I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

It's appreciation, appreciation!

Kiyoshi, who was crying out in his heart, dared not voice his true feelings.

"Pervert!" Yukinoshita called out Kiyori's new name in a serious tone, leaving Kiyori unsure how to react.

Did you meet a child named Rumi Tsurumi today?

Kiyoshi was stunned for a moment before realizing who the other person was talking about, but she quickly realized the huge pitfall hidden in the question.

“Children don’t come to play in special facilities.”

Kiyoyori cleverly avoided the question about Yukinoshita, and even with his eyes covered, he could still see Hiratsuka Shizuka's devil horns and tail.

"Is that so?" Yukino asked casually. "But that child mentioned your name today."

Kiyoshi was startled. She didn't remember telling the child her name. Could it be that Asuka had overheard her when she called out to her earlier?

"I don't think I'm famous enough for children to remember my name."

“You can’t find many people who would let an injured child walk back by herself and deliberately make the bandages so conspicuous,” Yukinoshita paused, “and even cut off her stockings.”

Kiyoshi clearly felt several gazes, mixed with disdain and contempt, piercing his back like sharp needles.

"She injured her knee, and her socks were already stained with blood..." For the sake of his reputation, Kiyoyori had no choice but to jump into this obvious pit. "How did you know, senpai?"

"I didn't know, but the pervert just confessed."

Upon hearing her desired answer, Yukinoshita slightly curled the corners of her lips. Considering the "coincidence" arranged by Hiratsuka Shizuka and Tachibana's habit of carrying a medical kit, Yukinoshita only made a simple guess without any substantial evidence.

"Confession..." Kiyori was speechless at Yukino's choice of words. "And when are they going to stop calling me that...?"

"So, Tachibana, you already knew about that child, right? That makes things easier!"

Kiyoshi felt a warm hand pat her back hard a few times, so hard that she almost dropped the soap in her hand.

"I don't know."

I don't want to know!

Kiyoshi angrily scrubbed his arms with soap, wishing he could plug his ears with a towel too.

"You don't know? Then... Yukinoshita, explain it to her."

"It's just a common scenario where a girl is ostracized by the other students in her class," Yukinoshita's previous pleasure had vanished, and even her brows furrowed slightly. "An immature act."

"They're just elementary school students, right...?"

"Hmph, in my opinion, it's because that child is too arrogant, looking down on everyone. That's why other children don't want to associate with her. If she's not willing to change, no matter how much we help her, it's useless," Miura's loud voice echoed in the empty bathhouse. "Just like someone else!"

"That's just your paranoia—"

However, before Yukinoshita could finish speaking, Kiyori interrupted her.

“However, what Miura-senpai said makes some sense,” her sharp gaze immediately pierced Kiyoyori, but being blindfolded, she couldn’t see Yukinoshita’s rare expression of resentment and anger. “Instead of expecting the children around her to take the initiative to befriend her, it’s better to hope that she can find a way to integrate herself into the group.”

Rinse the foam off your hair and body with the showerhead, and the towel that has absorbed the water becomes heavier and heavier, gradually slipping down from the bridge of your nose.

"After all, she can't be as assertive as Yukinoshita-senpai."

"Are you implying something, you pervert?"

"No, I was praising my senior."

"No matter what, it's impossible to change a person in such a short time, nor is it possible to help them integrate into an environment that rejects them. At most, all we can do is guide them. So, let's just wait and see and let the child handle it herself."

Moreover, such exclusion, unless it occurs in an event involving a conflict of interest, is in retrospect an extremely naive and immature act.

It's so boring to ostracize someone just because they're different from others.

"Is this your answer?"

“We can’t control others, we can only change ourselves,” Kiyotaka grabbed the towel over her eyes and ripped it off. “Whether she chooses to return to the crowd or embrace solitude, it’s something she has to face herself. Besides, she didn’t even ask for help, did she?”

With his eyes constricted for so long, he could only see blurry images, and even Kiyotaka, who was already slightly nearsighted, couldn't make out the face of Yuki.

"So, this is my answer."

Even though he couldn't see clearly, Kiyoyori could feel the intense anger emanating from Yukinoshita.

Unintentionally causing a conflict, Qinglai stood up, picked up his things, and walked out.

"Tachibana, you bastard—"

Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a heavy sigh.

There have always been many problem children, but there have been an unusually large number in recent years.

Kiyoshi, who was holding onto the door, stopped and turned his head slightly to nod to the few people still in the bathhouse.

