Don't you guys dislike me?

The library is very quiet. People consciously lower their voices or avoid talking. It is easier to get into the state in the quiet atmosphere.

Yumiko Miura is enjoying the current feeling. Listening to the rustling sound of the pen tip scratching across the paper, her ideas for solving problems are constantly emerging. One by one, the difficult problems she encounters in her daily life are solved. She just doesn't take math very seriously.

Sometimes when she encountered a few difficult questions, she would poke Yuichi who was sitting next to her with her gel pen. Yuichi, who was struggling with the sea of ​​words, would look at her with gratitude and help her sort out her thoughts.

…………

"Thank you so much today."

Yumiko Miura walked with Yuichi carrying her schoolbag, her pretty face turned towards the playground, and she did not express her gratitude frankly.

"nothing."

Youichi looked up at the sky which was gradually getting darker, and the regret for not getting to eat the cake lingered in his heart for a long time.

The two people who didn't have much in common fell into silence, but this time it made Miura Yumiko feel uncomfortable.

The girl glanced back at Youyi quietly and urged:

"Let's go, or the store you mentioned will close."

As she spoke, she quickened her pace to catch a glimpse of Youichi's tall figure.

"Why don't I go by myself? It's okay if Miura doesn't have to accompany me."

"Stop talking nonsense. I just want to see what kind of smell you can't forget."

The Queen's strong concern is still hard to hate.

…………

The dessert shop in front of the station was crowded with people. The endless stream of customers showed that the shop was doing a booming business. Every time a customer walked out with a packaging bag, they would take away a glimmer of hope for Youyi.

After entering the store, Yuichi went straight to the point without even having time to enjoy the cool air. The shelf under the label of pineapple-flavored cheesecake was empty, just like Yuichi's mood at the moment.

Expectations were predictably dashed.

Miura Yumiko arrived late, and of course she saw it, and also saw Yuichi's disappointment at this moment. For some reason, she didn't want Yuichi to be seen by others at this moment, so the girl took half a step forward and hid Yuichi behind her.

She looked into Yuichi's eyes carefully. She remembered that Yuichi was not in a good condition during the weekend. She couldn't do anything at that time...

She raised her hand, paused in mid-air, and then gently stroked Youyi's back. Her voice softened rarely:

"Okay, just come early tomorrow."

Adolescent boys and girls always like to mistake momentary affection for love, and interpret strong impulses and desires as love. They work hard for this and call it youth.

Youyi was puzzled by the girl who was gently comforting him. Although he felt regretful for not buying the cake, the disappointment he showed was mostly just a whim. Living a life of going with the flow was comfortable but a little boring. Slightly exaggerating certain emotions like now was a kind of mood that enriched his life.

It's just that this sentiment seemed to be misunderstood by Yumiko Miura, and she made a big fuss about it, but before that, some emotional foundation is needed, otherwise the girl's overflowing sympathy at this time would be more like the sympathy she shows for a stray cat on the street.

Obviously, Yumiko Miura is not that kind of person. Wearing the queen mask for too long will affect her true character. Perhaps it was Yuichi who made her feel good about her at a certain moment, and the loss she showed at this time aroused her sympathy.

The more Youichi looked at it, the weirder it seemed. He felt like a scumbag who pretended to be sad to attract the other person's attention.

He restrained his emotions, tried to calm himself down, turned around and faced her, with his caressing hand nowhere to go:

"Miura-san, I'm not that sad, and you don't have to comfort me like this."

Yuichi rejected her offer, feeling that he was playing with the girl's feelings.

The girl naturally withdrew her hands and put them behind her back, mumbling unconvincedly:

"I don't know who looked so aggrieved just now because he didn't get a piece of cake."

The two hands behind the back were intertwined, weaving a little bit of uneasiness that caused ripples in the heart.

"You comforting me like this makes me feel like a child. It's weird."

Yuichi's attitude is no longer rigid, and the barrier that was closed for a while is opened again. It is a bit narcissistic to think that others like him. It is better to have such self-conceited thoughts less often.

"Humph~ If I didn't feel sorry for you, I wouldn't comfort you."

Miura Yumiko's fingers no longer entangled, and she calmly lifted the ends of her hair. When she spoke, she became arrogant again but with a bit of lightness.

