Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 210 The Broken Shiina Maki

"Shall I see you off?"

As Ji Yexue was about to leave, Qiuyue Cheng made this suggestion.

He didn't see any cars parked nearby, and he didn't know how Ji Yexue got there.

But none of that matters. What matters is that he wants to cherish every minute and second he spends with Ji Yexue, and he wants to make the most of their time together.

"How come I didn't know you were such a persistent and clingy man?"

Ji Yexue glanced at him and scoffed, "You never said you'd take me home before, so why are you asking now?"

Akizuki Makoto scratched his head and explained, "You used to come by car, but I didn't see you here, so I thought I'd take you back."

"In the past, when I took the bus, you couldn't ride with me and take me home?"

Ji Yexue's sneer deepened, and she said sarcastically without any mercy, "Now that things have come to this, don't you think it's too late to do this?"

"Can I take you home?"

Qiu Yuecheng was unwilling to give up and pressed on relentlessly, asking, "Let's not talk about the past. I want to do well from now on, is that alright?"

"Heh, are you sure you want to take me back instead of going back to find Shiina?"

"...It's okay if I come back later, right? I'd like to take you home now."

"As you wish."

Ji Yexue pursed her lips, turned around and walked to the roadside, saying at the same time, "I'm starting to feel sorry for Shiina. How many times do you have to hurt her?"

"I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's trip. The hot springs in Hakone must be amazing!"

Akizuki pretended not to hear and changed the subject, talking about travel.

But Ji Yexue did not give up and continued to mock him.

"How pitiful. He is willing to compromise and make concessions, but he is betrayed again and again, and he has to forgive your betrayal again and again."

"Lake Ashi is beautiful. Let's go boating there. It's autumn now, so we can see lots of red maple leaves."

"She must be heartbroken right now, probably crying alone, after all..."

Ji Yexue was halfway through her sentence when Qiuyue Cheng couldn't help but interrupt, saying, "Mount Fuji is also nice. You can see Mount Fuji from Hakone, which is a very legendary place."

"Pfft."

Seeing Qiuyue Cheng trying his best to change the subject and pretending not to hear anything, Ji Yexue couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Now, Akizuki Makoto's comical appearance is truly laughable.

"If you can't stand it anymore, why do you insist on taking me home?"

"...because I want to cherish every minute and second I spend with you."

Akizuki lowered his head in dejection, laughed self-deprecatingly, and said softly, "I've been reminiscing about the time we spent together, which makes me miss you even more."

"It's just that what you can't have always seems more alluring; everyone only learns to cherish something after they've lost it."

Ji Yexue remained calm and coldly snorted, "You are not worthy of reminiscing, because you personally destroyed our future and possibilities."

"……yes."

Qiu Yuecheng nodded and fell silent. He could not deny Ji Yexue's words, and he had no room for rebuttal.

Ji Yexue is right. What you can't have always seems more alluring. He didn't know how to cherish it before, and only began to miss it after they separated and he lost it.

Therefore, he had no right to express his longing to Ji Yexue, and the ridicule he received was his own fault.

After that, the two of them didn't speak to each other. They quietly walked to the station and boarded the last tram at midnight.

It takes about 40 minutes to travel from Bunkyo Ward to Minato Ward, requiring thirteen transfers.

The carriage they were in was completely empty, with only the two of them, making it seem incredibly spacious and desolate.

The time he spent with Ji Yexue was agonizing, because she was always mocking him and hurting his heart.

But even though it was agonizing, it was a happy kind of agonizing, at least Ji Yexue was still willing to pay attention to him.

...Although there were several times when he almost couldn't hold back and broke down.

Sitting on the tram's seats, the two of them swayed slightly with the bumps and jolts caused by the tram's movement along the tracks.

Ji Yexue sat down on the edge of the chair, and Qiu Yuecheng sat down next to her without any hesitation, right next to her.

Ji Yexue did not refuse, but silently turned her head to look out the window, revealing only half of her profile to Qiuyue Cheng.

From that stunningly beautiful profile, Akizuki felt a strange sense of loneliness and weariness.

He hadn't forgotten that not long ago, Ji Yexue was on the verge of collapse and could have committed suicide at any moment.

