Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

She was still fantasizing about whether there would be any different developments... how did this guy manage to dodge and weave back to the main topic?

"Ah... Xiaojun, are you referring to the photo that Su Shi showed me?"

Left with no other choice, she had to once again play the role of a capable assistant who responded to everything, suppressing the throbbing and ripples in her heart beneath the calm surface of the lake.

She was the one who said she wanted to play a detective game, so why did she suddenly get so excited at the last minute?

"If it weren't for that photo, I probably wouldn't have even considered the age gap. Of course, I'm still keeping Xiaojun's secret from Su Shi, okay? Is there a problem?"

"It's not really a problem, it's just..."

Feeling somewhat relieved, Kazama lay back down on his futon, his doubts and even his tone becoming more confused.

“I have absolutely no memory of taking photos with Aunt Su Shi.”

"Well... if Xiaojun was very young at the time, it's normal that she wouldn't remember it."

"No, no, no, this is completely abnormal. I cherish all the memories I have with everyone, and I will never forget such memorable events!"

Hatsune didn't press the matter further, sensing that Akatsuki was even more loyal and sentimental than she had imagined—or perhaps those raised by several women naturally possessed an unusual obsession with loyalty in this regard.

"Those memories... vanished as if they had never happened."

But Xiao didn't have time to dwell on these trivial matters. He slowly sat up from his cot and covered his head, finding it hard to believe that he had lost that memory that should have been cherished.

Something is definitely not right.

Since he transmigrated here, everything he knew has changed drastically, and now even the only memories he could rely on have become less trustworthy.

"Xiaojun..."

Hatsune noticed his unusual behavior and slowly sat up on the bed, straightening her back and looking at the boy with concern.

Only a small nightlight cast a soft glow in the room, enveloping the two figures in a tranquil golden light.

On another note... why did this boy from the future end up traveling to an era that didn't originally belong to him?

If he wants to live here, will he have to pay some kind of "price"?

Gradually forgetting vivid memories of the past and becoming a "native" of this time and space... This kind of setting is not unfamiliar to her, as she has previously immersed herself in the science fiction novels and films she studied.

In that instant, Miku Miku thought of a more distant but still unavoidable question.

If he has the ability to travel to this time and space... will he also return to his original time and space someday in the future?

Hatsune's previously calm mood suddenly turned tense and awkward, so she could only force a smile and change the subject.

"Don't say that. Maybe you just can't remember it for a while. I've heard that people's memory isn't as good at night as it is during the day."

That kind of thing, absolutely not.

"Is there really such a saying...?"

Hatsune avoided the topic, unwilling to even imagine it. Akatsuki, who had been thinking for a long time but still couldn't recall it, had no choice but to give up on her attempt to search for memories in her mind and lay back down on the bed on the floor.

"I'm just worried about what will happen if this happens frequently in the future. Gradually, everyone will forget about me, and I'll even slowly forget why I'm here..."

Those memories are the most irreplaceable treasures that have sustained him all the way.

"If...I mean if."

Hatsune turned over and lay on her side looking at the boy who was looking up at the ceiling.

"If Xiaojun were to return to the past, she would also gradually forget me like this..."

Perhaps because she still felt somewhat uneasy and apprehensive, her tone was weak and lacked confidence.

If that were the case, would he also show such a frustrated expression?

Hatsune's voice grew softer and softer, and she no longer had the courage to say those last words.

She still didn't have the courage to acknowledge her importance in Xiao's heart.

"...Whether I remember Hatsune Miku or not, I feel that fate has already bound us together, hasn't it?"

But Xiao seemed to have already seen through the embarrassment and probing in her evasive gaze, and answered the doubts that had been lingering in Hatsune's heart in a gentle, murmuring tone.

Otherwise, why didn't he travel to another time and space? Instead, he happened to be in this golden age when everyone was young.

"I must have been destined to meet Hatsune Miku from birth."

