Can Lixi look at me alone?

"Are you feeling unwell? I'll come see you after school."

That's true, after all, I didn't go to school today...

"Thank you, Riki-chan! I'll be waiting at home."

She then exited the chat interface and scrolled down... looking for an unread message from someone she wanted to see.

But she failed; the man didn't say a word, not even the slightest greeting.

Li Xi's Panda

The profile picture jumped slightly.

"Take care of your health and don't force yourself to do anything."

"You are very important to me."

Looking at the words expressing her feelings on the screen, Yuzuki's tender heart trembled.

The finger that was just about to ask Lixi-chan about Hailing's news was moved aside from the phone screen.

"Ah."

The brief, emotionless reply made Lixi grip her phone tightly with some nervousness.

Expressing one's feelings before Yuzuki inquires about Hailing's situation may not be the right thing to do, but since it's a choice that's already been made, let's just assume it was the right one.

Her purple eyes glanced furtively at Hailing, who was still catching up on sleep at the table.

This outcome is due to your inaction.

It has nothing to do with me.

Yuzuki continued browsing unread messages, but apart from Riki-chan's concern... everyone else's messages were just junk.

A group of classmates who added her as a Line friend while she was having trouble refusing were forwarding her a video and asking her what happened and why she was crying so sadly, or asking how she met Miaomengqin and praising her excellent acting skills.

Not understanding what was wrong with these people so early in the morning, Jieyue clicked on the link.

Then she saw herself, or rather… the whole process of being found, taken home, and comforted from the perspective of the cat-like girl. After watching it several times to make sure that the part where she caused trouble and broke the porcelain bowl hadn't been uploaded, Yuzuki finally felt relieved.

But what should they do next? The pink-haired girl spent some time coming up with a solution.

It's better to just say it was your acting skills; that way you can avoid being asked by a bunch of people why you cried.

Besides... you've already been told you're too much trouble, so don't cry.

Yuzuki made a decision, using this excuse to fool all the classmates who cared about her.

Finally, he picked up the lunchbox, walked out of the room, hailed a taxi, and headed to Xiangzi's school with her lunch.

Xiangzi, who was still debating whether to buy a vegetable sandwich or a piece of cream bread for lunch, felt his phone vibrate.

"Where is Xiaoxiang's class?"

Without further ado, Yuzuki asked her question directly. Although this attitude of asking questions without saying anything made Shoko feel a little uncomfortable, she knew that if she didn't answer properly, she would feel even more uncomfortable.

So he simply reported his class location to Qingmei.

"Well, I see."

The little octopus, expecting a scolding from Yuzuki for not waking her up to cook, was surprised by Qingmei's calm demeanor. Based on her understanding of Yuzuki, this usually meant Yuzuki was preparing a surprise for her—

"How can I get the security guard to let me in?"

Xiangzi's hand trembled as he looked out the window and, sure enough, saw a pink figure at the school gate.

Shoko, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, raised her hand to signal the teacher and walked out of the classroom. While on the phone, she prayed that Yuzuki wouldn't claim to be Toyokawa Shoko and force her way into the school.

Shoko, who was already reluctant to socialize with her classmates, naturally didn't want to become famous. After all, being discovered by acquaintances that she had left Tsuki no Mori and come to Haneoka to study was hardly something to be proud of.

Yuzuki, who had already emphasized to the gatekeeper that she was Toyokawa Shoko, got through on the phone and was then led inside by Shoko amidst the gatekeeper's helpless gaze.

"So Yuzuki came here just to bring me lunch?"

"Eat it or not."

With only a few minutes left of lunch break, Xiangzi, unable to bring Jieyue into the classroom with him, simply gave up the remaining time of the class and pulled her to the stairwell where he usually ate lunch.

No one usually passes by here, so there's no need to worry about Jieyue being seen by others.

Xiangzi knew exactly who this "other person" was.

Fearing a chain reaction after her childhood friend met with the lantern, the little blue octopus patted Yuzuki on the shoulder.

"How about I take Yuzuki away from school after the lunch break ends and the class bell rings?"

Yuzuki, who had no idea that Akari was also in this school, shook her head.

"I'm taking tonics."

Dividing line

Holy crap, is this Mujica plot even something a human could come up with?

pytime ~ Ichinose Motoyo, Never Give Up!

"My inner lid!" ×2

The silence of Asukayama Park was shattered by a piercing scream.

Toyokawa Shoko looked down at the two Nagasaki Motoyo kneeling on the rain-splashed path. Four identical slender hands were tightly gripping her arms, their trembling frequencies exactly the same.

She rubbed her throbbing temples as the streetlights suddenly became blinding.

"Without Xiangzi, I..."

"Without Xiangzi, the promise of Kasuga Kage..."

Two sobs overlapped in the rain, like mirrored movements replicated. If there were an observer at this moment, they would probably be amazed by the tacit understanding that rivaled the synchronization rate of mechs.

In the shadows, Wakaba Mutsu gripped the thick rope tightly in her hand.

"I really...I really can't lose you again!"

A confession stirred up a wave of sound that startled the remaining raindrops from the branches.

As Ichinose Motoyo gazed at Toyokawa Shoko, who looked exactly the same as before, she suddenly remembered the moonlight that had been shattered on that stormy night.

Are the trajectories of fate in different worlds so absurd that they must be replicated?

It just didn't work.

She met Xiangzi's wavering gaze and slowly raised her chin.

"Let 'Ichinose Motoyo' vanish from this world. In exchange, please let this caged bird beside me..." The blood-stained tip of the knife touched his Adam's apple.

Volume 2 Mygo!! Chapter 30: Xiao Xiang is in love?

"I'm taking tonics."

