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SCnKnA Pierce Villiers Event 01

Event List

Scene - Forest - Alice's Room

Another span of hours passed, and I was steadily growing used to this new life.

Even though I say I’m “living in the forest,” the truth is that I’m staying at an inn, so there’s nothing inconvenient about it. I’ve started to get used to my new job, and I can now clearly recognize the faces of my coworkers.

Life here is becoming my new normal. And whenever that thought crosses my mind, it brings with it a pang of guilt.

The place I chose to stay—wasn’t just where Boris was. It was also the amusement park with Gowland and the other staff. Not here.

Alice (And yet...)

Alice (...)

Scene Change - Forest - Arrows and Doors

Since I had the day off, I came to the forest. Whether I’d run into Boris or Pierce was, as always, up to chance.

There were places they were likely to be, but that didn’t guarantee anything. I wandered, looking around for a familiar face.

Alice (Ah... it’s Pierce.)

I spotted Pierce alone. When I called out to him, he ran over with quick, nimble steps.

No sound actually accompanied him, but that’s how it felt. Then again, since he’s a mouse, maybe “scurrying” is more appropriate...

Alice (...Not that it really matters.)

Pierce "Alice, Alice! You getting used to the forest? I heard it was your first time moving, right?"

Pierce "And being surprised by a move? That’s pretty rare too. You really are full of surprises."

The moment he reached me, Pierce started talking like that.

He probably heard it from Boris. Still, bringing it up now, of all times, felt like digging up something I’d already moved on from.

I knew I was being selfish, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.

And being treated like some kind of curiosity wasn’t exactly flattering.

Alice "Don’t talk about me like I’m some rare animal."

When I voiced my irritation, Pierce just stared at me, confused.

Pierce "???"

Pierce "Why are you mad? It’s rare for someone to have never moved. And rare to be surprised by moving, too."

Pierce "See? Everything about it is unusual. I’m not wrong, right?"

He tilted his head and leaned closer with a bright, innocent smile. It made staying mad seem pointless.

Alice "Ahh, fine, fine, I get it."

Alice "You’re right, from your perspective, anyway."

Honestly, I was the outsider in this world. Pierce technically wasn’t wrong, which somehow made it even more annoying.

Pierce "Alice, Alice! A rare lost thing, I found a lost thing!"

Pierce "You’re mine, so don’t forget it, okay?"

Still completely unconcerned with my mood, Pierce sang those words like a little rhyme.

Alice "...Are you still going on about that?"

He’d said that over and over when we first met, and it still didn’t make sense. Why was I being treated like something lost or picked up?

Alice "I’m not a lost item or something you picked up. And obviously, I’m not yours either, okay?"

Pierce "Eh?! You’re still saying things like that? That’s a problem... I picked you up fair and square, so why don’t you get it yet...?"

Alice "I could say the same thing! Why don’t you get it?"

Pierce "Maybe it’s because I just picked you up recently? I guess I should make it more clear that you’re mine, huh...?"

He tilted his head again, mulling it over. Clearly, he wasn’t listening to a word I said.

Soon, he seemed to arrive at a conclusion, looked at me dead-on, and said—

Pierce "Want to kiss?"

Alice "...Huh?!"

Alice (What did he just say…?)

This was another one of those things he’d said before—something I’d already wanted to ask "Are you still saying that?" about.

A kiss… Why does it always come back to that? I truly have no idea how he even arrives at that conclusion.

Pierce "I said, do you want to kiss? A kiss, a kiss."

Pierce "See, kissing really is the best thing. Because you’re mine, I’ll give you a kiss… I mean, that’s just the natural thing to do, and I think it’s the best."

Pierce "So come on, let’s kiss, Alice!"

Alice "I’m not kissing you."

(What part of that is supposed to be natural? In what world is that the best?)

Said in a sleepy, offhand voice, it sounded like a joke at best. I had no interest in taking it seriously.

(And honestly, what he’s saying is completely absurd…)

Then again, the people in this world are all absurd.

(…But this mouse is in a league of his own.)

A sleepy-looking, giant mouse.

He’s so absurdly big there’s no sense of realism. And like many girls, I don’t particularly like mice.

