After softening and hard soaking, Akane Kiriya still drank the green plum wine, although it was only a little bit.
Zong Gu pondered and poured her half a cup, only two or three sips, and she drank most of it in one sip.
"This is gone after drinking."
"I understand."
After entering the house for a few minutes, and then returning to the yard, Zonggu felt that the sky seemed to be getting darker.
Yuedu took over his position and was barbecuing.
"No problem."
"I don't know, I just want to experience it."
Zong Gu looked around for a while and saw that he was baking quite well, so he continued.
Wrapped a piece of beef just roasted with lettuce, Zong Gu sat down to the edge and looked at the people in the yard while eating.
As he stared at the barbecue, Akane Kirino was seducing Hongko with green plum wine, while Kyoko sat aside, looking at him.
With his eyes connected, he patted the empty space beside him.
“…”
She looked at him, got up and sat down, and the other three girls also glanced at this side.
"Don't you like this atmosphere?" he asked in a low voice.
Kyoko looked at him again, then shook her head, "No."
"I always feel that Kyoko is a little restless."
"Because for me, this is a bit unfamiliar, and anxiety is instinct."
"Kyoko can come here often in the future, or she can stop coming." Soya said.
She didn't say anything, and her eyes looked at the red light coming out of the barbecue grill.
After eating what was in his hand, Zong Gu got up and took the plate containing the roasted beef, picked up a few more pieces of watery lettuce leaves, wrapped them and handed them to her.
Kyoko took it and took a bite. Soya picked up another slice of meat, dipped it in the dipping sauce for a few times, and started eating it himself.
The two of them quickly divided the beef and baked it better again, so they let him bake it by themselves.
"Isn't Master Yuedu very interested?" Soya went over to take over.
Yue Du glanced at Chao Muling in obscurely, "It's a bit stressful to be watched by her all the time, so it's not easy to grasp the time."
Zong Gu shook his head and then barbecued the meat.
It didn't take long before the sky turned completely dark.
The charcoal in the charcoal stove was burning vigorously, which made his face red.
After putting a few freshly baked beef on a plate, Akane Kiriyo walked over, wrapped one of it with lettuce leaves, and bite off most of it in one bite.
"Well, it's a bit hot..."
“Freshly baked.”
"I've finished drinking."
"What...oh."
Zong Gu reacted and looked at the empty cup that was placed aside. There was no drop of the green plum wine inside.
"I just said that, I'll just go away after drinking."
She nodded, "I know, but Hongzi said she wanted to try it too."
"I don't believe it."
"Then ask her."
She must have discussed with Hongzi.
Soya was too lazy to ask, just asked Akane Kirito to drink the juice honestly.
"Hmph... Then I'll wash the cup."
She went back to the house, turned to the place where the green plum wine was stored.
Zong Gu turned his head and looked at it. After a while, she really ran out again and hit him with her elbow.
"You are actually guarding me like this!... Where have you hidden?"
He smiled, "If you can find it, let you drink it casually."
"That's what you said."
Akane Kirino turned around and returned to the house, looking for the green plum wine he had hidden.
Hongzi walked over, picked up a piece of beef, and dipped it in seasonings.
"I didn't think it was enough last night, but when the beef was too much to eat, I wanted to eat something else."
"Then eat more vegetables."
"I'm eating." She picked up a slice of lettuce and nibbled, "Is there anything else to bake?"
Sonoya thought for a while, "Eggplant?"
"OK."
"Then you go to the backyard to pick one. It's been October and there aren't many eggplants left in the vegetable field."
"Well... don't. It's so dark there."
Zong Gu picked up a piece of raw beef and put it on the grill, "Then I'll go over and pick it, you look here."
"Uh-huh."
With the light of his cell phone, Zong Gu picked two huge purple eggplants in the vegetable field.
Return to the kitchen to wash, remove the roots, cut in half, then use a knife to cut a few pieces, apply oil and seasoning, and let stand for a few minutes.
While he was waiting, Akane Kirino also found the kitchen.
