Lin Xiaojue took her leave without hesitation.
She hadn’t even realized she had done anything wrong, to the point that her junior magical girl, Sakuragawa Iku, was always trying to find ways to invite her out at every possible moment.
Sometimes she would reluctantly refuse, and other times she would half-heartedly accept. When she refused, the girl’s gaze always seemed strange. ‘Does she have something on her mind?’
‘Surely not.’
After snapping out of it, Lin Xiaojue no longer felt that strange, tingling sensation. It wasn’t until she stepped into the Budokan that the feeling mysteriously returned.
The Budokan was vast, but it was already packed with a sea of fans.
They stood below the stage, waving light sticks that shimmered in the darkness. A heavy silence hung over the crowd as they waited for LacrimaMundi to appear.
‘They’re so well-behaved.’ Lin Xiaojue couldn’t help but wish her own fans were like this. If she didn’t have so many obsessive stalkers, she might not have needed to wear a helmet right now.
“Speaking of which, Xiaojue, you’re quite attractive today.”
Su Yaqing drifted a few inches closer. Lin Xiaojue shifted away, not even letting their shoulders touch.
‘Are we even friends? Why are you coming over here?’
“Eh? But between friends, what’s wrong with being a little close?”
Su Yaqing pressed her index finger against her thin lips, speaking thoughtfully.
“You’re different,” Lin Xiaojue said.
Lin Xiaojue shielded herself and shifted her seat further away, only to accidentally brush against a soft, warm arm.
“Sen — Senior?”
Xia Yao’s face lit up with joy. She looked over in surprise, only to find Lin Xiaojue looking confused.
“Xiao Xia, do you think friends should be this close to each other?”
Her words were a bit ambiguous. She flicked her eyes toward Su Yaqing and pouted slightly, looking quite dissatisfied.
“…Eh?”
Xia Yao felt a pang of disappointment.
But then she raised her head, her eyes sparkling with newfound light. She felt this was a good opportunity; if her answer could impress her senior, the chances of a successful confession might even be higher.
‘Distance isn’t an issue between friends. Even if Senior got a little closer, I don’t think it would be a problem at all.’
As she spoke, Xia Yao tried her best to shimmy closer to Lin Xiaojue. The latter didn’t react, so she technically achieved her goal.
However…
“See? I told you this distance is nothing. Xiaojue, you’re just too sensitive — “
Su Yaqing narrowed her eyes as she turned her head, her gaze lingering on Lin Xiaojue as she brazenly scanned her body. She placed special emphasis on the word “sensitive,” sending a chill down Lin Xiaojue’s spine.
Xia Yao watched their interaction. She felt it was a bit strange, but being a junior, she didn’t feel it was her place to speak, so she swallowed her thoughts. An indescribable emotion flooded her. ‘Why does Senior seem so bashful when talking to Senior Yaqing?’
‘Could it be?’
Xia Yao’s pupils dilated. She shook her head, trying not to think about it, then tried to convince herself based on her senior’s personality. ‘Senior is so straightforward; if she were really dating Senior Yaqing, why wouldn’t she tell me?’
Just as she was resolving her doubts, Xia Yao noticed Gu Xue’s pitying gaze.
Gu Xue stared blankly, her cold, distant eyes filled with sympathy, completely unlike her usual self.
“Xiao Xue, why are you — “
“It’s nothing. I’ve just had some things on my mind lately… debt on my account.”
Finding a random excuse, Gu Xue listlessly pulled a notebook from her bag, pretending to be busy. In reality, her eyes were fixed on Lin Xiaojue, who was talking and laughing with Su Yaqing.
Smiles, awkwardness, and the occasional blush… Senior showed so many expressions in front of Yaqing.
‘In front of me… there’s nothing. Just that same old smile.’ It was bright and sunny, and Gu Xue felt it was enough to melt her. But when she saw Senior’s shy expression, her heart clenched.
‘I want to see it so much. I want Senior to be shy in my arms, panting softly, blushing as she complains and beats her fists against my chest.’
‘Then I would pull my tiny Senior into my embrace, comforting her bit by bit, until she’s willing to stay by my side forever. I really, really want that.’
“Xiao Xue, what are you thinking about?”
Suddenly, the voice she had been dreaming of echoed through the helmet’s visor. Gu Xue stared at her own reflection in the visor, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Finally, when Senior’s soft, warm hand pressed against her forehead — a gentle fragrance swirling around her nose — Gu Xue snapped out of it, her eyes slowly coming back into focus.
“Hehe, it’s nothing. Thanks, Senior.” She put on a bright smile, looking like a completely different person from a moment ago, and tried to move Lin Xiaojue’s hand.
“How can it be nothing?” Her hand was suddenly grabbed, her senior’s voice taking on a scolding tone.
“You’re acting very strange today. You’re usually so chatty, so why are you so silent? Is the Budokan not to your liking? Or is it because someone is missing?”
Both An Yuxi and Murong Qiuyu were absent today. They had even skipped the concert to go look for Sakuragawa Iku and the others.
Seeing the people who did show up so gloomy, Lin Xiaojue felt uneasy; she preferred days when everyone was happy.
“If you’re really feeling unwell, we can head back. We don’t have to watch the concert. Once we find Xiao Yu, we can all go out for BBQ together.”
“I’m fine, Senior.” Gu Xue lowered her eyelids, her eyes shimmering. The two of them remained in a stalemate, hands frozen in the air.
“Are you sure?” Lin Xiaojue asked after a long moment, still uncertain.
“Really. Thank you for your concern, Senior.”