Chapter 40: A Little Love, and the Last Evening Before School Starts

The steel strings are pressed between fingers, and the fingers move up and down, and the sound of the guitar lingers in my ears.

It was a cold and quiet snowy night. Jiuhuayue sat in the small wooden pavilion and subconsciously looked towards the seat opposite her.

A week ago there was a man sitting there.

He had a calm and steady expression, and his eyes behind his half-frame glasses held an indescribable gentleness.

He held a guitar and played in front of himself the songs he liked but had never shared with others.

The song is very niche, but when I asked him about his evaluation of the song, he said:

"Although I only sang it once, the person who created this song was using music to express his inner feelings that were difficult to explain. He was afraid to actively look for friends and socialize, but deep down he desperately wanted someone who could understand him. If that person really appeared in his life, then that person would be the only light in his life, and he would do everything he could to maintain the relationship between the two."

At that time, Jiu Huayue was curious about how he could know so much just by playing and singing it once.

He answered again:

"Music is a language, and a song is a sentence, a story. Playing a piece of music that has been carefully composed is like having a conversation with the creator across time and space. This is what I learned."

It was the first time that Jiuhuayue heard someone say this.

Music is a language that allows people who resonate with each other to communicate with each other.

So, when others comment on your music, “Is this what you like?”, it actually means that they don’t understand you very well.
Jiu Huayue understood it immediately and asked:
"Uncle, did you like the song we sang yesterday?"

"I love so much."

"why."

"It's simple. The author and I are the same type of people. I haven't had any so-called friends since college. I've been alone since graduation until the end of my work. Every day when I go home, I face an empty small room. The repetitive work and the emptiness in my heart make it impossible for me to find a real sense of 'home' at night. I can only rely on other things to try to seek recognition and understanding."

Jiuhuayue was extremely impressed by his answer.

From that day on, Jiu Huayue felt more and more entangled by the handsome image of him playing the guitar that night.

To the point that she even had regretful thoughts within this week.

As someone who actively seeks to make friends, can I try to rely on him a little?
Should I have agreed to let him teach me to play the guitar?

Should I try to share more of my favorite music with him?
Should I really buy a few CDs and give them to him?
I want to share, I want to be recognized, I want to be understood.

When these emotions that had always existed in the past could no longer be contained and burst forth from the depths of her heart, she suddenly understood.

He will probably really be my best friend, the person who understands me the best right now.

"call"

Trying hard to calm herself down, Jiu Huayue held her guitar and looked at the empty courtyard in front of her on the cold snowy night.

The big iron gate at the end of the courtyard path was quietly locked.

Why hasn't he come back today?
Jiu Huayue placed the guitar flat on her legs, took out her cell phone, and found his contact information using LINE.

The only messages between the two people on the chat interface were the two "Hello" that the system automatically sent to each other when they added each other as friends.

"As a friend, shouldn't I be more proactive?"

The girl held the phone in both hands and hesitated.

The characters in the chat box are input, deleted, input, and deleted over and over again.

After deleting hundreds of words back and forth, the girl bit her lip and sent out the question she wanted to ask with great embarrassment - [Aren't you coming back tonight? ].

'I think he'll answer.'

The girl was feeling anxious and kept staring at her phone screen.

She pursed her lips, and even had a little expectation in her heart, looking forward to his reply in the next second.

But Jiu Huayue waited outside with her phone for half an hour, and the message was still in the "unread" status.

Is he not here?
The girl's mood inexplicably became much colder.

I waited in the wooden pavilion for another hour, until the early morning.

Jiuhuayue raised her head and quietly looked at the big iron door at the door which was still tightly locked.
The girl couldn't believe it.

I actually expected him to respond to me and come back.

She was vaguely aware of her own heart and felt an emotion she had never experienced before.

What exactly is this?
*
The time was 6:30 p.m. the next day.

Fujii Itsuki woke up once around five in the afternoon, but his hangover headache was so severe that he simply fell asleep again.

He knew that he was covering himself with the quilt and pillow that Qiansui had used, which had a slight scent from her.

