【Sen no Kiseki】【Crolin】The Guardian of the Morning Sun

In the morning, Li En woke up from the heat.He opened his eyes and found that an arm was resting on his waist, and the body temperature against his back made him hotter than the summer temperature.

He turned his head with difficulty, and the man behind him was sleeping like a child.He was really convinced that he could still sleep soundly while being squeezed into such a narrow single bed.Li En struggled slightly, and the arm wrapped around him was even tighter.He frowned, and tried a little harder this time, but the man hugged his waist tightly as if trying to compete with him.

"...you're awake, Craw."

Li En gave up struggling and glared at the other party angrily.Sure enough, Kuro suddenly opened his eyes, and gave him a lazy smile.

"Yo, morning."

"Why are you sleeping here?"

Rean took his hands away and sat up.When they first rented the place, they didn't have enough funds to buy two beds, so the two had to take turns sleeping on the bed and sleeping on the floor.Yesterday was Li En's turn to sleep on the bed.

"I can't help it, I won't have nightmares so easily when I sleep with you." Crow leaned on the bed and said naturally.

"...are you still having that dream?"

"Well, I haven't done much recently."

After a moment of silence, Li En got up and changed his clothes.Kuro looked at him standing by the window buttoning up his white shirt, and the misty morning light streamed down from the open window, reflecting the tall and straight body of the black-haired young man in white, making him look like It's like melting into the rising sun.As if feeling too dazzling, Kuro narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The money is almost saved, let's buy a bed when we have time." Li En said.

"What, what, are you finally going to change to a big bed? I just said that the small bed is really crowded and still uncomfortable—"

"It's another single bed." Li En emphasized his tone, and rolled his eyes at the excited Clow, "I'm not a child anymore, why do I always sleep together."

"Hey, cheapskate, according to you, it's a child's behavior for a husband and wife to sleep together?"

Li En's face suddenly turned two blushes.

"I, I and you are not—" He couldn't say those two words, and looked away helplessly.I never get tired of this shy look, and playing tricks on my partner is one of life's great pleasures—just let it go when you see it.Craw jumped out of bed just in time to put on his clothes, and went into the bathroom humming a tune.Li En watched his figure disappear, sighed, and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Although the house is small, it has all the internal organs.Li En took a fancy to this place at the time, firstly because the rent was cheap, and secondly because it was well concealed.When they first came to Crossbell, Lloyd, who had received a lot of help during the War of Liberation, warmly invited them to temporarily live in the vacant room of the Secret Service Support Section.The Secret Service Support Section is naturally a safe place to go, but Li En still politely declined his offer.Considering their identities, it might bring danger to Lloyd and the others.In the end, they chose this old apartment to settle down, and life was not inconvenient.If there is any disadvantage, it is just too quiet.

He never heard from any old people again.After switching to ARCUS, he did not tell his relatives and friends of the empire his address, and even disguised himself to conceal his identity.The reason for cutting off all ties with the past so thoroughly is because he has made up his mind that he will never return to the empire.He left everything and came here to start a new life with Kuro.

——It's almost time to get used to this too peaceful life.

It took half a day to complete the commission, and they took the time to come to St. Ursula Medical University and find Professor Selander, a psychiatrist introduced by Arios.After doing a detailed inspection and questioning, Professor Seander concluded in a formulaic tone:

"There is no problem with the brain nerves, so the problem lies in a deeper psychological reason."

"A deeper psychological reason?"

The doctor took off his glasses and looked at the two young men.

"Why do you think people forget certain things?"

Li En thought for a while, then said uncertainly, "Because that's unnecessary...?"

"That's the process of sorting out memory, which will be affected by time and other aspects. But his 'forgetting' is different from those, it is caused by his personal will." Professor Selander looked at Clow, "Deliberately To forget memories is for self-protection."

Li En glanced at Kuro who was beside him, and the other party spread his hands as if he wanted to clear up his responsibility.The professor went on to explain:

"Whether it's deliberate or unconscious, your memory will be blocked, because once those memories are remembered, there will be gaps in your heart, and even your self will collapse."

Li En held his breath for a moment, and an unusually complicated look appeared on his face.

"But it is precisely because of the ability to forget that people can protect their own healthy and innocent status quo. This function is really convenient, isn't it?"

Professor Seander commented sarcastically.

"I don't know what kind of past Mr. Clow has, but it must not be a pleasant memory. So I don't recommend restoring the memory immediately. There are ways, but if it is something that you don't even want to face in your heart It’s no good trying to remember things. You know, the truth, like the ending, is often ugly.”

Li En's gaze met the professor's, she seemed to be approving his decision, but also seemed to be blaming him for his weakness.He hurriedly looked at Kuro next to him, and was surprised to find that he was different from the countless previous consultations. Compared with the always absent-minded attitude in the past, he looked very serious at this time.Did he remember something?Li En thought about it and didn't ask, but Kuro's reaction made him very concerned and at the same time a little uneasy.

They left the hospital without a word and returned to the Guerrilla Association to report.There they meet Rin and Aiolia, who have just returned from a business trip.

"Still defiant, Miss Aiolia." Crow mocked the girl who thought he didn't exist, and the other party responded with a deliberately gentle smile.

Her partner Rin made a relief: "Don't mind, Aiolia has this attitude towards any man."

"That's not the case. I'm still very friendly to Mr. Arios and Li En." The long-haired girl pouted and retorted, patting Li En's head affectionately, making him feel embarrassed.Maybe it's because Li En and Rin's names are pronounced too similarly. In the Guerrilla Association where men gather, she only has a strange sense of intimacy with this black-haired young man.

On the side, Kuro folded his chest and squinted at her: "Hey lady, it's not appropriate to take the opportunity to touch someone else's partner, isn't it?"

Aiolia let go of Li En, and smiled sweetly and bored.

"With a stingy man like you as your partner, Li En is hard enough."

Ignoring the smell of gunpowder aroused by the two for some inexplicable reason, Li En turned to Rin who was watching the excitement.

"Is senior Rin here to report on work?"

"Yeah, come here to get this." She shook the things in her hand, which were a few letters. "Because I seldom go back to my residence, I usually ask Michelle to collect letters for me."

As a martial arts practitioner, and as a senior, Rin has always taken good care of Li En.Her domineering style and bold personality sometimes reminded him of Senior Angelica who was far away in the empire.And he hadn't seen her for a long time.

"It's great, I can receive letters from acquaintances." Li En was quite envious.Rin nodded without knowing it, and said kindly: "Now the communication and post between the Empire and Crossbell have returned to normal, and you can also ask friends of the Empire to send you letters."

Li En froze for a moment, showing a complicated smile.

"Yeah, it would be great if I could send it."

A strange silence suddenly enveloped them.A moment later, a cold voice sounded:

"—I'm going out for a walk, don't wait for me to eat."

Throwing such a sentence abruptly, Kuro walked out of the gate without looking back.That movement was so fast that Li En couldn't react for a moment.It wasn't until his figure disappeared from sight that he woke up like a dream, said goodbye to the two seniors and Michelle, and then entered the gradually dim twilight.

Passing through the streets with people coming and going, the bustling atmosphere is like his chaotic mood.Although it is not that Kuro has never acted alone, and he is still a guerrilla, the possibility of encountering danger in the city is not high; but he has lost his memory, and coupled with his special identity, there will inevitably be some contingencies; Li En was half annoyed and half worried that it didn't meet their agreement, and his heart became more and more restless.

The back of Kuro's departure seemed a little unhappy.But why he was unhappy, Li En had no idea.It felt like, ever since Craw lost his memory, he hadn't been able to understand his thoughts.

...as if I knew it before.

Ryan thought to himself.Sadly, the only time their hearts meet is when he wins over Crow and fights alongside him.He hadn't really known him until then, and Craw had become "the other guy" after that.

Craw has lost everything, can't remember the past, and can't see the future.Standing in the present moment, there is only an echo-like blankness left.If you don't care about it, I'm afraid it's not surprising to go crazy.He needs someone to back him up.At that time, Li En took the initiative to take on all of this and held his hand.

They are travelers left on an island of oblivion surrounded by a sea of ​​danger.In order to be careful not to fall into the sea, Li En could only try his best to drag the other party forward—sometimes he felt more like he was dragging an entire island.

No matter how heavy the burden called the past was, he could never look back.It was his choice, and it was Crow's choice, to leave everything behind and leave home.Coming to this place to start their journey again, logically speaking, they are moving forward, but he has no real sense of progressing at all.

It's like being locked in a cage.The indescribable things, the memories quietly sinking into the bottom of the water, and the hearts that can't meet together.

You should not indulge in memories, and you don't need to be involved in the past, let alone capture it again.While Li En warned himself, he thought of Professor Selander's warning eyes, and couldn't help but tremble in his heart.

——If those things could be said easily, you would have told him already, right?

When he walked into the casino, Li En was not used to the bright scene, and felt a little dizzy for a while.This is undoubtedly the busiest place in Crossbell's night besides the Rainbow Theater, and it was also visited by Rectra when he was a temporary military attache.With that not-so-good memory, he is only full of embarrassment here.

Thanks to the experience accumulated in school, he finally chose this place after excluding various places.After wandering around for a week, he finally found the target person.

Sure enough, here it is.He ignored the sigh and walked towards the people sitting at the poker table.

"Finally found you, Craw."

"Randy, you're here."

A familiar voice sounded from the side at the same time.The man in front of him shrank his shoulders with the other red-haired man sitting next to him, and turned their heads in tacit understanding at the same time.Li En looked around, and his eyes met the same astonished face.

"Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Randy..."

Lloyd, the current Section Chief of the Crossbell Secret Service Search Section, was surprised for a moment, then smiled as if seeing an old friend.

"It turned out to be Li En. Are you here to find Kuro?"

Li En nodded, and glanced at the two gamblers who guiltily looked away from the corner of his eye.

"It seems that Randy is not the only one who is troublesome." Lloyd sighed, "Okay Randy, you haven't submitted today's report to me, go back and get down to business."

Hearing this, Randy looked at the section chief with a mournful face.

"Hey—but I haven't been here long. Look at Lloyd, he's so close to winning—"

"Unfortunately, you lost."

The dealer reminded at the right time, Randy exclaimed and looked back at his own cards, and he really lost.Crow shook his head in disbelief.

"So you're still too tender, let me replace you."

"What are you talking about, kid!? You're obviously worse than me!"

"Okay, you two." Lloyd held his forehead, "Don't fight even if it's gambling."

Kuro took a leisurely look at Randy, put in a few chips, and the dealer began to deal the cards.Remembering that it was their hard-earned living expenses, Li En couldn't help dissuading him: "Kuro, if we lose all of them, our food for this month will be a problem."

Randy grinned and patted the silver-haired young man on the shoulder seemingly understandingly.

"Look, it's better to stop early, otherwise you will feel better."

Crow muttered that you don't need to talk too much, and then showed a pitiful expression to Li En.

"The last game?"

"...Okay, the last game."

Li En shook his head disapprovingly, turned around and stopped looking at the men immersed in the game.Lloyd shrugged at him with a wry smile, and walked with him to a slightly quieter corner.

"I've heard a lot about your deeds recently, and you seem to be very active." Lloyd said.

"No, you are still far behind Mr. Lloyd." Li En replied with a smile.

"I'm used to it." Lloyd thought of something, and added: "I mean Crow."

Li En nodded, his eyes drifted to someone who was concentrating on the gaming table.

"Maybe it's because he's more adaptable; maybe he's trying not to talk about his difficulties in order not to worry me."

These negative words made Lloyd look worried.

"Is it still the same? The memory hasn't improved?"

"No." He flatly denied, but a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "But maybe it's better that way."

"Ryan..."

"He probably doesn't want to think about it himself. After all, there is hardly a good thing in those memories. Besides, to be honest, I haven't thought about how I will face him if he suddenly regains his memory." Li En laughed at himself Smiling, "Maybe it's me, not him, who wants to escape."

Lloyd looked at him without saying a word, and the worry in his eyes deepened.

"So, I'm wondering if I shouldn't force him? If I really can't remember, it's also the arrangement of the goddess."

He lowered his eyes and looked at the well-textured dark red carpet on the ground.

"Is that really the case?" Lloyd said, "Whether Crow can remember, maybe it can only be judged by fate. But are you really not forcing yourself, Rean? You really don't want him to remember ?"

Li En lowered his head in silence for a long time, then shook his head.Currently he can only repeat that ambiguous answer.

"If you were willing to let him forget it altogether, you wouldn't show such a contradictory expression now." Lloyd patted him on the shoulder, "And, if it was the Clow from the past, would he want to forget everything? "

These words pierced into his heart accurately like a sharp thorn, Li En distorted his expression unbearably.He understood what Lloyd meant.If it was Clow in the past—the one who confessed to his crimes, left his hometown since the age of 13, and made all kinds of cruel choices for revenge, he would not want to remove these evidences of existence from his own. erased from life.

Does taking the cruelty out of a person's story make that person happier?Reason told him that the answer was naturally no.He himself also stumbled all the way and came here with a bloody head.But he couldn't tell whether this was really a good thing for him.

"Sure enough, I'm still far behind..." He faced Lloyd with a wry smile, "Thank you, Mr. Lloyd, I will reflect on it."

"No, I think you are already amazing. Instead, you should think about yourself, Li En."

Members of Group VII often said things like being nice to themselves, but this time he really didn't quite understand what it meant.Just as he was about to ask, he caught a glimpse of a figure flashing outside the door out of the corner of his eye. Although it was only for a moment, his amazing dynamic vision still caught the other person.

"Mr. Lloyd, I have something to do first, please help me remind Clow to get out of here quickly."

After leaving these words, Li En hurried out of the gate of the casino, followed that figure and disappeared into the night.

Chasing all the way to the back alley where there are few people, the breath was cut off here, but Li En felt that the other party hadn't gone far, so he walked into the alley in front of the blocked club and stopped.

"Come out."

There are only wild cats passing by in the alley.He held his breath and waited for a while, and finally a figure quietly walked under the dim streetlight.The man took off the hat on his head, and was wearing a holiday-like flowered shirt and shorts. His red hair and frivolous smile seemed very eye-catching to Li En.

"Long time no see, little brother Li En."

Li En's fists clenched unconsciously.The heart beat violently back and forth in the chest from the moment the other party appeared, and he burst out the name from between his lips.

"—Captain Rector."

"Now I'm a major." The man put one hand into his trouser pocket and corrected him casually. "Don't come here unharmed? Seeing that you look good, you should have a good time here."

Compared to his laid-back, Li En is not so relaxed.He had no intention of reminiscing about the old days with him, and stared at the other party, as if he would draw out his sword to deal with him at any time.

"What are you here for?"

"You know what to ask. But don't get me wrong, I didn't come here voluntarily, although the casino is very attractive, and it would be even more beautiful if I could pull you in and help me..."

"Prime Minister Osborne called you here." Until now, he still didn't want to call that man "father", and he still couldn't form this concept in his mind.But nothing good will happen when this person is involved.Is he here to track us down?Is he taking us back?If this is the case, how to escape, where to escape... These questions are spinning rapidly in his head.

"Don't put on such a scary expression, I'm not here to catch you." Rector relaxed, "Don't always think of people so badly, uncle just wants to know your recent situation. He still cares about you anyway. of."

Li En was silent, and his short breathing eased a little.Rector smiled, leaning against the streetlight and looking at him.

"Is playing house fun?" He pointed to the bridge of his nose again, "That pair of glasses really don't suit you."

"This has nothing to do with you." His taunt made Li En annoyed, "Captain Rector... No, major, please make a long story short. What exactly are you here for?" After thinking about it, he added: " Kuro has not recovered his memory, you can rest assured."

Rector scratched his head nervously.

"Hey~ So I'm not here to catch you. But let's ask: do you want to continue like this?"

"What do you mean?" Li En became alert again.

"It's this kind of fugitive life like playing a house. Since I found out, it would be meaningless, and the elopement should stop here, right? How about going back with the big brother?" He said boldly.

"...Mr. Rector, didn't you just say that you are not here to arrest us?"

"That's right. But I can also make you unable to stay here any longer, with as many means as you want."

You really can't trust this guy.Li En made a footnote secretly in his heart, and the calmness when he spoke again shocked himself.

"If that's the case we'll run away. Run and run until you can't find it."

The red-haired man's face was buried under the shadow of the street lamp, and Li En couldn't see clearly what his expression was at the moment.The atmosphere continued to be deadlocked until Rector sighed helplessly.

"I'm just joking, our Lord Gray Knight is really stubborn."

"Please don't call me that." Li En interrupted him, "The gray knight is already dead."

Rector just smiled slightly, not paying attention to his words.

"However, it is not a joke to let you come back. If you go back now, that guy will not be in danger of life, nor will he be put in a prison. How about it, are you tempted?"

Please allow me to decline.The black-haired young man trapped in the dark spoke clearly.

"I'm no longer my young self. I'm not so naive as to listen to the one-sided words of "Son of Iron and Blood". I won't take him back, so don't waste my words."

The clerk of the Intelligence Bureau, known for his sharp tongue, was discouraged, but he didn't look unhappy at all, but for some reason, Li En read a dangerous meaning from his smile.

"You really like him."

Li En's face changed, and Rector continued:

"So much so that he can abandon everything and come here to live with him... So, in fact, he is not the only one who abandoned the past, aren't you too?"

He couldn't speak.Rector's words hit his heart.Who is it that wants to abandon the past?It seems that everything he did was for Kuro, but didn't he just find an excuse to justify his irresponsible behavior?

"Actually, you don't want him to think about it at all, do you? If he thinks about it, he escaped from the empire with great difficulty, and the life he restarted here will lose its meaning."

"No!" Li En argued eagerly, "Of course I hope he can remember! If he doesn't, he won't be able to move forward!"

"Is that so?" Rector's brief attitude was almost indifferent: "Then why don't you just tell him the truth?"

Li En was speechless. He remembered Professor Selander's words and silently looked away.Rector observed his reaction, and the corner of his mouth raised an arc.

"If you really want him to move forward, why can't you just say it? Do you think it will get better? He may never recover his memory for the rest of his life. Even the memory of Rean Schwarzer comes from him. It started the moment you woke up—can you endure this betrayal that will end without knowing when?"

not like this!He shouted silently in his heart, but his hands and feet suddenly lost strength.That familiar feeling of loss that I was trying to forget came back to me again.I thought I had already pulled out of that quagmire, but it was still entangled like a shadow at dusk.

Humans are creatures that can tolerate loss, but not him who fled.

After a long silence, Rector sighed.

"Although I don't intend to force you to go back, is he really worthy of your involvement? Think about your family and companions, they are very concerned about your whereabouts."

This persuasion was very lame, but he noticed that there was an obvious shake on the face of the black-haired young man, and he shook his head firmly and slowly.How strong, obviously this child was willing to go to the battlefield for his companion who was taken as a hostage not long ago.It is definitely not an easy task for him to make up his mind to give up everything.For some reason, Rector was a little envious of the man who obviously had nothing.

"We are no longer useful... Whether it is Group VII or me and Kuro. The war is over, Valimar has been sealed, and I am no longer a gray knight." Li En stared at him closely, "I will be optimistic about Crow, and I will not let him do anything against you. Relatively, I also believe that you will not be against them."

This guy, no matter how long it takes, is still so naive.Are you planning to carry everything on your own?Rector almost wanted to laugh out loud, and at the same time felt pity for the young man who was trying his best to hide his uneasiness in front of him.He stood up straight and walked towards the other party.

"That's really thanks for your trust. But I'm curious, what would that person think if he heard that?"

Seeing him approaching, Li En put his hand on the dagger at his waist vigilantly.At this moment, a gunshot interrupted his pace.Li En turned his head back in shock, while Rector took a step back, smiling as if he had expected this situation a long time ago.

A figure came out from the dark, Li En couldn't help calling out his name after recognizing him, but was blocked behind him.

"Thank you for your concern, but I don't intend to disclose my privacy to nosy people."

The silver-haired man who broke into the conversation halfway raised his guided gun and aimed at Rector who was a few steps away from them.The alley was terribly quiet, Li En looked at Kuro, his side face covered by the shadow was mostly smiling, but there was no warmth.

"Kuro?" Li En felt terrified for no apparent reason, and subconsciously called his name.The young man standing in front of him didn't even look at him, and said bluntly:

"Sorry, Li En, I lost all the money I brought, and I have to buy the bed later."

Who is telling you this!Li En was about to say something, but one hand was tightly held by Kuro's free hand.He looked at the hand that was holding him tightly in surprise, and his heart trembled.Although they usually do not have less physical contact, such a simple and direct action made Li En feel a familiar sense of nostalgia.He immediately felt relieved.

Well, I really have to be careful not to be kicked by a horse while walking on the road.Rector had a panoramic view of their every move, and raised his hands with a wry smile.

"Can you stop pointing such a dangerous thing at me? I just want to catch up with little brother Li En."

The gun in Kuro's hand was pointed at the other party unwaveringly. "I don't think reminiscing about the past needs to be carried out in this kind of place. Besides, you were obviously trying to lure someone else's partner just now."

Rector was secretly stunned, with an exaggerated look of surprise on his face.

"Why do I seem to be a bad guy who beats mandarin ducks? Isn't it just a matter of one sentence for you two to deal with an unarmed me at the same time, is it worth fighting so much?" Even so, he didn't look nervous at all. . "I didn't expect you to lose your memory, but this persistence has never changed. This is really a miscalculation."

"I'm not as concerned as you are. Please go back and tell that uncle that we are doing well here, so I won't bother him."

Crow confronted him calmly, and Rean held his breath behind him.After a long silence, Rector suddenly burst out laughing.

Is that so... He was talking to himself, but the two guarded people didn't understand what he had thought through.Recovering his confident smile, Rector said in a leisurely tone: "Then, you guys can do your best. I will truthfully report what happened here, and you don't have to worry about it. No one will bother you except me."

He put his hat on top of his head, and walked briskly towards the entrance of the alley.When passing by him, Li En heard a whisper passing by his ears with the wind.

Does he really have nothing?Rickett said meaningfully.

They left the alley immediately after that.Shooting in a city, no matter how you say it, violates the basic principles of guerrillas, and obviously it does not comply with the city's management regulations.When encountering such a situation, Li En should have said something to Kuro, but along the way, Kuro just grabbed his hand without saying a word, and refused to let go.Li En sensed his anger, so he wisely chose to remain silent.

Anxiety still lingers in his heart.Although Rector said that he would not force them to go back, no one could guarantee whether he would turn around and ask someone to take them away.Their whereabouts in Crossbell have been exposed, and I am afraid that neither the apartment nor the Guerrilla Association is safe anymore.

Where else could they go?Ryan fell into confusion.To the Republic?Leman Autonomous Prefecture?Liber Kingdom?But if Osborne really wanted to catch them, it would be useless to go anywhere.

