Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

He certainly didn't expect that his words would have a deeper meaning in Li Xi's ears.

Kazama... just how many women does he want to be with at the same time?

Lixi stared at the text displayed on the screen and let out a long breath with mixed feelings.

At the same time, another plan, which Li Xi considered somewhat "despicable," also came to mind.

It seems that neither of them has accepted Kazama's confession.

If I could block those two's path first and then discipline him strictly... wouldn't that prevent Kazama from becoming a scumbag who cheats on three women?

Lixi knew that this idea was somewhat self-deceptive—but she could never have guessed that this plan was so far removed from the truth.

Chapter 45 They are just my aunts

Alright, Kazama actually said "I like both of you" to two girls. He's definitely a bastard and a future scumbag who deserves no redemption.

However, if "the two of them" becomes "the three of you"... even the most impartial Riki-chan will show some magnanimity.

Yes, just like right now.

To Riki, Kazama's text message was nothing short of a dangerous line like "You are all my wings," but it was precisely because she was included in it that she had other thoughts.

Hmph, considering how hopeless this guy is, we absolutely cannot let him extend his evil clutches to Chu Hua and the stray cat.

Putting everything else aside, at least Riki was confident that she could correct this guy's distorted view of love—she didn't know why she was so confident, but it seemed that there was a voice in her heart that was driving her to take on the responsibility of educating Kazama.

Perhaps because the weather was too hot, the good-looking young men and women developed some unspeakable feelings for each other when they were close, which she could understand.

After being dealt with by my iron-fisted methods, this guy can definitely turn back into the harmless and understanding Kazama Akira.

Yes, she wasn't happy or excited because she knew she was also categorized as "the girl Kazama really likes." Absolutely not.

"If I can get ahead of Chu Hua and Ye Mao and become more... more special with this guy, then I can legitimately teach him not to mess around with these kinds of multi-faceted relationships."

Lixi stammered as she muttered to herself, as if she was trying to convince herself of her absurd logic.

Perhaps this is just a self-deceiving excuse.

But who cares? When Shiina Tatsuki goes all out, he doesn't consider whether a certain logic is reasonable or not.

[...Actually, perhaps my feelings for you, Kazama, are the same as your feelings for me.]

But for Lixi, directly stating her feelings seemed like an impossible task, fraught with obstacles. Feeling stuck in her throat, she hesitated repeatedly, ultimately choosing this roundabout approach to subtly express her emotions.

"Well, just maybe. I haven't really figured it out myself yet, so don't worry about it too much."

Moreover, she added the following sentence in a very guilty and suspicious manner.

Is it that she sees the boy as a trustworthy companion she can rely on, or is it simply out of pity and sympathy for him after witnessing his selfless dedication to everyone and Xiangzi, only to be hospitalized in a car accident? Or is it a more complex emotion that arises from a mixture of both...?

It is still unknown whether Shiina Tatsuki is involved.

If it were just a matter of friendship, she could have been as frank and open about her feelings as she was with the lamp.

However, open and honest friendship is fine, but cautious and overly cautious friendship, even if it's not love, should absolutely not be categorized as friendship.

She couldn't think of a word to accurately describe this feeling of being more than friends but less than lovers—nor did she dare to think of one for the time being.

However, the fact that she, who is so awkward, is willing to admit the existence of these feelings is already a remarkable step.

Even if it's just by sending a text message, she hopes that Kazama on the other side of the phone screen will notice her subtle expression of affection.

"...?"

However, while ideals are lofty, reality is as bony as a newly unearthed skeleton.

Kazama, who was also standing by the window gazing at the same night sky as Riki, raised an eyebrow in confusion as he looked at the conversation on his phone screen.

What do you mean that Li Xi's feelings for him are the same as his feelings for Li Xi... Could it be that this guy also sees him as his "aunt"?

The truth certainly wasn't such a farcical and ridiculous fact, so Xiao, who was completely baffled, quickly typed out more questions.

