Loneliness and Rock and Roll with Band Observer

She responded in panic, as she had never expected to run into anyone she knew here.

Akihime adjusted her glasses and deduced based on the other person's facial features that the person in front of her was indeed Toyokawa Shoko.

"…Why are you here?"

Qiu Hui, who had calmed down, then asked.

She was typing away until late at night when she suddenly felt a little hungry, so she decided to go to a convenience store near her residence to buy something to eat and see if there were any suitable near-expiry products that she could find at bargain prices. Although she has a lot more money on hand now, she should still try to save as much money as possible.

But it was really unexpected to meet Toyokawa Shoko here.

"Well, Akie-senpai, it's actually like this. I... for some reason... stayed here for too long... and as a result..."

Toyokawa Shoko's face flushed with nervousness, and although she tried very hard to keep her tone calm, she still stuttered when she spoke.

"What happened?"

Facing Xiangzi who was unable to speak for a long time, Qiu Hui asked.

Since she was only planning to go downstairs to buy some things and was also a little sleepy, Qiu Hui was in a generally relaxed mental state.

Unlike the official attitude when they first met, at this moment she put aside all etiquette concerns and spoke to Xiangzi in a simple tone as if she were talking to a classmate.

This relaxed attitude made Xiangzi seem very uncomfortable.

"I……"

Xiangzi closed his eyes out of shyness and uttered his answer through gritted teeth.

"...I missed the last train, and my home is quite far away...so I don't know what to do tonight."

Chapter 67 My House is Quite Small

"Missed the last bus? That's hard to deal with. After all, I can't really walk back." Qiu Hui realized the problem. "It's the middle of the night. It would be dangerous to walk alone."

"That's true." Xiangzi nodded in agreement. "So, now I'm worried about what to do. Although I thought about staying at a nearby hotel, I don't know if they will accommodate high school students alone."

She seemed to be trying hard to appear calm and hide her panic and distress.

"Normally they wouldn't receive you." Akie said sympathetically, "So, what are you going to do next, Toyokawa-san?"

"...I don't know." Xiangzi admitted weakly, then silently turned his face to the other side.

After that, she said nothing, just stared silently at the table in the dining area.

Qiu Hui drank milk while observing Xiangzi's situation.

Toyokawa-san seemed to be in a dilemma, so she judged.

After all, you can't really stay in a convenience store all night, right?

"Toyokawa-san, do you have any friends living nearby?" Akie asked. "Under the current situation, I think it would be a better choice to stay at a friend's house for a night."

As soon as she asked the question, she regretted it.

After all, this isn’t an idea that requires a lot of brainpower, and it’s something that people with friends will think of first.

Fengchuan must have thought of it, but even so she is still in a dilemma. So the conclusion is obvious, she probably doesn't have any friends who are close enough to be taken in by the other party.

So asking this question will only make the other person feel unhappy unnecessarily.

Xiangzi beside him lowered his head and shook his head slightly.

Putting down the cup of milk, Qiu Hui sighed.

Only then did she notice that the other person seemed to be even smaller than herself, and looked as listless as a small dog that had fallen into the water.

How should I put it? After seeing the other person like this, I was reminded of the time when I just ran away from home.

Her empathy dug out the confused and helpless mood from the past memories, and then replayed it over and over again in front of her eyes.

Therefore, the reaction arising from this empathy drove her to speak again.

"Toyokawa-san, I actually live nearby now."

Akie suggested in a calm tone.

"I'm renting a house by myself now. It's quite small, the facilities aren't very complete, and I don't usually...pay much attention to cleaning, so...well, the conditions may be a bit bad. How should I put it, if you don't mind, you can stay at my place for a while tonight. What do you think, Toyokawa-san?"

Although the other party and himself had only met a few times as classmates, it was logically far from being possible for him to stay with him; however, facing this unexpected situation, there was no point in considering those issues any further.

After saying this, she looked at Xiangzi, trying to observe his reaction.

Xiangzi was perked up as if he had been electrocuted, and then cast an eager look.

"Really?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to realize that she had made a mistake and quickly put on a polite yet tense expression.

This sudden change made Qiu Hui want to laugh a little.

"It's true. Besides, Toyokawa-san, you don't have to be so polite. It's okay." Akie said with a smile, "My house is really a mess right now. I should be the one feeling embarrassed."

I originally thought that no one would come, so I was very lax about my housekeeping. As a result, I didn't expect that there would actually be a day when I would actually invite someone to my place.

It would be embarrassing to expose such a mess. However, it was urgent to make decisions. It was more important to help Xiangzi out of the predicament than my personal opinion.

Don't let your concerns affect your actions. Based on the lessons she had recently learned, Qiu Hui made a quick judgment.

Then she waited for Xiangzi's response.

"Thank you, senior. After all, it seems that there is no other way at this point." Xiangzi lowered his head, as if trying to suppress the ecstasy in his heart, "I am really sorry that I have caused you unnecessary trouble..."

Although she maintained her usual calm attitude, she seemed a little hesitant after all.

Qiu Hui recalled the scene when they first met. At that time, the other party had a polite, rigid and cautious attitude like a service staff, which left a deep impression on her.

However, Toyokawa-san in front of me now seems to be much more flustered than when we met that time, she thought.

Out of some instinctive concern, she decided to say something more.

"It's just a small favor, there's no need for Toyokawa-san to blame yourself to that extent." Akie consoled him, "In fact, I've never invited anyone to my place before. Now, instead of feeling troubled, I'm actually looking forward to it."

As she spoke, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

What does it mean to say "I'm looking forward to it"?

It's so late now, it's almost time to go to bed when I get home, there's nothing to look forward to.

