The next morning, Kirino Akane woke up when the alarm clock rang for the second time.

"I almost overslept..."

Actually it's still very early.

It's just that recently, in order to avoid Soya and Anko, she had to get up earlier and go to school to avoid meeting them on the tram.

I picked up the phone that was thrown at the end of the bed, and sure enough, there were several more unread messages.

She didn't click in, she got up and got out of bed.

After washing up, I walked into the kitchen, but I didn't see breakfast prepared on the dining table.

"Mom, why didn't you prepare breakfast today?"

"Who can bear to wake up so early every day?"

Kirino Keiko was still lying on the bed with her eyes closed tightly, "Don't bother me, go find Soya, he said he will make breakfast for you for the rest of his life."

"Mother--"

Kirino Keiko turned over and dropped her arm to the bed. When she picked it up again, there was a slipper in her hand.

"..."

Kirino Akane immediately exited her parents' bedroom and closed the door.

"never mind."

After leaving home, she went to the intersection below and looked at the conspicuous old Japanese-style house. Akane Kirino didn't stay too long and walked straight to the station.

She wouldn't go there, so she could only go to the convenience store at the station to buy a sandwich.

Fortunately, the lunch box was prepared last night.

She missed the first alarm clock and slept ten minutes longer than yesterday. However, because she did not have breakfast at home, the time when she went out was not much different from yesterday.

She decided to have breakfast while waiting for the bus.

When she arrived at the station, she walked into the convenience store and searched for a while.

"Ah, are there any rice balls?"

In the past, she would either have breakfast at home or go to her old house. It has been a long time since she went into a convenience store in the morning just to fill her stomach.

I bought a sandwich and a bottle of water. Akane Kirino took it in her hand and was going to sit on the bench on the platform to eat.

"..."

After passing the turnstile and walking onto the platform, she saw Hongzi sitting there, and Hongzi, who was holding a sandwich in his mouth, also saw her at the same time.

They looked at each other, both of them speechless.

Why?

Shouldn't Anko have breakfast with Soya at the old house and then go to school together?

Kirino Akane stood where she was, not taking another step closer.

"Ahem!"

Hongzi was still biting the sandwich in her mouth. In a daze, she almost choked herself before swallowing.

Kirino Akane also came to her senses, turned around and was about to leave.

"Akane!...Ahem!"

Hongzi immediately stood up, coughing and shouting, which made him choke even more.

She wanted to grab the water on the bench, but she couldn't grab it because she was coughing. The bottle fell to the ground and rolled three to five meters, and the water inside also flowed all over the floor.

"..."

What a clumsy person!

Looking at Anko who was holding the bench and coughing continuously, Kirino Akane stamped her foot and walked over again.

After taking the water with the lid open, Hongzi took two sips before letting out a long sigh of relief.

"Thanks……"

Akane Kirino said nothing, sat down next to her, opened her own sandwich and started eating.

Looking at her side face and the water in her hand, Hongzi stood up and walked towards the exit.

"I'll buy another bottle...ah."

Kirino Akane grabbed her wrist, "No need."

As she spoke, she picked up the bottle of water she had just opened and took a sip.

She let go of her wrist, and Hongzi stood for a while and then sat down next to her.

Kirino Akane continued to eat the sandwich, finishing the entire sandwich, and took another sip of water before speaking.

"Why are Hongzi going to school so early?"

Hongzi swallowed the food in his mouth, "Something happened..."

"What's the matter?" Kirino Akane turned to look at her.

Hongzi was silent for a moment, but chose to tell the truth.

"I don't want to go to school with Soya."

"Why?"

"Because I'm worried that Akane will see me."

"..."

She has already seen what she should see and what she shouldn't see, so what's the point of covering it up now?

Kirino Akane's eyes moved, and then she looked away, "What does it have to do with me?"

Hongzi looked at her: "Then why did Akane refuse to see me and Soya for so many days, and didn't reply to messages."

"It's my menstrual period and I'm in a bad mood." She turned her head and originally wanted to say, "It has nothing to do with Hongzi," but she couldn't say it out.

"Is that all?"

Hongzi had no intention of eating anymore, so she crumpled the remaining half of the sandwich into a ball and threw it into the trash can.

"It's just that." Kirino Akane was still stubborn.

"Are you feeling better now?"

"No."

Hongzi looked at her side face, "Then are we still friends?"

"..."

Kirino Akane pursed her lower lip and looked to the side without speaking.

In silence, the tram finally pulled into the station.

The two of them got on the bus together. There were not many people on the bus at this time, and there were still many empty seats.

Kirino Akane sat down nearby, and Anko sat next to her.

"Soya said that he needs to talk to Akane about the school festival."

"He told me yesterday."

"Do you want to talk?"

"casual."

"Then let's wait until Soya comes to school."

Kirino Akane nodded slightly.

They were speechless all the way until they transferred to Yamashina Station and the two of them sat together again until they reached school.

When climbing the long stairs in front of the school, Akane Kirino did not pull her as usual, but she also deliberately slowed down her pace.

The two separated at the back door of the classroom.

Arriving at her seat, Hongzi hung up her schoolbag and then lay down on the desk.

"Finally I can speak again..."

Although neither of them mentioned a word about the core of the problem, it was much better than the state of never getting a response.

She lay face down on the table until Soya and Asagiri Suzu also came to school.

He sat down in the seat in front and looked back at her hand stretched out on the table, "I thought you would come over in the morning. I have been waiting at home for a long time."

"real?"

"Well... I must have waited for at least five minutes."

Hongzi rolled his eyes, but then he couldn't help but think of the kitchen of Kirino's old house, and the various breakfasts he prepared in the past.
To be continued...