Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

But of course that didn't work.

"sorry."

Shoko Toyokawa lowered her head and apologized, her voice a little soft, completely lacking her usual confidence.

"It's ok."

Iruma Hibiki responded softly.

How could he blame Toyokawa Shoko?

Rather, he actually had a mentality of wanting to show off at this moment. The makeup powder left by his lover on his chest was a badge of honor for a boy who had just fallen in love.

It's never too much to show off.

But Iruma Hibiki has no friends to show off to.

If you think about it carefully, is it because his social circle is too full of women and lacks some men who can show off to him?

Thinking about something strange, Iruma Hibiki gently put his arm around Toyokawa Shoko's shoulders.

Yes, a hug between lovers can change things.

Because that is recognition.

Also a license.

It was a signal from the girl to the boy—

You can approach me now.

Even if you do something intimate, I won't resist, but will be happy instead.

Thus, the distance between Hibiki Iruma and Shoko Toyokawa was shortened.

When they stood side by side again and wanted to move forward, they were both reluctant to leave such a distance. Perhaps it was this reluctance and unwillingness that made Toyokawa Shoko hold her arm even tighter before moving forward again, to the point that she wanted to merge the half of her body holding hands into Iruma Hibiki's body, as if the two of them had become conjoined twins.

Iruma Hibiki felt a little bit tired. The force exerted by Toyokawa Shoko made him keep moving to one side of the road until he had no way to retreat. The two of them walked along the roadside towards their destination.

"Would Xiangzi think that comic internet cafes are a bit bad..."

He then asked worriedly.

"Eh? Why?"

Toyokawa Shoko was somewhat puzzled by such doubts, but she could feel Iruma Hibiki's entanglement and distress.

"From what Hibiki said, it should be a very interesting place, right? I want to go see the places Hibiki likes, too."

Then, Toyokawa Shoko's matter-of-fact answer made Iruma Hibiki feel that his worries seemed a bit boring and meaningless. After all, Toyokawa Shoko was just like that.

Iruma Hibiki couldn't help but chuckle, booked a room online, and then took Toyokawa Shoko to the store.

"Hey! What an exquisite room! Are all the books here available for us to borrow?"

"um, yes."

After entering the room that had been reserved, Xiang quickly ordered two hot drinks.

"Xiangzi, is there somewhere you want to go? Tonight?"

Then he sat in a corner of the sofa and asked, while Shoko Toyokawa was obviously attracted by the comic books on the bookshelf.

The computer on the table was turned on by Ruma Xiang.

In fact, the purpose of turning on the computer at this moment is not to play games, but just a habit. Iruma Hibiki is not a frequent visitor here, and this is one of his first times here.

"Hmm... let me think about it..."

Toyokawa Shoko pondered for a while.

It seems that he is a little undecided.

"RIng's rehearsal room!"

Then she decisively gave an answer that was very much in her style.

"Ring is closed at this time, and..."

Iruma Hibiki was silent for a while.

What he actually wanted to say next was:

【Is it okay for Xiangzi not to rest tonight? 】

Although Toyokawa Shoko looked ready to stay up late, she was full of energy and even a little excited.

But Iruma Hibiki could never let her stay up late with him so calmly.

Perhaps it is a trace of pity in my heart, or perhaps it is the inertia brought about by some other people's words.

Iruma Hibiki didn't know how to express this concern.

not to mention--

Wouldn’t such a conversation cross the line?

And a little weird.

That's probably what Hibiki Iruma thought, until Shoko Toyokawa sat down next to him with a comic book in her hands.

The comic book seemed to be adapted from a time-travel light novel, and there were large gold-plated characters on the cover commemorating the sale of 3 copies.

Iruma Hibiki actually thought that Toyokawa Shoko might prefer more literary works.

But I didn't expect that the first comic she chose would be about the "other world".

"It's closed..."

With a hint of regret, Toyokawa Shoko came and sat next to Iruma Hibiki.

"I can……"

Then, in front of Iruma Hibiki, he saw Toyokawa Shoko with a blushing face.

"Lean on the ring?"

With her voice becoming softer and softer, Toyokawa Shoko told Iruma Hibiki what she was thinking.

She was actually feeling uneasy.

Perhaps he also has some dissatisfaction with Iruma Hibiki.

Of course, this is just a topic about Nagasaki Suyo.