【Lixi, are you sure you feel the same way I do?】

A more reasonable explanation would be that Li Xi also discovered his secret as a time traveler, and perhaps even knew that she was Xiao's aunt in the future.

However, I still feel like something is not quite right.

Are you an idiot? Why do I have to repeat this over and over again? Am I the kind of person who doesn't even understand my own feelings?

Li Xi, who seemed to have been touched on a sore spot and sent out a barrage of profanities, is now incredibly aggressive.

Anyone else would have been scared away by her imposing manner, but fortunately, Kazama knew very well that Shiina Ritsuki's breath was somewhat of a bluff, so he gritted his teeth and accepted her three blunt questions.

So, Lixi, what exactly do you think of me?

Through years of spending time with Aunt Lixi, Kazama gradually learned a lesson through his own experience.

When dealing with this awkward and roundabout person, the most efficient way to communicate is to go straight to the point and ask the question directly—and it's also the best way to break through her tough exterior.

Sure enough, for the next three minutes, Shiina Tatsuki's chat window remained completely still, as if frozen in place.

Almost five minutes passed before a red number 1 appeared on Lixi's profile picture.

"...I don't dislike you. My previous statement about becoming your companion was genuine; I wasn't just saying that to appease you."

First, there was a series of evasive remarks that could be interpreted as a prelude, before Li Xi reluctantly got to the point.

Regarding your feelings... if it's absolutely necessary, then perhaps it's not impossible for me to accept them.

...This guy was so awkward he was practically twisted into a pretzel, and Kazama's already furrowed brows were also twisted into a knot along with him.

Wait, what is this guy even saying? Please translate this into Japanese.

Even Kazama, who considered himself to know all the aunties inside and out, was a little confused about Riki's motivation for typing that line.

Is it really that difficult for her to accept the fact that "I will become Xiao's aunt in the future"?

Feeling utterly bewildered, Kazama finally couldn't take the endless guessing games with the riddle master Riki any longer, and typed his question directly into the chat box—

[I only see Hatsuhana and Riki as my aunts, Riki, what are you saying?]

"………ha?"

The black-haired girl was stunned upon receiving the message, and her heart, which had been pounding in her chest, suddenly skipped a beat.

……Aunt?

Chapter Forty-Six: Let's count your mistakes, Li Xi!

Shiina Tatsuki stared at the line of text that appeared on the screen and fell into a long silence.

...If it weren't for the fact that these guys who are good at dating nowadays like to describe their partners as relatives, calling them things like "Mom," "Dad," or "Auntie," then...

That leaves only one possibility that Lixi finds even more unacceptable.

"What does this guy mean by calling someone 'Auntie'?!"

Holding her phone, Li Xi almost lost control of her emotions, and her voice suddenly became louder—the phone in her hand was almost accidentally smashed to the ground.

This is a rejection, isn't it?

This can only be a rejection.

Kazama realized her feelings and knew he couldn't accept them, so he simply pretended not to understand and used terms like "auntie" to brush it off. This was the most reasonable explanation he could give for saying that.

But what does this mean?

The pink bubbles that were about to overflow in Lixi's eyes were all withdrawn. Looking at the rather offensive words on her phone, she felt a surge of anger rising in her heart.

She had already mentally prepared herself to accept this relationship, but this guy still kept calling her "Auntie" as before, forcing her to swallow back her "I do."

Shiina Tatsuki became increasingly angry the more she thought about it.

Shiina Tatsuki changed into a cool summer short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts for going out for a stroll.

Shiina Tatsuki picked up her phone, angrily slammed the door, and stormed out.

"—That bastard!"

About half an hour later, Shiina Ritsuki appeared where she shouldn't have been.

"Hmm? Is it a network problem? Why hasn't Lixi replied to me yet... Ah."

The boy, who had been sitting by the window idly waving his phone, thinking his internet connection was unstable, looked down and saw a long-haired, black-haired girl, panting heavily, quickly arriving at his building.

"Wait... Aunt Lixi?"

