Green plums cannot become lovers.

"You're back? Did you enjoy the barbecue?"

"It's alright." An and Asuka changed into slippers and went over to sit down.

“We didn’t make it,” Xiao Ai said with a smile. “You must take us next time.”

“Okay.” An and Asuka nodded.

Shizuka poured him a glass of water and asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

An and Asuka took the water glass and took a sip.

"In August, we'll focus back on the game. 'Small Town Family' has been delayed for quite a while, so it's time to speed things up."

"Finally!" Marina's eyes lit up. "I almost forgot I was a game developer!"

“You were originally an artist,” An and Asuka said.

“Illustrators are also part of the game developers!” Marina said confidently.

Xiao Ai asked with a smile, "What about the band?"

"Just practice twice a week to maintain your form," An and Asuka shared their thoughts. "The competition is over, so we don't need to go to such high intensity anymore."

“Okay.” Shizuka nodded. “Then starting tomorrow, we’ll rearrange the schedule.”

"Ah."

As night deepened outside the window, the lights in the living room were warm and quiet.

An and Asuka leaned back on the sofa, watching a boring variety show on TV and listening to Marina and Ai chatting idly, while Shizuka looked at her schedule on her phone.

The busy month of July has come to an end.

August is the month for games.

Volume 1: Chapter 252 Old Friends

The school was deserted in August, with few people except for students participating in club activities.

The corridor was so quiet you could hear your own footsteps. Occasionally, a few scattered voices would drift from a classroom, only to be quickly drowned out by the chirping of cicadas. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting bright patches of light on the floor, while tiny dust particles floated in the air.

The activity room was more lively.

An and Asuka gathered with several girls to discuss the game's production. Script, character design, background music—everyone was busy with their own part, occasionally glancing up to exchange a few words of advice.

The story is nearing its end.

"I've finished writing this section." Kasumigaoka Utaha placed the printed manuscript on the table. "Take a look."

Shizuka was the first to pick it up, followed by Marina and Eriri. An and Asuka also put down their guitars and walked to the table.

The manuscript contains one of the plot points from the final chapters of the game.

It's been so long since I've seen snow.

But for some reason, he looked very sad.

Outside the window, the world was a vast expanse of white, with snowflakes falling silently.

We kept walking, we kept walking, but we were still far from the station.

tide suddenly let go of my hand, and I hurriedly hugged her.

[I don't know when, but tide opened her eyes and looked at me with a pained expression.]

[Dad, are we... already on the train?]

Yes, that's right...

Dad, I love you the most...

Large snowflakes continued to fall, freezing time forever at this moment.

As An and Asuka looked at these words, the image flashed through their minds: a seriously ill daughter, a powerless father, a long, snowy road, and a station they could never reach.

The plot involves a father who suddenly realizes his mistakes and takes his seriously ill daughter on a trip, but in the end, he can only watch helplessly as his daughter slowly collapses in the snow.

Ultimately, the story ends with the father and daughter embracing in the snow.

The activity room was quiet for a while.

"Junior, writing like this is too heartbreaking." Kasumigaoka Shii??nG/Yokiji Tsukasa said as Kasumigaoka leaned back in his chair.

She did write the plot, but the outline and direction were set by the boy. She simply transformed those cold, impersonal scenarios into warm, engaging words. Even so, after writing the last sentence, she stared at the screen for a long time, lost in thought.

The other girls also fell silent as they watched this scene unfold.

Eriri turned her face away, her voice muffled: "Yeah, what if nobody likes it?"

Her voice was much lower than usual, and her fingers were unconsciously twisting together.

“Yes, it will,” An and Asuka said confidently. “Tragedies often resonate more deeply with people.”

"Waaah, I won't care if I get scolded later," Eriri muttered, but there was no real complaint in her tone.

Although the girls were also a little sad, they knew from the beginning of the project that it was a tragic story, so they didn't get too emotional.

Shizuka put down her manuscript, sighed softly, and turned to tidy up the sheet music on the table. Marina patted her face and picked up her paintbrush again. Eriri rubbed her eyes and sat back down in her seat.

"Alright, alright, let's get back to work." Marina waved her pen. "Anyway, if Asuka says it's okay, then it's okay. We just need to make sure the drawing is good!"

The activity room has returned to its usual rhythm.

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Shizuka sat together, quietly discussing the upcoming plot developments. Marina and Eriri were each drawing illustrations, occasionally glancing up to exchange a few words. Ai was absent today due to idol activities, making the event less lively.

But this quiet atmosphere is nice too.

An and Asuka were also focused on making music, their fingers tapping on the keyboard, occasionally pausing to write a few strokes on the sheet music.

The blazing sun outside the window gradually slanted westward, its light softening from blinding to gentle, casting long shadows on the floor. After what seemed like an eternity, An and Asuka raised their heads and stretched their stiff necks.

He looked at the view inside the activity room.

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Shizuka huddled together, one talking and the other writing, their teamwork seamless. Marina bit her pen, staring intently at the drawing paper, seemingly struggling with the expression of a certain character. Eriri had already finished one version and was holding it up to the light to check the effect.

Everyone is doing their own thing diligently.

He carefully got up and walked to the window, not wanting to disturb them.

Outside the window, students were still playing on the playground not far away. Several students who had just finished their club activities walked and chatted as they headed out of the school, carrying their backpacks. A gentle breeze rustled through the treetops in the distance, and a few birds took flight from the branches and disappeared into the sky.

