Zongman: Unknowingly trapped in the hatchet

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"is that OK?"

Since it was already late at night when she planned to leave last night, and Yukino couldn't refuse Yuigahama's mother's hospitality, she stayed at Yui's house again.

After breakfast, Yui took the opportunity to drop off Yukino at the station.

When they parted, Yukino learned of the other party's thoughts and asked worriedly.

"it's okay no problem!"

Yui patted her chest confidently, then pushed Yukino into the train, "I can't always rely on you, can I?"

"Then...come on."

"Ok."

……

Ok what the hell!

In a dessert shop on the commercial street, Yui and Mahiru sat facing each other.

The girl held her head in repentance.

I'm sorry, Xiaoxue, I'm so embarrassed.

Yui's fingers drew invisible swirls on the tablecloth, and her throat felt like it was clogged with a swollen glutinous rice ball.

How can I say in front of someone else's girlfriend that I like your boyfriend and want to continue to be friends in the future? !

"You asked me to come here, probably because you want to talk about Qingjun, right?"

Silently watching the girl twisting her fingers together out of embarrassment, Mahiru suddenly spoke.

The attitude is very gentle.

Mahiru received a message from the other party right after breakfast.

In the past, the two of them only maintained a good online relationship on Line, and this was the first time they had a face-to-face conversation like this.

It feels a bit like a real person when he says this.

“Well… that’s true, but it also has something to do with you.” Yui blinked in surprise and nodded without denying, “Also… what I’m going to say next might be a little strange.”

"It's okay, go ahead," Mahiru said.

Yui took a deep breath, then slowly said, "That's right, I actually like Xiaoqing..."

Mahiru's face was calm, "I know about this."

“Eh!?” Yui’s elbow hit the cup and saucer, causing the cocoa liquid to sway dangerously on the rim of the cup.

"Because... it's pretty obvious, isn't it? At least for two girls who like the same person." Mahiru smiled slightly.

“That’s true.” Yui kept twisting the cotton ball on her sleeve with her thumb, “But my love is actually just one-sided, and you two are together now…

Well... although it may sound a bit self-willed, I still want to continue to be friends with Xiaoqing in the future."

At this point, the girl suddenly waved her hands.

"But I definitely don't want to ruin your relationship! I also said that I just fell in love with him on my own.

But even without this love, he is still a very important friend of mine...

So it would be strange if we suddenly broke up for this reason, but I don’t want you to misunderstand me.”

"Is that so?" Mahiru tilted his head, thoughtfully.

Suddenly, she said jokingly, "I thought you asked me to come here today to declare war on me..."

"How is that possible!" The girl's voice suddenly increased by several decibels, instantly attracting surprised glances from other guests sitting next to her.

After realizing that this was a public place, Yui shrank her pink balls and smiled awkwardly.

"I don't plan on confessing my feelings to him, and would anyone really do something like declaring war?

And...I also want to be friends with you."

"Be... friends?" Mahiru blinked her beautiful eyes blankly, with a hint of doubt at the end of her tone.

“Hmm…” Yui pursed her lips nervously.

I thought to myself that I was really stupid.

But...she knew very well how clumsy she was.

This is the best answer she can think of at this stage.

Of course, she could choose not to let anything happen and continue to maintain the ambiguous relationship with Su Qing, or maintain the self-deceiving game of good friends.

But this won’t work.

If that's the case, there won't be any progress at all, right?

So perhaps only by being honest with Mahiru can she be honest with Su Qing.

……

It's indeed a bit strange.

Hearing the somewhat clumsy but sincere request from the girl in front of him, Mahiru couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips.

A girl who shows her feelings clearly on her face makes people feel completely safe and have no other negative emotions.

"Whether it's you or Qingjun who you want to be friends with, I can't really control it.

So it doesn’t matter even if you don’t tell me this today.

After all, he is my boyfriend anyway."

Mahiru lowered her head and stirred the hot cocoa in her cup, speaking calmly.

"I'm a little weird, right?" Yui asked.

"No." Mahiru raised her eyes and smiled gently, "It feels more like novelty to me, right?

After all, the girls I know don’t seem to do such a thing.”

"Ah...how come you look exactly like Xiaoxue?

Saying this between girls means that I'm super weird!"