Pierce "Let’s kiss, yeah? C’mon."

Alice "No. I said no."

Pierce "But let’s kiss. A kiss, kiss."

Alice "I’m not kissing you!"

(…This is bad. I’m starting to catch it again…)

“Kiss”… That is, “chu.”

Even I’ve started saying “chu” without thinking. Ever since I met him, I’ve been catching his weird way of speaking.

(Strange words really are contagious… It’s like a habit…)

(Like how dialects are easy to pick up… Well, dialects aren’t bad, but still…)

“Chu” is just embarrassing. Chu.

Alice "How can you say something so embarrassing so easily?"

Pierce "Embarrassing? What is?"

At some point, his hazy eyes were suddenly very close.

(Wh—when did he get this close…?)

He has a way of lowering your guard, and despite looking sluggish, Pierce is incredibly fast. His appearance is misleading.

Alice "A ch… a ch-chu… or whatever…"

Saying it again just made it even more embarrassing.

(Chu…)

(I actually said “chu”… out loud…)

The word kiss doesn’t feel embarrassing to say—but “chu” is something else entirely.

Alice "See? It is embarrassing, right?"

Pierce "Chu is? Why? Why would chu be embarrassing? Chu is embarrassing?"

Pierce "Chu, chu~"

Alice "Don’t go chu chu chu chu-ing all over the place!! It’s embarrassing!!"

(Ugh… I said it again…)

(Again… I said it again…)

This is humiliating.

Alice "Even just saying it once is mortifying for me… and you’re over here saying it over and over without a care… C-chu…"

Pierce "A kiss is embarrassing??? But saying 'chu chu' is totally normal!"

Pierce "Because I’m a mouse. There’s no such thing as a mouse that doesn’t say 'chu chu.'"

He tilted his head like, “I’ve told you that before, haven’t I?”

Alice "…………"

Alice "…Mice are such embarrassing creatures, then."

Pierce "Eh!? Wh-What’s that supposed to mean!? I’m not an embarrassing mouse! I’m a totally not embarrassing mouse!"

Pierce reacted with absurd exaggeration. His sleepy-looking eyes popped wide open in disbelief.

You could practically hear the dramatic BANG sound effect.

Or maybe something like hyururururu~.

Alice (That reaction…)

Alice "…………"

Alice "Any creature that goes around saying 'chu chu' is just plain embarrassing."

Pierce "Eeeeh!? But mice are supposed to say 'chu chu'…!"

Alice "Then I guess mice are, overall, just embarrassing animals."

Pierce "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!? Th-That’s a complete rejection of all mice!?"

Alice (…His reactions are hilarious.)

Alice "I’m not saying I reject them entirely, but they are embarrassing."

Pierce "N-No way…"

As a small animal’s sound, maybe “chu” wouldn’t be that bad. But when Pierce says it, it’s unbearably embarrassing.

Alice (He’s not a small animal, after all… He’s a mouse bigger than I am…)

Alice (…Which, when you think about it, is kind of terrifying.)

And the “chu chu” he’s saying doesn’t even refer to a squeak—he means kissing. Not a sound. Not cute.

Pierce is a mouse, sure, but he’s a boy about my age.

Alice (It’s just… a little too embarrassing.)

Alice (Ugh, so embarrassing…)

Pierce "Alice… do you hate mice?"

Alice "Yeah, I’m not really a fan."

Pierce "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!? You—you don’t like mice!? Alice, you hate mice!?"

Alice "………… I mean, I don’t think most people like mice…"

Pierce "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!? That’s how it is in your world!?"

With an over-the-top GAHHHHN!!, Pierce reeled in shock.

Alice (…He really is fun to watch when he’s like this.)

Alice (Is that really so shocking, though…?)

It’s unfortunate for Pierce—who is apparently a mouse—but in my world, mice are despised creatures.

Alice "I mean, maybe people like hamsters or something, if it’s a pet species…"

Alice "But stray mice—well, I don’t know if that’s even what you’d call them—but wild ones, like the kind that scurry around the streets… not so much."

