People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

What comes to mind is that crystal-clear memory of physical contact.

The sensation of his arm pressed against mine, the warmth emanating through my clothes; my body stiffening instantly from the sudden closeness, the blush spreading rapidly, even turning my ears bright red… and the clean, refreshing scent emanating from him, which seemed to still linger faintly at the tip of my nose.

Although Aine could also do that, hugging his arm without any hesitation and pressing her body tightly together.

but--

Nagasaki Motoyo gently stroked her arm with her fingertips, as if reliving the "victory" that belonged only to her.

However, Shinba-kun's reaction to himself was clearly much stronger.

When she got close, he froze almost instantly, holding his breath for a moment. The blush that spread from his ears to his neck was so obvious, so... impossible to hide.

That was a more disoriented and overwhelming reaction.

Of course she knew that Mayu-kun had feelings for Aine, but so what?

The fact that she could make him show such a defenseless, almost embarrassed, shy look, doesn't that say more?

Nagasaki Motoyo let out a soft breath, the burning joy in her chest subsided slightly with each breath, but the resolute warmth still lingered in her heart.

She walked barefoot on the cold floor, slowly making her way to the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. Outside, the city lights shone brightly, reflected in her calm blue eyes.

Taking Mutsu-chan to see Masahiro-kun was definitely the right decision.

Seeing them return together with their meals in a harmonious atmosphere, she felt a sense of relief that "important family members get along well."

This is good; this is exactly what she wanted to see—her chosen Shinba-kun is being accepted by her cherished old friends.

Although Riki is always sharp-tongued, he acknowledges Shinba's abilities; Kodama has been dependent on Shinba from the very beginning. Now, even Mutsumi-chan, who is the most difficult to open up to, has shown an accepting attitude.

As for Xiangzi...

Thinking of Xiangzi's icy gaze and resolute departure that afternoon, her heart still couldn't help but clench, and her fingertips unconsciously curled up.

That was the only place where she felt powerless and frustrated. No matter how hard she tried, Xiangzi was like an unmelting iceberg, keeping her at arm's length.

But... it's okay.

Nagasaki Motoyo turned her gaze from the window to her slightly clasped hands, her fingertips gently stroking them.

She has Shinba-kun.

Shoko's attitude towards Masahiro was different. She could sense that subtle difference. Although she didn't know the specific reason, she just believed that if it was Masahiro, he would definitely be able to find a way to open Shoko's heart.

He will definitely be able to solve this last and most crucial problem.

Thinking this way, the gloom caused by Xiangzi quietly dissipated.

Reviving Crychic and making Shinba a harmonious member of it... This dream, which once seemed so far away, has become so clear in Nagasaki Motoyo's heart, as if it were within reach, and she could touch that perfect, warmly shining future just by reaching out her hand.

She slightly raised the corners of her mouth, revealing a smile that was a mixture of expectation, trust, and utmost tenderness.

As long as Shinba-kun is here, everything will be alright. She firmly believes this.

Overjoyed, she couldn't sit still. Like a kitten that had stolen some honey, she rolled around gently on the spacious sofa, hugging a soft cushion and stretching out her body.

Those bare, slender feet also lifted up, their delicate ankles unconsciously overlapping and swaying in the air. Their rounded toes sometimes curled up playfully, and sometimes stretched out, outlining a lively silhouette in the hazy light, revealing the owner's indescribable joy.

Just as she was reveling in the sweet, slightly tipsy feeling of savoring it alone—

"Ding-dong-"

The crisp sound of the doorbell shattered the silence of the room without warning, instantly scattering all her romantic thoughts.

Nagasaki Motoyo's body suddenly stiffened, as if a pause button had been pressed, and even her wobbling toes froze in mid-air.

Immediately afterwards, a familiar voice, tinged with uncertainty, came through the door clearly:

"Su Shi, are you home?"

It's Shinba-kun's voice!

Why would he... come here now?!

She practically jumped up from the sofa in a flurry, her bare feet making a soft pattering sound on the floor.

What should we do? Why is he here now?!

Looking at myself like this… is my hair a mess? Did my clothes get all wrinkled from rolling around on the sofa? And… my face is so hot, it must be incredibly red, right? If he sees me like this…

The image of his ears turning red when I got close at dinner flashed through my mind. Right now, I was probably even more embarrassed than he was!

No, I can't let him see me like this!

Nagasaki Motoyo forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She quickly ran her fingers through her slightly disheveled long hair and straightened her slightly wrinkled loungewear, trying to make it look neater.

She even subconsciously used the back of her hand to cool her burning cheeks, hoping to make the overly obvious blush fade quickly, although she knew it was mostly in vain.

"Coming, coming!" she called out towards the door, trying to keep her voice steady, but if you listened carefully, you could still hear a slight, barely perceptible tremor.

She walked briskly towards the entrance, glancing quickly at her blurry reflection in the mirror along the way—thankfully, her hair wasn't too messy, it was just her complexion… She bit her lip, trying to look as natural as possible.

Standing behind the door, she took another deep breath to calm her rapid breathing before reaching out and slowly opening the door.

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Chapter Ninety-Two: It's not that I don't like it

It took Ishikawa Mayu a long time to adjust the water temperature to the appropriate threshold.

The hot water rinsed onto my skin, washing away the fatigue from a long day.

He closed his eyes, tilted his head back to face the flowing water, his thoughts somewhat chaotic.

The image of being sandwiched between Su Shi and Aine during dinner was now uncontrollably flashing through my mind.

The embarrassment and helplessness had mostly dissipated in the night wind on the drive home.

