Green plums cannot become lovers.

An and Asuka saw the two's subtle actions, but said nothing.

He knew what they were thinking. But Xiaoju Zhihua didn't like him. The girl's feelings were well hidden, but most likely they wouldn't be able to hide them any longer.

The sunlight outside the window shifted a little further, landing on the edge of the dining table and on the bowls and chopsticks in front of everyone. No one brought up the topic again, and breakfast continued in a quiet and warm atmosphere.

Soon, it was the last day of the training camp. Everyone was going home tomorrow morning.

As evening approached, everyone decided to have another barbecue party. They happened to have some leftover ingredients, and it would be a waste not to use them.

"This time we don't have to worry about not having enough to eat tomorrow, let's all have a blast!"

Shintaro Tamaki grinned, showing off his white teeth, and stood in the yard with his hands on his hips, the setting sun casting a long shadow over him.

Tsukinoki Koto also carried a bunch of fireworks out of the house, placed them on the wooden floor under the corridor, and patted the dust off his hands.

"There are still some fireworks here, everyone should set them off."

"Oh!" The crowd cheered in unison, their voices echoing in the twilight and startling the birds perched on the treetops in the distance.

The stars and moon hang high in the sky, and the Milky Way stretches for thousands of miles.

Darkness fell quickly, as if someone had drawn a deep blue curtain across the sky. One by one, the stars began to light up, starting with the brightest few, then more and more, densely covering the entire night sky, like someone had scattered a handful of diamonds.

The Milky Way stretches from the northeast to the southwest, its faint band of light flowing slowly across the sky like a river paved with starlight.

The moon hung directly above the courtyard, large and round, illuminating the entire courtyard in a white light. The patterns on the bluestone slabs were clearly visible, and even the leaves of the clump of green plants in the corner of the wall shimmered with a silvery luster.

A gentle night breeze brought a touch of coolness, carrying the salty scent of the sea and the fragrance of grass and trees, gradually dissipating the lingering warmth of the day.

Cheers, laughter, playful banter, the crackling of fireworks, the popping of charcoal—all sorts of sounds mingled together, filling this summer night.

Salted Lemon ran around the yard with a sparkler in hand, leaving a thin trail of bright orange sparks behind her. Little Ju Zhihua squatted in a corner, holding a long, thin sparkler, slowly lighting it with a mosquito coil. Once lit, she stood up, holding it up to watch the golden sparks burst forth from the top.

Hanami Anna and Himegami Karen sat side by side on the veranda, each holding a firework in their hands, the glow of the fireworks reflecting on their faces, flickering on and off.

Kazuhiko Onamizu stood by the grill, quietly grilling food with An and Asuka.

The charcoal fire flickered beneath the wire mesh, occasionally sending up a spark or two that flashed briefly before going out. The meat skewers on the grill sizzled and glistened with oil, their aroma wafting in the night breeze, whetting the appetite.

"Isn't Wen Shui going to play with everyone?" An and Asuka asked casually as they flipped through the meat skewers in their hands.

Wen Shuiheyan paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"No, it's not fun."

"This is a rare opportunity to create wonderful memories together with everyone."

Wen Shuiheyan paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard and landing on the blue figure who was smiling freely amidst the fireworks.

She twirled in the yard, holding a sparkler, her skirt billowing, her laughter as clear and crisp as a wind chime. The firelight reflected on her face, making her smile even brighter than fireworks.

"...It's already beautiful enough." He looked away, a faint smile curving his lips.

The embers of charcoal cannot compare to the bright moon in the sky, and the chirping of insects can never rival the roar of the ocean waves. The memories of this past week were beautiful enough for him. He needed nothing more, nor did he ask for anything more.

"Is that so?" An and Asuka said no more and arranged the grilled meat skewers on a plate.

The girls finally got tired of playing and ran back one by one.

Anna was the first to rush to the grill. Her hair was a little messy from the wind, and there was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, but her eyes were bright.

"Where's my steak? Is it done yet?"

"Alright, alright." An and Asuka helplessly handed over the already grilled ribs.

When Banai saw Anja take the food, she immediately took a big bite. It was so hot that she gasped for breath, but she couldn't bear to spit it out. She chewed while breathing out, her cheeks bulging.

"Eat slowly." An and Asuka reached out and wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth, the action as natural as if they had done it countless times.

"Hehe." Seeing Anja smiling foolishly, Banai stood obediently in place, letting him wipe her.

Watching this scene, Wen Shuihe lowered his eyes and flipped the meat skewers on the grill. His fingers were burning from the heat of the charcoal fire, but he didn't pull them away.

I still feel some pain in my heart, but the pain is not as sharp as before; it's dull, like something is slowly healing.

