The comments section all think I'm a really good person.

And now, Hikari is still in this world? And she hasn't fully regained her human identity yet?!

While its current state is indeed humanoid, it should be categorized as a spirit, rather than a restoration.

Has the giraffe version really been discounted so much? I was so serious about it back then!

Aicheng Hualian immediately felt that she had been deceived.

The drama club president, with tears welling up in her eyes, sought comfort from Nana Ooba: "Why is this happening, Nana..."

Nana Ohba never expected things to turn out this way.

Since arriving here, she has never seen a giraffe. Rather, in her mind, during that battle before graduation, the giraffe, like them and the stage girls of the past, should have already taken its final bow and said goodbye to everyone.

So, was the giraffe that Karen-chan saw... just an illusion?

Or perhaps, because only nearly burned remnants remained, there was no way to send them back?

Nana Oba doesn't know.

However, this did not prevent her from realizing that the original plan had to be changed.

We must get to the next stage faster.

"...Huh? Why do you say that?" Karen Aijo didn't quite understand Nana Oba's thoughts.

The latter simply smiled, revealing Mifune Shiori's canine teeth, making her look charming and adorable: "Because it's a giraffe, it will definitely come as soon as it hears the news."

If it still exists, how could anyone possibly miss such a dazzling and ever-changing stage for school idols?

As long as my legs can still move, as long as my eyes can still see, and as long as I can still breathe, I will definitely be like last time, running until I can't breathe, shouting "Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry... I'm going to miss it!" and then arrive at the stands on time.

Nana Oba wouldn't say she knows giraffes very well, but among the stage girls, she is definitely the one who has talked to giraffes the most.

“So, Karen-chan,” Nana Oba said to Karen Aijo, “there’s no need to think too much. After all, we only need to do one thing.”

As long as you keep shining, the road will unfold before you.

We'll find it soon, since we're already on stage.

In layman's terms, Nana Ohba's proposed solution was to arrange their live performance as soon as possible.

If the giraffe isn't so weak that it can't even run a step, I'll definitely try to come and see it in person.

"Um, banana, I have a question." Karen Aijo raised her hand like a well-behaved child, her head full of question marks. "But when I performed as 'Koyama Hyakuyo' last time, the giraffe didn't come, did she?"

In response to this question, Nana Ohba took out her phone and slowed down the video of Karen Aijo's performance at the last idol festival, showing it to her frame by frame.

Then, at the thirty-fifth second, he pointed out a giraffe head that appeared in a very inconspicuous corner of the screen: "This one."

"...? So meticulous...?!" Karen Aijo exclaimed in surprise. "I didn't even notice it when I was on stage..."

For a supernatural creature like a giraffe—or perhaps it isn't even a creature—it's indeed very easy to blend into the crowd and watch the stage girls perform.

"I only discovered it by watching it in slow motion. The giraffe seems to be hidden among the audience, and I've watched all the school idol performances." Nana Ohba has a habit of repeatedly watching her favorite videos, and thanks to this, she found the pattern of the giraffe's appearance.

The two finally found a solution to the problem.

Meanwhile, Sonoda Umi, who was sitting to the side listening to the two talking about giraffes, was completely baffled: "...Giraffe? A talking giraffe that can watch performances?"

Hikari's daughter and Aunt Mahiru temporarily joined the queue

【1】

Many times, I can't help but lament the passage of time.

The child I've watched since she was born has now grown into a young woman.

Looking back now, her appearance is very similar to Hua Lianjiang's, which always reminds me of the three years I studied at Shengxiang.

Of course, Yuna is different from Karen.

When I was fifteen, I met Karen Aijo, a friend and roommate who influenced my entire life. It was also through her that I met Hikari Kagura, another very important friend of mine.

Compared to the two who met in their teens, Yuna's position is different.

I watched her grow up.

I was with my friend on the day she was born, waiting outside the delivery room for the arrival of the new life.

The second word she learned was my name.

The person standing directly in front of her when she took her first step was me.

The child's soft, wet kisses landed on my face countless times, nuzzled my neck affectionately, and giggled beside my ear.

Although we are not related by blood, she is my "family," the child I watched grow up, and my closest and most beloved Yuna.

When did things start to change?