And deep down in my heart, there was that small grudge I had against Hibiki Iruma because they were lovers.

So no matter how to say it, at this moment, Toyokawa Shoko hopes to replace this kind of uneasiness by demanding more distance. The hug just now is like some kind of switch.

But for Hibiki Iruma, this kind of contact was a little too intimate.

It made him feel drunk and dazed.

But now, at this moment, this feeling may not be so bad.

"Xiangzi..."

② Hibiki muttered Toyokawa Shoko's name, and the so-called closeness between the two was just the degree of rubbing their arms against each other.

For Shoko Toyokawa, this distance could probably be considered extremely close.

After all, she has no experience in love or establishing intimate relationships with others.

Naturally, such contact, in her mind, is——

"There's a music store nearby that's open in the early morning and you can rent a rehearsal room. Xiangzi, are you planning to go?"

Iruma Hibiki quickly searched on her phone and found a store that met her requirements.

"Forget it, just stay here."

But soon, Shoko Toyokawa gave up this plan.

After a moment of hesitation and confusion, Hibiki Iruma found the answer in Toyokawa Shoko's eyes.

33 Failed Expectations

Hibiki Iruma looked at the time on the flight ticket on her phone, and then made a reservation for the airport bus to the airport, which would depart in 4 hours.

The rental period for the comic internet cafe is actually approaching.

Beside him, Shoko Toyokawa was sleeping soundly on the soft sofa, covered with his coat.

five two six six five twenty two five one

It was probably around the early morning when Shoko Toyokawa could no longer hold on.

At that time, it just so happened that the topics they wanted to talk about recently had all come to an end.

The comic in Toyokawa Shoko's hand seemed to have just turned to the part where the hero and the heroine met. It seemed that some misunderstanding occurred between the two, and in the next scene there was a whole scene of the two fighting.

It seems to be a classic story of acquaintance through fighting.

Did you fall asleep because you were bored? Or was it just natural that you were sleepy?

Hibiki Iruma had no idea what Toyokawa Shoko was saying.

Just looking at Shoko Toyokawa curled up there, he felt a little unbearable at night.

Some time passed and it was time for the group to become lively.

From somewhere, probably from Goto Ichiri, Ijichi Hongka seemed to have learned the news of his return.

Good morning, Hibiki. Are you back in Tokyo?! Let's go to Shimokitazawa together later!

Seeing Ijichi Hongka's surprised greeting, Iruma Hibiki gave a slightly wry smile.

In this cramped room, he and Shoko Toyokawa spent an extremely precious night last night, but when the night ended and the day dawned, Tokyo welcomed the sunrise again.

Things that have been bothering you will resurface.

[Sorry, Hongxia, I just came back yesterday to take care of some things, and I have to go back to Kyoto at noon today.]

Iruma Hibiki responded to Ijichi Nikka.

At this moment, Ijichi Hongxia was humming a song while hanging the clothes she had washed while making breakfast on the clothesline, and she looked back at her mobile phone from time to time.

When Iruma Hibiki's message came, Ijichi Hongka quickly put down the clothes basket and ran towards the phone.

Then she saw Hibiki Iruma's reply.

……

[Eh?! Are you in such a hurry?! Are you going back now?]

【um, yes. 】

Seeing the news from Iruma Hibiki, Ijichi Hongka's excitement faded a little, and the good mood that had been full of anticipation since morning was also slightly covered with a layer of dust.

[Thank you for your hard work, Xiang. Have you solved the troublesome matter? ]

[Well, it's solved, don't worry.]

……

Having come to this point, Ijichi Kouka actually still has a lot to say to Iruma Hibiki.

Like what happened at school recently.

End of the band thing.

Pochi-chan's thing.

Kita things.

but--

Ijichi Nikka thought that the opportunity to talk about these topics would come right now. She had made plans to wait for Iruma Hibiki to return to school, and then they would do a lot of things together. She also wanted to immediately bring Yamada Ryo, Pochi-chan and the others along.

Kita also said that the performance she missed before made her very concerned.

Even when she mentioned that she had made an appointment with Iruma Hibiki, Goto Ichiri trembled all over, looking particularly pitiful and worrying, which made Ijichi Nijika a little worried.

In short, Yiji Chi Hongxia has a lot to say.

But none of them could say it out loud at this time.