Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

Seeing her still-shaken expression, everyone more or less guessed what had happened, and their expressions all turned somewhat grim.

Before explaining the whole story to everyone, Mikasa Hatsuka glanced at Su Shi's expression.

For a moment, she felt incredibly curious.

Nagasaki Motoyo, who had been feeling uneasy ever since she saw her, yet was trying to appear calm and collected—

Upon hearing that someone had been in a car accident, was she initially worried about whether Xiangzi, whom she had always been concerned about, was alright, or did she briefly worry about Kazama?

Chu Hua was unable to get a definite answer.

When she revealed the truth of the matter, Su Shi's face was paler than everyone else's.

Chapter 81 The Calm After the Storm

Two days have passed since the torrential rain, and Kazama's life is not in danger.

The boy lay quietly on the hospital bed, the intravenous needle on the back of his hand extending to the IV stand, and the clear liquid dripped into his veins.

His thigh was in a cast, and his left arm was bandaged. Although the aftereffects of the car accident did not take his life, they still left him with shocking marks.

The boy was not fully awake yet; the shadow cast by his eyelashes obscured the blue under his eyes, and his breathing was as even as that of a sleeping baby.

Mu sat motionless on the edge of the bed, quietly holding the boy's hand that was receiving an IV drip.

This large hand, which had been several times warmer than hers before, was now colder than hers.

She gazed at Kazama Anne's profile with the serene tenderness of a mother looking at her child.

Ruoye Mu has been here for two days now, never moving an inch since Kazama was moved to a regular ward.

Xiangzi was unharmed, only slightly frightened, and was taken away by his family who rushed to the scene that afternoon. Mu didn't need to worry about being distracted by the two of them, so he could wholeheartedly stay by Xiao's side.

She didn't know why she had to wait for him here, as if it were a duty she was born to fulfill.

However, once Chu Hua arrived at the ward, Mu quietly stood up and left.

"Xiao Mu...?"

Chu Hua was a little confused, but seeing Mu's silent departure, she didn't feel comfortable asking why.

Well, if this was an opportunity that Mutsu deliberately set aside for her to visit Kazama, then Hatsuka can also choose not to mind any unknown past between her and Kazama.

As a currently wildly popular girl band idol, the photo of Mitsumi Hatsuka embracing the boy on that rainy day spread like wildfire across the internet within just two days, with everyone discussing their relationship.

This is also the main reason why Chu Hua was two days late in visiting Xiao, giving Mu the opportunity to spend time alone with him.

She sat by the boy's bed, picked up the fruit knife on the table, and quietly began to peel an apple.

"...Is this what you've been preparing all along, Xiaojun?"

She gazed at the profile of the boy sleeping peacefully on the bed and couldn't help but murmur aloud.

Hatsuka's sixth sense told her that the truth that Kazama had kept silent about all this time must be related to this accident.

"But... who can predict such a thing in advance?"

She just couldn't quite understand it.

Why was Kazama, who had just finished performing on stage, able to accurately capture Shoko's figure running out of the livehouse, and how did he seem to foresee the misfortune that was about to befall her as he chased after her—even using his own body to shield her from the car accident in the end?

It was as if he had known all along that this would happen.

However, this is something that cannot be explained by common sense.

Chu Hua smiled bitterly. She knew the boy on the bed wouldn't give her a reply, so she just silently traced his handsome profile as he breathed steadily with her gaze.

He even called out his real name while he was in a daze.

It's not the sumimi guitarist Mitsuka who's currently incredibly popular in Tokyo, but rather the Mitsuka Mitsuka who she's secretly hidden away on an island.

How did he know his real name?

The girl was completely baffled, but the boy, who was still unconscious in the hospital bed, couldn't possibly give her an answer.

"...I always thought you were a mysterious person, Xiaojun, but I never imagined you would be so mysterious that even I couldn't figure you out."

This guy seems to have a premonition of everything, yet he treats everyone with kindness.

What else does he know?

Chu Hua smiled, but simply reached out and pulled the blanket up over him.

It's okay, there's still plenty of time.

pat.

Just as she was about to settle down and take care of Kazama, she heard the door opening and closing again.

"Ah, sorry to bother you... I didn't expect there would be anyone else besides Mu."

The person who walked in through the door carrying a homemade bento box was Shiina Tatsuki, who seemed slightly surprised to see Hatsuka's presence.

This person is Sumi's Misaka Hatsuka. Why is she in Kazama's hospital room? Although Riki didn't ask the question directly, the expression on her face was enough to explain it.

"Ah... Lixi."

Chu Hua immediately recognized the visitor and greeted him with a gentle and kind smile.

“I was held up by various things a few days ago, and I only managed to find time to visit Xiaojun today.”

"I see. Mu has been staying here for the past day or two. I was just a little curious why she wasn't here."

Lixi no longer showed any surprise. She skillfully pulled out a stool and sat on the other side of the hospital bed. She breathed a sigh of relief after checking on Xiao's condition.

"That day really scared me... I never expected something like this to happen right after the performance."

"Hmm... I didn't expect that either."

Chu Hua's voice gradually faded, but she continued to gaze at the boy on the bed.

Clearly, he was the only one who anticipated this.

"Xiao Mu seemed a bit lost when she went out just now."