…………

Station platform.

"See you tomorrow."

Youyi waved his hand and walked onto the train.

"Goodbye."

Yumiko Miura also waved to him. The train was speeding in front of her, from slow to fast, and her hands were hanging in the air with nowhere to put.

The girl felt that her emotions seemed to follow Yuichi. Sometimes she was uneasy, and sometimes she was relieved. It felt terrible to have her emotions ferryed by others... But Miura Yumiko was still looking forward to their meeting tomorrow.

…………

It was not yet the rush hour, so there were not too many people on the tram. The moon had just appeared, the setting sun had not yet set, and the day and night were still alternating.

The train was running smoothly, and a pair of big eyes like purple gemstones were blinking and quietly staring at Yuichi. The girl who had disappeared for a long time came into view again.

She was petite and quietly hiding on the side of the seat, casting a frightened look like a deer, quietly and cautiously, just like a lovely mimosa.

This time she held a small shield in her hand, which was a yellow book. When Yuichi returned her sight, she would immediately hide behind the book.

Is that the brave man's shield that hides him from the Demon King's sight?

Yuichi didn't have the time to flirt with her, even though she looked delicate and pretty, which was his type, but... after their first contact, she was so scared that she trembled like a baby bird seeing a hawk, and Yuichi was too lazy to pay attention to her anymore.

Because of mutual assistance today, I returned home a little late. The street lights in the residential area were already on and the residents hid in their homes and were unwilling to go out.

“Aaaaaaaa!”

A girl's scream was heard from behind. It was a cry for help out of fear. I guess she was molested by a gangster.

Yuichi adhered to the principle of saving people when there were few people and calling the police when there were many people, and walked towards the alley at the back.

Accidents always happen in places where light cannot reach. It was dim, and Yuichi did not turn on the conspicuous flashlight, but used the faint light from the mobile phone screen to find the way.

The screaming happened at the corner ahead. Yuichi wanted to lean against the wall to observe first...

44. the past

A petite figure rushed out from the corner and hid her whole body behind Yuichi, like a small animal seeking shelter when injured. Her delicate cry for help sometimes tempted people to commit a crime:

"Yuu-chan, save me!"

Yuichi's heart suddenly jumped up, he thought he was discovered.

When he looked down, he saw that the person hiding behind him was the girl who had been spying on him. Although he was a little concerned about why she knew his name, the most urgent thing was to solve the problem at hand.

Since the girl has escaped, Youichi's current position is likely to have been exposed. In fact, escaping directly at this time is the best option, but... when he saw the bamboo sword in the girl's hand and the faint wailing sound coming from the alley.

Yuichi changed his mind.

The flashlight on the mobile phone was turned on, and under the strong light, several bad guys lying on the ground, twisted like maggots, were nowhere to hide. Coincidentally, Youyi knew one of them - Tobe Sho.

The light illuminated their terrified faces. They looked normal when they saw Yuichi and the others, but when they saw the girl behind Yuichi, the bad guys covered different parts of their bodies and fled in panic.

"You did it?"

Although he was doubtful, Yuichi was basically certain, but he didn't dare to believe that the bamboo sword and the delicate girl could chop down several boys of the same age.

The girl's beautiful deep purple eyes went from being confused to being clear. She put the bamboo sword into the sword bag, lowered her head and responded softly.

Her personality seems to be so introverted and she doesn't like to talk. Her virtuous and gentle temperament like a Yamato Nadeshiko and her superb swordsmanship give Yuichi a great contrast and leave a deep impression.

"And do you know my name?"

The girl tilted her head, the corners of her mouth slightly raised with honey, her watery eyes curved into crescents: "Hoshino Yuichi."

Then she added: "Yuu-chan."

The sweet and somewhat unfair smile coupled with the intimate address made Yuichi's heart seem to melt.

"You-chan, are you free tonight? Mom misses you so much." The girl's eyes were filled with anticipation, and the deep purple gems were soft yet fragile, making it hard for Youyi to refuse.

…………

It was another train, but this time the two were very close. Youichi could smell the sweet fragrance of the girl, not too strong, but just right to penetrate the heart, reserved and dignified.

