Girls have another bar of stamina when they are shopping.

This is the commentary Noah heard and read.

Today, he can confirm this theory after what he saw today.

Five hours.

He went around window-shopping with Enju, Kayo, and Tina. They didn’t stop for a break throughout this entire period.

He lost count of the stores they visited.

The clothing shop, accessories, jeweler, supermarket, hypermarket, the arcade, those are only a few places he distinctly remembers.

Enju took charge and she led the others on an energy-sapping spree that lasted five whole hours.

The four of them pretty much browsed through the entire commercial district.

Noah personally witnessed the girls go on an untiring rampage throughout the commercial district.

They are only girls who are ten-years-old, it shouldn’t have cost him a lot to keep them happy, money-wise.

Alas, these girls aren’t normal kids.

Enju Aihara is an Initiator paired with Rentaro. After joining Tendo Civil Defense Corp, she got paid with too much money a kid her age shouldn’t be tasked with handling. Thus, she can buy almost anything she wanted, of course, excluding the really expensive stuff.

If Rentaro or even Kisara saw the ridiculous cash she has on her, they would probably faint in shock.

Meanwhile, Kayo is also an Initiator. However, she didn’t get paid a lot because her Promoter was a total bastard who treated curse children as tools to further his own agenda. Presently, she has no plans to continue acting as an Initiator. After joining Fairy Tail, she became far richer than other kids her age.

Noah had to compensate her because she did an excellent job, assisting him with her calm analysis that came from her knowledgable attitude and 210 points IQ.

If Fairy Tail is considered a big company, Noah would be the executive director and Kayo would be the capable personal assistant who got Noah’s back no matter the situation.

Noah compensated her very well for her efforts.

Indeed, Kayo is a richer madam than Enju.

As for Tina, Noah isn’t sure about her background, however, he can see that she’s just as senseless as the other girls.

She straight-up threw a bunch of fancy-looking clothes into the river with a sleepy look on her face.

Noah is sure that she must be a runaway rich young lady of a prominent family. She didn’t care about the value of the stuff she threw away.

And, so, like a bodyguard for the three rich kids, he accompanied them for the better halve of the day. It was interesting and excruciatingly tiring at the same time.

He let the girls run into the lingerie shop before he slipped away to sit on a bench. He drank the fruit drink he bought from a stall and he tried to steady his panting.

“This is odd, I am sure I didn’t expend a lot of stamina, why do I feel so tired?”

A soft and sleepy voice came.

“Onii-san, so you’re hiding here, huh?”

“Eh?”

Noah’s shoulder slumped when he identified the one who called out to him.

“How did you locate me so quickly?”

“Nn?”

Tina sat by Noah’s side. She placed her index finger under her chin and she giggled after pondering for a bit.

“I followed Onii-san’s scent.”

“Ahaha.”

Noah awkwardly laughed.

“Do you honestly think I subscribe to the idea of your supposed mastery?”

“Then…”

Tiny hesitated and she timidly suggested another theory.

“Because of love?”

If you’re not sure, maybe you should keep the theory to yourself, don’t you think so?”

Noah felt more energy draining away from him. He passed the fruit drink over to Tina.

“You thirsty? Want a sip?”

“A sip?”

Tina looked at the bottle, more specifically, the opening of the bottle. She blushed slightly and her eyes had a weird glint in them.

“Indirect…”

“Hmm?”

Noah couldn’t hear her because her voice died down.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Tina smiled brightly and she took the bottle from him.

“Thanks, Onii-san.”

Her butter fingers resulted in the bottle slipping away from her grip.

“Ah…”

Grab

She uttered when a hand caught the bottle before it smashed into the ground.

Tina looked at Noah who was bitterly grinning and she blinked in slight surprise.

“Onii-san, the drink ran away from my hand.”

“Did you consider the possibility that it was you who wasn’t holding it properly?”

He felt like he would be defeated at this rate so he stuffed her mouth the bottleneck.

Taken by surprise, Tina drank the fruit drink with a blissful look. When Noah wanted to pull away, she continued sucking.

“I want more.”

Looking at Tina who is acting like a birdling who wanted more food, Noah couldn’t think of any excuse to turn her down.

In the end, Tina finished his drink for him.

She wiped away the residue with her sleeves and she exclaimed.

“Today was a very happy day for me.”

Noah couldn’t help but take mental note of her sentence. It wasn’t only because she said the same sentence during their first encounter.

“You shouldn’t speak like you never had a good day.”

Noah blurted out.

“You can come again with your friends, couldn’t you?”

“Friend.”

Tina shook her head.

“I have no friends.”

“What?”

Noah furrowed his brows but he relaxed them soon enough.

“Didn’t Enju and Kayo say they want to be your friend?”

“Enju and Kayo?”

Tina looked at the shop with a stunned expression. Her smile grew faint.

“No.”

Noah stopped too.

“Those two are good kids.”

Tina had a sad look on her face.

“And, I am a bad kid.”

Silence enveloped them.

Ring ring ring

Tina’s phone started ringing. She looked at the phone and she jumped down from the bench.

Tina turned around before Noah can say anything.

“I’m sorry, Onii-san, I need to go.”

Tina ran away.

“Wait!”

Noah subconsciously called out to Tina. Tina heard him and she turned around to beam at him.

“I hope we can see each other again soon, Onii-san.”

Tina disappeared into the crowd.

He stood there looking at the direction where Tina disappeared. He wasn’t sure how to describe the emotion roiling inside him.

His guts told him he would see Tina again, and, it would be very soon too.