He didn't hate the smell because it was very comfortable to sleep in. It was a bit like the girl rubbing against him in his arms, acting coquettishly towards him like a stray cat.

"Brother Tree~"

"Brother Tree~~"

"Brother Tree~~~"

There are many thousand years in the dream.
Each one is lovely, virtuous and beautiful.

They can cook, clean the house, act cute to me, and be happy when I touch their heads.
"Brother Shu—Brother Shu, stop dreaming! Get up quickly!"

".!"

Fujii Itsuki suddenly opened his eyes, and suddenly a pair of blinking eyes appeared in his sight. These eyes were unusually large, and the light in them was extremely familiar to him.

"Chitose."

The girl smiled brightly.

"Brother Shu finally woke up."

Chitose Yangkui withdrew her head that was poking at his face and sat upright beside Fujii Itsuki's bed.

Fujii Itsuki propped himself up and supported his swollen head.

"How long have you been sleeping?"

"All day! Here, Brother Shu, drink this. It's a hangover soup."

"You did it?"

"Of course not! I am the only one who is so nice to Brother Tree~"

Fujii Itsuki took a look at it, took it, and slowly drank the sweet and sour hangover soup, "It's really uncomfortable to drink too much alcohol."

"I told Brother Shu to drink less, but he didn't listen to me at all," Yang Kui Chitose muttered, "He just kept drinking with Sister Muzi."

"It's pretty good to drown your sorrows in wine," Fujii Itsuki said, rubbing his face with his hands. "Where's Akai?"

Yang Kui Qiansui puffed up her cheeks instantly and raised her voice, "Aunt Muzi woke up three hours ago! She came over to see Brother Shu and then left!"

"You girl—"

Fujii Itsuki patted her head twice because of her mischief, "I just care whether Akagi has left any useful words."

Yang Kui Chitose let him touch her head, "Brother Shu is really too much. But I won't be angry with Brother Shu. I forgive Brother Shu. It's just that after Brother Shu came back from Tokyo, why has he been in contact with women all the time? You were so close to Sister Muzi before, and you never took me to play. Thinking of these, I got angry."

My sister is very jealous.

"Isn't it because she and I used to be in the same club? Does Chitose care so much about people of the opposite sex being close to me?"

"Yes, a little bit!"

"A little bit?"

"Well, it's just a little bit. It's Brother Shu's own freedom to communicate with others!"

"Who are you kidding? The vinegar smell is killing me."

"it is true!"

"Did Akai say anything to you before he left?"

"She said she would come to our school again in two days." Yang Kui Chitose's eyes suddenly became uncertain and she didn't dare to look into Fujii Itsuki's eyes.

"What else?" Fujii Itsuki smiled and deliberately dragged out his voice.

"Brother Tree"

"Chitose." Fujii Itsuki called out his sister's name.

"Okay," Yang Kui Chitose gave in, took out a note, and said dejectedly, "She also said that if Brother Shu wants to go to school in two days, he should contact her and go together. This is her phone number."

Fujii Itsuki took the note, took a look at it, and kept it.

"What is the relationship between Brother Shu and Sister Muzi?"

"old classmate."

"Not quite. I think Sister Muzi has other ideas about Brother Shu. When you were drinking and chatting, she would stare at you for a long time from time to time. Does she like you, Brother Shu?"

"It's unlikely. We were boyfriend and girlfriend before." Fujii Itsuki said casually.

The air suddenly cooled to freezing point.

Yang Kui Chitose was stunned for a moment.

"W-What——?!"

If she didn't have to maintain the image of a good sister in front of Fujii Jutsutomu, she would have exploded right now.

Did she hear it correctly?
Boy and girl?

Brother Tree must be joking.

"Brother Shu is joking, right?"

"No, it's true. We dated for a year during our senior year of high school."

The girl's breathing stagnated.

"I'm suddenly thirsty, I'm going out to drink some water."

