I, who advocate giving up, feel like a disqualified person

After complaining a little, the target in his vision was once again locked on Ming Xinxi who had just crossed the road.

Then I noticed she was running slower, apparently tired. She should be slowing down soon... That's great. Honestly, if that weren't the case, I wouldn't have wanted to chase her any further.

But if you think about it carefully, does choosing to avoid things like Ming Xinxi really help when facing something that must be faced? After all, we'll have to meet at school after summer vacation. We'll still say what needs to be said, and we'll still face what needs to be faced. And since I intervened, nothing serious has happened, so why not just make things clear? Why did I have to face such a hassle?

“…”

Well.

But considering the scene where the two of them just looked at each other, it seemed impossible for them to have a normal conversation.

Perhaps there were some things that simply couldn't be explained face to face. While avoiding it was shameful, it might have been helpful to me, with my mind completely blank and filled with fear.

"so..."

I habitually reached out my hand to scratch my hair, but ended up hurting the wound on my palm. The pain made me gasp.

“Hiss—…This is really troublesome.”

. . . . . . . . . . .

I seemed to understand what he wanted to tell me.

The scenes he photographed were not taken simply because he liked them, but were taken with certain ideas in mind and for someone else to see.

This must be difficult to understand.

I mean, the winter I transferred to another school, there was a heavy snowfall in my city. It felt familiar yet strange, like meeting a long-lost friend. Because of the weather, I hadn't seen snow like that in a long time.

My campus was dyed white by the snow-white creation that fell from the sky, exuding a holy and solemn beauty...

It was at this moment that I vaguely felt that I had an urge to record it.

I don't want the get out of class to end, because then... the careless trampling of people will destroy this tangible silence.

I just sat by the window, quietly watching the flying snowflakes and the white snow scene.

At that moment, a vague thought suddenly occurred to me. I wanted to put it into detailed words and express it to... someone who was very important to me, far away in another city.

I always feel that I am so eager to share something.

But since I am not as good at photography as he is, I can only describe it with words that are slightly decent enough for me.

But when the tip of the pen points to the notebook, I seem to have a lot to say in my heart, but I don’t know where to start.

It turns out that the scenery that truly makes me feel beautiful cannot be fully described in words.

After thinking about it, it seems that the only thing I can convey to you is... "It's snowing, it's beautiful."

...What?

I originally thought "The moonlight is so beautiful" was a love expression, but now it seems...it's just expressing a similar feeling to mine.

Moonlight and snow scene.

I saw it with my own eyes, but I couldn't accurately convey it. I could only let the people I cared about see it in person. I wanted to truly convey the feelings I felt when I saw that scene to the people I cared about.

So, my father, when he took those photos, must have had a similar sentiment in mind. To him, the scenery he saw was a priceless treasure, and with a thought for someone in his heart... he wanted to share his feelings with the people he cared about.

If someone you care about is by your side, the scenery around you will become different. Even in the lonely autumn, if someone you care about is by your side, you will never feel lonely.

What... Isn't this what the person who was so obsessed with romance conveyed to me in the end?

"I...I..."

It was too late to realize it.

Even though I was crying so hard, I still tried to force myself to express my feelings to the person who was with me, the person I cared about.

"What?"

When he realized that I had something to say, he kindly put his face close to mine.

"...As expected...it has to be you..."

This is... my most serious confession.

If things get complicated

It's about time to stop.

In front of me, Ming Xinxi slowly slowed down from her initial run to a normal walk. I still had enough energy to maintain a jog, so the distance between us was gradually shrinking as I worked hard.

So, what was my goal before? It seemed like it was to help Senior and Li Yinghui reconcile. That way, I could have a peace of mind. But now it seems, no matter how similar my experience is to Senior's, it's still different. I really can't agree with my own approach of finding happiness in others. And... the reality is so different from what I imagined.

"It's really troublesome..."

Even though I couldn't see Ming Xinxi's face right now, I could roughly guess that she must be crying. Unable to suppress the sadness in her heart, as if she had lost something, the pain in her heart constantly stimulated her tear glands, causing the bitter liquid to slide down her cheeks.

So, friendship is such a troublesome thing. As long as there is this friendship, it is difficult to forget the time of close contact.

Honestly, I don't understand how Li Yinghui truly sees her, but if I were to see someone I love hurt by someone who's always been by their side, I'd naturally be torn, not to mention wondering if there's a deeper bond between them. What would I think if I saw someone I'm close to have a personality I've never understood? Would I be happy? Because that's another side of the person I love, and then I'd be happy twice.

How could that be possible? That kind of thing only happens in light novels. I'm not some black swordsman trapped in a game.

"..."

Besides, I showed Li Yinghui a rather scary side of Ming Xinxi. I can't imagine why someone would stand before me with a weapon capable of taking my life, and even then, with an expression that looked like she was going to kill me. Even if she didn't kill me, I'd probably be wary of her in the future if we ever met her.

For example, Kyon, who said, "Once stabbed, one will be afraid of Asakura for ten years."

Ha, what a hassle… This is a serious moment, but I feel like laughing for some reason.

The distance between me and Ming Xinxi was not far away. I was also trying my best to plan what to say in my mind.

"...Hello."

