Chapter 7: Who exactly are you?

Tiantong’s seemingly ordinary question immediately put Xi Ye on alert.

If Yumya had asked this question, she might not have suspected anything, but coming from Tiantong, it seemed much more purposeful.

She considered herself to understand Tiantong Yukino fairly well.

Keen, resilient, and once she set her sights on something, she never let go—these were all the reasons Xi Ye once loved her.

Could it be that she was starting to get suspicious?

No matter how strong Tiantong’s investigative skills were, she couldn’t have found out so quickly, right?

Recalling what she had said last night, this question now felt even more like a probe.

Xi Ye liked drinking sweet soy milk. After all, she was a hardcore sweets enthusiast, absolutely in love with all kinds of desserts and chocolate. In the past, when both of them were home, Tiantong would make desserts for her.

If she answered sweet soy milk, it would only deepen Tiantong’s suspicions, but would saying salty soy milk seem too deliberate?

Her recollections and thoughts flashed by in an instant. With a slightly surprised expression, Xi Ye folded her hands in front of her and said,

“Who would have thought Miss Tiantong would actually prepare breakfast for me? I’m so happy! But to be honest, I don’t usually eat breakfast. Which one would you recommend, Miss Tiantong?”

That’s right, at this moment, the best answer was to choose “or” and toss the decision back to the other party!

Tiantong nodded almost imperceptibly.

“It’s fine, they’re all store-bought, so it didn’t take much effort.”

She picked up the cup of sweet soy milk from the table and handed it to Xi Ye.

“Try the sweet soy milk. It’s very good—Ye Xi likes this flavor a lot too.”

“Hmm? Is that so? Then I’ll give it a try…”

Xi Ye took the cup and took a small sip. The warm soy milk slid across her tongue, leaving a faint sweetness behind. The tiny happiness her taste buds felt brightened her mood a little.

The girl’s crimson eyes sparkled as she smiled,

“It really is delicious~ But I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who doesn’t like sweets, right? Eating something sweet just makes you feel happy.”

Xi Ye knew there was no way to hide her fondness for sweets, so she simply admitted it, and then grouped her personal preference with everyone’s common tastes.

Heh, not bad at all, Xi Ye. An answer without flaw, not a drop leaks!

She took a few more sips, all the while watching Tiantong’s reaction from the corner of her eye.

However, Tiantong showed no emotion, merely watching her drink the soy milk. Xi Ye began to feel a bit unnerved by her gaze, so she quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, Miss Tiantong, why do you call me Teacher?”

Although she knew Tiantong was her student, she still had to ask—after all, if you’re going to put on a show, you have to see it through.

“Because I am Hyakki Yakou’s student.” Tiantong answered calmly.

“Eh, is that so?” Xi Ye covered her mouth with her hand, feigning surprise. “Then doesn’t that make Miss Tiantong my student?”

“Yukino.”

Before she could finish, Tiantong interjected.

“Eh?”

“Just call me Yukino.”

As she spoke, Yukino suddenly raised her hand. Xi Ye, unsure of her intent, instinctively tried to dodge, but another hand pressed down on her shoulder.

Unable to move away, the girl resorted to the ostrich method—she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

“Uuu…!”

Unable to see anything, Xi Ye let out a whimper like a small animal.

Is she going to make a move against me?

A heretic god is still a heretic god in the end, some things just can’t be changed… Huh?

There was a soft rubbing sound. Xi Ye felt something soft brush across her lips, so she opened her eyes and saw Yukino gently wiping the corner of her mouth with a tissue.

“You had soy milk on your mouth.” Yukino showed her the tissue with its milky-white residue.

“Ah… there’s really no need to trouble Miss Tian—”

“Yukino.”

Yukino interrupted, her tone allowing no refusal.

“Yukino… classmate…”

“Yukino.” Yukino corrected again.

It seemed that unless Xi Ye called her “Yukino,” she wouldn’t let it go.

“…Yukino.”

After hesitating for quite a while, Xi Ye finally, though reluctantly, called her by name.

The reason she didn’t want to say “Yukino” was because that name carried too many beautiful memories. Once spoken, it was hard not to reminisce.

Being in that state was dangerous—she could easily slip up.

“I’m here, Teacher.”

When she finished speaking, Yukino tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a gentle smile, as warm as a spring breeze. It rippled in Xi Ye’s eyes.

The girl couldn’t help but be stunned.

The person in front of her overlapped with the figure that had stood beside her through so many moments in the past. But as she lowered her head, she saw an insurmountable chasm between them, and forced herself to snap out of it.

So sly…

Xi Ye lowered her eyes.

“Teacher?” Yukino called softly.

“Uh… ah! I’m here! Ahaha… Sorry, I spaced out for a moment. Let’s go, Yukino.”

Xi Ye laughed it off and put down her mug.

It was the same mug she used for Hot Cocoa last night. Even if there had been anything left inside, the soy milk probably washed it away. She would have to ask Yumya herself to be sure.

Deep in thought, she went to the entryway to put on her little leather shoes. Hooking her finger around the heel, she tapped the toes on the floor with a “tap tap,” then pushed open the door and stepped out.

Behind her, after hearing “Yukino classmate,” Yukino’s smile faded, but she didn’t correct her again—she simply followed in silence.

Gazing at Xi Ye’s lovely figure from behind, Yukino frowned:

The way of speaking, the personality, the hobbies, the little details… all different from him. Is there really no connection, or is she just that good at hiding?

Xi Ye… Teacher.

Just who are you?

On the way, the two hardly spoke. At one point, Yukino tried once more to hold Xi Ye’s hand, but Xi Ye rejected her righteously: “It’s inappropriate for a teacher and student to hold hands.” Because of that, Yukino stared at her for a long time with a very unpleasant look in her eyes.

S-So intense…! I can’t shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen…

After walking alongside Yukino for so long, Xi Ye was already sweating nervously. The pressure was just too much.

Luckily, Yukino’s academy was Hyakki Yakou, and Xi Ye remembered their academies weren’t in the same direction—this was the perfect place to part ways…

To limit her contact with Yukino, Xi Ye deliberately scheduled her first period at Arkham Academy, the one farthest from Hyakki Yakou.

“Yukino, I’m heading to Arkham Academy now. Goodbye!”

Without wasting a moment, Xi Ye waved to the white-haired girl by her side and hurried off without looking back.

As if afraid her heretic god ex-girlfriend would chase after her, Xi Ye quickened her pace. By the time she reached the academy gates, she was out of breath.

“Huff… huff… finally made it…”

Xi Ye wiped the sweat from her cheeks, undid the top button of her blouse, and fanned herself with her palm inside her collar.

This body was never very athletic to begin with, and now, with those two big white rabbits on her chest, the extra burden was just too much!