Chapter 330: Kiss
Chapter 330: Kiss
"I'm sorry—!"Lucy yelled, turning around and bolting away. The man had already stood up, rubbing his forehead, and was furiously chasing after her.
"Hahaha—!"
Natsu picked up the watermelon Lucy was originally supposed to hit and laughed uproariously at her misfortune.
Noah and the others watched the chaotic scene unfold, entirely at a loss for words. They figured it was best to let them sort it out themselves.
"Let's do it too!" Sorano said to Noah, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Sure, which one of you is going to hit it?" Noah asked them.
Mirajane looked at him in surprise. "Aren't you going to be the one hitting it?"
"Me?"
"Of course. You hit it, and we'll direct you," Sorano said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"You guys aren't going to lead me into a ditch like Natsu did, are you?" Noah asked suspiciously.
"How could you think that? Of course not," Mirajane said with a sweet smile, while Ultear and the others nodded innocently.
Noah felt like there was something slightly off about their expressions and words, but since they unanimously agreed, he had no choice but to comply. He tied the blindfold over his eyes, picked up the wooden bat, and began the watermelon-splitting game.
"A little to the left!"
"A little to the right!"
"Two steps forward!"
"Three steps back!"
"Wait a minute, why do I have to take steps back right after moving forward?" Noah couldn't help but ask.
"Just follow our instructions and don't ask so many questions!" Sorano's excited voice came from behind. Noah sighed and started moving again according to their chorus of voices.
"Right there! Hit it!"
After being directed by them on a dizzying path for a long time, Noah finally heard the cue to strike.
He swung the bat down hard, and the crisp, satisfying sound of fruit bursting rang out. Noah pulled off the blindfold to find a perfectly smashed watermelon right in front of him.
"Not bad, right? Our directions were flawless!" Sorano walked up and said to Noah smugly.
"It was okay, but I feel like I was walking around in circles for a really long time," Noah noted, observing the highly amused expressions on their faces.
"It's just an illusion, purely an illusion," Sorano waved her hands dismissively. Ultear and the rest nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Noah decided not to dwell on it any further and began to share the freshly smashed watermelon with them.
After playing for the whole day, when evening came and it was time to head back, Sorano grabbed Noah's sleeve.
"Hehe, it's my turn now. Hurry up and come with me!" Sorano took Noah's hand and pulled him into a run toward the Ferris wheel.
"You don't have to run so fast. It's not going to disappear," Noah said gently, looking at the slightly breathless Sorano as they arrived at the base of the massive ride.
"Because I really wanted to know! That's why I was in such a hurry," Sorano said after steadying her breathing.
"Then let's go in." Seeing that Sorano had caught her breath, Noah took her hand and led her toward the descending cabin.
Once they stepped inside and the mechanical doors slid shut, leaving only the two of them sitting side by side, Sorano's face turned a faint shade of pink. Still, she looked at him and asked, "What exactly did you guys do the past two nights?"
"You really want to know?"
"Mhm!" Sorano nodded vigorously.
Noah turned to look fully at Sorano, and under his intense gaze, her face grew even redder. Noah lifted his arm from behind her, gently wrapped it around her shoulders, and guided her to turn and face him directly.
Then, he slowly leaned his face closer to hers. Sorano knew exactly what was about to happen; she closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
Finally, their lips met, as if a jolt of electricity had instantly surged through both their bodies.
They kissed passionately yet gently. Sorano raised her hands, wrapping them around Noah's back to pull him into a tighter embrace.
Gradually, Sorano found herself running out of breath. Noticing her struggle, Noah slowly and reluctantly parted their lips.
Sorano took a few deep breaths, finally catching her breath. Her face was flushed a brilliant crimson, and her eyes were incredibly moist and misty. Seeing Noah looking at her so tenderly, she couldn't help but lower her head shyly.
Noah didn't say anything either. He simply held her gently, savoring the quiet intimacy of the moment.
"The view from up here is really beautiful," Sorano said, her emotions finally settling down as she lifted her head to look out the window.
"It really is," Noah agreed, turning his gaze outside.
By now, the slow-moving Ferris wheel cabin was nearing its highest point. The theme park below was illuminated by a dazzling array of neon lights, casting a colorful, vibrant glow over the resort. From high above, the brilliantly lit scenery was absolutely stunning.
In contrast, the distant ocean was pitch black, with only the nearby waves catching the ambient light and shimmering in the dark. Sorano's eyes sparkled as she took in the beautiful nightscape.
Noah glanced at the view outside before turning his attention back to her. The scenery was undoubtedly beautiful, but what mattered most was the person sitting beside him. It was her presence that truly gave the view its breathtaking charm.
"Hurry up and look at the view with me." Sorano felt Noah's gaze, and the blush that had just faded from her cheeks returned in full force. She grabbed Noah's shoulder and pulled him to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with her facing the window.
