All the people who like me are other people’s girlfriends! ?

His smile was warm and full of blessings.

"Light, you must carry our memories, my regrets, and the pain of having to leave, and keep moving forward with determination."

"—!"

At that moment, not only Takamatsu Akari, but also Shiina Tatsuki felt a jolt in his heart, as if an ancient bell had been struck. The thought even crossed his mind that perhaps Shoko really did have some kind of hardship...

Even though Xiangzi was clearly in the wrong, she actually felt a pang of pity and heartache for him...

This man is absolutely terrifying! Even more terrifying than Xiangzi! If he joins Crychic, I feel like they'll never escape his clutches for the rest of their lives!

Takamatsu Akari took a breath with a slight tremor, and nodded vigorously, as if she had made up her mind—Don't believe everything!

Then, she just stared at Kiyono with a dazed look, as if she were looking through him at Toyokawa Shoko, or as if she were looking at him himself.

...

After saying goodbye to the girls, Kiyono walked down the brightly lit street, recalling her conversation with the four girls earlier that day, and couldn't help but twitch at the corner of her eye.

Although their work has recently healed many young girls, these five are quite troublesome among so many bands. Considering Xiangzi's pride, he cannot reveal the truth.

He sacrificed so much for Xiangzi.

However, this conversation alone certainly cannot solve their psychological problems; at most, it only untied one knot. And what's even more troublesome is…

Kiyono stopped on the street, took out her phone, and saw a chat window with Toyokawa Shoko on the screen. All the messages were one-way.

If it were an ordinary boy or girl, they would probably be in a state of turmoil, overthinking, or even angry, and would never speak to each other again. But he remained calm.

Do you like running?

Not replying to messages?

It's ok.

He closed the chat window, opened the map, and searched for a school named "Yuqiu".

He didn't know where Toyokawa Shoko was living, but based on her school, the places she would choose for part-time jobs, and her lifestyle, he could easily pinpoint her general area of ​​activity. If he waited a while, he might be able to catch her.

He disliked misunderstandings, and he disliked this kind of self-inflicted departure, this fading into oblivion. Whatever the reason, once he caught Toyokawa Shoko tomorrow, then…

*

After school.

In the music room bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the majestic piano music of the first movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" resonated.

The blue-haired girl sat at the black and white piano, her slender fingers dancing, but her expression was filled with sorrow. As the music played, she thought of her fate, and the faces of her bandmates kept flashing uncontrollably through her mind. Finally, her mind stopped on the face of a certain boy, and the image froze.

Shoko Toyokawa pressed the last piano key with a little force, paused for two seconds, then took out her phone, opened the chat window, and scrolled through the text messages she had read countless times over the past few days. They were her previous chats with Kiyono. She actually read these messages far more often than she read Crychic.

Even though I've made up my mind to stay away, I still can't help but feel attached...

After all, this was her first time...

But Kiyono-kun, you must be very angry now, and you probably won't talk to her anymore.

it's all over……

?023. Master Xunxiang · Qingye

Toyokawa Shoko now understands very well that the bonds between people are actually extremely fragile. As long as they don't meet for a period of time, or as long as they cut off contact online, their feelings for each other will gradually fade and become a memory of the past.

She will also become a memory...

Although she could never bring herself to make a clean break, she had already drawn a line in front of herself, and they would understand.

Shoko Toyokawa waited patiently for the light from her phone screen to go out, then put her phone away and turned to leave the music classroom.

She should go to work.

...

5 month 31 day.

32°C, calm, sunny.

With Children's Day approaching, the area around Happy Plaza was bustling with people. Young parents were leading their children around, and the air was filled with innocent laughter. At the edge of the plaza's shops, an adorable cartoon bear was clumsily waving a bunch of colorful balloons in its hand.

Perhaps it was because the mascot costume was too heavy, but in the lingering heat, every movement of the mascot seemed somewhat cumbersome. Occasionally, two elementary school students, attracted by the balloons, would excitedly run over and tug at the mascot bear's furry paws or the corner of its costume.

At these times, the teddy bear would patiently squat down—lowering the balloon so that the children could reach it.

