Green plums cannot become lovers.

When Banai saw Anja sitting in the light, she suddenly felt that the heavy burden in her heart over the past two years seemed to have lightened a little.

Volume 1: Chapter 255 A Movie for Three

Chapter 255 A Movie for Three

An and Asuka had never thought about this.

Karen Himegami is going to study in England! That generous, gentle, and slightly naive girl has such courage.

No, that's not right. She was very brave back then.

However, her courage back then was mostly impulsive, fueled by a surge of passion, and she dared to do anything. Now, she has grown up a lot, so such an important matter must have been carefully considered.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have kept it from him.

Because I overthought things, I felt that telling him would make us both sad, so I chose to say nothing and leave quietly.

"Go quickly, go find Hua Lian!"

Seeing that the boy hadn't moved after hearing her words, Banai tapped her fingers on the table as Anzu urged her.

An and Asuka couldn't help but laugh at her anxious expression.

"Then come with me."

"Huh?" Bana saw Anna pause for a moment, then shrink back, a guilty look on her face. "I'm not going..."

"why?"

"Isn't this just telling Hua Lian that I secretly tattled on her?!" Her voice was very low, as if she was afraid of being overheard. "She clearly told me to keep it a secret..."

“Come with me,” An and Asuka said calmly. “Let’s go say goodbye to her together, or try to persuade her to change her mind.”

Bana saw Anja blink and hesitate for a moment.

"This isn't a good idea..."

"Afraid?"

"Uh……"

"Do you think Karen will blame you?" An and Asuka raised the corners of their mouths slightly. "She won't. Don't you know her?"

Bana saw that Anja opened her mouth but didn't say anything.

An and Asuka added, "Besides, I'd like to talk to you more."

Hanami Anzu's face flushed instantly. She lowered her head, staring at the dissolved drink on the table, and remained silent for a long while.

"Then... let's go," she said softly, standing up and picking up her bag.

The two walked out of the fast food restaurant. The sunlight was bright, almost dazzling on the asphalt road. Banami saw Anja walking ahead, her pace quicker than usual, with An and Asuka following beside her.

"What are you nervous about?" he asked.

"I'm not nervous." Bana said, seeing that Anja didn't even turn her head.

"Then why are you walking so fast?"

She slowed down a little, but still seemed to be in a hurry.

"I just... haven't seen Karen in a long time."

An and Asuka did not expose her.

Himegami Karen's house wasn't far from here, only a thirty-minute walk. Anja had been here many times; she could find it with her eyes closed. Turning the corner, it was the third house, with white walls and a row of hydrangeas growing by the entrance. She stood at the door, took a deep breath, and then glanced at An and Asuka.

An and Asuka rang the doorbell.

After a while, the door opened.

A girl with long pink hair stood behind the door. She was wearing light-colored loungewear, her hair casually draped over her shoulders, and her face showed signs of just waking up. She froze when she saw the person in front of the door.

"Birds?"

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

"Long time no see." An and Asuka smiled.

Himegami Karen blinked, her gaze shifting from him to Hanami Anna beside her. Anna guiltily looked away, pretending to be looking at the row of hydrangeas.

Hua Lian glanced at her, then at An and Asuka, and remained silent for a moment. Then she smiled, a gentle smile that asked no questions.

"Come in."

She stepped aside to let the two of them in.

The living room wasn't large, but it was very clean. Several magazines sat on the coffee table, and next to it was a half-finished cup of tea, now cold. Hua Lian gestured for the two to sit down, then went to the kitchen to make some tea.

Hanami Anzu sat on the sofa, head down, her fingers twisting the strap of her bag. An and Asuka sat beside her, waiting quietly.

Hua Lian came out carrying a tray and placed three cups of tea on the coffee table. She sat down opposite her, holding the teacups with both hands, watching the tea leaves floating and sinking inside.

When did you get back?

“Yesterday,” An and Asuka replied.

"Oh." Himegami Karen nodded. "Was the journey smooth?"

"It went quite smoothly."

"That's good."

The three of them were quiet for a while. The sunlight outside the window shone on the floor, clearly illuminating the wood grain. In the distance, cicadas chirped, their calls coming in waves, not noisy, but rather reassuring.

What do you think of the school?

In the end, it was An and Asuka who took the initiative to start a conversation.

"It's great," Karen Himegami replied, her tone becoming lighter. "The club is really fun, and I've made a lot of friends."

What club?

"The Literature Club." She smiled. "I'm in the same club as Anzu."

An and Asuka blinked, somewhat surprised.

"Literature Club?"

"Hmm, what's wrong? Are you surprised?" Himegami Karen tilted her head to look at him.

“A little.” An and Asuka’s lips curled up slightly as they spoke gently. “After all, neither of you seems like literature enthusiasts. I thought you would still choose a music club.”

After all, they were in the same club back then. Karen Himegami was his guitarist, and Anzu Hanami was his bassist. Along with Ai and Kaoru, the group squeezed into the small activity room, practicing with the sheet music over and over again.

Himegami Karen could never quite get the chords right, and Hanami Anna's rhythm was always off, but no one was worried. If they couldn't get it right, they'd just practice again. Back then, the light music club only had a few of them. There was no audience, no applause, but every afternoon, the activity room would be filled with all sorts of chaotic music.

