Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

Xiangzi could even picture her sticking out her tongue and breathing out air.

“No need. Just find the RiNG administrator, give her the Seed of Lamentation, and tell her.” Xiangzi shook his head, turned and walked out of the alley. “I’m leaving now. Do as you please.”

I took out my phone and sent a message to Kasumi Toyama.

[Toyokawa Shoko]: The matter is settled, you don't need to come.

[Kasumi Toyama]: Huh?! But I've already gotten off the train!

[Toyokawa Shoko]: Then let's go to CiRCLE for a cup of tea.

[Kasumi Toyama]: No way! Yukina will yell at me if she finds out I wasn't on duty!

[Toyokawa Shoko]: Anyway, I'm going to CiRCLE now.

[Kasumi Toyama]: Ugh... Okay, I'll wait for you at CiRCLE.

When did she become so familiar with Kasumi? Xiangzi couldn't quite recall.

It seems that after she left Crychic, one day when she didn't have to go to work, she was taking a nap in RiNG while enjoying the air conditioning, and this guy came up to her on his own.

It's terrifying to think that all Protagonists are like Kasumi.

Next came the lights.

I've got it all sorted out. I'm heading back to CiRCLE now.

"that!"

"What are you doing?"

Xiangzi turned around abruptly, his tightly closed right eye and the oppressive aura emanating from him making Ai Yin tremble.

"I...I think I can't stand up..." Aine said with a mournful face, "...My legs are weak."

Then you can climb back yourself.

Xiangzi wanted to say that, but his body went about doing something else on its own.

She walked over and put Aine's hand on her shoulder.

"Fine, might as well go all the way," Xiangzi sighed again.

"Thank you..." Ai Yin said tearfully, "I'll just go to the nearest station, a friend is waiting for me there."

Fortunately, the station is between her current location and CiRCLE, so she doesn't have to take a long detour.

Xiangzi carried Aiyin slowly down the road.

“That…benefactor.”

"Ok?"

"What's your name? I can't keep calling you my benefactor."

"It doesn't matter, we won't know each other after I drop you off at the station anyway."

"Waaah, don't be so cold..."

I'm already being quite compassionate by not leaving you to fend for yourself inside the barrier.

A ridge suddenly appeared on Xiangzi's forehead.

"Just knowing the name of my benefactor is enough for me."

Are you a fox spirit rescued from some remote mountain village? Want my name so I can repay your kindness someday?

I do not want it.

Xiangzi rolled his eyes from an angle that Ai Yin couldn't see, and the large movement of his eyeball caused his injured right eye to feel like it was being scraped by a knife.

"hiss......"

"My benefactor, are you alright?"

"..." Xiangzi was silent for a moment, "Toyokawa Xiangzi."

"what?"

"My name is Toyokawa Shoko."

"Xiao Xiang! Thank you!" Ai Yin smiled broadly, her face beaming.

Xiao Xiang? That's how you're called that?

Xiangzi was no longer in the mood to complain about why the other person was so overly familiar.

What should I do? I'm so tired.

"Xiao Xiang, you're a student too, right? Where do you go to school?"

"..."

"I recently transferred to Haneoka, the Haneoka Girls' Academy next to the shopping street."

Xiangzi glanced at the school badge on Ai Yin's school uniform; it was indeed Yu Qiu's school uniform.

"Hmm." She nodded.

"Where's Xiaoxiang?"

"I dropped out of school."

"what?!"

Xiangzi glanced indifferently at Aiyin, who was startled, and continued:

"It's temporary; the transfer process is currently underway."

"...Thank goodness! I knew Xiao Xiang's demeanor was as elegant as a young lady from Tsuki no Mori or Shirayuki; how could she possibly be a delinquent who dropped out of school..."

"..."

I'm so sorry I was a delinquent.

"Where is Xiao Xiang transferring to?"

"have not decided yet."

"Why don't you come to Haneoka too? I'm in Class 1-A at Haneoka High School, we can be classmates."

