Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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"Is something bothering you?" In the elevator, Himeko initiated conversation.

A few seconds passed.

"...Not really." Kafka wasn't in the mood to chat.

Himeko nodded. "I see."

What followed was three minutes of prolonged silence.

For a full three minutes, the elevator remained utterly quiet, making it seem as if even the viewers could hear the imaginary ticking of a clock.

Neither Kafka nor Himeko moved much, occasionally only adjusting their hair.

[March 7th: ? So awkward!!]

[Seele: I wouldn't last a second in that atmosphere; they sure have impressive composure...]

[Qingque: Being stuck together like this, these two are truly unstoppable.]

As a leader-type character, Himeko had honed her social skills quite well.

More importantly, she was in a great mood and willing to engage in conversation. Seeing that Kafka didn't want to discuss personal issues, after three minutes, Himeko spoke up again, choosing a more neutral topic this time.

Turning slightly with a warm smile, Himeko said amicably, "Your lipstick is from COLORS too, isn't it? I'm also a big fan of that brand."

Being approached for conversation again, Kafka slightly adjusted her mood. In those three minutes, she had managed to calm down somewhat.

With more time still left in the elevator, perhaps she didn't want the silence to continue indefinitely.

"Yes, it is." Despite her low spirits dampening her enthusiasm, Kafka responded nonetheless. "I tried it on a whim and was surprised by how well it suited me."

"Their makeup products generally have good quality." Himeko placed her left hand across her chest, gently resting her chin on her right hand. "Speaking of, I've considered this lipstick shade before, but I felt it wouldn't work with my complexion."

Kafka took a closer look at her. "Cool-toned shades indeed don't suit you as much. The one you're wearing now complements your demeanor perfectly."

Himeko smiled. "Really? Thank you."

After exchanging a few remarks, just before the topic ran its course...

"It seems we'll need to wait a bit longer," Himeko began gracefully. "Encountering each other under these circumstances feels like fate, doesn't it? Why not share what's troubling you? Talking about it often helps alleviate the burden."

"After all, once our brief encounter ends, we might never meet again."

[Sparkle: Seele, "might never meet again".]

[Topaz: Considering how vast the universe is, it's quite possible, but those two...??]

Kafka tilted her head and took a closer look at the person beside her.

Himeko from the Astral Express...

At times like these, the Trailblazer's good reputation truly came into play.

Moreover, Himeko appeared refined and dignified, not someone prone to gossiping indiscriminately.

[Stelle: Heh heh, that's just how us Trailblazers roll—renowned and exceptionally trustworthy, indeed!]

[March 7th: @Stelle, let's keep it humble, okay? ?]

[Seele: Ha ha ha, they're really putting on a show now!]

Feeling increasingly agitated, Kafka realized she did need someone to talk to, if only for some relief.

After a moment of contemplation, she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, temporarily releasing her distress. Then, opening her eyes, she began, "I have this...friend, a very close one. They're genuinely a great person. We've been through so much together; they mean a lot to me."

"Hmm." Himeko listened attentively, responding softly.

"But recently, I found out that he had a girlfriend before. Now, I suppose she would be considered his ex-girlfriend."

As Kafka continued, a shadow fell over her expression once more. "The reason she became his ex is because, after playing with my friend's emotions, she broke up with him."

"...I had no idea," Himeko responded, her emotions stirred as her brows furrowed.

Having just reunited with her lover, she was at her sweetest and most intolerant of disrespect towards relationships. Consequently, her tone grew more emphatic. "From your description, this ex-girlfriend must be incredibly heartless. I believe she's unworthy of your friend."

[Sparkle (bursting laughter): Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!]

[Sparkle: "'Heartless,' 'unworthy."]

[Sparkle: @Himeko, ?? Are you serious? Seriously?!]

[Himeko: ...]

[Kafka remained silent, not seizing the opportunity to press further.]

[The scene unfolding in the elevator left both of them speechless.]

[Kafka herself couldn't be certain if she might unintentionally say something peculiar next.]

Upon hearing Himeko's words, Kafka slowly nodded. "Yes. It truly...defies belief that someone could treat him like that."

