When Yuki Asahi returned, his expression was strange.
Jiang Jian Yue felt his gaze was a bit intense, so she took the initiative to shrink back into the rear seat.
Being stared at from behind with such eyes always felt odd.
Kaori Onishi looked at Yuki Asahi sitting in the middle seat, her head drooping a little in disappointment.
What’s wrong?
Are you so against sitting with me?
Jiang Jian Yue grumbled inwardly.
On the way back to the Minshuku, they stopped at a famous Seafood Shokudo for dinner.
Jiang Jian Yue remembered a manga she’d read called , and on a whim, ordered a bowl of Fish Roe Donburi.
After taking a bite, her eyes turned slightly bitter—it didn’t taste good and had a fishy smell.
Manga really are full of lies.
But as an adult, she couldn’t be the first to waste food, so Jiang Jian Yue forced herself to swallow it.
“Saiyonji-kun… aren’t you eating?”
Yamanoi Yayoi warmed her hands with the Seafood Noodle bowl, watching Saori Saiyonji shivering outside as she gnawed on bread.
“Did you forget?”
Kaori Onishi picked up a shrimp and stuffed it into her mouth.
“His sense of taste hasn’t returned, so everything tastes the same to him.”
But… at noon, it was clearly—
Yamanoi Yayoi stopped mid-sentence, deciding not to bring up something they’d already moved past.
***
Back at the Minshuku, a day of running around and emotional exhaustion sent the young people early to their respective rooms.
Yamanoi Yayoi glanced at Yuki Asahi, who was lost in thought, softly said goodnight, and entered her single room.
In the girls’ double room, Jiang Jian Yue had already taken off her scarf and coat.
She sat on the bed, head down, checking the photos she’d taken today, filtering for usable shots.
Kaori Onishi was unusually quiet, slowly packing her toiletries.
She peeked at Jiang Jian Yue several times, hesitating as if wanting to say something but stopping herself.
The room’s heater was on high, yet it couldn’t dispel the tangle and lingering awkwardness in her heart.
Finally, as if making up her mind, she hugged her change of clothes and walked over to Jiang Jian Yue’s bed.
Her voice was tinged with rare hesitation and seriousness.
“Predecessor… I want to talk to you. Is that okay?”
Jiang Jian Yue moved her gaze from the camera screen, her crimson eyes calmly meeting hers.
After a few seconds, she nodded gently.
Kaori Onishi sat down on the edge of the bed opposite Jiang Jian Yue, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.
“Today… I’m really sorry, Predecessor.”
She took a deep breath, her voice tightening.
“I shouldn’t have misunderstood you like that and… and said such loud things…”
She was referring to that earth-shaking confession and her “accusation” toward Jiang Jian Yue.
“And also…”
She lifted her head, emerald eyes filled with apology and honesty.
“I clearly knew Yuki-kun liked you, Predecessor, but I still… I still said things about not giving up. Maybe it troubled Yuki-kun more, and made you uncomfortable too, Predecessor?”
Jiang Jian Yue listened quietly, her expression unchanged.
She set down her camera, picked up her phone, and hovered her fingers over the virtual keyboard for a moment, as if considering her words.
In the end, she deleted a few lines she had typed, and simply entered:
Not your fault, the misunderstanding is resolved.
She handed the phone over.
Kaori Onishi looked at the words on the screen, her nose turning slightly sore.
Predecessor really… is so gentle after all.
“As for the confession to Yuki-kun…”
Kaori Onishi’s voice lowered, carrying a stubbornness and a hint of vulnerability unique to girls.
“I know it might be foolish, and probably won’t work out. But the feeling of liking someone is real.”
“So… even if it’s hard, I still want to try, I want to make an effort.”
She summoned her courage and met Jiang Jian Yue’s eyes.
“Predecessor, do you think I’m annoying? Or do you dislike me for this?”
In Jiang Jian Yue’s red eyes, Kaori Onishi’s uneasy yet determined face was reflected.
Although it felt a bit melodramatic, Jiang Jian Yue believed Kaori Onishi’s anxiety was genuine.
The only sound in the room was the low hum of the heater.
After a while, Jiang Jian Yue picked up her phone again.
This time, she typed a bit faster, finally choosing a rather cute emoji.
Is it too passionate?
Her finger paused, then she deleted the emoji, making the message a bit stiff.
No, love is freedom.
Then she quickly locked the screen, tossed the phone aside, and picked up her camera again.
But Kaori Onishi had already seen her reaction, first stunned, then let out a light laugh, tears still glistening in her eyes but her smile lighting up her face once more.
The thoughtless, black-bellied little sun was back.
“Uwah—Predecessor!”
She lunged dramatically, trying to hug Jiang Jian Yue’s arm, but remembered something midway and abruptly stopped.
Just leaned in very close, eyes sparkling.
“Predecessor, were you trying to type an emoji just now? Were you, were you?”
Jiang Jian Yue leaned back slightly, dodging her attack, frowning with a hint of murderous intent in her eyes.
However, this “murderous intent” had no effect on Kaori Onishi, instead making her find Predecessor even cuter.
“Hehe, I get it, I get it! Predecessor is actually very cute!”
Kaori Onishi laughed, standing up.
