Jiang Jian Yue’s lips twitched slightly.
Then, with a cold tone, she spat out a few words: “Stay away from me.”
“S-sorry.”
Yuki Asahi, still somewhat dazed, blushed deeply and hastily straightened up.
At the last moment, Jiang Jian Yue’s willpower managed to suppress the mischievous urge to lean in and plant a kiss.
This is what adult self-control looks like!
If she had actually kissed him, it would have been the end of the world.
As always, no flirting without the intention of marriage.
When it comes to pure-hearted Chunan, it’s best not to give him any room for imagination!
“I… I was really worried about you, senpai… so… I was being selfish. I’m very sorry.”
Yuki Asahi slumped his shoulders, lowering his face with messy bangs covering his eyes, his tone tense and anxious, looking exactly like a kid afraid of being scolded after making a mistake.
Because, in truth, he was just a kid.
In Jiang Jian Yue’s self-perception, she was on the same generation as Morita and naturally treated Yuki Asahi, a high school student, like a junior.
High school student? The age when one thinks they are mature but is actually clueless.
Jiang Jian Yue was the senior; naturally, she had to carry the senior’s demeanor.
However, upon seeing his haggard face and the way his body trembled occasionally, Jiang Jian Yue couldn’t help but curl up her legs and pull aside a bit of the blanket covering the entire sofa.
“Please sit.”
“Thank you.”
Yuki Asahi blinked in slight surprise, realizing Jiang Jian Yue wasn’t angry, and hurriedly sat down.
The soft sofa supported him, relieving all the tension in his body.
He blinked once more, his heavy eyelids nearly shutting completely as he drifted off.
Suddenly, a faint tug on his sleeve caught his attention, and Yuki Asahi groggily turned his head.
He saw the blanket gently lifted by Jiang Jian Yue’s knee, and at the edge, a delicate, slightly pink toe lightly pinched the fabric of his sleeve, silently signaling him to look over.
“Are you alright? Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Jiang Jian Yue held up her phone to cover the lower half of her face; on the screen was the memo interface with words of concern.
Above the screen, her clear blood-red eyes were watching him intently from bottom to top.
So cute…
Yuki Asahi’s heart thumped uncontrollably, and he swallowed instinctively.
Jiang Jian Yue had underestimated Chunan—just this little gesture was enough to send Yuki into “fantasy time.”
“I slept for a bit on the train last night… Tokyo is under martial law now. I could have come earlier.”
Yuki Asahi forced himself to reply.
I was sleeping earlier! Irony—are you trying to disturb my sleep?
Still, is the situation really that serious? Martial law already?
Jiang Jian Yue lowered her head and checked the news about the martial law on Blue Bird—indeed, several wards around Chiyoda were under Self-Defense Force control, with sporadic battles still ongoing.
However, what caught Jiang Jian Yue’s attention was that all online discussions mentioning Yuki Asahi had vanished.
She used her “Non-national” account, often scolded by old-timers, to tweet an inquiry, but the post disappeared shortly after posting.
Information control was in full effect…
The government had been swept up by the public opinion stirred by Yuki Asahi’s live broadcasts, which is why the Self-Defense Force stepped in to clean up the aftermath of the GPRI Hunters incident.
And after regaining control of the situation, the most urgent task was to deal with the source of trouble—Yuki Asahi.
More precisely, it was his influence among the people, his “hero” image, which they wanted to erase completely, as if he had never existed.
Now, the higher-ups probably mistrusted and feared the superpowered community immensely.
Really… this is awful.
Jiang Jian Yue felt that Yuki Asahi’s efforts were undeserved.
Though she didn’t understand why he was working so hard, it certainly wasn’t because of her, right? Haha…
She tapped her fingers on the screen, finishing the last line, then looked up.
Yuki Asahi had closed his eyes, his head resting against the back of the sofa.
Huh?
Asleep?
Her gaze passed over his pale cheeks, the deep fatigue etched on his face like a thin, invisible veil, enveloping the handsome contours of the boy.
He was just a high school student, after all.
The thought struck her again.
At this age, he should be enjoying his last carefree years—studying, club activities, secret crushes, friendships…
Not facing terrifying enemies and fighting with astonishing resolve to protect more people.
He shouldn’t be burdened with responsibilities far beyond his years.
Some corner of Jiang Jian Yue’s heart unexpectedly softened, and a faint, secret sting welled up.
A complicated, indescribable ache mixed with the worries of a senior quietly drowning out her earlier determination to steel her heart.
This feeling came fast and fierce, catching even her off guard.
She gently and cautiously pulled the blanket over Yuki Asahi.
Then thinking it wasn’t good for his spine to sleep like that, she muttered in her mind: Still at the growing age, after all.
She reached for the back of his head, preparing to lay him down flat.
Only after his body settled into her arms did she realize she should have gotten off the sofa first—what an idiot!
First, she hooked his legs onto the sofa, then turned sideways, carefully inching her body along.
Pushing off the sofa seat with her legs, she pressed her back firmly against the sofa back, resting his head on the soft armrest.
Looking at his peaceful sleeping face, Jiang Jian Yue couldn’t help but smile faintly.
What the heck, she really was like a nagging mother.
Of course, not a loli mom—this was a senior’s care! A “fatherly love” among friends, that’s what it was!
She argued silently to herself.
Taking care of juniors gave her a strange sense of satisfaction, and as she tried to get off the sofa, she relaxed her efforts.
The sofa was too soft and silky; her feet slipped, and she accidentally bumped her head against Yuki Asahi’s abdomen.
“Pffft!”
Poor Yuki, exhausted after a sleepless night, barely asleep, curled up like a shrimp and suddenly jolted awake.
Jiang Jian Yue, you idiot!
“F-freaking hurt…”
Jiang Jian Yue buried her face in the blanket, mumbling incoherently.
At this moment, she really wanted to ask herself: Are you even human?
She no longer had the face to look at Yuki Asahi.
Woken up by low blood sugar, Yuki’s bloodshot eyes held a faint anger.
But upon seeing the gray-haired girl lying on him, the anger gradually faded, though the irritation remained.
With some newfound courage, Yuki Asahi reached out and firmly grabbed the girl’s shoulder, pulling her close to his chest.
“Uweh?”
Senpai even makes cute noises.
He thought she would always be calm, always cold.
The irritation began to subside.
Yuki Asahi understood his feelings.
Although they hadn’t spent much time together, he definitely liked Senior Jiang Jian.
When she was taken away, his desire to see her was more urgent than ever.
He wanted to talk to her.
He wanted her to stay by his side without pause.
If this wasn’t love, then what could it be?
After all, it was her who barged into his life first!
But… why?
Why did his heart ache faintly after realizing his feelings, as if something was stuck in his chest?
Like feeling sunlight through glass—he could clearly see the bright world outside, feel the warmth burning his skin.
But what his fingertips touched was always that cold, hard glass, separating him from everything.
—That was roughly how it felt.