Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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As Kafka and Himeko shook hands, Su Qing stood nearby while Silver Wolf posed his question.

[Stelle: This scene feels quite iconic with almost everyone present; we could call it "Fireflies at Penacony."]

[Bronya: Wait, there's no Firefly here! Where is she?]

[Stelle: Fireflies at Penacony.]

[Bronya: Uh... (realizing)] ???

[Sparkle: LOL, made me chuckle.]

[Firefly: Curse you!!]

[Firefly: Just wait till we get to Penacony, I'll show you!] ??

[Sushang: Ha ha, Firefly threatening while on the verge of tears—too funny.]

Observing the tense atmosphere between Kafka and Himeko, Silver Wolf asked, "What exactly is going on here?"

Su Qing stroked his chin thoughtfully. "To be honest, I know absolutely nothing."

[Herta: @Silver Wolf, as a participant, you're actually watching from the sidelines with Su Qing—unbelievable.]

[Silver Wolf: Don't worry, I have a brilliant plan.] ?

[Qingque: Your 'brilliant' plans, I can believe in indeed.]

After their seemingly "friendly" handshake, Kafka and Himeko turned towards the group.

Noticing Su Qing's confusion, Kafka explained, "We were briefly trapped in the elevator earlier and had a minor disagreement with Himeko, but it wasn't anything significant."

Himeko glanced at her and quickly added, "Indeed. Reflecting on it now, it seems there were just some misunderstandings; it's all resolved."

[March 7th: Quick reactions!]

[Fu Xuan: They turned it around swiftly, didn't they?]

Silver Wolf suddenly realized, "Ah, no wonder. Seeing your tense atmosphere earlier, I almost thought you two were about to come to blows."

Su Qing nodded superficially, but internally, he still felt somewhat puzzled.

He knew both Kafka and Himeko well enough to understand that despite their outward words, it seemed...

there was still a subtle unease between them?

Later, the group sat down on sofas for a conversation.

Kafka and Himeko, meeting for the first time, appeared harmoniously engaged in chat.

Su Qing positioned himself between them.

In theory, both Kafka and Himeko were very attractive, and they shared good relationships with him. Conversing with them should have been an enjoyable experience.

However, Su Qing couldn't shake off a sense of vigilance and pressure, as if he were amidst a battle.

[Stelle: hhh, classic demon hunter intuition.]

Su Qing looked around cautiously.

Strange, every time he glanced at them, they were smiling.

Kafka noticed his scrutiny. "Is something wrong?"

Su Qing asked, "Did you truly resolve your misunderstanding just now?"

Kafka replied confidently, "Yes, we did."

Hmm?

It sounded genuine.

He then turned to Himeko, "But despite resolving the misunderstanding, you still can't have meaningful conversations?"

Himeko shook her head with a smile, "Not at all. In fact, Kafka and I share many common interests and similar tastes."

Kafka gently nodded, "That's true."

[Sparkle: ?? Watching them act out here is quite entertaining.]

[Black Swan: (laughs) Resolving Kafka's misunderstanding meant transitioning directly from potential friends to sworn enemies.]

[Stelle: Ha ha, Sister Himeko's 'meaningful conversations' and 'similar tastes' are indeed accurate.]

[Bronya: They find common ground in cosmetics and fashion, plus they both like Su Qing. Indeed, their tastes align remarkably well.?]

[Qingque: Laughing so hard, everything they say is true, yet why does the atmosphere feel off??]

Su Qing felt the same way.

After exchanging a few words, he couldn't shake an unease. He decided to stand up, saying, "You two continue talking; I'll go check what Silver Wolf is doing."

Silver Wolf was watching a screen from the couch across the room.

Su Qing asked, "What are you doing?"

Noticing Su Qing approaching her voluntarily, Silver Wolf lifted her head, slightly delighted. "Just browsing some random videos."

"Can I watch with you?"

"Sure." As she spoke, Silver Wolf expanded the screen with a sweep of her hands and shifted it to the left.

Su Qing sat down, letting out a sigh of relief.

That's good.

Interacting with Silver Wolf remained as effortless and enjoyable as before.

With Su Qing's departure, naturally, Himeko's attention also shifted towards them.

