Today’s Literature Club was disbanded before club activities even started because of the razor blade incident.
Kaori Onishi went back to the classroom to grab her things, leaving the remaining two walking silently side by side to the main building’s entrance.
At the shoe locker, Jiang Jian Yue changed her shoes, glanced at Yuki Asahi waiting beside her, and spoke softly.
“Waiting for me?”
Yuki Asahi shook his head instinctively, then quickly nodded.
“I… I want to ask Predecessor a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Has Predecessor been very busy lately?”
“It’s been okay.”
Jiang Jian Yue stood up, her fingertips brushing her bangs as she put her indoor shoes into the locker.
“Then why… haven’t you had time to chat with me?”
Yuki Asahi’s voice carried a hint of nervousness.
“……”
Jiang Jian Yue closed the locker, bowing her head slightly.
A few strands of hair slipped quietly, hiding the faint curve at her lips.
Chunan’s thoughts are really easy to guess.
Heart itching already?
Puhuhu…
A strong urge to tease welled up inside her, but she only lifted her eyelids, her tone flat.
“Chat about what?”
Yuki Asahi was momentarily speechless.
Usually, Senior Jiang would care about his meals.
—’Have you eaten?’ is a common greeting among people from Chongguo.
However, recently he had also started caring about Jiang Jian Yue’s preferences.
He had seen her play games before and even searched for them online himself.
Yuki Asahi had never been interested in games, the only one he played was on the Red-White Console his biological father left behind—which later broke.
Yeah, let’s go with games as a topic.
“Predecessor likes shooting games, right? Can you take me along? It’s that one called, uh, Valorant?”
“……”
Jiang Jian Yue clenched her fist, suppressing the urge to punch him.
“When I move out in a while, I’ll have my own computer.”
Move out?
Jiang Jian Yue knew nothing about Yuki Asahi’s family, only that he was rather poor, so she asked back.
“Where’d you get the money?”
“The bonus from Tokuyōmoto Base, it’s a lot, over 1.2 million yen, so… it should be enough, right?”
Yuki Asahi spoke hesitantly, having no idea about rental prices.
Jiang Jian Yue recalled Kaori Onishi mentioning ‘generosity’ on Sunday night—so it wasn’t favoritism, but Yuki Asahi getting rich.
But for such a huge help, they only gave 1.2 million yen?
Isn’t that bullying a kid?
Better get Morita Ao to ask about the situation.
“Um… Predecessor, are you free tonight? I want to treat you to a meal.”
Yuki Asahi finally mustered up the courage to voice his true intention.
Jiang Jian Yue sighed lightly and shook her head.
“Not free.”
Unfortunately, she had to go deliver goods to The Light Extinguishers tonight.
Disappointment flashed across Yuki Asahi’s face.
The courage he’d gathered dissipated.
“Then, maybe anothe—”
“Here I am!”
Before he could finish, Kaori Onishi bounced down from the stairwell, swinging her handbag.
She slipped and stumbled past the two, almost colliding with them every step.
Jiang Jian Yue grabbed the back of Kaori Onishi’s collar, steadying her, her brows slightly furrowed.
“Be careful.”
She really is a handful.
“Eh hehe, thank you, Predecessor.”
Kaori Onishi scratched her head in embarrassment and looked at Yuki Asahi.
“Yuki-kun! It’s still early. Let’s go hang out together?”
“Uh…”
Jiang Jian Yue picked up her handbag and walked past them, feigning indifference.
Kaori Onishi noticed the boy’s gaze stuck to Jiang Jian Yue’s departing back and pursed her lips in dissatisfaction.
So, she grabbed Yuki Asahi’s arm, hugging it in front of her.
“I’m talking to you, Yuki-kun. Isn’t it rude not to answer?”
Her tone carried a hint of jealousy.
“Ah! Sorry.”
Yuki Asahi blushed, trying to pull away, but Kaori Onishi only pressed closer, pinning him against the locker door.
“Let’s go, okay? Come hang out?”
Kaori Onishi’s cheeks were slightly flushed, her grip firm as if she wouldn’t let go unless he agreed.
Jiang Jian Yue paid no attention to the scene behind her and walked straight out the main building doors.
Koji Hattori was already waiting at the entrance.
“Missy, uh… Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but you really don’t need to go yourself.”
Jiang Jian Yue gave him a flat look, the meaning obvious.
Koji Hattori fell silent and obediently followed Jiang Jian Yue away from the school gate.
Once inside the car, Morita Ao began the briefing for Missy.
“Tonight, after picking up the item in Saitama Prefecture, head to Kawasaki Port. The ship’s ready.”
***
Yuki Asahi opened the front door.
The hallway was pitch black.
Only the cold light from the kitchen at the far end illuminated a small area near the kitchen entrance.
He breathed a sigh of relief and walked straight toward the kitchen.
On the way home, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
He tried to activate his Chantui Ability to scout the area, but the resentment of office workers on the train nearly suffocated him.
Is this the power of Shachiku?
Will I become one of those adults in the future?
That’s terrifying.
Inside the kitchen, Funae Amuro was slurping cup noodles.
She spun around when she heard footsteps behind her.
Seeing it was Yuki Asahi, the girl’s face showed a flash of embarrassment and shame.
She quickly bowed her head.
Yuki Asahi ignored her, as usual, and took the morning’s stir-fried green pepper and meat from the fridge, putting it into the microwave.
Ding—
As the aroma of heated stir-fried green pepper and meat wafted out, Yuki Asahi poured it into a small rice cooker and mixed it.
Funae Amuro slurped the last bit of noodle soup, then peeked at Yuki Asahi’s back.
The scent of stir-fried green pepper and meat made her mouth water, making the noodles she’d just eaten seem pointless.
The old Funae Amuro would have definitely picked a fight, but ever since that day, every time she saw Yuki Asahi, she’d recall that sudden wave of fear…
Yuki Asahi quickly finished his meal and rinsed the bowl under the faucet.
Funae Amuro’s shoulders drooped at the sound of running water, and her nose tingled.
What… am I really hoping he’d share some with me inside?
Really…
Thud—
The empty cup noodles hit the trash can, and Funae Amuro ran out of the kitchen, eyes red.
A string of deliberately heavy footsteps thudded up the stairs, leaving Yuki Asahi baffled.
He never understood his half-sister, couldn’t grasp her thoughts.
After cleaning the bowl and plate, Yuki Asahi dried his hands and returned to his bedroom on the second floor.
Next door, in a room decorated with pink, Funae Amuro buried herself in her bedding, letting her tears soak in.
Damn! Damn! Damn!
Funae Amuro clenched her teeth, hatred flickering in her eyes.
I will… definitely drive this annoying guy out.
She rubbed her reddened eyes and punched a pillow a few times, then jumped out of bed to the computer desk, preparing for her ‘great undertaking’.
But when she glanced out the window by chance, Funae Amuro’s face went pale.
Someone was lying on a tree, bulging eyes staring this way.
👁️
Ahh hell nah that’s scary yo