Mice are considered carriers of disease, blamed for plagues. They’re filthy animals directly associated with death.

There was even a time when people couldn’t keep hamsters as pets. That’s how serious disease transmission was.

Alice "In this world, are mice actually liked?"

Pierce "Well, that’s…"

Alice "…………"

Pierce looked thoroughly dejected. His ears drooped sadly.

Pierce "…I guess… mice aren’t that well-liked, huh…"

Alice "…………"

Pierce "B-But, hey, I’m not dirty, okay!? I take baths regularly!" "And! And I’m good at cleaning too. I like cleaning!"

Alice "I see…"

1. That's a good thing 2. That's just basic decency

1. That's a good thing

Alice "That’s a good thing."

Taking baths is just expected (or maybe in this world, it's not?), but being fond of cleaning is definitely a positive trait. When I praised him, Pierce beamed and nodded enthusiastically.

Pierce "Right?! Right, it’s a good thing, isn’t it!? Cleaning may be plain, but it’s super important!"

Alice "Yeah, I think so too. But…"

That doesn’t necessarily mean people will like you. Even a tidy mouse is still a mouse.

2. That’s just basic decency

Alice "But, I think that’s just what anyone should be doing."

Bathing and cleaning—those are just basic parts of living. Nothing to brag about.

Being good at cleaning is fine, but bathing is just a given (or maybe not, in this world). It’s not enough of a reason to be well-liked.

Pierce slumped again with a dramatic gaaahn, but it’s just the truth.

[Choices Converge]

Alice (So even in this world, mice aren’t all that popular…)

Alice (…………Still…)

I glanced at Pierce.

This larger-than-me mouse still looked completely dejected, his big ears drooping.

Pierce "Ugh… yeah, that’s right… I’m a clean mouse… so why does no one like me…?"

Alice (…He kind of looks like the type who gets picked on.)

Alice (…The type who practically invites it…)

He reacts in such an obvious, exaggerated way—it’s kind of cute.

Annoyingly cute, and oddly entertaining. I’m not the kind of person who enjoys teasing others, but with him, I feel the urge to poke and prod him a little.

Pierce "Is it because I say chu chu that people don’t like me…?"

Alice "…I don’t think it’s the chu chu. It’s probably just because you’re a mouse."

I gave the sulking mouse a little poke.

Pierce "Ugh…!? Th-That’s too cruel…"

Pierce "But I mean… I am a mouse. I can’t help it if I’m a mouse…"

His eyes welled up with tears.

Pierce "~~~~~~~~…"

Teary-eyed… on the verge of crying, but not quite. Just barely holding it in. If I poked him just a little more…

Alice "…………"

Alice (W-What do I do…) (…I want to tease him…)

I’m not the type who picks on people. Or… I thought I wasn’t.

Alice (But I really want to tease him right now…) (I’m starting to understand why Boris chases him around all the time…)

Scene Change – Clover Town – Inn

Waitress "So? Are you getting used to the job now?"

Waitress "From the looks of it, you’ve gotten pretty used to things. You’re handling everything on your own without needing anyone to teach you."

Alice "The basics, maybe. But I’ve still got a long way to go. It’s not like I can really do everything by myself."

Alice "Sometimes I can’t answer a guest’s question and have to ask someone else to help."

Waitress "A question you couldn’t answer? Like what?"

Alice "Like where the nearest pharmacy is, or a shortcut to the Clover Tower."

Since it’s an inn, guests often ask questions about the town.

Waitress "That’s understandable, though. You’re still new to this town."

Waitress "Before long, you’ll remember all kinds of things and won’t have any trouble at all."

Alice "Yeah, I hope that happens soon. I’ve been walking around a lot, trying to memorize the layout of the town and the shops."

Waitress "Now that you mention it, you do go out pretty often on your days off. But you don’t have to use up your free time like that, you know?"

Waitress "Seriously, you should actually rest on your days off. There’s no need to think about work all the time."

My coworkers are kind. They worry about whether I’m pushing myself too hard.

Alice "Don’t worry, I’m not overdoing it. I am getting proper rest."

Waitress "Really? Well, if you say so."