"Well, you are a little weird then."

Mahiru covered her mouth and chuckled.

Yui wanted to cry but had no tears, and soon she smiled in relaxation.

The light slanted down from the glass windows, and the smell of the sun mixed with the sweet scent of caramel pudding in the air was soothing.

Sometimes the friendship between people is actually very simple.

One party is honest and the other party accepts it.

But the simpler things are often the more complicated.

The two girls had chatted online for some time and had a very good impression of each other. With Su Qing as a "bond", they quickly became familiar with each other.

"He made a lot of sumptuous dishes today, which completely surprised me!" Mahiru couldn't help but share.

“This must be fake. How could Xiaoqing make anything other than dark cuisine?” Yui widened her eyes in disbelief.

"It's true." Mahiru's eyes were gentle, "He must have worked hard for this."

……

"It's almost time. I have to go back. He is still waiting for me."

Mahiru checked the time and apologized.

"Oh, it's okay. I have to go home for dinner too."

Yui blinked, tilted her body to look somewhere behind Mahiru, then lowered her head and asked in a low voice.

"By the way, do you think the person behind looks like Xiaoqing?"

Upon hearing that, Mahiru quickly looked back in the direction Yui was looking. She recognized the other person at a glance, was stunned for a moment, and then smiled happily.

……

"So Qingjun, why don't you explain why you are here?"

After confirming that it was Su Qing, Yui ran away tactfully. Now the two were on their way back.

Seeing that the other party didn't react, Mahiru scratched his palm with a smile in his eyes as if to tease him.

"Say it quickly."

"Well, do you believe me if I say it was a coincidence?" Su Qing said without blushing or beating his heart.

"What do you think?" Mahiru narrowed her eyes in dissatisfaction, then pouted her lips and threatened in a cute tone, "Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist!"

"I was a little worried so you followed me here. I'm sorry, I didn't get your consent."

Su Qing was silent for a while and explained.

God knows the person Mahiru will meet is Yui.

He thought it was Shiina Sayo...

"Are you worried about me?" Mahiru lowered her head and pondered for a long time, then raised her eyes prettily and uttered a childish and understandable hum.

"Qingjun's desire for control is unexpectedly strong~"

"Ah? It's not like that..." Su Qing wanted to explain, but Mahiru stretched out a finger and lightly touched his lips.

"Hey, my boyfriend~"

The girl's voice was soft, like clouds in midsummer.

"Well, what's wrong?" Su Qing knew that the other party's action was to show that she understood, so she didn't explain any further.

"I made a friend~" Mahiru held Su Qing's arm, looking proud like a child.

"Yuigahama Yui?"

Su Qing read out the full name.

"Yeah. I think she's very simple and a very interesting girl." Mahiru said with a smile, "Am I good?"

"Very impressive." Su Qing praised while touching the girl's head.

"I think so too~"

Mahiru actually knew that Su Qing had been helping her make friends.

She also understands the reason. Doesn’t he want her to be too lonely?

It was as if he chose to follow her now because he was worried about her.

Qingjun is still a worrier!

Oh my, it's really annoying to have a boyfriend like this.

Su Qing glanced at Mahiru who was grinning inexplicably, but did not disturb her. Instead, he fell into some kind of deep thought.

Why does it feel like... Mahiru seems to have become a little stupid.

Was it because he was influenced by Yui, or was it just his illusion?

Never mind, being silly is cute too.

Speaking of Yui, Su Qing couldn't help but frown.

What memory about her did I cover up?

……

Forget it, he must have had some reasons for doing that at that time.

Let’s just… not explore it.

"Do you want anything for lunch? If I can cook it, I'll make it for you as a reward."

After coming out of his thoughts, Su Qing noticed that Mahiru was still laughing foolishly, so he asked.

"Hey...? Do you want something to eat?

To be honest, I don’t know if it’s because I just ate a lot, but I don’t feel like eating anything.

But if you want to reward me, you can reward me by cooking with me.

I actually look forward to the idea of ​​us dividing up the cooking duties.”

Mahiru thought about it, then quickly came to Su Qing, raised his face and said with a smile.

"You won't mind my clumsiness?"

"Well, as long as you don't burn the food."

……

After the two arrived at the apartment, Mahiru did not go directly to Su Qing's house, but returned to her room first.

