Want to be human, but cube-like

Aine doesn't quite understand what Rakuna means by "a place of belonging" for the time being.

Why would she say that Ellie belongs to herself?

What exactly does "unable to breathe" mean?

Gradually, a layer of hesitation began to cloud Ai Yin's mind regarding the option of studying abroad.

She was already hesitant about whether to ask Alex to accompany her on her trip abroad, and now she seemed even less able to bring herself to ask.

But...do I really have to give up? Should I tell my parents that I'm not going?

How can she explain this to her classmates?

The more Aine thought about what she would have to face, the more she wanted to back down.

“Aine?”

Perhaps even Rakuna sensed Aine's inner struggle, for she suddenly called out in confusion.

"Well……?"

Blinking to hide her complicated thoughts, Ai Yin looked up and smiled nonchalantly in response.

"unhappy?"

With a long spoon in her mouth, Lena asked in a muffled voice.

"It's alright..."

Shaking her head slightly, Aine met Ryuna's gaze again.

She looked into those heterochromatic eyes, blue and yellow, and into the pure, innocent look in their eyes.

Ai-yin took a deep breath.

Sure enough, I'm still worried...

She picked up the cup and drank the coffee in one gulp.

"Decided!"

Then, Aine suddenly stood up and said with a smile.

"I'm going to find Ellie right now, Little Lenai! Do you want to come with me?"

Meeting Lena's confused gaze, Aine asked.

"Matcha parfait... I haven't finished eating it yet."

Looking down at the half-eaten parfait in front of her, Lena pondered how she could do what Aine had just done and shove the whole thing into her mouth in one go.

"Little Lena, take your time eating. I'll go over there first!"

She left out a single sentence.

"I have something important to discuss with Ellie and Xiao Xiang!"

After saying that, Ai Yin turned and walked out.

"Miss Rinrinko! Please take care of Rina for me! Thank you!"

Before leaving, he didn't forget to call out to the counter.

First, Xiang Xiaoxiang officially announced his romantic relationship with Ai Lili!

Although Xiao Xiang probably already knew about this, after all, the way she looked at him and Ellie these past few days had been strange.

Then, he told Ellie that he wasn't going to England and was going to stay in Tokyo to join her and Xiaolena in forming a band!

Having made her decision, Aine smiled and skipped out of the ring.

Her emotions were running high until she hurriedly crossed the street and arrived at the hamburger shop. Seeing the tightly closed glass doors, she calmed down a little.

"Eh?"

Weren't we just open for business?

I saw customers in the store just before I brought Xiaole Nai into Ring, so why is it suddenly closed?

Ai looked at the door lock and the sign with a puzzled expression, and then peeked inside. She seemed to vaguely see half of Alex and Xiangzi's figures in the kitchen.

…………

P.S. I was working on the detailed outline for the later plot today, and because it's going to be a huge mess, that's why I'm only updating now.

The following plot is quite important; this part of the story is nearing its end.

Let me think... there should be another chapter later, but I don't know how late it will be, so don't wait.

Volume 1: Chapter 184 The Crime of Deception

Really!

Ellie and Xiaoxiang always hide together like this, I don't know what they're doing.

Even someone as tolerant and forgiving as her can get jealous!

Ai Yin pursed her lips slightly, but having made up her mind, she no longer had any worries, and a slightly happy smile appeared on her face.

I called out softly from outside, but the glass in this burger shop was so soundproof that it seemed the sound couldn't get through at all.

I gently tapped the glass door with my knuckles. The sound was muffled from the thick door frame and didn't penetrate much.

After all, these glass doors don't take into account the possibility of someone knocking on the door.

With no other option, Aine had to go around to the back door.

Let me see what they're secretly doing.

With a slightly mischievous thought in mind, Aine walked around to a back alley that was much quieter than the one directly opposite the main entrance. She carefully turned the back door handle and opened the door without making a sound.

Aine tried to sneak in, startling the two of them.

"...It would hurt Aine...I can't speak..."

But the moment after the door opened, the familiar voice belonging to Alex that came from inside made Ai-yin pause in her movements.

Hurt...me?

She blinked, her movements becoming somewhat hesitant.

I was just making a little joke to myself.

But at this moment, Aine suddenly realized that the two of them seemed to be hiding something from her.

"But you can't always..."

"Delaying it..."

Immediately afterwards, Xiangzi's voice came through.

"Aine will find out sooner or later."

Do you know... what?

A sudden jolt went through her heart, and Aine felt a sense of foreboding.

