Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

Fortunately, she didn't realize that what she was actually touching was far more absurd than she had imagined.

"You are a very good detective, Chu Hua."

Kazama reached out and gently patted her shoulder, a gesture as reassuring as a family member comforting another.

“I don’t care who you are. Whether you’re the Mitsuba Hatsuka of Sumi, the character who will soon appear as a member of Ave Mujica, or another unknown identity—none of these matter to me.”

His voice trailed off.

In principle, he shouldn't reveal this secret, but it's hard for him to say no to Chu Hua.

"But if I also had a second identity that I couldn't easily tell others... would you reciprocate with the same feelings?"

"I...of course I can do it! I just really want to know—"

"If I can't give you an answer right now, it just means the time isn't right. If you force me to answer now, it might only hurt you too."

Chu Hua bit her lip.

She wanted to argue, but the words stuck in her throat.

Kazama is indeed keeping a secret, but he is also being incredibly honest with himself right now.

Yes... if she keeps pressing, will she really hear an answer that she can't bear at all?

"Don't ask about it."

For the first time, Kazama stated his attitude with a serious expression.

Please don't ask about my affairs.

Unless he confesses on his own initiative someday in the future.

"……sorry."

Her voice was soft, and there was a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

"I'm just... very worried..."

Kazama smiled and gently wiped away a few glistening tears from the corners of her reddened eyes with his fingertips.

"Are you worried that if you don't understand everything about me, you might not be able to keep me in the future?"

"Um……"

The blonde girl hung her head, like a poor puppy begging for its owner's affection but getting none.

"You only need to know one thing. No matter who you are, no matter what you do in the future, I will stand by your side."

Kazama softened his voice, naturally trying to soothe Hatsuka, a child who seemed utterly insecure.

"Didn't I tell you? You can treat me like a dumping ground. You can dump all your worries and other garbage on me."

His eyes held no trace of guilt, only unwavering devotion.

"However—my trash is very important to me. I can't let it all spill out so easily and disrupt a relationship that I value very much."

What? That expression, like saying we can't be friends anymore if the truth is revealed.

"Well, if I tell you, we probably won't be able to be friends anymore."

Kazama nodded as if he could read Hatsuka's mind.

It's strange, it seems like my feelings are always laid bare in front of this guy.

Chu Hua lowered her head and gently grasped Kazama's fingers, as if giving herself a way out, or as if forcibly suppressing her curiosity about the truth.

"...I won't ask anymore."

She spoke softly, her voice as light as the wind.

"However, Xiaojun—"

She raised her head, a hint of stubbornness still lingering in her eyes.

“If a lead is presented to me, I cannot refuse it.”

"Good good."

"I will remember how I felt today."

"Hmm, are you planning to get revenge on me later?"

"Of course not, it's just that if one day I really find out you're lying to me..."

She smiled, a hint of seriousness flashing in her eyes.

"Then I'll drag you into my interrogation room, and you can forget about getting away with this again."

Kazama was both amused and exasperated.

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you in the future."

When he said those words, a hint of melancholy was hidden in his eyes.

If Hatsuka finds the answer... then his relationship with his "friend" Mitsuba Hatsuka should end here, and he'll have to continue his future with his "family" Mitsuba Hatsune.

What should have been a happy occasion, for some reason, made him feel somewhat agitated.

For the first time, he hoped that Chu Hua wouldn't deduce the truth of the matter.

Chapter 52 Su Shi's Mother's Dilemma

Ever since discovering Metis's existence, Nagasaki Motoyo has been tormented by her moral principles.

On one hand, Metis appeared because Mutsumi had witnessed Kazama saving Shoko's life from under the wheels of a car, and he himself, who had personally pushed him out of the band, was undeniably responsible—

"Su Shi~ I want to eat German sausage hot dogs!"

On the one hand, she felt somewhat relieved because Metis truly needed her.

A green-haired girl with virtually no life skills lay sprawled on the sofa, aimlessly kicking her toes.

"Please, please—Su Shi's mother! With Xiao gone, you're the only one who can take care of me!"

Well… after all, this child sees Kazama and herself as her second parents. Even though this internal conflict is causing Suze a lot of distress, she still wants to do her best to fulfill her responsibilities and obligations as a “parent.”

"Okay, I'll make it for you. Is there any food left in the fridge?"

"Long live the Su Shi! It has everything! It has everything!"

Seeing Metis lounging on the sofa like a starfish, welcoming the encouragement, Su Shi couldn't help but chuckle as she gently opened the refrigerator.

"Sigh, Su Shi is still the best to me. Xiao hasn't come to visit me in ages."

Watching Su Shi's mother select ingredients with her back turned, Miss Metis sighed.

"I even tried to put myself in his shoes and consider who should be my mother. Now that I think about it, it's like the emperor isn't worried but the eunuch is... This analogy doesn't seem quite right."

In short, Metis wasn't stupid.

