After a busy day at Eden, Pond couldn't wait to see Pim again. As he arrived at the bakery, he was met with a closed sign on the door. Disappointed, he was about to turn around and head back home when he noticed a light still on inside. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Pim's smiling face.
"Sorry, I already closed up for the day," Pim said apologetically.
Pond couldn't help but feel a little down. "Oh, I see. Maybe another time then," he said.
But Pim, being the kind-hearted person she was, suggested that they grab some food from his favorite street vendor and eat together. Pond's face lit up with excitement, and they made their way to the food stall. As they ate their Stir-fried Rice Noodles with Chicken, Pond couldn't help but feel grateful for the time he was spending with Pim.
"So, Pim, how's business at the bakery?" Pond asked, eager to hear about her day.
"It's been good, thanks for asking. I actually tried making some of the Thai desserts you recommended the other day, and they were a hit with my customers!" Pim replied with a smile.
Pond grinned, feeling proud of himself. "I knew they would be a hit! I'm glad I could be of help," he said.
As they continued to chat and joke, they realized how comfortable they were with each other. It felt like they had known each other for years instead of just a few weeks. Pim couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest as she noticed how kind and caring Pond was, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more between them.
After finishing their meal, Pond walked Pim back to her bakery. As they said their goodbyes, Pim couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and happiness. "Thanks for tonight, Pond. I had a great time," she said.
"Me too, Pim. Let's do it again soon," Pond replied with a smile.
As Pim closed the door to her bakery, she couldn't help but feel giddy with excitement. She knew there was something special between her and Pond, but she didn't know what it was yet. As she drifted off to sleep that night, she couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them.
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The next day, the party participated in a game event called the Tower of Unity. The goal was to reach the highest floor of the tower, and the party with the highest floor would be declared the winner.
As the party fought their way through the tower, Pond and Pim seemed to be drawn closer and closer together. Despite their best efforts to maintain a professional distance, the other members of the party couldn't help but notice the way they kept ending up in each other's arms after each battle. Palm and Xiao Ming exchanged amused glances as they watched Pond and Pim cuddle on the floor after a particularly tough fight.
Anastasia couldn't resist teasing them, "Hey, lovebirds, you two are getting pretty cozy over there." Pim blushed and playfully punched her in the arm, while Pond rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile at the good-natured ribbing.
Xiao Ming joined in the teasing, "Yeah, next thing you know they'll be holding hands and staring into each other's eyes during fights." Everyone laughed at the thought, but it was clear that there was some truth to it.
Despite the teasing, the party was glad to see Pond and Pim getting along so well. They had formed a strong bond and worked together seamlessly in battle, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses. The other members of the party knew that they were lucky to have such a great team, and they were grateful for the camaraderie that had developed between them all.
During one particularly intense battle, Pim was knocked down by a powerful attack. Pond immediately rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms as he used his healing abilities to restore her health. The rest of the party couldn't help but watch in amusement as the two seemed to forget about the battle and cuddle with each other on the floor.
As Pond tended to Pim's injuries, Palm turned to Anastasia with a sly grin. "Hey, maybe we should start fighting like that too," he joked. "It seems like a pretty effective strategy!" Anastasia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at his antics. "I don't think that's a good idea, Palm," she said, shaking her head. "I don't think I could handle getting knocked down like Pim."
Meanwhile, Pond and Pim were lost in their own world, their faces only inches apart as Pond worked his magic. Pim couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest as she gazed into his kind, caring eyes. "Thank you for always being there for me, Pond," she whispered. Pond smiled warmly, his hand reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Of course, Pim. I'll always be here to take care of you."
As the battle continued, the other members couldn't help but watch with amusement as Pond and Pim seemed to forget about the fight and cuddled with each other on the floor. Xiao Ming couldn't resist a jab at the two, "Hey, you guys do realize we're still in the middle of a battle, right?" he quipped. Palm chimed in with a laugh, "Yeah, don't let your lovey-dovey moment get in the way of our victory!"