"Still calling me 'Auntie'—you rascal! Get down here!"

Feeling that her hard-won sincerity had been completely slapped away by this guy's "auntie declaration," Riki was furious when she saw Kazama's bewildered and innocent expression.

She pointed to the bewildered boy lingering by the window, gesturing for him to come downstairs to talk. Although Kazama had no idea why Riki looked so angry and had appeared downstairs without a word, he obediently followed Riki's instructions and took the elevator out of the apartment building.

The night breeze was far less noisy and restless than during the day, but the undercurrent of heat still filled the summer night air, enveloping the girl who stood quietly waiting downstairs.

The same was true of the black-haired boy with curly hair who walked out of the apartment building looking completely bewildered.

"What happened."

He really wanted to keep asking questions like that incredibly catchy monologue in a certain Kamen Rider series, until Riki gave a reasonable explanation—but looking at the undisguised gloom on Riki's face, Kazama suppressed this wicked urge.

"I should be asking Kazama what you're planning to do."

Even as the boy walked out of the apartment building and stood before her, Lixi, who was still barely maintaining her composure, did not relax her furrowed brows.

Kazama blinked, puzzled. Ritsuki seemed to have a problem with him, but he couldn't remember doing anything to offend her.

Has Lixi's awkwardness become so distorted that she's jealous of Hatsune Miku and Renai, yet doesn't want to be called "auntie" by herself?

"I didn't do anything, I just wanted to stop Lixi from being sullen and angry with me."

The young man sighed helplessly; a woman's heart is truly unfathomable.

"You've started calling me 'Auntie,' so even if I'm not angry with you anymore, I'm still offended, okay? After all, you've used the same term to call Su Shi and even Xiang Zi before, haven't you?"

"Hmm? So this is what you're focusing on, Lixi? You only want me to call you 'Auntie'?"

"No, that's not it—oh, how annoying! That's not what I meant at all!"

Feeling her logic had been inexplicably distorted, Li Xi shook her head in frustration. The next moment, she stormed up to the boy who was much taller than her, looked up at him, and stated the facts that made her uncomfortable.

"Didn't you understand what I was trying to say at all? Or are you just trying to brush me off with this so-called 'auntie' relationship?"

"No... I feel like our conversation is a bit out of sync."

Kazama twitched the corner of his mouth. Even though Riki was glaring at him with such righteous indignation, he remained calm and composed, and came up with the most reasonable explanation for the current situation.

"When I said I would treat everyone as aunties, I really meant treating them as the so-called aunties of my relatives. Lixi, what have you come up with?"

"...?"

Upon hearing this, the black-haired girl's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly in surprise.

"Wait... Kazama, the 'auntie' you mentioned, is it really just 'auntie' in the literal sense...?"

After a moment of realization, she seemed to understand that her thoughts and actions had been somewhat impulsive.

"What else? There's also the 'auntie' that doesn't mean 'auntie' in the literal sense."

Realizing he seemed to have been wronged, the boy pouted helplessly, but he still patiently explained the mismatch between the two to Lixi.

"I treat everyone like aunties, so what are you talking about, Lixi?"

After he raised the question, Li Xi, who was initially full of enthusiasm, finally realized that his indignation and accusations had been too hasty.

"Ah I……"

"Okay, I admit that I have been hiding this from Lixi and haven't told you the truth. But I thought you already knew the secret, so I thought there was no need to explain... But now it seems that's not the case at all."

Kazama's face was full of a helpless expression that said, "Please say something I can understand." Riki also looked away guiltily.

She gradually realized that the timing of her opening up and expressing her feelings seemed a bit off, because Kazama was talking about something completely different.

Lixi felt down for a while, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself in it, but she quickly cheered up after noticing something unique.

Moreover, before Kazama could realize what her feelings truly meant, she needed to quickly change the subject.

"Then why did you call Chu Hua and the stray cat 'Auntie'? If this is just your twisted sense of humor, why include me in it?"