The rain had stopped. From the roof of the gazebo, water droplets fell with a soft patter. Pazu sat frozen, clutching the cloth tightly. The rain had been so loud earlier it covered everything up, but now it was quiet. Which only made the pounding of their own heart that much louder. (*Oh no, oh no, oh no.*) Sheeta was right beside them. Close enough that their shoulders might touch. Her damp silver hair clung to her cheeks, and the sight made Pazu's heart race uncontrollably. "[shy]...The rain's stopped, hasn't it." "[embarrassed]Y-yeah." Their voice cracked. A high-pitched, girlish voice. Every time they spoke, it hammered home the reality of what they'd become. Sheeta glanced over at them. Her deep green eyes caught Pazu in their gaze. —*Thump-thump.* (*Damn it, why am I so nervous?*) Pazu hurriedly looked away. Their face was burning. They could feel it themselves—their ears were bright red. "[gentle]Pazu." "Wh-what?" "Your clothes... if you stay in those wet things, you'll catch a cold." She was right. Both Pazu and Sheeta were soaked from head to toe. Pazu's softened black hair was plastered against their neck. "[worried]And it's so cold like this..." Sheeta let out a small sneeze. Pazu jolted. (*Right. I've got to pull myself together.*) This was no time to be getting flustered. They'd made up their mind to protect Sheeta. "[determined]Let's look around and see if there's something to change into." "Yes. Um, in the place where Laputa's royal family lived—the Casa Regia—there might be old clothes left behind." Sheeta's voice still trembled a little, but her eyes were steady. Apparently, the stone tablets she'd been reading in the archives earlier had mentioned something like that. "Alright, let's go." Pazu stood up, and their wet clothes clung slickly to their body. (*Wet clothes on a girl's body feel seriously gross...*) Muttering inwardly, Pazu started walking. —But their feet stopped almost immediately. Their eyes met Sheeta's as she walked beside them. "[surprised]Huh?" "Ah!" Both of them halted at the same time. They'd each become acutely aware of how the other's wet clothes were clinging to their body. Pazu's face flared hot. Sheeta's cheeks, too, reddened before their eyes. "[flustered]I-I'm going on ahead!" Pazu set off at a brisk pace. But with this body, their legs were shorter, so they couldn't move as fast as they expected. (*Damn it, it's so hard to walk!*) They could sense Sheeta hurrying after them in a half-jog. Pazu kept a step's distance as they walked. Because if they got too close, their shoulders would bump. And every time they bumped, Pazu's chest would pound, and Sheeta would let out a little "Ah." "[embarrassed]S-sorry." "[shy]No, I'm sorry." Repeating that exchange over and over, the two of them finally reached the wardrobe room in the Casa Regia. —*Creeeeak.* When they pushed open the stone door, the room inside was vast. Wooden shelves lined the walls, packed tight with neatly folded clothes. "[surprised]Whoa..." Pazu's eyes went wide. But looking closer, none of these were ordinary clothes. Glittering gold thread. Long ribbons used in abundance. Frilly, fluttery things on the shoulders and cuffs. Lustrous, glossy fabrics. Every single piece was formal attire worn by the Laputan royal family seven hundred years ago. "[nervous]Wh-what is all this? I have no idea how to put any of it on." Pazu picked up the nearest garment and spread it out. But the fasteners on the back were so complicated they had no clue how to work them. "[determined]Ugh, forget it!" Pazu tried to put it on alone. But their hands couldn't reach their back. (*Ngh... the old me could've just forced it on.*) Their arms were short. They had no strength. Pazu just spun in circles on the spot, utterly failing to get the clothes on. "[amused]...Hehe." Sheeta had her hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. "Wh-what?! Don't laugh!" When Pazu shot back, face bright red, Sheeta hurriedly shook her head. "[gentle]I-I'm sorry. But you just looked so cute, Pazu." "Cute?!" At that word, Pazu's heart leaped. Sheeta looked like she immediately regretted it, pressing a hand to her mouth. An awkward silence fell. "[shy]Um... let me help you." Sheeta looked down as she moved around behind Pazu. Pazu's body went rigid. (*Sheeta's behind me—*) That thought alone made their mind go completely blank. "Alright, just your back, then." Sheeta's slender, pale fingers touched Pazu's back. —*Twitch!