Although Kafka's voice showed little fluctuation, Himeko detected the anger and sadness underlying her words.

Himeko surmised internally: Her friend must really hold great importance for her, perhaps even romantically?

With these thoughts, Himeko sincerely offered some comforting words to Kafka.

"...Thank you."

Expressing her feelings did seem to help somewhat.

Kafka noticed Himeko's mood as well. "Let's set aside my issues for now. You appear to be quite cheerful?"

"Mm-hmm." The joy was evident in Himeko's voice when she brought it up. "My relationship had its ups and downs before, but over these past few days, things have finally started looking up."

"Ah, sorry," Himeko quickly realized, "talking about this while you're feeling down..."

Kafka shook her head. "It's alright, congratulations on your progress."

[Firefly: "Congratulations"]

[Silver Wolf: "Congratulations"]

[Seele: OMG! Can't believe Kafka actually congratulated Himeko on her romance!]

[Herta: Truly unexpected.]

[Fu Xuan: +1, truly unexpected.]

[Qingque: Ha ha ha, I wanted to say that too... But first, am I going to die from laughter?! How do they manage such restraint with every word?!]

[Stelle: (suppressing laughter)(wanting to laugh but feeling like shouldn't)]

[Sparkle: Joyous indeed, "good news" and "congratulations".]

[Sparkle: Hey, @Kafka, can you tell me—how do you feel right now?? Reading back what you just said, how does it make you feel???]

[Kafka: (no response)]

[Himeko also remained silent, not saying anything.]

[March 7th: @Sparkle, th-this...there's really nothing we could've done! Who would've expected such a coincidence!?!]

[Black Swan: (also unable to suppress amusement) Indeed.]

[Black Swan: From Himeko's perspective, with no information given, it would be impossible for her to guess.]

[Black Swan: Even Kafka might struggle to imagine that Su Qing's "evil" ex-girlfriend could actually be Himeko, a Lawful Good Trailblazer.]

Inside the elevator.

Kafka and Himeko were mere acquaintances, so their conversation remained superficial. They briefly exchanged thoughts on various matters, taking only about five or six minutes.

Having touched upon these topics, transitioning to more casual subjects felt quite natural.

Their discussion flowed from lipstick to clothing, then onto shared experiences.

Upon closer thought, Kafka and Himeko had many similarities between them—both beautiful, intelligent, graceful, and mature. These common traits provided them with easy conversational ground.

Initially, through observation alone, they sensed each other's refined tastes. As they delved deeper into conversation, this impression proved accurate. Whether discussing cosmetics or fashion, they found mutual interests effortlessly.

[March 7th: Can Firefly and Silver Wolf join in on such conversations?]

[Firefly: I-I know just a little bit, you know.]

[Firefly: But they seem so sophisticated, envy...]

[Silver Wolf: Maybe I can't advise you on cosmetics.]

[Silver Wolf: But I can share game walkthroughs, fix any electronic device issues, or help recover lost online resources.]

[Stelle: @Silver Wolf, please accept my sincerest admiration!? I washed my hands before shaking yours!!!]

[Bronya: Ha ha, so we each have our unique strengths?]

[March 7th: But Kafka's expertise... really helps with romance?!]

Beyond their similarities, Kafka and Himeko undoubtedly had more differences between them.

One was a poised, intellectual navigator of the Astral Express, while the other was a mysterious and dangerous Stellaron Hunter.

Their distinct personalities and lifestyles led to varied experiences.

Both highly emotionally intelligent, their conversation felt refreshing and enjoyable for both parties.

Being trapped together in an elevator for twenty minutes provided a rare and intriguing experience. If not for any complicating factors...

Kafka and Himeko might genuinely become friends despite being on opposing sides...

[Stelle: Let me test this out. (Putting on the all-knowing detection glasses)]

[Stelle: (Beeping) Kafka and Himeko's mutual fondness has reached level 60—now they're considered friendly!]

[Sparkle: Joyous.]

[Sparkle: @Kafka, @Himeko, you two aren't actually planning to become close friends, right??]

[Firefly: A Stellaron Hunter and a navigator.]

