Green plums cannot become lovers.

The boy's hands danced across the piano keys, the music sometimes cheerful, sometimes soothing, sometimes passionate, and sometimes serene. It sounded haphazard, yet it managed to stir her emotions.

It's all emotion, no skill whatsoever.

When~

As the last note faded, the boy withdrew his hands and turned to look at the girl beside him.

"Is Nanami feeling better?"

"Hmm...Eh?" Aoyama Nanami nodded subconsciously, but immediately realized something was wrong.

So, the boy had already noticed that she was in a bad mood?

So everything he said and did was just to make himself happy.

Volume 1: Chapter 49 Flying Bird, I Am About to Depart

"Although I don't know what happened to you, Nanami, could you tell me if you trust me?"

Seeing that it was almost time, An and Asuka asked.

"..."

Aoyama Nanami looked at the boy beside her. He always seemed to sense her emotions and would try his best to make her happy, and this time was no exception.

A hint of reluctance flashed in the girl's eyes. After hesitating for a moment, Aoyama Nanami lowered her head, biting her lip, and said, "I... I might have to leave here soon..."

"The Ghost Wife Bar, Si Qisi, Wu Liu..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the music classroom fell silent.

With a sorrowful expression and a low voice, Aoyama Nanami continued, "My father is being transferred to Tokyo for work, so I...I..."

Her father's job transfer was due to a promotion, which should have been a happy occasion for their family, and she didn't want to spoil the mood.

However, the thought of leaving this place and never being able to see the boy beside her again made her very sad.

She finally met someone willing to hold her hand and lead her out of the mire, and it was only with great difficulty that she formed a deep bond with the boy.

She had thought they would grow up together, but now they had to separate.

Ugh, it's still so sad.

The scenery before her eyes gradually blurred, but Aoyama Nanami gritted her teeth to keep herself from making a sound.

"Is that so? That's quite surprising."

An and Asuka's tone was unreadable. He had assumed the girl was feeling down for some other reason, but he hadn't expected it to be like this.

It's quite common in this country for people to have to leave the city because of their parents' work.

"However, I think this is a good thing."

An and Asuka pressed the piano keys, producing two thuds, then stopped and continued, "Tokyo is a big city, a great place for Nanami."

The more developed a city is, the more educational resources it has. If Nanami can receive her education there, it would be a very good thing.

“Okay…” Aoyama Nanami didn’t understand why the boy beside her was saying this. They were about to part ways, but he said it was a good thing.

Could it be that she is actually an insignificant person in this young man's heart?

Thinking this, Aoyama Nanami felt wronged and couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

"Waaaaah..."

Clang! Clang!

Two more muffled notes pierced the ears, followed by the boy's leisurely voice once again.

"Nanami, you're very important to me, because we're friends."

The boy seemed to know what she was thinking and precisely comforted her emotions.

"It is precisely because we are friends that I feel happy when Nanami is about to embrace a better life, and that I encourage her to face it."

Because they were friends, he didn't want to try to stop the girl from leaving, as that would only make her more reluctant to part but also prevent him from keeping her.

"Besides, with today's advanced transportation and communication, even if we're separated, we can still communicate every day if we want to. If I really miss her, I'll go find Nanami."

"If you take the Shinkansen from here, it only takes two hours to get to Tokyo."

The music started again, this time much lighter and more cheerful.

"Two, two hours..."

Upon hearing this time, Aoyama Nanami looked up at the boy beside her with teary eyes.

"Yes what's the matter?"

An and Asuka also looked at the girl, and then, as if they had guessed something, they smiled and teased, "Oh! I know why Nanami was so sad. It turns out she thought we were separated by the ends of the earth."

"Yes, that's quite normal. After all, Nanami is a girl, so it's normal for her to be sentimental."

This is indeed a very normal situation. Some primary school students simply don't have a concept of distance. Coupled with the cognitive filter of small towns towards big cities, they easily think that bustling big cities must be far away and take a long time to reach.

"..."

Aoyama Nanami blushed, feeling extremely ashamed upon learning that it would only take two hours to get from here to Tokyo.

Since it only takes such a short time, it will be very easy for them to meet in the future.

"Nanami."

"W-what's wrong?"

Aoyama Nanami twisted her fingers. She wasn't afraid of anything now, except for the boy continuing to tease her.

But no, the boy simply took her hand and placed it on the piano, smiling as he said to her, "Nothing in this world can completely separate us."

"Because we are like the keys of a piano, you are in me and I am in you, because we are the bluebird."

The boy's voice was not loud, but it was deafening. Aoyama Nanami gently stroked the black and white piano keys, her heart trembling slightly.

You are in me, and I am in you... It's a simple yet touching statement.

Aoyama Nanami sniffed, but two more tears still welled up and fell. Just then, a handkerchief was handed to her, and after a moment of hesitation, she reached out and took it.

