Green plums cannot become lovers.

Anwa Asuka: "..."

He immediately discerned the deliberate ambiguity in those words, a meaning deliberately left open to interpretation.

When faced with this senior's occasional impulsive "verbal traps," the best way to deal with them is to remain silent and never engage, lest you fall into an even deeper pit.

"Tsk." Seeing that the expected awkward reaction did not occur, Kasumigaoka Utaha gave a slightly bored snort, but the smile in her eyes did not completely disappear.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. I'll head back now. If you have any script issues to discuss, feel free to call or email me anytime."

"Okay, senior, hurry back and finish your manuscript." An and Asuka stood up to see her off. "I also want to see the third volume of 'Love Metronome' as soon as possible."

"Stay tuned." Kasumigaoka Utaha picked up her bag, waved to him, and turned to leave the event room.

The door closed gently, cutting off the faint sounds of people in the corridor. In an instant, only An and Asuka remained in the large activity room.

The silence, like a tangible tide, slowly spread and filled every corner.

He sat back in his chair, elbows propped on the table, chin resting on his palms, his gaze fixed on the whiteboard in front of him. It was covered with dense handwriting and lines, project plans, key character settings, plot diagrams—all meticulously crafted after numerous discussions—each symbol carrying an idea and expectation.

The room was also filled with voices and energy during the discussions: Marina's sudden inspirations, Shizuka's detailed additions, Ai's unique perspective from an idol's point of view, and Kasumigaoka-senpai's sharp analysis and structure.

However, when the fervor of the discussions subsided and he needed to settle down and put these ideas into practice, he often felt a familiar, subtle sense of loneliness.

It felt a long, long time ago, when I was alone in an empty room, thinking about how I could make my future better.

No, no, no... An and Asuka shook their heads violently, dispelling the inexplicable, slightly self-deprecating sense of déjà vu of "empty nest elderly".

He stood up, walked to the window, and tried to let his thoughts breathe.

The early summer evening breeze carried a pleasant coolness, gently brushing against my cheeks and stirring the plain-colored curtains. The large sports field not far away was at its liveliest at night; members of the soccer team ran and shouted across the green field, track and field players sweated along the track, and powerful figures leaped across the volleyball net.

The vibrant energy and vitality of youth are fully expressed in the golden glow of the setting sun. The distant sky is tinged with a warm orange-red, and the clouds, edged with gold, drift slowly by, creating a scene that is both serene and full of life.

An and Asuka rested their hands on the windowsill, quietly watching this scene.

My tense nerves relaxed without me even realizing it, and I even felt that the dynamic beauty of the scene in front of me might be the inspiration for a game scene—for example, the melancholy of an empty campus after school, or the lingering feeling after a club activity.

He instinctively took out his phone, adjusted the angle, and captured the scene of movement under the setting sun. Just as he was about to put his phone away, he stopped.

The unlocked screen displays a wallpaper composed of two photos stitched together.

The lower half consists of photos from a slightly older period. Four children are huddled in front of the camera, with the small park in the background.

Young Marina grinned, revealing her pearly white teeth and flashing a V-sign; Shizuka stood quietly beside her, her eyes slightly shy; Ai nestled close to him, a dependent smile on her face; and he himself, though somewhat green, had bright eyes.

Those are fragments of memories from my elementary school days.

The top half is a group photo from junior high school. The background is the familiar light music club activity room, now with more people.

Besides the four of them, there was also the cheerful and hearty Anna Hanami, the lively and adorable Karen Himemiya, and... the girl standing next to him, whose blonde hair shone like the sun, making a playful peace sign at the camera, her smile so radiant it seemed to dispel all gloom.

An and Asuka's fingertips unconsciously brushed across the screen, onto the face of the blonde girl.

The cold glass screen isolates the real touch, but it cannot isolate the warmth of memories.

Hmm, it seems there have been quite a few blonde girls in his life who left a deep impression on him.

The thought made him chuckle softly, a sound that dissipated in the empty activity room, carrying a complex tenderness and a faint sense of nostalgia.

He took one last look at the photo, pressed the side button with his thumb, and the screen went dark, revealing his own blurry reflection.

