People in Mygo are emotional firefighters.

Chapter 107 Late Night Snack

Ishikawa Mayu practically fled back to her apartment.

He took off his shoes and practically dragged himself onto the sofa, burying his face in the soft cushions. His mind kept replaying Riki's flushed cheeks, Maki's all-knowing smile, and that bowl of red bean rice…

The Shiina family... what a terrible place.

Especially that older sister.

He hesitated for a long time before finally struggling to pull out his phone and open the LINE chat window with Shiina Tatsuki. His fingertips hovered over the screen, and after much deliberation, he carefully typed a line. He felt it necessary to explain, or rather... to clear his name, of any awkwardness that might have occurred today.

[Mayu: Um... Riki, please don't misunderstand what Maki-neechan said today! I didn't mean anything by it! I really just came here to learn!]

send.

He stared at the "delivered" mark, a strange unease creeping into his heart. How would Li hope reply? Would she retaliate with even more anger?

However, the phone remained silent, with no new message notifications.

Well, Li hope is probably still angry, so it's understandable that he won't reply.

He sighed and turned his gaze to the several thick music composition textbooks that Li Xi had shoved at him. The corners of the books were worn, but they were well-preserved, showing that their owner had read them frequently.

If I don't watch it, given Lixi's strict nature, he'll probably use it as an excuse to give me a severe scolding tomorrow, right?

Resigned to his fate, he reached for the top book, "Theory and Application of Harmony," and was about to open it—

"Knock knock knock."

A soft yet clear knock suddenly sounded, sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet apartment.

Soon, a gentle, familiar, and reassuring voice came from outside the door.

"Makoto-kun? Are you home?"

It is the ancient world.

Upon hearing her voice, Ishikawa Mayu's tense nerves subconsciously relaxed considerably.

In stark contrast to the atmosphere at Shiina's house, which made his heart race and his brain overload, Sose's presence was always accompanied by a sense of...warmth and tranquility.

If we disregard the overly disturbing scenes from yesterday...

Ishikawa Mayu gently put down the book in her hand, tidied her slightly messy hair and collar, got up and walked to the door, opening it.

Outside the door, Nagasaki Motoyo stood gracefully.

Her long, honey-brown hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders, and she wore a gentle smile as warm as the spring sun.

She held a delicate little porcelain bowl in her hands, which contained a rather exquisite chocolate pudding.

"Good evening, Zhenyu-kun." Su Shi's voice was gentle, with a hint of concern. "I saw your room light was on, so I figured you were probably back. This... I just made it, thinking you might like it."

Her gaze fell on his face, keenly catching the lingering fatigue and a hint of embarrassment between his brows. But she considerately didn't ask any questions, and simply handed the pudding in her hand forward a little more.

Looking at the bowl of delicate pudding, Ishikawa Mayu almost subconsciously swallowed.

That was a huge help...

The thought popped into my head uncontrollably.

At Shiina's house for dinner, he barely ate a few bites because of the bowl of red bean rice with an ambiguous meaning and Maki's overly "loving" gaze. His nerves were on edge the whole time, and he ended up hastily fleeing.

Only after relaxing did I belatedly realize that my stomach was completely empty.

"Thank you, Su Shi." He took the porcelain bowl, his fingertips touching the still-warm surface. The emptiness he felt from hunger and exhaustion was instantly filled by this timely kindness. He stepped aside to make way, inviting, "Would you like to come in and sit down?"

Nagasaki Motoyo tilted her head slightly, a shy and hesitant smile on her face, and asked softly:

"Huh? Is it okay? I hope it won't... disturb your rest?"

“How could that be?” Ishikawa Mayu shook her head almost immediately, her tone carrying an almost instinctive dependence. “I just got back, and I also wanted to spend some time with Su Shi.”

The words slipped out of his mouth, which surprised even himself. But after he finished speaking, the awkwardness and tension he had brought back from Shiina's house were strangely washed away by a warm current.

He stepped aside to make the doorway wider, his gaze landing gently on her.

When Nagasaki Motoyo heard his words, which were much more straightforward than usual, a sweet smile immediately appeared on her face, and she nodded gently.

"Ah."

She walked lightly into the apartment, her gaze habitually sweeping quickly across the living room.