However, Chu Hua did not ask any further questions, but answered Li Xi's question in a gentle and calm tone.

"I see... When Aine and Akari came yesterday, they also said that she was like that. Don't take it to heart."

Li Xi sighed helplessly. It seemed that Mu's whereabouts had been unpredictable these past few days.

"Yesterday... did someone come to take care of Xiaojun as well?"

However, Chu Hua's attention was clearly not on that; she noticed something intriguing in Li Xi's words.

"Yes, of course. After all, they are partners who performed on stage together. How could I not come to visit when an accident happened right under my nose?"

Li Xi casually placed the homemade food she carried with her on the table and took a good look at Kazama's sleeping face on the bed.

"Hmm...you look much better today than before."

After the accident on that rainy day, Kazama was rushed to the hospital and quickly recovered under the doctor's care.

"It's really a miracle. Logically speaking, someone hit by a car at that speed would need at least a night of emergency treatment... but I didn't expect him to be stable in just one or two hours after arriving at the hospital."

That's what the attending physician said, so everyone who rushed to the hospital in the ambulance finally felt relieved.

After that, the group of girls in the band decided on a division of labor to take care of Kazama.

The four people split into two groups: Aine and Akari together, and Souse and Riki together. The two groups took turns checking on Kazama every day.

They didn't tell anyone, so the free-spirited wildcat girl, Rakuna, probably still doesn't know that Kazama was sent to the hospital.

"Group care... Ah, that means..."

Chu Hua blinked, catching a point in Li Xi's words that caught her attention.

"How is he doing... ah."

Nagasaki Motoyo entered after Riki, but was slightly taken aback by the presence of the blonde girl.

The two of them stared at each other without saying a word, and the atmosphere suddenly became a bit tense.

Chapter 82 Facing Your Mistakes, Su Shi

The moment the two girls' eyes met.

"Su Shi, what have you been dawdling about for?"

Completely unaware of the situation, Li Xi suddenly spoke up, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere between Su Shi and Chu Hua, and complained a few times—

This is precisely why she can subtly defuse the awkward silence between them.

"...I just went out to get some hot water."

Su Shi resumed her usual considerate, gentle, and graceful demeanor, and slowly walked into the ward with a water glass in her hand.

She no longer paid attention to Chu Hua's gaze, so Chu Hua also withdrew her gaze from Su Shi and turned it back to Kazama, who was sleeping quietly beside her.

"Taki-chan, you're the one who's wrong! The doctor already said we don't need to prepare so much food for him. He needs to be careful about what he eats after treatment, and he's not awake for much of the day anyway..."

"I... I was just thinking... what if he stays awake longer today? Besides, I followed the doctor's instructions and avoided certain foods when cooking."

Lixi and Sushi's banter remained commonplace, suggesting they had gained some experience in taking care of Kazama here.

"...Chu Hua, classmate."

As she placed the water glass on the table, Su Shi nodded gently to Chu Hua.

"...Good afternoon, Su Shi."

Chu Hua nodded without changing her expression, as if to echo her—but in reality, there was little warmth in her eyes when she looked at Su Shi.

"Alright, it won't hurt for you two to stay here and watch over him. I'm going to ask the doctor how he is."

It wasn't until Li Xi, unaware of the truth, got up and left the ward that the undercurrent between the two gradually became apparent.

"........."

They sat directly opposite each other, with Kazama, who was still fast asleep, between them.

"Is there anything you want to say, Su Shi?"

Chu Hua broke the silence with a gentle voice, but there was no smile on her face.

Su Shi's lips moved, but she didn't say anything.

She has always prided herself on being rational, composed, and calm.

However, it is undeniable that Motoyo Nagasaki misjudged something at a crucial juncture.

"Relax, I'm not trying to accuse you of anything."

Chu Hua seemed to comfort her in a considerate way, but in reality, there wasn't even a hint of a smile in her slightly upturned eyes.

"It's obvious that Xiaojun has some unspeakable secrets that he hasn't told anyone... It's only natural that people might have some misunderstandings about him because of this deliberate concealment, or even wrongly blame him in some matters."

Chu Hua's words of comfort eased Su Shi's furrowed brows slightly. Indeed, these words could make her forgive herself for her previous actions to some extent.

"……but."

But as Su Shi was about to break free from her intense guilt and remorse, this was the moment she spoke.

Sanjiao Chuhua abruptly changed the subject, denying the comfort she had just offered out of social politeness without batting an eye.

"If Su Shi feels guilty towards Xiao Jun like I do, whether she will be forgiven... that's something only Xiao Jun can decide."

She did not overstep her bounds and "forgive" Sose on Kazama's behalf.

This can actually be seen as a sign that Chu Hua was somewhat angry.

Yes, she felt that Suze should apologize to Kazama.

However, it was more important to quietly wait for Xiao to wake up as soon as possible, so she did not further belittle Su Shi's faults indirectly.

Besides, her expression already showed enough remorse.

Nagasaki Motoyo looked much worse than a few days ago, perhaps because she hadn't slept well the night before, or perhaps because she had been too stressed during the day, which made her look a little haggard.

She worried that Kazama might fall into a permanent sleep, but she also didn't know how to face his gaze when he finally woke up.