I am the emotional sustenance of your deceased

　They kept staring at each other's eyelashes, and Chitose used gentle whispers to help Riki sleep more soundly.

　"I like you. Have a good rest today. Although I don't know why you punched Xiao Xiangzi..." Chitose paused, "But I always feel that it's not just for Crychic."

　What kind of secrets are hidden in your heart?

　"Why do you want to be close to me? Why do you want to stay by my side? Why me?"

　Is it really just because I am your first friend that you are bewitched and confused by my eyes?

　"Xiao Lixi, you can't hide things. You've always been like this... Even if the excuses are lame, you'll still make them up. But you know I love you and I can tell at a glance."

　Li Xi's breathing remained steady.

　Orderly and light, just like the poem "Time Heals a Broken Heart" that I once wrote to the other person.

　By the way, I didn’t finish the performance that time because Li Xi interrupted me. Will this be something that will make him regret for the rest of his life?

　"Fool."

　"Small fry."

　"Stupid little bastard...you still need me to coax you to sleep. How can you sleep without me? Seriously."

　Chitose subconsciously moved closer to Riki's lips, but did not kiss him.

　Their lips were only a few centimeters apart, their hot breaths slapping against each other's cheeks.

　"I can't kiss you this time. If there's a chance in the future, I'll make it up to you."

　Chitose walked to the bedroom door, just like she did the night before they separated.

　Good night, Xiao Lixi.

　Chitose of the night world has nothing to do with you.

　……

　When the last taxi on the road drove away from their residential building, Chitose got up from the railing and walked to the door of Toyokawa Shoko's house.

　There is another protagonist in the night world tonight, and that is——

　"Xiaoxiang, are you home?"

　Three light but powerful knocks, coupled with the rhythmic sound of the knocks, all told the person inside the door who was visiting late at night.

　Chitose put her hands behind her back, holding a box of freshly fried miracle pork cutlets.

　There was a faint sobbing sound in the room, but after Chitose's voice sounded, the room suddenly became quiet.

　With her super hearing, Chitose Noshiro heard the faint sound of someone's small feet wrapped in white socks stepping on the floor.

　It’s Xiaoxiang for sure.

　"Xiaoxiang! It's me. Open the door quickly. It's urgent."

　"I...I'm not home! You should go back."

　It seems like he's just sulking.

　It looks like he is expecting to be coaxed.

　After all, Xiao Xiang is still at his weakest stage. Sometimes Chitose really wants to bully him and watch Toyokawa Shoko drop her little pearl. But——

　Just thinking about it, Xiaoxiang is still very cute

　Love.

　You can't keep bullying Xiao Xiaoxiang.

　"Xiao Xiang, I know you're back. Please open the door. Qiansui misses you."

　"Even if I say that, I..."

　In the end, Shoko Toyokawa opened the door a crack, but when she looked out through the dark night, she couldn't find Chitose Noshiro.

　【Hmm? Years old.】

　"Wow! I scared you!"

　Chitose suddenly jumped out from the side, but obviously did not scare Xiangzi.

　"Years old... Even if you try to make me happy like this, I won't laugh."

　"But you feel a little better, don't you?"

　“…” It is undeniable that this is the case.

　After seeing the energetic Chitose Noshiro, Shoko Toyokawa's heart was no longer so cold.

　She sighed and opened the door wide.

　"So, is there anything else, Xiaosui."

　"Did Lixi hurt you?"

　"It's not important."

　"That's just you who thinks it's unimportant, Xiaoxiang," Qiansui stuffed the insulated box into Xiangzi's arms and held the door open with one hand, "but it's very important to me."

　"So Xiaoxiang, answer me...are you still in pain?"

　"It doesn't hurt anymore."

　Chitose was always like this! Like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey... Often, when faced with the extremely aggressive Chitose Noshiro, Toyokawa Shoko would be completely helpless.

　She even had a strange throbbing sensation.

　【It seems that being like this... is quite good.】

　"Aren't you welcome me in to sit down?"

　"I... forget it, come in, my dad is going to..."

　Toyokawa Kiyoshi has not returned from playing pinball yet. It seems that he won some money and went to the bar to experience the life of a drunken night out.

　Despite this, Shoko Toyokawa couldn't tell anyone about her father and had to cover it up.

　"My dad is working overtime today! Um... so he won't be back. Come in quickly, or I won't let you in later..."

　He still wanted to maintain his dignity a little, but this trick didn't work on Chitose Noshiro.

　"Really, Ms. Toyokawa, what you mean is... you're alone at home tonight, and no one will come to stop me from bullying you?"

　"Huh? What's that? When did you learn to speak strangely, Xiao Sui?"

　Xiangzi's lower abdomen was still burning, but the fragrance coming from the insulated box relieved her pain.