“Then I’m off to the hot spring! Thank you for listening to me, Predecessor! And sorry! And… goodnight!”
She walked out with her small bag, footsteps light, and soon after, the sound of her knocking on the next single room was heard.
Don’t bother others, kuso!
Jiang Jian Yue watched her disappearing figure, sighed softly, and rubbed her brow.
Love, troublesome.
Youth, troublesome.
Kids, really troublesome.
She put down the camera, fell back onto the soft bed, pulled the blanket over her head, and tried to block out all these troublesome thoughts.
Her memory flashed back to the scene of Kaori Onishi’s passionate confession at the foot of Tengu Mountain.
Between Yuki Asahi and Kaori Onishi, there were three spaces of distance, while she stood far away as always.
She didn’t know why.
When Yuki Asahi turned toward her, his gaze a little panicked and helpless, looking at her—
The meaning behind that look was obvious.
He was afraid Jiang Jian Yue would misunderstand.
Afraid that an interrupted rejection would bring more trouble.
And above all, he hoped the one he loved wouldn’t be troubled by this matter.
Jiang Jian Yue felt a bit… relieved?
Why?
Why would she feel relieved?
Clearly, she should have been hoping for Kaori Onishi’s confession to succeed, to reduce her own troubles.
Could it be because she stopped taking her medicine?
Thinking of this, Jiang Jian Yue hurriedly retrieved Komagyorin from the Storage Space and took one with water.
As the warm water slid down her throat, Jiang Jian Yue’s mind cleared a little.
Right!
Her feeling of relief wasn’t “that”—
Jiang Jian Yue didn’t even dare to think of that word.
It was more like, after the two of them became a couple, she feared becoming the third wheel in the Supernatural Club…
Yes… That must be it.
She was simply overwhelmed by unnecessary anxiety!
How could she let something so trivial shake her?
Of course she’d be happy to see two young people come together.
Convinced, Jiang Jian Yue picked up her camera and continued flipping through the photos, landing on a nightscape of Tengu Mountain.
And then… a candid shot of Yuki Asahi’s profile she didn’t remember taking.
Without realizing it, she began recalling the singing on Tengu Mountain.
The Tengu Mountain observatory at night—that was where the male and female leads kissed in the drama after growing up.
That’s also why Koji Hattori suddenly sang Hikaru Utada’s famous song .
I’ll remember to love…
You taught me how?
The lyrics meant: I’ll remember how to love, this is what you taught me.
Heh… Impossible.
***
The next morning, Otaru was still covered by a thin layer of snow, the air cold and fresh.
On the first floor of the Minshuku, everyone gathered for a simple Japanese breakfast.
Miso Soup, Rice, Grilled Fish, Pickled Vegetables—just the typical morning spread for locals, nothing fancy~
The atmosphere was a bit better than last night, but still carried a subtle tension.
Kaori Onishi had regained most of her energy, no longer forcing herself to be cheerful as she had the previous day.
She no longer avoided eye contact, carrying an air of “I’ve laid my cards on the table, but I’m still trying,” occasionally glancing at Yuki Asahi.
Yuki Asahi had faint dark circles under his eyes, clearly not having slept well.
He’d had a nightmare last night, dreaming of Jiang Jian Yue marrying a faceless “Engagement” and himself being firmly controlled by the dark hand of the Jiang Family—
Darkness~like~a~boulder~pressed down! On his chest~
But in the dream, Jiang Jian Yue seemed to be waiting for him the whole time—which brought him a small comfort.
Still, he quickly found it funny.
Dreams are just dreams, so why feel afraid or happy because of them?
He ate absentmindedly, occasionally glancing at Jiang Jian Yue, who was quietly sipping soup, his gaze complicated.
He needed to be “proactive,” to have “initiative.”
The words Koji Hattori spoke last night echoed in his mind, but he had no idea how to act.
Jiang Jian Yue before him was like an insurmountable icy peak…
Or perhaps, the obstacles weren’t with her, but within himself.
Saori Saiyonji kept her head down the entire time like a quail, wishing she could bury her face in her bowl.
She’d also had a nightmare last night, dreaming that because of spreading rumors, Jiang Jian Yue had stomped her underfoot and humiliated her.
The Pickled Vegetables in her mouth still had no taste—it would take until tonight for the effect to wear off.
Yamanoi Yayoi carefully watched everyone’s expressions, trying to find a light topic.
But in the end, she could only softly praise how crisp the Pickled Vegetables were.
Koji Hattori, on the other hand, seemed energetic, as if nothing had happened the night before.
As he ate heartily, he announced the day’s schedule.
“Everyone, after breakfast, take a stroll by the sea, I’ll go return the car, then we’ll check out and depart.”
“Next stop is the beautiful Lake Toya! It’s about a three-hour drive.”
Although the itinerary had been discussed and decided by everyone, Koji Hattori acted like he was the guide.
The MPV barely had enough space for all the luggage, but sitting inside was definitely uncomfortable.
The best scenario would be to have a second driver and rent another car for the luggage.
Jiang Jian Yue could drive, but she had no license, and with no experience driving on snow—better not trouble the Uncle Policeman.
So, as originally planned, they would take the JR Line to Sapporo, then transfer to the JR Express Bus to Lake Toya.
Heh, seems they both have the same philosophy about dreams