Could it be... the two of them...?

Almost instinctively, Aine immediately made connections to all sorts of messy things, like cheating, having an accidental relationship, etc.

She hurriedly covered her eyes, wondering whether she should pretend she hadn't heard anything and slip away quietly, or rush in right now to interrupt their conversation and pretend she hadn't heard anything either.

No! Why are all these options treated as if I didn't hear them?

Puffing out her cheeks, Aine was slightly angry at herself for having such a cowardly thought.

Isn't this version of myself just too frustrating?

Just thinking about how, in the future, while he and Ellie are outwardly sweet and affectionate, Xiao Xiang is secretly holding hands with Ellie under the table, and they might even be doing things like touching each other's thighs... those kinds of outrageous things!

Or perhaps you're sitting at the counter, asking Ellie where Xiao Xiang is, why he hasn't been seen all day. Ellie, biting her lip and trembling, presses down on Xiao Xiang under the counter, who seems to be doing something, and replies in a coquettish voice that he went out to buy something.

He even had to ask Ellie with concern if she was alright, or if she was sick, because he saw her face was flushed and her forehead was sweating!

The strange image kept flashing through her mind, and Ai Yin's face turned bright red. She gritted her teeth, her sharp canine teeth itching from grinding them together.

No! She absolutely wouldn't allow it!

At least... at least I can't be excluded!

Her cheeks grew increasingly hot. Lost in thought, Aine, her face growing ever redder, took a deep breath and prepared to push open the door.

"The fact that you treat her as a substitute for your own mother..."

But at the same time, Xiangzi's words made Ai Yin stop moving once again.

She was so shocked that she stopped breathing for half a second.

His body stiffened, and all the thoughts that had been churning in his mind ceased completely at this moment, vanishing without a trace.

Her trembling fingertips loosened slightly, and the doorknob she had been holding made a soft sound as the hinges turned.

"Click..."

The noise was so subtle that it might have been hard to notice under normal circumstances, but in this quiet environment, it was so obvious that it made everyone present's heart skip a beat.

Ai Yin's mind went blank, but then the sound of footsteps at the door made her instantly realize what was happening.

Without any time to think, and almost instinctively following her impulse, Aine completely let go of the doorknob. She gritted her teeth, turned around, and ran out.

At this moment, the two people in the kitchen came over and slowly opened the back door, which was left a crack.

Outside, there was no one.

"The back door... wasn't closed?"

Xiangzi, puzzled, peeked outside.

"Is it the wind?"

Although he still had some uneasy suspicions, Xiangzi first made the simplest guess.

Even though she knew that even if the door was blown by the wind, it shouldn't make the sound of the hinges turning.

Upon hearing the commotion, Alex glanced at the minimap and immediately looked bewildered.

"...It's Aine."

She turned to look at Xiangzi, her voice filled with confusion.

"Aine-kun...she was listening the whole time?!"

Xiangzi stood there, stunned. She recalled the conversation she had just had with Alex, and her face gradually turned pale.

"I have no idea."

Staring at Aine's avatar gradually fading away on the minimap, Alex had absolutely no idea what to do.

In just a few dozen seconds, Ai Yin had almost run out of the detection range of her minimap.

"Follow up!"

There wasn't much time for them to chat idly here, Xiangzi snapped out of his reverie and hurriedly said.

If the matter isn't clarified as soon as possible, then it might truly be irreversible.

What troubles Xiangzi the most is that even if Alex catches up with her and explains things clearly, she may not be able to get Aine's forgiveness.

After all, Alex was indeed using Aine as a substitute for someone else, and what she did was truly wrong and hurt Aine.

Moreover, it was Xiangzi herself who revealed this to them, even though she originally didn't want to get involved. If anything unexpected happens between them, then without a doubt, Xiangzi will also bear a heavy responsibility.

Mingming had been trying her best to distance herself from them.

She doesn't participate in performances or join in the fun. Even when a romance unexpectedly blossoms between the two of them, she always tries to act as if she knows nothing about it and doesn't care.

If it weren't for the fear that Alex would be deceived, and the unexpected discovery that Alex actually harbored such twisted feelings for Aine, Xiangzi wouldn't have said a word. She just wanted to quietly move out of the hamburger shop and return to her cramped rented room.

Watching the silver-haired girl rush out the door and chase after Aine's figure, a hint of hesitation flashed in Xiangzi's eyes.

Finally, she sighed softly, walked out of the burger shop, turned around, closed the back door, and locked it.

Similarly, they chased after them.