I won't be a loser.

"Well, I thought of something on the way home, so I wanted to talk to Miyamizu-kun."

"That's perfect. I also have something I want to ask Miss Wu."

After pouring a cup of tea and inviting Qingpu Mai to sit down, the two of them sat down around the small table in the middle of the living room and talked about what they wanted to say.

Looking at the dignified and pretty Qingpu Wu sitting opposite him, with her reserved and decent posture, Xianren's gaze lingered on Qingpu Wu for a moment, then he withdrew his gaze, looked at the teacup in front of him, and was silent for a moment.

"Although there are some things, they are just small matters. If Miyamizu-kun has any questions, then please ask first."

"It's about Setsuna."

Facing Qingpu Mai, Xianren did not refuse or hesitate, but asked the doubts in his heart.

"Yesterday, Miss Mai answered me that she would persuade Setsuna after returning home, right?"

Facing the boy's serious expression and gaze, Qingpu Mai had already anticipated such a development, but facing the boy's clear and slightly distressed eyes, her eyes couldn't help but wander for a moment.

"Yes... That's what I answered Miyamizu-kun. When I returned, I also talked about this with Setsuna. But Setsuna... It's rare for her to fall in love with someone. As a mother, I really can't ignore her feelings for me..."

"So, Miss Mai, do you think Setsuna's relationship with me will have a happy ending?"

Having said that, Qingpu Mai's expression became a little serious as she looked at the boy in front of her.

"I also have some doubts about this question. I wonder if Miyamizu-kun could answer it for me?"

The wise man who was originally asking Qingpu Mai did not refuse after hearing Qingpu Mai's words. He silently looked at Qingpu Mai, who was in her mature and beautiful years, and nodded.

"Why, Miyamizu-kun, are you so concerned about the future? You haven't even reached the point where you need to consider it, but you're already thinking about the outcome. You're so cautious, like you've lost something, you don't even want to start?"

Cautious as if I have lost something...

Under Qingpu Mai's gaze, the young man in front of her began to exude a sense of loneliness, and his eyes became melancholy at that moment. He was clearly just a young man, but he seemed like an actor who had stepped into the final act of an opera, which made people feel pity and sadness.

"Miyami...kun?"

Qingpu Wu's gentle call reminded him of the sage of the past. His expression improved a little, but he was still filled with lingering sadness. Even Qingpu Wu was infected by such a heavy feeling, and he felt a little depressed for a while.

"Maybe it's just like what Miss Mai said, I'm afraid of losing something... I'm just a coward afraid of getting hurt, so I don't want to take that step."

"Then why don't you just reject Setsuna directly and decisively?"

"Will Setsuna get hurt too?"

"If you don't want to get hurt, and you don't want others to get hurt, then why not take that step bravely?"

For a moment, Qingpu Mai had forgotten her original purpose for Xianren, and began to comfort the boy in front of her as an intimate sister.

The pure and handsome cute boy showed such a weak attitude in front of her, which aroused the maternal instinct in Qingpu Mai. Now, she just wanted to see the boy in front of her show that gentle and reassuring smile.

"Are you dating Setsuna...?"

"Setsuna has never liked a boy before. As a mother, I am also quite worried. But if it is Xianren, then there is no problem. Xianren is such a gentle person. I fully support you and Setsuna being together!"

Looking silently at the woman in front of him with an encouraging look on her face, Xianren didn't know why things had turned out like this, but after listening to Qingpu Mai's words, he felt that it made a lot of sense.

The best way to forget the past is to look at what is in front of you, stop and look back, look ahead of you, and keep moving forward.

In the present, when nothing has happened yet, isn't he the only one who is bound by the past?

How long will he continue to indulge in this sadness?

Slowly raising his head and looking at Qingpu Mai in front of him, Xianren slowly nodded.

"Miss Dance..."

Image: "Qingpu Dance", Location: "Images/1635847459-100277911-107910098.jpg"

Cherry Blossom Season: 22. Hey, tell me, Mom

After receiving a call from her mother, Kiyoura Setsuna started preparing dinner at home.

