Green plums cannot become lovers.

Mr. Nishimura sat there, his face ashen. He clearly hadn't expected An and Asuka to be so resolute, to so ruthlessly tear off their facade. He watched the three boys and girls leave, his lips moved, but he said nothing, only slamming his fist heavily on the table with a dull thud.

Anwa Miho was completely stunned.

She stared blankly in the direction An and Asuka had left, at his straight back, at his unwavering figure, feeling as if her soul had been ripped out.

eight years.

For eight years, she had imagined countless times the scene of reuniting with Erqi Liujiu Yiba Yueyi.

In her imagination, the bird might cry and question her, or angrily berate her, or coldly ignore her—but she never imagined it would be so calm, so resolute.

It's like dealing with a matter that has nothing to do with you, like saying goodbye to an insignificant stranger.

He didn't even give her a resentful look, nor utter a single accusatory word. He simply told her calmly: There is no possibility between us.

This calm terrified her more than any intense emotion. It meant that, in his heart, she was utterly dead. Not as an object of resentment, not as a source of pain, but as a pure, insignificant "past."

"Birds..."

Just as An and Asuka were about to walk out of the restaurant, An and Miho finally regained their voices.

The voice was mournful and broken, carrying a desperate plea:

"Bird...Mom...Mom is so sorry..."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet restaurant. The surrounding guests all turned to look at the scene with curiosity.

An and Asuka stopped in their tracks.

His back stiffened for a moment, but only for a moment.

Then, without turning around or responding, he simply raised his hand and gently pushed open the glass door of the restaurant.

The wind chimes on the door made a crisp sound.

jingle--

The sound was like a kind of announcement, declaring the complete end of a story.

Stepping out of the restaurant, a cool night breeze greeted me.

In April, Tokyo's nights still carried a slight chill. Pedestrians on the streets wrapped their coats tighter, hurrying towards their destinations. In the distance, the Shibuya Crossing remained bustling with people, its huge billboards flashing dazzling lights, painting the night sky with an unrealistic array of colors.

An and Asuka walked at the front, their steps quick, as if they were fleeing something. Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha followed behind them, neither of them speaking.

They walked in silence for a long time, passing through bustling commercial streets and quiet alleys, finally stopping in front of an overpass.

The overpass spans a wide road, beneath which a steady stream of cars flows, their red taillights forming a flowing river of light. In the distance, Tokyo Tower stands silently in the night, its red lights standing out starkly in the darkness.

An and Asuka leaned against the railing, gazing at the distant lights. His back was ramrod straight, but his shoulders slumped slightly, as if bearing some unseen weight.

Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha stood on either side of him, both gazing silently into the distance.

After a long while, Eriri finally spoke softly, "Asuka... are you alright?"

Her voice was very soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing something.

An and Asuka did not answer immediately. He gazed into the distance, the city lights reflected in his deep brown eyes, their glow flickering like stars in the night sky.

"I..." He opened his mouth, his voice a little hoarse, "I don't know."

This was the first time he had shown uncertainty tonight.

Eriri's heart tightened, and she reached out to gently grasp his hand. His hand was still cold, but it was no longer as terribly stiff as before.

"I thought I didn't care anymore."

An and Asuka continued, their voices soft, as if they were talking to themselves, “Eight years have passed, and I’ve long since gotten used to life without my parents. I have my own path, people who cherish me, and dreams I want to realize… I thought that the past could no longer hurt me.”

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "But today, seeing her... seeing her with a new family, seeing how happy she is, seeing her trying to approach me with that fake warmth..."

His voice began to tremble: "I still... I still feel pain."

The words were spoken so softly, almost as if they could be blown away by the wind. But Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha both heard them, and both sensed the cracks beneath that calm exterior.

Kasumigaoka Utaha reached out and gently patted his back. Her movement was light and gentle, completely different from her usual sharp and calm demeanor.

“Junior,” she said softly, “pain is normal. It would be strange if you weren’t in pain.”

She paused, then continued, "But you must remember—your value is not defined by them. Your achievements are not shared by them. And your future is not something they can participate in."

Her voice was calm, but every word was like a nail, driven into An and Asuka's hearts.

"You are Anwa Asuka, the producer of 'Where the Stars Fly,' the creator of the 'Asuka' music project, the person Marina, Shizuka, and Ai are willing to entrust their lives to, you are—"

She glanced at Eriri, then continued, "We are the ones who are willing to stand here with you and face everything together."

