Green plums cannot become lovers.

He seemed to be able to see through the shimmering water and glimpse the unease and fear swirling deep within her heart. That fear of the fleeting warmth of the moment almost materialized.

An and Asuka thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will always protect you from now on."

Perhaps the initial act of offering help stemmed from that cold, impersonal system task in my mind.

But at this moment, looking at the girl's eyes as if she were grasping at a straw, filled with disbelief, humble hope, and an overwhelming sense of grievance, he suddenly felt that even if he had to put in more effort and take on more responsibility, it didn't seem like such a big deal.

Although he couldn't protect her forever, he would at least fulfill his promise as long as he was by her side.

Kuze Shizuka blinked again, and could no longer hold back her tears.

Volume 1: Chapter 11 Can childhood sweethearts become lovers?

"The bird is so slow."

"Sorry, sorry, something came up."

"Hmph, it's about her again, isn't it?"

"After all, we're friends with Shizuka, so isn't it only natural for friends to help each other?"

"Who would be her friend!"

Kuze Shizuka walked slightly behind, about two steps behind, quietly watching the two people in front of her.

The blonde girl puffed out her cheeks in protest, but the boy smiled and reached out to pinch her cheek, prompting her to playfully slap his hand away.

The setting sun cast long, intertwined shadows, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Their interaction was so natural and harmonious, as if they possessed an aura that no one else could intrude upon.

Marina is lively and bright, while Asuka is gentle and dazzling. They are like a perfect match, and perhaps they will naturally develop into an even closer relationship in the future.

Compared to them, I felt like an inconspicuous, dull blade of grass in a corner.

But at this moment, Shizuka felt no bitterness or jealousy. On the contrary, an unprecedented, warm sense of satisfaction was quietly enveloping her.

Because she, who is usually an insignificant person who often doesn't even have enough to eat for lunch and is always bullied, actually had a wonderful day today.

Some people stood up for her, some shared lunch with her, and some made a promise to her to "go home together tomorrow".

All of this was a miracle bestowed upon her by the boy walking ahead, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

She lowered her head gently, concealing the almost nonexistent yet genuine smile at the corner of her mouth, carefully treasuring this hard-won warmth in the softest corner of her heart.

"Shizuka, hurry up."

A sudden urging sound startled Shizuka Kuze from her reverie. She then realized that she had unconsciously stopped walking. The boy walking ahead noticed this as well, and stopped and turned to look at her.

She looked up at the boy waving to her from a distance. The orange sunset, like warm honey, flowed over him, adding a gentler edge to his already dazzling features, as if even the tips of his hair were shimmering with a soft halo.

Beside him, the blonde girl Marina stood with her arms crossed, her cheeks slightly puffed out, making no attempt to hide her displeasure.

Even so, she didn't move an inch, remaining firmly standing beside the boy, like a silent, awkward companionship.

This scene made Shizuka's heart flutter slightly. She quickly jogged after him, whispering an apology: "I'm...I'm sorry..."

"It's alright," Asuka-kun's smile looked especially warm in the sunset. "Let's go, it'll get dark soon."

Shizuka Kuze gave a soft "hmm" and followed half a step behind them again. Looking at the two figures in front of her, sometimes bickering and sometimes laughing, a strange sense of security quietly replaced her previous fear.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the three people, and this time, her shadow gently and cautiously touched the two dazzling rays of light in front of her.

She wished the journey home could be longer, so long that it would never end.

But even the longest road has an end.

Looking at the empty house, Shizuka Kuze felt a strange emptiness in her heart, even though she had returned to this room filled with loneliness countless times in the past.

But this time she felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Wang! Wang!"

"Chabi!"

It wasn't until she heard the puppy bark that Shizuka Kuze suppressed her unease. She looked down at the puppy at her feet and smiled.

The only thing that allowed her to persevere in such an environment was the little dog her father left behind before he left.

If it weren't for its constant companionship, she might have broken down long ago.

"Chabi".

Shizuka Kuze crouched down and hugged the puppy.

After watching Marina walk into the house, and pausing outside for a while to make sure there were no sounds of fighting or arguing inside, An and Asuka returned to their own home.

As usual, he first made himself something to eat, and then went back to his bedroom to read.

[Congratulations, host, on completing the mission—helping Shizuka Kuze overcome her difficulties.]

[Award*: A beginner's guide to guitar]

[Beginner Guitar Guide: This book allows you to immediately start learning guitar and play some simple pieces. It's already set up automatically for you.]

[Because of helping Shizuka Kuze through her difficulties, Shizuka Kuze's favorability towards the host has increased.]

[Kuse Shizuka's affection level: 10→20, she is very grateful for your help]

[Keep up the good work, host!]

The system's voice rang in his mind as An and Asuka looked at the panel in front of them.

The previously empty "Talent" section now includes a basic guitar skill.

This was the first time he truly experienced the convenience of the system. He hadn't done anything, and had never even touched a guitar before, yet he had already learned how to play it.

However, he wasn't particularly excited. He felt that having just this one skill wasn't enough to live a better life.

He needs to learn more and become more capable.

Thinking this, An and Asuka turned their attention to the [Affection Level] column, where the name 'Shizuka' was displayed with an affection level of 20.

Next to Shizuka is the name 'Maria', whose affection level towards her is 80.

[I seem to remember this feature not existing before?]

An and Asuka asked curiously, recalling that the previous panel did not have this function.

[This function only becomes available because the host triggered the task.]