Waitress "But you’re almost always going somewhere, aren’t you? And when it’s not around town… where exactly do you go?"

Alice "Eh? Oh… the forest, I guess."

Now that I think about it, I’ve been visiting the forest quite often. Sometimes I visit other territories, but by far, the forest is the most frequent.

Waitress "The forest? Why would you go to the forest of all places???"

Waitress "You know people get lost there easily, right? You’re not even from around here, and you’re not familiar with it either…"

The looks on my coworkers’ faces turned grim. Clearly, they didn’t approve.

Alice "I know."

Even I have places in the forest I’d rather avoid—like that area full of trees with doors stuck to them. I don’t like it there.

Alice (But Pierce and Boris live in the forest.)

Even the door to my room leads into the forest if I picture it while opening it. Half of my daily life is rooted in that place.

A forest where a cat and a mouse are constantly chasing each other. It’s not exactly a lively place, but its cartoonish charm reminds me of the amusement park.

Alice "I just end up going there a lot. There are… animals I care about."

Waitress "Huh…?"

Waitress "……??"

My coworkers tilted their heads in confusion. Now that I’ve thought about them, I’m starting to wonder if those two are fighting again.

Alice (Maybe I should head over there after work…)

Scene Change – Forest – Arrows and Mushrooms

Alice "Boris!"

This time, I spotted the pink cat. When I approached, he smiled and walked up to me.

Boris "Oh, hey Alice. Out for a stroll?"

Boris "I’m on a walk too. Since we’re both out here, why don’t we stroll together for a bit? C’mon, let’s go."

Alice "Ah, wait!"

Without even waiting for my response, he starts walking. He’s always like this—doing things at his own pace—but I don’t dislike that about him.

He’ll quiz me with riddles, or tell me stories I’ve never heard. When I’m with Boris, there’s never a dull moment.

When I used to live at the amusement park, we’d play around the grounds a lot. But even if that hadn’t been the case, I don’t think I’d ever be bored.

Walking ahead of me, Boris began to speak as if talking to himself.

Boris "The forest is nice and all, but sometimes I really start to miss the amusement park~"

Boris "…Well, more than the park itself, it’s the attractions I miss. What about you? Don’t you ever get homesick for it?"

Alice "Huh?"

It was probably a casual question with no deeper meaning—but since I’d been thinking about the park too, it caught me off guard.

Alice (Do I miss the amusement park…?)

1. I always miss it 2. I don’t really miss it 3. More like, I hate it here

1. I always miss it Alice "…If anything, I always miss it."

It was a place I really liked. I chose to stay in this world because I liked it so much.

Of course I miss it.

Boris turned around with a surprised look.

Boris "Eh, seriously? That much? Why though…? Were you that into the amusement park?"

Boris "…Or what, do you actually miss the old man? Wow, I had no idea you liked him that much."

Boris "…Kinda makes me jealous. Like, am I not enough to make you feel at ease?"

Alice "What? What are you talking about?"

Alice "I never said that. I miss everyone—not just Gowland."

Gowland was there, Boris was there, and all the other staff, too. I miss the amusement park as a whole.

Boris still looked skeptical, but when I insisted, he finally nodded in acceptance.

2. I don’t really miss it Alice "Not particularly. I don’t miss it."

…Though honestly, there are times I do. But I didn’t want to say that—it felt unfair to Boris.

If I said I missed it, it would sound serious. Considering everything Boris has done to set me up here with a place to live and a job… I couldn’t say it.

Boris "Really? I totally do. Stuff like the roller coasters and go-karts."

Boris "…Crap, just talking about it is making me really miss it."

Whether or not he knew what I was really thinking, he just kept chatting casually.

3. More like, I hate it here Alice "…More like, I kind of hate it here."

Boris "Seriously? I think it’s pretty fun in its own way."

Boris "What don’t you like about it? Tell me—I’ll fix it if I can."

Alice "Eh…"

I panicked at his sincere response.

Alice "…I was just joking. Don’t take it so seriously."

I’d just meant to tease him a little, but I didn’t expect him to take it at face value.

Alice (Boris really can be unexpectedly earnest sometimes.)