　"Are you really okay? Li Xi was too impulsive just now. I hope I didn't hurt you."

　"No..." After wiping the table clean, Toyokawa Shoko moved the bottles of wine her father had left over to a place where she and Chitose couldn't see them. "Anyway, I owe her...them."

　"I feel good after getting beaten up. Wait, this shouldn't be a quirk, right?"

　"Your story really makes me curious."

　The aroma of fried pork cutlet hit her face the moment the lunch box was opened. Toyokawa Shoko didn't know how to respond, and what was even worse was that she couldn't find clean chopsticks.

　Finally, she found a pair of unopened disposable chopsticks that came with the lunch box in the corner.

　[So embarrassing, so embarrassing...]

　With her head down the entire time, Toyokawa Shoko felt herself becoming increasingly embarrassed. She really wished Xiaosui wasn't looking at her. She really wished...

　"I really wish I were still Miss Toyokawa. Xiaosui, do you want to hear our story?"

　"Or...what you want to hear is my story?"

　The figure of Chitose in front of him and the phantom of Chitose in his dream overlapped, and Xiangzi regretted what he had just said.

　She didn't want her pride to be trampled on again, but Chitose was so nice and the fried pork cutlet smelled so good.

　Having not eaten for the entire day and having been punched by Riki after work, Shoko Toyokawa could no longer control her desire to eat.

　She took a bite, and the juice from the fried pork chop burst out along with her tears.

　“It’s delicious…”

　Piece after piece of fried pork cutlet with golden skin was sent into the stomach.

　Toyokawa Shoko, you look... miserable.

　-

　Ch261. Please blame all your misfortunes on me

　“It’s really delicious!”

　The sadness after a friend left, the worry of a broken family, the self-blame for ruining everything by acting on one's own will, the confusion about the future...

　Please dissipate for a while under the comfort of delicious food.

　It was not until the tears rolled down and gathered at her chin that Shoko Toyokawa realized that she was actually crying.

　But she held back her voice, only occasionally letting out a slight whimper.

　"Eat slowly, Xiaoxiang."

　Qiansui held his chin, and his loving look made Xiangzi even more embarrassed.

　"No one's going to steal it from you. If you don't have enough food, I have more at home. Do you want me to cook some more for you?"

　"No, no need! I've already troubled you enough... I'm too useless now. When I get older..."

　"Idiot, why do you treat me like an outsider?"

　Chitose covered her mouth and laughed. She went around behind Xiangzi and hugged her from behind.

　"Toyokawa Shoko, it's really nice to meet you. You're my best friend. But why do you always try to hide yourself from me?"

　Chitose spoke slowly, but every word and every sentence pierced into Toyokawa Shoko's heart.

　She tried to grab the hem of her skirt, but Chitose hugged her from behind.

　In a room filled with the smell of alcohol and musty dreams, the embraced Toyokawa Shoko seemed to have returned to her mother's arms.

　in.

　"Mom...no, Xiaosui, you..."

　"Why are you telling me all this? Why are you sending me food?... A lousy and hopeless person like me shouldn't be kicked around like a stray dog ​​on the side of the road."

　"I hurt your friends, Deng, Li Xi, and Su Shi... I hurt them all..."

　Toyokawa Shoko said this to make Chitose hate her.

　Compared to being treated gently by Chitose, it is indeed more satisfying to feel disgusted.

　Toyokawa Shoko could no longer repay Chitose's kindness and gentleness.

　"I know."

　"You really do know... everything."

　"Yes."

　Xiangzi tried hard to break free from Qiansui's embrace, but no matter how hard she struggled, no matter how she used her hands and feet or how she tilted her head, it was all in vain.

　She was held by Chitose.

　She felt... this life wrapped in a thousand years would last for a very long time——

　It will last until the end of time. How strange, why would I think that?

　"Let me go! You must hate me... I hurt them! I admit it, I hurt everyone, I lied, I admit I'm down and out now... I admit it! You must be curious why I... am not the same as the young lady they described!"

　The last part was almost a roar, low and indignant.

　The taste of fried pork chops was still lingering in Xiangzi's mouth, and the heat in her abdomen made her unable to tell whether it was from the punch or the food.

　From beginning to end, Qiansui still held her.

　[You've given up on yourself, why are you still here? 】

　"I... I moved out on purpose... No one here knows me, no one knows my past... now!" Toyokawa Shoko turned her head, the glint in the corner of her eye impossible to ignore, "Now you know everything! Are you happy? You've already... you've already..."

　"You've seen through all of Toyokawa Shoko! You know it all! So when are you...when are you going to leave me?"

　After giving up on herself, Xiangzi gave up control of her body. She collapsed, and Qiansui also knelt on the floor.