Uneasy daily life

My gaze swept across the empty conference room; the twilight outside the window had already turned dim.

Silence embraced loneliness, yet my heart began to stir with unease.

Where did Bai Jun go? I was working in the meeting room while waiting, but he didn't show up. Did he already go home? Or is it because I didn't agree to his 'dating'? Why did my sister agree so easily? And why did my mother approve of that rather unusual request? I…

Yukino Yukinoshita pursed her lips slightly and turned off the conference room lights.

I don't think I felt that much anger, resentment, or disbelief? But I was unhappy, which is normal, right? What does it mean to be in a relationship with two or more people? It would be strange to be happy about something like that... But if it's just about being in a relationship, it's not that I can't accept it. Ultimately, I'm just not happy. And then you went and made a grand confession to Sakurajima...

what about me?

I waited for you in the conference room, but you didn't show up.

Yukino Yukinoshita let out a soft breath and shook her head.

In the end, I neither told Bai Jun how I felt nor contacted Bai Jun by phone, so this complaint is completely unreasonable... I just feel very confused and depressed, and my throat feels blocked and sore. How can I relieve this feeling?

I guess I'm just a troublesome person.

As Yukino Yukinoshita walked to the school gate, she could faintly see the outline of the moon rising on the horizon, and she couldn't help but think of the play that afternoon.

Princess Kaguya... um?

Bai Ying sat on the steps outside the school gate, elbows propped on her thighs, fists clenched under her chin, head slightly lowered as if deep in thought.

As if by magic, my tangled emotions suddenly dissipated, and the blockage in my throat was relieved.

Yukino Yukinoshita walked over, looking down at him from her high vantage point, her tone faint and detached.

"Is Baijun playing the role of a thinker?"

Chapter 136 You've Made Me Strange

"I'm thinking about a question: Will you stubbornly stay at the school until I come looking for you, or will you text me and call me over at some point, or will you gradually grow resentful out of annoyance and coldly chase after him to his house to beat him up, or...?"

The white figure propped herself up, clapped her hands, looked at Yukino Yukinoshita, stroked her chin and examined her carefully, looking like a scholar studying a subject.

“Your bright eyes held a hint of resentment, while your delicate brows were furrowed with joy. Statistically speaking, there was three parts self-pity, three parts confusion, and three parts anger and dissatisfaction… The proportion of anger and dissatisfaction has increased!” Bai Ying leaned back and declared in a booming voice, “You must think I’m pretending not to understand and deliberately pulling me, so you’re angry!”

"call……"

Yukino Yukinoshita let out a soft sigh and said indifferently, "It's good that Shirakami, who made the 'scumbag declaration,' knows this. Hmph."

With her schoolbag slung over her shoulder, she gave a soft hum and strode out onto the road where the first hints of night had fallen.

After taking a few steps, not hearing any footsteps or noise behind him, his brows furrowed slightly in displeasure, and his gaze sharpened. He turned back as if to strike a sword, but failed to hit his target. Instead, a stealthy white figure slipped past him.

A sinister chuckle crept across Bai Ying's face.

Yukino Yukinoshita felt a little flustered, but tried to remain calm and changed the subject: "And what else? A little bit of liking you?"

"Unbelievable."

"Unbelievable?"

Yukino Yukinoshita was a little confused, but she calmed down and said lightly, "Indeed, white fungus is a really strange species that is hard to believe. Its ecological habits are as bizarre as those of echinoderms."

"No, no, no, I didn't mean it's unbelievable." Bai Ying coughed twice, her voice becoming hoarse and sparse, but her expression was anything but hoarse; it was filled with sorrow and distress. "Isn't dating a matter between two people? Isn't it about being devoted to each other? No matter what, Bai Jun's attitude and thoughts are reprehensible behavior of a scumbag, right? Why does Mother not care and even approve of it? Why doesn't my sister seem to care either? Why... why can't I muster a firm stance against this? Am I the one who's so strange, or are the others the ones who're so strange?"

"Because you can feel your own heart, yet you can't understand it, it's unbelievable..."

Snapped!

Bai Ying snapped her fingers: "Is that roughly the feeling?"

Yukino Yukinoshita paused, biting her lip slightly. A jumble of chaotic thoughts churned in her mind, yet they involuntarily followed this line, stretching and becoming clearer. It truly was unbelievable—unbelievable about her mother and sisters, unbelievable about herself…

Should I not accept it?

But I'm not happy.

Should I accept it?

But I'm still unhappy.

I can't help but want to run away, to escape this problem that will only make me unhappy. But I can't move my feet. Is it that I lack the courage to face the problem, or do I already have the answer in my heart, but I'm just unwilling to say it first, there's still some blockage, and I'm unwilling to express it unless I move those things aside?

Just as her thoughts were starting to wander again, Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly felt a weight on her shoulders and came back to her senses to meet the eyes of the white figure.

"Hero, let's fall in love!"

The white figure pressed down on Yukino Yukinoshita's shoulder, looking resolute as if going into battle.

Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but retort, "Don't you think this is strange, Haku-kun?"

