After dropping out of school, I chose to join a girls' band.

"As expected... I really hate you, Hinasaki."

"Likewise, I hate you too, Momoko Kurosawa." Hinasaki Tsuki maintained her smile.

The atmosphere between the two was extremely ambiguous; they remained suffocatingly close, yet their words were sharp and confrontational. Anyone who overheard their conversation would be baffled, as if they were engaged in a strange game of strategy.

For them alone, this kind of conversation was perfectly natural. They knew perfectly well the meaning behind these words.

"Moon... do you think our ending would be different if I had been a little more selfish back then?"

She withdrew her finger, her eyes filled with a searching look, and then took a few steps back, seemingly wanting to create some distance.

Momoko Kurosawa's actions were completely contrary to her words. Despite saying she wanted to be more selfish, she took the initiative to leave Hinasaki's side.

"Perhaps? Perhaps it will be a different ending?" Yue's response was very gentle, but her actions contradicted it.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward, grabbed Peach's hand, and gently guided it to rest on her neck.

Hinasaki, who initially chose to escape from Momoko Kurosawa, has now willingly put a "collar" on herself.

Peach's fingertips touched her warm skin, and the ambiguous atmosphere grew even stronger.

"Will you hate me?" Peach lowered her eyes slightly, her voice low, as if testing something.

"I'll probably fall in love with you?" Hinasaki's answer remained calm, as if she were using the present moment to reveal an inescapable truth.

Peach frowned slightly, her face showing disgust, and said without any attempt to hide it, "Disgusting."

"I find it disgusting too." Hinasaki's smile remained unchanged, and her tone was still relaxed, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

"You really have Reimu completely under your thumb," Momo sighed helplessly, a hint of resigned amusement flashing in her eyes.

"Likewise." Hinasaki Tsuki still smiled.

Side Story: A Trip to Hikami Mountain - Chapter Twenty-Seven: Peach's Kiss

"It's about time, they're about to set off fireworks."

Peach suddenly spoke, gazing at the night sky as if anticipating the splendid spectacle to come.

“Yes,” Hinasaki Tsuki slowly stood up, dusted off her clothes, and said with a smile, “Cinderella should leave and go back now.”

"Cinderella?" Peach raised an eyebrow slightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Should I go find a pair of glass slippers and wait for you to come and claim them?"

Hinasaki smiled gently, a hint of indifference in her eyes, and shook her head. "I think it's better not to," she said, her gaze soft yet firm. "This Cinderella doesn't expect to meet any prince; she just wants to go back to her husband."

"Oh? So the prince isn't that attractive?" Peach laughed and teased, her tone light and joking.

“Perhaps the ‘prince’ in this story is the villain?” Hinasaki said thoughtfully, as if seriously considering this novel idea.

"What you're saying... sounds too much like a childhood horror movie, doesn't it?" Peach smiled helplessly, then deliberately suggested, "Why can't the villain be Cinderella's husband?"

Hinasaki shrugged, her gaze thoughtful, and slowly said, "Who knows? None of us have seen the complete script; we're all just improvising roles."

Peach pondered for a moment, a mischievous glint in her eyes, then gently raised her chin and smiled slightly: "So, the 'prince' might as well be the protagonist, right?"

"If you say that, Xiaoxi will be very sad."

Hinasaki smiled and turned around, as if preparing to leave, but before taking a step, she suddenly stopped, looked back at Momoko, and said with a teasing smile, "Nozomi will be very sad to hear this."

Momoko paused for a moment, then sighed softly, took a few steps forward, stood beside Hinasaki, and looked up at the night sky not far away.

She waved her hand, a hint of languor in her smile, “The ‘prince’ is right on top of her castle, where he can see the fireworks perfectly. It’s the perfect angle.”

"However, before Cinderella left, shouldn't she have left some token so that the prince could find her in the future?"

Seeing that Momoko was still immersed in her role, Hinasaki smiled slightly, deliberately covering her mouth and whispering with a laugh, "Then... Your Highness, what do you want from me?"