Eriri nodded vigorously, her azure eyes shining with unwavering determination: "That's right! Asuka, you don't need that kind of hypocritical family! You have us! You have Marina and the others! You have everyone who truly cherishes you!"

An and Asuka turned their heads and looked at the two girls beside them.

Eriri's eyes were red, clearly from crying, but she forced a bright smile at him. Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression remained calm, but her wine-red eyes were filled with a rare tenderness and support.

The night breeze swept across the overpass, slightly ruffling their hair. The distant rumble of trams and the ceaseless flow of traffic filled the air; the pulse of this city beat eternally, never ceasing.

An and Asuka looked at them for a very long time.

Then, he chuckled softly.

The smile was no longer as cold and sarcastic as before, nor was it a polite and distant facade. It was a genuine smile, tinged with weariness and relief.

“Thank you,” his voice was soft but clear, “really… thank you.”

He turned his head and looked again at the lights in the distance. The Tokyo night was still dazzling, still bustling, and still filled with countless stories unfolding.

Today was truly a magical day for him; he never dreamed that he would meet his birth mother again here in this way.

And she was very happy. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentence.)

She deserves to be happy, after all, she did live in that hell for a long time.

He never blamed her for leaving.

"Let's go back," An and Asuka said softly. "Maria and the others must be worried."

Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded at the same time.

The three turned and left the overpass, merging into the nighttime crowd. Their figures gradually receded into the distance, eventually disappearing into the ever-burning lights of Tokyo.

Behind them, the overpass quietly spans the traffic, the river of light still flows beneath it, and the wind still blows across it.

Volume 1: Chapter 198 The Best of You

The moment she pushed open the apartment door, the warm light and the aroma of food enveloped An and Feiniao like a long-awaited embrace.

The motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on automatically, its warm yellow glow outlining the familiar shoe cabinet. Three pairs of slippers in different colors were neatly arranged on the floor—the pink ones with rabbit ears belonged to Ai, the sky-blue ones embroidered with cloud patterns belonged to Marina, and the elegant and simple off-white ones belonged to Shizuka.

Next to them were a pair of dark gray, slightly worn but spotlessly clean slippers, which were prepared for him.

"Welcome home, Asuka!"

Three voices rang out almost simultaneously, coming from the direction of the living room. The voices were filled with joy, anticipation, and that unreserved warmth that can only be found at home.

An and Asuka bent down to change their shoes, a smile unconsciously creeping onto their lips. His face was reflected in the entryway mirror—those eyes, which had been almost coldly calm in the restaurant, now finally held a genuine warmth.

He walked into the living room. Under the warm orange main light, the dining table was already set. Four sets of exquisite tableware were placed on the white tablecloth, with a pot of steaming sukiyaki in the center, surrounded by brightly colored side dishes. The air was filled with the rich aroma of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi, as well as the comforting sweetness of freshly cooked rice.

The three girls looked at him with bright smiles on their faces.

"How is it?" Marina asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling. "Have your relationships with Kasumigaoka-senpai and Eriri improved again?"

“It’s definitely gotten better,” Xiao Ai answered quickly, her tone full of self-righteous pride. “With Fei Niao’s abilities, how could he not handle it!”

Shizuka smiled gently, without asking any further questions. She simply watched An and Asuka quietly, her calm eyes seeming to see through everything, yet she thoughtfully chose to wait.

As An and Asuka looked at them, at these three faces so familiar to their very bones, at the unreserved trust and expectation in their eyes, the icy feeling that had lingered in their chest since the afternoon finally melted away little by little.

“Yes,” he nodded, his voice soft but clear, “it’s getting better again.”

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri were there for him through that difficult evening, standing with him on the overpass in the wind, keeping him company in his silence, and ultimately helping him to take his final steps away. That kind of companionship is precious in itself.

As for whether they had truly "returned to what they were before"... he wasn't sure, and didn't want to delve into it. But at least, they were still there, not turning away.

This is enough.

He didn't want to dampen the enthusiasm of these three girls. They had gone to great lengths to plan this "team building" event, leaving early and preparing such a sumptuous dinner for him when he got home—this thoughtfulness was more precious than anything else.

"Great!" Marina cheered, almost dropping the soup spoon in her hand.

"I knew the bird would succeed!" Xiao Ai happily spun around in place, the ears of her rabbit pajamas swaying with the movement.