If I really hated it here, I wouldn’t keep coming back like this.

Boris "I see…"

“Jeez, don’t tease me like that,” he said—but there was clear relief in his expression.

Choices Converge

Chatting about how he wants to ride a roller coaster again, Boris kept walking ahead. After a while, he turned back as if something had just come to mind.

Boris "You’ve been living here for a while now, right? Are you having trouble with anything? I mean, you’re a girl, so maybe there’s stuff I wouldn’t think of."

Boris "If something ever comes up, talk to me, okay? …Rely on me more than the others, alright?"

Alice (……)

Alice (…This kind of thing—he acts like he’s used to taking care of others.)

As far as I know, that shouldn’t be the case.

And yet, there’s nothing forced about it—just a natural attentiveness. It’s annoying how endearing it is.

Alice "I’m not really having any trouble. I’ve got everything I need."

When he asked again, "Really?", I nodded. Boris looked a bit let down.

Boris "You seriously have no material desires, huh? I mean, yeah, there’s plenty of stuff you’d struggle without, but not much that’s a problem to have."

Boris "Or is it just that you don’t have anything and that’s the problem?"

Boris "If that’s the case, just tell me, okay? I’ll get you whatever you want."

Alice "It’s not that. I really am satisfied with what I have."

Alice "…Is that what it means to not have material desires?"

I ended up asking aloud, which made Boris laugh.

Alice (But… I really am satisfied.)

My life feels full. I might miss the amusement park sometimes, but I have no complaints about my current life.

If anything, I feel guilty for not having complaints.

Later

Even after parting ways with Boris, I continued wandering on my own.

Alice (I wonder if Pierce is around…?)

Not seeing him made me curious. After a bit of searching, I found him.

Pierce "Hey, Alice! You came again—I'm so glad! You came to see me, right?"

1. I came to see Pierce 2. I came to see Boris 3. I was just taking a walk

1. I came to see Pierce Alice "Yes, I came to see you, Pierce."

When I told him I’d been looking for him, he looked bashfully pleased.

Pierce "Hehe, thanks~"

Pierce "So, what should we do? Want to go into town together? Or I could show you someplace you’ve never been."

Alice "Either’s fine. I didn’t have anything specific in mind."

Pierce "Really? Nothing in mind? So that means… you came just to see me?"

Alice "Huh? Well… yeah, I guess you could say that."

Honestly, I just hadn’t thought that far ahead. But seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, I decided to go with that answer.

Alice (Since all I’d really thought about was meeting him, it’s not exactly a lie…)

Pierce "Ehehe~ so that’s it. You came because just seeing me was enough. That makes me really happy! And not because you wanted to tease me or chase me or anything—just to see me."

He looked so happy, he was practically skipping.

Alice (…That’s kind of a heartbreaking reason to be happy.)

2. I came to see Boris Alice "No, I came to see Boris."

I’d already met with Boris and was now searching for Pierce. But once again, my mischievous side got the better of me.

Pierce’s ears twitched sharply as he tensed up.

Pierce "…You came to see the cat? That terrifying beast? You’re pretty brave…"

Alice "…Well, after Boris, I was planning to see you too. I’m glad I found you."

Alice "Not that I had a set order or anything."

When I admitted the truth, Pierce’s ears perked back up and he lit up.

Pierce "So that means you were planning to see both me and Boris!? You were just messing with me, Alice!"

Pierce "That’s so mean… but wait, you did come to see me too, so actually it’s not mean at all! Yeah, not mean. Not mean!"

Alice (I tried to tease him, but he just got happy…)

3. I was just taking a walk Alice "I was just out for a walk."

I had been looking for him, but I didn’t say that out loud.

Somehow, I always end up teasing him. Maybe I just want to see that disappointed look on his face…

Pierce "Oh… so you weren’t here to visit me? That’s… kinda disappointing. Really disappointing."

Pierce "But hey—can’t you change it from a ‘walk’ to a ‘visit’? You can walk anytime, but spending time with me is rare, right?"

Just as I expected, he pouted—though his follow-up suggestion was oddly optimistic.

His eager little request was honestly kind of cute.