First, Himeko observed Silver Wolf's appearance.

Very pretty, but... quite ordinary.

Next, she watched how Su Qing and Silver Wolf interacted.

Soon, she felt reassured.

Himeko wasn't someone overly jealous. She wouldn't interfere with Su Qing's normal female friends or those who posed no threat.

[Silver Wolf: !!!!!!]

[Silver Wolf: @Himeko, What do you mean by that? Are you belittling me?]

[Himeko: (Smile) (Picking up coffee) What do you mean? I haven't said a word.]

[Qingque: It speaks volumes without saying anything, indeed.]

Kafka and Himeko fell silent.

While Su Qing was present, they could muster enthusiasm and maintain appearances. But once he left, they immediately descended into quiet contemplation.

The primary reason for their silence was recalling the conversation in the elevator earlier.

Reflecting on it now, Himeko wondered if Kafka's mention of "the manipulative ex-girlfriend" referred to her. And shockingly, she had even agreed, saying she was "very unfair" and "not deserving of Su Qing."

Himeko gently covered her mouth, feeling rather conflicted.

On one hand, she certainly hadn't intended to manipulate anyone's emotions. On the other hand, her abrupt departure did create the impression of a breakup.

Her words felt like self-inflicted judgment.

Kafka's feelings were comparatively simpler.

...She truly wished she could give her past self a hard punch.

[Sparkle: Enjoying this.]

[Sparkle: @March 7th, quickly note down these two lines too! If we're picking comebacks, these are absolute classics!]

[March 7th: Ah? I-is that appropriate?]

[Kafka: ...]

[Himeko: ...]

[Sparkle: Ha ha ha ha, look, they're not responding—it must mean tacit agreement!]

[March 7th: I think it's more likely that their feelings are quite mixed...]

[March 7th: (But still, I'll faithfully note them down)]

Himeko's visit managed to maintain a superficial harmony, at least for now.

As she left, Su Qing accompanied her to the door.

Himeko turned back to glance inside. Leaving aside Silver Wolf, the fact that Kafka and Su Qing lived under the same roof concerned her somewhat.

Fortunately,

with her past romantic experiences, Himeko could discern that Su Qing most likely harbored no ulterior motives towards Kafka.

Considering also Su Qing's earlier introduction,

he and Kafka seemed to be merely teammates...

After interacting with Himeko and understanding her purpose for attending the auction, Su Qing unexpectedly received another quest notification:

[Faction 4: Himeko. Faction Quest: Assist Himeko's friend in obtaining scientific research items.]

[All factions have been discovered.]

[Faction quests can be completed simultaneously without affecting faction selection.]

[When reputation or favorability is sufficiently high, faction choices will unlock. Before the simulation ends, please select at least one faction.]

Su Qing noticed that apart from Heartfelt Observer's faction being grayed out, the factions of Kafka, Silver Wolf, and Himeko had already become available for selection.

However, the final reward seemed solely dependent on task completion.

It was unclear what purpose the faction choice actually served.

[Stelle: @Black Swan, about this faction selection?]

[Black Swan: Indeed, whoever Su Qing ultimately chooses will be declared the victor.]

[Stelle: Huh? If choosing at least one implies the possibility of multiple choices, then how would it determine the winner in such a case?]

[Black Swan: It's unlikely.]

[Black Swan: Selecting a faction isn't as simple as just clicking; choosing two factions significantly increases the difficulty.]

[Sparkle: Well, if Su Qing can simultaneously choose both Kafka and Himeko, I'd certainly admire him immensely!]

[Qingque: That sounds way too challenging!]

[March 7th: Although Su Qing has made rapid progress through several simulations...]

[March 7th: Choosing two factions concurrently still seems quite unrealistic at present...]

***

Later that evening,

Himeko read the message received on her phone: "In twenty minutes, meet at the balcony on the third floor's west side."

The sender was Kafka.

Himeko frowned.

There was no context or explanation, just this single line.

Noticing her unusual expression, Aisha asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Himeko paused, then after some thought, said, "I'll be stepping out for a bit later."

A meeting was still necessary.

Where did Kafka's intense hostility towards her stem from? What exactly is her relationship with Su Qing? What have they experienced together? How should I handle this encounter?

