I have become stronger, but also shorter [comprehensive]

Hong Jiaodong's birthday is in January.

Because he has been busy with special training recently, and he doesn't care about it himself, if he hadn't been reminded by Iida Tenya, he would have forgotten about it.

The rest of the class didn't know that Hong's birthday was today, after all Mr. Hong himself never mentioned it.

Looking at it this way, it is normal not to know.

But something strange happened.

How did Eric, who has never cared about such "miscellaneous things" and logically has no interest in caring about things that 90.00% of the people in the class don't know about, how did he know?

[——No, it's not confirmed yet, Eric is because he knows Mr. Hong's birthday, so he deliberately picked today to find him, right?And enslaving him to play games on behalf of him doesn't seem like a way to celebrate a birthday. 】

Someone keenly found a loophole in this speculation.

Indeed, there is no clear evidence to support the inference of the birthday, and it is very likely that it is just a coincidence.

But then someone refuted, from girls with more precise intuition:

【I think the possibility is very high... The premonition of 'this is it' is very strong. 】

[Jun Hong, can you continue talking? 】

[Yes, Mr. Hong, what did Alexei give you? 】

It was a very small gadget, and I was still in a trance at the time, so I didn't have time to take a closer look at it - Hong Jiaodong was about to reply like this.

He remembered that he put the thing on the table by hand, it was on the left side...

His gaze shifted, and he landed on the "gift" he got from the silver-haired boy.

The reason why Hong Jiaodong didn't realize that this was a "gift" before was not only because of Eric's casual and obviously impatient attitude, but also because of the fact that this thing was too inconspicuous.

Press it under your hands, and after a long time, you can feel a chill coming.

Pick it up, pinch it between your fingertips and slowly rotate it to observe.

"..."

There was a bit of thought in the boy's serious eyes.

He suddenly felt a little dazed.

Is this a gift?Hmm...it should be?

But what's the value of... oh no, symbolism?

A little, a little bit, can't see it.

The boy still couldn't see the meaning of this "gift", so after thinking about it for a while, he simply took a photo of it and sent it to the class chat group.

As soon as the photo came out, the chat group that was discussing it was inexplicably silent.

At this time, if a needle fell on the floor, the sound would definitely be heard—everyone in reality also widened their eyes, subconsciously holding their breath and concentrating.

Until Hong Jiaodong sent out a question mark for no apparent reason.

It's like uncovering the pot when the oil is boiling the most, and then pouring a basin of water into the pot.

——Zizi bang bang bang!

After holding my breath for a while, the frying pan exploded.

The first wave of bold characters that came into view, unexpectedly, coincidentally screamed:

【Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah! ! ! 】

【Good good good good cute ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah! 】

【ah!no more!For a while, I couldn't tell who was cuter, Eric or this cat who was exactly like Hong! ! ! ! ! 】

【………】

In stark contrast to the screaming waves of women (actually girls), the silence of the men was as expected.

【Boom, I didn’t expect...】

[You, who seem the most upright, actually still have this hobby... It's too much, too cheating! 】

Boom and jelly:? ? ?

what happened.

The genius Hong Jun is quite slow in this respect, not only that, but occasionally looks dumb.

[Can you see what this is? 】

【--cat. 】

[To be precise, it's the cat's head. 】

[The material is unknown but visually it is ice, the color matching is exactly the same as Mr. Hong, and the similarity of the details is as high as 90.00%[-]!of!Cat head!ah! ! ! 】

It's actually not surprising that girls can go crazy in an instant.

As a creature like a cat, it seems that it is born with the softest part in the hearts of human beings (especially human women), softened into a cartoon version of the head of a cute cat, and it is a killer weapon that is astonishingly lethal.

The gift that Hong Jiaodong received was so [cute] that people couldn't believe it was received by him—even more so that it was given by a certain demon king himself.

This little thing is indeed made of ice, only the size of a frozen thumbnail, but it can be seen at a glance that it cannot be a rough product made by hand.

The style of ice products is not a realistic style, but a very common cartoon style nowadays.

The cat's lines are extremely simple, with only a simple dot for the eyeballs and nose, but with the round-faced cat and three beards, the cuteness of the stick figure suddenly increases.

It is worth mentioning that the head of this cartoon cat really looks like Hong Jiao Dong at first glance.

It is white as a whole, with an arc bent down from the left eye, and the inside becomes red.

The color of the cat's eyes is also not uniform. If you look closely, it is exactly the same as the real boy Boom, without any adulteration.

Looking into the eyes of a serious ice cat, Maotou, is like looking into the eyes of the live-action Hong Jiao Dong... Oh, it feels different.

The former will also have an extra sense of cuteness that goes deep into the heart, making the whole body comfortable.

Hong Jiaodong: "..."

He then said: [I can see that it is a cat, but I just don't understand why it should be made like this. 】

[Is it intentionally made to look exactly like you? 】

[I made it like this on purpose and gave it to you as a birthday present? 】

【Want to tease you?Uh... I have to be skeptical about this, Eric doesn't have so much childlike innocence, right? 】

Discussions are endless, and the opinions are all based on guesswork. It seems that no one can come up with the most reliable and correct answer.