Momoko raised an eyebrow slightly, slowly approached Hinasaki, and gently took her hand in hers, her eyes filled with a mixture of seriousness and tenderness.

She didn't speak, but simply gazed at Hinasaki in silence. Then she gently lowered her head, bringing it close to Hinasaki's cheek, as if intending to take some kind of invisible "token" from her.

"Wait, wait a minute... something's not right, is it?" Hinasaki froze slightly, her eyes flickering, feeling that things were developing in a way that was completely beyond her expectations.

She instinctively shrank back, trying to escape the increasingly ambiguous atmosphere, a look of panic appearing on her face.

She felt her cheeks burning slightly, her heart racing unconsciously, and the peaches in front of her were getting closer and closer.

What started as a lighthearted joke has now become increasingly ambiguous, making it impossible for her to ignore the warmth of his approach and the tenderness in his eyes.

Peach gently grasped her wrist, her fingertips warm, as if carrying some silent power that wouldn't let her back down.

Her face slowly drew closer, and Hinasaki could even clearly see the subtle trembling of Momoko's eyelashes. In that focused and gentle gaze, there was a seriousness and persistence that Hinasaki had never seen before.

"Wait, wait a minute..." Hinasaki's voice was weak, even with a slight tremor, but before she could finish speaking, Momoko's breath was already close to hers.

Hinasaki's heart pounded faster and faster, as if the whole world had quieted down, leaving only Momoko's face slowly approaching before her eyes.

Peach's gaze slowly moved from her eyes to her lips, pausing for a moment as if giving her one last chance.

Hinasaki looked into her eyes, which were so close to hers, and suddenly felt a little breathless. Her slightly trembling eyelashes could not hide the panic in her heart, and she almost instinctively wanted to look away.

However, Peach gently held her face, preventing her from escaping.

Her gaze was gentle yet firm, carrying a tenderness and persistence that she could not resist.

The next instant, Hinasaki felt a soft touch gently brush against her lips.

At that moment, her thoughts seemed to freeze completely, as if the surrounding noise and celebrations were shut out, leaving only this quiet and tender kiss in the world.

Peach's lips were warm and slightly moist, the touch as soft as a feather, carrying a kind of heart-stirring tenderness, as it gently covered her lips.

A moment later, Peach slowly pulled away, her eyes filled with a gentle smile, still gazing at her, as if she were etching this moment deep into her heart.

Hinasaki felt her heart being gently enveloped and slightly warmed as she was gazed at by that gentle and focused gaze.

"I've already received the token," Peach said softly, a hint of smugness in her voice.

“Despicable…” Hinasaki lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, and her tone revealed a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Want to rinse your mouth with muddy water?" Peach asked with a smile, her tone slightly teasing.

“No need…” Hinasaki gently raised her head and looked directly at the “prince” in front of her, her eyes filled with a deep and unpredictable emotion.

"You know that doing this might mean you'll never find a Cinderella again, right?"

"Mm." Peach nodded slightly, still wearing that faint, fake smile on her face.

“I was prepared before I did this. If I really didn’t see you, I would just leave.”

Her voice was low and calm, as if she were stating something that had been planned long ago.

Hinasaki Tsuki frowned slightly, staring at her: "What about Shoko, and Ms. Sakura? How do you plan to explain that?"

Upon hearing this, Peach smiled slightly, a hint of self-deprecation in her eyes. She turned around, casually draped her arm over the railing, and gazed into the distance.

"Hmm...that's my business now. You probably won't care anymore, Xiaoyue, right? After all, after I did something like that..."

Before she finished speaking, her tone carried an undeniable air of detachment, like a wisp of mist gradually dissipating into the air.

Hinasaki remained silent, offering no response, quietly watching Momo's retreating figure, her unspoken emotions flowing silently in the night breeze.

"Let's hurry, the fireworks show is about to start."