Everything was still neat and tidy, except for an open book on the coffee table, "Theory and Application of Harmony," with a slightly worn cover. There were also several sticky notes filled with unfamiliar handwriting between the pages—clearly in Shiina Tatsuki's style.

Su Shi's gaze lingered on the book for less than half a second before subtly shifting away. She didn't want to discuss anything related to "Shiina" or "studying" at this moment.

She sat down on the sofa next to where he had been sitting, maintaining an elegant and relaxed posture.

Ishikawa Mayu closed the door, brought back the pudding, and sat down about half a person's width away from Su Shi.

This distance allowed him to feel the reassurance of her presence without the heart-pounding sensation he experienced yesterday at the buffet, caused by her close, soft touch and rich fragrance.

Ishikawa Mayu sipped the silky chocolate pudding with a spoon, the rich, slightly bitter sweetness melting on his tongue, which greatly soothed his empty stomach and tense nerves.

However, he could clearly feel the gentle gaze beside him. Su Shi sat there quietly, without saying a word, only turning slightly towards him, a faint smile on her face that seemed to encompass everything, quietly watching him eat.

This focused gaze made his heart, which had just calmed down a little, start racing again, and his ears felt slightly hot. Being stared at like that... was really embarrassing.

To break the heart-pounding silence, and out of concern, he swallowed the pudding in his mouth, turned his head to meet Su Shi's gaze, and asked softly:

"Su Shi, what about you? Have you had dinner yet?"

Nagasaki Motoyo's flawless, gentle smile froze almost imperceptibly for a moment. A fleeting image flashed through her mind of the table of food she had faced alone, slowly growing cold, and the chilling familiarity that had welled up when she saw his message.

But she concealed it well; almost instantly, that stiffness transformed into a deeper, slightly nostalgic smile, as if she were truly savoring a wonderful dinner.

"Yes, I've eaten." Her voice was still soft, but it had a deliberately cheerful quality to it. "Today I tried making the signature stew from that restaurant I went to with my mom before, and it tasted pretty good."

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze drifting into the void, as if recalling that "delicious" taste, trying to make her words sound more believable.

Chapter 108 Indirect Kiss?

Ishikawa Mayu paused slightly in her hand holding the spoon.

Su Shi answered too quickly, her light tone carrying a subtle, deliberate embellishment. Her gaze flickered for a moment when she mentioned "with Mom," not as if she were reminiscing about something warm…

A series of details uncontrollably began to connect in Mayu's mind—

The LINE messages she sent earlier, which were somewhat probing;

After replying "I won't be back for dinner," the usually gentle Su Shi simply read the message but didn't reply.

And now, this overemphasis on "eating well even when you're alone"...

Ishikawa Mayu silently picked up her spoon, took another bite of pudding, and then said softly:

"Did I make you worry? I'm sorry..."

Nagasaki Motoyo felt a slight pang in her heart upon hearing his words. Had he figured it out?

But Su Shi still tried her best to maintain a smile on her face, and her voice remained gentle:

"It's alright, Shinba-kun. I know you and Riki are working hard for the band, but business comes first."

She paused, as if going through an extremely difficult internal struggle, before adding cautiously in as understated a tone as possible, her voice carrying a barely perceptible plea:

"But... if I'm coming home this late in the future, or not coming home for dinner... could you please let me know a little in advance?"

After saying that, she didn't even dare to look Ishikawa Mayu in the eyes, afraid of seeing a trace of impatience. She knew that her request might seem a bit willful, a bit clingy, unlike her usual "sensible" self.

Ishikawa Mayu was stunned for a moment.

By the way... will I be able to come back for dinner on time tomorrow?

He didn't seem very sure either.

After all, given Maki's style, the possibility of her forcing him to stay for dinner... seems quite high.

Nagasaki Motoyo noticed Mayu's pause...

Why the hesitation? Do I have any plans for tomorrow?

Her gaze involuntarily drifted again to the open textbook on the coffee table, still bearing Li Xi's neat handwriting.

A guess surfaced in my mind, tinged with a bittersweet understanding.

"Tomorrow..." she began softly, her voice still steady but softer than before, "Will you still be going to Ritsuki's house to study, Masahiro-kun?"

Ishikawa Mayu nodded, admitting somewhat helplessly, "Yes. We've arranged to meet at 3 PM with Riki."