[Firefly: They actually started bonding over their chat—this world is truly fascinating!?!]

[Seele: Look how delighted Firefly is.]

[Silver Wolf: Seems perfectly normal to me. One's an absolute femme fatale, and the other's an inherently wicked ex-girlfriend; it makes sense they'd hit it off.]

[Stelle: Silver Wolf, quite the scathing remark!]

[Kafka and Himeko, reflecting on that moment, had to admit it was true.]

[During their first conversation, surprisingly, they genuinely thought each other seemed pretty decent.]

[...Now, just another chapter of dark history.]

[But deep down, both knew this amicable feeling wouldn't last long.]

Twenty minutes of silence would have been unbearable.

However, with their lively chat, time flew by swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, the elevator repair completed. With a slight jolt, it resumed its operation.

Himeko took out her phone, smiling, "Want to exchange contact info?"

Kafka pondered briefly before agreeing, "Sure."

Usually, Kafka used anonymous accounts for messaging, but she also maintained a secondary account she frequently accessed.

Finding someone relatively easy to talk to was rare, making Himeko worth adding as a friend.

After exchanging contacts, they reached the fifth floor, and both stepped out of the elevator.

Thinking it was time to part ways, they walked a few steps, then glanced back at each other.

Not only were they on the same floor, but surprisingly, their destinations were also in the same direction.

[March 7th: Aaahh no!]

[March 7th: I was so caught up watching their rare moment of harmony that I almost forgot what's about to happen next!!]

[Seele: See? Based on March 7th's reaction, we can deduce that things are likely going downhill from here.]

[Natasha: (Laughs) You're right, Seele's method seems quite accurate.]

They both stopped in front of the same door.

Himeko pointed at it, and Kafka nodded, indicating they had reached the same destination.

Himeko then glanced at the room number again.

Yes, this is indeed the room Su Qing mentioned.

Kafka opened the door, gesturing for Himeko to enter first, presumably thinking she was a guest of Su Qing or Silver Wolf.

Himeko gave her a look, thanked her, and stepped inside.

Su Qing was already waiting in the living room, noticing Himeko first. "Seems like you arrived a bit late."

Himeko cheerfully walked over to him. "Apologies, there was a minor issue with the elevator."

Then Su Qing spotted Kafka, feeling slightly puzzled. "Did you two come together?"

Kafka smiled at Su Qing. "We just met in the elevator."

Is Himeko Su Qing's guest?

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Kafka spoke up again, "Shouldn't you introduce us?"

Himeko took the initiative to introduce herself, "Hello, I'm Himeko. Su Qing's girlfriend... well, formerly. Now... perhaps still?"

With a playful tone, Himeko subtly nudged forward the progress of rekindling their relationship.

Seeing that Su Qing didn't show any signs of rejection brought joy to Himeko's heart.

However, Kafka's smile vanished completely.

It disappeared utterly without trace.

[Sparkle: ? Vanished? Redirecting!]

At that moment,

the gathered information swiftly connected in Kafka's mind.

The interstellar aviation book... Himeko, the navigator of the Astral Express...

Her recent tumultuous romance, now seemingly mending... Formerly his girlfriend, and now... perhaps still is...

There was no longer any doubt.

Himeko was indeed Su Qing's ex-girlfriend—the very person Silver Wolf claimed had played with his emotions.

Noticing Kafka's reaction, Himeko instinctively grew wary. She moved closer to Su Qing, their shoulders touching, as if asserting her claim over him.

Asserting her claim?

Kafka never dreamed this could happen—even in her wildest dreams.

Never did she imagine someone would openly declare their claim over Su Qing right before her eyes.

[Seele: She's gritting her teeth, enunciating each word with fury!!]

[Qingque: Kafka: "Su Qing is mine, isn't he? How dare anyone assert their claim on him in front of me?!"]

[March 7th: I...I can't bear to watch!(Covering eyes)(Peeking through fingers)]

[Stelle: ? Kafka's fondness for Himeko just dropped! Down by 1, down by 2, down by 10... It hit zero!]

[Stelle: Why is it still decreasing?]