* Pazu's body jumped on its own. "[surprised]Eep...!" The sound that came out was a girl's high voice, which only made it more embarrassing. "[embarrassed]I-I'm sorry!" Sheeta pulled her fingers back, too. But it was already too late—she'd touched them. Pazu's ears were bright red. Sheeta felt a gentle warmth spreading through her own hand, and she didn't know what to do. Complete silence. (*This is bad. I have to say something.*) Pazu thought desperately. But their mind was a mess. —Still, there was one thing. One thing that was perfectly clear. "[trembling]...Sheeta." Pazu turned around. They looked straight at Sheeta. Their eyes met those large green ones. "I... even if my body's changed, my feelings—wanting to protect you—haven't changed at all!" Their voice shook. Shouting desperately in that high, girlish voice, even Pazu felt a little ridiculous. Sheeta blinked rapidly. And then—. "[crying]...Pfft..." Unable to hold it in, Sheeta laughed, tears welling in her eyes. "[gentle]Thank you, Pazu. I... I'm always counting on you, you know." It was a small voice, but a steady one. A gentle warmth spread through Pazu's chest. (*Ah... thank goodness.*) A new warmth bloomed between them—. Right after that. "[surprised]Whoa!" Pazu stepped on one of the long ribbons of the formal wear and pitched forward. *Crash!* The impact knocked an old wig off a shelf, and it plopped right onto Pazu's head. Their head was now covered in a fluffy blond wig, making them look like a lion. "[laughing]Ahahahahaha!" Sheeta doubled over laughing. "Wh-what is this thing?!" Pazu tried to pull the wig off, but their fingers got tangled in the ribbons, making them flail even more. "[laughing]Hehehe, Pazu, hold still! You'll just get more tangled up!" Sheeta approached, still laughing, and untied the ribbons for them. "[embarrassed]Damn... so uncool..." Pazu slumped in dejection. But their face was smiling. Sheeta was smiling, too. The awkward tension from moments ago had vanished like it was never there. —Their laughter echoed brightly through the wardrobe room. Pazu thought to themself. (*I messed up—but, well, whatever.*) It felt like it had been a long time since they'd seen Sheeta laugh like this. Just that alone made them feel somehow saved. After that, the two of them somehow managed to get changed and returned to the garden—the Garden of Verde. It was evening. The sky was dyed orange. The giant trees of the Garden of Verde, the wildflowers—everything looked like it was glowing gold. "[gentle]It's beautiful..." Sheeta was captivated. Pazu caught their breath, too. (*Amazing... Laputa's sunset is this beautiful?*) They sat down side by side on the grass. Just a little while ago, just sitting next to her had made their heart pound, but now, strangely, it felt calming. They felt like they could finally talk a little more normally. "[gentle]Pazu." "Hm?" "What you said earlier... it really made me happy." Sheeta gently clasped her pendant. "[embarrassed]D-dummy. That was just me being all sappy, so forget it!" "[gentle]No." Sheeta smiled. That smile, lit by the sunset, was so beautiful—. (*I really am getting flustered...*) Pazu hurriedly looked up at the sky. But it wasn't the painful kind of pounding from before. It was ticklish, but warm. That kind of heart-pounding. "[concerned]...Huh?" Sheeta suddenly stared at her pendant. The levistone was glowing with a pale blue light. But—the light was much stronger than yesterday, and the blinking was faster, too. "[worried]Pazu, look at this." Sheeta showed Pazu the pendant. "[serious]That's weird... why's it glowing so strongly?" Pazu's expression clouded, too. Was it because the time left for the trial was decreasing? Or maybe—. (*Is someone... approaching Laputa?*) A cold shiver ran down Pazu's spine. The warm feeling from moments ago was suddenly overwritten by anxiety. "[scared]...I'm scared." Sheeta murmured quietly. Pazu couldn't say anything. They just sat there, gazing softly at Sheeta's shoulders as she hung her head beside them. The sun sank lower. The Garden of Verde began to be slowly enveloped in darkness.