The activity room fell silent again, save for the distant, vibrant noise from outside the window, which drifted in like background noise. The twilight light grew richer, casting a long, long shadow of him standing alone by the window.

As the sun dipped lower into the sky, An and Asuka finally turned away and left the activity room.

Volume 1: Chapter 172 The Banquet

On the way back, the setting sun painted the streets red.

The orange-red light slanted across the sidewalk, casting long shadows of the four people that sometimes intersected and sometimes separated, like graffiti casually scribbled on the pages of a book of time.

The early summer evening breeze, carrying the lingering warmth of the day, gently caressed my cheeks, lifting Shizuka's smooth black hair and Marina's lively ponytail.

"Asuka, I'm sorry, I can't offer you any more help."

"It's so hard," Shizuka Kuze said softly, a sincere sense of guilt welling up in her dark eyes. She turned her head slightly to look at the boy beside her, the schoolbag in her hand swaying gently with her steps. It was precisely at this time that the boy needed support the most, yet they were unable to devote more of their energy due to their own increasingly busy schedules. This realization weighed heavily on her heart.

An and Asuka turned their heads, met her worried gaze, and shook their heads: "It's okay, really."

His voice was calm, as if soothing or stating a simple fact.

"How about we cancel what we're doing now?"

Marina stopped and turned to face An and Asuka, hands on her hips, eyes wide, her tone filled with a reckless energy, "Anyway, the illustration commission can be taken later, and there's still time for the next round of manga selections!"

“That’s right,” Ai chimed in, blinking her purple eyes and unusually agreeing with Marina, “I can talk to my manager about adjusting the training schedule at the agency! We’d like to help you too.”

Two girls stood on either side of An and Asuka, their expressions serious as if they were heading to some important battlefield. Shizuka didn't speak, but her slightly pursed lips and the way she looked at him clearly showed that she shared the same thoughts.

An and Asuka looked at them, a warm feeling welling up inside them, but then they shook their heads, their tone becoming serious and earnest: "That won't do."

He took a step forward, his gaze lingering on each of the three girls' faces: "Right now, you all need to focus on your careers. Marina's manga finally passed the preliminary round, and you know how precious the next opportunity will be; Shizuka's next novel is about to start its promotion, which is a crucial time; Ai's idol activities have just gotten on track, and every exposure is important."

He paused, his voice softening slightly, but still firm: "Besides, what will happen to Sister Zhu Yin if you turn down these jobs? You know better than I how much effort she put into getting these opportunities for you. We can't let my personal interests jeopardize your future."

“But…” Marina wanted to argue, her lips moved but she couldn’t find the right words. She knew Asuka was right; Akane Kousaka had indeed invested immeasurable resources and expectations in them.

"Alright." An and Asuka looked at the girls' faces, which were filled with distress and resentment, and smiled slightly. "Just focus on your own things. The game is just a hobby of mine. There's no rush. We can take our time. You can help me when you have time."

His words were like a gentle breeze, softly dispelling the heaviness that had settled in the air. The setting sun cast dappled shadows on his face through the branches of the roadside trees, and his usually calm eyes were now brimming with genuine understanding and acceptance.

No matter how time moves forward, no matter how the world changes, these three girls have always stayed by my side and never left.

This in itself is already the most precious gift that fate has given him.

As for those dreams that are not yet achievable, that require waiting, and that are still in their nascent stages...

He doesn't need them to sacrifice anything for him; as long as this bond exists, he feels that's enough.

As the sun continued to set, it bathed the entire street in a warm orange-red hue. The light shone on them, as if piercing through the flow of time, going against the current, and illuminating those four small figures from many years ago. The children, carrying their schoolbags, walked home together from elementary school, hand in hand, through the streets where cherry blossoms were falling, their laughter clear and crisp, oblivious to the future, yet full of innocent and carefree dreams.

Those images flickered quietly in the depths of my memory, overlapping with the scene before me. The same four people, the same road home; though time had subtly changed their appearances, it had not changed the close bond between their hearts.

Anhe and the bird breathed out softly and looked up at the sky, which was bathed in the glow of the sunset.

