Chapter 77: Unexpected 'Memories'

"K-Kalolin... go on, what is it?"

On the rooftop of the school under the clear, cloudless afternoon sky, Tian Dao stood nervously, eyes darting sideways as he stared at the back of Kalolin. His voice trembled—meek, hesitant, utterly lacking in confidence.

There was no real reason he could think of for why he’d done anything wrong.

But the silence hanging between them was thick enough to suffocate.

Kalolin wasn’t speaking.

That alone was enough to signal she was about to unleash something massive.

So, no need to overthink it.

Apologize first.

The moment you realize you’re wrong is already too late.

Tian Dao had learned this rule well—through years of trial, error, and countless failed attempts at soothing Kalolin’s moods.

He was a master of emotional crisis management.

But before he could even begin deploying his “100 Ways to Calm Kalolin” repertoire…

Kalolin suddenly turned, shoved a small gift box into his arms, and whispered, “Here. Happy early birthday.”

“Huh?”

After handing it over, she immediately ducked her head, her cheeks flushing pink.

Her eyes flickered with cascading data glitches, like a system overwhelmed.

Her pair of green, electronic cat ears twitched faintly, vibrating in distress.

Her mind was clearly overloaded—CPU running at maximum capacity.

Tian Dao was completely caught off guard.

He looked from her hunched back to the small box in his hands.

Then he laughed.

Unlike the pristine, store-bought gifts from class earlier—this one was handmade.

The ribbon was lopsided.

The wrapping tape still glistened with wet glue, barely dried.

This wasn’t a gift made with care and precision.

This was a rushed, panicked creation.

She must’ve heard everyone else talking about giving me gifts… and panicked, rushed to make something right then and there.

The thought made Tian Dao smile wider.

Under the vast, endless blue sky of the Coastal District, warm sunlight danced across the shimmering sea, rippling through schools of fish below.

The shadows of the two teens stretched long and soft across the rooftop’s white tiles.

A gentle, warm breeze stirred the air, lifting a strand of silver hair from Tian Dao’s forehead.

He stared at the gift in his hands.

After a moment’s pause, he carefully opened it.

A delicate blue dolphin pendant hung inside—cute, charming, shimmering under the sun.

Made from some special material, it seemed to ripple like water in the light.

Before he could examine it further, Kalolin, still avoiding eye contact, spoke in a tiny, barely audible voice:

“I… I knew your birthday was coming up. But after I got home, I had to report straight to the ‘Quantum Center’ at the base for at least a month of Quantum Calculations.”

“I could finish early and make it in time… but if I don’t, I’d definitely miss it.”

“So… after thinking it over, I decided it’d be better to give you the gift before I left.”

“That way… even if I can’t get out on time, at least I won’t have missed your birthday.”

“…I just hope you like it.”

Her words were shaky.

Fumbling.

Nothing like her usual calm, logical self.

And yet—there was something undeniably endearing about it.

This messy, flustered, human side of her made her feel more real.

More alive.

Tian Dao smiled warmly, holding the pendant gently in his palm.

“Satisfied? How could I not be? It’s from you.”

The moment he said it, Kalolin’s face turned even redder.

A familiar puff of white smoke burst from her head—just like the first girl in his classroom earlier.

And in the depths of Reality World 13 Station’s Dimensional Audience, chaos erupted.

> “Out! All you doubters who said Lao Tian can’t flirt—come out and see this!”

> “Ugh… delicious… so good… eat more!”

> “Science says sugar causes cavities—but I don’t believe science. I don’t even need teeth!”

> “Bro, keep talking—my notebook’s got space! (Taking notes, analyzing frame by frame.)”

> “Cut it out, guys—this isn’t skill. It’s pure, god-tier base stats!”

> “‘It’s from you’—damn, this moment is epic. No way this gets nerfed!”

> “Group Feedback Received: Version being tuned.”

> “No, no, no—this is the perfect version. No tuning needed.”

Amid the fanfare, Tian Dao gently placed the dolphin pendant around his neck.

Then, he noticed something.

On Kalolin’s slender white throat—under the collar of her shirt—was a matching dolphin pendant.

But this one was pink.

Exactly like the oversized pink dolphin plush he’d given her for her birthday.

Tian Dao didn’t say a word.

He played dumb.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly, pretending to study the pendant.

“Kalolin… this necklace… it’s not ordinary, is it?”

“Hmm.”

She nodded, quickly tucking the pink pendant back into her collar.