Himeko currently had very limited information. If she could gather more intelligence, there was no harm in meeting face-to-face.

Fifteen minutes later, Himeko left her room and headed to the agreed location.

The western balcony on the third floor...

She already spotted Kafka's silhouette from afar.

Tap, tap, tap.

Himeko deliberately emphasized each step of her high heels, creating crisp sounds.

Yet even as Himeko approached the balcony door, Kafka continued gazing outside, seemingly oblivious to her presence.

Once positioned, Himeko spoke first, "I received your message. May I ask what you needed from me?"

Only then did Kafka turn around.

Himeko maintained her courteous smile, just as earlier that morning.

However, Kafka didn't respond immediately. Instead, she scrutinized Himeko with open hostility and suspicion.

"Hah..." Sighing, Himeko retracted her smile. With such clear animosity displayed by Kafka, there was no point in pretending further.

Himeko gently brushed her long red hair aside, her tone becoming less friendly as she succinctly asked, "What brings you here?"

Kafka continued to scrutinize her before parting her lips slightly and saying, "Five billion Credits. Leave him."

[Stelle: Wow, that's the price of an entire Silver Wolf!]

[Silver Wolf: ...Watch your words.]

Kafka's unapologetically confrontational attitude began to irk Himeko.

Her expression turned even colder. "Save your money for the compensation when you're brought to justice, Stellaron Hunter."

Kafka chuckled softly. "Snooping on others' information isn't a good habit, Navigator of the Astral Express."

Himeko retorted, "I'll return those words verbatim to you."

Although it was unclear what exactly Kafka's relationship with Su Qing entailed, Himeko had effortlessly uncovered Kafka and Silver Wolf's identities based on their names and characteristics.

They were the company's most wanted fugitives, renowned dangerous figures across the universe—the Stellaron Hunters.

Himeko couldn't help but feel concerned.

Su Qing, being such a kind and upright person, might he have been deceived by Kafka?

[Herta: Amused, both their initial reactions assume Su Qing has been misled by the other.]

Kafka questioned, "So, you truly were Su Qing's ex-girlfriend?"

Himeko responded clearly, "She's not my ex-girlfriend; we never broke up. There's just been some temporary misunderstanding."

Kafka promptly followed up with, "What exactly is this misunderstanding?"

"...Before you keep asking questions," Himeko countered, "shouldn't I also get to ask you a few?"

Kafka's interest visibly waned, showing no inclination to respond further.

Himeko fell silent.

It became clear to her that Kafka was not only trying to pry information from her but also had no intention of revealing anything about herself. It seemed unlikely that any useful insights would be forthcoming.

Thus, Himeko shifted tactics and went on the offensive. "You appear quite upset. What's wrong? Earlier today, weren't you congratulating me on my relationship?"

Kafka sneered, "Why don't you genuinely break up with Su Qing instead? As you yourself said, you've been excessively harsh and unworthy."

Both women fell quiet for a moment.

Then, diverting their gazes, they tacitly skipped over the topic.

After all, every word spoken in this elevator could come back like boomerangs, causing real pain upon return.

[Sparkle: Enjoy it, don't stop! Watching them hurl boomerangs at each other is such an entertaining spectacle.]

Kafka spoke again, "I seriously suggest you break up with Su Qing."

"And why should I?"

"Your feelings for him aren't strong enough."

"Not strong enough? Ha..." Himeko was genuinely amused by her anger, unwilling to justify herself further. Instead, she asked, "What gives you the right to say such things?"

Kafka calmly replied, "I can give up everything for him."

Give up everything? Such a nonsensical statement; Himeko's initial reaction was utter disbelief.

What exactly does that mean? Do you understand its weight? Or are you not only deceiving Su Qing but trying to fool me as well?

Just as Himeko was about to mock Kafka, thinking it was mere boasting, their eyes met.

Kafka's gaze wasn't merely serious or solemn; it conveyed a sense of profound emptiness. It seemed as if she harbored no fear at all, like she truly cared for nothing and could unhesitatingly abandon everything for Su Qing.

Kafka looked straight into Himeko's eyes, "So, can you do the same?"