Alice "Alright. Sure, let’s say that’s what it was."

Choices Converge

Later

Pierce "Alice… do you… hate mice?"

He asked this out of the blue as we walked through the forest together. At some point, he had crept closer again—those sleepy eyes were right near mine.

Alice (…So fast. He's ridiculously fast.)

Despite the way he talks—slow and drawling—he moves surprisingly fast. His agility makes me think maybe I shouldn't let my guard down around him, but at the same time, he always seems sleepy.

Alice (…I don’t really know much about Pierce, do I?)

We haven’t known each other for long. Maybe that’s exactly why we became close so quickly, without any baggage.

If the amusement park disappeared and I suddenly grew close with someone I used to be on bad terms with, it would feel a bit awkward.

Even if we’d gotten along before, using someone as a replacement would just feel sad.

But with Pierce, there’s none of that hesitation. I can be friends with him without overthinking it.

Being with him is easy. Even his slightly foolish side makes him approachable.

Alice (But… what kind of person is he, really?)

A mouse.

Alice "……"

Alice "I don’t like them. Mice aren’t well-liked creatures in my world."

Alice (…Didn’t I say this before?)

No, I did. And now I’ve gone and said something again that hits him where it hurts.

Pierce "Not well-liked… So… hated…"

Just as expected, Pierce gives a painfully obvious reaction—like a mental "gaaaaaan" sound effect.

Alice (When I’m with him, that sound keeps playing in my head…)

Alice "……"

Alice (Really now… I wasn’t supposed to be the type who bullies others.)

But when Pierce gets all sulky, I can’t help myself.

Alice (What is it? Just seeing him makes me want to tease him…)

Alice (And the way he immediately gets all weepy when poked at is just…)

Alice (……)

Alice (No, no, I shouldn’t. That’s just mean.)

Alice "Maybe… there are people who like mice, you know?"

I try to offer some kind of comfort.

Pierce "But you don’t like mice, right? You don’t like me, do you?"

Pierce "I found you just lying there, so I picked you up… But when you find something, it’s supposed to become yours..."

Alice "I wasn’t lying around for someone to pick up. I wasn’t even lost to begin with."

I’m not some lost item. He’s been saying this since we first met, and I’ve been denying it just as long.

Pierce "You were. You were all alone, just lying there."

Pierce "You were a lost item. That’s why I picked you up."

Alice "People don’t get ‘picked up.’"

Alice "I’m a person, you know? Not an object."

Pierce "So… are you already someone else’s property?"

Alice "Listen…"

Alice "…I don’t belong to anyone. I belong to myself—"

Pierce "If you don’t belong to anyone else, then you’re mine. I’ll make you mine."

Pierce "You’re my possession. You’re mine."

He declares this entirely on his own.

Alice "…………"

Alice (…He's not the same as Peter, but…)

Even if they’re different types, they’re similar in that you just can’t reason with them.

Pierce "I picked you up, so you’re mine."

Pierce "I love cute things. I collect cute things."

Pierce "…Yeah, I knew it. We need to kiss! Let’s kiss, okay?"

Alice "N-O."

I block his face with my hand as he suddenly leans in.

Pierce "??? I can’t kiss you like this, you know?"

Pierce "Move your hand. It’s in the way—I can’t kiss you…"

Alice "I said N-O, didn’t I?"

Alice (Peter…)

Alice (…He really is another Peter, isn’t he…?)

He reminds me of that rabbit.

That said, Peter and I have settled into a kind of friendship lately, and I’ve come to trust him in his own way.

He does think about me. (Even if his way of doing so is… completely off.)

As for the kiss—Pierce feels like something else. His forceful attempt at a kiss does bring Peter’s early days to mind, but the vibe is entirely different.

It’s like… writing your name on something you own. That’s the kind of "kiss" this feels like.

Pierce "Why not? Why can’t we kiss? That’s so weird…"

Alice "The weird one is you! Why are you trying to kiss me in the first place!?"

Pierce "Because you’re my possession…"

Pierce "Why not? Let’s kiss, come on, kiss…"

Alice (Kiss kiss, kiss kiss…)

My head is starting to ache. I’ve heard it so many times, it’s like I’m desensitized—even to how embarrassing the word itself is.