After wiping away her tears, she finally felt better again.

"Then, will the bird come to see me often in the future?"

“Of course.” An and Asuka laughed: “You are my best partner, I can only feel at ease when I see you happy.”

He will also go to Tokyo in the future; there's absolutely no way he can spend his whole life here. They'll always be able to see each other then.

And who knows, they might both have achieved success in their careers by then.

"Well......"

Such straightforward words made Aoyama Nanami blush a little. It was precisely because he was always so gentle that she was even more reluctant to leave him.

With that thought in mind, Aoyama Nanami subconsciously leaned on An and Asuka's shoulders.

The boy had no scent, but she seemed to smell the gentle fragrance of spring. Neither of them spoke, they simply leaned against each other in silence.

Not long after, the bell suddenly rang.

"Oh, class is about to start."

"Class? It's get out of class over." An and Asuka said with amusement.

"Huh?"

"You don't think it hasn't been long, do you?"

"..."

Aoyama Nanami fell silent. She had indeed thought that not much time had passed, but now it seemed that they had actually been in the music room for an hour?

In other words, they skipped class.

"What... what should we do, Asuka..."

“You’re leaving anyway, what’s there to be afraid of?” An and Asuka teased. “Since you’ve already skipped one class, why not skip the rest of the classes too?”

He had seen the girl's class schedule; the previous period was physical education, and the next period was music.

None of this will affect her classes.

As for him, it has nothing to do with it.

"I have quite a few connections at Kamishiro Elementary School."

All you need to do is promise the teacher that you will get full marks on every exam from now on, and you won't be held accountable for skipping class without a reason.

Volume 1: Chapter 50 The Girl Embarks on a Journey

These past few days, An and Asuka have spent most of their daytime time with Aoyama Nanami, and Marina and Shizuka have not expressed any dissatisfaction about her impending departure.

An and Asuka wondered if they should hold a farewell ceremony for their partner. But after thinking about it, they gave up on the idea.

Parting is a simple thing: a hug, a goodbye, and then you go your separate ways. There's no need to make it too complicated.

Besides, the girl probably wasn't used to having too many people seeing her off.

In mid-April, the remaining cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Aoyama Nanami said a simple goodbye to her teachers and classmates, then carried her schoolbag and walked downstairs.

It was during class time, and the students' laughter and chatter had disappeared from the corridor; the teachers' voices could be heard through the windows.

The voice that used to sound drowsy now sounds rather kind.

Turning my head to look at the classroom, I saw some students listening attentively, some staring blankly, and others gazing out the window with their chins propped up... The scenery that was so ordinary on ordinary days now seemed so precious.

Until six months ago, she didn't have such a deep affection for this school because for a long time she had been so unremarkable and had no outstanding qualities.

Although I wasn't bullied, I didn't have any close friends and wasn't valued by my teachers; I was like a nobody.

But on that day, the boy entered her heart.

From then on, she looked forward to every school day, and under his guidance, she gradually came into everyone's view.

She gained many friends, received praise from her teachers, and built her own strong bonds.

Looking back on the past six months, it felt like a beautiful dream. Perhaps it was precisely because the dream was so beautiful that she felt reluctant to let it go.

After going downstairs, the boy was already waiting at the entrance of the teaching building.

"Nanami."

Upon seeing her, he immediately ran over, skillfully took her hand, and then began chattering away to himself.

"Have you said goodbye to your teachers and classmates? Is there anything you forgot to bring?"

"I've already talked with your uncle and aunt, and I've memorized your home address and phone number."

"I'll come to Tokyo to visit you when I have time later. I'll ask you to be my tour guide then."

"Give me a call when you get there."

"Nanami, we're not far apart, so give me a call if you miss me."

An and Asuka smiled and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of the girl's eyes.

This separation wasn't a big deal for him, but he wouldn't be so insensitive as to say something like, "It's nothing."

"Birds..."

With tears blurring her vision, Aoyama Nanami looked at the boy before her and, unable to hold back any longer, threw herself into his arms.

She knew they weren't far apart, but she just couldn't help feeling sad.

They could no longer see each other every day, laugh and chat together, or practice music together. She was afraid that after a while, there would be no room for her in his heart.

After all, this boy was just too popular.

After a brief hug, seeing that it was almost time, An and Asuka continued to hold the girl's hand and walk outside.

The girl's parents were waiting outside, and the man, who was in the bar, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the two of them come out.

Although seeing his daughter holding hands with him made him feel a little uncomfortable, he decided to let it go this time.

As they parted, he didn't want to say anything that would spoil the mood.

Moreover, to him, this young man was a benefactor to his family. Who would have thought that their leader was also present at that competition?

He especially liked the song "Hotaru no Hikari" from that time, and after learning that the lead singer was his daughter, he gave her many opportunities.