"Well then, Hiratsuka-sensei and all the seniors, thank you for your hard work. I'll take my leave now."

"Tachibana-san,"

Kiyoyori, who had been stopped by Yukinoshita, stopped again.

"I will change and show you."

Oh.

Kiyoshi chuckled softly without a sound.

They all understood.

This is not talking about Rumi Tsurumi at all.

P.S.: Next year, is Blue Card ready to take off?

Chapter 23, Section 184: I couldn't love it more!

Kiyotomi did not go straight back to her room after leaving the bathhouse. The cheerful atmosphere in her room was too incongruous with her current heavy heart, and going back would only add to their troubles.

Something felt like an inescapable burden, weighing heavily on her back. Trouble kept piling up: first, there was the Service Club's request, then a request from her senior. Kiyoyori didn't want to bother Asuka, yet she couldn't refuse her senior's request. She wanted to stay far away from this matter, the farther the better, but for some reason, she felt herself being pulled closer and closer by a whirlpool. And then there was Reina…

Oh, and Reina too...

That's the thing that's even more troublesome.

She hasn't decided yet.

Kiyotomi wandered around the hotel like a ghost, carrying a washbasin. Away from the rooms from which laughter could be faintly heard, she walked through the long corridor and came to a quiet little garden.

A person sat on a wooden bench in the garden, his back to Qinglai, slightly hunched over, with something shimmering on his face.

Just as Kiyoshi was about to leave, seeing that someone had already joined them, she noticed that the person with the petite figure was none other than her direct senior.

For a moment, holding the washbasin, I was at a loss.

The other person was dressed in casual clothes, but it was just a simple T-shirt with a pure white base and some patterns on the sleeves. Mizore seemed to be very absorbed in the game in her hands and did not even notice Kiyoyori's arrival.

Her fingers flew across the phone keypad, but the small garden remained quiet.

Should she go up and say hello? Or should she turn around and leave without disturbing them? Kiyoyori stood there, hesitant.

"Ching Lai."

Before anyone knew it, Mizore had stopped playing her game. She turned her head and stared quietly at Kiyora with her adorable, pomegranate-red eyes.

For some reason, Mizore, dressed in casual clothes, had a youthful appearance. Perhaps it was the cute panda on the other person's T-shirt that gave Kiyoyori that illusion. Mizore's black, medium-length hair was tied up and hung from her back to her chest, scattered on a pure white background.

Good evening, Senior Mizore.

Kiyoshi nodded to the other person, then moved his body slightly to make room for himself, and patted his hands.

"Kiyoshi's glasses are a novelty."

"Um?"

Kiyoshi didn't realize it until Mizore touched the gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose with her finger.

"I have mild nearsightedness and usually wear contact lenses."

Kiyoshi pinched the joint of the temple and pushed it upwards, then turned his face away a little embarrassed.

“It suits you well,” Mizore’s voice was like a cool evening breeze, gently brushing past Kiyoyori’s ear, “like a refined scoundrel.”

Chiyorai:......

Is this a compliment?

They remained silent for a moment.

"Doesn't Qinglai have anything to say about it?"

So they were just waiting for criticism...

"I think Mizore's act of pretending to be stupid is too realistic, it's hard to criticize."

"Really? But Yuko always manages to make a quick comment."

"That must mean that Yoshikawa-senpai knows Mizore-senpai very well."

"Really?" Mizore tilted her head. "Well, I see..."

"You two have a really good relationship."

"Huh? Yuko and me?"

Kiyoshi was taken aback by the sudden question, but Mizore quickly nodded, "Perhaps."

"Kiyori and Asuka-senpai are so great," Mizore clutched her still-glowing phone, the screen frozen in mid-game, the rhythm block still frozen, unfinished. "I'm so envious..."

The quiet environment made their murmurs very clear.

"Does Mizore-senpai like childhood friends? The kind of relationship where you grow up together?"

“Mmm,” Ying nodded vigorously, then tucked her knees in, curling herself into a small ball on the narrow bench, her tiny toes curled up like a little hamster ball. “I like it.”

“Childhood friends aren’t necessarily a good thing,” Kiyoyori recalled his embarrassing childhood memories, which Asuka still teases him about. “You know each other too well, there’s no mystery.”

"That's good..." Yinghuan squeezed her knees together, burying her small face in them. "I'll stay by your side forever, I won't leave, I won't..."

Abandoned.