Alice "In my world, we don’t go around kissing so casually! It’s something you do with family, or friends, or… with someone you love!"

Pierce "Hmmmm… but we’re not family, or friends, or lovers, right…? …But that’s fine. Let’s kiss anyway."

Alice "No, it’s not fine."

Alice "If we’re not family, not friends, not lovers, then there’s no kissing!!"

…It’s completely rubbing off on me.

Alice (Kiss…)

Alice "Not just in my world—people in this world don’t go around kissing so casually either, do they!?"

It might be a desperate excuse, but I had to say it.

Pierce "Eh… ehhhh… well… y-yeah we do, we kiss…"

Alice (…………) (Wow… you are such a terrible liar.)

It’s such a transparent lie, I don’t even feel like getting mad.

His eyes dart everywhere, fidgeting all over.

Alice "…………"

Pierce "Kiss… w-we… we do… we do kiss…"

His ears droop pathetically. When I look down, even his long tail has gone limp.

He’s just so obvious.

Alice "…Really? From what I’ve seen, people in this world don’t seem to kiss all that easily either."

Pierce "…………"

Pierce "…We do… They just don’t let me…"

Pierce "I want to kiss cute things… But every time I try, they all run away…"

Pierce "Is it because I’m a mouse…?"

Pierce "Mice are hated, aren’t they? Am I hated? Why do people push me away when I try to kiss them…?"

Alice "…………"

Alice "…The people you try to kiss—are they your family, your friends, or your lover?"

Pierce "No. Just cute creatures. They’re not family or friends or lovers."

Pierce "But they’re so cute."

Pierce "Why do they push me away when I want to kiss them…? Is it because I’m a mouse…? Being a mouse is rough…"

Alice "…I don’t think it’s just because you’re a mouse."

If someone who’s not family, not a friend, not even a romantic partner tries to kiss you—especially a mouse—anyone would push them away.

Alice "You shouldn’t kiss someone who isn’t family, a friend, or a lover."

Pierce "Eh? But… they’re cute."

Pierce "When you see something cute, you have to kiss it. Otherwise, someone else might take it."

Alice (…He really does think of it like writing your name on something to mark it.)

Alice "I don’t think kissing someone out of the blue makes them yours…"

Pierce "Even if they don’t become mine, if I think ‘soooo cute,’ I have to kiss them!"

Pierce "When you see something cute, don’t you want to kiss it? Right? Right??"

Alice "Well… maybe…"

Alice "…I guess you’re not completely wrong…"

Alice (…Wait?)

Alice (No, hold on… Am I seriously agreeing with this…?)

He’s overwhelming me with his weird logic, and I’m about to give in.

Pierce "Exactly! You see something cute, and you kiss it!"

Pierce "I’m a mouse—so I should kiss! Kisses!!"

Alice "………S-So… maybe…???"

With him declaring it so confidently and passionately, it kind of started to feel true.

Alice (I’m losing to the momentum…)

Pierce "Yup! So let’s kiss! Kiss!!!"

Alice "Not happening."

I was close to giving in—but I held my ground.

As his face rushed toward mine with enthusiasm, I smacked him—hard.

Pierce "Ow—OWWWWW!! That hurt, Alice!! What was that for?!"

Alice "What was that for? That’s my line."

Pierce "What do you mean what!? I was just trying to kiss you! Just a little kiss!"

Alice (Just trying to kiss me? Just—he says??)

Alice "That’s more than enough reason to hit you."

Smack! Another hit, just as solid as the first.

Pierce "OWWWWWWW!! It hurts!! You’re so mean!!"

Pierce "Is this because I’m a mouse?! Am I being persecuted because I’m a mouse?!"

Alice "I’d hit you even if you weren’t."

Mouse or human, if someone I’m not close to tries to kiss me, I will resist.

And if they keep pushing? I’ll take appropriate action. It’s self-defense.

Alice (There is no world where kissing—sorry, “chu”—is done that casually!)

Alice "Listen. I don’t kiss people I’m not close with—not unless they’re family, a friend, or someone I’m dating."