Shoko, who was opening her lunchbox, choked on her saliva and coughed incessantly, covering her mouth. Her slightly narrowed golden eyes looked at Yuzuki with a hint of reproach, as if questioning why she hadn't listened to her.

Actually, it didn't matter to Jieyue whether she went back early or late; she just habitually talked back to Xiaoxiang.

The pink-haired girl, who was pleased to see the distraught Xiao Xiang, patted her on the back to help her catch her breath, while secretly pulling out a strand of blue hair.

Consider it compensation for her scolding me last night.

Or maybe it's compensation for not waking me up during the day, but whatever.

Holding the lunchbox close to his chest, he used a spoon to scoop out the small octopus from the fried rice and began to enjoy Qingmei's culinary skills.

Jieyue had no appetite and didn't know who else she knew at the school. With nowhere to go, she could only sit next to Xiangzi and wait for her to finish eating so that Xiangzi could show her around the school or take her out.

Anyway, there's nothing to do here. Lixi-chan isn't here... and Hailing isn't here either.

Xiao Xiang is all alone here.

Xiangzi had intended to maintain the elegant dining etiquette of a young lady, savoring each bite of Jieyue's cooking. However, the thought of the devastating consequences if Jieyue were to come into contact with the lamp made her abandon all manners.

Xiao Xiang wolfing down her food was a sight that Jieyue rarely saw. After handing her a bottle of water, Jieyue picked up her phone and started recording.

Frustrated and anxious by her, Xiangzi could only roll her eyes at her as a form of protest, though it was useless and only made Jieyue a little happier.

Ignoring a slight stinging pain in his stomach, Xiangzi drank half a bottle of water to dissolve the remaining rice grains in his digestive tract. After wiping his mouth with a tissue handed to him by Jieyue, he quickly assembled the food.

She pulled up her childhood friend, who was still mocking her, and prepared to go downstairs with the lunchbox in hand.

"Go this way, it's far from the classroom, so there will be far fewer people here."

Xiangzi casually offered an explanation, not caring whether Jieyue understood or not, and only concerned with leaving the teaching building quickly so that Jieyue would lose the possibility of meeting the lamp.

"Why is Xiaoxiang in such a hurry? Is class about to start? Or is there something else you need to do?"

Recalling how ravenously she had been wolfing down her food, Jieyue subconsciously thought she had delayed something important for Xiaoxiang, after all, she had never seen such a hasty little octopus trying to save time.

"No... but you can think of it this way. Let's get out of here quickly, and you can go straight home...! Don't come to the school to see me again."

This sounds like Xiao Xiang has some secret at school... a secret he can't let me know.

Not satisfied with this answer, Jieyue gradually slowed her pace, forcing Xiangzi to slow down as well to walk slowly with her.

"Is Yuzuki tired? There's a bench over there at the back of the teaching building; no one will see you if you rest there..."

A bad feeling inexplicably arose in Xiangzi's heart. She shook her head to regain her rationality and then chose to drag and pull Jieyue, who was resisting her, onto the bench to 'rest'.

The girl, who was no match for Xiangzi in terms of strength, silently observed her childhood friend who was carrying a lunchbox in front of her.

Xiangzi kept looking left and right, as if wary of people suddenly appearing from somewhere... and he even deliberately blocked her from seeing the people who might appear.

Feeling playful, Yuzuki stuck out her tongue and gave Qingmei's retreating figure a mischievous smile.

"So Xiao Xiang is in love. Although I'm curious about what kind of girl Xiao Xiang likes, there's no need to block me like this, is there?"

As Jieyue, who was spouting nonsense, saw Xiangzi turn around with a dark face, she forcibly pulled her up from the chair and walked along the edge of the teaching building toward the school gate.

"If you're not tired, let's hurry up and leave! Don't waste time..."

He was clearly trying to help Jieyue, but she not only didn't appreciate it and kept causing trouble. You can imagine how bad Xiangzi's mood is right now.

If I wasn't afraid you'd be upset if you touched the light... I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to take you back.

Yuzuki's body couldn't resist, but her mouth could.

"Could it be that Xiao Xiang has really fallen for another girl? Does Xiao Mu know about this? Xiao Mu and I need to find out who Xiao Xiang likes, right? Oh... and Chu Hua too, could it be that Xiao Xiang has even... "

For the first time, Xiangzi found her mouth so annoying that he squeezed her hand tightly, ending Yuzuki's trash talk attack with a muffled groan.

"Hurry up and leave, stop talking nonsense."

Kizuki, who was already in a bad mood, calmed down and obediently let Shoko lead her to the school gate with her head down.

"Um...she's not from this school, she has to go home now..."

Jieyue shook her head and told the suspicious gatekeeper Qingmei's name.

"My name is Toyokawa Shoko, and I am a student at this school."

Just as Xiangzi was about to tell her not to cause trouble, he heard a familiar voice calling from behind him.

"Xiao Xiang...? Is that Xiao Jieyue?"

Damn it! How did the light... how did the light find its way here?!

Fortunately, Yuzuki hasn't heard it yet. No... I have to think of something, I have to think of something quickly...!

After finishing lunch, I habitually went to look for small stones, but the light from the lamp dazzled me. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the light that had blinded me came from a head of long pink hair.

She knew that many people in the world had the same hair color, and she couldn't judge that it was Yuzuki just by such a simple thing.

But the blue-clad girl beside her proved her identity. Xiangzi, who was with Yuzuki, never dreamed that she would be targeted by the lamp because of this.

Unsure whether she should apologize, Deng put the small stone she had just found into her pocket and slowly approached the figure who had been saying sorry to her even in her dreams.

"Little Yuzuki!"

Another shout rang out.

When Yuzuki heard someone calling her name, she turned around but only saw Shoko standing on tiptoe to block her view.

"Hurry up and go home!"