Summer evenings are always so quiet and long.

An and Asuka leaned against the window, looking at the scenery outside, and suddenly realized that it had been a long time since they had been able to quietly daydream like this.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated.

He looked down and saw a message displayed on the screen.

The sender was a familiar name—Hanami Anna.

An and Asuka were taken aback.

Anzu Hachimi.

Looking at the name, he felt a little dazed. Short blue hair, a lively smile, and a voice always brimming with energy. It seemed like the last time they met was a very, very long time ago.

He suddenly realized that he, too, hadn't contacted the girl in a long time. Games, music, career, studies... all sorts of things filled his days, and before he knew it, his connection with his hometown had faded.

The last time I contacted this girl seemed to be more than a year ago.

He opened the message.

Anna Hanami: Asuka, do you remember me? There's only one month left in this summer vacation, do you want to come back and visit?

The message was followed by an adorable emoji, a GIF of a kitten peeking out, which strangely matched her personality.

An and Asuka looked at the message and remained silent for a while.

The activity room remained quiet, with the girls busy with their own things, and no one noticed him staring blankly at his phone.

An and Asuka stared at the message on the screen, their fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure how to reply.

Since leaving Aichi for Tokyo, he seems to have never gone back. More than a year has passed, and the familiar streets, the small school, and the days spent together in the park in the afternoons have all become somewhat blurred in his memory.

He remembered promising the girl he would visit her often when they parted. It was said so naturally then, as if Aichi and Tokyo were only an hour apart by train. And what happened? They neither kept in touch often, nor did he ever visit her again.

No, we did keep in touch quite often, back when I hadn't been in Tokyo for long. Everything was new and exciting in this unfamiliar city, and I wanted to share everything with my friends from home.

Later, I got busy with games, music, band, studies... all sorts of things filled my days, and my connection with my hometown gradually faded away.

An and Asuka swiped their phone screens and scrolled to their chat history with Anna Hanami. Their last contact was back in May of last year.

A message lay quietly in the chat box; it was the last sentence she sent:

"Haha, remember to contact me when you're done with your work!"

He stared at those words for a long time, feeling a pang of emotion. And whenever he thought about it, memories of the past would involuntarily surface in his mind. That always smiling, short-haired girl with blue hair, whose voice radiated a vibrant, energetic charm, was one of his closest friends before he left Aichi.

He also missed that girl a little.

But he still had things to do. The game was nearing its end, with only the final chapters of story and music remaining. Leaving now would be incredibly irresponsible. Besides, the girls were all working so hard; what would it look like if he just ran back to Aichi alone?

My phone vibrated again.

Anzu: Are you still busy? Okay then, I won't bother you any longer.

Anzu Hachimi: Please reply if you see this, I have something very important to tell you.

Upon seeing this message, An and Asuka felt even more compassionate.

He scrolled across the screen, typed a line, deleted it, typed another line, and deleted it again. He didn't know how to respond. Should he just agree to go back? But he wasn't sure he could manage the time. Should he say he'd talk about it later? What was the difference between that and being dismissive?

Just as I was hesitating, Eriri's voice came from behind me.

"Feiniao, what do you think of this background?"

An and Feiniao locked their phone screens and turned away.

Eriri held up her easel, on which was a scene she had just finished painting—a father kneeling in the snow, holding his daughter, whose eyes were already closed, in his arms. The snow was still falling, and the scene was so quiet that it made one afraid to breathe loudly.

"Hmm, not bad." An and Asuka walked over and looked at it carefully. "The snow here could be a little denser, it would create a better atmosphere."

Eriri nodded and picked up her pen to make a few corrections.

Kasumigaoka Utaha also came over to take a look and discussed the coordination of lines and visuals with Shizuka. Marina was flipping through the art book next to her, confirming the details of the characters' costumes.

By the time they finished discussing these matters, it was already quite late.

That's all for today, everyone. Thank you for your hard work.

The girls began packing up their things, and rustling sounds filled the activity room. An and Asuka helped Marina put away her art supplies, turned off the computer, and glanced at their phone screens.

That message is still online.

"Then we'll be going now!" Marina slung her bag over her shoulder and headed for the door.

See you tomorrow, everyone.

Shizuka waved gently.

Back home, An and Asuka finally had some free time. He sat on the sofa, took out his phone, and scrolled through his chat history with Anna Hanami, looking at it for a while.

The last time we contacted each other was last May.

He thought for a moment, then typed a message and sent it.

Anhe Flying Bird: Apricot Vegetable, good evening.

The message was sent out, and the other party replied instantly, as if they had been waiting for it.

Anna Hanami: Asuka! You finally contacted me!

Anzu Hachimi: Are you done with your work? Did I bother you?

Anna Hanami: What are you doing right now?

Anna Hanami: Let me tell you, it's been so hot lately. Is it this hot in Tokyo too?

Hanami Anna: Ah, are you busy? Did I send too many messages?

Messages kept pouring in, and An and Asuka couldn't respond in time, only able to watch the messages jump up and down on the screen. It took a while before the other side stopped.

Anna Hanami: ...Sorry, I got too excited.

An and Asuka couldn't help but chuckle.

Anhe Asuka: It's nothing, I was busy just now and only just saw the message.