Green plums cannot become lovers.

"Don't be afraid." An and Asuka grasped the girl's hand without saying a word, while holding a map in one hand and looking down at it.

They got off at Shinjuku Station, and the girl's home seemed to be in Chiyoda Ward. The uncle who was supposed to pick them up was still nowhere to be seen. An and Asuka put away the map and were about to take out their phones to make a call.

"Flying bird!"

Just then, a girl's trembling voice came from afar. An and Asuka turned their heads and saw the brown-haired girl standing not far away, looking at them.

A familiar face, a familiar voice, but it had been more than a year since we last met, and the girl had grown a lot since we last saw her.

An and Asuka raised their hands and waved to the girl, who could no longer contain herself and took a step forward, running towards him through the crowd.

There was no loud venting after their long separation; the girl simply stood in front of the boy, gazing steadily at his face.

In the year or so that they had been apart, she had seen his photos before. But no matter how clear the photos on her phone were, they couldn't compare to seeing him standing right in front of her.

"Birds..."

Despite her inner turmoil, Aoyama Nanami shouted again. The noise of the city almost drowned out her voice, but An and Asuka could still hear her clearly.

"Nanami, I've come to see you."

An and Asuka reached out and pinched the girl's cheek, asking with a smile, "Are you happy?"

"Ok!"

"If you're happy, then laugh. If you keep laughing like this, people will think I'm bullying you."

"But, but I can't laugh."

She must have been happy to see the boy again, but for some reason, she showed an emotion that made her want to cry.

"That's really bad." An and Asuka said helplessly, then withdrew their hands and took out a fruit candy from their pockets.

Here, have a piece of candy.

These fruit candies are cheap and delicious. They were originally a secret tool he used to coax Marina and Shizuka, but he later found that they worked well for other girls as well, so he developed the habit of carrying a few with him.

As Aoyama Nanami looked at the fruit candy in the boy's hand, her memories were suddenly pulled back to the past.

It was just a tiny piece of candy that completely changed her life.

She bit her lip and reached out to take the fruit candy. When she looked up again, she had suppressed all her emotions, and a smile of reunion finally appeared on her face.

Seeing that the girl's mood had finally improved, An and Asuka smiled slightly, and then asked, "By the way, did you come to pick us up alone?"

“Father has come too.”

"where?"

Upon hearing this, An and Asuka looked left and right, but could not see the man's figure.

"Come with me." Aoyama Nanami said, then picked up the box next to him with one hand and took An and Asuka's hands with the other, and walked towards the street next to them.

After turning a corner and coming to a car, An and Asuka finally saw the girl's father.

He was leaning against the car door at that moment, and when he saw them coming, he showed a look of gritted teeth.

"father in law."

"What did you call me, you brat?!"

"Oh, I misspoke. Hello, Uncle, it's been a long time."

Anhe Asuka called out with a laugh, which immediately made the man jump up and down in a panic. Seeing his anxious expression, Anhe Asuka regained her composure.

"Hu~~"

The man let out a sigh of relief, suppressing his frustration, and decided not to argue with the other party.

After helping to put both boxes into the trunk, he called for everyone to get in the car, and An and Asuka consciously sat in the passenger seat.

The girls squeezed together in the back seat.

Marina and Shizuka are both people Nanami knows, but the only person she feels unfamiliar with is Hoshino Ai. Although An and Asuka often mention her in their conversations, this is their first time meeting in person.

"You must be Hoshino-kun?"

"Yes, my name is Hoshino Ai."

"Asuka mentioned you to me, saying that Hoshino-kun sings really well. I also watched that practice video you posted online, it's really amazing."

"It's not that amazing. Asuka, on the other hand, told me that Aoyama is a really good singer."

The two girls, who were meeting for the first time, began to flatter each other, while two other girls occasionally joined in the conversation, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

In contrast to their harmony, Anwa and Asuka's side was a bit more tense.

When the group arrived at the girl's house, it was just noon. The girl's mother had already prepared a table full of food and was waiting for them.

Volume 1: Chapter 88 Giving Love a Gift

After a pleasant lunch, An and the others, led by the girl, ran back to their room and shared their longing for each other over the past year.

They didn't come out of the room until the sun was almost setting.

"Kid, have you found a place to stay?"

"It's already been found."

In response to the man's question, An and Asuka nodded and said, "It's a hotel not far from here."

He had already booked his accommodation online before he came, since if he were alone, he could have shamelessly stayed at the girl's house for a few days.

But he also brought three girls with him, and they couldn't all stay here together. That would cause a lot of trouble for others, and besides, the girls' house couldn't accommodate so many of them.

"That's good." The man exhaled a smoke ring and said, "If you encounter any problems or trouble, feel free to call me anytime."

An and Asuka moved aside with a look of disgust, fanning their noses as they said, "I will."

