I am the emotional sustenance of your deceased

　For example, the neck, I became even more curious when I saw the several band-aids on the back of Qiansui's neck.

　"Are you thinking of something disrespectful?"

　"No! I was just thinking about...the wounds on your body and what you said this morning."

　"Um…"

　Qiansui put down his lunch box and tried to calm his tone: "These things are very complicated. I want to tell you -"

　"If you just want to be friends with me, don't delve into it. It won't do you any good."

　If you delve into this, you'll explode.

　It will explode sooner or later, but not now.

　"Huh? So serious?"

　Chitose's answer was beyond Aine's imagination.

　She poured a bottle of the soda she had prepared into Chitose's hand.

　"I...you really are an idiot, Aine."

　"No, I respect your opinion. Many things are hard to talk about, right? Don't worry, one day you will be able to tell me calmly and openly!"

　Isn’t this sentence super cool!

　This is the speech that Chihaya Aine prepared all morning!

　As expected, Chitose's reaction once again met Aine's expectations.

　The silver-white girl, covered in wounds, had her pupils trembling, and finally turned her head away without saying anything more.

　"You still want to be friends with me even after all this? I always feel that your words are very ambiguous. Are you thinking of developing some other kind of relationship? I know that people like you who are social masters like you like to pick on girls like me who have no friends and do weird things with me, right?"

　"Eh hey hey? I don't have any!"

　"Well, after all, people like me are easy to bully and deal with..."

　Stop it! I didn't!

　Aine wanted to retort but then she heard Noshiro Chitose's words that weighed heavily on her mind: "You succeeded... I already consider you a friend... You are my first friend. Although I know you shouldn't get close to me and I shouldn't agree to you... it's really hard to refuse."

　The girl in front of him clearly had tears in her eyes, and those tears were as sincere as her expression.

　"So, Aine, you really want to be friends with me? You're not just teasing me, right?"

　Ch279. In the convenience store, you are wearing a disguise

　Contacting you means getting beaten up many times in the rest of my school life.

　This is a sad but horrible reality that is difficult to change.

　There are people around you who are unhappy with me. I really can't help it and I am deeply sorry about it.

　But you, you are always so nice to me...how can I refuse you?

　【It's impossible to refuse you. 】

　Gentleness is your nature.

　And being unable to refuse you, longing to be treated gently and loved... is the nature of "your Noshiro Chitose".

　Could it be that a moth that flies into the fire really doesn't know that the flames will burn her wings and soul, causing her to burn to death?

　【Really!】

　You keep saying you will protect

　Protect me, help me, lead me out of the darkness, no longer alone, no longer rejected by the group, but——

　As a good friend, a qualified student union president, and a lively and cheerful girl... can you really do it?

　【Really? 】

　Facing the cruel environment, my dear Chihaya Aine...

　Facing the majority of people who will oppose you, facing the tragic past and scars I have hidden from you, facing the responsibilities and obligations that weigh on you and the "existence" that cannot be violated...

　Can you really keep your promise to help me?

　【Really…】

　Noshiro Chitose remembered Chihaya Aine's brilliant smile at that moment.

　It's really contagious.

　The little canine teeth are super cute.

　When Aine laughs sincerely, she squints her eyes cutely and reveals her dimples.

　"You...really..."

　Chitose, infected by Aine’s smile, covered her mouth.

　"You're truly an egomaniac, Aine."

　"If you really want to be friends with me, I can ignore the cost as long as you are serious."

　When the story reaches a point beyond your control...

　[Even if you try your best to turn the tide, you won't get the desired outcome. ]

　[Can you really still laugh like you did today? ]

　[Will you recall the day when I refused to be your friend but was "carried" forward by you? ]

　【As Chitose's friend, are you prepared to do this?】

　……

　"So, I'm still curious about your injuries...why don't you tell me secretly..."

　Sure enough, I still really want to ask clearly.

　But Chitose ignored Aine's question.

　“What is this dish called?”

　There were still dozens of minutes left before lunch break ended. She pointed at a mushroom dish on the plate and asked Aine.

　"Ah... fried oyster mushrooms, they're delicious, right? I like them too."

　Changing the subject?

　Tsk, you really don't want to tell me?

　"Yeah, it's delicious."

　"Can I make more for you tomorrow?"

　"No... I'll make you a lunch box tomorrow."

　what?

　Aine blinked, realizing that things were becoming increasingly interesting.

　"seriously."

　The last time Aine exchanged bento with someone was when she was in elementary school.

　At that time, it felt very tiring and troublesome, and I had to choose ingredients carefully for fear that the other person would not like my cooking.

　But she didn't feel bored when facing Chitose.

　On the contrary, she was extremely looking forward to it.

　"Why is this happening? Could it be that I'm Chitose's only friend...that's why I find this particularly unusual?"

　A strange thought came into Aine's mind.

　Chitose Noshiro seemed to be a friend who belonged to her alone.

　Chitose is not noisy or noisy, and is super cute and clingy. Tsundere is the word that describes Chitose! However, Chitose is rarely arrogant, and most of the time she is delicate.

　"You're so cute, Sui Sui."

　"No need to talk about it anymore. I won't do it for you tomorrow."

　“Hey! I was wrong!”

　The spring breeze is silent, but it just keeps decorating the fallen flowers in the girls' hair.

　Chitose used her slender fingers to pick away the pink petals from Aine's pink hair.

　Aine’s hair color is very cute, even more gorgeous than a sea of ​​falling cherry blossoms.

　The long pink hair symbolizes the frozen spring cherry blossoms.

　"Are there any dietary restrictions? What do you like to eat?"

　"No, nothing too sour! If you want something else... a smoked salmon and fruit sandwich."

　Yeah.

　"I'm already looking forward to your expression when you, a piece of trash, taste my food. I have to go to the infirmary first. Excuse me."

　Qiansui closed his lunch box and stood up immediately.

　"Wait for me! I'm going with you too!"

　……

　"Are you really following me just because you're worried about me?"

　"Yes."

　Chitose gave Aine an incredulous look: "Are you sure you don't want to skip class?"

　"I'm...sure."

　"Okay then. Remember to tell the homeroom teacher that you brought me to the infirmary. I haven't reported to the teacher yet, so I don't want to be marked as absent."

　Noshiro Chitose blinked.

　"It's up to you, great student council president."

　After leaving the infirmary and walking back, Aine listened quietly to Chitose's words.

　After a long silence, she finally spoke: "Sui Sui always comes to the infirmary to change the wound dressings and bandages."

　"Yeah, after all, I really don't have any money. Going to the hospital is expensive, and if I go too often I'll have to take out a loan."

　"What about Xiao Sui's parents?"

　"Parents," Qiansui's face darkened, "Parents won't care about these things, let's go faster."

　Noshiro Chitose walked forward quickly.

　"Eh? Okay, but what I want to ask is how you think the wound came about."

　"I don't want to tell you, and you're not allowed to check."

　Are you furious?

　Aiyin always felt like she had stepped on some dangerous spot.

　[Looks like I need to stop mentioning Chitose's parents from now on, or else I'll fail.]

　Aine quickly caught up to Chitose.

　……

　Aine didn't catch up with Chitose on her way home that afternoon.

　She stared at the other person's back as he left the school from afar.

　"Sure enough, it's still super mysterious... Suisui."

　Even if you leave

　Even though you are far away, my mind is still full of you.

　I really want to know the story of every wound on your body.

　Domestic violence? School bullying? Could these really be the case? It felt like reading a novel... Chihaya Aine had never thought that these words would appear in her life.

　"Aine, what are you thinking about?"