Green plums cannot become lovers.

A few more footsteps sounded, and then she felt the sand around her sink a little—someone had sat down next to her.

A gentle sea breeze carries the scent of summer. On the distant sea, moonlight scatters like pieces of silver. Occasionally, a fish leaps out of the water, splashing a tiny droplet that flashes briefly in the moonlight before disappearing.

Xiaoju Zhihua didn't move. She lowered her head, buried her face in her knees, and her shoulders were still trembling slightly.

A long time passed.

So long that she thought the person sitting next to her might have fallen asleep.

"Did you come here to laugh at me?" Her voice was muffled, coming from her knees, hoarse from crying.

"Yes, that's right." An and Asuka's voices were as calm as if they were just saying that the weather was nice today.

Xiaoju Zhihua was stunned for a moment, then suddenly raised her head, her eyes still red, with tiny water droplets hanging on her eyelashes, staring at him.

“You…? Shan Shiling? V|?I? Ershi? Ba Si? You bad guy…” Her voice trembled, both angry and aggrieved, “I hope you get rejected by someone in the future.”

Upon hearing this, An and Asuka chuckled softly, a sound that was clearly audible amidst the sound of the waves.

"That's probably going to be difficult." He looked at the distant sea, his tone a mix of seriousness and sarcasm, "because I'm usually the one who rejects others."

"Damn it..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Juzhihua was speechless. She opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found no way to do so.

He's handsome, talented, has a pleasant voice, is thoughtful, and a great cook... He's impeccable as both a friend and a lover.

Aside from some ethical issues...

Komari Chika fell silent. She lowered her head and unconsciously traced fine lines in the sand with her fingers.

"But you're really amazing."

The boy's voice, carried by the gentle sea breeze, reached Komari Chika's ears.

It was so light, so soft, like a feather falling on the water, almost inaudible. But on this empty beach, in the night where only the sound of the waves could be heard, every word was crystal clear.

His previously lifeless eyes flickered at those words, like a lamp about to go out that was suddenly blew by the wind, causing the flame to sway and then light up again.

“In that situation, you chose to face it,” An and Asuka continued. “Many people would run away or lie, but you didn’t.”

Komari's finger stopped, resting on the sand, dampened by the surging seawater.

"Was I really... really brave?" she asked, her voice trembling, so soft it was as if she were asking herself.

An and Asuka did not answer directly. He looked at the distant sea, where the moon hung above the horizon, its silvery light covering the entire ocean.

"Do you regret your decision now?" he countered.

Komari remained silent for a long time.

Do you regret it? Do you regret saying those things? Do you regret opening your heart in front of so many people? Do you regret letting him know how you feel?

"No." Her voice was soft, but firm.

She didn't regret saying it, but the result. She didn't regret confessing, but being rejected. She didn't regret being brave, but that nothing changed after she was brave.

But if she could do it all over again, she would still tell him. Because she didn't want to lie to him. Because it was a feeling she had kept hidden for so long, and if she didn't even have the courage to say it, then that feeling would be too pathetic.

That is courage, courage that belongs only to you.

Xiaoju Zhihua's tears welled up again. But this time, they weren't silent; they were audible.

"Waaah..."

A girl's suppressed sob echoed through the empty world. The sound wasn't loud, mostly drowned out by the sound of the waves, but on this beach where only two people were, it was clear as if it were right next to their ears.

It wasn't a loud wail, but the kind of crying that comes from holding back for a long time and finally finding an outlet. She buried her face in her knees, her shoulders shaking violently, her voice broken and intermittent, as if each word was being squeezed out of her throat.

An and Asuka didn't speak, but simply sat quietly to the side, looking at the distant sea.

The moonlight fell on his profile, softening his features. Waves surged in and receded, their rhythm neither hurried nor slow, as if nothing had happened.

After a while, the crying gradually subsided. Xiao Juzhihua lifted her head from her knees, her eyes swollen like peaches, her nose red, and the tear stains on her face dried by the sea breeze, leaving behind thin streaks.

"Thank...thank you..." Her voice was hoarse, but much steadyer than before.

If it weren't for this boy, I might not have had the courage to face my own heart.