"Strange? It's strange that a hero would be so emotionally volatile?" The white figure patted Yukino Yukinoshita's shoulder. "Hero! I've already written a challenge and declared my intentions. You'd better surrender obediently..."

I don't want to be captured.

Yukino Yukinoshita twisted her body, shaking off the white shadow's claws, and strode forward with her head down. Her gaze shifted from her toes to the side, and she was slightly satisfied when she saw another pair of feet following behind. She calmed herself down, looked up again, and said softly, "White-kun, I always feel like I know you well enough, but I don't really understand you... Why do you have that kind of thought about liking everyone? Is it because you're a psychic?"

"Superpowered individuals are no match for those with money," Bai Ying said, scoffing and putting her hands on her hips. "Of course, it's because I'm a reincarnated person!"

"what?"

Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but turn her head to look, a look of surprise appearing on her usually indifferent face. She then sighed, "I wasn't discussing light novels with you, was I? If you keep changing the subject like this..."

The white figure glanced at her sideways.

Yukino Yukinoshita froze, then hesitated and said, "You're not... serious, are you?"

After all, it has superpowers and all that, and its worldview has already been shattered once, so it seems normal for it to shatter again... Yeah, right! Reincarnation? Like those isekai light novel tropes? To cater to readers' shallow fantasies of 'if I could do it all over again,'?

"So, native warrior, what are your thoughts?"

The white-clad figure spread his hands and asked.

You're the native one...

Yukino Yukinoshita frowned and thought carefully for a moment, then said subtly, "I don't feel anything real?"

No matter how I think about it, it doesn't feel real. It's just like the reincarnation plot in those light novels I've read—it's all so superfluous.

"Hero, I really want to tell you about the past, but no matter how I explain it, it's hard for you to understand. At most, it will just add some unnecessary details to my image in your eyes, which is called a problem in creative terms."

The white figure raised his left elbow and pressed it on Yukino's shoulder. At first glance, it seemed intimate, like two good brothers: "The past is the past. The one standing here is me. Are you still that elementary school student who, when ostracized, would stubbornly fight with the group but didn't know how to solve the problem?"

"of course not."

Yukino Yukinoshita felt the weight pressing down on her from the side and took a step to the side, trying to show that she was still angry, but the white figure reacted quickly and pressed down on her.

She turned her head and stared at the white figure with annoyance.

"By the way, should I have only told you about this trivial setting?"

Bai Ying recalled for a moment, then her eyes sharpened, and she pointed and said, "You were secretly pleased, you were laughing to yourself, weren't you? I heard it all!"

"..." Yukino Yukinoshita calmly turned her gaze back to the front, "Was that a confession from Haku-kun? Unfortunately, I didn't feel any sincerity at all, I just felt like a scumbag was trying to hook up with me."

Bai Ying looked at her in surprise, her features seemingly forming a question mark.

Yukino Yukinoshita gave him a puzzled look—what kind of expression is that?

"OK! After all, you've been pursuing me for so long, I have to reciprocate, right?" Bai Ying gestured, coaxingly saying, "So that Miss knows, if you nod and agree, you can point fingers at me with a clear conscience, and even touch me inappropriately, and you'll also get a fully automatic, high-frequency mind-controlling machine..."

"#!"

Yukino bumped her shoulder into the white figure's chest, pushing him away, and strode forward quickly with a stern face.

Before I could even take a few steps to calm my gloomy mood, a shout came from behind me.

"Sister Xue! I used to ignore you, which made you resentful. Today I spoke to you gently, but you still ignored me. It's really karma..." The white figure raised her hand to wipe away imaginary tears, speaking plaintively as she quickly chased after him from behind. "It's all my fault, how could I dare to blame you?"

Pedestrians on the street couldn't help but look over, and seeing a girl walking quickly with her head down in front, while a boy was chasing closely behind with a mournful cry, they suddenly realized what was going on.

The girl is throwing a tantrum, and the boy is trying his best to comfort her; they're a student couple having a fight...

Yukino Yukinoshita froze, took a deep breath, looked ahead, and suddenly took off running.

The wind tousled my long hair, bringing a whistling noise that carried away all the distracting thoughts in my mind.

Footsteps echoed crisply and quickly on the streets as night fell.

"The hero is fleeing at incredible speed, one horse's length! Two horse's lengths! Three horse's lengths! She's putting distance between herself and her troubles! What terrifying explosive power!"

Whether it's the lingering spirit of the wronged or a sense of relief, the noisy sounds clearly linger in my ears, and I know without turning my head that the guy is right behind me.

It's really... such a strange thing...

Yukino Yukinoshita ran off without looking back, her lips pressed tightly together.

White Fungus! White Lord! Idiot! Bad Guy!

"The extradimensional escapee is running across the street with lightning speed!"

"The ordinary racehorse galloped into the apartment!"

"Yukino Yukinoshita arrived at the elevator, panting!"

The white figure continued running with a brisk pace, following beside the other side and reporting on the progress of the competition, while also pressing the elevator button.

"Ha...hoo...cough cough..."