"Karen, this is yours." Anwa Asuka handed another plate to Himegami Karen, who was standing next to her.

"Thank you, Asuka." Himegami Karen took a skewer of pork belly and happily began to eat. She ate slowly, taking small bites, the fat seeping from the meat's texture and glistening under the light.

"What about me? What about me?!" Salted lemon pointed at itself, staring longingly at the grill.

With a sigh, Wen Shuihe handed over the food he had just grilled. Couldn't this guy see the atmosphere over there? All he cares about is eating.

"Oh, thank you so much, Little Warm Water. I didn't expect you to become so gentle." Salted Lemon took the skewer, took a bite, and mumbled indistinctly.

"Can't you speak properly? I've always been this gentle, okay?" Wen Shuiheyan complained, his tone still slow and deliberate, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved slightly.

Everyone laughed upon hearing this, their laughter drifting in the night breeze and mingling with the distant sound of the waves.

Komari Chika stood outside the crowd, holding a sparkler, watching the scene unfold. Sparks shot out from the tip of her sparkler, golden and fine, tracing brief arcs in the night.

She felt a warm feeling in her heart, not the kind of warmth that comes from being baked by the sun, but a warmth that emanates from within.

She watched as An and Asuka wiped the corners of Hanami Anna's mouth and handed a plate to Himegami Karen, their movements so natural, as if they had done these things countless times before. She suddenly felt that perhaps that boy truly could bring happiness to her two best friends.

But she quickly shook her head and dismissed the idea.

No, that's immoral. How can someone like multiple people at the same time? None of the books she'd read, the TV shows she'd watched, or the stories she'd heard since childhood taught her that. Liking someone means being devoted to them wholeheartedly; that's common sense, a rule, an axiom that needs no proof.

But—but they looked so happy.

She dared not think any further and shifted her gaze to the other side.

Shintaro Tamaki must have done something to anger Koto Tsukinoki again. Koto Tsukinoki punched him in the chest, and Shintaro immediately clutched his chest, his expression exaggerated as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

The two bickered back and forth, yet even their anger seemed harmonious. When Tsukinoki-sama spoke, the corners of his mouth curved upwards, and when Tamaki Shintaro clutched his chest, his eyes were smiling. That unspoken understanding made it seem as if they had been together like this for a very, very long time.

Komari Shika sadly withdrew her gaze.

She lowered her head and used the mosquito coil to light the new sparkler in her hand. The fuse was burned by the flame, a small spark appeared, and then it went out. She looked down in confusion, bringing the sparkler closer to see if the fuse was damp.

However, the fuse, which had been extinguished, suddenly burst into flame again.

The sparks erupted much faster than she expected, and golden light instantly filled her pupils. She had no time to let go, no time to retreat, not even time to blink. A sense of crisis froze her body instantly, her mind went blank, and only one thought remained—

It’s over.

"Danger!!"

A loud shout from who knows who pierced the night sky.

The next second, Komari Chika found herself in a warm embrace. Someone rushed up from behind, one hand around her waist, the other gripping her wrist holding the sparkler, and jerked her upwards. Sparks grazed her face, shooting into the night sky and exploding into a shower of golden light above her head.

She could feel the man's chest pressed against her back, his heart pounding rapidly against her shoulder blades.

"Are you an idiot?" The voice came from above, with rapid breathing, and a tone of reproach, but more so with lingering fear. "I told you to face it bravely, not to put yourself in danger."

Komari Chika trembled as she raised her head. Moonlight shone from behind her, casting a silvery glow on the silhouette of the boy before her. His brows were furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his expression was more serious than she had ever seen before.

Peace and birds.

Her mind was still a mess. She wanted to say "I'm sorry," she wanted to say "thank you," but her mouth opened and no sound came out. She just looked at him, at the thin layer of sweat on his forehead, at his cheeks slightly flushed from running, at the hand that was tightly gripping her wrist.

He released her and took a step back. The sparkler that had been thrown on the ground was still exploding, sparks shooting out from the ground and bouncing on the bluestone slabs, making a crackling sound, like a small golden snake struggling in its death throes.

"If you're free, go and play with everyone." His tone had returned to calm, as if everything that had just happened was nothing out of the ordinary.

Komari lowered her head, her gaze falling on his hand. The hand that had just held her wrist had a small red dot on the back—a mark from a spark. The skin was slightly wrinkled, surrounded by a pale red tinge, clearly visible in the moonlight.

"You, your hand..." she finally found her voice and spoke haltingly.

"It's nothing." An and Asuka put their hands behind their backs. "We'll just take care of it when we get back."

"..."

"Let's go, everyone's waiting for you."

Komari Chika looked up at the group of people not far away. The firelight illuminated their faces, and each person's expression was different. But the worry and concern in their eyes were genuine.