She will keep it hidden, hidden it forever, until that person graduates, until that person leaves, until this feeling slowly molds, rots, and turns to ash. She will have many regrets, many "what ifs," and many "back thens."

But not anymore.

Although she was rejected, she had already said it. She would no longer toss and turn at night wondering, "What would have happened if I had said it?" because she had already said it.

An and Asuka smiled but didn't reply. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a pack of tissues, and handed it to him.

Xiaoju Zhihua took the tissue, pulled out one, and wiped her face. The tissue was quickly soaked with tears, so she took out another one, wiped her face clean, and blew her nose. The sea breeze blew by, cool and slightly stinging her tear-soaked skin.

She looked at the crumpled tissue in her hand and suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

"You...you're not being cowardly? Lin Eryi is going to give out her number to someone else?"

"Tell others what?"

"It's me...crying like this..."

"will not."

Komari Chika breathed a sigh of relief, then fell silent again.

Neither An nor Asuka spoke. The two sat side by side, watching the moonlight on the sea.

After a long while, An and Asuka suddenly spoke.

What do you want to eat tomorrow morning?

Komari Chika was taken aback. The topic had changed too quickly; her mind hadn't yet recovered from the emotions she'd just been experiencing.

“Cake…” she answered softly, not even realizing what she was saying.

"Do you eat sweets for breakfast?"

"Yes, I want to eat it." She repeated, this time her voice a little louder, with a touch of girlish capriciousness.

"Hmm... alright then." An and Asuka's tone carried a hint of helplessness, but more so of indulgence.

When Komari heard that helpless voice, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

She looked up at the distant sea. The moon was high in the sky, large and round. The moonlight on the sea swayed gently with the waves, like someone had laid a silvery-white path on the water. A few stars hung quietly on the distant horizon, not very bright.

The world blurred by tears gradually became clear.

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and the Milky Way sparkles. This sea, this beach, this night—nothing has changed.

The sea was still the same sea, the moon was still the same moon, and the wind still blew the same. The world didn't change a bit because of her confession, nor did it stop to wait for her because of her sadness.

But she felt that something was different.

So what if she was rejected? There are still many beautiful sights and people in this world worth her attention. Those sights won't become less beautiful because of her sadness, and those people won't cease to exist because of her failed confession.

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The tightness in her chest seemed to lessen a little.

"The moon is so beautiful tonight."

After releasing her inner emotions, Xiaoju Zhihua couldn't help but express her amazement at the scenery. The moonlight on the sea stretched far and wide, from the shore to the unseen distance, as if guiding something. The light was not dazzling or ostentatious; it lay there quietly, as gentle as a person's gaze.

Then she realized what was happening.

The moon is beautiful tonight. In Japanese, this phrase also means "I love you."

That's not what she meant; she genuinely just said the moon was beautiful. But saying that, at this time, in this place, on this night after she'd just confessed to someone and been rejected, and then saying it to the boy sitting next to her—

"I...I didn't mean anything by it..." she stammered, her voice flustered, her face flushing red from her neck to her ears. "I just...really thought the moon was beautiful..."

"Haha." An and Asuka laughed, the laughter was not loud, but it could be heard clearly in the sound of the waves. "Don't worry, I'm not that easily misunderstood, and I don't have any feelings for you."

Komari Chika paused for a moment, then the blush on her face faded somewhat, replaced by an indescribable expression.

"Ugh, you...you jerk..." Her voice was a mix of anger and exasperation, "You have absolutely no idea how to make a girl happy..."

"Really?" An and Asuka tilted their heads. "I think I'm pretty good."

"Narcissist, morally corrupt!"

"Yes, I'm used to hearing those two words."

Komari glared at him, wanting to hurl a few more insults, but found herself at a loss for words. She was never one to curse; the harshest words she could utter were probably "idiot" and "bad guy." But to the boy before her, those words were probably nothing more than a tickle.

She turned her head away and stopped looking at him.

The sea breeze blew, brushing her hair against her face. She reached up and brushed it away; the salty taste of her tears still lingered in the strands.

The two fell silent again.

But this silence was different from the one before. The silence before was heavy, as if something was pressing on the chest, making it hard to breathe. This silence was light, as if the two people were just sitting by the sea, thinking nothing, doing nothing, just sitting there.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiaoju Zhihua's eyelids began to feel heavy.