Momoko had her back to her and waved gently, not letting Hinasaki see the expression on her face.

Peach knew without even thinking that her expression must be extremely unpleasant.

Side Story: A Trip to Hikami Mountain - Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Kiss of the Moon

Hinasaki looked at Momoko's somewhat lonely figure, remained silent for a moment, and a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes.

Finally, she sighed softly, walked slowly to Peach's side, took out a soft tissue from her handbag, gently reached out and wiped away the tear stains on Peach's cheeks, her fingertips tracing her slightly cool skin with a soothing touch.

"Your expression is really awful..." she said softly, her tone carrying a gentle teasing tone.

Peach's body trembled slightly, as if her deepest defenses had been touched. Her gaze darted away slightly, she gently bit her lower lip, and a hint of hesitation appeared in her eyes.

Then, she slowly raised her hand and gently pushed away Hinasaki's arm, her lips trembling slightly, as if she didn't want her father to see her vulnerability and unease at this moment.

"Cinderella...it's time to go back."

Peach's voice was low, tinged with a sob, as if she was trying her best to suppress some emotion and remain calm. "The prince will come to you with the token."

Hinasaki was slightly taken aback. The sob and reluctance in Momoko's words were unreservedly revealed and deeply etched into her ears.

Although Momoko's voice was soft, it carried an undisguised longing that made Hinasaki waver for a moment.

She knew that turning away now might be the best option.

They tacitly retreat to their original positions, pretending nothing had happened, and continue their own lives, continuing their usual bickering.

This tranquility may offer a sense of comfort, making them feel as if they can continue without a care in the world.

To be fair, Hinasaki felt that this choice wasn't so bad. Maintaining the status quo, preserving the unbreakable tacit understanding in the relationship, letting Momoko still "ask" her for small tokens every now and then, and enjoying this quietly maintained intimacy.

But a hint of resistance stirred within Hinasaki's heart. Was this really a good thing? No... she knew clearly that this was not a happy ending for everyone.

Whether it's Lixi or Taozi, if things continue like this, they will both get hurt, and perhaps even the last tacit understanding between them will gradually shatter.

Hinasaki took a deep breath, and the struggle in her heart was replaced by a firm determination.

"Momo!" Hinasaki reached out again and firmly grasped Momo's wrist.

The moment her fingertips touched her, she could clearly feel Peach trembling slightly, as if she was suppressing some emotion, trying her best to remain calm, but unable to hide it.

Momo slowly turned around, her eyes darting away, deliberately turning her head away so that Hinasaki wouldn't see her vulnerable expression.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her voice, tinged with a barely perceptible sob, was so soft it almost drifted away in the night breeze.

"What's wrong..." Peach asked with difficulty, her voice slightly hoarse, as if she was trying her best to suppress her emotions, "The fireworks are about to go off, shouldn't you be with Lixi?"

Her tone was deliberately light, but her eyes kept wandering, avoiding Hinasaki's gaze, as if afraid the other would see through the turmoil deep within her heart. Hinasaki quietly watched Momoko's forced strength, a slight pang in her heart. She wanted to comfort her several times, but remained silent for a moment.

"I'm fine... Xiaoyue, you can go keep Lixi company." Taozi smiled, trying to hide the tremor in her voice, her tone light and casual, like a casual instruction.

She lowered her head, trying to hide her unspeakable disappointment with her usual calm and self-deprecating humor. "I'm fine here on my own, really."

"...No." Hinasaki suddenly grabbed Momoko's wrist and gently pulled her, forcing her to turn around and look directly at her. Her action carried an undeniable force.

Momoko reluctantly met Hinasaki's gaze, her eyes filled with a hint of panic and resistance.

She tried to avoid the other person's gaze, but she still couldn't hide the faint tear tracks on her face. The tears shimmered slightly under the light, making her look even more vulnerable.

Hinasaki's gaze held a gentle yet firm strength as she lightly brushed past the still-damp tear stain on Momoko's face, instantly shaking the pretense in her heart.