I am only one world away from Yukinoshita.

Yang Nai felt a sharp pain in her heart at that moment.

They shouldn't have ended up like this. If she had just followed the script, she could have achieved her wish, and she and the girl in front of her wouldn't have been so incompatible.

But how can you refuse someone's last request?

not to mention--

“Then I’ll choose another one,” Haruno said, not caring at all that Kiyori had ripped her collar into a mess. “If Kiyori is willing to get engaged to Yukino, I can tell you that too.”

"However, there is one condition: Kiyori can never leave Yukino."

"How about it? Pretty good deal, right? Kiyori likes Yukino, doesn't he? Trading his freedom for her isn't out of the question, is it?"

Yang Nai watched as Kiyoshi's hands trembled, and she stepped back from in front of her with disbelief in her eyes.

"Who are you……?"

Qinglai asked in a dry voice.

"Yukinoshita Haruno".

"Stop lying! Yukinoshita Haruno isn't that kind of person!"

Yang Nai paused. She wanted to laugh, wanted to be happy about those words, but—

"The Yukinoshita Haruno you knew is dead."

Even before, when the person I loved most left.

The person named Yukinoshita has also disappeared.

"Isn't it fair? When you want to gain something, you will lose something. Desires always come at a price."

So this is her punishment.

"If you want to get it back, you have to be prepared to lose what you've already gained."

Kiyoyori seemed to have thought of something. "Then, what should we do?"

Do you believe in gods?

This was the second time Yang Nai had asked Qing Lai this question. This time, Qing Lai did not answer, but instead asked:

"Did you get what you wanted?"

"I once had it."

"...What have you lost?"

"We're finding it."

Yang tidied his clothes and walked outside.

"I have only one reason for being here, and as for what that is, Kiyoshi, you can find out for yourself."

Because she made a wish.

Even if it's borrowed, it's fine.

She wanted it to happen.

Chapter 59 Happy Birthday

The conversation with Yang Nai ended unhappily, and the two barely spoke to each other after returning to the dinner table.

Strangely, after that, neither set of parents seemed to bring up the matter of marriage again in front of the two of them.

On the way home, Touko simply asked Kiyoyori if she had eaten enough, but didn't ask about what she and Yono had talked about. On the other side, Carol looked relaxed and joked with Kiyoyori while driving.

It was as if nothing had happened.

As soon as Kiyoyori got home, she received a message from Hihama, saying that the plan for the three of them to go to the mall together the next day to pick out a birthday present for Yukinoshita would probably have to be canceled because a sudden family arrangement disrupted their original plan, so they could only send a representative to celebrate Yukinoshita's birthday.

And this representative was Qing Lai.

Kiyoyori, who originally wanted to find an excuse not to go to Yukinoshita's birthday celebration tomorrow, had no choice but to accept the task.

Actually, she had already prepared the gifts.

The phone rang suddenly. Kiyoyori thought it was Yuihama, so he didn't look closely. When he answered, he found that it was actually Haruno on the other end of the line.

"Is Kiyori going to Yukino's birthday party tomorrow?"

The other party got straight to the point, and Kiyoyori paused before replying:

What do you want to do?

A soft chuckle came from the other end of the phone, "Nothing, just asking."

Kiyoshi couldn't figure out what she was thinking, so he didn't say anything.

"I understand. Then I'll leave Yukino in Kiyori's care tomorrow."

Without waiting for Qinglai's response, Yang Nai hung up the phone.

Staring at the phone screen after the call was disconnected, Qinglai sighed deeply and collapsed helplessly onto the bed.

She still couldn't figure out what this woman was thinking.

...........................................................................

The following day, Kiyoshi, having received the task, left home early and went to the mall to select gifts according to the instructions of his two seniors.

Hikigaya seemed to have already decided what to buy, and quickly confirmed his target gift after just having Kiyoshi act as a model. Yuihama, on the other hand, was making conflicted noises while video chatting with Kiyoshi.

"Haven't you decided yet?"

Even though the video wasn't on, Hachiman's voice was very clear.

"I always felt that Xiaoxue had everything she needed."

"If you're unsure what to buy, handmade items are perfectly fine, aren't they?"

"Huh? But isn't it too late to start now? Or... cookies?"

"Then let's forget about it..."

"Little Qi! Are you saying my cooking is terrible?!"

"Well, speaking of which," Hachiman quickly changed the subject, "Tachibana, what did you buy?"

"As for me, I'm planning to give a handmade scarf..."

Before Kiyoshi could finish speaking, the sound in his earphones exploded.

"Eh?! Kiyoyori made it herself?! No, Kiyoyori can actually knit scarves?!"

"Such high level of womanly strength..."

Kiyoshi took off one of his earphones, rubbed his ear with a slightly troubled expression, and said, "Well, I've learned it before, it's not that difficult."

The idea of ​​giving a scarf came to me simply because I remembered the other person's exposed neck from the last time.

However, upon closer reflection, Yukinoshita probably has plenty of such things.

"Has Yuihama-senpai made a decision?"

"Um..."

"Why don't we just go along with it? Doesn't Yukinoshita really like felines?"

"I can't exactly send Xiaoxue a cat, can I?"

“No,” Hachiman sighed, “I mean, we could send some everyday items made to look like felines or have related elements.”

"That's right! Then I'll trouble you, Qinglai, to look for it again!"

"Yes Yes."

Kiyotomi tirelessly searched almost half the mall and finally found a gift that met her requirements and suited Yuihama's taste.

"Thank you for your hard work, Qinglai."

"It's okay, I didn't have any plans for today anyway."

Kiyoshiro, who originally wanted to avoid celebrating Yukinoshita's birthday, naturally wouldn't say it out loud.

"After that, we'll ask Xiao Qinglai to help us deliver the gifts!"

"no problem."

Yuihama on the other end of the phone seemed to have something urgent and hurriedly hung up. Kiyoyori thought that Hikigaya would also hang up quickly, but he didn't expect that.

"Komachi ordered a small cake from a bakery on the second floor of the mall as a birthday gift for Yukinoshita. Could you please pick it up when you have time?"

If it was Komachi who made the decision, there was no need to wait until Yuihama hung up the phone before telling Kiyoyori. Besides, Hikigaya doesn't seem like the kind of social butterfly who would specifically tell his sister about his classmate's birthday so she could prepare a gift.

"it is good."

Kiyoshi knew perfectly well what was going on and agreed.

The mission was a complete success. Kiyoyori, who had previously confirmed that Yukinoshita had no plans for today, planned to make one more call to confirm.

"Oh my, isn't this little Qinglai?"

As soon as Kiyoshi's call was answered, she heard an unusually familiar voice behind her. Turning around, she saw Haruno and Yukino holding the phone next to her.

The two sisters seemed to have some plans in mind.

"Happy New Year, Tachibana-kun."

A clear, cold voice came from the phone. Through the device, her voice seemed somewhat distorted, but the person standing in front of Kiyoyori was real.

Kiyoshi glanced at Yono subconsciously; the other girl had a smile on her lips that Kiyoshi couldn't understand.

"Happy New Year, senior."

Withdrawing his gaze, Kiyoshiro hung up the phone and moved a little closer to the Yukinoshita sisters.

"I thought Yukinoshita-senpai didn't have any plans for today."

Yukino's face showed a hint of embarrassment and dissatisfaction. "I only received the notification this morning."

"So……"

Kiyoshi looked at Haruno with a more probing gaze, after all, Haruno's sudden phone call last night made Kiyoshi feel that she was up to something again.