"..."

After leaving the girl's house, An and Asuka led the girls towards the hotel they had booked. It was just a few hundred meters away in the adjacent shopping street.

The hotel was of a moderate size, neither luxurious nor shabby, and they weren't questioned about their age during check-in, which was quite good.

"Alright, Nanami, you can go back now. We'll come find you again tomorrow."

An and Asuka escorted the girl to the hotel entrance, and An and Asuka patted the head of the girl, whose face was full of reluctance.

"Um......"

Although Aoyama Nanami still had a lot to say to the boy, she reluctantly returned home in the end.

Only after watching the girl's figure disappear did An and Asuka return to the inn.

As night falls, the neon lights of the big city shine into the quiet room through the gaps in the curtains, and even with the windows tightly closed, the noise from outside can still be faintly heard.

The scenery was completely different from their home.

An and Asuka lay on their sides in bed, looking at the colorful world outside the window, imagining their future together with the girls.

One day, the city's neon lights will shine because of them.

As I thought about it, I became increasingly unable to sleep, and even had the urge to go out and see the world.

Just then, a girl's soft call came from the quiet room.

"Birds..."

Hearing the sound, An and Asuka turned over and looked at the girl on the other bed.

"Xiao Ai, what's wrong?"

He booked two double rooms, and Ai stayed with him after winning the rock-paper-scissors game. Shizuka and Marina stayed next door.

"I can't sleep."

Do you have trouble sleeping in a new bed?

"No, I just can't sleep."

"I see."

That must be due to a lack of security. After all, it's normal to feel insecure when leaving a place you've lived in for so long for the first time.

After thinking for a moment, An and Asuka got out of bed and went to the window, pulling open the tightly closed curtains.

Neon lights, starlight, and moonlight instantly filled the entire room.

"Then come and enjoy the scenery with me."

"Ok!"

Looking at the boy bathed in various lights, Hoshino Ai accepted his invitation without hesitation.

She ran to the boy's side without even putting on her shoes, basking in the light with him. But when her gaze fell outside, she was captivated by the scene before her.

The buildings are ablaze with sleepless sparks, the streets and alleys are a river of light, and behind every door, the shadow of desire lurks. The clamor of people converges into an endless wave.

Even the street in front of her revealed a prosperity she had never seen before in the darkness. What was the real city like?

Isn't it beautiful?

"Ah."

Hoshino Ai responded softly to the boy's question, her gaze remaining fixed on the window.

"Does Xiao Ai like it here?"

“Hmm…” Hoshino Ai thought about the question for a moment before saying, “I like it… but if Asuka isn’t here, then I don’t like it.”

At this moment, she longed for all the unknown things in the big city, but only if this boy was by her side.

She would only truly like someone when he was around.

"You really know how to talk."

Hearing this, An and Asuka felt much better, and he couldn't help but rub the girl's cheek.

Soft and warm.

"But I feel the same way." He cupped the girl's cheeks, looked into her starry eyes, and said, "I only feel happy and at ease when you are by my side."

He had long considered these girls as his family. He would be happy because of a word they said or a small gesture they made, and he would worry when they weren't around.

"Birds..."

The boy's eyes were shining, and Hoshino Ai looked into them, her heart pounding.

She felt an inexplicable urge within her; she wanted to throw herself into the boy's arms and feel his heartbeat.

"Oh, right, I'll give you a gift."

"Gift?"

Hearing the boy say that, Hoshino Ai suppressed her emotions and asked with some curiosity, "What gift?"

“It’s a special gift from Erba, a gift from a very special family,” An and Asuka said with a smile. “I had wanted to give it to you before, but I kept putting it off until now.”

An and Asuka didn't answer, but just smiled and said, "Come closer."

Hoshino Ai obediently moved closer upon hearing this, and the next second she saw the boy's face magnified in her eyes, followed by a warm touch on her cheek.

Tweet!

The crisp sound rang out and then faded away; the fleeting kiss left the girl stunned.

It took her a while to realize what was happening, and her face turned bright red.

Fly, the bird kissed, kissed her.

"This is a kiss of blessing between family members." An and Asuka felt a little embarrassed, but they still forced a calm smile and said, "Ai, go do what you want to do."

"I will try my best to make all the starlight in the sky shine just for you."

He had obtained the 'Shining Idol' effect a long time ago, and initially intended to transfer it directly to the girl. However, due to various reasons and concerns, he ultimately did not do so.

However, all his worries vanished when he saw the longing in the girl's eyes.

He wanted to make the young girl a shining idol, to make her future even brighter, and for that, he didn't need to consider any other concerns.

Family kisses

Hoshino Ai stroked her cheek, where the warmth of the boy's lips still seemed to linger.

Asuka, does he consider her his wife?

"That...bird..."