I was raised in the simulator, and I’m really not a bad woman in Ark!

Arturo frowned at Ekalos' refusal.

She was not stupid. Of course she could see that Ikaros was holding on. If it happened once or twice, it would be fine.

The problem is that Icarus has been like this for almost an hour and doesn't seem to be in high spirits at all. Arturo cannot rest assured, both for official and private reasons, that he should continue to guard the surroundings.

So this time, Arturo decided to take tough measures against his childhood sweetheart.

"Eh? Arturo, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly cover my eyes?" The hazy vision suddenly fell into darkness. After being stunned for a few seconds to make sure that he was not asleep, Ikaros felt the skin on his eye sockets, which seemed a bit strange and angry.

I don't really understand why Arturo would do such a thing.

"Of course it's a punishment for bad boys, my Ikaros, you're so sleepy that you can hardly open your eyes, why do you still insist on guarding the car?

Only when people get enough rest and energy can they achieve twice the result with half the effort. This is what you told me yourself, Ekaros. How come you can't do it now that you told me this truth?"

Arturo stared at the pretty profile of his childhood sweetheart with a sullen look. Dissatisfied, she placed her cherry lips next to the tip of Ekalos' ear and rubbed the smooth silver hair with the tip of her nose.

Then the black-haired girl exhaled hot air, and spoke in Ekaros' sensitive ear as if questioning or complaining.

Ikaros, whose sensitive earlobes were suddenly attacked, couldn't help but let out a cute moan.

"Ummmm--, Arturo, you can't do that! Didn't we agree before that I won't bother the soft flesh around your waist and you won't allow me to rub my ears?!"

The tingling and electric-like feeling instantly sobered up Icarus's tired spirit. Then Icarus temporarily suppressed his sleepiness, broke away from the comfort of Arturo, sat on the other side of the car angrily, and glared at the smiling Arturo with his golden eyes in dissatisfaction.

Her fair cheeks were stained with a drunken red like a rose, and her shy look, slightly red ears, and slightly blurred golden eyes stained with sleepy tears made her look particularly cute.

But Ikaros must be in a very unhappy mood.

After all, even the brightness of the pure white halo suddenly became like an incandescent lamp at this moment, which shows that Ikaros is really angry now.

"I already told you that this is a punishment for bad boys. Otherwise, you can touch me back now, Ekaros, but the prerequisite is that you must promise that you will rest."

Arturo spread his hands, obviously determined to let Ekalos have a good rest.

"Then if I fall asleep, who can protect you in case of an accident? Arturo?"

Ikaros puffed his cheeks and questioned his childhood sweetheart angrily.

Although her temper was almost infinitely tolerant and gentle to the people she cared about, but in this situation where she was a little grumpy after waking up, Ikaros' tone did contain a rare hint of dissatisfaction and anger.

It seemed that he could see that Ekalos was really a little angry now.

The smile on Arturo's face gradually disappeared, and was replaced by a helpless and distressed look. He looked at Ekalos with a rare calm expression. After a short silence, he seemed to sigh, and also seemed to refute with a bit of dissatisfaction and anger.

"Then why do you say that, Ikaros? In your eyes, am I a burden who has no ability to protect myself without your protection? Have you always seen me like this, Ikaros?"

"Uh… no, no, I just…"

Obviously, he did not expect Arturo to suddenly refute him. Being questioned by his childhood sweetheart, Ekalos could not help but be stunned for a moment, and his originally slightly aggressive momentum weakened a bit.

"What is that? Is it because I don't have the power? Or do you think, Ekaros, that as your friend, I don't have the qualifications to protect you in return?"

Arturo watched Ekalos, whose momentum had weakened a lot, continue to press forward. After all, to be honest, Arturo had been enduring Ekalos's excessive protection for a long time.

Of course she knew that Ikaros was doing this for her own good, and that he was suppressing his sleepiness in order to better protect himself.

But Icarus wants to do this, doesn't Arturo want to do something for Icarus?

Friendship can only be maintained by mutual support and giving.

The feelings caused by one-sided charity and endless indulgence, whether it is friendship, love or family affection, are all distorted.

Arturo definitely didn't want to see the relationship between Ikaros and himself go to that kind of future.