"What are you doing?"
"Marinate and prepare to roast eggplant. Does Akane want to eat it?"
"Okay... No, I want to find Qingmei wine first."
"Then you look for it slowly."
She came over and hugged his arm, "Is there no prompt?"
"If you want to prompt, you can only take a small sip after finding it."
"snort!"
She shook his arm away and continued to search.
After preparing the garlic and green pepper powder, after waiting for a while, Zong Gu took the eggplant to the grill and started baking.
"It'll take about ten minutes to bake." He pointed to the seasoning next to him, "and then put these on and bake for a few more minutes."
"Uh-huh."
When the eggplant was almost roasted, Soya took one for Kyoko and Asakiri.
"Be careful, it's still very hot after just baking."
"Um."
Hongzi went to the house and called Akane Kirino who was still looking for it, and it took her a long time to pull her out.
"I won't drink it."
She pinched his shoulder behind her back, "I just want to know where Zong Gu hid the green plum wine."
"Let me tell you later."
She tried hard on her hand, "I want to know now."
Zong Gu felt pain and shrugged his shoulders, "Eat this first."
"I don't eat it...hey, it smells so good."
Akane Kirino took the plate and sat down between him and Kyoko.
After taking a few bites, she licked her lips and said to Kyoko: "When I think I have to go to school tomorrow, I always feel like I can't enjoy it."
Kyoko looked at her, then looked at Soya who shook her head repeatedly, and said, "The school festival has been enjoying enough these days."
"Ah... that's right."
Without getting the answer she wanted from her, Akane Kirino could not take the opportunity to say something like "I am drunk today and I will never die if I miss you for a day."
Turning her head and seeing Soya wink at Kyoko, she immediately understood and raised her arm and hit him.
While playing, she leaned on him.
“…”
Kyoko looked away.
Although this behavior was not obvious, Akane Kirino noticed it. She wanted to ignore it, but could not ignore it. She couldn't help but shout, "Senior Sister."
"What?"
"When will the senior sister make up her mind?"
Kyoko looked over and asked, despite having a premonition, “What’s the determination.”
Akane Kirino looked at her, "Of course it's Soya and us."
“…”
Kyoko fell silent all of a sudden.
"Akane." Soya was also a little surprised by her sudden question.
She looked up at him, "Can't you ask now?"
He pursed his lower lip and looked at Kyoko again, "Kyoko has her plans, so I..."
"——But I care a lot." Akane Kirino couldn't help but say.
She sat upright, put the roasted tomatoes that had eaten a few bites aside, and looked at them separately.
"I want to know what attitude I should use to treat my senior sister now."
Akane Kirino turned to Kyoko, "What did the senior sister plan? Will she join 'us', or will she completely cut off relations with Soya?"
"I like Zong Gu, Hongzi like Zong Gu, Ling likes Zong Gu, and Zong Gu likes us - he can never like his senior sister alone."
“…”
With the light on his back, Kyoko bit her lip tightly, and her face was dim.
Looking back at Soya, Akane Kirino's voice and gaze lowered: "I don't want to care about other people's emotions when I'm intimate with my boyfriend..."
Kyoko was speechless and calmly ate the roasted eggplant in her hand. Hongzi was a little caught off guard by the sudden change. She stood aside, her eyes wandering back and forth on the three of them.
Yuedu took a few slices of roasted beef, but the eggplant was not as good as him. Before the atmosphere became worse, he went back to his room first.
Is it time to make a decision?
Looking at the long shadow under the light, Kyoko's eyes were silent.
She understood that in this matter, she would have to make a decision sooner or later, but she was just dragging it on.
Leaving him or joining them, there are only these two options left, and the future that comes with either option is not what she really wants.
The eyes were burning and fell on her face, causing her to feel a little tingling;
All the ambiguity and hesitation hidden in the darkness are revealed under the light, and there is nowhere to hide. When ordered, an answer must be given at this time and here.
What should I do...
A hand suddenly reached over, grabbed her, and pulled her into the dark corner.