I'm slow to react, especially when it comes to relationships.

I've realized this countless times.

"...Wait, wait a minute! Yuna!" I tried my best to push away the girl's shoulder as she leaned in, attempting to keep some distance from her.

...Karen-chan and Hikaru are still here!

The second half of the sentence was not spoken.

After finishing work for almost a month, I finally had time to come to Hualianjiang's house.

I should feel guilty towards Yuna.

We had just established our relationship when I went on a business trip for two months, during which time we only communicated by phone.

While work was certainly a factor, the main reason was that after calming down a bit, I realized I simply couldn't face my friends right away.

So I took a short break, using work as an excuse to clear my head.

Throwing myself into my work did relieve my tension, but what followed was an even more enthusiastic response from Yuna after our brief separation.

I can't handle it.

We agreed that we wouldn't casually reveal our relationship until we had prepared our acquaintances mentally.

But the moment she opened the door and saw me, she hugged me.

I was still holding a gift bag in one hand when I was startled by her actions. When I realized that Karen-chan and Hikaru were at home, the bag of Yatsuhashi mochi fell to the ground.

"Yuna, don't trouble Aunt Mahiru too much, you're not a child anymore." Karen-chan's words made my heart tighten.

She cast a glance in their direction, her gaze carrying a complex mix of emotions, a sense of unspoken unspoken words.

Yuna seemed a little disappointed, replying, "...It's just been too long since I've seen Aunt Mahiru."

When I was little, the quiet Yuna also expressed affection through kisses. A solid kiss from her on the cheek would make me temporarily forget some of my troubles.

But just now, it seemed to be a prank.

The girl's soft lips brushed against the corner of my mouth, bringing a slight tingling sensation. An unusual heat spread, staining the tips of my ears red.

Where Karen-chan and Hikaru couldn't see, she winked at me.

Hikari's daughter and Aunt Mahiru temporarily joined the queue

【2】

Mahiru has a very pleasant scent.

I love so much.

It's like clothes and sheets that have been washed and dried in the sun, emitting a fragrant aroma and carrying a warm, cozy scent.

There must be this smell in homes and behind stages, right?

Mahiru said that after the performance, they would put their sweat-soaked costumes in the washing machine backstage and wash them in turns.

So sometimes I feel that the stage, apart from the smell of wooden floors and the dust from the spotlights, also has the fresh scent of detergent.

"Sniff, sniff."

I love embracing Mahiru and burying my face in her warm embrace. It gives me a blissful sense of relaxation, relieving all my fatigue, like bubbles of weariness gradually dissolving in the sunlight.

"Honestly, Yuna, you come here and hug me every time it's a holiday and won't let go..." Mahiru's tone wasn't exactly a complaint, but it also carried a hint of worry for me.

From the perspective of elders, they might be very concerned about my social situation among my peers.

After all, I would come over and stick to her whenever I had time, and I didn't seem to have much contact with Oba and Hanayagi.

In addition, the other party had also gone through a similar stage—I mean, Hualian's mother's focus shifted significantly after Xiaoguang's mother transferred to Shengxiang—so she would also be worried about me.

After all, I am Hua Lian's mother's daughter.

However, in my opinion, classmates can maintain their relationships on a regular basis, since everyone spends time together during school.

There are too few times when my daytime and my free time overlap.

One is a student still studying at Shengxiang, and the other is already a well-known actress... There's no way they'll have the chance to stay together all the time.

I know about this gap.

But I don't care.

All I can do is love Mahiru and strive to grow into an adult that she can rely on.

"Because I like Mahiru," I said.

Since they started dating, she no longer calls him "Aunt Mahiru" in private.

The change in how I address someone reflects a change in our relationship, and I'm also not keen on always being treated like a child.

"..." Mahiru's face flushed, and I could vaguely feel it because my face was pressed against her neck.

I could feel everything, from the tremor she made when she spoke to the erratic rise and fall of her chest with her breathing.

"It's fine if it's in private." Mahiru still backed down after my silent pleading. She sighed softly, "Don't do things like that in front of Karen and Hikaru again."

So you gave in after all, Mahiru.

I really appreciate her tolerance.

The fact that I can be forgiven for small pranks makes me feel like I'm being favored.