After saying this, Yang Kui Chitose got up and left the room. She came to the corridor on the second floor of the hot spring house, tightly grasped the red wooden railing with both hands, and took deep breaths into the cold air outside.

No, it's impossible.

Brother Shu. How could Brother Shu date a woman like that?

What's good about her?
Is she as beautiful as herself?
Is she cuter than me?

Are you considerate and loving to your brother tree?

Why can she date Brother Shu? Why can she?!

"Hu-hu-"

My breathing is getting faster and faster.

She was going crazy.

One year.

Boyfriend and girlfriend for one year.

Whoever comes over will know clearly what this year represents. In this year, the woman will definitely make a move on Brother Tree, kissing and touching him.

Brother Shu’s first date, Brother Shu’s first kiss, Brother Shu’s first time——

Qiansui didn't dare to think any further.

Those are obviously his own things.

She couldn't bear to kiss Brother Tree even once on his lips.

And that woman.!
Ahhhhh! Damn it!

She suddenly had the idea of ​​picking up a knife.

He chopped the woman's body with his knife again and again, leaving her in pieces and unrecognizable.
Let you get close to my tree brother, let you date my tree brother, let you dare to hold my tree brother's hand.

Let you touch, kiss and caress me.

Correct.

Correct.

That's it.

Wailing, screaming, blood splattering, in the end it is only worthy to be annihilated along with the pain in despair and regret.

It’s so refreshing! This is really refreshing!
"Hu-hu-"

Relying on the biting cold in the air, Yang Kui Qiansui took dozens of deep breaths before he was able to suppress the restlessness in his heart.

She kept reassuring herself that she had to stay calm.

If I kill someone, I won’t be able to be with Brother Shu anymore, so I must never do that.

The two of them were only dating for one year, during their junior year of high school.

Maybe Brother Shu and her didn't do anything at all?
We didn't even hold hands, we were just a simple boyfriend and girlfriend relationship.

correct.

Absolutely.

Chitose Yang Kui breathed a sigh of relief and let go of the red wooden railing.

*
Zi.
The sound of the wooden door being pushed open.

Fujii Itsuki put down his phone and looked at Chitose Yangkui who was walking lightly towards him and kneeling beside his bed.

If you pay close attention, you can clearly notice that she is closer to Fujii Itsuki than at the beginning.

The girl has a lot of little thoughts.

"Have you finished your water?"

Fujii Itsuki did not expose her, knowing that she had just run out to vent her jealousy.

According to Chitose's petty temper, she should be somewhere sulking and stamping her feet in a cute way.

"Yeah!" Yang Kui Chitose tilted her head slightly and smiled beautifully, "Brother Shu, please continue what you were talking about just now."

"Where were you talking about?"

"It's about Sister Muzi."

"Yes, I dated her for a year in high school."

"Brother Shu! I have a question!" Yang Kui Qiansui raised his right arm and raised his hand.

"Chitose-san, right? Please go ahead."

"Is it Brother Shu who confessed, or Sister Muzi who confessed?"

"Akai confessed his love to me."

"Then why did Brother Shu agree?"

"Because no one has ever confessed to me. If someone did, and it was someone I know, why should I refuse?"

Brother Shu! How come you are so good at strategy?
"Well, what does it feel like to kiss?"

Fujii Itsuki smiled, "If Chitose is curious, why not just find a boyfriend?"

"Brother Tree——"

"No feeling, just average."

"."

Kill her, you must kill her.

"Well, well, well..." Yang Kui Chitose blushed and pretended not to dare to look at Fujii Itsuki, "So, what do you think about that, Brother Itsuki?"

"Which one?"

“Yes, that one.”

Fujii Itsuki became extremely serious, "Chitose, if you want to know, just find a boyfriend."

".No, I don't want to. I'm just curious. Curious, that's all."

"Don't ask me even if you're curious."

Fujii Itsuki obviously had no intention of saying anything. He just felt that such things should not be discussed with his sister Chitose.

Yang Kui Qiansui was discouraged and had to give up.

"Brother Nashu said they were only together for one year in high school. Did they break up when they graduated?"