"Come on, go home."

When I got home in the evening, the light in the entryway was on.

"Huh?" Marina was the first to notice something was wrong, and while taking off her shoes, she peeked into the living room. "Did we turn off the lights before we left?"

"Is that Akane-nee?" Shizuka said softly, neatly placing the shoes in the shoe cabinet. She noticed a pair of exquisite women's leather shoes in the entryway—they belonged to Akane Akasaka.

Sure enough, when they entered the living room, they saw Akane Akasaka sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of tea and several documents spread out in front of her. Today, she was wearing a simple beige cardigan and dark trousers, her long hair loosely tied back, shedding her usual sharp aura from the workplace and appearing much softer.

"Sister Zhu Yin!" The three girls called out almost simultaneously, their faces instantly breaking into joyful smiles.

Akane Kousaka had a key to their house, given to her by An and Asuka. In his words, "In case the three of us aren't home, you'll need a place to stay." At first, Marina and the others were a little surprised, but they quickly accepted this arrangement—after all, Akane Kousaka was no longer just their guide, but also like an older sister to them.

"You're back." Akane Kousaka put down her teacup, a gentle smile on her face. She stood up, and the three girls surrounded her.

"Sister Zhu Yin, what brings you here today? Have you finished your work?"

"Is there some good news to tell us? Is there any progress on Xiao Ai's new single project?"

"Sister Zhu Yin, have you had dinner? We just got back, are you hungry?"

The girls chattered away, filling the living room with a lively atmosphere. Akane Akasaka was surrounded by them, her eyes full of doting affection.

She adores these younger sisters—talented, hardworking, and innocently adorable. In the complex and fame-driven world of entertainment, protecting such pure light holds special meaning for her.

"Alright, alright, go put your bag down first." She smiled and patted Marina's shoulder, then patted Ai's head. "We can talk about work later, no rush."

The three girls then remembered they were still carrying their schoolbags and hurriedly ran to their rooms. Akane Akasaka's gaze passed over them and landed on An and Asuka, who had been standing quietly at the entrance to the living room.

The boy simply watched all of this quietly, a faint smile on his face, without immediately stepping forward.

"What are you doing standing there, kid?" Akane Akasaka raised an eyebrow and beckoned to him. "Come here, do you need your older sister to ask you?"

An and Asuka then walked over and sat down on the sofa opposite her: "No, I didn't want to disturb you and them, seeing how lively you were."

"You're so good with words." Akane Akasaka snorted, reaching out to ruffle An and Asuka's hair as naturally as if she were treating her own younger brother. "You don't like your older sister anymore now that you're all grown up, huh?"

"No way." An and Asuka let her hands roam freely over their heads, their voices tinged with a helpless smile. "I've always respected you."

"Respect? You make me sound like I'm old." Akane Akasaka withdrew her hand, looking with satisfaction at the boy's slightly messy hair that she had ruffled. "Alright, go prepare dinner, I'm hungry."

"Yes, yes, yes." An and Asuka stood up and walked towards the kitchen. The three girls had already put their schoolbags away and returned. Shizuka naturally followed them: "Asuka, let me help you."

“Me too!” Marina raised her hand.

"Then, then I'll set the table..."

Akane Akane watched the four of them working together seamlessly, a smile unconsciously creeping onto her lips. This home always exuded a warm, family-like atmosphere.

Even though the boys have such special backgrounds, and even though these children each carry different pasts and dreams, they can always create such a reassuring little world when they are together.

Dinner was prepared by An and Asuka. Simple Japanese home-style dishes—grilled fish, miso soup, chikuzen-ni (simmered fish stew), tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), and a large bowl of fresh vegetable salad. The aroma of the food filled the living room, mingling with the night view outside the window, creating a peaceful and happy atmosphere.

Akane Akasaka ate with great satisfaction. She was usually busy with work and often had her meals hastily, so being able to sit down and enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared with care was a rare luxury for her.

"The food that Asuka makes is still the best," she exclaimed sincerely.

"If you like it, Akane-nee, you can come often," Shizuka said with a smile, adding a bowl of soup to Akane's bowl.