Oh, right. Speaking of sleeping…

"By the way, there is one thing I need to explain in advance. Since I live alone, the bed is also designed for single use." Akie added, "If two people squeeze together, I'm afraid the space will be quite tight. Will Toyokawa-san mind this?"

Qiu Hui finally decided to speak out her thoughts.

Although according to hospitality etiquette, it is appropriate to let guests sleep on the bed and sleep on the floor, but to be honest, the space in my suite is too small, and after removing the bed, I am afraid that the remaining space will hardly be enough for sleeping on the floor.

Then again, even if there was enough space, I wouldn't want to sleep on the floor. Not only would it be absolutely uncomfortable, but the mattress and quilt would probably get covered in a lot of dust, which would cost me money and time to get rid of afterwards, which would be very troublesome.

If there is a sofa, the situation will be much better... Unfortunately, it is still too luxurious for me. The price of the sofa itself is not a big problem, the key is that the space enough to accommodate the sofa is too expensive.

So after much thought, temporarily squeezing into the same bed might be the least bad option.

But, leaving aside the ambiguous implications of sleeping in the same bed, from a purely technical point of view, the comfort level of squeezing together is definitely not that high.

Although both parties are women, there is still a possibility that the other party will mind too much physical contact.

Since there are so many possibilities, it would be better to confirm her thoughts in advance.

If the other party really can't accept it, then... I might as well not sleep on the floor. It's also okay to just cover myself with a blanket and sleep on the computer desk.

Thinking about various details, Akie put forward her own opinions, and then waited quietly for Xiangzi's reply.

Chapter 68: Because We Are Not Friends

"Two people...sleeping in the same bed?"

Toyokawa Shoko was stunned.

Qiu Hui's proposal stirred up waves in her heart.

It is not disgust or resistance, nor is it shyness or joy, but a kind of huge and indescribable emotion that is different from the above conclusions.

The extreme inner turmoil made her expression calm.

Of course, this calm appearance is not a reflection of the inner state, but the result of the absence of this reflection.

Perhaps we can conclude that because of the excitement in my heart, I forgot to make a corresponding expression on my face.

His chest rose and fell slightly due to his deep breathing, his lips were tightly pursed, his fingers were tightly interlocked, and excitement was reflected in his pupils.

Toyokawa Shoko was getting restless because of Aki'e's suggestion.

Senior Akihime and I are actually just people who have met each other a few times.

There is no deep friendship at all, and perhaps no good feelings towards each other.

The reason she made such an invitation now was probably purely out of her helpful nature, or something like that.

Because Akihime-san is indeed such a person. Even though she has never met me before, she will try her best to take my feelings into consideration.

This kindness has no meaning or premise, and does not limit the qualifications of the recipient. Just like the coupons handed out by the store clerk at the entrance of a shopping mall, anyone who wants can get it at will.

Therefore, even if I accepted Senior Akihie's kindness, I could not infer any meaning from it other than the matter itself.

"...I don't mind." Xiangzi shook his head calmly.

That’s right, it’s because Akihime and I are just classmates who have met a few times. So there is no contribution or debt between us.

So, if it comes from her kindness, maybe it’s okay to accept it with peace of mind.

There is no need to blame yourself for this, nor to incur additional debt.

"Akie-senpai, thank you so much...

Xiangzi stood up from his chair and bowed politely.

This serious attitude made Qiu Hui feel a little overwhelmed.

“…I understand, but please don’t speak in such a tone as if you are about to cry. I will be nervous.”

She smiled embarrassedly and decided to find another topic to divert Xiangzi's attention.

"Oh, by the way, it's a rare occasion for me to come to a convenience store... It seems a bit strange to say this. Anyway, since we're here, why don't we eat something before we go back?"

Qiu Hui pointed to the milk on the table.

"It is said that drinking milk before bed is good for sleep. Some people say this is a rumor, but I have almost made it a habit. How about a snack? If you are too hungry, you will not be able to sleep. And if you eat a little, the activity of the digestive system seems to affect the blood supply to the brain, making you sleepy..."

I've been nagging about inexplicable things without realizing it. Akihime realized this and stopped immediately. This seems to be a habit inherited from her father, and to be honest, it's not very pleasing, so it's better to change it.

"No need, I just had dinner..." Xiangzi shook his head, "I'm not hungry now."

"Just now? So late?" Qiu Hui looked at the empty plastic bowl behind Xiangzi, "Is there something wrong?"

"..." Xiangzi remained silent.

Her face, whose charm was obscured by exhaustion, showed an indescribable expression of confusion.

I thought I could survive without eating at night, but in the end I couldn't stand the test of hunger. So after the night shift, I could only reluctantly eat something here.

She wanted to tell Senior Qiu Hui the truth about these things. For no reason, she seemed to feel a driving force from the bottom of her heart, strongly asking her to do so.

The extreme financial distress had been tormenting her all along. Her remaining self-esteem supported her, driving her to continue to maintain a calm and polite demeanor in front of others, while preventing her from seeking sympathy from those who might still care about her, or those she cared about.

Deng, everyone at CRYCHIC, and Chuhua, all the friends I know. They are willing to lend me a helping hand, but I am unwilling to accept it.

Because accepting the other's pity means that I owe it to the other. The burden that I bear because of my own fate should not be shared by them.

It's because we're friends that I can't accept it... What a weird logic, but unfortunately I can't deny it no matter what.

But, maybe Senior Akihime is different.

For some reason, my self-esteem doesn't produce such a strong resistance in front of her.

We were not friends, and she didn't seem to have any sympathy for me.

She is just acting according to her own ideas as a matter of course. This is the impression I get from Senior Akiie.

So...if it was her...

Xiangzi was suddenly awakened from his thoughts and realized that Qiu Hui in front of him had gone to another place without him knowing when.