Pond and Pim blushed furiously as they realized what was going on around them. "S-sorry," Pim stuttered, scrambling to her feet. "I didn't mean to cause a distraction." Pond stood up as well, his hand still lingering on Pim's shoulder. "It's okay, Pim," he said with a chuckle. "I just couldn't bear to see you hurt."
As the battle raged on, the party fought with all their might, determined to emerge victorious. Even in the midst of the chaos, Pond and Pim couldn't help stealing glances at each other, their hearts pounding with every touch and every moment they spent together. They both knew that they had developed feelings for each other, but they were too afraid to admit it to each other.
Finally, after a grueling fight with the boss of the floor, the team emerged victorious. They collapsed onto the ground, panting and exhausted but overjoyed at their success. As they caught their breath, Xiao Ming couldn't resist another jab at Pond and Pim, "So, are you two going to kiss and make up now?" he teased. The two blushed furiously as the rest of the party erupted into laughter. Despite the teasing, Pond and Pim couldn't help but feel closer than ever, their hearts pounding with the knowledge of their growing feelings for each other.
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As they continued to climb the tower, the challenges became tougher, but the team never gave up. They fought with all their might, determined to reach the top.
Finally, after a grueling fight with the boss on the 70th floor, the party emerged victorious. The team decided to stop there, as they realized the bosses on the higher floors would be too powerful for their current level.
Palm turned to Anastasia with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Ana, maybe we should try cuddling during fights too, like Pond and Pim. It seems to be working for them." Anastasia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Palm trying to fight while hugging her.
Pond and Pim shared a triumphant smile as they caught their breath after the tough battle. Pond patted Pim's back, "We did it, Pim! That was one of the closest battles we've had." Pim smiled, feeling grateful for Pond's support and presence throughout the fight. "Thanks, Pond. I couldn't have done it without you," she replied.
Xiao Ming and Anastasia high-fived each other, both feeling exhilarated from the tough fight. "Wow, that was intense. I can't believe we made it this far!" exclaimed Xiao Ming. Anastasia nodded, feeling a surge of pride for their teamwork and determination. "We're an awesome team. Let's keep pushing ourselves," she said.
Palm chimed in, "Yeah, but let's not push ourselves too hard. We don't want to end up like that boss we just fought." They all laughed, feeling relieved to take a break and enjoy the moment.
As they sat down to rest, they talked about their experiences climbing the tower. Pond shared about the time when he and Pim first joined the team, and how they had struggled to keep up with the other members. Pim talked about how much she had grown since then, and how grateful she was to have such supportive friends.
Xiao Ming teased, "Yeah, especially supportive boyfriends like Pond." Everyone laughed, and Pim playfully punched Xiao Ming in the arm. "Stop it, Xiao Ming. Pond and I are just friends," she said, blushing slightly. Pond smiled at her, feeling grateful for her presence in his life, both in the game and in real life.
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At the end of the day, it was revealed that their party had won the event, and the members couldn't help but celebrate their victory.
As they sat around, Palm couldn't resist making a joke about the party's victory, "Looks like we won because of the power of love! Pond and Pim's love, to be exact." Everyone burst out laughing, and Pond blushed a deep shade of red.
Xiao Ming then shared his latest cooking experiment with the group. "I tried to make a dessert using durian fruit and chocolate, but it ended up tasting like a smelly sock dipped in chocolate." The group grimaced and laughed at the same time, but Xiao Ming didn't seem to be deterred by his failure.
Anastasia then spoke up, "I actually have a secret move that I use in the ring. I call it the 'Flying Squirrel.'" She stood up and demonstrated her move, much to the amusement of the group. Palm even tried to imitate it but ended up falling on his back.
As they continued to share stories, they realized how much they had grown together as a team. They may have won the game event, but what was more important was the bond they had formed. They knew they could rely on each other, not just in the game, but in real life too.
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But as the night wore on, Pond found himself unable to stop thinking about Pim. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more between them, something that went beyond friendship.
As the rest of the party said their goodnights and logged out of the game, Pond stayed behind for a little while longer. He took a deep breath and messaged Pim, asking if she wanted to meet up outside of the game.
After a few moments of silence, Pim responded with a smiley face and a thumbs up. Pond's heart raced with excitement as he realized that this could be the start of something special.