Green plums cannot become lovers.

But she didn't say anything in the end, neither blaming nor making a fuss. She simply placed the insulated lunchbox gently on the bedside table and said in her usual voice, "Xiao Xun, it's time for dinner."

The two people by the bed quickly separated like startled birds. Kaori Miyazono's cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly, being carefully helped back against the headboard by Asuka An. Asuka An stood up and politely bowed slightly to Ryoko Miyazono: "Auntie."

"Hmm." Ryoko Miyazono nodded, her expression returning to calm. She even gave Anwa Asuka a faint but genuine smile. "Anwa-kun, would you like to stay and eat with us? I brought quite a lot."

"No need, Auntie, thank you. I should go back now." An and Asuka shook their heads, their gazes turning to Kaori Miyazono. "I'll come see you again tomorrow."

"It's a promise!" Kaori Miyazono immediately looked up, her eyes sparkling, and held up her pinky finger. "Pinky promise!"

"Pinky promise." An and Asuka also extended their hands, their little fingers hooked tightly together, and their thumbs pressed together.

Under Ryoko Miyazono's calm gaze, An and Asuka gave Kaori Miyazono a few more words of advice, telling her to eat well and rest well, before turning to leave the ward. Before closing the door, he glanced back; Kaori was waving vigorously at him, her face bearing that familiar, radiant smile.

However, once the ward door closed completely, shutting out the boy's figure, the forced smile on Kaori Miyazono's face, like the last rays of the setting sun, quickly faded, revealing a deep weariness and an undisguised sadness beneath. She leaned against the pillows, her gaze unfocused as she stared towards the doorway, remaining motionless for a long time.

Yes, the joy of reunion is so real, and the warmth of the embrace is so cherished.

But... but she knew better than anyone that her broken body probably wouldn't live to see the day he promised she would "recover her health." That was nothing more than a beautiful but fragile lie to comfort each other.

Ryoko Miyazono silently opened the insulated lunchbox, and the rich aroma of food wafted out. Seeing her daughter's face instantly darken, her heart ached. She went over, gently stroking her daughter's soft hair, saying nothing, simply handing her the warm bowl of porridge.

It was late at night.

An and Asuka were in their room, the lights off. The neon lights of the city outside cast dappled shadows on his face through the glass. He closed his eyes, his thoughts sinking into the depths of his mind.

The translucent, dark blue system screen unfolded as expected.

He had seen this interface countless times over the past four years, and every fluctuation of the numbers tugged at his heartstrings. Now, behind the "Fan Value" column, the number that once reached six figures, representing all his efforts and obsession over the past four years, was almost gone.

Instead, in the system inventory section, there is an icon of a small, antique porcelain bottle emitting a soft, pale golden light.

Below the icon is a line of small print that reads: 【Neuroblastoma-like drug (sanOIх?7)】

The accompanying instructions are detailed: This product is for use only on the specific target "Kaori Miyazono". It gradually repairs the target's vital essence through fluid exchange, close contact, and positive emotional guidance, reversing specific symptoms of deterioration. Effects take time to appear, manifesting as a "miraculous natural recovery." Please guide the user's understanding appropriately.

He stared at the icon of the small porcelain bottle. All the running around, creating, calculating, and persevering over the past four years, all the exhaustion and loneliness, seemed to have a clear and heavy weight at this moment. Half a million fan points were wiped out in an instant, but he felt no reluctance or regret in his heart.

[Host, the item has been redeemed. A reminder: this potion cannot be used directly on the target.]

Xiaomei's androgynous voice echoed in my mind: "[Suggested solution: Deliver the medication through kissing.]"

To ensure a natural process and reasonable results, it is recommended to provide extended periods of close companionship, positive emotional guidance, or musical resonance before and after the process. This will help guide the outside world to view the subsequent recovery as a 'miracle' created by emotional strength and willpower, rather than a supernatural phenomenon.

Anhe Feiniao slowly opened his eyes. His dark eyes, reflected in the dim light, shone with an astonishing brightness, illuminating the distant lights outside the window.

kiss

This method, while unexpected from his initial plan, was nonetheless perfectly logical. The system needed to ensure that the medicine acted precisely and efficiently on Miyazono Kaoru's depleted life force; ordinary contact might not be enough.

