Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

"If you tell me there are any inconveniences, then just do things your own way, Miss Chuhua. Whatever secrets you're hiding, it's irrelevant to me."

Complete trust.

Sango Chuka could only read this emotion from his expression.

"…Thank you."

After a moment of silence, the smile on her face deepened.

“I’m so happy… to hear Xiaojun say that.”

She, who is skilled in social etiquette, is not just going through the motions now.

"However, I'll take it seriously."

It's like a reminder, or like a young girl's playful coquettishness.

Yin Qiliuyi ③ (II) 29 0 “Very…very serious kind of thing”.

In short, she spoke, her beautiful purple eyes blinking.

"Well, take it seriously."

Xiao simply smiled and nodded, accepting the heavy feelings hidden beneath Chu Hua's seemingly lighthearted probing.

Perhaps, like Su Shi, she is a woman who appears refreshing on the outside but is actually so heavy that people want to stay away from her.

But so what?

They are still my most important aunts, the ones who raised me.

This alone was enough for Xiao to make up her mind not to mind all their shortcomings and to continue to treat them as her most important family members.

Sanko Chuka didn't say anything more, but just kept that warm smile with a slightly deeper meaning on her lips, and sat down next to Xiao to look up at the starry sky together.

Even though it's just a projected, artificial starry sky confined to this small space... it must still be adorned with real-world romance.

I was slightly dazzled by what I saw.

Thinking this, Mikasa Hatsuka gently moved her body towards Kazama Akatsuki, who was sitting in place.

The two people were clearly thinking about each other, but the feelings they poured into each other were worlds apart.

Her hand was almost touching the edge of his palm on the armrest, but she remained politely and restrainedly just inches away.

At present, it's just a stone's throw away.

Chapter Forty-Seven: The World Seeks the Dawn, the First Blossoms Follow

Although there was no reason for them to get together, the girls who had formed CRYCHIC together still met up with RiNG after school in a very tacit manner.

Shiina Tatsuki, Nagasaki Motoyo, and Takamatsu Akari—aside from Wakaba Mutsumi and Toyokawa Shoko, all three of them had a reason to reconnect because of a certain guy.

Kazama Akatsuki, that's the name the boy told them.

However, this brief reunion may eventually come to an end.

"Don't get me wrong. If it weren't for making that guy admit that his skills weren't as good as mine, and the fact that Deng has been here all this time... I had no intention of playing drums with you guys again."

In RiNG's recording studio, Lixi, who had just finished a training session, raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead, then turned her sharp gaze to Sushi, who had been sitting quietly to the side waiting for her.

"I know what you're planning. If it weren't for the sake of the lamp... never mind, I advise you to give up this idea."

Shiina Riki bluntly exposed the pretense beneath Su Shi's gentle smile; she had always known, but simply refused to acknowledge it in front of the light.

But it's strange that things have come to this point...

Based on her understanding of Su Shi, after she finished speaking, Su Shi should have smiled and looked at her silently, then used something like "Actually, Li Xi still wants to be with Deng, right?" to try and persuade her to stay.

But today is different.

Nagasaki Motoyo sat in her seat, holding her phone and staring blankly into space. Her unfocused eyes weren't looking at anything, and even her usual friendly smile was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey... what happened?"

Li Xi sensed something was wrong, got up from the drum set, walked over to Su Shi, and observed her expression.

"...No one else came today either."

But Su Shi just muttered to herself softly, looking at the empty space beside her.

There were only her and Lixi in the huge recording studio.

"Ah, Akari can't come today, you remember? Kazama is the same as always, probably meeting up with that person he was supposed to go out with again."

While wiping the drumsticks with a towel, Lixi unusually took on the role of explaining to Su Shi.

"That girl named Chihaya Aine who came with Akari seems to be the same way. Since Kazama and Akari weren't here, she simply said that something came up and she couldn't come... I knew her mind wasn't on learning guitar."

Li Xi was a little annoyed, while Su Shi's focus was completely different from hers.

Ever since that chance encounter with Mitsumi Hatsuka in the restroom, she and Kazama seem to be meeting more and more frequently.

Despite being a currently incredibly popular band idol, she would still set aside two or even three days a week to meet with him.

The two should no longer limit themselves to meeting inside the planetarium, since Su Shi tried to continue staking out the planetarium after that, but to no avail.

She clearly wanted to stop her ally from getting closer to Xiangzi's childhood sweetheart, but it seems to have backfired.

It's all her fault for being too careless. Last time, Chu Hua caught her red-handed. I wonder if Chu Hua saw through her true intentions.

If the answer is "yes"... perhaps that explains why she frequently took Xiao out after that.

This is simply an unthinkable act.

"What's wrong? Putting aside the lights for now... could it be that you're starting to miss that arrogant Kazama?"

Li Xi pursed her lips, seemingly somewhat surprised by Su Shi's dazed expression.