Himeko tried to respond, but despite opening her mouth, no words came out. She needed time to think.

Everything?

The weight of this word felt unbearably heavy.

Including her dreams, the Trailblazing journey, her companions on the Astral Express, and everything else—how could she possibly give an immediate response...

However, there was no time for Himeko to ponder.

Seeing her hesitate, Kafka's gaze instantly turned scornful, accompanied by a derisive laugh.

Provoked, Himeko took a deep breath, feeling deeply unsettled.

The verbal exchange meant little; Himeko didn't believe her feelings for Su Qing were any less than Kafka's.

Yet, Kafka's attitude made it seem as if Himeko had truly lost.

All admiration Himeko held for Kafka from their elevator encounter evaporated.

Now, Himeko could confirm it—she despised this woman.

[Kafka: How coincidental, I feel the same.]

[Himeko: Do you hate yourself too, then?]

[Kafka: Picking words apart. Perhaps writing so many letters has left you unable to speak normally anymore.]

[Himeko: Indeed. I can't match you, not even getting a chance to express my true feelings.]

[Stelle: (daring not to speak)]

[March 7th: (daring not to speak)]

[I have a strong sense that with each real-life meeting, the tension between Kafka and Himeko during streams is escalating. Even Stelle and March 7th are afraid to interject now.]

[Silver Wolf: (watching the drama unfold)]

[Firefly: (anxiously watching)]

On the balcony, Himeko took a deep breath and pointed out the crux of the issue, "At the end of the day, you and Su Qing are merely teammates. You have no right to dictate or criticize our relationship."

"Just teammates..." Kafka softly repeated these words. Instead of explaining herself, she continued, "Even if just teammates, it doesn't diminish my feelings for him, does it?"

"...I have nothing more to say." Himeko felt that staying any longer would only worsen her mood.

"How coincidental, me too." Kafka had achieved her objective.

Click, click, click—Himeko's high heels struck the ground with crisp sounds.

Her departing figure was graceful and seemingly unguarded.

As Kafka watched Himeko leave, she harbored not a single extraneous thought.

Now that Himeko knew she was a Stellaron Hunter, she had likely been on guard since their initial encounter.

Moreover, the most crucial aspect was Himeko's close relationship with Su Qing. Acting impulsively could only make matters worse.

[March 7th sighed in relief as the confrontation ended.]

[March 7th: Whew! That scared me; I feared they might actually come to blows.]

[Qingque: Judging by the tension, it feels like a fight between them is inevitable...]

[Silver Wolf: Nothing major, really. Kafka and I have already had our bout before. 😅]

[Seele: At best, that was just some friendly sparring among teammates.]

[March 7th: Now I appreciate Silver Wolf even more.]

[March 7th: Silver Wolf, please, hurry up and diffuse this atmosphere!]

After Himeko left, Kafka turned back to stand at the balcony, gazing at the scenery while pondering her thoughts.

She hadn't obtained much information from their conversation with Himeko.

Yet, a slight smile curved the corners of Kafka's lips.

Seeing Himeko, who always maintained elegance and feigned closeness with Su Qing, display such vulnerability felt worth it.

Kafka watched under the moonlight, tapping her fingers gently on the balcony railing.

"It seems they truly did have a romantic relationship before..."

"She looks genuinely smitten with Su Qing, eager to rekindle their connection..."

"I'm just a teammate after all, huh... Just a teammate..." Kafka murmured softly, lost in thought.

After a moment, as if reaching a decision, she departed.

[Seele: Ohh! I feel like Kafka is about to make her move in the next episode!]

[Qingque: Will she win? Will she win?]

[Qingque: Really hoping Kafka comes out victorious; after all, that's where I placed my bet!]

[Stelle: I believe in Kafka! There's no way she'll be as easily defeated as Silver Wolf!]

[Stelle: @Silver Wolf, so you're not denying being too easy anymore?]

[Silver Wolf: ...I am not too easy!!]

[Sparkle: Ah, seems like she's gained some self-awareness now.]

[March 7th: Speaking of which, even if Kafka is impressive, how can she possibly turn this around?]

[March 7th: It feels like Sister Himeko still has an absolute lead in the romance race...]