She looked at the boy before her again. Moonlight fell on his shoulders and on the corners of his slightly pursed lips. His expression had returned to its usual gentleness, as if what had just happened was really no big deal.

Suddenly, Xiaoju Zhihua felt her eyes getting hot. It wasn't the kind of hot that makes you want to cry, but a different kind—like something was stuck in her chest, making it hard for her to breathe, yet it felt warm.

She lowered her head, blinked hard, and held back the moisture.

"......Um."

The two walked back to the crowd together. Salted Lemon was the first to run over, took Komari Chika's hand and looked her up and down, only breathing a sigh of relief after confirming that she was not injured.

Thankfully, everything turned out alright, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Xiao Ju Zhihua was unharmed.

An and Asuka weren't seriously injured either. Himegami Karen covered the red dot on their hands with a band-aid. He shook his hand and went back to the grill.

Komari Chika sat on the veranda, holding the hot tea handed to her by Himegami Karen, watching the figure busy at the grill. The firelight reflected on him, softening his features.

She looked down at her hand; the warmth from his grip on her wrist still lingered, though it had dissipated. But she remembered the strength—just the right amount of pressure, enough to pull her out of danger without hurting her.

She took a deep breath and suppressed those chaotic thoughts.

After the barbecue was almost over, everyone gathered in a circle again, chatting and laughing. The charcoal fire gradually dimmed, leaving only dark red embers flickering in the wind. The campfire was still warm, its heat comforting their faces. Someone suggested playing Truth or Dare, and everyone readily agreed.

In the first round, An and Asuka lost.

"I choose dare."

"Then let's play a piece of music." Bana saw Anja's eyes sparkling, her tone filled with undisguised anticipation.

"Play a piece? But there isn't one..."

"Have!"

Before An and Asuka could finish speaking, Anna pulled a guitar from behind her back. The wooden body and strings gleamed silvery-white in the moonlight. Holding the guitar, she smiled like a cat that had just stolen a fish.

"It belongs to the guesthouse owner. I've already checked, and it's usable."

An and Asuka looked at the guitar, then at the "you can't do anything about me" expression on Hanami Anna's face, and remained silent for two seconds.

"...You had this planned all along, didn't you?"

"No." Bana saw Anja blink innocently, but the curve of her lips betrayed her.

An and Asuka took the guitar, adjusted their posture, and placed their fingers on the strings. Moonlight fell on their lowered eyelashes and their fingers resting on the guitar, creating a scene as quiet as a painting. After a moment's thought, they began to pluck the strings.

It's "Summer".

A lively and cheerful melody flowed from his fingertips, like a summer breeze, like the chirping of cicadas in the afternoon, like sunlight filtering through leaves and dappling the ground.

Every note was crisp and clean, every turn was perfectly timed, and the light melody leaped through the night, sweeping away the heavy atmosphere from before.

Apart from Anna Hachimi and Karen Himemiya, it was the first time anyone else had seen him perform in person.

“It’s ‘Summer’,” Salted Lemon whispered.

"It sounds so beautiful, no wonder it's called 'Asuka'." Shintaro Tamaki opened his eyes, his tone filled with sincere admiration.

"It feels so summery," Tsukinoki Koto said softly. "It's like all my thoughts came flooding back at once."

Looking at the boy intently playing under the moonlight, Wen Shuihe couldn't help but feel admiration. His fingers were so nimble, his music so smooth, every note seemed to grow from his heart, effortless, unpretentious, as natural as breathing.

The soft music softened everyone's expressions. Looking at An and Asuka's profiles illuminated by the moonlight, Komari suddenly remembered how he silently protected her on that rainy day, and how he smiled and told her not to worry.

The gentle Xiaoyu now has a completely different focused expression, but both are reassuring.

When the song ended, everyone applauded. The one with the roasted salt lemon clapped the loudest, his palms turning red from clapping.

"One more song! One more song!"

"Next time," An and Asuka said, putting their guitars aside. "It's someone else's turn."

The game of Truth or Dare continued, and the laughter of the crowd rose higher and higher, spreading through the summer night air and startling the birds perched on the treetops in the distance.

Sparks flew out of the grill, rose into the air, flashed a few times, and then went out. The cicadas stopped chirping sometime earlier.

"Warm water, do ten push-ups, and yell 'I'm an idiot!'"

"Minister, dance a hula."

“Ancient Capital, tell me an embarrassing story that happened to you recently.”

After countless rounds, Xiao Juzhihua lost again.

She hesitated for a moment, then chose to tell the truth.

Salted Lemon drew the penalty slip. She looked at the slip in her hand, her eyes darting around, and a sly smile appeared on her face.

"Xiao Ju, who is the person you like?"

Volume 1: Chapter 266 Girl, Don't Cry