Keeping pace with her, I took the initiative to talk to her.

"Um?"

She turned her head in panic, and I noticed that there were still tears in the corners of her eyes. When she saw that I was chasing her, she showed a look of disgust on her face.

"You...what are you doing here..."

What? You clearly did something wrong, but you act like I'm bullying you... This is really troublesome.

"Nothing. Want some ice cream? It's my treat."

I pointed to the shop next door.

Chapter 35: If Things Get Complicated

"I...as expected...I still have to have you."

A sudden confession.

Although this had happened once before, the emotion contained in these words seemed even more sincere than before. The words were broken by sobs, the eyes glistening with tears, the red and swollen corners of the eyes, the body leaning limply against him, the parts he gently touched.

All this caused Senior Sun to feel an inexplicable throbbing in his heart, a throbbing he had never felt before.

"...Thanks."

After a series of psychological activities, Senior Sun felt that this was the most appropriate thing to say.

"...Why do you say that?"

"..." Faced with this rhetorical question, Senior Sun once again fell into silence and thought, and his brain naturally became confused.

"...that is, it means..."

His eyes shifted unsteadily to Li Yinghui, who was also looking at him. Their gazes met, and the confusion in Senior Sun's mind suddenly cleared up.

If you want to say something, you should say it clearly at this time.

"Even though... I can't always be by your side, I still manage to gain your favor. I did something that you hated, but I still earned your forgiveness... Even though I clearly don't understand you, I still shamelessly stay by your side... Am I being too cunning?"

The results you get are not proportional to the efforts you put in, right?

"...I've received a lot of care from you since I met you. Because of Hui-san, no, because of meeting Hui, I've gradually come to realize my own value. Ever since then, I've wanted to express my gratitude to you... but I haven't been able to express it properly."

“…”

"So I thought... at least say thanks first."

“…I see…”

Even if the words sounded clumsy, in Li Yinghui's view, they were...the expression of true feelings.

"A little, a little happier."

I couldn't help but smile.

However, his left hand was still covering his chest, because there was still an important person in his heart, someone he couldn't let go of. Even after seeing that scene, he still wanted to find out the truth.

"..."

"Take me to treat the wound, Ahao."

Li Yinghui demanded, taking the initiative to walk towards the exit, "I want to... personally find Xiao Qian and find out what happened."

"...Um."

The senior nodded and tried his best to help Li Yinghui walk.

His thoughts began to race again. He couldn't understand how the idea of ​​taking someone else's life could come about. Rather than figuring out what Ming Xinxi was thinking, he would rather this thing had never happened.

"...Senior, the thing that confuses you..."

As he pondered, he seemed to understand something he hadn't understood before. Suddenly, his mind flashed back to his senior, Su Xun, who had already graduated. When he, who had once tried to dissuade him, was asked, "What do people think about when facing death?" he had no answer.

But now, when he was really close, he suddenly understood something.

"I think I understand a little bit."

"What did you just say?" Li Yinghui noticed Ah Hao's lips moving beside her and thought he was talking to her. "Your voice was so soft that I didn't hear it."

"Ah... well, nothing."

The senior shook his head and skipped the topic.

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

"I wanted to find Ah Hao to go out and play, but he's not at home today..." Lu Yunzi chewed the popsicle in his hand with an unhappy look on his face, enjoying the coolness on his lips, and did not forget to complain to the only person next to him who he could complain to.

"It's so hot, and you have to run so far to find him..."

"Maybe he's busy... Just be patient. He's definitely going out with that junior from the Society of State, so don't worry..." Jia Lidu, standing by, tried to comfort Lu Yunzi with a forced smile. "Maybe he's going to the library or something. After all, it's not good to stay at home all day. We should be happy for him..."

"..." However, what he got in return was Lu Yunzi's roll of the eyes.

"...Really." In fact, Jia Lidu has not been in a very good mood these days, because some time ago he took time out to go to the beach with everyone during the seven-day holiday. When he found the store, he discovered that the girl who used to be in charge of reception here was no longer there to help.

"Ah...boring."

So, Jia Lidu, who originally wanted to drag Haozi to play games and talk about his inner depression, happened to meet Lu Yunzi who was looking for Sun Hao today, and Hao was not at home.

"Why should I stay with this nagging guy when I failed to find anyone..." Jia Lidu couldn't help but complain.

"What did you say..."

As if the voice was too loud, Lu Yunzi who was beside him heard the words and showed a horrified look.

"No...it's okay."

It was summer but he felt a chill on his back. At this moment, Jia Lidu felt that his life was threatened.

"I think you want to die."

Lu Yunzi snapped his fingers as he spoke. It looked like he was about to punch Jia Lidu's weak body.

"Wait...wait, there are people on the street now..."

"It's okay, it was just a punch."

"Your punch is comparable to that of Mr. Saitama..."

"Oh, that's too exaggerated~" The voice suddenly softened, and then a terrifying gentle smile appeared on his face, which meant that Lu Yunzi was really going to punch with all his strength. "Look, I have a lot of hair... How can I be One Punch Man!"

As if it could tear the space apart, when Jia Lidu saw a powerful punch about to fall on him, the guy who was his savior suddenly appeared in his sight.

"Wait, I found Haozi!"