【is that so?】

For some reason, An and Asuka felt a little guilty listening to the system's mechanical voice.

【Yes. 】

【Oh well.】

An and Asuka were too lazy to delve deeper, and simply asked:

[What do 20 and 90 represent about my standing in their hearts?]

[Those under 30 are basically strangers, just varying in how familiar they are with each other.]

[Those with scores of 30-59 begin to treat the host as a friend; the higher the score, the better the relationship.]

[A score of 60-89 indicates a childhood sweetheart relationship, and the higher the score, the higher the probability of them becoming lovers later in life.]

[90-∞, you two are already in a relationship! Congratulations!]

An and Asuka's foreheads creased with displeasure; they could clearly sense the pleasure in the guy's tone.

【Host, I know you're not used to becoming lovers with someone you know well, but please believe me—childhood sweethearts can become lovers.】

[Don't believe me.]

Green plums can never become lovers!

Volume 1: Chapter 12 My World Keeps Raining, and I Can't Handle It

Chapter 12

The quiet night is filled with the chirping of insects, and the stars in the night sky twinkle.

An and Fei Niao closed the book, lay down on the bed, and slowly fell asleep.

Life after that, on the surface, remained almost unchanged.

An and Asuka continued to study diligently, while also acting as vigilant little sentinels, always keeping an eye on Marina's family. They often visited her house, helping with chores and making witty remarks to amuse Marina's parents.

Fortunately, aside from that heated argument, the couple seemed to have chosen to temporarily bury the rift and return to their seemingly peaceful daily life. This eased An and Asuka's anxieties and brought back a genuine, bright smile to Marina's face.

As a result, her attitude towards Shizuka softened considerably, no longer always carrying that prickly edge.

Shizuka, like a seedling that has been parched for a long time and has finally received rain, carefully absorbs this hard-won warmth.

She began to try to fit into the group. Although she was mostly a quiet listener, when she spoke to them, her voice was no longer barely audible, and occasionally a faint smile could be seen spreading across her lips.

Life is like a small boat that has weathered a few storms, but has finally sailed into calm, warm waters, where everything is steadily improving.

Summer rain can come suddenly, with large raindrops like curtains falling from the sky, leaving no time to prepare and forcing people to hastily seek shelter.

An and Asuka, who had just returned from the publishing house, were in the same situation.

He glanced at the rain before him, then looked back at the shrine behind him, and couldn't help but sigh.

It just so happens that it started raining when I got here. I hope I won't be discovered.

An and Asuka prayed silently, their eyes fixed on the falling rain. In their hands they carried a plastic bag containing snacks they had bought at a store they had just passed and a new lunchbox.

Today is the day to pay royalties, so I was a little indulgent.

He doesn't really like snacks, so in fact, these snacks were bought for the two girls.

Marina would be thrilled to see all these snacks; she might even pounce on him.

Her emotions are so easy to understand, and her behavior patterns are very simple. When she's unhappy, she pouts and sulks; when she's happy, she grins and laughs; when she's sad, she cries with red eyes; and when she's furious, she bites.

It was like this before, it is like this now, and it will be like this in the future... As for whether she will change in the future, he has no idea, and he can't imagine what the girl will be like when she grows up.

She's adorable now, and she'll definitely be even cuter when she grows up. She might become a hot commodity among boys, and those guys who once called her a witch might secretly blush when they see her.

I wonder if she'll brag to me about who confessed to her in class today, or who gave her delicious chocolate.

And what about Shizuka? What will she become in the future?

An and Asuka looked at the rain before them, their minds filled with thoughts of the two girls.

Although the rain was still falling, his heart seemed to be gradually clearing up.

An and Asuka were brought back to their senses only when they heard strange noises behind them.

The footsteps mixed with the sound of rain were a mix of hurried and slow, which sounded very oppressive. If I had to describe it, it would be like walking alone on the street on a rainy night, and suddenly hearing the footsteps of a stranger behind you, getting closer and closer.

"Little friend, you can come inside the shrine to take shelter from the rain if you need to."

Hearing the kind voice behind her, An and Asuka did not turn around, but politely declined, saying, "No need, I'll just hide here for a while."

"Then I'll go get you an umbrella."

"Thank you, but really, it's not necessary."

"Ok?"

The old man behind them seemed to have noticed something, and he stepped forward, holding his umbrella. But when he saw An and Feibiao's faces, his kind expression instantly turned cold.

"It's you?!"

Anhe Feibiao sighed and said, "Grandpa, I just want to take shelter from the rain here for a while. I'll leave as soon as the rain stops and won't cause you any trouble."

So if he had a choice, he would definitely not take shelter from the rain here.

"Hmph, get out of here now that the rain has stopped."

The old man snorted coldly, then turned and left without looking back, as if he were dealing with an enemy.

"Well, I will."

An and Asuka didn't care; they were used to each other's cold treatment.

From a very young age, whenever he came to visit with his mother, the old woman never gave him a kind look.

Perhaps it was because, in the old man's eyes, his father was the culprit who abducted his beloved daughter and caused the shrine to lose its shrine maiden, that he disliked this child who inherited the bloodline of a 'sinner'.

He was even less favored after his mother left.

The heavy rain is still falling, and I don't know when it will stop.

An and Asuka heard footsteps behind them again, and he thought they were coming to shoo him away. But it seemed that wasn't the case; the person behind them didn't say anything, just stayed for a while, and then left.