Even though Chu Hua and Su Shi both cooked her a meal to fill her stomach, she could still tell who was genuinely worried about her and who was just using her as an excuse.

"Hmm! As expected, Su Shi is better than Chu Hua! Long live Su Shi—"

“Oh dear, I’m so glad to have your approval, Metis. But…”

Su Shi gently carried the ingredients in her arms and placed them all on the cutting board at the stove.

"Why bring up Miss Chu Hua's name at this time?"

Her voice was still as sweet as honey, but Teacher Da Mo probably couldn't notice the hidden thoughts behind her seemingly casual questions.

"Hmm? Because that guy Chu Hua actually appeared behind me when I secretly sneaked over to Xiao's house to play! It's terrifying, isn't it?"

"Wh-cough...how could this be?"

Miss Su Shi visibly paled for a moment, but her good manners quickly pulled her back from the brink of losing control of her expression.

"Metis, you mean... you suddenly showed up at Xiaojun's house without saying a word, and then Miss Chuhua followed you in?"

Su Shi's smile remained, but for some reason, her movements as she chopped the sausage with the cleaver became much rougher.

"That's right! Su Shi, you also think that Chu Hua has ulterior motives, right!"

When have you ever had any good intentions?

After adding appropriate seasonings and sauces to the sliced ​​sausage, Su Shi wrapped it in a hot dog with a helpless expression and handed it to Metis, who was sitting on the sofa.

"Actually, I know that Chuhua always likes to spend time with Xiaojun, but as long as she doesn't do anything inappropriate, it's fine."

Although she was inexplicably furious inside, Su Shi still tried her best to maintain a gentle and kind smile on her face.

"Oh, don't even mention it. Anyway, in my opinion, Chu Hua is practically leaning his whole body against Xiao."

Little did she know that Metis, who was busy enjoying his meal and had no time to answer the question, gave a casual answer that made her expression instantly darken.

"...It's okay, I believe Xiaojun knows what he's doing."

But soon, Su Shi put on a gentle, virtuous, easy-going and friendly expression, as if she were the considerate wife of a cheating husband in some unspeakable short film.

Of course, this illusion was quickly shattered by Teacher Da Mo's innocent and uninhibited remarks.

"Yeah, right. I think Xiao is going to fall in love with Chu Hua."

"........."

The smile on her lips remained frozen in place, but Su Shi's expression had completely solidified.

The kind of short film that everyone enjoys will never be made. After a wife discovers that she has been sexually assaulted, how can she get out of the shadow of her husband's infidelity?

Although Kazama isn't her husband yet, the strange feeling that her rightful place had been taken away by someone else still occupied Suze's mind.

"...It seems that Miss Chuhua and I need to have a serious conversation without personal feelings."

Su Shi sat down next to Metis with an air of nonchalance, and then began to subtly probe her background.

"So, when Metis went to see Xiao...did he notice what she's been busy with lately?"

This period was peaceful and uneventful; neither Riki nor Aine caused her any trouble. Logically, this should have been Nagasaki Motoyo's most enjoyable and cozy time—

But the more peacefully she lived her life, the more puzzled she became about why Kazama had disappeared for so long.

What is he busy with?

Even if Su Shi wanted to drag Li Xi along to stake out Kazama's location and find out what was going on, she would just wave her hand and say things like, "It doesn't matter, he'll come back anyway."

As for Aine—sorry, Su Shi really doesn't think they're that close yet. Let's forget about being Kazama's mysterious stalker together.

Having no other choice, Su Shi had to resort to this desperate measure and come to Metis to gather information.

"Hmm? Xiao has been quite busy lately, Su Shi, didn't you know?"

And Metis did indeed provide her with the latest firsthand intelligence, just as she had hoped.

"Okay, actually, I overheard this while I was pretending to be asleep in Xiao's bed—Xiao seems to want Chu Hua to join the band he's forming!"

"……Eh?"

Little did they know that the first thing this guy said was a bombshell that no one had ever anticipated.

"Well, but Chu Hua seems a bit hesitant because she originally wanted to start a band with Xiang Zi... so she's caught in the middle, torn between the two!"

Metis raised his head and looked up at the sky, seemingly trying to recall the conversation he had overheard between the two people while half-asleep at Kazama's house.

"And then what!"

Uncharacteristically, Su Shi lost his composure and placed his hand on Metis, pressing for further details.

Teacher Metis glanced at the hand resting on her shoulder, then looked up at Su Shi with a hint of subtle suspicion in her eyes.

Then, she asked a rather malicious question.

"Is Su Shi worried that Xiao Xiang will start a new band, or that Xiao will run away from home with someone else?"

Chapter 53 Da Mo - Legendary Troublemaker - Teacher

Metis's question was like a fine needle, precisely piercing Su Shi's feigned calm. Her hand on Metis's shoulder froze instantly, her fingertips unconsciously tightening.

“Metis, you’re overthinking it. I… if you hadn’t brought it up, I wouldn’t have even considered it.”