"Let's talk about it later. I need to think more about transferring schools."

Aine's expression suddenly changed, just like the sky now, from sunny to rainy.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, their light illuminating the sky and turning it a somber, oppressive orange-red.

It's going to rain.

“That’s true… transferring schools… is something that really needs to be carefully considered.”

Xiangzi blinked and looked at Aiyin's dejected expression.

It seemed that her words had touched a nerve with Aine, and Aine's voice became less energetic.

“Um… Xiao Xiang,” Ai Yin said, “I can walk by myself now, I don’t need your help anymore.”

Xiangzi let go of her hand, and Aiyin, holding onto Xiangzi's shoulder, took a short while to adjust before finally letting go completely, like someone who had just learned to ice skate or ride a bicycle.

She took a couple of tentative steps and felt completely normal. Looking back at Xiangzi, her voice regained its original energetic tone.

"Let's go, Xiao Xiang."

Logically speaking, since Aine has left, I shouldn't have to worry about her anymore.

But since we've already come this far, going to the station is on the way anyway.

Xiangzi followed silently behind her.

"Oh dear, it's so late." Ai Yin glanced at the time on her phone.

Yes, you know it's so late, and someone is waiting for me.

Xiangzi opened his phone and glanced at the time, grumbling to himself.

I have to run back to CiRCLE later; I can't leave the lights on for too long.

"We can't keep the lights waiting too long."

The thoughts in his mind overlapped with the voice of reality, but Xiangzi realized that those words were not spoken by him.

Xiangzi's heart skipped a beat; he thought he had misheard.

She could almost hear the beeping of an electrocardiogram; it was her own heartbeat.

Drip... drip... drip...

"What did you say?"

"Ah, it's that friend who was waiting for me at the station." Aine scratched her head and said shyly, "She's not a magical girl. She came with me today. I was worried it would be too dangerous, so I asked her to wait for me at the station."

Why... does that sound so familiar?

It's probably just a coincidence that they have the same name.

Xiangzi didn't speak, but his heart was beating faster and faster.

She felt inexplicably flustered.

Beep beep beep, beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep.

"Ah, we can see the station!" Ai Yin suddenly grabbed Xiangzi's wrist and pulled her towards the station. "I have to properly introduce Xiao Xiang to her! After all, Xiao Xiang is my savior!"

and many more.

Don't take me there anymore.

Xiangzi was passively dragged to the station.

From a distance, you can see a lone figure on the platform.

My heart was pounding wildly.

The more Xiangzi looked at the figure, the more familiar it seemed.

Blackouts appeared at the edges of my vision, my breathing became rapid, my limbs felt weak, and the surroundings seemed to become both quiet and noisy. A sharp buzzing sound exploded in my ears, and I could almost hear the throbbing of my own pulse.

beep ...

No, she shouldn't be here, she should be waiting for me in CiRCLE... That's not her... Please, please don't turn around, don't turn back, I must be overthinking it.

"Hehe, light up!" Ai Yin waved at the figure.

A girl wearing a Haneoka school uniform turned around on the platform, her face exposed to the station lights.

Xiangzi and the girl made eye contact.

Time freezes at this moment.

"Xiao Xiang?"

beep----

The heartbeat and humming sound merge into the sound of the electrocardiogram stopping.

That's a lamp, Takamatsu Takamatsu wearing the Haneoka school uniform.

[I am Xiao Xiang's stopped beating heart.]

The Tale of Nirvana: Where Did You Sleep Last Night: Chapter 19 I Am Xiao Xiang's Heart-Shaped Box

What did Chihaya Aine just say to me?

Forming a band... what a nostalgic phrase...

......

I just kept telling myself... there's no place for me here...

"Deeply convinced that I wanted to leave...to go elsewhere...and comforting myself with this belief..."

That was the day I met Deng. She invited me to her house, and I saw that her desk was stuffed full of notebooks.