Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

Use your worries as your farewell words.

Perhaps this will make separation less painful.

"Xiangzi...you too. Also, come on, Xiangzi, whether it's the band or the trouble that's coming—"

"I believe Xiangzi will be fine."

"However, if Xiangzi feels uneasy, you can always come to me. I will definitely be there."

There was silence for a while. Perhaps Toyokawa Shoko realized that it was time to end it. The man who got off the car looked in her direction, and Toyokawa Shoko hung up the phone in an instant.

The call time on the phone reached several hours again, and Iruma Hibiki saw the moment it stopped.

He didn't take off his headphones for a long time, until——

Diwuwuwu——

Such a harsh sound passed by him.

An ambulance with blue and red lights brought in the injured, and the doctor hurried past Hibiki Iruma and headed for the hospital lobby.

Then——

In front of Hibiki Iruma, the hospital lobby was in chaos.

Finally, no matter what kind of sound it made, it could not cover up the reality of the situation. The silent night of the hospital was broken, and Iruma Hibiki slowly took off his headphones, stepped onto the gray-green marble steps from the light brown and slightly wet concrete floor, and then walked over the green non-slip carpet at the door. He came to the elevator and waited for the elevator for an excessively long time.

"ring."

In the ward, Yoshiaki Iruma had been waiting for a long time.

"You're a little late. What happened?"

This question wasn't actually an accusation, but Hibiki Iruma still stood in front of Yoshiaki Iruma with his head lowered, as if he had made a mistake.

"Nothing, just took some time on the road."

"I see."

Yoshiaki Iruma looked at Hibiki Iruma and nodded.

Then he looked thoughtful.

"Xiang, has the person who came with you gone home?"

At this moment, Yoshiaki Iruma's sudden question made Hibiki Iruma nervous.

"Yeah, I'm going back."

After all—

Visitors to the hospital were registered every day using the same notebook, so it was natural that Nagasaki Suyo's name would be seen by Iruma Yoshiaki.

"Have you handled your relationship with her well?"

Yoshiaki Iruma came in front of Hibiki Iruma. He was tall and mature, but Hibiki Iruma dodged his gaze.

"Ah."

He just responded and then frowned.

"Don't worry, I won't interfere in your affairs. Let's just say, Xiang..."

Iruma Yoshiaki paused for a long time before finally speaking to Iruma Hibiki:

"I want to apologize to you for what happened today, because a lot of what happened now was due to my willfulness."

"But Hibiki, I still want you to understand that family is the most important thing at all times, and you are a child of the Iruma family."

Iruma Hibiki felt a chill all over his body.

For a moment, he felt as if he was seen through by the man in front of him.

Only one in ten of his secrets remain.

Perhaps soon, his father would discover that he had traveled through time.

With such worry, Iruma Hibiki looked up.

"Well, I know, family is the most important thing, and I think so too."

He responded to Yoshiaki Iruma and looked at the old man on the hospital bed.

For a moment, a gravitational force from reality held him tightly.

Hibiki Iruma was silent for a long time until Yoshiaki Iruma left the ward.

After all, his lateness was a bit excessive no matter how you looked at it.

Iruma Hibiki knew it.

He could understand Iruma Yoshiaki.

I can also understand the blame that is not really a blame, after all it is his fault.

but--

【Feel sorry】

He wanted to say that.

【Very good. 】

He was also grateful that his grandmother was not going to die yet.

The troubled heart and memories surged once again, but this time, facing the message from Nagasaki Suyo:

[Hibiki, what are you doing? You should be in the hospital now, right? Are you okay?]

He didn't reply for a long time.

【Xiang, what's going on?】

On the contrary, facing Wakaba Mu's concern, Iruma Hibiki responded:

[Don't worry, Mu, I'm fine. By the way, will Mu go to rehearsal tomorrow?]

[Well, I will go to any rehearsal that Hibiki arranges.]

[Will you force Mu? I don't understand Mu's situation as well as Xiangzi does, so if Mu feels uncomfortable being forced, just tell me directly.]

Iruma Hibiki responded to Wakaba Mutsu, and then a smile appeared on his face again.

It's like an escape.

And on the other side.

Shoko Toyokawa stepped into the huge Toyokawa residence.

She walked through the corridor and saw her father lying exhausted on the sofa, and her mother sitting beside them, looking somewhat angry.

"I am back."

She said this silently.

"Welcome back Xiangzi."

The tired father responded to Toyokawa Shoko.

"Ah."

In the end, Shoko Toyokawa just responded and walked past the man towards her room.

"Do you still need me to be present for family matters tomorrow?"

Toyokawa Shoko asked this as she was about to leave, perhaps she was trying to say something else:

[I only care about this question. I will leave once I get the answer.]

"Xiangzi, you know."

Toyokawa Shoko's father wanted to explain.

"I see."

But in the end, the only response he got was Toyokawa Shoko's cold words. Then, with the slight sound of the door, Toyokawa Shoko disappeared from her father's sight.

The only thing to do is to enter the dark room and turn on the phone.

Only at this moment could Shoko Toyokawa feel a little comfort.

Crychic's group is very active.

Shiina Riki, who was entrusted with an important task by Iruma Hibiki, was very enthusiastic and even made a terrifying training plan that was a bit scary.

Anyway, it’s a good thing?

From time to time, Toyokawa Shoko could see Iruma Hibiki's reply.

She wanted to say something.

'Neighbor-Dream 亻尔〒N Pull the spirit P? + Wu 邬 現 橋崎 | Yi umbrella But——

Because she had previously told Iruma Hibiki that things might be difficult lately.

If she shows up now, wouldn't it just cause more trouble for everyone who is trying to maintain Crychic's relationship in her absence?

Hibiki Iruma did a great job.

He loves Crychic, which they created together, and is desperately trying to protect it.

only--

When Shoko Toyokawa saw that Crychic could still run without her.

She felt a little like crying.

There is even a hint of unwillingness.

A hint of anger.

Why does it become like this.

She threw the phone away and fell face down on the bed.

"ring……"

In the silent crying after a slight silence, she was muttering the name of Iruma Hibiki.

"Xiangzi..."

The same thing happened to Hibiki Iruma, who was chatting with Wakaba.

22 [Xiang, Su Shi asked me about Xiang]

【Hibiki, Shoko, and Suyo are acting strangely. 】

Wakaba Mutsu's news surprised Iruma Hibiki a little. It didn't make sense, but the pitch-black text just appeared next to Wakaba Mutsu's yellow flower avatar.

It floated on the bubbles without any doubt.

【Mu has already met Su Shi? 】

Hibiki Iruma asked.

Probably with a hint of surprise.

After all, no matter how you look at it, it would be a bit difficult for Nagasaki Suyo to go to school today. Generally speaking, it might be better to take one more day off.

【Um. 】

Wakaba Mu responded.

[What does it mean to become strange? ]

So Iruma Xiang asked, because at this moment, it seemed that only he could touch Wakaba Mu's thoughts by taking the initiative to care. The difference between him and others was that for some reason, it might be very strange.

Iruma Hibiki has a kind of——

It seemed as if Wakaba Mu came to him because he was "desperate".

Of course, the word "desperate" here is a bit too much.

But that's roughly what it means.

Ruo Ye Mu probably couldn't get comfort from anyone else, so he finally chose him to confide in. Ruma Xiang had this feeling.