“That’s right! We all really welcome Akane-nee!” Marina nodded vigorously.

Hoshino Ai also chimed in, "Mmm..."

Akane Akasaka looked at them, a warm feeling welling up inside her. She put down her chopsticks, her expression becoming slightly more serious: "Actually, besides seeing you all, there's something else I wanted to do today."

There was a moment of silence at the table as all four people turned their attention to her.

"This Saturday..."

Akane Akane paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on An and Asuka's faces. "There's a banquet. It's an industry exchange event, hosted by Shinazugawa Bookstore and some related cultural companies. Most of the attendees are senior figures from publishing houses, music companies, and film and television production companies, as well as some artists and writers."

She observed An and Asuka's expressions and continued, "I hope Asuka can come with me."

"Is it just me and Sister Zhu Yin?" An and Asuka asked calmly.

"Perhaps... there will also be some elders." Akane Kousaka carefully chose her words, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Akane Akasaka looked at him and added softly, "Of course, it's okay if you don't want to participate. I can help you decline and find a suitable reason..."

“It’s alright.” An and Asuka looked up, interrupting her suggestion. His expression had returned to calm, his eyes clear, revealing little emotion. “I’ll participate.”

Akane Akasaka paused for a moment, then a mixture of relief and guilt appeared in her eyes: "Thank you, Asuka."

She knew this decision wouldn't be easy for the boy. Facing that family, facing those people who should have been familiar yet were strangers, facing those blood ties severed by time and mistakes... every encounter could touch wounds that hadn't yet healed.

"It's alright." An and Asuka tugged at the corners of their mouths, revealing a somewhat sly smile. "Anyway, I'll definitely get to know a lot of amazing producers and industry veterans, right? Sister Zhu Yin has to introduce them to me properly; it might help the game development department's future development."

He spoke in a deliberately relaxed tone, as if he were bargaining, or as if he were trying to find a "reasonable" excuse for himself.

Akane Akasaka was amused by his appearance: "You're so clever! Okay, I'll definitely introduce you properly later. But don't just focus on expanding your network, you also need to pay attention to the etiquette at the banquet, it's a formal occasion."

"Okay, Zhu Yin-nee," An and Asuka replied, turning to look at the three girls on the other side of the table, "And you guys..."

“We’re fine!” Marina said immediately, a bright smile spreading across her face. “Asuka, don’t worry! This is an important social opportunity!”

Shizuka nodded gently, "Yes, we'll be waiting for you at home."

Xiao Ai blinked and whispered, "If there's anything delicious... can I bring some back?"

Everyone laughed at these words, and the air was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

After dinner, Akane Akasaka sat for a while longer, chatting with the girls about their recent lives, listening to Ai practice her new song, looking at Marina's latest artwork, and discussing the promotional plans for the next volume of the novel with Shizuka.

She didn't get up to say goodbye until night fell.

"Asuka, can you see me off?" she said to An and Asuka as she put on her shoes in the entryway.

"it is good."

The two walked out of the apartment building together. The June night breeze was cool, dispelling the daytime heat. Streetlights cast a warm glow in the night, and the streets were sparsely populated, with only the occasional passing car breaking the silence.

Akane Akasaka didn't immediately head towards the parking spot, but instead walked slowly along the sidewalk. An and Asuka followed beside her, saying nothing, simply keeping her company in silence.

After walking for quite a while, Akane Akasaka finally spoke softly: "Asuka, about the banquet... if you really don't want to, you don't have to force yourself. I'll explain to Grandma Tendo."

“I didn’t force you,” An and Asuka replied, their voices particularly clear in the night breeze. “Sister Zhu Yin, I just feel that... some things have to be faced sooner or later. Hiding won’t change anything.”

Akane Akasaka stopped and turned to look at him. The streetlights cast a soft, clear glow on the boy's face. His eyes were calm, devoid of resentment or expectation, only a composed acceptance born of experience.

“You’ve grown up,” she said suddenly, her tone tinged with emotion. “Sometimes I feel that you are more mature than I imagined.”

An and Asuka smiled: "Didn't you say I've always been very mature?"