Nagasaki Motoyo felt that slight bitterness in her heart spread a little more. Was she going to be alone again?

The empty living room, the quiet dinner, the feeling of waiting... she was all too familiar with it.

But she immediately suppressed the thought. She couldn't do that. She couldn't let him think of her as a nuisance who needed constant companionship. That would only push him further away.

So she looked up, and tried to put on a smile that was even gentler and more encouraging than before, as if she were genuinely happy for him.

"I see. Riki is really strict when it comes to music, but having such a dedicated teammate is a good thing for the band. Shin-kun, just focus on your studies; arrangement is very important."

She spoke words of encouragement, but each word felt like a needle pricking her heart.

Ishikawa Mayu watched her silently, at the almost flawless gentle smile she was trying so hard to maintain, at the sadness she was forcibly suppressing deep in her eyes. He suddenly felt that this smile was more unsettling than tears.

He gently put down the spoon and porcelain bowl, letting out a barely audible sigh. The sigh carried understanding, and also a hint of pity that he himself couldn't quite explain.

Then, he reached out and, without giving her any time to react, gently pulled her into his arms.

The moment he touched her, Nagasaki Motoyo's body stiffened abruptly, her mind going blank. She even forgot to breathe, feeling only a warm and solid force enveloping her, his clean and refreshing scent mingling with a faint, sweet chocolate aroma.

“Su Shi,” his voice sounded above her head, deeper than usual, with an undeniable gentleness, “Stop laughing.”

These words were like a key, precisely prying open the defenses she had been so desperately trying to maintain.

Nagasaki Motoyo's stiff body began to tremble slightly.

She could no longer maintain that perfect smile; her lips drooped limply, and her eyes quickly reddened and became moist.

"Actually, you don't want me to go, right?"

"—!"

The facade of "sensibleness" that Nagasaki Motoyo had been stubbornly maintaining shattered once again at this moment.

She buried her face deeper into Masahiro's chest, her slender fingers unconsciously clenching the fabric of his shirt.

A faint, suppressed sob finally escaped uncontrollably, and her shoulders trembled slightly with each sob.

She didn't want to.

She didn't want him to go at all.

She hated the feeling of being left alone, hated the empty house, hated the cold food, and hated even more the terrifying premonition that she would be replaced by more important people and things at any moment.

But she didn't dare to say it. She was afraid that if she did, she would seem immature, that she would bother him, and that she would push him away...

Ishikawa Mayu felt the girl in his arms trembling slightly and her suppressed sobs, so he tightened his arms, holding her more securely in his embrace, and gently rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Didn't I tell you this already?" His voice carried a helpless tenderness as he gently patted her back, which rose and fell slightly from her sobs. "With me, you don't always have to wear that 'sensible' mask."

He paused, feeling that Su Shi in his arms seemed to be crying even harder, her shoulders shaking more violently, as if she wanted to release all the pent-up grievances. He let her cry, simply holding her quietly, providing silent support.

Only when her sobs gradually turned into soft sobs did he continue speaking:

"The real Su Shi is sad, anxious, and afraid of being alone... Her fragile and sensitive nature is actually quite cute to me."

Nagasaki Motoyo's cheeks, buried against his chest, instantly became burning hot, and even her ears turned a bright red.

“So,” Ishikawa Mayu sighed softly, as if she had made a decision, “I will explain it to Maki-nee-san tomorrow.”

Su Shi suddenly raised her head, looking at him with teary eyes. Her blue eyes, shimmering with moisture, were filled with surprise and a hint of disbelief and anticipation.

“I was just saying…” Ishikawa Mayu looked at her like this, her heart softening, but she tried to sound relaxed, “I’m just going there to study. It’s not very polite to always freeload at other people’s houses, is it?”

"I will definitely be back tomorrow, before dinner time."

After making his promise, he quietly held Su Shi in his arms, letting her turn her last bit of grievance into warm tears that soaked the fabric of his shirt.

Only when the trembling in her arms gradually subsided, leaving only faint, nasal gasps, did she loosen her embrace slightly.

Ishikawa Mayu looked down at Su Shi in his arms, her eyes red and swollen, her nose tinged with pink, yet strangely appearing much more real and adorable than her perfect smile from before. A warmth welled up in his heart. He reached out and gently wiped away the undried tear stains on her cheeks with his fingertips, his movements clumsy yet tender.