“…”
He was pulled by him and hid in the darkness like an escape. For such a short moment, Kyoko felt a sense of relief.
It's only a moment.
"Feel sorry."
Holding her hand tightly, Zong Gu took a deep breath.
"I didn't plan to let Kyoko make a decision now."
He lowered his head, his eyes quickly adapted to the darkness, looking at her face.
"No matter what, I will not let Kyoko go, so I have been preparing to continue to waste time with Kyoko, and sooner or later I will let you accept it. But I ignored their feelings."
"Akane cares a lot, Hongko has always cared about it. They will be uneasy because of Kyoko's attitude, and may also be worried that I will give up on them for Kyoko."
"so……"
Soya held her face up, "Caoko still can't agree now."
“…”
Kyoko looked at him and finally spoke after a while:
"I don't want to continue like this anymore. So that's the case, classmate Fangming, I won't like you anymore."
"Yeah."
She looked at his face, "The classmate Fangming I like may have died in the underworld. You just have the same face as him."
Soya looked at her, her eyes fell, "When Kyoko lies, there will always be a habitual small movement on her right hand."
She subconsciously lowered her head and looked at her right hand.
"——I'm lying to you. Because you're lying to me too."
“…”
"Why do you want to tell such a lie that can be broken with just one poke?"
“…”
"Can it really end up? Kyoko will never let me go in this life."
"This is my business."
"Since I can't let go of me, after leaving me, is Kyoko planning to die alone?"
"That's my own business."
"From the day when Kyoko collapsed in my yard, Kyoko's future has been entangled with me. This is our business."
“…”
Kyoko took a deep breath, and all the sweetness and pain that had been together since they met came to her mind.
Soya took another step closer and lowered his head to her forehead, "Even if he dies alone, will Kyoko not want to be with me?"
“I can live well alone.”
She turned her head slightly, unwilling to face him head-on, "Life is long, love is only a part of it, and it may not be possible to give up."
"Indeed, life is long and there are many things worth pursuing. But at the age of seventeen, I just want to hold on to you. If I let Kyoko go now, I will regret it for the rest of my life."
She looked up at him, "So, in order not to regret it, does Fangming plan to make me suffer for the rest of my life?"
"Does Kyoko hate me?"
“…”
"Does Kyoko hate them?"
"No."
"Kyoko doesn't hate them themselves, but she can't accept living with them and even becoming a part of them."
She was silent and did not deny it.
He asked the question that was not answered yesterday:
"So, what really makes Kyoko feel pain is the self-contained life being changed and forced to adapt to the expected future of the atmosphere that cannot be adapted to?"
Her eyes turned and connected to him, "Isn't this what Fang Ming is forcing me?"
Zong Gu held her shoulder and lowered his body, "What if I say no."
She looked at him without saying anything.
"I want to be with Kyoko, but Kyoko doesn't have to be with them. I just said that if Kyoko can't adapt to the atmosphere here, she can never come over again and let me come to you...if you hope so."
“…”
"Kyoko doesn't have to do anything. She doesn't need to move here, nor does she need to integrate into Akane and Hongko. Apart from the label of "Sotani Yoshiaki's girlfriend", Kyoko's life will not change anything you are reluctant to do.
Everything is based on Kyoko's wishes. If Kyoko wants to move out, I will find another house."
After looking at him for a while, Kyoko spoke:
"What Fangming meant is to start a family with me outside of them?"
Sonogu nodded, "This is the best way I can think of now."
His eyes moved, Kyoko said:
"From yesterday's question, classmate Fangming was hinting me: As long as I live separately from them, nothing else seems to be a problem."
He did not deny, "I have tried my best to convince Kyoko. And this is not entirely a hint, it is better to say that it is the essence of the problem I discovered."
"Are the essence... As long as I and my classmates separated from you, there will be no need to be such a trouble."
He grabbed her shoulder, "I won't be separated from Kyoko, this is the premise for all my considerations."
Dark clouds covered the moon, looking up at the dark night sky, Kyoko took a deep breath and fell into silence again.
