【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

Nightingale noticed me rolling my eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, as if sensing my hesitation and uneasiness. He raised an eyebrow with a carefree air, then walked slowly over to sit across from me. His gaze, still a hint of amusement, looked at me. "Are you trying to distance yourself from the matter? Sadly, it seems you're not that resolute yourself."

I turned my head away, feeling a sense of helplessness. I'd just been trying to pretend I'd ignored him, but when I turned back, I realized I hadn't managed to do it. Nightingale always saw through my deepest struggles, catching details I hadn't even noticed.

I sighed helplessly and whispered, "Didn't you say you weren't going to pay attention to me? Isn't that quite direct?" I rolled my eyes unconsciously again, thinking that I looked quite funny.

Nightingale didn't respond immediately, but just smiled slowly. He seemed even more relaxed than I was, his hands folded on the table as he looked at me, his eyes filled with a hint of provocation, yet also a subtle tenderness.

"Is this another failed attempt of yours?" he whispered, a hint of light mockery in his voice. "Anyway, I can tell you don't really want to leave me alone."

I felt a stirring of anger, but I couldn't bring myself to refute him. He actually had a point. I kept telling myself I wouldn't rely on him anymore, but every time his presence loomed, I couldn't help but feel a strange reliance. Perhaps it wasn't him at all that troubled me, but the uneasiness and uncertainty deep within me.

"You're such a bore." I muttered, trying not to seem too concerned.

Nightingale simply smiled softly, without arguing. I couldn't help but look at him. There was a gentleness in that smile, and it made me wonder if I didn't need to resist so much. He seemed accustomed to my occasional resistance. Perhaps he didn't even consider it a challenge, but simply watched me, quietly waiting for my final decision.

"This is just a test, to see if you have the courage to leave me alone." Nightingale continued calmly, her tone not at all forced, but rather nonchalant and indifferent. "However, the result is obviously that you are reluctant to leave."

I frowned, a sudden surge of inexplicable emotions welling up inside me. Nightingale's words, though lighthearted, pierced the softest part of my heart. I always tell myself to walk with determination, but at some point I always let my guard down. Just like now, I could have turned and left, but Nightingale's words stopped me in my tracks.

"What exactly do you want to say?" I tried to keep my tone calm and not appear to care too much.

"Are you so persistent?" I couldn't help but frown.

Nightingale saw me frowning and didn't seem to plan on answering immediately. He simply lowered his head and raised the corner of his mouth slightly, his eyes brimming with a calmness and confidence that only he could understand. Then, he spoke slowly, his voice low, "Are you asking if I'm persistent? Actually, perhaps I've always known you didn't really want me to let go."

My heart skipped a beat, and the corner of my mouth twitched slightly, but I quickly looked away, forcing myself to calm down. Countless thoughts raced through my mind, wanting to refute, to fight back, but every time I opened my mouth, the words faltered on my tongue.

"I just..." I paused, frowning, "I don't like this feeling."

Nightingale looked at me, as if waiting for me to continue, his eyes gentle, yet revealing an inexplicable pressure. He knew what I was thinking, knew how much I wanted to say, but I still refused to speak.

"Do you really hate this feeling?" he asked softly, his tone still so calm, "Or are you just afraid of something?"

My heart sank, knowing he had hit a soft spot for me. Nightingale was never the type to press questions directly; he always gently and quietly steered the conversation towards the very thing I feared most, and every time, I inadvertently fell into his trap.

"You..." I wanted to speak, but my heart was empty, and suddenly I felt that the words became pale and powerless. "What do you mean?"

Nightingale smiled slightly and reached out to gently squeeze my shoulder. "What do I mean? You know best, girl."

I fell silent. Indeed, Nightingale always made me feel an indescribable unease. He seemed to be able to read my mind, always finding the perfect moment to easily reveal my most vulnerable side. No matter how strong and calm I tried to appear, I always inevitably revealed my weakness in front of him.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. "You're always so confusing." I couldn't help but smile bitterly, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere with a joking tone.

Nightingale just smiled faintly, seemingly unconcerned with my words. He looked at me quietly, with a deep gaze, as if he had seen through all my helplessness and struggles.

"What do you want to say?" I finally spoke, my voice low and with a hint of challenge in my eyes.

"What I want to say is actually very simple." He looked at me, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, "You may not understand, but I do. You don't like this feeling, but you still can't let it go."

As I listened to his voice, my heart felt empty, as if an invisible force was pushing me to a place where I could not turn back.

Nightingale didn't continue talking this time, but just looked at me quietly, her eyes filled with some complicated emotions. It seemed that the silence between us could no longer be broken by just a few words.

I lowered my head, suppressing the emotions that surged in my heart, and forced a smile. "No matter what you say, I won't change."

Nightingale didn't refute, but just sighed softly: "Okay, girl."

My heart sank, and I felt a sense of powerlessness spreading through my chest. It was just some everyday, trivial matter, so why had the relationship between Nightingale and me suddenly become so complicated? This wasn't what I had imagined.

I looked at him, his eyes still calm, as if nothing had changed, but I felt the whole air become oppressive. I suddenly realized that those things I had never faced would eventually come to the fore, and this time, I couldn't escape.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but the emotions in the air made it hard to breathe. My fingertips trembled, and I couldn't look him in the eye. I turned my head and looked out the window. The night was dark, and the city lights flickered, giving me a sense of emptiness.

"Nightingale..." I whispered, my voice a little hoarse. "What is between us?" I didn't expect an answer, I just wanted to find something to let go of. Our relationship had become blurred, no longer pure. I was no longer a mere trainee, no longer just an ordinary partner. The distance between us had invisibly grown, becoming disorienting.

Nightingale sighed softly, as if he had anticipated my question. After a long moment, he spoke, "Girl, you know, many things can't be made clear simply by explaining them." His tone was still relaxed, but I could hear the weariness and a certain forbearance in his words.

I lowered my head and fell silent. Every time I met his gaze, it seemed as if I were being forced to confront things I dared not touch myself. The air tonight made everything seem so heavy, and I just wanted to escape for a while, away from all the complicated emotions before me.

"I don't know how to face you, and I don't know how to face myself." I finally said, with an unprecedented fragility in my voice.

Nightingale looked at me, and after a moment's silence, he slowly spoke: "You don't have to put too much pressure on yourself, girl." His voice was soft, but with a firmness that I couldn't ignore. "You always want to control everything, but some things are beyond your control."

At that moment, I realized that perhaps I truly had no control over this. Relationships, whether between comrades, friends, or anything else, are always full of unpredictable changes. And I, after all, can't always remain rational and calm. We're all constantly testing each other's boundaries, yet we always inadvertently hurt ourselves.

I lowered my head, silently digesting these words. Nightingale's eyes were complex and unpredictable, but in the end, he didn't press the issue. He seemed to understand that I needed space to sort myself out and find a new direction.

"No matter what decision you make, remember that some things will not change." His voice was soft, as if downplaying the ties that I couldn't let go of.

I didn't answer, but just sat quietly until the turmoil in my heart slowly subsided.