Then, turning to him with a serious expression, she explained:

“It’s called Deep Blue Melody. I asked Isabelle to have Tianlan Corporation craft it using a rare mineral—Deep Blue Tear.”

Without warning, she stepped forward—so close that Tian Dao could see every fine detail of her eyelashes.

She reached out and took the blue pendant from his neck.

“Deep Blue Tear is native to Deep Blue Metropolis. It naturally conducts water-based stellar energy with exceptional efficiency.”

“Inside this pendant is a Stellar Energy Spell designed to regulate temperature. Even in environments up to 40 degrees, you’ll feel as if it’s 20 degrees. It’s like a portable climate control.”

“Additionally…”

She paused.

Her voice faltered.

She looked down.

Then, after a beat, she slowly pulled out the pink pendant again.

“The second function… is this: if one of us wants to find the other, they simply activate their Deep Blue Melody.”

“Once activated, as long as we’re within range, the two pendants will emit a unique sound—only we can hear it. A signal. A call.”

She channeled a thread of star energy into her pink pendant.

And then—just like that—both Tian Dao and Kalolin heard it.

A soft, melodic chime.

Like a dolphin’s call.

Clear.

Distinctive.

Fleeting—but undeniably real.

Tian Dao grinned.

“So… if we don’t drift too far apart, we can always find each other through this sound?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She kept her head down, cheeks still burning.

She knew what she’d done.

She’d added a little secret.

A hidden purpose.

But Tian Dao didn’t call her out.

Instead, he changed the subject.

“Kalolin… let’s take a photo.”

“Huh?”

She blinked, caught off guard.

Without waiting for her answer, Tian Dao grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the edge of the rooftop.

There, in perfect view, stood the iconic landmark of Deep Blue Metropolis—Deep Blue Pearl, a towering structure shaped like a glowing jellyfish.

It was the same spot where they’d taken their first photo together.

Back then, she’d been startled, flustered.

He’d snapped the shot before she was ready.

Now, he had a plan.

He pulled out his phone, framed the shot—carefully, deliberately—choosing the angle he thought suited her best.

Then, just as he pressed the shutter…

He made a ridiculous, exaggerated face.

The contrast was instant.

She—calm, elegant, a quiet literary girl.

He—chaotic, playful, a mischievous spark of energy.

Perfect.

After the photo was taken, Kalolin frowned.

“Tian Dao… why did you suddenly want to take a photo?”

He smiled.

“Simple. When we first came here, you said I was teasing you—snapping the picture before you were ready.”

“So now, let’s switch it.

You take a photo while I’m not ready.”

“Now it’s fair.”

Kalolin stared.

Then, after a long silence, she sighed.

“…Just for that?”

“Yep. Just for that.”

Under the bright, open sky, she studied his eyes—the pale, starlit blue that seemed to steal the light from the sun itself.

Then, slowly, she smiled.

“Fine. You’re always like this—impulsive, unpredictable, impossible to handle.”

She shook her head, but her tone carried a soft, fond exasperation.

“…And yet, I can’t bring myself to hate you.”

“Now hand me the phone.”

She reached for it.

But Tian Dao quickly raised it above his head.

“No way. This photo stays with me.”

“Huh?”

He grinned.

“Just like how the necklace only works when we’re close—your photo and mine… they each capture the best version of us.”

“So why not keep them separate?”

“Because… whenever you look at your photo, you’ll see me at my best.”

“And whenever I look at mine… I’ll see you.”

“Besides… this moment? This memory? It’s unexpected.

And I want to keep it all to myself.”

With that, he stuffed the phone deep into his pocket, arms crossed like a kid guarding his treasure.

Utterly serious.

Utterly childish.

Kalolin sighed, shaking her head.

She didn’t push.

What was the point?

She could take another photo anytime.

But she didn’t notice—

As Tian Dao put his sunglasses back on, the eyes beneath them flickered with something complex.

Something quiet.

Because what he’d just said was true.

He hadn’t expected her to remember his birthday.

He hadn’t expected her to give him this gift—on the very last day before they had to return.

Life, he realized, was like a script.

You could plan every line.

You could rehearse every scene.

But the most beautiful moments?

They never showed up in the outline.

They came unannounced.

Unexpected.

And sometimes—like this—they changed everything.

He’d thought he’d written the story.

But Kalolin had just added a new chapter.

And he…

He didn’t mind at all.

Unseen in the shadowed corner of the rooftop, a red-eyed girl watched the two.

She glanced at her own gift in her hands.

After a long pause…

She turned and walked away.

She knew.

This wasn’t her moment.

Not yet.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end