Therefore, no matter what, when such a deformed relationship is in its infancy, Arturo must strangle the other party. Only in this way can the relationship based on mutual giving and care be maintained for a long time, and finally have the opportunity to get the ticket to the other side that Arturo hopes for.

Therefore, Arturo would never allow Icarus to bear all this alone.

Arturo, who was familiar with Icarus, had long been aware of the changes in Icarus.

Just because of his trust in Ekalos, Arturo never thought of asking any questions. He just wanted to wait for Ekalos to tell him the truth in person.

But that doesn't mean Arturo doesn't care.

Therefore, whether it is the matter of guarding the car or other matters, Arturo wants to share the responsibility with Ekalos, no matter what the cost.

and so……

"Answer me, Icarus, am I, Arturo, really that untrustworthy and unreliable in your opinion?"

Before he knew it, Arturo had pushed the silver-haired girl into the corner of the rear carriage, under the influence of the surging emotions that had been caused by the domination of Ekalos over the past few days.

At this moment, she looked down at Ekalos, whose momentum had already become weak due to her relentless pressure, and shortened the distance between them to infinitely close.

At the same time, in order to prevent Ikaros from escaping his sight, Ikaros pressed both of his hands on the glass window behind him, forcing the silver-haired girl to look at him, wanting her to tell him the answer to his question sincerely.

But he was completely overwhelmed by his emotions and forgot about the close distance between him and Ikaros.

Even their breathing was intertwined, and the distance between the girls mixed with warmth and breath made the atmosphere gradually become ambiguous. In order to block Ekalos' body, Arturo pressed his long black silk legs between the girls' legs, which made it impossible for Ekalos, who was being questioned, to fully concentrate his energy on thinking and answering Arturo's questions.

after all……

This is really too close!

It was so close that if Icarus wanted, he could immediately kiss Arturo's pink lips and clamp Arturo's thighs to knock Arturo down.

The silver-haired girl, who was originally feeling somewhat dissatisfied and angry, was now thinking about how to quickly escape from this awkward and shy position and distance, and then properly apologize to Arturo.

After all... In fact, after Arturo's words, Ikaros also realized that after gaining power, he seemed to be a little too arrogant.

There was no doubt that she and Arturo had a mutually supportive relationship.

But after he gained the power from the system and the plug-ins given by the simulator.

It seems that my attitude towards Arturo has changed from mutual support to a one-sided desire to completely protect Arturo.

But he completely ignored Arturo's own feelings.

This is obviously wrong.

Therefore, even at this moment, Ikaros could easily knock down Arturo who was "wall-banging" him with his enhanced physical fitness.

Icarus did not do so either. Instead, she was pressed into the corner of the car by her elder sister Arturo like a weak silver-haired loli, enduring the double "torture" from her body and mind at an extremely dangerous distance.

It can also be regarded as a partial compensation for the guilt I feel towards Arturo.

After all, if you put yourself in his shoes, if one day you were suddenly protected unconditionally by Arturo, and you were not allowed to do anything to protect or help Arturo, you would probably have started to go crazy when Arturo refused to help you, right?

And to think that Arturo had endured this situation for a whole week, or even longer.

Ekalos couldn't help but feel a sour sense of guilt and regret in his heart.

But I don't know what to say to apologize to Arturo and tell him what I really think...

Inevitably, the two people who were in an awkward position fell into a silent atmosphere.

However, just as Ikaros' heart was gradually filled with guilt and he was thinking about how to apologize.

The girl didn't know.

In the silent atmosphere, Arturo, after getting over the initial impulsive state caused by emotions, now realized the distance between them. She was also shy because of the awkward position between them and was a little at a loss.

Especially when Arturo felt the orchid scent of the girl and the faint floral scent of shampoo on Ikaros' body brought by every breath on his nose, and sensed the wonderful touch of the soft flesh between Ikaros' thighs slightly clamping his thighs through the black silk.

Arturo, who had been aggressively 'wall-banging' Icarus and questioning him, felt inexplicably dizzy. If she hadn't known that she was still questioning Icarus, and the girl had good self-control.

I'm afraid Arturo's face must be red by now.

Because the distance between the two of them was really too close.

But even so, Arturo had no intention of letting go and leaving.

After all, there are some questions that she must get an answer from Ekalos, even if it is not the answer she wants.

In Arturo's eyes, Icarus is the only person in the world who can truly understand her, and the only person who can move her heart when she writes music over the years.

