Can Lixi look at me alone?

"Xiao Xiang, come live at my house from now on. I'll cook for you every day."

Hearing words from her that were no less terrifying than the roar of a demon, Xiangzi instinctively wanted to immediately and firmly refuse. But the words stuck in her throat.

Refuse? What reason do I have to refuse to settle down for the month?

She's just worried about me. If I don't go... Yuzuki will be even more worried. But if I go, what will happen to me eating Yuzuki's food and using Yuzuki's things?

This guy will never agree to let me pay… he definitely won’t. So… I can only eat, drink, and stay for free, and use everything that Kizuki prepared for me…

To become Yuzuki's toy? To become a toy devoid of dignity, dependent solely on Yuzuki for survival?

Just thinking about what might happen made Xiangzi's pride and reason scream wildly.

"Absolutely, absolutely not!"

"All Chika Yuzuki thinks about is how to torture you and disgust you! She doesn't care about anything else!"

She wanted to refuse, but didn't know how to say it.

Her reason and her conscience were righteously advising her.

"Shouldn't you have agreed to Yuzuki's request? You've already ruined Yuzuki's life, haven't you? She can't go to school and is discriminated against in society. All of this is because of what you insisted on when she was a child: that Yuzuki is mentally ill."

You have to take responsibility. You have to shoulder the burden of Jieyue's remaining life. You must at least make her happy for the rest of her life.

This is your responsibility.

This is...my responsibility.

Her reason and her pride, intertwined, commanded her to agree to the request.

Do you feel pain? Because feeling pain is exactly what's meant to be, it's designed to make you feel pain!

She thought she heard Yuzuki say that.

"If it doesn't work out, that's fine... I'll always listen to Xiaoxiang."

Jieyue deliberately said these things to torment Xiangzi, suppressing the ever-rising corners of her mouth, preparing to slap her awake after she fell asleep.

If Riki were awake, she would clearly sense that Riki was angry. It seemed she was angry because Xiangzi would rather sleep in that kind of place than ask her for help, or perhaps she simply disliked Xiangzi.

But these words, in Xiangzi's ears...

If it doesn't work out, that's fine. Xiao Xiang, don't worry about me. Focus on your own pride and your own life. I don't need you, and I'm not worth your time or effort…

She seemed to see Yuzuki sacrificing herself for her again…

Just like every time before, except this time, Xiangzi realized this.

"I will go. Sorry to bother you, Yuzuki."

The brief reply drained all of Xiangzi's strength. She accepted the tragic fact that she had abandoned her self-respect in Jieyue's hands and become her undignified toy, while at the same time being glad that she had probably given the only correct answer.

Am I crazy?

They actually agreed to that request? All they needed to do was have Yuzuki change it, right? Yuzuki would have come up with a solution that satisfied me…

Somewhat surprised that she had actually agreed to the request, Yuzuki chuckled softly, stroking the sleeping Mutsu in her arms as she answered.

"I'm just kidding."

How could I possibly let you live with me? I don't want to see your face that's always crying.

The pink-haired girl gently kissed Mu's cheek, then said goodnight to Xiangzi, who seemed lost in thought.

Shoko forced a "goodnight" and sighed. Was what Yuzuki said really just a joke?

Is it really not because you sensed my...dislike that you said that?

Yuzuki, that troublesome woman, has been taking care of me all along... But what about me? What else can I do? How can I repay this warmth that has accompanied me for so long? How can I make up for all the mistakes I made in the past? And... what should I do to ensure that Yuzuki's remaining life is filled with happiness?

She closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep no matter what she did.

Irritability, anxiety, depression, guilt.

All sorts of negative emotions urged her to come up with a solution quickly, but the more she tried to think of an answer, the less she could come up with one.

She even considered whether going home to become the heir of the Toyokawa family might help Yuzuki... but Yuzuki didn't need that identity of hers at all.

Does that mean I have to be in a band with Yuzuki for the rest of my life? Bringing up the band in front of Yuzuki again would probably make her cry…

Damn it, I can't think of anything...

Unable to sleep all night, Xiangzi waited until the sun rose and the sky began to lighten, but she still couldn't fall asleep. In fact, in order not to wake Jieyue, she didn't turn over at all, remaining in an uncomfortable position all night.

Jieyue, who had been waiting for her to fall asleep before slapping her, gritted her teeth in anger.

齿。

What are you thinking about in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

She also stayed up all night with Xiangzi.

Finally unable to bear it any longer, Xiangzi turned around and glanced at Yuzuki. Noticing that she seemed to still be resting, he reached out and gently touched her cheek.

Fortunately, Yuzuki's complexion was always poor, so Xiangzi didn't notice the dark circles under her eyes hidden under her hair.

"Ugh…"

The girl's sigh made Yuzuki unable to hold back any longer.

She pretended to have just woken up, making two soft moaning sounds before squinting her eyes.

"Xiao Xiang...is it morning yet?"

Xiangzi gently stroked her head, hoping it would make her feel more comfortable.

"It's okay, it's still early. You can sleep for a long time..."

Then you go to sleep too, I'm going to slap you again today.

"Hmm... then, Xiang, let's sleep together too..."

As if she were being coquettish, Yuzuki bypassed Mutsu in her arms and nimbly rolled over to Xiangzi's side, hugging her tightly and nuzzling against her.

