Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

What made Xiao realize the urgency of the emergency was a phone call from Mu.

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Chu Hua: I Was Here First

Mu called on a quiet, sultry summer night. Xiao was leaning against the window, enjoying the summer night breeze, when she turned her head and saw the phone with its screen shining on the table.

Ye Mu rarely takes the initiative to contact others. Even when she has no choice, she will only send a message like "Are you there?" The reason is simply that she doesn't want to bother others.

But this time, she not only contacted Xiao on her own initiative, but even called him directly.

Based on her understanding of Mu, Xiao had a rather unpleasant idea forming in her mind.

He shed his earlier laziness, went to the table, picked up his phone, and answered the call almost without the slightest hesitation.

"Hello? Is it alright?"

"dawn……"

The girl on the other end of the phone remained taciturn, but Xiao knew it was only because she was not good with words.

"Can I...see you?"

—But even Mu, who is not good with words, has now made a rare request to see him.

Moreover, Xiao was able to discern the subtle vulnerability and sincerity in her brief words.

Regardless of how his attitude towards Su Shi has changed, Xiao is absolutely certain of one thing.

He didn't want to hear that vulnerability and helplessness in Mu's voice.

"Of course. Where are you? I'm coming to find you now."

Without a moment's hesitation, he turned around, picked up his coat, and put it on.

As long as Mu tells him where she is, Xiao will rush to her side immediately.

"I want to come find Xiao... but I don't know if I can come find you."

Mu's voice sounded like that of a bewildered child who was lost and unsure of what to do, which naturally made Xiao feel heartbroken.

"I've already, without even realizing it, arrived at Xiao's building."

"?"

He leaned out of the window again, and sure enough, there was a figure hiding in the corner of the street where there were no streetlights.

The girl with long, light green hair stood with her head down, not looking around. She stood there obediently but also blankly, holding her phone as if it were the most precious treasure.

"Mu, you wait for me there. I'll be right down now."

Xiao immediately turned around and walked out of the room. On the way down the elevator, she did not hang up the phone. Instead, she ran out of the apartment lobby with her phone in hand until she reached Mu's side to check on her condition before hanging up.

The girl before him was the only person in the world who could stir his emotions, and he had sworn countless times in his heart to protect her and never let her suffer even the slightest harm.

But now, Wakaba Mutsu was like a little dog soaked by the rain, standing pitifully in front of him without making a sound, her lost and dejected eyes staring at the ground.

Mu...it seems something happened to him without his knowledge.

Xiao wanted to go up and hug her, just like Mu would give him a gentle hug whenever she was sad or upset.

But the person in front of him now is a young girl named Wakaba Mutsu, not his adoptive mother, Wakaba Mutsu.

So he could only manage to squeeze out words of concern in his dry voice, suppressing the urge to rush forward and embrace her.

Instead, he gently held her hand.

"What's wrong...?"

Mu did not resist his somewhat overstepping actions.

Xiao also felt the delicate touch of the girl's hand—and the icy coolness that clashed completely with the hot season.

"What happened?"

When it comes to matters of harmony, Xiao's intuition becomes very sharp.

Besides, Mu wouldn't have come to my house for no reason; she's not like Su Shi and Chu Hua, who favor daughters.

He applied a little pressure, trying to use the warmth of his palms to bring some warmth to Mu's cold hands.

“Su Shi… came to me and said that she hoped we could go back to the way things were before… and that it wouldn’t matter if Xiao wasn’t included.”

But the truth revealed by Mu made him pause in his actions.

That's it.

It turns out that Su Shi went to Mu without permission, hoping that she would consider the idea of ​​rebuilding CRYCHIC... In addition, Xiangzi had also mentioned to Mu the idea of ​​forming a new band, so Mu was caught in the middle and in a dilemma.

Could it be that Su Shi suddenly took this action because, after the collapse of her alliance with Kazama, she intends to rely entirely on her own strength to bring everyone back to the past?

In that case, Mu is caught in the middle... which is indirectly because of him, right?

Looking at the girl who was so delicate and cute, like a doll, Xiao felt a pang of self-reproach.

Whether intentional or unintentional, it was indeed he who caused the pressure on Su Shi to shift towards Mu, which is why the girl's mood is so low and uncertain now.

"I'm sorry... I've put you in a difficult position."

Therefore, the words of apology almost came out subconsciously. Xiao was now only thinking about how to free Mu from his predicament of being caught between a rock and a hard place.

"No... CRYCHIC will never come back."

However, Mu's answer was not as hesitant as he had imagined.

That's true. Mutsu should have always stood on Toyokawa Shoko's side. Even if he was gentle and mild towards Sose, it was only because of their past friendship as teammates.

"So, I rejected Su Shi. But I knew she would come looking for me because of Xiao..."

Mu didn't continue speaking. It seemed that the reason she was hanging her head was not because she was caught in the middle between Su Shi and Xiang Zi.

"...I'm sorry, Xiao."

