While Mizuno was still entangled with Tokai Teio, debating whether or not he should pretend to be the mysterious man…
Symboli Rudolf had already stepped forward, firmly stopping Air Groove from continuing to dig up the soil.
Holding down Air Groove's mud-covered hands, Rudolf gently urged her, "Air Groove, please stop. No matter how good that person is at hiding, he couldn't possibly be underground…"
"Ugh…" Air Groove glanced around at the holes she'd dug, then at the wilted sunflowers scattered about. Her mud-stained hands dropped weakly to her sides as hesitation overtook her.
Of course, she knew—the mysterious man wasn't here…
But she refused to believe it.
She'd rather imagine he was hiding beneath the dirt, that if she dug through the whole garden, she could unearth him. She couldn't face the reality that no matter how hard she tried, she'd never find him.
"Then…what am I supposed to do?" Air Groove asked emptily, suddenly lost.
She had made it this far purely because of a persistent sense of purpose.
Whether for the adorable juniors at the academy who admired her or for her dear friends who cared for her, Air Groove couldn't allow herself to fall apart. Thus, she'd frantically repeated the sa futile actions, as if driven by so obsessive force, just to stay moving rather than lie down and sleep forever…
But now she couldn't do anything right. Everything she did only troubled others.
Perhaps it would be best to shut herself away, to spare everyone the bother…
"Air Groove…" Rudolf's heart ached seeing her friend's distress, softly stroking her back.
"Do you still rember your wish?"
"My wish?" Air Groove stared blankly, unsure why Rudolf suddenly brought this up.
She rembered clearly—it was just a week ago when President Rudolf visited her dorm, accompanied by a strange man dressed entirely in black. They had asked if she had a wish, hinting that fulfilling it might lure out the mysterious man.
And from deep within her heart, Air Groove had uncovered a hidden desire:
"To cultivate a Cereus flower with my own hands, to witness its bloom with my own eyes…"
But she knew, as well as anyone, that it was practically impossible—just like finding that mysterious man.
She'd never grown a Cereus herself, but she knew enough to realize it would take at least three years from seed to bloom.
Three years was far too long…
She couldn't even care properly for an ordinary flower right now—how could she painstakingly nurture a Cereus for three whole years, waiting patiently for its brief mont of bloom?
"It's impossible…" Air Groove shook her head, not daring to believe her wish could ever co true.
"Not necessarily," Rudolf embraced Air Groove gently, stroking her hair, smiling warmly. "We'll help you."
"But three years…is far too long…" Air Groove murmured sadly.
Of course, she had considered asking Rudolf and her friends for help, but wasting three years of their precious ti just to watch a flower bloom… she'd rather the wish remain forever unrealized.
"What if I told you soone found a way to speed up the cultivation?" Rudolf whispered cryptically.
"Really?!" Air Groove's ears perked imdiately, eyes shining with a newfound hope. "Who?!"
"Well, right there," Rudolf pointed toward Mizuno.
Following Rudolf's finger, Air Groove noticed for the first ti the black-clad man beside Tokai Teio.
Looking closer, she recognized him—the strange man who'd visited her dorm and asked about her wish.
Rudolf introduced him warmly: "His na is Mizuno, a Trainer friend of mine, and he's also Teio's Trainer."
"A Trainer?" Air Groove was confused.
What could a Trainer, soone whose job was training Uma, possibly know about accelerating flower growth?
Seeing her confusion, Rudolf explained further:
"He's no ordinary Trainer…"
"Ever since learning of your wish, he's been desperately searching for ways to fulfill it."
"He sohow got his hands on a potion that can accelerate plant growth, and he's secluded himself in this garden, researching day and night to find the perfect formula to grow your Cereus."
Rudolf's explanation resolved Air Groove's doubts but imdiately raised a new question.
"Why is he helping ?" Air Groove felt an unfamiliar sensation in her heart as she stared at Mizuno, who was currently trapped by Tokai Teio's stubborn grasp.
She'd never t him before. They had nothing to do with each other. So why was he trying so hard to help her?
"Well…that, you'd have to ask him yourself," Rudolf chuckled lightly, deliberately avoiding an answer.
anwhile, Mizuno was desperately trying to shake off Teio's clingy grip when he suddenly felt an intense stare from behind, like soone was studying him intently.
He turned to find Air Groove, who had been digging through the soil monts ago, standing less than a ter away, silently scrutinizing him.
"You're going to help fulfill my wish?"
Though Air Groove's voice was still weak and distant, Mizuno clearly felt the intensity within.
"Yes," Mizuno froze for a second, then nodded firmly.
"Why?" Air Groove asked bluntly.
"Uh…" Mizuno scratched his chin and began improvising seriously, "Because I can't stand that mysterious man either. I just really want to catch him and give him a good beating…"
" too!" Tokai Teio jumped forward, adopting a mock Thai boxing stance. "I also can't stand that mysterious man! If I catch him, I'll team up with Trainer-san to beat him up!"
"…" Mizuno swallowed nervously, afraid to speak.
"Count in," Rudolf chid in playfully. "If it were , I'd lock him in a pitch-dark basent and never let him out to tornt others again."
As she finished speaking, Rudolf mischievously winked at Mizuno.
Mizuno: "…"
Hey! Teio saying this without knowing is one thing—what are you joining in for?!
"Hmm!" After hearing their vivid punishnts for the mysterious man, Air Groove's spirit stirred slightly too.
That's right—she had to catch that jerk and thoroughly punish him!
"Is there sothing I can do?" Air Groove eagerly turned toward Mizuno, impatient to get started on her wish.
"Uh…" Mizuno scratched his head awkwardly.
"Yesterday's nutrient solution had the wrong ratio, causing all these sunflowers to wilt…"
"I'm still working on a new one…"
"So for now, could you help dig out these wilted sunflowers and plant so new seeds?"
"Okay," Air Groove nodded and turned around, preparing to resu digging by hand.
"Wait…" Mizuno quickly stopped her, pulling a shovel from his dinsional pocket and handing it over, "It'll be easier with a tool."
"Mhm," Air Groove took the shovel, nodding appreciatively to Mizuno.
The confused, aimless look in her eyes was now replaced with quiet determination.
With the help of this Trainer-san, surely, she could soon capture that mysterious man!
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