Shizuka walked over to An and Asuka, naturally took the backpack from his shoulder, and said softly, "But Asuka can't neglect us because of this."

Her tone was gentle, with just the right amount of coquettishness, making it impossible for anyone to have the urge to argue.

"Yes, yes." An and Asuka couldn't help but laugh, the relaxed smile spreading from the corners of their mouths to their eyes. "I'm hungry, let's eat."

He was truly hungry. In the family dining room, facing the table of food, facing the woman and her new family, he couldn't eat a single bite. It wasn't that the food was bad, but rather that his stomach felt blocked, making even swallowing difficult.

But now, sitting at this warm dining table, watching the three girls busily serving him rice and dishes, and smelling the rich aroma of sukiyaki, the feeling of hunger belatedly surged up.

Dinner began in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Marina insisted that An and Asuka sit in the main seats—the ones facing the TV with the best view. Ai tried to sit to his left, but Marina refused, saying, "I'm the rightful wife," and she could only pout and sit opposite him. Shizuka naturally took the seat on his right, quietly serving him food and soup.

The sukiyaki broth bubbled and steamed in the pot, the beef slices quickly changing color and curling up in the boiling broth, and the vegetables becoming tender and delicious after absorbing the broth. The four people sat around the pot, their faces slightly flushed from the rising steam.

"So what? So what?" Marina bit the tip of her chopsticks, her eyes sparkling. "What did you guys do after we left? Tell me in detail!"

Xiao Ai leaned closer, her purple eyes full of curiosity: "Yes, yes! Did you ride the Ferris wheel? Did you go to the haunted house? Did anything romantic happen?"

Even Shizuka put down her spoon, tilted her head slightly, and adopted a listening posture.

Looking into their three expectant eyes, An and Asuka suddenly felt a mischievous urge. He cleared his throat and put on a mysterious expression:

"Well... it's a long story."

He deliberately dragged out his words, successfully piquing the interest of the three girls.

"We went to a haunted house," he started rambling, "That haunted house was really scary, there were zombies and ghosts jumping out from everywhere. Halfway through, suddenly a hanged ghost fell from the ceiling and landed right in front of my senior—"

He paused, pleased to see Marina and Ai holding their breath in tension.

"And then what?" Xiao Ai urged.

“Then my senior sister let out a loud ‘Wow!’” An and Asuka imitated the action of being frightened, “and threw herself into my arms, clutching my clothes and trembling.”

"Really?!" Marina's eyes widened. "Kasumigaoka-senpai, who seems so calm, is actually afraid of ghosts?"

“You can’t judge a book by its cover,” An and Asuka said seriously. “Eri is no better. She was startled when a door suddenly opened and almost fell. I quickly caught her, and then she clung to my arm and wouldn’t let go.”

He described it so vividly, with details so rich that it was impossible not to believe it. The three girls were completely drawn into the story, even Shizuka's eyes widened slightly.

"Later we went boating on the lake," An and Asuka continued their fabrication. "Eri insisted on rowing by herself, but the boat kept going around in circles. In the end, I had to teach her step by step before we finally rowed to the center of the lake."

"Hand, hand in hand?" Xiao Ai's face turned slightly red, as if she had thought of something.

"And finally..." An and Asuka drawled, a sly glint in their eyes, "we rode the Ferris wheel. You know, legend has it that when the Ferris wheel reaches its highest point..."

He deliberately stopped there, picked up his water glass, took a sip, and did so slowly and deliberately.

"What was it like at the highest point?" Marina was so anxious she almost stood up.

An and Asuka put down their water glasses, looked at the three pairs of eyes staring intently at them, and slowly said, "Legend has it that if you kiss when the Ferris wheel reaches its highest point, the two people will be together forever."

The air fell silent for a moment.

The three girls froze simultaneously. A classic Ferris wheel scene involuntarily flashed through their minds—enclosed cabins, a dazzling night view, slowly rising to the highest point, and then… a kiss.

Marina blushed, Ai instinctively covered her mouth, and even Shizuka's ear tips turned a light pink.

"Then...then you guys..." Marina's voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz.

Seeing their expressions, An and Asuka finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

“I was just kidding,” he said with a smile, his eyes crinkling into crescents. “We didn’t do anything. We just sat quietly for a while, looked at the scenery, and then came down.”

silence.

A silence that lasted three seconds.

Then--

"you!"

"Flying bird!"