Whether it's Hatsune Miku or the young Hatsune Miku still using the name "Misumi Miku" to disguise herself, it makes no difference to him.

"No matter who leaves in the end, I will definitely feel sad and reminisce."

The eloquent young man revealed his true feelings this time.

Knowing this, the blonde girl buried her head in the soft pillow with some embarrassment—just to avoid the boy's burning gaze at night.

"I...I understand...Shall we go to sleep first? I'm a little sleepy..."

Completely defeated, Hatsune turned over, so that even if the moonlight shone into the room, it couldn't hide her already flushed face from Akatsuki.

"Okay... goodnight, Hatsune Miku."

Fortunately, there was some distance between the floor mat and the bed, so that her heartbeat wouldn't be too obvious.

That's a cunning answer.

The girl, huddled in the blankets, touched her burning cheeks. Her face was still as hot as if she had been in a sauna for at least half an hour.

Misaki Misaki had originally considered that if Ye Xiao really couldn't let go of the resentment between their aunt and nephew, then she would be an ordinary friend standing by his side, ensuring and witnessing his happiness.

But he gave such a cunning answer.

Regardless of their identities or the time and space they lived in, the two of them were destined to break through all constraints and meet.

She liked this answer very much.

The night was deeper.

As Akatsuki drifted off to sleep, Hatsune Miku kept her eyes open, gazing at the back of the boy breathing softly in the darkness.

Misaki Miku spent a sleepless night, but she also figured out what she really wanted during that long, sleepless night.

So, it's time to take action.

Chapter Nine: Whether she's a woman who values ​​women or a fool, I can tell the difference.

Xiao didn't feel too resistant to spending the night at Hatsune's house, after all, she was someone he knew well and trusted. When sleepiness came over him, he succumbed to it and fell into a deep sleep.

But after he fell asleep, he always felt that something was not quite right.

In a hazy, dreamlike state, he always felt someone was watching him. No matter how fast he ran, no matter where he fled to, there was always a pair of eyes floating in the sky, gazing at him.

The oppressive gaze made it hard for him to breathe, and the dream, which had been devoid of any unusual emotions, slid into a strange and heavy atmosphere, causing Xiao in reality to frown.

And this was exactly the scene the blonde girl, who was crouching beside him and carefully observing him, wanted to see.

"Hey... Xiaojun, you frown when you sleep... Did you have a nightmare?"

It was already past midnight, and Hatsune Miku, far from being asleep, quietly went to Akatsuki's side and secretly took out her phone.

She opened her eyes wide, silently turned on the camera on her phone, and pointed the camera at the boy to record his sleeping face.

Miku Miku is actually surprisingly a woman of action.

Once she has made up her mind, she will pursue what she desires—and will not stop until she has captured it with her own hands.

However, taking advantage of someone's vulnerability and directly sneaking into their bed would be a bit too hasty.

After much thought, Hatsune decided to start with small, insignificant things.

The first thing to do was to peek at the boy's sleeping face and record this precious moment.

Looking at the boy's restless sleeping face on the phone screen, her mind drifted away along with the unease between his brows.

"Xiaojun... what's troubling you right now? I really want to know..."

If Kazama were still awake, the blonde girl's bizarre, obsessive behavior would surely have instantly jolted him awake from his half-asleep state.

Too bad he didn't.

"There's no such good opportunity to observe so closely during the day... so I'm sorry, I know Xiaojun will be unhappy if she finds out I'm doing this, but this is the only option I can use..."

Hatsune Miku deliberately lowered her voice as she muttered to herself, scrutinizing the boy, who was still trapped in a nightmare with his eyes closed, just like Captain Columbus when he first discovered a new continent.

His face was strikingly handsome, far surpassing that of boys his age; in another year or two, his features would likely develop into even more defined features. His eyelashes were incredibly thick, even compared to girls', and Hatsune wondered if counting them one by one would take an entire night.

