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Hiking really isn't the best hobby for someone like Ellen Joe, but Wise, her ever-so-charming 'friend,' decided that they should try it. Currently, they are hiking outside the inner city of New Eridu.
"Ugh… all this walking is destroying my shoes. Can we at least take a break?!?" complained Ellen. Much to her surprise, Wise turned around to face her and replied to her complaints.
"Well, if you don't mind, I can give you a piggyback ride, you know?" said Wise nonchalantly, earning a shocked but slightly blushing face from her.
"What the hell, Wise! …tch… I guess," Ellen said, whispering the last part to herself. But one's body is honest; the moment Wise turned around, she went near him and accepted to be carried by him. Much to her surprise, he was actually quite capable.
"Huh… you're capable of this stuff? I didn't know that."
Ellen's comment earned a light laugh from him as he continued walking, Ellen on his back. She was blushing at this point; Wise should've noticed her embarrassment at being carried by him, but alas.
"Ellen, you can close your eyes if you want. I'll wake you up once we get there!" he said enthusiastically. Ellen blushed hard, shaking Wise strong enough to almost drop her. Luckily, he wasn't that weak.
"You're really dense, you know!" said Ellen as she stopped shaking him. As for him, he merely replied with, "Am I really that dense?"
Dumbfounded, Ellen couldn't believe what she just heard. First of all, he was carrying her. Second of all, how did he not notice her feelings for him??
Is he really that dense? The answer? Yes!
Ellen could only sigh at Wise's stupidity with feelings. Within that moment, she closed her eyes, resting on the shoulders of Wise, ignoring their previous argument.
"Ellen, Ellen, wake up~"
Her eyes slowly opened. She was met with the sight of Wise still carrying her, but from the looks of it, they had reached their destination. Once Wise heard the cute yawn of hers, he slowly crouched down to let her get off his shoulders.
"We're here?"
"Yep, after 30 minutes of carrying you, we're finally at the top of the hill!"
"Great— 30 MINUTES! Wise!"
Embarrassed by such a long time she had spent on the shoulders of Wise, while also having a hint of worry, she scolded him, saying that he should've informed her if he was tired. She could walk on her own after all!
"Why didn't you just wake me up earlier? I could have saved your energy!"
"Hehe… you just look really cute when sleeping, though."
With the unexpected compliment from Wise, Ellen's face began to change its color to beet red, earning a worried expression from him.
"Are you alri—"
"I'm fine! Just… just argh!! Why did we come here again?!?"
Ellen said, avoiding the confrontation further. Wise went up next to her, pointing at the scenery below.
"You see it, right?"
"See what?"
"New Eridu?"
"From here…?"
"Yeah… it looks beautiful, right?"
Ellen looked in the direction where Wise was pointing, and he was right… it was a beautiful scenery.
"…yeah…"
Both stared at the beautiful scenery for a while until Wise broke the silence.
"All those steps were worth it, weren't they?" asked Wise. She could only nod as she took in the scene.
"Hey Wise…"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks…" she muttered. Though Wise could hear it, he waved his arms in a nonchalant manner.
"No worries, Ellen. After all, it's for you."
Another compliment from him! This guy… I guess she doesn't mind his praises, after all…
"I like you…" whispered Ellen to herself.
"You know I can still hear you, right?"
"Wha— GRR DAMN YOU, WISE!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
After that, both of them laughed together, creating a memory neither would forget.