The child received the balloon and waved to the teddy bear with a big smile. The teddy bear, clutching the remaining balloon, tried its best to wave back, even though it was a very difficult task for it.

After seeing the children off, Toyokawa Shoko breathed a sigh of relief, but she still felt very sad.

It's so hot and stuffy. Summer is almost here, and wearing this heavy, non-breathable mascot costume makes me feel like I'm in a sauna I can't leave. It's so hot and suffocating.

Sweat kept dripping from her forehead, temples, and thighs, making her feel sticky and itchy. Fortunately, she took the advice of a senior colleague and applied sweat-absorbing patches and cooling patches to her body beforehand, which made it bearable.

Physical exhaustion also troubled the girl. During her work, she had to constantly wave her hands, move clumsily, and bend over to hand out balloons to children. Every action was arduous.

But there was no other way; there were only a few part-time jobs available for high school students that didn't require showing their faces. Compared to these issues, she was even less willing to work as 'Toyokawa Shoko'.

She suddenly thought of Kiyono. Had Kiyono-kun also gone through these things? What were his feelings when he put on a smile back then?

Kiyono-kun, you're amazing.

His situation was clearly much more difficult than mine, yet he remained so strong, always facing others with positivity. Compared to him, I…

Toyokawa Shoko sighed silently. Lost in thought, she saw a little boy running towards her. She instinctively picked up the balloon, but the next second, the boy seemed to lose control and crashed hard into the leg of the mascot costume.

She stumbled. In the past, she would have been able to catch the child steadily, but the teddy bear was too big and heavy. She couldn't maintain her balance at all and fell heavily backward to the ground. The remaining balloon in her hand also lost its restraint and slowly drifted into the pink and purple sunset.

Ah... a balloon!

Toyokawa Shoko was getting anxious. Even if the balloons weren't worth much, so many of them flying away at once was still a dereliction of duty...

A few gasps and children's laughter came from the surrounding area. The teddy bear struggled to stand up, but its heavy clothes and clumsy size made it look particularly disheveled.

She sensed the strange looks coming from the surrounding area, and suddenly she became the center of attention.

Xiangzi suddenly felt sad and wronged.

In the bustling square, she seemed to be the only one isolated from the joy, as if the world was far away from her.

at this time--

"Do you need help?"

A gentle voice came from behind.

Her limited field of vision was occupied.

—Those were a pair of hands.

Fair-skinned and strong, with well-defined joints.

This voice... there's no mistake... Toyokawa Shoko raised the teddy bear's head in a daze and saw a familiar face.

In that instant, she suddenly remembered that this job wasn't just about hardship and suffering; it also included happy experiences. For example, she recalled a little girl who had just learned to walk being attracted by a balloon. She toddled up to her, stretched out her little hand, and looked at her timidly yet longingly. She gently handed her a pink balloon. After receiving it, the little girl didn't run away. Instead, she reached out her other little hand and carefully touched the bear's paw. Then, she looked up and, through the teddy bear's eyes, a pure and radiant smile, like the first rays of sunlight, bloomed on her face. At that moment, she felt her heart gently touched by this pure joy.

For example... the boy's outstretched hand at this very moment.

My chest felt filled with joy. Why is Kiyono-kun here?

Then, something else occurred to her, and that indescribable joy and her heart gradually froze, turning into embarrassment, unease, and shame... Why did Kiyono-kun have to recognize her at this moment? Surely not, right?

Disappointment and relief surged simultaneously.

There was a silence between them for several seconds before the furry bear paw hesitantly placed itself on the boy's hand.

Kiyono used his arm to pull the other person up.

The teddy bear stopped, its dark eyes "looking" at Qingye, and slowly nodded to him, as if to thank him.

Be more careful next time.

Kiyono smiled and nodded, as if he really didn't recognize her. After speaking, he waved and turned to leave, disappearing into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

The teddy bear kept watching his back until night fell.

...

In the lounge, a small head struggled to emerge from the bear's head. Toyokawa Shoko looked in the mirror, her wet, sky-blue hair sticking messily to her forehead and cheeks, with a few stray strands clinging to her neck. Her once exquisite face was now flushed with an unnatural redness due to the heat and exhaustion.