[Stelle: Plunging rapidly! And the final, final result is... -99?!]

[Seele: Oh no!]

Seeing that Kafka remained silent, showing no intention of introducing herself, Su Qing reached out and spoke up instead, "This is Kafka, my teammate."

[Silver Wolf: "Teammate"?]

[Seele: Now they're truly "teammates".]

[Bronya: Indeed, they've always been teammates. What else could he say? Not like he'd introduce her as his adopted daughter, right?]

[Sushang: That would be way too bizarre! Kafka looks older than Su Qing now.]

[Stelle: ? I don't know how else he should have introduced her.]

[Stelle: All I know is, Kafka seems... truly about to explode...]

Purple and black flames erupted from behind Kafka.

Her fury was palpable.

Of course, it wasn't directed at Su Qing; she unconditionally believed that Su Qing must have been deceived without a doubt.

This anger was entirely aimed at Himeko.

The brief admiration and camaraderie Kafka felt towards Himeko swiftly vanished.

In the elevator earlier, one had appeared cold as ice, while the other glowed like peach blossoms.

Now, the dark purple flames behind Kafka contrasted sharply with Himeko's red silhouette.

Just then,

The door opened, and Silver Wolf entered. "Kafka, your reaction just now...?" She glanced at Himeko standing next to Su Qing. "Hmm? Who's this?"

[Sparkle: (unexpected laughter) hahahaha!!!]

[Qingque: With Silver Wolf's entrance, the atmosphere suddenly turned comedic again.]

[Stelle: Fun, our little Silver Wolf is back for more drama on-site.]

[Firefly: ? I'm actually starting to envy her! What a great viewing spot!]

[Bronya: Wait, something isn't right...]

[Bronya: Didn't Silver Wolf come here to compete? Why is she constantly spectating?]

[Silver Wolf: @Bronya, don't worry yet; I'm observing our opponents.]

[Herta: Chortle, best of luck then, is all I can say.]

The purple flames behind Kafka eventually subsided.

Regardless of her intentions,

she couldn't truly act recklessly with Su Qing present.

However, the unexpressed fury, once suppressed, didn't simply vanish. Instead, it burned even more fiercely within her heart and chest.

Kafka turned to Himeko, revealing a seemingly friendly smile. She extended her hand and introduced herself, "Hello, I'm Kafka."

Realizing the situation, Himeko was determined not to be outdone. After a brief moment of thought, she reciprocated with a smile, stepped forward, and reintroduced herself, "Hello, I'm Himeko."

Their hands clasped together.

Neither attempted any childish display of squeezing each other's hand tightly.

That would have been too immature.

[Silver Wolf: ...]

[Stelle: Hmm, did you just have that same thought?]

[Firefly: hhh, silly little Silver Wolf!]

In front of Su Qing, both Kafka and Himeko maintained their composure.

With friendly smiles and a cordial handshake, everything appeared harmonious at first glance.

Yet, only the intensity in their eyes when they met revealed their true feelings.

***

The camera provided a slow-motion close-up.

Himeko tilted her head to the left, her seemingly smiling golden eyes betraying little warmth.

She scrutinized Kafka, trying to gauge their relationship with Su Qing.

Kafka lifted her chin slightly, looking down at Himeko from above.

As their gazes met, Kafka's expression revealed an icy coldness.

[Qingque: (gulp)]

[March 7th: (facepalm)]

[Stelle: Ribbit! Intimidating aura! This is the presence of true power!]

[Sparkle: Yes, yes, yes! While Silver Wolf's antics are amusing, we've seen enough of them. Now this is what I've been waiting for!]

[Silver Wolf: You're just jealous and funny.]

[Seele: @Silver Wolf, honestly, do you really think you can defeat them?]

[Silver Wolf: Absolutely, I have full confidence.]

[Silver Wolf: Even if I lose to them a hundred times, I'd never admit defeat.]

[Seele: ...And you call that confidence?]

While Kafka and Himeko were shaking hands,

Silver Wolf approached Su Qing quietly and whispered, "Who is Himeko? Also, don't you feel something's off between these two?"