She has only temporarily calmed down, but in reality, she is still an unstable landmine that could be detonated at any time.

"Snow, are you lonely?"

As he watched, Akizuki Makoto couldn't help but ask the question. He didn't know why he couldn't control himself and asked such a self-evident question.

He knew better than anyone whether Ji Yexue was lonely or not, because he was the one who understood Ji Yexue best.

"So lonely I want to die."

Ji Yexue, unusually, did not mock Qiuyue Cheng, and answered his question softly.

She was still looking out the window, still only showing Akizuki Makoto his profile.

"...How is your aunt? Is she still able to handle things?"

"What's the point of asking these questions? Can you help your mother?"

"This one……"

Akizuki Makoto hesitated for a moment, feeling that he could actually help.

But he was confused, wondering if that way of helping was the right thing to do.

Also, will Ji Yexue and Mrs. Ji Ye need his help?

Perhaps he was just being presumptuous; in reality, they could handle it. Maybe he underestimated them?
"This is not something you should worry about, nor should you concern yourself with it, because it has nothing to do with you."

"..."

Akizuki Makoto fell silent, ultimately unable to utter the words that he wanted to help or relieve his worries.

Perhaps Ji Yexue doesn't need it. If she really couldn't hold on any longer, she probably wouldn't have time to go on a trip.

She used to be very busy, but now she has so much free time, which means that the Ji Ye family's situation must be gradually improving, right?
After that, the two did not speak to each other again until the tram arrived at the station.

After getting off the tram, Akizuki Makoto stayed by Hime Yuki's side, silently accompanying her home.

The bus stop is about a 15-minute walk from her home.

The thought of parting filled Akizuki Makoto with reluctance and a touch of longing.

So, he couldn't help but reach out and tentatively take Ji Yexue's hand.

"open."

At that moment, Ji Yexue spoke coldly, giving him a glare. "I don't want to."

Qiu Yuecheng spoke confidently, but instead gripped Ji Yexue's hand tightly, even going further and inserting his fingers into hers, interlocking theirs.

Ji Yexue said she wanted him to let go, but she definitely didn't mean for him to let go in her heart, otherwise she would have shaken off his hand directly.

"Honestly, where did you learn to be so disobedient?"

Ji Yexue sighed with a slight sense of helplessness and headache. Just as Qiuyue Cheng had expected, she did not shake off his hand, but tacitly accepted his act of holding her hand.

"I learned it from someone who stole my first kiss. She used to be like that, very forceful, kissing me and getting close to me without saying a word."

"There are people like that? She must be an incurable idiot to actually force a kiss on you. I really don't know what she was thinking. Is she crazy?"

"...Yes, she's an idiot, I'm an idiot, we're both idiots."

Akizuki Makoto's expression suddenly turned somber, and his tone became filled with loneliness.

If they weren't stupid, they wouldn't be in such a conflicted and painful situation.

"..."

Ji Yexue glanced at Qiu Yuecheng, then fell silent, her feelings becoming complicated.

Seeing the disappointed look on Akizuki Makoto's face, the sarcastic words welled up in his mouth, but he couldn't say them.

They walked hand in hand silently back to the brightly lit, magnificent mansion, without exchanging another word.

"……See you tomorrow."

Standing in front of the mansion's gate, Akizuki reluctantly let go of his hand and whispered goodbye.

Although he was still lonely inside, the thought that he would have a week to spend with Ji Yexue starting tomorrow filled him with anticipation.

"See you tomorrow."

After saying goodbye, Ji Yexue walked into the mansion without looking back.

Qiu Yuecheng watched her leave until her figure disappeared from sight before turning around and embarking on his way home.

On his way home, he was filled with excitement, eagerly anticipating the trip he would be taking the next day.

It seems he completely forgot that Shiina Maki was waiting for him at home, and it also seems he forgot what Shiina Maki was feeling at that moment.

...He had actually been thinking about it all along, but he forced himself not to think about it, otherwise he would only be adding to his own troubles.

He didn't want to make Shiina Maki sad, and he wanted to be there for her to soothe her anxiety and unease, but he was all alone.