In reality, the red and white cat Maotou also looked at Hong Jiaodong with inexplicable and subtle eyes, as if wanting to get closer to him.

Boom Jiaodong: Stare at——

After thinking about it, the boy picked up the gift lying on the table, spread it in his palm, and looked at it quietly.

The thing he looked at most clearly was not the cat's head in his palm.

It was his own palm as a backing board.

The sequelae of the special training... right?

In order to obtain a temporary license to use personality permissions outside, after the allforone incident, everyone in Hong Jiaodong and Class A of the first year has been busy with this matter.

The time of the special training for teenagers has been lengthened. Instead of wasting my practice because the teacher ran away irresponsibly, I worked harder than before.

There are many scars on the hands, and the traces of burns can be seen. If you change your hand, you will have frostbite.

These are the scars left by overuse of individuality, and there is nothing serious about it, it just looks ugly, and it will fade away after a while.

Hong Jiaodong recalled at this time, and just remembered that when he was sitting with Jin and playing games, the boy once stared at his hand thoughtfully for a long time.

There's a good chance he's found something.

So, if Eric can't find this detail, the possibility is a bit low.

……

It is not very good to piece together "facts" based on imagination without evidence.

However, for some reason, Hong Jiaodong still uncontrollably thinks, could it be that Eric deliberately took him to another world to let him relax on his birthday?

There are no enemies, no temporary licenses, no opportunities for special training, and not even a word about the necessary tests to "check whether the apprentice has made progress".

Some are just game consoles, and little kids to play games with.

——Over there, the idiot disciple doesn't have to push himself so close.

——Anyway, both of them are brats, so they should be able to play together, right?There is no way to play together, just make do.

This may be Eric's idea.

--perhaps?

The intense discussion in the group is still going on, but how the topic magically took a big turn and turned into a crusade against an innocent boy:

【So Lugu, what did Mr. Hong say that you wanted to date Eric? 】

【Depend on!It turns out that you, a classmate from Lugu with thick eyebrows and big eyes, have such outrageous thoughts! 】

[? ? ?Aren’t you going to explain the situation later? Why did you involve me——]

【say no more!I didn't expect you to be such a green valley gentleman!I misread you! 】

【Well? 800 million classmates?Wait, classmate Frog Blow?No, even Iida-kun Kirishima-kun...]

【Disgusting! 】

[...Even you don't believe me, Ka Jiang!That's the news that Mr. Hong trembled and sent the wrong message, it's not true!Wait, Mr. Boom?boom?Let me explain it quickly——]

I am very sorry, Lu Gu, I can only persist in struggling to survive the misunderstanding for a while.

It is rare for Mr. Hong to be unreliable once, because at this time he has found something else in reality, and he is not in the service area for the time being.

"……This is?"

Hold the gift in the palm of your hand and hold it tightly.Hong's scorched eyes swept across the table, and suddenly found that there was something still on the corner of the table.

He paused, took it out and saw it was a small greeting card.

Birthday card written by sister.

[Happy birthday~Jiangdong!The cake for one person is ready, put it in the refrigerator, take it out and eat it yourself.

ps: Did you go out and have fun today?My father doesn't know, don't worry, laugh. 】

"Huh? Ah, so it's—"

The boy couldn't help opening his eyes wide, and immediately thought of what was going on.

At the same time, he also understood.

The previous guess was not wrong at all.

*****

"Meow—could it be that Jiao Dong was attacked by a mysterious monster and turned into a cat?"

This was the first sentence that Saitama blurted out when he saw the cat walking in behind Eric.

No wonder he had such a conditioned reflex.

It's so similar, even the color of the left eye circle perfectly coincides, it's exactly the same wow!

"how is this possible."

Eric broke Saitama's fantasy with one word: "It's just a wild cat I saw outside."

"Picked it?" Saitama asked, "Do you want to raise it?"

"how is this possible."

"Hey?"

"I didn't pay attention to it. It just followed me. Wherever it likes to go, it doesn't care about me."

"..."

"So that means it doesn't matter if you stay."

Eric (cold stare): "What are you talking about?"

It's just the boy with superpowers (facial paralysis) who was pulled over to eat hot pot together: "I didn't say anything."

It's good to understand the true meaning by yourself.

Although the person concerned refuses to admit it, everyone can understand it without any barriers to understanding.

The hot pot has begun to boil.

The vegetables are splashing in the pot, the meat is rolling on top of the bubbles, and the aroma is already tangy.

The world's strongest trio plus a golden-eyed Jin, the four of them sat around and chatted beside a kotatsu that was temporarily sent by a young master who did not want to be named.

The cat that Eric had been feeding for several days walked around a few times. It wanted to jump on the boy but didn't dare, so it obediently squatted beside the boy.

"What kind of magical prop is this, why does it give me an attraction stronger than meat? It feels like once you come in, you can't get out."

Kim said.