"Good night…"

Holding his childhood friend in his arms, inhaling her soft citrus scent, Xiangzi's emotions suddenly collapsed at that moment.

Tears suddenly streamed down my face without any warning.

She cried and begged Jieyue to forgive her, to forgive the mistakes she had made in the past, and to give her a chance to start over.

She was just an ordinary girl who lived with her impoverished father, who had been kicked out of his family home, and relied on her own efforts to feed herself and her father.

Everyone makes mistakes, but the difference is that some people admit them while others don't.

Only by acknowledging mistakes can we have the opportunity to correct them.

Xiangzi's offensive had a very noticeable effect. After glancing back at Mutsu and Riki, who were about to be woken up, Jieyue abandoned her desire to slap her. Dragging her somewhat weary body, she pulled her into her arms…

Do you want to try holding Xiao Xiang?

Hmm...no need, I used to always hold her. It's just so troublesome when she cries, there's no way around it...

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that she would be comforting the weeping Xiangzi instead of continuing to mock her and make her cry even harder. After a sigh, Yuzuki gently stroked the back of the girl's head.

"Ugh...cough..."

That place couldn't even be called a home. Dad was like a useless person... He couldn't do anything except drink! And he was always getting angry at me...

Eating only one meal a day is truly painful, and that customer service job is just as tedious. Every day is either being yelled at or silently cursing my father in my mind—I've had enough…

I'm so sorry, Yuzuki, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry...

I forgot everything about us. I ruined you and made you like this. I forced you to sever your ties with Deng and Su Shi.

I made mistakes, I made so many mistakes... so many mistakes...

Yuzuki's gentle attempts to comfort Xiangzi only resulted in Xiangzi crying louder and louder. Helplessly, she shook her head at Lixi, who had already been woken up, and then gently patted Xiangzi's back to help her catch her breath.

Yuzuki wasn't quite sure what had happened to her, but... she could barely guess why Xiangzi lived in that kind of place, why he looked like he hadn't had a full meal in years, and why he came home so late every day.

Why is there a lingering smell of alcohol in the house?

I don't want to help you.

She spoke in her heart to the blue-haired girl in front of her who was constantly crying.

I have never liked you as a friend, and I have never thought that I would be close to you.

I will help you, simply because seeing you cry makes me feel pain from the bottom of my heart.

Don't think I've forgiven you.

Having comfortably vented her grievances and resentment in Yuzuki's arms, Xiangzi sobbed as she raised her head. Once she calmed down, she naturally realized how loud her crying had been.

She also knew that Mu and Riki, who were pretending to be asleep next to her, were doing so to give her, or rather, to give Yuzuki face.

I am sorry.

She couldn't bring herself to say those words about her childhood games.

She owed Jieyue so much, so much that she couldn't bring herself to say "I'm sorry" so easily.

"Xiao Xiang, it's okay... it's okay, Jieyue is always here."

The gentle, warm voice made her eyes well up with tears again.

She didn't know what to do.

She was just a girl with some talent. How could she make amends to Yuzuki, how could she bear the burden of Yuzuki's remaining life, how could she support her father who only knew how to drink, and how could she face the Toyokawa family who had raised her all along?

Countless "what ifs" completely overwhelmed the girl's already tense nerves. If it weren't for Yuzuki... she could still deceive herself into thinking things would get better...

But Yuzuki was right in front of her, and Yuzuki was injured and hospitalized because of her so-called "things will get better later".

These are all consequences she caused.

Yuzuki cared about her; she always had. Even after what she did, Yuzuki continued to try to help her.

Yuzuki is neither a tool of the Toyokawa family nor a toy given to her by the Chika family.

She was just a little girl who worried about her friends.

So, am I going to disappoint Yuzuki again?

She raised her bright red and golden eyes and looked at the slightly tired eyes of the girl in front of her.

"Yuzuki...can you trust me one more time?"

No.

The pink-haired girl's gentle smile reassured her; she had never imagined that she would cry in Yuzuki's arms for so long so easily.

This is the consequence of accumulating all the pressure and then letting it explode; nobody knows what will happen... including myself.

"Xiao Xiang must be very tired. I always believed that Xiao Xiang could handle everything."

Xiangzi nodded slightly.

"From now on... I'll go to Yuzuki's house and keep you company."

While gradually erasing old debts from the ledger, he added more food and lodging expenses. Xiangzi silently stared at the ledger filled with debts in his heart; he wasn't begging for Jieyue's mercy.

This is to help Jieyue pay back her every day's rent and every meal.

Once I get into Haneoka High School and receive a scholarship, I can organize something to make money quickly there, or I can find a job after graduating from high school...

She will personally repay all the debt owed to Jieyue, bit by bit.

She will spend the rest of her life atoning for the sins of her childhood.

"Okay, Xiao Xiang, you should get some rest. You can sleep for a long time..."

Yuzuki, who seemed uninterested in the topic, yawned.

Coming to stay at my house? Really? Why the sudden change of heart? Is it because I tore down Xiao Xiang's window?

Wow, Xiao Xiang has this kind of quirk. She'll stay at whoever breaks her window.

The girl, who never imagined she could pay off her debts, never thought things would turn out well.

Due to lack of rest and very unstable emotions.

All Jieyue could think about now was waiting for Xiaoxiang to fall asleep quickly so she could slap him again.