"Let me make this clear from the start: I don't miss him at all. We clearly agreed to have a showdown, but then he kept putting it off for various reasons... Yesterday he even said it would definitely be this Friday, what a joke."

What came out of Lixi's mouth was a blunt complaint, perhaps not just because she had been stood up time and time again—

Furthermore, during this period of being stood up, Xiao would intentionally or unintentionally remind her where the drumbeats were wrong or where the timing was problematic, seemingly in an inconspicuous way to help her resolve her doubts.

What does that mean? Are you worried that she might make a mistake and lose her composure during the battle?

Shiina Tatsuki was reluctant to admit that if he hadn't been there to point things out for her, she might have actually managed to get away with those mistakes.

Others might interpret his behavior as considerate, helping Lixi while saving her face.

But Lixi didn't think so.

...What an arrogant and self-important fellow.

At least she shouldn't think that way.

She knew she was just raging in a state of impotent fury, but there was nothing she could do about it.

How could she accept the fact that this "half-baked" person, who knew a little about each instrument, was far more skilled than her?

"...Kazama-kun said that, right, Taki-chan?"

While Li Xi was preoccupied with her thoughts, Su Shi slowly spoke up, unaware of the turmoil in her mind.

"He said we were his favorite people... right?"

"...? Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Seeing Su Shi's unnatural expression, Li Xi crossed her arms and realized something was wrong.

"...When did you become so concerned about him?"

"what……"

Oh right, when did she become so concerned about Kazama Akatsuki?

Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly realized what was happening, but she refused to admit it.

That's not true. She wasn't interested in anyone other than CRYCHIC.

It's probably just because she doesn't want her allies to be taken away by others... that's probably all.

"...Never mind, since you two didn't tell me about your relationship, I don't want to ask about it."

Seeing Su Shi's hesitant expression, Li Xi didn't press the matter further—her mind was only focused on how to make Xiao accept defeat wholeheartedly.

"Besides, what's the point of asking me to confirm this? Why not just talk to him directly? But that guy will probably say something like, 'I like you guys, but I love Mutsu the most,' just like before."

Although he verbally expressed his dislike and contempt for Xiao, Li Xi perfectly imitated his demeanor.

"Since he says he likes us and values ​​us, just believe him. He has no reason to lie anyway."

"...That's true."

Su Shi nodded, feeling somewhat reassured by Li Xi's words.

Indeed, simply monitoring (tracking) his whereabouts won't solve the problem. It's better to find a time to talk to him face-to-face about your anxieties.

Nagasaki Motoyo made up her mind and the next day, she changed into an elegant and simple long dress and went to Akatsuki's apartment building.

We can't afford to play those empty tricks anymore; sincerity is the real killer move.

She suppressed her nervousness and practiced her serene smile while looking around—and at that moment, she had an unexpected gain.

She caught a glimpse of the brim of a black baseball cap fluttering at the corner at the end of the road.

Motoyo Nagasaki's smile froze instantly.

So, even though she stopped playing those fancy tricks, she was caught red-handed by someone?

Chapter Forty-Eight: I love you all, but I love Mom even more.

Today should have been an ordinary day off for Xiao.

He didn't need to go to RiNG or play instruments with the old members of C Group, nor did he make any plans with Chu Hua to go anywhere. It was a vacation that belonged entirely to him.

However, he still tidied his clothes and went out when the sun was high in the sky.

As soon as he stepped out of the apartment lobby, he bumped into someone he never thought would be there.

Beneath the elegant, plain-colored long dress, the girl's graceful figure, barely visible in the hazy light, perfectly complemented her dignified and poised demeanor.

She waited under the scorching sun, holding a parasol, and her gentle smile only became more endearing when the boy appeared.

"...Su Shi?"

Xiao immediately recognized who it was, so her expression became somewhat strange.

"...You didn't actually come here to ambush me at night, did you?"

However, the moment he opened his mouth, Su Shi's perfect smile, which was already on her lips, twitched.

“...Who would raid someone's house in broad daylight, Kazama-kun?”

Nagasaki Motoyo reluctantly continued to play the role of a gentle and considerate Yamato Nadeshiko—if it weren't for Kazama Akatsuki constantly pushing her limits.

"Who said that? What if you come here in broad daylight to scout the location?"

"..."

The veins on Su Shi's forehead, despite her bright smile, were about to burst open.

"No need, I've done this before."

"Uh...what?"

Only when the boy looked somewhat confused by her deliberately harsh words did Su Shi finally revert to her smiling, cunning self.

Well, it's not exactly lying.

"Let's put that aside for now, Kazama-kun. I came here today..."

Nagasaki Motoyo closed her parasol, and the bright sunlight shining on her was like the perfect ambient lighting.

She took a step forward toward where the boy was.

"I was thinking of inviting you to come with me for a walk to clear your head."

Nagasaki Motoyo smiled radiantly, her every move exuding confidence and composure, her eyes overflowing with tenderness and affection.