"It's a kotatsu, kotatsu, it does have a magical power when used in winter."

Saitama replied.

"It's very warm, as if the whole body is going to be roasted."

"Well, that's right. What does Eric think? Uh, Eric? . . . not good! Eric he-really, melted! Fell!!!"

"...Who said it melted! I'm not made of ice!"

However, both Jin and Saitama heaved a sigh of relief as if the crisis had been resolved, and even Saiki Kusuo showed a bit of a happy expression, as if Eric made of ice really melted under the warmth of the kotatsu.

Eric: "..."

angry.

He picked it up with one hand—huh?cat?

With swift force, he stuffed the meowing cat that was shivering from the cold into the kotatsu, only revealing a cat's head that was exactly the same as his apprentice's, and let it take his place.

He himself stood in front of the slightly open window, as if he had been frozen back under the cold wind.

——If you don't look at the strange red color on the snow-white cheeks, the iconic posture with arms folded is as cold and domineering as usual.

"This kind of thing that will wear down your will once you relax, you are willing to be corroded by it? It is simply depraved, and you still have the self-consciousness of being the strongest and the younger brother of the strongest!"

"No."

Saitama Weisai: "This is an ordinary kotatsu."

Saiki Kusuo: "If it's not the kotatsu's fault, don't blame it. It's very pitiful to suffer such injustice as a kotatsu."

Lian Jin also: "It's really comfortable to sit in. Could it be, Brother Eric, you don't like—"

Eric, who was hot and red all over, said, "Shut up."

Kim shut up and crossed his mouth with a prohibition sign.

"Aren't you going to sit here? The Frozen Cat is coming to find you."

"Hold it down—no."

"Okay then, do you want to stand on the chair and help us block the wind from the window?"

"wanna die?"

"No, okay, you can continue to stand there, thank you!"

The hot pot is temporarily unavailable.

Because it takes time to deal with Eric who suddenly resisted the kotatsu—Saiki Kusuo suggested not to say this sentence directly.

it is good.

Then just say something casually to divert attention.

"By the way, Eric, when I was working, you often went back there to wander around. Isn't it just a matter of course, why don't you meet those children?"

"no need."

"Huh? It's that sentence again."

"That's another sentence. Occasionally, it's enough to take a look at it from a distance, meet, talk, and avoid meaningless things."

"I've seen it all, and it's nothing to meet."

"Not interested in."

Still so stubborn.Saitama thought.

The two people who probably didn't know their experiences in the previous world would feel the same after hearing this conversation.

Saitama rested his chin with one hand, and sighed slowly: "I really don't understand what you are thinking... Oh! The freezing is still over!"

Without noticing for a moment—no, obviously he did it on purpose—the cat that was stuffed into the kotatsu came out of the warmth.

It was still afraid of the cold, so when it got out, its body shivered first, and the tips of its ears trembled.

But it meowed softly a few times, and the cat continued to move its legs persistently, intending to go to the silver-haired boy.

"..."

Eric saw it.

The boy's brows were slightly wrinkled, and he naturally poured out a few traces of emotion.

"Isn't it warmer over there, don't come here."

It's useless to say such things to the cat, because it doesn't understand at all, it will only act on intuition.

The silver-haired boy seemed to be more attracted to it than the warmth of the kotatsu.Or, it prefers the temperature on this boy's body.

"……Really annoying."

Eric said again.

He heard Saitama's muttering just now, and said that he didn't understand what he was thinking.

of course.

to be frank.

Eric couldn't say with certainty how many things he had scruples deep in his heart.

At this time, the Jiaodong cat had already come to the boy, and was still meowing, not daring to raise its paws, so it circled around the boy's feet.

"Obviously it will be much more comfortable over there, but I have to come to the coldest place."

Say so.

"They're all annoying idiots."

He bent down, finally reached out willingly, and lifted the cat up.

Some of the words in the discourse seem to have deeper meanings, but they cannot be explored for a while.

Why not meet?

Some strange premonition stopped him.

It was still the admonition from the "past", and even though it made him feel extremely uncomfortable, he still couldn't refute it inexplicably, knowing that it was indeed the truth.

"He" once watched the beloved girl grow up, and happily married the young man who was not pleasing to the eye. They will have their own life, and "he" no longer needs to worry about it.

"He" once watched the young children grow into teenagers and youths, as if in the blink of an eye, the juniors who used to joke with "him" became old and were thrown into the grave.

He's been separated from many important people.

Today's Eric may not have thought so deeply.

He didn't think of the cruelest fate that existed in him so quickly, and what's more, the boys and girls at this time were in their youth, and they wouldn't grow up so quickly.

However, there is already a vague premonition.

"Go where you should go, don't stick to me."

The voice just fell—swish!

Frozen Cat: "Mi!"

The cat was easily thrown by the boy and flew to the direction of the kotatsu.

"We don't eat cat hot pot!" Said so, Saitama reached out to catch the cat, unable to do anything about Eric's bad temper.

Eric: "Hmph."

See it.

That's it.

—Occasionally, watching silently like this.

For him, it was enough.