2159 Side Story: Post-Battle Mission (End)

At that moment, Big Dipper’s tone suddenly turned gentle. “Wanda, I really like you…”

Wanda’s face suddenly burned.

Big Dipper: “…But that’s because you are indeed cute. I know that this isn’t love.”

The witch’s hot face suddenly froze. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t say anything.

Big Dipper put his hands on her shoulders. “I need you to think carefully — do you really love me? Or do you just like me?”

Wanda was stunned. “That…”

‘Like’ and ‘love’ were simple words, but they carried different meanings in English.

Most young people didn’t need to like each other when they were horny – they could sleep together to scratch the itch.

Thus, for a man and a woman to sleep together because they ‘liked’ each other was already very decent.

Love was undoubtedly an even more extravagant word.

Even though most people said, “I love you,” they knew that it was just an exaggeration.

Only when they said “I love you” to their parents and children did it feel natural.

In a sense, only when a man loved his girlfriend as much as he loved his family would he not feel guilty when he said, “I love you.”

What did “I love you” at the level of the family mean?

Some 70- to 80-year-old parents raised fat shut-in sons who were a total failure.

Even though they scolded their son every now and then, they still couldn’t bear to chase them out.

Few men could do that to their girlfriends.

Unless the woman was rich or beautiful, a man wouldn’t have much tolerance.

A fat shut-in son basically didn’t have any money, and was usually disliked by his parents, who would never get back what they put into him.

When Wanda heard Big Dipper’s words, she immediately understood what he was getting at.

Big Dipper wouldn’t casually say, “I love you.”

Even “I like you”… Hm, fine, most people in the Justice League avoided him.

Want him to tell them that he “liked” them? Sorry, it was definitely that kind of “like” where you were cut into dozens of pieces and then turned into roast meat with a plasma cannon.

Such a formal question made Wanda realize something she hadn’t noticed before: Did she really ‘love’ Big Dipper?

She was willing to block blades and cannons for Big Dipper, and didn’t ask for anything in return.

But this was the duty and responsibility between comrades in the Justice League.

The Dark Knight and Black Cat would also do this for Wanda. Did that mean that they both ‘loved’ her?

Then, exactly what did she ‘like’ or ‘love’ about Big Dipper? As Wanda asked herself this question, she suddenly realized that the answer didn’t come as easy as she had imagined.

She liked Big Dipper’s company, guidance, scolding, and the sense of security he exuded. It was more like she was in front of… a father?

Wanda immediately rejected this theory.

When she was with Big Dipper, she would subconsciously get close to him and fantasize about many intimate scenes.

She didn’t hate these fantasies, nor did she reject the occasional intimate contact with him.

On the contrary, just imagining herself calling him “Dad” made her feel uncomfortable.

Observing her expression and confirming his thoughts, Big Dipper smiled. “See, you actually don’t know for sure which one it is, or which one you feel more, right?”

Wanda thought for a moment before she nodded in agreement.

Big Dipper patted her shoulder hard. “Do you remember how I taught you to face problems? Give yourself more time to think carefully before you make a decision.”

Wanda nodded, then frowned and looked at him suspiciously. “Are you… stalling for time?”

Of course, this was psychology which he had taught her himself.

Big Dipper drew back his hand and put on a serious expression. He shook his head and said, “No – do you know how long our team members can live for? At least 150 years old.”

Wanda was confused. “What does that have to do with us?”

Big Dipper: “Based on the medical data, the problem for you and me is not the minimum length of time, but the maximum.”

Wanda roughly understood and asked tentatively, “Then, is it 200 or 300 years for us?”

Big Dipper: “It starts at 500 years.”

“What?” Stunned, Wanda’s mouth dropped open.

“300 years should be for you to maintain your youth and not age.” Big Dipper spread his hands. “For us, if we make a decision at the beginning of our lives, it’s probably like… a regular five-year-old girl shouting that she wants to get married?”

Wanda lowered her head and looked at her chest. …Are you implying that I look like a little girl?

For a moment, she had mixed feelings, and didn’t know whether to be happy or angry.

Hundreds of years of a never-aging life was definitely good news for a woman.

But it wasn’t that wonderful if there was no one to accompany her during her long life and admire her ageless appearance.

Seeing that, Big Dipper smiled and put his arm around her shoulders as they strolled down the street. “Do you see this street?”

Wanda nodded.

Big Dipper said, “We’ve walked a short distance, and have yet to see the rest. If we leave right away, won’t you be curious about what the rest of the street is like?”

Wanda looked around and curled her lip. “This street is actually nothing compared with the other streets we’ve been on.”

…Fine, you’re clearly my student. Big Dipper cursed inwardly.

After a brief silence, he said, “Then I won’t look at the scenery on other streets anymore. Are you fine with that?”

Wanda hesitated.

Just now, she had just needled him like they were wont to do with each other, but both of them knew the real meaning behind this question.

If she said yes, she would get an answer, but it probably wouldn’t be the one she wanted.

Besides, what he said earlier had made her rethink their relationship.

After being splashed with cold water a few times, she calmed down and thought about it; what she had initially thought would be a conclusive answer was no longer so definite.

There was no need to consider true ‘love.’

Seeing that she didn’t reply for a long time, Big Dipper naturally understood that this was her answer.

He nodded. “So, let’s make a deal.”

Wanda still didn’t say anything and just looked at him.

“I’ll treat you the same for the next 100 years. After that, I’ll give you an answer. Or…” Big Dipper looked at her. “After you think it through, you can give me an answer at any time.”

Wanda’s expression was complicated, and she gritted her teeth.

After a long while, she nodded slowly. “Okay, I agree.”

Big Dipper smiled and raised his left pinky. “Pinky swear?”

The witch lowered her head and stared blankly at his finger for a moment, before she quickly locked pinkies with him.

Their hands swayed a few times, and she couldn’t help but glare at him. “Do you make a promise like this with everyone else?”

Big Dipper smiled. “Of course… not, but you’re a little witch.”

Wanda snorted and wrinkled her pretty nose. “I was already an adult when I met you, alright?”

Big Dipper: “But I think you’re still little.”

Wanda asked, “How am I little?”

Big Dipper: “Alright, let’s discuss it on our long trip.”

Wanda asked, “How long? A week, a month?”

Big Dipper: “Hm, how about 500 years?”

Wanda: “…Fine, go on.”

On the sunny Paris street, the two figures moved further and further away as they spoke in low voices. Their pinkies remained hooked together as they disappeared into the crowd in the distance.