"I'm back, Setsuna."

Qing Pu Mai's voice came from the door. Just when she had almost finished preparing dinner, she turned around and looked towards the living room——

The woman in formal attire slowly walked to the sofa and sat down. She glanced down at the miso soup in the pot that was almost cooked, scooped some with a spoon, brought it in front of her, blew it gently with her soft little mouth, and tasted it.

Not too salty, not too bland, just right.

"Dinner is ready. You can eat in a moment. Go wash your hands first."

Qing Pu Mai, who was sitting on the sofa, had a rosy face. She looked back at her daughter standing in front of the kitchen counter, and seemed not to notice anything. She responded softly, stood up and walked towards the bathroom. As for Setsuna, she silently prepared dinner and brought the dishes to the table.

However, after all the dishes were served on the table, she deliberately packed the miso soup and other dishes left in the pot into lunch boxes.

"I'll go deliver some dinner to the wise man and be right back."

Qing Pu Mai, who was removing her makeup in the bathroom, paused slightly after hearing her daughter's words. She wanted to say something to her daughter outside the bathroom, but the words were choked back when they reached her lips.

The footsteps faded away, and the sound of a door closing was heard. Even if he wanted to say something to his daughter, it was too late.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Qingpu Mai reached out and gently stroked her cheek. Her cheek felt soft and shiny. She didn't look like a mother who already had a fifteen-year-old daughter... Not really, but she did look very young.

"Because I like mature and stable women, I may not end up with Setsuna. So, do you hope I can be mentally prepared?"

Thinking about what the boy said to her, Qingpu Mai's mood became a little subtle. Should she be happy or worried about her daughter?

Looking at herself in the mirror, Qing Pu Mai sighed slowly. What was she thinking about now?

Kento was cutting radishes and preparing miso soup when he heard the doorbell ring not far behind him. Just over ten minutes after Kiyoura Mai left, he had a new guest.

The chopping of vegetables stopped, and the wise man came to the door and opened it.

With a look of excitement and anticipation on his face, he stood at his door, holding three food boxes in his hands and handed them to him.

"Dinner, a meal I made myself."

After a moment of hesitation and looking at the girl's expectant expression, the sage reached out and took the food box from her hand. When he wanted to say something, the girl in front of him pursed her lips, looked at the sage in front of her, closed her eyes, as if waiting for some reward.

"..."

Faced with such an innocent and lovely girl, Xianren was silent for a moment and moved a little closer to the girl.

The defenseless girl stood before him with her eyes closed. Her slightly trembling eyelashes seemed to indicate her restless heart.

The wise man leaned forward slightly, lowered his head, and gently kissed the side of the petite girl's face. Then he stepped back to create some distance between them, and stood behind the door frame again, watching the girl gradually open her eyes.

"Good night."

"Good night."

The girl, whose expectations were met, looked at the boy in front of her with a smile, said good night, and slowly walked away from the door.

As for the wise man, he looked down at the food box in his hand, and then glanced at the dinner that was still being prepared behind him.

“…Let’s make pickled radish.”

Just when Xianren kissed Setsuna, in another apartment some distance away from Xianren's apartment, a black-haired girl was observing the situation here with a telescope in her hand.

Especially when she saw Xianren kissing Setsuna, the girl holding the telescope had an expression of "as expected" on her face.

"As expected, I knew that rejecting my invitation today, saying something was wrong, wouldn't be a good thing. Has it developed to this point? It's only been two days, or three days?"

Sekai Saionji put down the telescope she bought from Amazon, sat on her bed, and showed a helpless expression on her face.

Even though he knew that boys like Miyamizu Kento would easily be snatched up by girls, he didn't expect his friend to be so quick.

"You said you wouldn't consider dating before college, but you still fell for Setsuna."

She looked down at the ups and downs in front of her, then thought about the size of her friend, her face full of confusion.

"Don't they say boys like bigger girls? Would anyone like Setsuna's small size?"

Perhaps Zetsu had said something a little too much, Saionji Sekai slapped her cheek.

