Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

"Ah."

It was not until this time that Ruoye Mu responded softly.

"So what was Xiaomu doing standing over there just now?"

Nagasaki Suyo asked again.

"..."

This time, Ruo Ye Mu naturally knew that he could not answer with silence.

"do not know."

So she said this.

"Eh?!"

"Puhehe——Xiao Mu is very cute sometimes."

Nagasaki Suyo praised Wakaba Mutsu.

but--

【If Ye Mu is lying.】

She knew about this.

Ruoye Mu always lies to everyone. She seems silent and indecisive, but in fact she always does things that others don't want her to do.

Nagasaki Suyo has this understanding of Wakaba Mutsu.

"Su Shi."

At this moment, Wakaba Mu called out Nagasaki Suyo's name and then looked at her.

"Will Su Shi ask for my opinion?"

Wakaba Mu asked softly.

Perhaps it was because of the recent interactions that she had developed some rare affection and dependence on Nagasaki Suyo?

Although a lot of things happened before.

but--

Nagasaki Suyo's temperature actually has some similarities with Iruma Hibiki.

"Well, of course I will. I will listen to whatever Xiaomu says. So, what do you want to tell me to write?"

In front of Wakaba Mutsu, Nagasaki Suyo showed an overly bright smile and sweet voice.

It's like a gentle mother waiting for her child to confide in her.

"currently there is not."

But Wakaba Mu just shook his head.

Rejected for now.

"Now—can't you just tell me?"

"Ah."

Wakaba Mutsu once again faced Nagasaki Suyo's questioning and replaced rejection with acceptance.

Then she observed Nagasaki Suyo carefully.

It was as if a cucumber fairy was confirming whether the nesting site was safe, cautious and careful, with a hint of confusion and helplessness, as well as fear that something precious was about to disappear.

35 The bus to the airport has witnessed more confessions than the church

The airport bus to Narita Airport arrived at the door of a convenience store near Kasai Ward.

Hibiki Iruma tightened his coat slightly and got on the bus. He quickly chose a seat near the right window and waved to Shoko Toyokawa who was standing on the side of the road.

He actually advised Shoko Toyokawa.

[Even if you're on leave, how about going back and taking a rest? ]

But the response he got was naturally fierce. Toyokawa Shoko insisted on sending him to the door of the airport bus, and even asked him enthusiastically how to buy a ticket in front of the ticket office, as if she wanted to send him all the way to the airport.

It was only at the last stage, when paying the fare for the airport bus, that Shoko Toyokawa stopped her plan.

And Iruma Hibiki also breathed a sigh of relief.

Of course, he was not willing to be separated from Toyokawa Shoko.

Or if he were given a deadline to stay with his lover, he would hope it would be forever.

Iruma Hibiki will probably never forget the night he spent with Toyokawa Shoko, although in the morning, on the way to the bus stop, on the way to Kasai Ward, his conversation with Toyokawa Shoko became a little difficult:

"I've resolved the band's issues. Shiina actually had her own plans and was anxious, so she did this."

"Su Shi was just impulsive. She cherishes the time she spends with the band members more than anyone else. Sometimes—"

"Sometimes?"

When Iruma Hibiki asked this, Toyokawa Shoko asked him back.

So, Hibiki Iruma said it in a different way:

"Sometimes, Sushi takes the band's problems particularly seriously, even more than people who should be closer to her."

Iruma Hibiki changed his words.

And Toyokawa Shoko just nodded.

In fact, she was the one who knew the least about the band members. She just formed the band on her own without getting to know the other members well.

Just like now, she had never seen Hibiki holding her hand so gently and soothing her anxiety about Crychic bit by bit.

"She might have encountered bad people in the past, had a hobby that was not supported by others, and was rejected and disliked by others. So she was a little panicked and lacked the courage to express herself, but in fact—"

"Speaking of which, I also want to apologize to you, Xiangzi. Your behavior back then might not have been bad. As for Deng, she needs someone who can read out her diary."

"Would Hibiki also find Tou's hobbies strange? The rocks and bugs part?"

Toyokawa Shoko asked Iruma Hibiki curiously.

"Where's Xiangzi?"

Iruma Hibiki asked in return.

