoning a virtual control interface.
"The cruise ship has quite comprehensive features... Fancy swimming? We have a pool mode."
"Sounds great!"
Zeke activated the option accordingly.
The deck transformed and extended outward, spreading to both sides and forward, swiftly forming a spacious transparent pool. Connected to the ocean, it filled with continuously flowing purified seawater.
Already clad in a white bikini, Kiana gleefully jumped in.
With her slender legs and graceful figure, she swam effortlessly, her ivory limbs gliding through the water like an unwittingly alluring mermaid.
Zeke sat by the poolside, smiling as he watched her. To him, neither the vast sea nor the rising sun seemed as beautiful; his eyes were captivated solely by Kiana.
Time is just as lovely as Kiana herself, Zeke thought fondly.