Alice "It doesn’t matter what the customs are in this world, or whether you’re a mouse or not."

Alice "I just don’t kiss people I’m not close to. A kiss is something you give out of affection."

Pierce "…………"

Pierce "Then… let’s become family or friends or lovers! If we do, then I can kiss you, right?"

Pierce "Right?? So let’s do that! Let’s become one of those so we can kiss!"

Alice "…………"

Alice (He’s not listening to a word I’m saying…)

Alice (Is it because he’s a mouse? Is that why I can’t reason with him…?)

After a brief silence, Pierce started squealing in excitement again. I let out a sigh. I could feel myself slipping into mouse prejudice.

Alice (I mean, cats are still somewhat reasonable… but mice—mice are just…) (Mice.)

Pierce "Chu chu! I can’t wait to kiss cute things. I’ll wait until we’re family or friends or lovers, okay?"

Pierce "I wanna hurry up and become one of those so I can kiss you!"

Alice "Sigh…"

Alice (How should I put this…)

Alice (He’s even more of a simpleton than Peter…)

Peter’s behavior was outrageous, but he’s actually smart. That mix of intelligence with his eccentric actions made him scary in a sort of stalker-ish way.

But with this kid, there’s none of that.

Alice (He’s just an idiot… A complete idiot…)

An exhausting idiot.

Pierce "Family, friend, or lover… hmm… Which one should I pick? Which sounds best?"

Pierce "Hey, Alice! Which one do you think is good? Which should I be?"

Alice "…Thinking about it normally, I’d say ‘family’ is off the table."

You can’t just decide to become blood relatives.

If this kid were my little brother or older brother… it’d be exhausting. Even as a relative, it’d be tough.

Pierce "Hmm? But if we get married, doesn’t that make us family? I think that’s the easiest and fastest way to do it."

Pierce "Should we go with that? Wanna get married?"

Alice "No."

Pierce "Hmmmmm… Then I guess it’s either friend or lover… That means we’ve gotta start by getting closer!"

Pierce "What should I do…? I guess spending more time together, playing together…"

Alice (The conversation is just… moving on entirely without me.)

Still, this is better than being pestered for kisses, so I let him keep talking.

Pierce "Oh, I know!! I’ll invite you to my house!"

Pierce "Yeah! I’ll invite you over to my place and boost our intimacy! Come over, Alice! Let’s become closer friends!"

Alice "You have a house…?"

I thought he was just wandering around the forest all the time like a stray.

Pierce "Yup! I do! My very own house!"

Pierce "I’m inviting you over! Then we can get closer and become friends!"

Alice "…………"

Alice "How do I put this…"

Pierce "Hmm?"

Alice "……Just, I don’t know… how to respond to all this."

Alice (He's just… so transparent.)

It’s not exactly a “hidden motive”… or maybe it is, but either way, it’s so blatant that I’m not sure how to react.

Alice "…Most people don’t go around saying ‘boost intimacy,’ you know."

Pierce "…Really? But I do want to get closer to you! I want to increase our intimacy!"

Pierce "Then we can kiss!"

Alice "…………"

Alice (I really don’t know how to respond to this…)

Pierce "You’re so cute, I wanna kiss you soon!"

Pierce "How close do we have to be? I wanna kiss you so bad, I’ve gotta invite you over ASAP…"

Alice (How close do we have to be… I wanna kiss you… gotta invite you…)

Alice (You know…)

I’ve been tuning out all the constant “chu chu” talk, but if he wants to kiss cute things, that means…

Alice (…He’s calling me cute, isn’t he.)

He says I’m so cute he wants to kiss me—even though I don’t think I have the kind of face people usually call cute…

Alice (What a strange kid.)

Alice (How do I even describe this…?)

It’s… itchy. In that emotional, awkward kind of way.

Pierce "…Hmm, but with that size, you probably can’t fit… That’s a problem, what should I do…?"

Alice "…………"

Alice (…Is his house that small I wouldn’t even fit in it?)

Like a rabbit hutch, except for mice.

Alice (…Honestly, I don’t want to be invited over…)

End Event

#hnkna

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