His fingertips circled a keyhole, and the drawer slide made a jerky sound.

Mahiru pulled out a pink diary from the deepest part.

She bought it when she was in the lower grades of elementary school. This style is no longer available on the market.

The breeze lifted a corner of the window screen, and the pages of paper were turned, raising a fine dust cloud.

Until they reached a certain page, Mahiru's fingers suddenly stopped.

The tender pencil writing was blurred by water stains, like petals withering in the rain.

【12.6, sunny weather!

Aunt Xiaoxue taught me how to make omelette rice again today. The smiley face she drew is much rounder than before!

Today is my birthday, so I’ll make three bowls of omelette rice for mom and dad, and then give the two roundest bowls to them!

Um... Mom and Dad, they should be back today, right? 】

There was no answer given at the end of the diary, except for a few blank lines at the end that left irregular circular water stains to avoid the text.

As if this could preserve the little girl's last bit of dignity.

Mahiru stared at the page in a daze.

This diary was actually just something she wrote on a whim when she was a child.

But later on, its nature completely evolved into a record of [evidence] that her parents ignored her.

The awkward and dishonest little girl thought that if one day her parents asked her to do something based on their status, she would not be completely without confidence.

But it's all meaningless.

No, actually there are.

Waiting itself is the greatest meaning.

Mahiru's eyes were gentle, like warm water flowing over pebbles.

After many years, Mahiru stroked the uneven surface of the paper with her fingertips, as if she was caressing her former self.

Now, how about we keep going for a while longer?

One day in the future, you will meet a very good boy.

It's as if I want to repay all the debts of the past and treat you with all my tenderness.

So, don't cry anymore.

The diary cannot speak, but Mahiru's words were responded to across time and space.

pat, pat.

There was something more on that page of the diary, but it seemed like nothing was new.

They just overlap to form a symmetrical circle.

Mahiru lowered her head, pursed her lips, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

In the past, when I thought of my parents, I just felt a little uncomfortable inside, like a spot of black ink on white paper.

It can be ignored.

But now that bit of black ink is expanding rapidly at an abnormal speed, making people restless.

This must be because of meeting Su Qing.

Keep in touch with each other and keep being attracted to each other.

Mahiru gradually understood that there really were such dazzling and sincere people in this world.

It's like the first ray of light at dawn, bright and warm.

That's why Mahiru is worried about him.

She realized it early on, but she just didn't want to admit it:

Even if I force myself to convince myself that I have given up, I still hold on to unrealistic fantasies.

The desire for family affection in childhood becomes distorted into a kind of obsession when growing up, and then becomes deeply rooted like a thorn somewhere in the heart.

As I am now, is it really possible for me to walk into the future side by side with the young man whose eyes are full of tenderness towards her?

The funny thing is, Mahiru had thought that Light must have grown up in a family full of love and happiness.

But that night when a shooting star streaked across the sky, the boy's eyes became deep and calm.

When she heard Su Qing say with her own ears that he was an abandoned child and had no home, she realized that everything was just her self-righteous "willfulness".

What is even more outrageous and intolerable is:

Even if it was only for a brief moment, she couldn't help but feel a little secretly happy.

I was secretly delighted that the distance between the two of us was suddenly "shortened" a lot.

If it is a warm and happy family, she may not know what kind of mentality to have when intervening.

But such "closeness" is just an illusion.

Mahiru felt disgusted with herself for being so despicable. There had never been a single moment when she hated herself for being like this.

So to this day, the girl still doesn't talk much about the grayness of her childhood.

Even though she knew that Su Qing didn't care about it, and was even happy to listen.

And as long as the other person is by her side, these gray memories and emotions will be blown away by the wind, and she will be able to move on.

But this is not what she wants.

After talking with Yui today and witnessing the girl's clumsy "courage", Mahiru realized more clearly what she wanted.

At the very least, you should rely on your own efforts, right?

As long as I work hard, I can ask Su Qing for a "reward" like I did today.

No?

Mahiru carefully closed the diary, then placed it lightly against her chest, and faintly heard some tiny sobbing sounds.

I do not know how long it has been.

Mahiru slowly took out her phone and opened the pitifully small address book. The cursor finally stopped at a number without any notes...

……

……