Zong Gu just looked at her.
After a while, she lowered her head.
"Sometimes I wonder, does Fangming really like me? If I really like it, why would I throw me into such a difficult problem that I can't handle...I'm just a witch who doesn't even have friends."
Zong Gu pursed his lips, "I'm sorry."
"Student Fangming always apologizes, but always makes me embarrassed."
"……sorry."
She shook her head and spoke again after a while.
"Can Fangming's idea really come true?"
Suddenly, Zong Gu held her hand tightly again, "I promise."
"Can you deal with the two families on both sides?"
"Since I have made this choice, this is something I have to face. If I can't handle it, I have to bite the bullet and deal with it."
"I always feel like you'll bring trouble to me."
“No.”
"Does Yoshikawa know your plans?"
"They have no reason to object."
"Will you accompany them more or accompany me more."
"I live here after all...I will come to Kyoko every day as much as possible."
"What if I want you to spend more time with me."
"I will accompany Kyoko."
"It's a little more time."
"I will accompany you..."
"Always accompany you."
"…Kyoko won't make me so embarrassed."
"Fangming will be corrupted by desire, and I will be changed by life."
"Then let me be embarrassed at that time."
Kyoko closed her eyes, hugged his body, and put her chest on her head.
"If Yoshiaki wandered to Kinki, I would be the first person I met."
Zong Gu stroked her back.
"I would be fine if I was the one who fell into the underworld with Fang Ming."
He shook his head.
"I would have been the one who grew up with Fangming..."
He hugged her tightly, "If I don't have these, I still like Kyoko."
She didn't say much, and tears fell from the corners of her eyes.
There is no if, and no better choice.
"I want to go back."
"I'm only halfway through the barbecue."
"I have eaten a lot just now, and I can't eat it anymore."
"Then I'll send you back."
Back outside, Akane Kirino, Akane and Asakiri all looked at them.
"I'll take Kyoko back," Soya said.
“Eh?”
Akane Kirino was stunned for a moment, "But..."
"You guys keep barbecuing, be careful. I'll explain it when I come back."
"—Is it because of what I said just now that my senior sister doesn't want to stay any longer?" She stood up and looked at Kyoko.
"no."
Kyoko looked back at her, "I just wanted to go back to my own place and digest the decisions I made without interruption."
"What……"
Akane Kirino looked at Soya again, and he signaled her to rest assured, then went to the backyard to ride the bicycle out.
As he was about to leave, Kyoko looked back at them.
"Thank you for inviting me to come over for the barbecue."
None of the three of them said anything, and she didn't say anything. She got on a bicycle, hugged Zong Gu, and disappeared into the darkness with him.
"Senior sister accepted it..."
Akane Kirino looked at the place where the two disappeared, and then looked at Hongko.
Hongzi shook her head, her expression a little complicated, "I don't know."
"Okay...Songya will solve it."
"Um."
Behind the two, they picked up tongs towards Wuling and struggled to add raw beef to the burning red grill.
"Ling doesn't seem to care at all."
"Because there is no more meaning."
"Say that again..."
She put down her tongs and said, "You guys come and bake."
"Yes... Lord Ling."
Putting away his messy thoughts, Akane Kirino threw all her worries behind her and came over to grill the meat.
Anyway, an omnipotent boyfriend will always solve all problems.
Hongzi stood there for a while and came over to help.
When the tender beef was completely roasted, the color changed and the aroma came out, Soya also brought Kyoko to the station.
After nightfall, unlike when returning from Kyoto, there are few passengers on the tram that travels west.
"I don't want to go home yet."
"Well, where does Kyoko want to go."
"Go to the shrine."
"Is this time... OK?"
In the darkness, the two climbed the long stairs and came to the shrine.
Stepping to the atrium, the clouds cleared and the moon was bright, and Kyoko stood in the moonlight for a moment.
"This is my destination."
"Yes." Soya stood behind her.
The moon shines, and she takes out a silver string, which is the key to the company.