She sat there very properly. Was she some young lady who was ignorant of the ways of the world?

Youichi could feel the girl's closeness to him, but he had no idea where this closeness came from.

"Do you still remember me, Yuu-chan?"

Her soft voice exudes a purity that is as clear as a stream and cannot be polluted.

Youyi met her gaze and looked at her face carefully, her big shy and sensitive eyes, her skin as white as snow and as delicate as jade, which made her long, black and thick hair even more striking.

He compared the memories of the original owner one by one, but still couldn't find the corresponding person. If she was such a gentle and quiet girl, he should not have forgotten her.

Helpless, Youyi had to shake his head.

The girl's brows kept drooping, and then she forced a smile, which was as heartbreaking as a fleeting beauty. Her beauty was delicate and fragile, making people feel pity for her.

"That's right. After all, it's been so long, it's normal that Yuu-chan doesn't remember."

"I'm Kotonoha, Katsura Kotonoha."

Taking advantage of the hope in the girl's eyes, Yuichi captured a hazy fragment of memory.

The park was almost empty in the evening. Children of the same age all ran back home to wait for their mothers to prepare meals for them to eat, while Youichi, who had lost his mother, was floating in the park like duckweed.

Hoshino Atsuo didn't go home so early. Even if Yuichi went home before dark, the house would be empty and he would be alone, and the feeling of loneliness would be bitter.

But in the park, he can slide down the slide over and over again without getting tired of it and temporarily put his worries aside.

Until one day, a beautiful woman followed by a timid little girl walked into the park where Yuichi was alone.

The girl was wearing an exquisite little dress and was very cute, like a porcelain doll, but she was extremely reserved, like a caged bird going out for the first time, and was afraid of everything around her.

When someone came, Youyi unconsciously restrained himself and sat quietly on the bench without saying a word.

They looked like they were from wealthy or prominent families who came out to experience life. Yuichi felt inferior due to the loss of his mother. He didn't dare to look up and could only glance at them secretly through the cover of his bangs.

The beautiful woman seemed to have said something to the little girl, and the girl walked towards Yuichi timidly, like a precise but rigid robot, and just sat beside Yuichi, not saying anything and seemed to be hesitating, as if she was confused after completing an order.

The two children sitting together did not show any vitality or prosperity. Instead, they looked dull and weird, as if they were two old people who were gloomy and dying.

Finally, it seemed that the beautiful woman couldn't bear it anymore. She grabbed the two little ones and took them to the slide, ordering them to play.

Naturally, Youichi didn't dare to resist and did as he was told. With Youichi's leadership, the girl gained the courage and with the beautiful woman's affirmation, she dared to climb up.

Sliding down the slide all the way to the end might be the simplest joy for a child. A smile gradually appeared on the girl's timid face. It seemed to be her first time playing it. It was also the first time for Youyi to see someone having so much fun on a slide.

Youichi was infected by her smile, and his lonely heart was healed a little.

The happy time was very short, perhaps only an hour, and the woman returned home with the girl who was still unsatisfied.

From then on, the mother and daughter would appear at a fixed time every day, and Youichi was no longer lonely in the evening. The girl was cuter than he had imagined, and the woman was very gentle.

When Youichi fell, he stubbornly held back his tears and didn't let himself cry. After all, no one could comfort him, and the person his cries could convey was no longer in this world.

It was just like this that he was picked up by the woman. At that time, Youyi was flattered and even felt that he had robbed the girl of her mother's love. He had never tasted such delicate comfort and he easily took away every bit of kindness from others.

Watching the woman bandaging his wounds and comforting him softly, the tears that had been held back for a lifetime finally did not stop.

As he sobbed, he carefully let out his bitterness bit by bit, fearing that revealing too much would scare away the hard-earned tenderness.

Amidst the tears, a pair of small hands gently touched his head, as if to comfort himself...

The girl's porcelain-like face in my memory overlaps with the pretty face in front of me, and her timid big eyes seem to have never changed.

45. Beautiful Woman

"Yuu-chan, it's so great to see you again."

Katsura Kotonoha raised her eyes and smiled. Her smile came from the bottom of her heart, but Youichi still felt a slight gap between them.