"Alright, let's look at the view together," Noah said, though he still couldn't resist sneaking glances at her face.
Sorano clearly felt his eyes on her and couldn't help but turn to look back at him.
"Hehe!" She couldn't help but giggle. She reached out, pressed her hands against Noah's cheeks, and physically turned his head toward the window. "Focus on the view outside."
Noah had no choice but to follow her lead and stare out the glass. The scenery was indeed spectacular. Even though he had seen it for the past two nights, he still found it incredibly enjoyable. Of course, he knew that was entirely because of the person accompanying him.
When the cabin finally returned to the ground, Noah and Sorano stepped out one after the other.
"Let's head back."
"Mhm!" Sorano clung happily to Noah's arm, and they slowly walked back to the hotel together.
After saying goodnight to Noah and entering the suite, Sorano found Ultear and the others staring at her expectantly.
"So, you know what happened now, right?" Ultear asked with a knowing smile.
"Hehe!" Sorano just smiled foolishly, completely lost in her own world, and didn't answer.
"Oh my, now I'm the only one left who doesn't know," Mirajane chuckled.
Hearing their exchange, Erza seemed to recall her own experience from the night before, and her face turned completely red once again. Beside her, Lucy looked at Sorano with intense, burning curiosity.
"Want to know? Should I tell you?" Seeing Lucy's desperate curiosity, a mischievous, wicked smile crept onto Sorano's face.
"I do..." Lucy wrestled with her embarrassment for a moment before her curiosity won out.
"Hehe!" Sorano grinned, leaned close to Lucy's ear, and whispered a few words.
Lucy's face instantly turned as red as a tomato. She stared at Sorano in absolute shock, and Sorano nodded affirmatively. Lucy's blush deepened until steam practically poured from her ears.
"Oh my, you told Lucy but you won't tell me?" Mirajane scolded Sorano playfully.
"This is something you have to experience for yourself to truly understand," Sorano said sagely.
"That's very true," Ultear chimed in from the side.
"I see." Seeing them both agree, Mirajane didn't press the issue any further.
The next day, everyone headed back out to play. They didn't just stick to the beach; they also went on the rides in the theme park, doing whatever caught their fancy. They played to their hearts' content all the way until evening.
"Noah, it's my turn tonight," Mirajane said, grabbing Noah's hand just as everyone was heading back to the Holiday Inn.
"Mhm, I'm really looking forward to it," Noah replied.
Mirajane flashed him a radiant, brilliant smile, then took his hand and led him away from the group.
Carried by the sea breeze, the faint, sweet scent of Mirajane drifted toward him, making Noah's mood soar even higher.
When they reached the base of the Ferris wheel, it was Noah who stepped forward first. He turned to Mirajane and said, "Let's go in."
"Mhm."
Once they were both inside, the mechanical doors slid shut, and the cabin slowly began its ascent into the night.
"So, what exactly did they do the past few nights?" Mirajane asked, looking at him.
"It was like this." Noah gently wrapped his hands around Mirajane's shoulders and slowly leaned his face toward hers.
Seeing this, Mirajane knew exactly what was about to happen. She raised her hands, framing Noah's face to stop him from getting any closer.
Noah looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion.
Mirajane broke into a stunning smile, leaned her own face forward, and pressed her lips firmly against his.
Noah's eyes widened, completely caught off guard by her taking the initiative. But soon enough, he melted into the embrace, returning her kiss passionately.
After a long while, their lips parted. Mirajane's face was deeply flushed, but she looked at Noah with a triumphant, victorious smile. Noah smiled right back at her.
He had almost forgotten how fiery Mirajane used to be. She had a highly competitive nature that absolutely refused to be outdone. Even though she had become much gentler lately, she had merely hidden that side of herself; it didn't mean she had completely changed who she was at her core.
"The view up here really is wonderful, but having seen it for four nights in a row, aren't you getting tired of it?" Mirajane turned to admire the beautiful scenery outside, which put her in an even better mood. She then looked back at Noah with a wicked, teasing grin.
"How could I? Because the person sitting next to me is someone I love. As long as that's true, I could never get tired of looking at the view," Noah said, looking at Mirajane with absolute sincerity.
"Hmph. I'll give you a passing grade for that," Mirajane huffed affectionately. She leaned her body into Noah's embrace, and together they looked out the window, quietly enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of their private time.
Neither of them spoke. They simply sat in comfortable silence, feeling the rhythm of each other's heartbeats while taking in the dazzling night view.
When the cabin eventually made its way back down to the ground, the two stepped out.
"Let's go back," Noah said, turning to her.
"Mhm." Mirajane looped her arms around Noah's arm and rested her head against his shoulder with a happy smile.
Bathed in the moonlight and the colorful glow of the theme park, the two strolled back to the Holiday Inn.
~~~
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