...

I was bracing myself for the worst, shutting my eyes as I slid down. Suddenly, it stopped. Huh? I don't think I slammed into anything on the ground, though. I couldn't feel the impact. I didn't dare to open my eyes, who knows what could have been there? It was oddly warm, even though the atmosphere was supposed to be freezing cold. It was so confusing. Uuu.. I wanted to burst into tears, how could I save Brother at this rate?

"Open your eyes and stop making that face, Ara." I could recognize that voice from anywhere! It was Add!

I slowly followed his instruction. He was floating on his Nasod dynamos, while carrying me bridal style. My cheeks started to flush, and my fragile heart started to skip a beat, pounding faster and faster. I was grateful that he saved me, but I must accept the fact that he doesn't like me that way.

"Thanks..." was all I could spout out.

"Kekeke... your face, it's all dusted with shades of reddish pink. You're thankful that I saved your ass, am I right? Or...could it be that you like me? Of course, I wouldn't blame you if you did, kyahahahaha!" he teased.

"It's.. both." I murmured.

"Hm? Both, you say? Kuku, I have excellent hearing, you can't hide anything from me! I must simply be irresistible!" he smirked.

"Yes... it's true that I like you, laugh all you want. I already know that you have romantic feelings for Eve."

I could feel my skin becoming warmer and warmer, as my heart pounded at a even faster pace than before. I knew I was going to be rejected, but this was my chance to hear him say it directly. The truth really did hurt, and even though I wasn't prepared for it, I was going to take it on and get it over with. The memories I had with him flashed back in my mind. The waterfall back in Hamel, the village of Resiam, and the Knight's Headquarters, where he was with Eve on the terrace...

Add suddenly started chuckling, it startled me. Well, it was to be expected, since I did give him permission to laugh at me.

"Me? And that damned Nasod? Are you insane? No, I suppose not, the only one here with a lack of sanity is none other than myself! I would NEVER consider loving that mere machine in a romantic manner! Eve is just a test subject for my experimenting! I am a Nasod researcher. My family was consumed into mining more knowledge about the race, and..." his voice trailed off. "No, nevermind that last part. The one that I truly love is... you, Ara Haan." he smiled.

It took me a while to process his words. Me? He really did... like me? Or could this just be a fantasy? He could be messing around with me again.

"But... that conversation you had with Eve..." I softly protested.

"Heh. That was the topic I wanted to converse to you about earlier, during breakfast. I suppose that this shall be a fitting time to explain everything. Here, let's get out of this slope first, my dynamos feel like they could break down any second due to the weight limit being exceeded..."

"A...Are you saying that I'm heavy?!" I blushed.

"No, not at all." he smirked, floating back onto the icy cold surface on his Nasod weapons while carrying me.

His elucidation was not something I expected.

...

—-[CHAPTER 7 : HUH? - END]—-