"Actually, Anzu and I also started a music club at the beginning." Karen Himegami smiled as if she remembered something. "But later, no one joined, so we disbanded it."

"Oh, I see. That's a real shame."

Ji Wo liпg er; Yingsan O Xia, · Qun · Liao Gong Hua Lian smiled and did not reply, but instead asked An He Fei Niao.

How about you? How's Tokyo?

“It’s pretty good,” An and Asuka said. “It’s a bit busy, but quite fulfilling.”

"I saw you on TV." Himegami Karen's eyes lit up. "It was a live broadcast of a street concert. The girl next to you was singing so well when you were playing guitar."

"This is Xiao Ai, do you remember her? She's changed a little."

"Of course I remember." Himegami Karen nodded. "Maria is also amazing at drumming, and so is Shizuka. They didn't know any of these things before, did they?"

"I learned all of that after I went to Tokyo."

"Wow, that's amazing..." Himegami Karen exclaimed.

"Hualian is amazing too."

Himegami Karen was stunned for a moment.

"what?"

“Going to England.” An and Asuka looked at her and said, “That’s impressive.”

Himegami Karen lowered her head, her fingers gently tracing the rim of the teacup. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.

"It's not that amazing. It's just... I wanted to see some different places."

"Have you thought about it?"

The girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Are you really sure?"

An and Asuka noticed her hesitation and pressed for more information.

Himegami Karen remained silent, and Banami Anna also looked away.

Seeing this, An and Asuka stopped pressing him and changed the subject, talking about their own affairs.

Making games, forming a band, meeting many people, making a lot of money… The two girls listened, occasionally letting out gasps of amazement. When Anna Hanami heard about the game's sales figures, her eyes widened, and Karen Himegami clapped her hands softly when she heard the band had made it to the finals. Their expressions held surprise, admiration, and something else entirely.

When An and Asuka spoke these words, their tone was calm, as if they were telling someone else's story. But the two girls listened intently, their eyes reflecting the light from the window.

This is the kind of boy they admire, so outstanding.

In the evening, Karen Himegami's parents returned home. They were both taken aback when they opened the door and saw An and Asuka sitting in the living room. This boy had left a deep impression on them; he was talented yet also possessed a rebellious streak beyond his years, which had almost made them think he would lead their daughter astray.

Although they later discovered it was a misunderstanding.

Later, I heard that he went to Tokyo to study, appeared on television, and did many remarkable things. He was gone for two years, and his daughter missed him for those two years. Unexpectedly, he returned just as his daughter was about to leave.

Now that he's back, would his daughter still leave? Would she be willing to leave?

"Hello, Uncle. Hello, Auntie." An and Asuka stood up to greet them.

"Oh my, Asuka-kun." Himegami Karen's mother laughed, "It's been a long time, you've grown so tall."

Himegami Karen's father nodded, saying nothing more, but his eyes were gentle.

An and Asuka chatted with the two for a while longer.

"Stay for dinner."

At this moment, Himegami Karen's mother spoke.

An and Asuka glanced at the time and shook their heads.

"No, Auntie. I'll head back now and come back another day."

Seeing that Anzu had also stood up, Hana said it was time to go.

Himegami Karen saw them to the door. The setting sun bathed the entire street in orange-red hues, and the distant mountain shadows blurred in the twilight. She stood at the door, watching the two walk away, their figures gradually shrinking.

She suddenly felt a little lost.

After dinner, Karen Himegami returned to her room and sat by the window, lost in thought. It was completely dark outside; the neighbor's lights were on, and the sound of a television could be heard from afar.

However, her phone vibrated, and when she picked it up, she saw it was a message from the boy.

Anhe Asuka: Come out for a moment.

Himegami Karen paused for a moment, then quickly ran downstairs and eagerly opened the door.

Outside the door, An and Asuka stood there. He had changed his clothes, his hair was a little messy from the evening breeze, and he was holding two cans of drinks.

"Why are you back again?" Himegami Karen asked, somewhat surprised and excited.

"I forgot to tell you something." An and Asuka handed her a can of drink. "Let's talk as we walk."

Karen Himegami took the drink and followed beside him.

The two walked slowly along the path in front of the door. The sun had already sunk behind the mountains, leaving only a last vestige of orange-red on the horizon. A gentle evening breeze carried the lingering warmth of the day and the scent of grass. The cicadas' chirping was much softer than during the day, intermittent, as if they were about to fall asleep.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, they arrived at the familiar little river. The river reflected the color of the sky, and the current was so slow that it was almost inaudible. Tall grass grew on the riverbank, swaying gently in the wind.

An and Asuka leaned against the railing, opened their drinks, and took a sip. Himegami Karen stood beside him, holding the can in both hands, but didn't drink.

"How long are you going to stay in England?" An and Asuka asked.

"It should take at least two years," Karen Himegami replied after thinking for a moment. "I need to finish a year of language school first, then go to high school, and if possible, I'd like to apply to a university there."

“Two years,” An and Asuka said, looking at the river. “That’s quite a long time.”

If you include university, it could take five or six years. That's a very long time.

"Ah."