"I like topics related to insects. I once caught rhinoceros beetles on an island. It was a wonderful memory! As for stones, I don't understand, but they are very interesting."

"Then Xiangzi and I are the same."

"You didn't give me a perfunctory answer?"

Toyokawa Shoko stared at Iruma Hibiki seriously.

"I won't lie to Xiangzi."

And Iruma Hibiki responded to Toyokawa Shoko with a smile.

"I was worried that Xiangzi might be afraid of bugs, so I asked Xiangzi for his opinion first."

"So what if I say I'm afraid of insects, what will happen to Xiang?"

Toyokawa Shoko asked curiously, then with a hint of wanting to torture her lover.

"I hate that too, but I don't hate lights."

Iruma Hibiki replied with a chuckle, not hiding his preference at all.

"As for Mu, I actually communicated with Mu several times, and she—"

When talking about Wakaba Mutsu, Iruma Hibiki actually lowered his head slightly to look at the hand that Toyokawa Shoko was holding with him.

He had some concerns of his own, and Toyokawa Shoko was understandably nervous about this.

"I think Mu actually has her own ideas. She just lacks an opportunity. I just need to ask her more."

But in the end, Hibiki Iruma still gave his opinion on Wakaba Mutsu.

"There are no bad people in Crychic."

Iruma Hibiki said softly.

"So, in fact, the previous conflicts were just minor frictions and miscommunications. They can be resolved simply by dealing with them."

"Hibiki returned to Tokyo because of this, right?"

Toyokawa Shoko asked Iruma Hibiki.

There was probably a hint of trembling in his tone.

Her anxiety reached its peak at this moment.

Even a strong sense of regret has swept over me.

What did she do?

Out of spite, he didn't go to rehearsal that day, and naturally ignored the conflicts in the band, which ultimately led to Hibiki Iruma running such a long distance.

"Well, yes, but there are actually some other reasons."

When Hibiki Iruma said this, Shoko Toyokawa raised her head and looked into Hibiki Iruma's eyes, as if she wanted to hear words that could comfort her.

"Because I'm worried that the gas at home is not turned off."

Then Iruma Hibiki made up a very stupid excuse.

Very stupid, very stupid.

He was so stupid that most people could only feel the gentleness that was leaning towards him surging from his smile.

but--

"Eh?! Is everything okay?"

Toyokawa Shoko showed a worried expression.

"Well, it's already been taken care of, no big deal."

Iruma Hibiki responded.

"Thank you, Xiangzi."

Then he thanked Toyokawa Shoko, stopped, and after hesitating for a moment, stood at the intersection where he was about to leave, with only 15 seconds left before the red light.

Along with the sound of beeping cars and the whizzing morning traffic, a nearby elementary school student wearing a yellow hat passed by in the corner, and a bright and loud song could be heard.

The two of them embraced each other here.

Under an overpass that is similar to the one I first saw, but different.

"Why is it suddenly like this..."

Toyokawa Shoko looked shy. If this kind of interaction happened in a corner where no one could see her, she would probably be happy. But in broad daylight, all she felt was shyness.

This blushing face probably lasted for a very long time.

Hibiki Iruma could be seen through the glass.

The airport bus departure reminder has started, and it will be heading to Narita Airport in about 10 minutes.

Iruma Hibiki sat down in her seat and saw Toyokawa Shoko, who was reluctant to leave. She was breathing out clouds of mist into the air and just staring at her in the slightly cold morning.

Maybe it's because I don't dare to speak loudly.

I didn't dare to shout.

Toyokawa Shoko could only send messages to Iruma:

[Higashi, I will protect our Crychic. I will do my best to be present at the next rehearsal!]

Toyokawa Shoko said this, her eyes flashing with Iruma Hibiki's agreement and beautiful rainbow light.

【Then my responsibility is to protect Xiangzi. 】

Iruma Hibiki said this in a joking manner.

In an instant.

He felt as if he had returned to a long, long time ago, to an afternoon in his previous life. At that time, he sat in the back corner of the classroom, listening to the cicadas outside the window in the annoying summer without air conditioning, distracted by math class, and imagining that a beautiful girl would suddenly rush into the classroom, pull him onto an Apache attack helicopter, and then say to the surprised eyes of the teacher and classmates: