Night gradually deepened.
Murae checked the time, found it inconvenient to stay longer, and stood up to leave.
Miyajima Sakura followed closely behind to see him off.
Behind them followed Miyajima Tsubaki.
Compared to her daughter's reluctance to part, the mother's eyes held a hint of resentment... Although the former said he was getting close to her to protect Sakura, he didn't explain how he would 'protect' her.
So Miss Tsubaki couldn't believe his explanation.
And... he also had a girlfriend.
How could he have a girlfriend?
Miss Tsubaki gritted her slender teeth, damn it... She truly felt it was unfair to herself... bah, to her daughter. This was the first time in so many years that she had developed an interest in a boy, yet he already had a suitable partner.
Damn it, damn it.
She cursed twice.
Murae's explanation was that she hadn't asked before, so he hadn't said anything.
In fact, Miyajima Tsubaki had previously wanted to ask... but later held back.
Two reasons.
Firstly, whether he had a girlfriend or not was none of her business; at that time, Miyajima Tsubaki believed they would never meet again in this life.
Secondly... if he had answered 'yes,' Miyajima Tsubaki would have thought, he has a girlfriend yet he's still 'fooling around' with me... It just felt strange. Anyway, since they wouldn't see each other again, it was better to leave the best impression.
But what she didn't expect was that in such a short time, they met again.
And it was in the most speechless, most unacceptable way...
She looked subtly at Sakura, who was bidding farewell to the young man. Her daughter was quite open-minded and didn't show any resistance to him having a girlfriend. She even said to her, "I hope I can get along well with Nanuo Student, I just don't know how Nanuo Student sees me"... such words.
She didn't show any sad or dejected expression, which made Miyajima Tsubaki quite relieved... What the hell!
The problem was even bigger, okay?
What was even more unbelievable was that when she aggressively asked Murae, "Does your girlfriend know you're here?" he shamelessly nodded.
...Who on earth was his girlfriend? If possible, Miss Tsubaki wanted to meet her too!
"Goodbye, Xiao Lin," Miyajima Sakura bowed and said.
Her heart, however, sighed... She hadn't been able to show Xiao Lin her clean room. She had originally thought Xiao Lin might stay overnight or something... Was this truly an unrealistic hope?
"See you at school," Murae also said.
When he tried to bid farewell to the two elders, he was glared at by both the father and daughter simultaneously... It was truly terrifying.
Murae could only give an awkward, forced smile and symbolically bid farewell.
Miyajima Sakura watched Murae's retreating figure until he disappeared at the end of the street. Only then did she tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and walk gracefully through the main door, followed by a long sigh from the entrance.
… … So disappointed.
Not only did she not let Hayato see the room.
This was also one of her few opportunities to have private contact with Hayato in recent days, but she didn't even get to hear a single "Older Sister"…
"Tsubaki!" Miyajima Kiichiro, who was still at the door, was overjoyed. He acutely noticed that his daughter's gaze towards that brat was filled with disappointment… Hmph, although that brat's martial arts were not bad, and his swordsmanship was even god-like, he could be a successor or a close friend, but to be his Miyajima Kiichiro's grandson-in-law, he was still far from enough! He had to quickly align with his daughter. "You also think this brat is no good, right?" Miyajima Kiichiro asked expectantly.
"Yes!"
Miyajima Tsubaki nodded very forcefully.
What if he's handsome?
What if he's skilled?
He can protect people… that's all there is to it.
Gentle personality or something… …
Miyajima Tsubaki went from gritting her teeth to biting her lip.
She recalled her conversation with Hayato just now.
"… And Sawamura… no, Miss Tsubaki, I hope you can reflect on yourself. Your sudden appearance and sudden disappearance are truly worrisome."
"You would worry about that?" Miyajima Tsubaki had originally scoffed… Hadn't he said before that he had already guessed she was Sawamura Airiri? ← This sentence was not spoken.
Hayato, however, seemed to know what she was going to ask and directly gave the answer below.
"Nine times out of ten is not ten out of ten, now that I've seen you, I'm completely relieved." Hayato said faintly, "I thought your scoundrel older brother had done something to you…"
Although he spoke calmly, judging from the slight furrow in the young man's brows, it didn't seem like he was lying.
Miyajima Tsubaki's heart thumped several times.
… … But is there a shortage of kind people in this world?
He's just a playboy.
Bah! Bah! Bah!
Miyajima Tsubaki's anger showed on her face.
Miyajima Kiichiro was overjoyed to see this; he had originally thought his daughter had a good impression of the young man.
It seemed he had overthought things.
"Tsubaki, come in." Miyajima Kiichiro said.
"Oh." Miyajima Tsubaki nodded.
Miyajima Kiichiro walked ahead, stepping into the entrance first.
When he looked back, he found that Miyajima Tsubaki had not followed him.
She stood at the door, still gazing in the direction the young man had left.
Miyajima Kiichiro: … … … …
He suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
… … … …
Under the lights.
Miyajima Kiichiro sat cross-legged in the living room.
Sipping tea, mouthful by mouthful.
Miyajima Tsubaki, who had returned to her room, was clearing away the watermelon rinds she had just finished eating.
She glanced at Kiichiro.
As a Kendo master, her father never smoked or drank. His only hobby was drinking tea.
He would drink tea when happy, and he would drink tea when unhappy.
But the intelligent Miyajima Tsubaki had noticed since childhood that her father's speed of sipping tea at this moment was clearly a bit anxious.
"Dad…?" Miyajima Tsubaki thought Kiichiro was worried about Sakura and Hayato.
Although that brat was indeed a playboy, he wasn't a villain who committed evil deeds.
Compared to the people from Miyajima Mr. So's side that she had previously imagined, this outcome was already much better.
As for the rest… one could only say that children and grandchildren have their own fortunes.
"… Huh?"
Miyajima Kiichiro came back to his senses. He put down his teacup, smiled at Miyajima Tsubaki, the wrinkles etched on his weathered face: "Hmm… Nothing."
He wasn't thinking about Hayato.
Instead, he was thinking about what Hayato had said.
… Mr. So, sigh.
"Dad, there's still a piece of watermelon here, do you want to eat it?" Miyajima Tsubaki said, it was what was left from earlier.
Miyajima Kiichiro laughed:
"You eat it."
"I can't eat anymore."
"Then give it to Sakura."
"Okay."
Miyajima Tsubaki stood up.
Looking at her daughter's graceful back, Miyajima Kiichiro clenched his fists, then relaxed them.
At this moment, the young man's face reappeared in his mind.
If the young man was truly a member of the Miyajima family… this matter should be resolved, right? But… … Sigh.
At his age, what more could he do for them?
Miyajima Tsubaki gently pushed open her daughter's bedroom door as she ascended the stairs.
Under their upbringing, Sakura had never locked her door since she was little, and light seeped through the crack.
But Sakura seemed not to notice the door opening, not speaking to Miyajima Tsubaki who opened it.
Asleep...? Tsubaki thought to herself.
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