"Kiyono, you use a pacifier too?"
"I know you’ve always worshipped me as a God, but unfortunately, my body is just that of an ordinary human."
"So, does that mean your spirit has become divine?"
Kiyono Lin set down her teacup, brushed the long hair off her shoulders, and revealed a tender, loving smile:
"Even if I’m not a God, I’m still an angel."
"That pacifier must be pretty expensive, huh?"
"If Mr. Dubian likes it, I can have someone look for it."
There was a photo of Kiyono Lin and Jiutiao Meijie wearing the same dresses, chasing each other on the lawn;
"Ah, you two get along so well, matching outfits like a couple."
"It’s called matching, and it’s different from the couple outfit you’re talking about."
There was a photo of Jiutiao Meijie crying with Kiyono Lin about to cry next to her, angrily watching over her, with toys scattered all over the ground;
"What happened here?"
"Little kids fighting. Jiutiao used to cry a lot when she was younger."
Jiutiao Meijie, sleeping with her eyes closed, hummed noncommittally.
There was a photo of Kiyono Lin dressed in a little suit and Jiutiao Meijie in a wedding dress, both smiling adorably;
"Meiji, are you remarried?!"
There was a photo of Kiyono Lin with a black backpack and Jiutiao Meijie with a red backpack from when they were in first grade;
"This one is the cutest."
"Lolicon?" asked Kiyono Lin.
"If it’s this level of cuteness, and it’s the two of you, I might really become a lolicon."
"Mr. Dubian, what you’re saying could be considered a criminal confession."
"I’m complimenting you guys."
Dubian Che hadn’t finished speaking when Jiutiao Meijie pinched his thigh hard.
From here on, the expressions in the photos of Kiyono Lin and Jiutiao Meijie together became increasingly awkward.
Beyond that point, the album only showed Kiyono Lin with her backpack on, her face devoid of expression; Kiyono Lin in junior high, carrying her school bag;
Lonely, strong, yet beautiful.
After going through the album, the food downstairs wasn’t ready yet.
Having nothing to do, Dubian Che lay down and continued flipping through the album, and because the temperature was so comfortable, he inadvertently fell asleep.
In a daze, he had a dream.
He said goodbye to Saito Keisuke and the others, and for some reason, he didn’t go to the Human Observation Department, but went directly downstairs instead.
Looking out from the school building corridor, it seemed to be winter season.
The sky was tinged red, and for some unknown reason, the contrails formed spirals.
Lowering his gaze to the courtyard, beneath the ginkgo trees, Kiyono Lin sat alone on a bench, contemplating the spiral-shaped contrails.
’Not observing humans, but now observing celestial phenomena?’ he thought to himself. ’The nighttime sky observation guidebook can finally come in handy.’
He sauntered down the stairs.
Through the glass in the stairwell, Kiyono Lin sat in solitude, always in his line of sight.
He was about to reach her side, where he could smell her scent, where he could talk with her.
Perhaps start with the causes of the contrails?
His footsteps felt light, and despite it being winter, there were calls of the cuckoo.
There was a faint feeling of warmth in his heart.
Why did he harbor such emotions? It was puzzling.
It seemed nice to keep walking this path forever.
He finished descending the last step and just needed to walk forward to enter the courtyard and call out the girl’s name.
He was about to take a step when he heard someone call his name from behind.
On the landing platform between the first and second floors stood Jiutiao Meijie, arms folded.
Dubian Che didn’t open his eyes but wriggled his body toward the source of the voice until he bumped into a knee.
He pressed down on the knee that was trying to escape, slightly lifted his head, and rested it on top.
"Meiji, I had a dream about you, wait while I say goodbye to the you in my dream," Dubian Che mumbled.
The right cheek pressed against the smooth thigh was slightly deformed because of its softness, and a warm sensation was transmitted to it.
"Ah, so soft, I can’t take it, I’m going to sink in," Dubian Che said with a defenseless, resigned smile.
His cheek rubbed against the thigh, so soft it made him want to give up on life.
"Meiji, you’re amazing, let’s call it a day, I’m going to sleep here."
Before he could finish, his face met a heavy blow.
A foot-shaped object stomped on his face, twisting his mouth.
Touch, size, temperature, all matched Jiutiao Meijie.
’Wait a minute!’ Dubian Che’s mind snapped into alertness.
If Jiutiao Meijie was the one stepping on his left cheek, then whose thigh was he resting his right cheek on?
Kiyono Lin’s expression wavered, her face reddened, and her eyes looked away.
"Meiji, listen to me—mmph!"
As he spoke, Dubian Che tried to stand up, only to be stamped down again by Jiutiao Meijie!
She looked down at him cruelly, arms folded just like in his dream.
Caught between two forces, Dubian Che pouted his mouth.
Jiutiao Meijie’s foot twisted on his face as if trying to grind it to pieces.
Dubian Che wrapped his arms around her foot:
"Meiji...listen to me...let me explain! You were standing...behind Kiyono...when you called me! I thought it was you!"
"Mr. Dubian, can you get up? I’m going to accuse you of harassment."
"...Sorry...I wish I could rise too."
In the midst of not knowing whether he was enjoying it or being tormented, a knock came at the door.
"Lin, Meiji, Mr. Dubian, it’s ready, come on out!" It was a gentle voice, Mrs. Kiyono.
Jiutiao Meijie finally lifted her foot.
’Mrs. Kiyono, you really are like my mother!’
As he thought this, Dubian Che’s ear was pinched, and he was dragged upright.
"I thought it was you!"
"I thought it was you!"
"I thought it was you!"