But a certain subtle stirring remained, and in the bathroom at this moment, accompanied by the rising steam, it became clear.

Especially... Nagasaki Motoyo.

The warmth she brought as she drew near, the faint fragrance that brushed past my nose, and the way she leaned down...

Ishikawa Mayu shook her head violently, splashing water droplets.

Turning off the water valve instantly plunged the bathroom into a quiet silence filled only with the sound of dripping water.

He dried himself off and looked at his reflection in the mirror, where his complexion had returned to normal, but his brows furrowed slightly.

Should we go and tell them?

He leaned against the sink, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the cold surface.

Reason told him that he should remind Su Shi that such intimate contact was... inappropriate.

But emotionally...

He scratched his half-wet hair, looking somewhat irritated.

The thought of bringing this up in person, especially when facing Su Shi's gentle and charming appearance, made him feel inexplicably... lacking in confidence.

And how should I put it?

Saying "Please don't get so close to me next time" sounds both awkward and presumptuous.

What if she didn't mean it? What if she thinks she's making a mountain out of a molehill?

He changed into a clean T-shirt and trousers and walked to the window.

The familiar window downstairs was now completely dark, without the warm light that usually shines through.

That dark square stood silently in the night.

For some reason, it felt like a hole waiting for him to walk into a trap.

tsk...

He clicked his tongue inwardly.

It's just Su Shi's home, but it feels more terrifying than a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

He took a deep breath, trying to dispel this absurd association, and Chihaya Aine's face involuntarily appeared in his mind.

Those silver-gray eyes that always looked at him with bright, trusting eyes, that radiant smile without a trace of gloom...

It's nothing serious, just something to clarify.

He rallied himself again, with an almost tragic determination, turned around, pushed open the door, and stepped onto the stairs leading downstairs.

Standing in front of that familiar door, Ishikawa Mayu felt her heartbeat was exceptionally clear in the quiet hallway.

He took another deep breath, as if to suppress all his hesitation and the inexplicable sense of guilt, then raised his hand and rang the doorbell.

"Ding-dong-"

The crisp sound of the bell echoed inside the door, striking a chord in his heart.

"...Su Shi, are you home?"

He heard his own voice coming through the door, tinged with uncertainty, yet remarkably clear in the quiet hallway.

A faint, hurried sound seemed to come from inside the door, as if someone was rushing to get up from somewhere, knocking something over, and then quickly picking it up again. This brief commotion made his already anxious heart jump even more.

The waiting time seemed to stretch on indefinitely.

Just as he was about to give up and turn to leave—

"Click".

The door was opened.

Nagasaki Motoyo stood inside the door, her honey-brown hair, unlike her usual meticulous style, had a slightly lazy curl. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes still held a trace of the panic of having her thoughts interrupted.

She seemed surprised by his arrival, one hand still unconsciously clutching the hem of her dress.

"Shin-Shin-kun?" Her voice was a little faster than usual, carrying a hint of surprise and a little helplessness. "It's so late... Is something the matter?"

Seeing her obviously flustered appearance, Ishikawa Mayu couldn't help but be taken aback.

This subtle contrast with her usual gentle and composed image, coupled with the blush on her cheeks and slightly messy hair, made him feel for a moment that he couldn't take his eyes off her, and his heart skipped a beat.

Seeing Su Shi's appearance, the words she had prepared became even more difficult to utter.

His gaze lingered, moving from Su Shi's flushed cheeks to the slightly open collar of her loungewear, and then to her bare feet on the floor... Her slender white toes curled slightly uncomfortably under his gaze.

My cheeks and the base of my ears quickly heated up again.

"I...that..."

Ishikawa Mayu's previous mental preparations were completely ruined, and she forgot all the words she had prepared. She could only stand there awkwardly, rambling incoherently.

Looking at him, who was even more embarrassed than herself and couldn't even finish his sentence, especially his ears that were turning red so quickly they were almost bleeding, Nagasaki Motoyo's inner panic strangely and rapidly subsided.

A faint hint of slyness and knowingness replaced the initial bewilderment.

Turns out... he was even more nervous than I was...

Nagasaki Motoyo's body was no longer as tense as before.

She even subtly adjusted her posture, making the curves of her body appear even softer under her soft loungewear, and her bare feet rubbed together gently, creating an unconscious yet increasingly obvious attraction.

"Zhenyu-kun?"

She spoke again, her voice now as gentle as ever, even more composed than before. Her blue eyes gazed at him quietly, clearly reflecting his barely concealed panic. "Are you alright? Your face is very red."

She even leaned forward slightly, as if to observe him more closely, and that faint fragrance lingered around her again.

"I...I just wanted to say..."

Ishikawa Mayu felt like her tongue was tied in knots, her gaze darting away, unable to meet those blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. "Next time... in the restaurant... well, if we got too close... it might... be a little... not good..."

If he had a cold expression and a distant tone at this moment, Nagasaki Motoyo might have really felt hurt and embarrassed.

But in this flustered state, with his face flushed, eyes darting around, and unable to even speak coherently, there wasn't a trace of aversion or disgust.

This is clearly... saying one thing and meaning another, a state of helplessness after having one's true feelings exposed.

A quick, sly smile flashed in Nagasaki Motoyo's eyes, but her face instantly changed to an expression that mixed innocence and vulnerability. She lowered her eyelashes slightly, her thick lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, concealing the true emotions in her eyes.

She gently bit her lower lip, her voice tinged with a barely perceptible, perfectly timed sob, and asked softly:

"Does Shinba-kun... hate me?"

She paused, as if summoning immense courage, before raising her teary eyes and gazing at him with a pitiful expression.