"That's true," Fujii Itsuki recalled that decadent time in the past, "and she took the initiative to break up with me."

"She took the initiative to break up with Brother Shu? That's too much!" Qiansui's tone was still bright.

Sure enough, chopping off that woman isn’t enough, right?

That woman should be tortured even more, even more, even more.

She was to be tied to a cross and her mouth sewn up with needle and thread.

"It's not that excessive. She was going to study abroad, and I was going to Kyoto to study at university. Since we were destined to go our separate ways, it was only a matter of time before we broke up. If Chitose wants to ask me if I was depressed, then I was. Didn't you come to me during that period and I said I didn't have time?"

Yang Kui Chitose noticed something, "Brother Shu got addicted to smoking during that time?"

"That's it."

I must kill that woman with my own hands!
"But it's all over. Seven years have passed. I almost forgot about it."

"That's why Brother Shu only calls Sister Muzi by her last name."

Fujii Itsuki: "To me now, she is just an old classmate. Chitose, don't think too much and don't make blind guesses."

"Ok."

Yang Kui Chitose had already made a secret decision in her heart.

After school starts, she has free time and must find ways to keep Brother Shu away from those hateful women.

Akai Muzi has no handle for the time being, but Jiuhua Fox
As long as the fox Jiuhua dares to express such improper thoughts to her brother Shu, she will definitely make her regret doing so.

"Also, I have good news for you, Chitose. My application for Tachibana Kita has taken a turn for the better."

"Really?!"

Yang Kui Chitose, who was originally very depressed, was so surprised that she moved closer to him in an instant, "That's great! But why did it suddenly turn around?"

"Well, who knows? We have to go to school in two days to find out. Akai is going too, which means we are most likely hired. When did you start school?"

"Hmm," Yang Kui Chitose thought for a moment, "The 10th, after the New Year."

"It's not far. Okay, let's stop here for today. I'll go say hello to your parents and then go back."

"Brother Shu, aren't you staying here today? Why bother going back? Brother Shu, you can sleep in my room. If it doesn't work out, Brother Shu can sleep with me!"

"Sure, sleeping with a beautiful young girl like Chitose is something I'd love to do."

"Wow, wow~"

thump.
Fujii Itsuki chopped her head with a knife, and Yang Kui Chitose held her head in pain.

"pain--"

"You still feel pain? What kind of words are you saying to a girl?"

"I won't tell anyone! I only sleep with Brother Tree."

Another hand knife.

"Brother Tengshu, stop hitting me."

"What happened between Akai and I is in the past. Don't worry about our past identities. Don't make blind guesses. It's been seven years. There's nothing to miss about it anymore."

"understood"

After a brief chat with Chitose, Fujii Itsuki put on his clothes and stood up to go downstairs.

"I want to send Brother Shu out!"

"No."

"I will be unhappy if I don't send you off——"

"Okay, then go change your clothes."

"Okay! Brother Shu, please wait for me outside for a while. Actually, I don't mind if you stay inside!"

Fujii Itsuki made a knife-hand gesture.

The girl held her head, "I'm not kidding."

While Chitose was changing clothes, Fujii Itsuki stood on the second-floor corridor of Yangkui Onsen and looked at the seaside scenery of Otaru City.

The winter evening cannot be described as beautiful, but it has a unique flavor.

The sea surface was white, and the horizon was shrouded in blue mist. Half of the sun was hiding behind the clouds, and only a few scattered rays of sunset glow were swaying gently on the sea.

He breathed in the cold, salty scent of the winter ocean breeze and placed his hand over the red wooden guardrail.

After thirteen days, you will probably be able to officially start working.

The time since I returned to Otaru was not too long, but it seems that a lot of things have happened.

Kuka, Matsumae, Chitose.
I hope that after the three of them meet at school, they can become friends and get along well.

After all, they are three good kids.

Thinking about this, Fujii Itsuki suddenly seemed to realize something and subconsciously moved his gaze downwards.

Weird.

How can there be five holes on this painted mahogany?

(End of this chapter)