"No, no, no, since Setsuna has someone she likes and things have progressed to this point, as a friend, I should be congratulating her. Um... I can't accept that!!!"

"world!"

Just as Sekai Saionji was lying on the bed unwillingly and rolling around, her mother Yuko's voice was heard outside the door, which made Sekai Saionji silent immediately. She buried her face in her pillow, her snow-white legs slapping the bed from time to time, thinking about what she should do now.

"Tomorrow, let's test Setsuna and see how far the relationship between the two has progressed."

Turning over, Sekai Saionji looked at the phone beside her pillow, gave up the idea of contacting Setsuna, and lay quietly on her bed, staring at the roof above her head, lost in thought...

"Miss Wu, you already know the relationship between your daughter and me, but you still have such feelings for me. Don't you feel ashamed?"

"But...even I want someone to be by my side..."

"Really? Well, this is just a little secret between you and me. Come on, Miss Mai, come into my arms."

"Wise man? Yes! Wise man~"

"This is our little secret between the two of us."

"Ok!"

dong dong——

dong dong——

The knocking on the door became more and more frequent. Qingpu Mai, who was sleeping, gradually opened her sleepy eyes and looked towards the door of her room.

"It's already seven o'clock. If you don't get up, you'll be late for work."

"Ok?"

Qingpu Wu suddenly sat up from the bed, looked at the surrounding environment, her face seemed a little lost, and a feeling of emptiness filled her body and mind. She sighed slowly.

"I understand. Get up right away."

"besides--"

The door was opened, and half of Setsuna's face was revealed in the shadow of the crack.

"Why does mom call out Xianren's name when she's sleeping?"

Cold sweat instantly covered Qingpu Wu's back...

- - - -

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Cherry Blossom Season: 23. Kiyoura Setsuna and Saionji Sekai

Qingpu Mai looked at her daughter sitting opposite her, then lowered her head to look at the breakfast in front of her.

Almost half an hour had passed since she got up, and during this half hour, she and her daughter had not been able to communicate a single word. For a moment, she didn't know how to explain it.

The two of them sat quietly at the dining table, having breakfast quietly. Qingpu Mai guessed what her daughter was thinking at the moment, while thinking about how to break the awkward and weird atmosphere.

"It's almost time. If you're any later, you won't be able to get to work in time."

Just as she was racking her brains to think of how to avoid her daughter misunderstanding her, a word from Shana woke Qingpu Wu from her thoughts. Looking at the clock hanging in the living room, the time was gradually approaching late, and Qingpu Wu had no time to think about other problems.

He stood up hurriedly, packed his things and prepared to go to work.

"I'm going to work first. I'll leave the cleaning up to you."

After handing the task over to her daughter, Qingpu Mai hurried towards the door. After picking up her bag, the moment she opened the door, she looked back at her daughter who was sitting in the living room, still leisurely eating breakfast.

"Mom is looking forward to good news from you and Xianren."

As soon as the words fell, the door was closed. The moment the figure disappeared, Shanda, who was sitting in the living room, looked back at the door, but Qingpu Mai had already disappeared.

Looking at the dining table in front of him silently, Qingpu Setsuna sighed softly.

Maybe it was because of Saionji Sekai's previous behavior of running away that she is now always suspicious, even doubting her own mother. Her mother obviously supports her feelings so much, but she actually doubts her mother because of this.

"It's the world's fault."

He whispered softly, took a sip of his miso soup, put down the bowl in his hand, stood up silently, and began to clean up the table...

"Setsuna~ I'm coming~"

Looking at the person who appeared at the door, Shanna, who was already ready to go out to find Xianren, didn't know that she would come to find him. Looking at his friend who was blocking the door, Shanna's eyes wandered for a moment.

"School is about to start, don't you need to make any preparations?"

"School's back to school, right? It's vacation time now, so we should enjoy it. Hey, Setsuna, how's your relationship with Miyamizu-kun going?"

After hearing Saionji Sekai's question, Setsuna's face flushed slightly and her expression became a little more unnatural.