Gao Sijin waited another day at the gate of Uzuki’s high school. During this time, the security guard even mistook him for a suspicious person and considered calling the police. Fortunately, the misunderstanding was cleared up in the end.
At three in the afternoon, the students of Kaijo High School began filing out of the teaching building one after another. Small groups of twos and threes were like little independent worlds, each with their own distinct style. Only Uzuki was alone, accepted by no one. She carefully passed by the other students, afraid of disturbing them.
Rather than thinking about how to make herself happy, Uzuki was the kind of girl who cared more about others’ feelings. This side of her made Gao Sijin’s heart ache.
“Uzuki, over here!”
Hearing Gao Sijin’s call, Uzuki immediately looked over and changed from a shuffling walk to a jog. She was not good at sports, but she ran surprisingly fast at this moment, quickly rushing past the school gate.
Only Gao Sijin’s embrace was the warm home where Uzuki could linger.
She gently hugged Gao Sijin, resting her little head on his shoulder, and said softly, “Sijin, why are you waiting for me at the school gate again? It’s so hot, aren’t you being too silly?”
“The weather isn’t that hot, and I wanted to wait for you, so I stayed here.”
“Next time, Sijin, don’t wait for me at the school gate. I’m not a child, and you have your own things to do. Worrying so much about someone like me isn’t worth it at all.”
Uzuki took out a handkerchief embroidered with Hello Kitty from her shoulder bag, stood on tiptoe, and gently wiped the sweat from Gao Sijin’s forehead. Her movements were tender, like a lover’s.
“Uzuki, don’t always look down on yourself so much. In my heart, you are an extremely important family member. Even if the whole world abandons you, I will never abandon you.”
Gao Sijin took Uzuki’s shoulder bag and held her small hand as they walked toward the Honda sedan.
Looking at him walking ahead, Uzuki shyly lowered her head and pursed her bright red lips. The disappearance of Aoi and the others worried her greatly, but being with Gao Sijin gave her a full sense of security. Even if the sky fell, she wouldn’t be afraid. Under her eyes, the tips of the girl’s brows were flushed as if tipsy.
She was in love with Gao Sijin.
However, she couldn’t let this love put Gao Sijin in danger. She had to draw a clear line with him in time and find an opportunity to quietly go to the Old School Building alone to keep the appointment.
Sitting in the back seat, since Yu Qingxue had started the air conditioning early, the car was very cool, sweeping away the outside heat.
“Good afternoon, Uzuki,” Yu Qingxue greeted from the driver’s seat.
“Good afternoon, Sister Yu,” Uzuki replied obediently and politely. “Sister Yu, can I go back to live in that apartment in Shinjuku Ward later?”
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to live with us anymore?”
“It’s not like that. I really like living with Sijin and you, Sister Yu. But if I keep staying, I’ll cause you trouble.”
“Uzuki, you should stay with us for three more days,” Gao Sijin said, having seen through Uzuki’s thoughts since the morning. “The Old School Building supernatural entity has a three-day deadline. After three days, if you want to leave, I definitely won’t stop you.”
Uzuki stared blankly at Gao Sijin and said firmly, “I said I won’t go to the Old School Building anymore. Aoi and the others lied to me, played tricks on me, and laughed at me behind my back. They never treated me as a friend. I’ve completely cut ties with them! I hate them!”
“That’s good then. Uzuki, you’ll stay with us for three more days,” Gao Sijin said, gently squeezing Uzuki’s small hand. “I said I would protect you, so even if these three days make you feel like your freedom is restricted, it doesn’t matter. I’m willing to be the bad guy to ensure your safety. Your greatest strength is your kindness, but your greatest weakness is also your kindness. At a time like this, don’t think about shaking me off.”
Yu Qingxue stepped on the accelerator and drove in the opposite direction of the Shinjuku Ward apartment; she didn’t want to take Uzuki back to that apartment.
“Sijin, how can you do this? This is kidnapping!” Uzuki struggled to suppress the small happiness in her heart and said insincerely, “This Sijin is not the Sijin I like. Let me go home!”
“Uzuki, I don’t want you to disappear like them!”
How wonderful it would be if Gao Sijin were her lover.
Uzuki blinked her almond-shaped eyes, feeling for the first time such intense jealousy toward her cousin Tsukiyuki Rio, who was far away in the State of Georgia. She even inwardly wished that Cousin Tsukiyuki Rio and Gao Sijin would break up so that she could officially date Sijin.
“Why do you care about me so much?”
“Because you are an important family member to me.”
“No, I’m not your family. We have no blood relation, and even our nationalities are different. I’m only a distant relative of Cousin Rio, and the main and branch families even have marriages. We can’t be called family, so stop fooling me with that.” Uzuki clenched her pink fist; she wanted to hear Gao Sijin say the standard answer with his own mouth.
Even if it was a lie.
“Because I like you, okay?”
“Ah…”
Uzuki slightly parted her lips, her heart as if struck by Cupid’s arrow.
Yes, this was exactly the standard answer she had been hoping for.
“Sijin, please say it again, okay?”
“I could say it ten times if you want. If you were anyone else, even if you disappeared, I wouldn’t feel any emotional ripple. There are so many people in the world, every second someone dies. Whether they live or die has nothing to do with me. But you are different. You are Uzuki, someone I like.” Gao Sijin gently placed his hands on Uzuki’s shoulders.
In her JK uniform, Uzuki had a delicate and fragile figure, with a pale and poignant beauty. Gao Sijin swallowed.
“I don’t want you to take risks. Even if you really decide to take a risk, please discuss it with me. Let’s investigate the Old School Building together.”
“Okay, I’ll be good and listen. I won’t have any more thoughts of going to the Old School Building. Sijin likes me, actually I also…” Uzuki paused, secretly glanced at Yu Qingxue driving in front, and mustered her courage to say, “I also like Sijin. I like Sijin the most, the very most.”
The warm current of mutual confession filled Uzuki’s heart.
If she were to die tomorrow, Uzuki believed she could definitely show the happiest smile.
“I’m willing to live for Sijin, so even if my conscience can’t let it go, I have to get over this hurdle. These three days, please take care of me, Sijin.”
“Not just three days, even if you stayed in Qingxue’s apartment permanently, I’d be more than welcome.”
Gao Sijin hoped Uzuki would give up on those despicable girls who betrayed her; they got what they deserved.
Moreover, saying he liked Uzuki wasn’t a lie. It’s just that this liking wasn’t romantic love. Love comes in many forms. Some love means going to bed, some love means careful care, and some love includes both.
This child had already suffered too much. Gao Sijin simply wished that Uzuki would be happy from now on, nothing more.
The car drove into the apartment’s underground garage. Uzuki wrapped her arms around Gao Sijin’s arm and walked slowly. She knew that the liking Gao Sijin spoke of wasn’t romantic love, but Uzuki didn’t care.
Before Cousin Rio returns, this was the most beautiful dream Uzuki had ever had.
