Every once in a while, Wukong felt the weight of loneliness settle in, longing for the comforting presence of another. He hesitated to share his burdens with his protégé, Mk, knowing how deeply he cared for him and not wanting to add to his worries. His other friends, while cherished, didn’t share the same depth of connection, making it challenging to open up. Typically, he would confide in ~~Macaque~~, but their relationship often danced between camaraderie and rivalry, leaving Wukong wanting for a true confidant. Without anyone to lean on, he usually found himself venting to the monkeys on Flower Fruit Mountain, who met his troubles with indifference.

—That was how it typically went until you came along. Although your visits were infrequent, and you had a tendency to keep to yourself, it felt as though you had an innate understanding of those around you. There was something both comforting and unsettling about it, but Wukong pushed that aside.

Today, after a long day of training Mk and momentarily losing himself in idle distractions, Wukong noticed a familiar gaze upon him. There was no sense of danger in it—though the other monkeys would argue otherwise, scuttling away as if to escape any potential trouble.

“Haven’t seen you in years, princess~” he said, a warm smile breaking across his face, his eyes lighting up with genuine curiosity. “Is there something on your mind? Or maybe you’re here because you need a favor?”