"...[My future self] can actually watch Xiaojun fall asleep without blushing or skipping a beat?"

This was the first time Hatsune Miku had ever envied herself so much—even if it was her future self.

The girl crossed her arms and rested them on her lap. After successfully capturing the boy's sleeping face, she held her breath and began to mentally sketch his face with her own eyes.

Sometimes he would feel a little jealous of his future self. They were the same person, so why was she able to become someone that Xiao cherished so easily—and why was she able to know everything about Xiao before she did?

The defiant Miku Miku wants to take back everything.

From his peacefully sleeping face to the occasional small gesture of opening his mouth to breathe, and the boy's habit of unconsciously lying on his side, curled up, and using his arm as a pillow to fall asleep—she remembered it all.

"Xiaojun is a very well-behaved sleeper. Even if she has nightmares, she won't kick off the covers... Hmm, even when sleeping in a man's house, her sleep quality is still very good—or is it just because she's in my house that she feels extra at ease? Honestly, it feels like I'm underestimating her that she can let her guard down with me so easily..."

In the large room, Hatsune's rambling didn't make much noise, but it still brought a slightly eerie atmosphere to the quiet night.

Putting aside others, if Ms. Wakaba Mutsumi, who raised Akatsuki single-handedly, knew that Hatsune Miku was squatting in front of the sleeping Akatsuki without batting an eye, taking photos and videos of his sleeping face, and even remembering it—

She would definitely pull out her phone and dial the police with a complicated expression, all for the sake of her son's happiness for the rest of his life.

Unfortunately, this is in Hatsune Miku's room, where she is the mistress who can do whatever she wants.

Even taking photos and videos couldn't wake the sleeping boy... so getting a little closer shouldn't be a problem, right?

With this dangerous thought in mind, the girl swallowed hard and slowly moved her body, which had been keeping a certain distance from the bedding, closer to the boy who was sleeping on his side.

She stood frozen in place, feeling the boy's even breaths gently brushing against her cheek, even as they breathed.

This was the first time she had ever been so close to a man, so close that she could already imagine what it would feel like to have his breath fill her nostrils.

Upon closer inspection, Xiao's sleeping posture, though natural, still left a little room for someone to snuggle into her arms.

If I could take this opportunity to quietly slip into his arms...

“Hmm…!”

Just imagining it made her nose feel congested, so she patted her cheeks. Sometimes having too much imagination isn't a good thing.

Hatsune bent down and carefully observed Akatsuki, who still had his eyes closed because of a nightmare, for a long time. Her gaze made the boy, who hadn't had a good night's sleep, frown and curl up even tighter.

Although she wanted to do it, even the slightest movement of lifting his arm would surely wake him up.

Helpless, Hatsune did not try to get any closer to Akatsuki in the short term. She simply lay on the tatami mat on the floor and observed the boy's sleeping face up close.

The night was long, long enough for her to sort out her thoughts and figure out what she really wanted to get from the person in front of her.

Companion-like thoughtfulness and care, family-like meticulous protection and tolerance? Of course she wanted it, and these were already within her grasp.

"..."

Even though the heartbeat was deafening, Hatsune Miku ignored it. She simply moved her body quietly closer to the boy whose eyes were still tightly closed.

What she wanted was something more private and unique.

Finally, her hand was able to gently hook onto the boy's clothes.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to detect his unique scent in the boy's even breath, as his entire body was enveloped in Hatsune Miku's fragrance.

It was practically his own property.

The girl's heartbeat did not slow down; instead, it suddenly accelerated when she realized it.

This is what she wants.

However, tonight alone is far from enough.

Chapter Ten: Li Xi also did it.

I feel like I had a nightmare.

Even when he was tormented in his sleep, Xiao always felt unable to relax completely, as if a pair of huge eyes, comparable to those on the inverted pyramid pendant of the Pharaoh, were constantly watching him.