Yukino Yukinoshita, panting with her knees bent, had fine beads of sweat on her forehead. As she eased her tension, she reached up and grabbed the hem of the white figure's clothes, lowering her head and muttering, "You've made me strange... Have you made me strange?"

"I care more about your response and attitude than about the person I like or the idea of ​​dating multiple people."

Yukino Yukinoshita raised her face, her tone complicated, and said, "So you've really made me strange, haven't you? You've twisted and disturbed something, haven't you?"

"Don't try to pin this on me, hero." The white figure raised an eyebrow, reached out and helped the panting Yukino Yukinoshita straighten up, looking into her bright eyes, "I'll make a scene where you can see me, I'll see your joys and sorrows, I'll be wherever you can reach me..."

"I don't want to hear that." Yukino Yukinoshita bit her lip slightly. "I don't care how many people you date. What I want is your love for Yukino Yukinoshita, not for everyone, but only for me..."

"Assessment complete, he's an idiot."

Bai Ying raised her hand and wiped away the fine sweat on Yukino Yukinoshita's forehead. Her fingers, still damp with sweat, suddenly touched the corner of Yukino's wide-open eyes in astonishment.

"White fungus!"

Yukino Yukinoshita subconsciously closed her eyes, her voice slightly annoyed.

"I've already said I'm going to bother you for the rest of my life, and I've even convinced your aunt. You're free to be yourself now, and you can even date me. What more could I possibly do to make you feel that I like you enough?"

The white figure raised its hand and poked Yukino Yukinoshita's forehead.

Yukino Yukinoshita opened her eyes in annoyance, and met the eyes that were so close to hers. The white figure was stunned for a moment, then raised her eyebrows and stared wide-eyed in sudden realization.

"I get it! You're a masochist! You crave for me to scribble on the pages of your life, and you crave the sense of security that comes from being possessed!"

"It's not that kind of morbid thing..."

Yukino Yukinoshita met his gaze stubbornly, somewhat craving the feeling of being so close. She unconsciously softened her breathing and the tone of her voice: "You've already applied it to so many places, and you've made me look so strange... Now, talking about unchanging love, don't you think that's going too far?"

"Yeah, he really is an idiot."

The white figure raised a hand to fan Yukino Yukinoshita's forehead, attempting to cool her down artificially: "Quickly cool down your love-struck brain, think carefully about what you're saying—you don't need to be so attached, so unable to let go of the relationship, and you don't need to have any psychological burden. Have your own dreams and direction, strive to become the ideal version of yourself, and you can leave anytime you change your mind or have a further direction. Isn't that good enough? Why are you such an idiot who insists on sacrificing something..."

Yukino Yukinoshita gripped the hem of Shirokage's clothes, took a small half-step forward, and slammed her forehead into Shirokage's chest with a low, forceful sound.

"shut up."

The white figure leaned back: "Brave warrior, calm down..."

"I don't care if you're some random light novel protagonist, a weird superpowered person, or whatever else you're called..."

Yukino Yukinoshita sorts out her thoughts and feelings. Is Haku-kun's past important? Yes, it is, but the person in front of her is more important.

She pressed her forehead against Bai Ying's chest, her right hand gently clenched into a fist and placed on her chest: "The person who influenced me, angered me, twisted me, corrected me, gave me courage, and made me strange—that person is standing right here, right in front of me, stirring up my emotions and manipulating my thoughts into bizarre ways..."

"Your words give off a criminal vibe of me brainwashing you while you're asleep," Bai Ying retorted. "Brave warrior, time flies by, it's always over in the blink of an eye. Time is also slow, it can't keep up with the changes, so you don't need to rush..."

"If you don't take ownership of my life, how can I take ownership of yours?"

Yukino Yukinoshita's voice trembled slightly as she tried to maintain her composure: "I'm greedy, greedily wanting fairness—don't think that only you can gamble your whole life, I can too. I don't care about them, I don't care if they like you or you like them, the only thing I can't lie to myself... Maybe I don't think as far ahead as you do, maybe it's all impulsive, maybe I don't have your clarity and understanding, maybe it's not as profound as what you like, but I will not belittle the feelings in my heart."

"You can embrace the world, but I don't want to be embraced by you along with the world."

"If you want to date me, you'll have to take over my life first."

Yukino's increasingly resolute voice quieted down.

The white figure remained silent for a few seconds, then tried to peek at Yukino Yukinoshita's expression. The latter was clearly prepared, her face buried completely in his chest, revealing no flaw: "Hey Hero, how am I supposed to prove I like Yukino Yukinoshita? How am I supposed to make you believe me?"

"Isn't this something that Haku-kun should be thinking about?" Yukino Yukinoshita said sullenly. "My beloved Haku-kun must have a way, right? If he can't, then it means I can't date you yet—by the way, I have the right to judge whether Haku-kun's performance is acting, a joke, or a lie."

I don't know how you're supposed to prove it, but you absolutely have to prove it to me... Hmm, it seems like it's actually quite difficult? Even someone as discerning as my mother, who doesn't tolerate any nonsense, was managed to smooth things over with a series of evasive arguments. How can I possibly prove it under these circumstances? This does seem to present some problems...