"Desuwa is finally over..."

At this moment, Toyokawa Shoko was also immersed in the relaxation of leaving get off work. She tidied her appearance and left the store with light steps.

Tokyo's nightscape was as dazzling and vibrant as ever, with neon lights flashing and the bustling traffic never ceasing. Despite having worked all day, the young woman did not show the numbness and emptiness of a typical corporate slave. An almost stubborn pride and determination still danced in her eyes. She would not succumb to despair, nor would she pray to the gods.

The girl arrived at the chain supermarket, walked skillfully to the discount section, stared at the discounted bento boxes, and seriously compared their nutrition and price. The kitchen in the house her father rented was unusable, so these bento boxes, which would be discounted by 50% or even 30% after 8 pm, became her best choice to maintain her life and strength.

As she waited, the scene from before flashed through her mind. She pursed her lips and thought, "Kiyono-kun is such a kind-hearted fool. Does he extend his hand to everyone he meets with such enthusiasm?"

She was a little happy.

There were also some minor complaints.

It was eight o'clock. After the clerk changed the labels on the bento boxes, Toyokawa Shoko picked up two bento boxes she had already chosen and put them in her shopping basket, and also bought two bottles of vitamins.

As she passed the dessert section, the girl's steps involuntarily slowed down, and she eventually stopped in front of a glass counter.

Her gaze was drawn to one of the cakes, decorated with fresh strawberries and delicate buttercream frosting, as if by an invisible magnet—it was 20% off for Children's Day! She hadn't had cake in ages!

She stared silently for a minute, hesitated, then looked away, pushed her shopping cart away from the dessert section, and grabbed a can of low-alcohol beer.

After paying the bill and carrying her shopping bags, Toyokawa Shoko headed towards the station; she was going home.

The streets were bathed in a silvery moonlight. The young girl calculated her expenses for the coming week: the electricity and water bills were due, and then…

Suddenly, the girl's expression changed. She heard footsteps behind her, as if... someone was following her.

Toyokawa Shoko frowned. She glanced discreetly behind her, and by the light of the streetlamp, she could vaguely make out a figure walking in the darkness. The figure was facing her, and he was approaching! She was his target! The footsteps quickened!

Her heart tightened, and she suddenly quickened her pace!

She's no longer the pampered young lady who thought the world was a wonderful place. She knows what her appearance represents, and lately she's encountered quite a few people trying to strike up a conversation, but without exception, she's gracefully deflected them all. This time too…

No! He's too fast! There's no way he can escape!

She took a deep breath, stopped running, turned around, and stared fearlessly at the newcomer. She was carrying self-defense tools, and...

My Aikido, Toyokawa Shoko's style, has never been disadvantageous!

As a typical young lady from a wealthy family, she is naturally proficient in various self-defense skills!

Under her tense gaze, the figure stepped out, emerging from the shadows into the bright streetlight, allowing her to see the person's face clearly, and then...

"Qing, Qingqingqingqing Yejun!?"

It was quite unexpected that Toyokawa Shoko would stutter and blush like this!

"Don't approach people like that! It's terrifying!" She pressed her chest, let out a long sigh, and couldn't help but complain, forgetting even the awkwardness of bumping into Kiyono.

"Sorry, I wanted to surprise you..."

The boy scratched his head, his smile still as handsome and dashing as ever.

It should be called fright, right?

No, that's not the important thing right now!

Looking at Kiyono's face, Toyokawa Shoko finally realized something... She had run away without permission, neglected the boy, and then run into him again!

What should I do?

Under Kiyono's gaze, she suddenly felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. She remembered how long she had worn the mascot costume and how much she had sweated. She must look very ungraceful now, and she might even smell bad. She was also worried about what would happen tomorrow...

The girl was even more panicked than when she had encountered the stalker earlier, and she didn't even dare to look at his face.

After a moment of frozen silence, she made a decisive choice—

Run away.

She didn't know how to face Kiyono.

But he was caught.

Kiyono grabbed her wrist from behind, as if he were pulling on a cat's tail.

Toyokawa Shoko turned her head away, trying to keep a straight face so as not to reveal her inner turmoil:

"What do you want to do!"