He cannot split into two people to be with them at the same time, so when they both need him, he can only choose one.

The one who wasn't chosen will naturally become depressed and fall into sadness.

There was no other way, so he could only force himself not to think about it too much.

Ji Yexue was his first choice, and he would never waver in his decision.

He could only apologize to Shiina Maki first, and then make it up to her in other ways.

Although, his compensation was something he was supposed to do anyway.

"Travel..."

Akizuki Makoto was fantasizing about what would happen during his trip with Himeyasu, and before he knew it, he had returned to his apartment in Bunkyo Ward.

He first went home to check on Fuyuko, and only after confirming that she was sleeping well did he feel relieved and take the key to Shiina Maki's house.

He arrived at Shiina Maki's house, opened the door, entered the foyer, and then tiptoed into the bedroom.

When he opened the door, he immediately realized that Maki Shiina was not asleep.

Although the room was pitch black without the lights on, Shiina Maki's soft breathing told him that she was still awake.

"Maki?"

He called out softly, but instead of turning on the light, he followed the interior layout from his memory and groped his way to the bedside in the dark.

During this process, Maki Shiina did not respond to him, as if she were asleep.

But how could she possibly fall asleep? After all, Qiu Yuecheng had left without a word, and she would probably continue to suffer from insomnia until he came back to sleep with her.

"Sorry, I left without saying a word."

Akizuki Makoto sat down on the bedside and said softly, "I went to see Xue. She was waiting for me downstairs. She waited for me for an hour. I chatted with her downstairs for a while and then took her home. Because I took the tram, it took me so long to get back."

"……Um."

After hearing Makoto Akizuki's explanation, Maki Shiina finally spoke up.

She nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "I know. Compared to me, Cheng-kun should consider President Ji Ye's matter more. I should be understanding towards Cheng-kun."

"Sorry, Maki."

At this moment, all Akizuki Makoto could do was apologize. He was even a little hesitant about how to tell Shiina Maki that he was going on a week-long trip with Himeyasu starting tomorrow.

If Shiina Maki knew, she would probably feel very uncomfortable, right?
Therefore, he plans to wait until tomorrow to tell Shiina Maki the truth.

"Chengjun, I'm so sad. You didn't even say hello to me before going to see President Jiye."

Shiina Maki suddenly choked up and said intermittently, "I know I can't compare to President Himeya, and I don't carry that much weight, but I still want to feel cared for, even if it's just a little bit."

"..."

Akizuki listened silently to Shiina Maki's sobbing words, his heart becoming heavy.

Tonight, he indeed failed to manage the relationship between the two sides well and failed to achieve a balance.

He completely favored Ji Yexue, showing her absolute favoritism and neglecting Shiina Maki.

It's normal for Maki Shiina to be so upset, and it's understandable that she might have some complaints.

"I am Chengjun's girlfriend. Although I am his second favorite, his second choice, and his backup girlfriend, I also want Chengjun to treat me as his girlfriend."

"That's really too much. After doing it with me, he immediately went to find President Himeya without saying a word."

"Why, why can't you look at me more? Why can't you care about me more?"

"I also want to act cute towards Cheng-jun, I want to be protected by Cheng-jun, I want to be chosen firmly by Cheng-jun, but Cheng-jun will break down if I do that!"

"If you want to grasp the happiness at hand, you have to let go of what is truly important, which is why I try so hard to be patient!"

"I was the hardest working one, working harder than anyone else, trying my best to tolerate Cheng-kun's willfulness, cruelty, and excesses..."

Shiina Maki, who had been suppressing her emotions, suddenly broke down at this moment, and a series of her most genuine inner monologues poured out from her mouth.

Akizuki listened in silence, feeling a sharp pain in his heart, his expression becoming incredibly complicated.

He knew, of course, that Shiina Maki had been enduring a great deal of hardship, having gone through unimaginable difficulties to get to this point.

Not only did he endure it, but he also kept thinking about Ji Yexue and didn't focus his attention on her. He also endured being manipulated by Ji Yexue and the breakdown of their once close friendship because of his and Ji Yexue's willfulness.

Even so, she had no complaints and even pretended not to know anything.

(End of this chapter)