Moreover, what exactly did Rector mean by that sentence before he left?He couldn't figure it out, and unknowingly returned to the old apartment in the old city street. The little girl next door greeted them with the cat in his arms, which brought him back to the real world.He stared blankly at Kuro, who was gesturing to him to enter the house, and suddenly had an ominous premonition.

As soon as he entered the house, Li En was pushed against the wall without warning.He gasped, he had never been so tense when dealing with Recter.He was about to protest, but was trapped by a pair of arms in the small space created by the opponent.Li En raised his face blankly, Kuro's angry face was only a few feet away from his, and his brain, which was still immersed in the illusion of tension just now, instantly woke up.

"What are you mad about?"

"I don't know what I'm angry about," Crow said frankly.Li En didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and comforted him in the calmest tone possible.

"Don't worry too much about Mr. Rector, I will find a way."

Kuro's face suddenly became extremely complicated, and then he punched the wall next to Li En's head.

"—You are always like this, taking everything by yourself, as if nothing has anything to do with me. Whether you stay in this place, or you can't contact your family and friends—it's all my fault!"

A hoarse voice buzzed in Li En's mind.He opened his eyes slightly, and let the silver-haired man with a distorted face hold his shoulders.

"Do you think it's okay if you don't say anything? You obviously miss your relatives and companions so much, but you always suppress yourself desperately. You never mention them, and you often stand in front of the mailbox in a daze. You can buy letter paper and pens. It was written and then quietly burned.”

The more Li En listened, the tighter his heart tightened.It turned out that Crow had been watching.Even if he concealed it repeatedly and didn't say a word, he kept watching with his own eyes.His thoughts returned to the conversation he had with Rin at the Guerrilla Association this afternoon.Really, it turned out that he was angry because of this reason.

He made him feel uneasy.Such a thought flashed across Li En's mind.

"No, it's not Craw's fault, it's me—"

"Do you still want to get rid of the relationship!" Kuro interrupted him roughly, his eyes turned blood red. "I'm not angry because you upset me, but because you don't say anything!"

He had never seen Craw like this before.Li En vaguely remembered the senior he just met a few years ago, when he came from under the Rhino flower tree and played a trick for himself.He's mild-mannered and likable, and never seems to get angry, let alone hurt anyone.

But now he knew that was just an illusion.

"I've known you for more than a year, but you haven't told me what our relationship is until now."

No, it's three years.He corrected in his heart, we have known each other for three years.

"As I said before, we are juniors and juniors we met in school, and later became classmates, because you don't have enough credits."

Crow forced a sneer from his throat.

"It's just a temporary classmate relationship. It's very humorous that you would abandon your family and friends and take him to escape."

With a sad wry smile, he let go of his partner trapped in his arms.

"Li En, are you unwilling to lie, so you don't tell me anything?"

Li En lowered his head that had been raised for too long, neither affirming nor denying it.When he sensed that the tense atmosphere between the two was disconnected, he quietly looked at Kuro who looked away, his side face seemed to have a lonely haze.

You only got a third of it right.He wanted to answer this way, but felt that since he couldn't tell the other party the answer clearly, it's better to keep silent from the beginning.Their relationship has been stagnant all because of themselves.He knows this, but has no intention of changing it—at least not yet.

"Where did you start listening to my conversation with Mr. Rector?" Li En asked in a low voice.

"It started when you refused to take me back."

That's pretty much all there is to it.Li En felt his heart constrict for no reason.

"Then what do you know?"

"Except for knowing that you like me unexpectedly."

Craw's unscrupulous answer made him look away in embarrassment.

"...Sorry, I can't tell you more."

"Why? Should my business be buried in a tree hole for the rest of my life?" Kuro looked at him dissatisfied.

Best if possible.Li En thought irrationally for a moment, but the rational side spoke:

"Of course I want you to know. But it's not for me or anyone to tell you. It's for you to remember."