Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

"Eh?"

"Su Shi, stop arguing."

Just as Shiina Riki took a step back and the irritated anger on his face gradually turned into sadness, Wakaba Mutsu spoke.

"Higashi will be unhappy."

Then she only used one sentence to make the somewhat angry Nagasaki Suyo pause for a moment.

Shiina Riki slowly touched her face with an expression of disbelief, then in a flash, she turned around, quickly threw down her drumsticks and rushed out of the rehearsal room.

"Shiina?"

At the front desk, Shiina Riki's colleagues looked at her running out with a worried expression.

"Let's stop here for today's cooperation. It would be better to catch up with Shiina and take a look."

At this moment, Hachiman Kailing walked in with Kaname Rakuna, who was holding a cup of matcha parfait in her hand.

However, Kaname Rakuna, who always loved Matcha Parfait, did not immediately attack poor Parfait.

Instead, he stared closely at Nagasaki Suyo in front of him.

"I'm sorry for letting you see our loss of composure."

Nagasaki Suyo apologized to Hachiman Kailing.

"It's ok."

And Hachiman Kailing just responded calmly.

"The problem with Shiina is more important. You need to handle it properly."

After saying this, Hachiman Kailing finally left with Kaname Rakuna.

"..."

Once again, with the departure of Shiina Riki, the rehearsal room fell into silence.

On the other side, Shiina Riki ran to an empty corner, leaned against the wall, and slowly fell down.

What are the emotions in your heart?

Not willing to give in?

pain?

Don’t understand?

Or something else——

Iruma Hibiki's previous words were still lingering and echoing in her heart.

The pain on my face—

Yes, she made a mistake again because of her own heart.

Because of my impatience.

He said something excessive because of his inferiority complex.

Even the word "we" was used.

In fact, she is the only one who is lacking.

I don’t know how much time passed before Shiina Riki’s phone rang.

She answered the phone without even looking up, then said hello calmly.

"Shiina."

Then--

Shiina Riki heard Iruma Hibiki's voice.

"Just now, my friend who used to work with me told me that Shiina ran out of the Ring crying. What happened?"

"..."

Shiina Riki wanted to say something.

But at this moment I couldn't say anything.

"Iruma, I'm ready to quit Crychic."

It was not until a long time had passed that Shiina Riki said this.

"Are you serious, Shiina?"

"..."

In response to Iruma Hibiki's question, Shiina Riki remained silent.

"I'll...go back to Tokyo right away..."

After a moment of silence, Iruma Hibiki made his own decision.

28 Shiina Riki's Voice

"Doesn't it matter?"

In the speeding Maybach, Iruma Hibiki asked while looking at his father's profile.

"Your mother is accompanying you at the hospital, so it's no problem."

At this moment, Hibiki Iruma was speeding towards the airport with the help of Yoshiaki Iruma. Kyoto was a little congested at night, especially on the roads in the city, so Yoshiaki Iruma chose to take a big detour. With the speed of the Maybach, even if it was a long detour, it would be much faster than getting stuck in the traffic in the city.

"Rather, the problem now is with you. Don't leave any regrets. The key to the house is in the drawer next to you."

"Um……"

Iruma Hibiki silently opened the drawer and saw the key ring inside.

"Hibiki, are you going back to Kyoto?"

Then Iruma Yoshiaki asked this.

"I've booked a flight back tomorrow at noon. I can do it for you."

"Isn't it a bit rushed? Otherwise, you can just stay in Tokyo and cancel your plane ticket."

Iruma Yoshiaki's words actually made Iruma Hibiki feel a little moved.

Things in Tokyo do need his attention, and the issues there are very critical.

but--

The other side is family, isn't it?

The choice of which is more important is difficult for anyone to handle smoothly, and Iruma Hibiki was silent for a moment.

"Kyoto, I will come back."

Then he quietly stated his decision.

"Hibiri, just don't do anything you'll regret."

Iruma Yoshiaki said this, and then the outline of Osaka Airport appeared in front of Iruma Hibiki.

An hour and a half later.

The plane landed at Narita Airport in Tokyo, and Iruma Hibiki took the train back to Kasai and went home first.

The meeting place with Shiina Ritsuki was a coffee shop at the tram station near Nishi-Kasai. Originally, Iruma Hibiki wanted to arrange the meeting place in Ikebukuro, but Shiina Ritsuki insisted on choosing Nishi-Kasai.

The reason is--

Worried that he couldn't make it.

In fact, before landing, Iruma Hibiki contacted Toyokawa Shoko and Nagasaki Motoyo, and also found other people to understand the situation.

He already knew what happened at the rehearsal—

"Hibiki, do you want me to apologize to Shiina-san? If that's what you want, I'll do it."

The news from Nagasaki Suyo was so severe.

Even Iruma Hibiki gasped.

After all—

Iruma Hibiki had seen Nagasaki Soyo's cold look, her defenseless look, and her angry look, but this Nagasaki Soyo with a sharp look was definitely really angry with Shiina Riki.

But despite her anger, Nagasaki Suyo maintained ultimate restraint.

【Shoko...】

At this moment, Iruma Hibiki felt that the person he found most difficult to face was Toyokawa Shoko.

Because he was the one who planned and organized this rehearsal, but he had caused Crychic to suffer so much and become so shattered now...

But let’s talk about sad things later.

The most important thing right now is to stabilize the current situation. Iruma Hibiki needs to have a good talk with Shiina Riki.

Ten minutes later, Hibiki Iruma arrived in Nishi-Kasai.

Although Nishi-Kasai Station is not as lively as Ikebukuro, it is also very noisy at night. The cafe where Hibiki Iruma and Tatsuki Shiina met was actually a relatively quiet fast food restaurant.

While providing drinks, the dinner problem can also be temporarily solved. As soon as Iruma Hibiki entered the store, he saw Shiina Tatsuki waiting for him at the seat in the corner.

"Good evening, Shiina."

Iruma Hibiki sat in the seat opposite Shiina Riki.

"good evening."

Shiina Riki avoided his gaze.

During this process, Iruma Hibiki saw the red marks on Shiina Riki's face.

【Sound, Su Shi hits Li Xi.】

From Wakaba Mutsu, Iruma Hibiki knew the whole picture of the situation.

"sorry."

Shiina Riki was the first to apologize.

If she felt more unwilling and angry after the rehearsal failed, then at this moment, when she saw Iruma Hibiki, she was filled with guilt.

For a high school freshman, the distance between Tokyo and Kyoto is actually quite long. To cross such a distance alone...

Very remarkable.

And Iruma Hibiki did this entirely for her, for such an immature girl.

Think carefully about what she said?

【Exit Crychic.】

Shiina Riki wished he could slap himself again at that time.

"Iruma, is your family's situation okay?"

When asked this question.

Iruma Hibiki heard a crying tone in Shiina Riki's voice.

Shiina Riki is about to break down.

The heart is full of holes.

When he realized this, Hibiki Iruma swallowed hard.

He felt tired and anxious.

Like weathering, or like erosion by running water, he felt that he was probably full of cracks at this moment. Facing Shiina Riki's eyes, Iruma Hibiki—

"It's not that serious."

He told the truth.

When Shiina Riki heard Iruma Hibiki say this, his whole body trembled.

"sorry."