Mu apologized in a tone full of self-reproach.

"Mu...why are you apologizing?"

This was something Xiao hadn't expected.

"Because... I didn't protect Xiao properly from Xiang... nor did I explain things to you from Su Shi..."

Mu's usually gentle tone became somewhat hesitant, and in the end, she even choked up due to emotional turmoil.

"Clearly...whether it's Xiang or Xiao..."

Something crystal clear seemed to slide down the girl's fair and clean face.

"They are all people I really, really like..."

Xiao only came to her senses when the girl uttered her last choked words.

Mu cried in front of herself.

Moreover, it wasn't because she felt wronged by Su Shi's actions, but simply because she felt guilty for not being able to help Xiao and protect the people she wanted to protect, that she started sobbing.

"Why, why is this happening... It's so strange..."

As if she herself couldn't understand why she was experiencing such intense emotional fluctuations, the girl, with a blank expression like a doll, wondered where the unstoppable tears on her face came from, yet her sorrow was so obvious that it needed no explanation.

That is, in the next instant.

The boy grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms.

"...I'm the one who should be apologizing, Mutsu."

Gone was his usual carefree demeanor; Xiao whispered these words as he embraced the girl in his arms.

The scene of the two embracing on the roadside had no audience except for the lonely streetlights—that's how it should be.

Until the toes of a pair of canvas shoes on the street corner receded from the streetlights into the darkness.

Sankaku Hatsuka stared blankly at the scene before her, her eyes filled with endless darkness.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: I Love You, Mom, See You Tomorrow

What does it feel like to see the person you're determined to protect silently shedding tears in front of you?

Perhaps this feeling cannot be accurately described in words, or perhaps embellishing it with language would only make it sound too pale and powerless.

In short, when Xiao saw Ruoye Mu standing in front of her, silently shedding tears, she felt an indescribable bitterness churning in her stomach.

This must be what it feels like to feel heartache.

Moreover, Mingming Mu did nothing wrong; she was just forced to stand aside by the band girls with their own agendas—yet she still thought of her more than they did, and even took the initiative to apologize.

"You didn't need to apologize."

Xiao, unable to resist, tightened his grip on her as he held her close.

“But I could have spoken nicely to Xiang and Su Shi… Xiao should live her original life and shouldn’t be affected by us.”

Life as it was originally...?

There is only one way to return everything to the familiar past he knows.

"That's true, but this isn't a responsibility that Mu should take on. Don't force yourself to do things you're not good at."

After careful consideration, Xiao still didn't say, "It's clearly Su Shi and Xiang Zi who are wrong."

If he weren't currently in a position to fully express his concern for Mu, he probably would have said some outrageous things to Su Shi and Xiangzi.

Even though they were the ones who had been with Mu for much longer than he had, they didn't seem to care about Mu's personal feelings as much as he, the guy who came later.

Did these two people ever really consider Mu's feelings from beginning to end?

Leaving aside Toyokawa Shoko for the moment, in Akira's memory, although Aunt Su Shi and Mutsu weren't exactly inseparable best friends, she would still secretly remember Akira's likes and dislikes and treat everyone, including Mutsu, with kindness.

Instead of doing what they are doing now, resorting to any means to achieve their goals, even to the point of putting pressure on Mutsuya.

"……Well."

Mu nodded obediently, wiping away the remaining wet tears from the corners of her eyes.

Perhaps sensing the displeasure hidden in Xiao's eyes, she gently tugged at the boy's sleeve, seemingly hoping to distract him with this small gesture.

"Xiao, don't frown. I'm fine."

Even at this point, she still hoped that others could be happier.

...What a fool who squeezes out all his own feelings and emotions just to make others feel better.

"I said, Mu, you're the one who should be frowning."

Xiao poked the girl's forehead with a mix of amusement and exasperation, and the girl showed a slight pain in her eyes—although Mu's little actions were cute, he now felt a bit disappointed in his mother, who was in the form of a young girl.

"If you're unwilling, just say it. Your own feelings are more important than anyone else's, you know?"

So this is what it feels like to watch others grow up. The aunties at Muhe really have worked hard.

"But... it makes me feel very uncomfortable to see Xiao being misunderstood... but I can't quite explain why."

Mu nodded as if she understood, but she did not resist Xiao's intimate touch. On the contrary, she felt that her body seemed to welcome every physical contact with him.

It's like you've already gotten used to this person being around you. You feel at ease when he hugs you and holds your hand, and you feel nervous and uneasy when he is misunderstood by others.

It's almost like...

"They're just like family."

Before Mu could figure it out herself, Xiao smiled and picked up on what she was thinking.

"What's wrong? Isn't that right?"

She looked up, and the boy's smile was warmer and more welcoming than any smile she had ever seen.

"I think only family members would go to this extent. Just like I hope Mu can pull herself together and not let others take advantage of her."

He gently poked the girl's forehead with his finger again. This time, Mu did not show any pain, but silently accepted the touch.

family.

Is it really?