Previously, when he transferred his buffs to other girls, he did so through kissing.

In human culture and physiological understanding, the act of "kissing" carries the metaphor of intimacy, trust, love, and the exchange of life energy.

More importantly, this can happen in seemingly private and emotionally natural moments, providing a reasonable and romantic starting point for the subsequent "miracle"—the power of love awakens life.

He could accept this approach, but he was more worried that the girl wouldn't be willing.

[Host, don't overthink it. Just kiss her. Kaori Miyazono won't refuse.] (衤三罒O|| 死巴肆)

How did you know?

Uh... intuition.

Upon hearing this, Xiaomei immediately became nervous, and even her speech became somewhat stammering.

Even now, can we still bring ourselves to say that the favorability rating module is still malfunctioning?

Just as the system was thinking about how to get away with it, it heard Anhe Feibiao speak softly.

This is a one-time exception, Xiaomei.

【Eh, Sanlongqi? Ershi??VI??lsi? Host......】

Try your best to fix all the broken parts.

No matter how slow he was to notice, he would have realized long ago that Xiaomei was hiding something from him. Just like this favorability rating data, how could everyone's favorability rating stay at the number "89"?

Whether it's the girls she grew up with, or the newly acquainted Eriri Sawamura and Utaha Kasumigaoka.

【...】

One sentence made Xiaomei feel her power unit thumping violently.

The next day was the weekend, and Tokyo slowly awoke in the light mist of an autumn morning. The streets were quiet, with only the occasional sound of early morning trams passing by and the rustling of sanitation workers sweeping fallen leaves.

When An and Asuka arrived at the hospital, the clock had just struck eight in the morning. The inpatient building was filled with the scent of disinfectant and the crisp, cool air of the morning. The corridors were empty, with only the nurses on duty quietly organizing records behind the nurses' station.

He was carrying a small paper bag containing blueberry pancakes that Kaori Miyazono used to love, which he had bought from "Ma Fille," and a cup of warm honey milk.

He stopped in front of the familiar hospital room door, holding his breath and listening. Inside, all was silent; even the regular low whirring of the monitor seemed softer than usual. He gently knocked on the door, his knuckles making a soft "knock-knock" sound against the wooden panel.

There was no response.

After hesitating for a second, he pressed down on the doorknob, quietly pushed the door open a crack, slipped inside, and then silently closed the door.

Morning light filtered through the off-white curtains, transforming into a soft, hazy glow that evenly bathed the hospital room. Kaori Miyazono lay in bed, seemingly still asleep. Her light golden hair was spread across the pristine white pillow, a few strands brushing against her serene profile.

Her breathing was long and steady, her chest rising and falling slightly with each breath. She looked much more relaxed than last night, and there was even a faint, healthy blush on her face—perhaps an illusion brought on by the morning light.

An and Feiniao tiptoed to the bedside, gently placed the paper bag on the bedside table, then pulled over a chair and sat down on the edge of the bed.

He didn't wake her; he just watched her quietly.

The girl sleeping in the morning light has lost the liveliness and radiance she deliberately maintains when she is awake, revealing her true vulnerability under the erosion of illness, yet strangely, she also has a sense of unguarded purity.

His gaze traced her features closely, from her delicate eyebrows to her naturally closed eyes, where her eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows beneath them, to her pretty nose and her somewhat pale yet beautifully shaped lips.

As he looked at it, his gaze momentarily became unfocused.

Fragmented and unfamiliar images flashed through his mind without warning—not his own memories, but rather fleeting glimpses from distant times and spaces: intense stage lights, thunderous applause, a blond figure bowing in the center of the light, a radiant smile yet tears welling in his eyes. A dimly lit room, scattered sheet music, suppressed sobs.

At the end of the hospital corridor, the man's dejected figure squatting down... These images flashed back extremely quickly, carrying a strong emotional impact—glory, pain, despair, relief—but then disappeared without a trace in the next second, as if it were just a meaningless, accidental discharge of the cerebral cortex.

An and Asuka frowned slightly, subconsciously raising their hands to press their temples. Was it because they were too tired lately? Or... the influence of the system? He shook his head, banishing those inexplicable images, and refocused his attention on the girl in front of him.