So even if there are some secrets between the two that cannot be communicated or expressed in words, Arturo wants to maintain their relationship, no matter what the cost.

Therefore, in this shy and ambiguous atmosphere, Arturo kept a straight face, suppressing his shyness and the strange feeling brought by the close contact with Ikaros, and waited for the answer from Ikaros.

But before finally getting the answer from Ekaros.

Maybe it was out of apology, or maybe for some other purpose.

What Arturo got first was an apologetic and warm embrace from Ekalos.

After Arturo was stunned for a moment by the hug, he was thrown onto the back seat, and then received Ekalos's guilty and apologetic rebuttal and answer.

"No, that's not the case, Arturo..."

Holding Arturo's slender waist, he threw her onto the back seat of the SUV. Icarus' voice, buried in Arturo's chest, was deep and firm, but also trembling a little because of the girl's emotions.

It's like a nightingale crying, so pitiful.

Ikaros, crying?

Subconsciously, when Arturo heard the slightly trembling voice, he thought he had made Ikaros cry, and he couldn't help but begin to wonder if he had gone too far this time.

The originally resolute heart also became confused and wavered.

However, Ekalos had no idea what Arturo was thinking at the moment. Feeling guilty, she just wanted to apologize and then seriously tell Arturo how important and important he was in her heart.

"It's not what you think, Arturo."

"Arturo, you are definitely not a burden to me. I have never had that thought. I just... I just don't want to see you get hurt. I want to use my strength to protect you..."

"I will always trust you, Arturo, from the bottom of my heart, and I am willing to rely on you."

"So... no matter what, please forgive me for making you misunderstand me these days, Arturo... I need you very much, and I will always be like this. After all..."

Ekalos earnestly expressed his inner apology and attitude, as he spoke, he seemed to recall some precious past events. Finally, he raised his head very seriously and looked at Arturo, whose face was slightly red. He clamped one of the other's legs and looked straight into the other's eyes.

He spoke very seriously, as if making an eternal oath:

"…We agreed to be friends for life."

"So, will you forgive me? Arturo, I promise this will be the last time."

The girl's sincere apology and her eyes, which were slightly red due to guilt and finally had some tears in them, as if she had just cried, completely broke down the last line of defense in Arturo's already shaken heart.

Arturo even began to feel that he had gone too far, doing such a thing and saying such words to Ekalos, who valued him so much.

Feeling guilty for a moment, Arturo couldn't help but hug Ekalos gently with his backhand and said with complicated eyes:

"...Well, I forgive you."

"From now on, Ekaros, you have to rely on me more."

"As for what I said before, I'm sorry, I may have gone a little too far. I don't actually doubt your meaning, Ekaros. I just..."

I'm just afraid that one day I will lose you.

However, before Arturo could finish the second half of his sentence, he was interrupted by the gentle words of Ikaros, who shook his head slightly.

After all, in Ekalos's opinion, the main responsibility for this matter lies with her.

When one party in a friendship disregards the other party's feelings and gives the other party what he or she considers to be "good" and "protection", then it is obvious who is at fault.

Icarus didn't want to be seen as a lowly woman or a bad friend who took advantage of Arturo's love for her to do whatever she wanted.

What she truly wanted to be was always the friend who would accompany each other forever, never leave each other, and never deceive or betray each other, as promised to Arturo who was playing the cello under the blessing of the starry sky and the bright and gentle moonlight.

And this is the answer in Ikaros' heart now.

"Shhh, you're not wrong, Arturo."

"I will rely on you a lot in the future, so please continue to be my lifelong friend, okay?"

Icarus lay on Arturo's chest and looked at him with expectation and seriousness. He interrupted what the other person wanted to say with his booing and shook his head slightly to admit his mistake.

But he did not forget to redefine and emphasize the relationship between himself and Arturo while apologizing.

Arturo felt Ikaros's sincerity and was moved by the girl's persistence and affection. He finally nodded seriously, put on a gentle and charming smile again, looked at Ikaros gently, and replied softly:

"Okay...you must rely on me more in the future, Ekaros."

"No matter what difficulties, sufferings, or disasters you encounter, I will always be by your side, no matter when and where."

In response to this, Ikaros's answer was simple, but the emotion contained in it was firmer than any oath of love.

"Okay, I promise you."

"Always and always will be like this."