Chapter 110: Oh My Restless Heart

All sorts of miscellaneous voices echoed around, with different guesses being mentioned.

Only Xiao Chun Miura understood what Kondo Haruka meant in her words before she left.

But she had no interest in explaining to everyone.

After all, the conversation in the infirmary was bound to become a secret between her and Kondo Haruka.

“That scared me.”

Yui Hori plopped back into her chair, letting out a long breath.

***

Although she seemed bold, Yui Hori was actually the least prepared for Kondo Haruka’s sudden arrival.

After all, neither Yuzuki Yasuda nor Mio Sato had direct contact with Kondo Haruka, but Yui Hori was the one who actually bumped into her.

Yui Hori originally thought Kondo Haruka was here to cause trouble for Xiao Chun Miura again, which is why she reacted so strongly at first.

Xiao Chun Miura looked at the now relaxed Yui Hori and couldn’t help but find it amusing.

In the end, her exaggerated reaction was just her way of dealing with unexpected situations, trying to give herself courage.

She could feel that, in truth, Yui didn’t wish for Kondo Haruka to suffer serious injury from that incident either.

” — It’s a bit surprising. I didn’t expect someone like her to apologize to Xiao Chun face to face.”

Mio Sato said thoughtfully.

“This proves even she had to admit it.”

Yuzuki Yasuda chimed in.

“She’s already acknowledged she can’t win against Xiao Chun, otherwise why say anything about apologizing—admitting defeat in essence.”

Xiao Chun Miura quietly listened to her friends’ discussion.

Among everyone present, only she knew that Kondo Haruka’s words were more than just an apology.

Even if it sounded a bit awkward, that was already as straightforward as Kondo Haruka could be.

She had formally said goodbye to her past self, blinded by jealousy.

From today onward, she would no longer be that troublesome childhood friend who made Kanzaki Sou headache, but would return to being the proud and honest Kondo Haruka, true to herself and determined to be number one.

Maybe this is a happy ending.

“Alright, alright, time to eat!”

Yuzuki Yasuda tapped her lunchbox.

“I’m starving!”

“All you care about is eating!”

Yui Hori said.

Lunch break passed amid laughter.

However, as the relief of resolving the incident gradually settled in, another emotion slowly surfaced in Xiao Chun Miura’s heart.

It was like a thin feather, gently tickling at her heart.

It was itchy, impossible to ignore.

A curiosity toward a certain person.

Kanzaki Sou.

With no more Library Committee work, and no excuse like the sports festival, it wasn’t easy for students from different classes to “run into” each other in a large campus.

What was he doing?

Did he know about Kondo Haruka coming to apologize?

He should know.

So was it Kondo Haruka’s decision, or did Kanzaki Sou also nudge her behind the scenes?

“Xiao Chun, why aren’t you eating, just poking and poking.”

Yuzuki Yasuda’s voice pulled her back, and Xiao Chun Miura realized she had just been absentmindedly poking her bento.

“Ah, spaced out.”

She murmured, taking a bite as if to shift her focus.

But her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Why do I keep thinking about this?

The girl silently complained to herself.

The crisis was already over—there was no need to take action right away anyway.

The system said to keep a low profile these months, and with Parents’ Return, she had planned to enjoy this rare peaceful life.

Yet, why did her mind keep wandering back to thoughts about him?

She just wanted to know what he was doing.

Wanted to hear his voice.

Wanted to see his face.

“!!”

Xiao Chun Miura instantly shook her head.

“Whoa, what’s wrong!”

Her friends cried out at her sudden movement.

“Hu… “

After eating, Xiao Chun Miura tried to calm herself.

But the more she tried to suppress it, the more that curiosity grew.

I really want to go to the Library.

It felt like her body had already gotten used to it, as if she belonged there at noon.

Xiao Chun Miura felt that itch in her heart.

Even though Sakura-sensei said work is suspended.

But borrowing books should still be fine, right?

Convincing herself, Xiao Chun Miura immediately felt like standing up and heading out.

She knew what she was really thinking was:

What if he’s there?

“What’s wrong with me, am I really that bothered?”

That thought surged up, and even her urge to stand froze.

She didn’t want to admit her real reason for going to the Library was to see Kanzaki Sou.

Xiao Chun Miura frantically shook her head inside, chasing away the jumble of feelings.

No, there’s no legitimate reason to see him now.

No work, no studying, no events.

Even if she saw him, what would she say?

Nice weather?

Impossible.

Hold back.

She had to.

Reversing her thinking, Xiao Chun Miura took a deep breath and forced herself to focus on her friends’ conversation.

“Speaking of which, aren’t seats changing next week?”

“Eh? Really? I want to sit by the window!”

“I don’t really want to sit too close to you. It’s bad enough you sleep in class, but you snore too.”

“?! I snore?!”

“You didn’t even deny sleeping in class.”

Listening to the trivial and real daily life of school, Xiao Chun Miura’s mood calmed down a little.

Don’t think about it.

They’re all in the same school—surely they’ll run into each other again.

Probably.

That self-hypnotizing thought lasted until the end of the school day.

“Xiao Chun, want to go home together today?”

Yui Hori asked as she packed her bag.

“Ah….. Today, I want to stop by the bookstore first.”

After convincing herself all the way to the end of class, Xiao Chun Miura still couldn’t hold back.

She told a little lie to her friend’s invitation.

She didn’t actually have any books she wanted to buy.

She just thought that if she left the school gate with everyone, and ran into Kanzaki Sou, she wouldn’t even have the chance to say hi in front of so many people.

Subconsciously, she wanted to try her luck.

“Bookstore? Okay, we’ll go on ahead!”

“See you tomorrow.”

After sending off her friends, Xiao Chun Miura didn’t leave the classroom right away.

She decided to wait until there were fewer people in school.

— Then go check out the Student Council.

If she was lucky, maybe he’d be there helping out.

If she pretended to have business with the Student Council, it wouldn’t seem so obvious, right?

Her mind was abuzz with schemes, and Xiao Chun Miura did her best to steady her breathing.

Minute by minute, time passed.

Most students had already left the classroom, with only the duty student left wiping the blackboard.

Xiao Chun Miura glanced at the clock on the wall.

It was about time.

She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out.

The hallway was already dyed a golden red by the setting sun, stretching long shadows across the floor, making her feel a little lonely.

She slowly walked down the stairs.

With each step, her heart beat faster.

Would she see him?

Or had he already left?

By the time she reached the Student Council room, the classroom was already empty.

Naturally, there was no sign of that familiar figure.

A faint sense of disappointment welled up inside the girl.

“Of course, nothing is ever that convenient.”

Right, even if it’s a Game World—no, precisely because it’s a Game World.

It’s not like things revolve around a side character like her.

There’s no way she’d run into whoever she wanted, whenever she wanted.

The girl shook her head, sorted out her feelings, and walked toward the Teaching Building entrance.

She arrived at the Shoe Locker, changed her shoes, and stepped out of the Teaching Building.

The evening breeze blew gently against her face, tousling her hair.

The sound of hair fluttering in the wind reached her ears.

Xiao Chun Miura lifted a hand to tuck a loose strand behind her ear.

At that moment.

“– Miura-san?”

“—Miura-san?”

A gentle, slightly surprised voice called from above and behind her.

Xiao Chun Miura hurriedly turned around.

Against the setting sun pouring through the hallway window, a boy stood at the top of the stairs, backlit.

Only his eyes shone even brighter.

“Glad I didn’t mistake you.”

Kanzaki Sou smiled.

“You haven’t gone home yet?”