His thoughts inevitably drifted to last night's plan. The small, pale gold porcelain bottle lying quietly in the system space, the crucial method of "transfer"—it couldn't be missed. He had already taken the potion before leaving home this morning.

All that's left is to transfer the medicine's effects to the girl.

And now, it seems like an opportunity.

She was fast asleep. A light touch... shouldn't wake her. This way, the task could be accomplished while avoiding the immense awkwardness and potential resistance that might arise if they were both awake.

Once the thought arose, it quickly became clear and firm.

To save her, the price of this slight transgression was insignificant. What he needed to overcome was only his own hesitation and his instinctive aversion to taking advantage of someone in distress.

He gazed at Kaori Miyazono's peaceful, sleeping face, repeatedly convincing himself that this was necessary, that it was for her own good, and that it was only part of the treatment.

"Kaoru".

An and Asuka lowered their voices and called out very softly, while reaching out a finger to carefully poke her cheek that was sticking out from under the blanket. The touch was soft and slightly cool. The girl didn't react at all; her breathing remained steady and long, and not even her eyelashes trembled.

"Kaoru," he called again, poking her with a little more force.

There was still no response.

It seems she really slept very soundly. Perhaps it was because her emotions fluctuated so much yesterday, which depleted her already limited energy.

After hesitating for a moment, An and Asuka took a deep breath, as if they had made up their minds. He slowly stood up, and to avoid casting a shadow over her, he deliberately leaned slightly over from the other side of the bed.

His heart pounded uncontrollably in his chest, pounding against his eardrums. He tried to clear his mind of all distractions, focusing solely on his sole objective: to deliver the medicine and save her.

The distance between them closed silently. He could smell the faint, clean scent of soap wafting from her, mixed with a hint of medicine. Her lips were almost touching his; they were pale in color, slightly dry, yet still maintained their beautiful curve.

He forcefully suppressed his last shred of hesitation. He closed his eyes and gently, tentatively, pressed his face against that pale color.

It felt softer than I had imagined, with a slight coolness and a faint, sweet scent that belonged to her.

However, just as his lips touched—

He clearly felt the girl beneath him breathe almost imperceptibly become erratic. Then, he saw her eyelashes, which had been naturally closed, tremble violently like the wings of a startled butterfly, and then... open.

His amber eyes, initially misty with the light of early morning, shifted to focus on the man so close to him, and as he realized what was happening, that mistiness was instantly replaced by overwhelming shock. His pupils dilated slightly, reflecting the man's equally bewildered face.

Time seemed to stand still.

For a moment, An and Asuka's minds went blank. The biggest unexpected thing had happened—she was awake! He almost instinctively wanted to jump away immediately and end this extremely awkward situation.

But in the fraction of a second as he tensed his muscles and prepared to retreat, things spiraled completely out of his control.

A pair of cool yet exceptionally soft arms rose without warning and encircled his neck. The force was not heavy, even carrying a sense of weakness from illness, yet it possessed an undeniable, gentle firmness, pulling him slightly downwards.

An and Asuka's bodies froze instantly, all their movements halting. He was forced to maintain the bent-over position, and because of this downward force, his lips pressed even closer to hers.

He opened his eyes and met hers, which had closed again. Her cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed, spreading to her ears and neck, even her small earlobes turning bright red, almost translucent in the morning light streaming through the window. He could feel her arms wrapped around his neck trembling slightly, whether from weakness or from the surging emotions within him, he couldn't tell.

But she didn't push him away. There was no scream, no questioning, and she didn't even open her eyes again. She simply kept her eyes closed, enduring the sudden kiss, even... with a sacrificial, desperate submission and response.

An and Asuka's stiff bodies softened little by little in this silent acceptance and fragile yet firm plea to stay. The initial shock and panic of their plans being exposed were gradually replaced by a deeper and more complex emotion—heartache, guilt, and an indescribable feeling of being moved, and perhaps... something else that he himself had not yet figured out, something that was quietly growing.

He stopped trying to pull away. Slowly and awkwardly, he relaxed, letting the unexpected kiss continue. He closed his eyes as well, shutting out his vision, focusing all his senses on the soft, real touch between his lips.