She had been crying for so long that her eyes were sore and her body felt weak, as if all her strength had been drained away. She didn't want to go back, didn't want to face those people, didn't want to see Shintaro Tamaki's expression, didn't want to hear Lemon Yakishio's guilty voice, and didn't want to be looked at with those worried eyes by Anina Hachimi and Karen Himemiya.

She just wanted to sit here for a while, and then a little longer.

The sea breeze was getting cooler. She hunched her shoulders and subconsciously leaned to the side. There was someone next to her, sitting steadily, his shoulders warm, offering some protection from the sea breeze. She didn't know when she had leaned her head against him, or when she had closed her eyes.

Consciousness gradually faded.

The sound of the waves faded into the distance.

The next day, sunlight streamed in through the window and fell warmly on her eyelids.

When Komari Chika opened her eyes, she found herself lying in her own bed. The blankets were neatly tucked in, the pillows were in the right place, and even the old doll she liked to hug before going to sleep was tucked next to the pillows.

She stared at the ceiling for a long time.

My mind went blank, then fragmented images flooded in—a campfire, fireworks, the sound of a guitar, Shintaro Tamaki's face, that "I'm sorry," the moonlight by the sea, and someone sitting next to her, saying a lot of things, yet it seemed like he said nothing at all.

How did she get back? She couldn't remember at all.

She lay in bed, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

Then she sat up and took a deep breath.

She got up, washed up, and changed her clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror—her eyes were still a little swollen, but it wasn't very noticeable; you couldn't tell unless you looked closely.

She splashed cold water on her face, then on her eyes, and then splashed it again. The cold water tightened her skin and reduced the swelling a bit.

Then she walked out of the room.

In the living room, everyone was already seated around the table. The manuscripts and notebooks had been put away, and the table was laden with breakfast. The miso soup was steaming, the toast was arranged on a plate, the fried eggs were golden brown, and the vegetable salad was vibrant green.

And in the only empty spot, there was a small cake.

It wasn't one of those packaged cakes you buy in stores; it was handmade. The cream wasn't spread very evenly, and the edges were a little collapsed, but you could tell it was made with great care.

A smiley face was drawn crookedly on the cake with strawberry jam, just two simple strokes, curved, like someone smiling at her.

"Xiao Ju, come and have breakfast!" Salted Lemon was the first to see her. Her voice was still as clear as ever, but she was a little more cautious than usual.

"Feiniao specially made a cake for you."

Himegami Karen pointed to the cake on the empty seat, her tone tinged with envy.

"That's great! I want to eat cake too." Anna rested her chin on her hand, looking at the cake with sparkling eyes.

Shintaro Tamaki, sitting at the other end of the table, saw her come out, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back. Koto Tsukinoki sat beside him, quietly drinking his miso soup, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before shifting away. Kazuhiko Nukumizu, still as slow as ever, nodded to her.

Everyone was as enthusiastic as ever, as if nothing had happened yesterday. No one mentioned the "I'm sorry," no one mentioned her running away, and no one mentioned how long she cried on the beach.

The food on the table, the soup heating in the pot, the rice in the bowls—everything was just like any other day.

As Xiaoju Zhihua stood at the door, watching this scene, she suddenly felt her nose sting with tears again.

It wasn't the kind of sour sadness, but something warm welled up from my chest, down to my throat, up to my eyes, and stuck there. It didn't hurt, but it made me want to cry.

Her vision blurred for a moment. She blinked hard, trying to hold back the wetness.

She looked at the boy sitting beside her. An and Asuka were drinking miso soup from their bowls. Noticing her gaze, they looked up and smiled at her. There were still specks of white flour stuck in their hair, glistening in the morning light, like snowflakes that had fallen there by accident.

Looking at the little bit of flour, Xiaoju Zhihua felt like laughing for some reason.

She held back.

She walked to her seat and sat down, looking at the crooked cake in front of her. The frosting wasn't spread very evenly, the edges were a bit collapsed, and the smiley face on it was simply drawn, but it was very warm.

She picked up her fork, cut off a small piece, and put it in her mouth.

Sweet.