The morning light flowed silently.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe only a few seconds, maybe an eternity, until familiar, lively voices and footsteps approached from outside the ward—

"Xiao Xun! Happy weekend! We brought some fun stuff! Huh? The door's unlocked?"

The ward door was pushed open with a "whoosh".

Sawabe Tsubaki's energetic voice came to an abrupt halt.

At the doorway, Ryota Watari carrying a game console and a bag of snacks, Nao Kashiwagi holding a new manga, and Kousei Arima quietly following behind, along with Tsubaki Sawabe at the front, all four of them seemed to be frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the scene inside the hospital room—

Bathed in the morning light, An and Asuka leaned over each other by the bedside, Kaori Miyazono wrapped her arms around his neck, and the two were lost in a quiet, profound kiss with their eyes closed. The light and shadow outlined golden contours around them, creating a scene so beautiful it seemed unreal, yet with a breathtaking sense of reality.

"Whoa—!!!"

The bag of snacks in Watari's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Sawabe Tsubaki gasped, abruptly covering her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.

The comic book in Nao Kashiwagi's hand slipped halfway down.

Arima Kousei paused, a clear look of astonishment appearing on his usually calm face. He was the first to react, almost instinctively reaching out his arm to gently stop Sawabe Tsubaki from crying out in surprise. Then, he shook his head very slightly at his equally shocked companions behind him.

His gaze fell on the two figures by the bed, his eyes flickering with a complex emotion before settling into a deep calm. He said nothing, only making a gesture to step back, then gently closing the door behind him, leaving the scene in the morning light to the two of them for the time being.

The soft "click" of the door sewing shut finally startled the person by the bed.

An and Asuka suddenly opened their eyes, quickly but gently ending the kiss, and straightened up. Kaori Miyazono also released her arms from behind his neck, her cheeks flushed red, and quickly pulled up the blanket, burying half of her face in it, leaving only a pair of wet, shy amber eyes showing.

Between them, the air seemed to freeze, filled with a silent, burning ambiguity and awkwardness. Yet, beneath that, a certain solid barrier seemed to have been completely shattered by this unexpected morning kiss, and a new, indefinable connection was quietly established in the silence.

An and Asuka watched her ostrich-like retreat, and their ears burned slightly. He coughed lightly, his voice low and hoarse: "...You're awake?"

A muffled, embarrassed reply came from under the covers: "...Mmm."

"...When did you wake up?"

The blanket shifted slightly, pulling down even further, and a voice, barely audible, whispered: "...When you came in..."

Anwa Asuka: "..."

So, when he tentatively called her name and poked her face earlier, she was pretending to be asleep the whole time? Was she just waiting to see him "plot something"?

Realizing this, An and Asuka's faces flushed. But at the same time, a strange, almost relieved feeling welled up inside them—at least, they didn't seem angry or disgusted, just shy.

More importantly... in that unexpected, deeper kiss, he seemed to clearly feel a warm, indescribable current naturally flowing from his lips and teeth, merging with hers.

The system gave no indication, but he had a vague intuition: the transmission seemed to be... complete.

Moreover, it might be even more effective than the planned light touch.

He composed himself, ignoring his still-rapid heartbeat, and tried to speak in a normal tone: "Um... it seems your friends have arrived."

Before he could finish speaking, the ward door was carefully pushed open a crack again, and Tsubaki Sawabe poked half his head in, his face still showing lingering shock and burning curiosity. He winked and made exaggerated mouthing sounds, asking silently, "Is it—over—?"

Kaori Miyazono buried her face in the pillow and let out a frustrated groan.

An and Asuka sighed and turned to face the pairs of eyes at the door that seemed to scream, "Tell us what's going on!" They knew this weekend morning was destined to be anything but peaceful.

Meanwhile, in her hospital bed, Kaori Miyazono, amidst extreme embarrassment and a pounding heart, vaguely felt that a cold, stiff corner deep within her body was being infused with the first genuine warmth, and was slowly... awakening.

"I never imagined you two had this kind of relationship!"

"That's right, it seems we've ruined your plans! We're so sorry!"