A moment.

Literally in an instant, within the three steps of the circle with Qingdeng as the center, the atmosphere in the air suddenly became... as tight as an icy autumn wind blowing.

People's "Jade House", the cheers of "Key House", the explosion of fireworks... It feels like all the sounds are gradually moving away from the surroundings.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on Kinoshita Mai.

The director's beautiful eyes opened slightly, showing a surprised look.

Sanako's beautiful eyebrows jumped up slightly, and her expression became... very charming.

And Qingden... the lines on his face became particularly stiff and his eyesight straightened from the moment Kinoshita Mai finished speaking...

Only Elodie, who was still young and inexperienced in the world, blinked at Mai Kinoshita with innocent eyes.

"Miss Wu, did you and the master watch the fireworks the day before yesterday?"

"Um!"

Mai Kinoshita, who didn't notice that the atmosphere around her was becoming strange, smiled sweetly.

"Qingdeng and I swam here together the day before yesterday! I thought the fireworks set off at the convention were the same every day, but I didn't expect that today's fireworks seemed to be more colorful than the ones we saw the day before yesterday."

After saying that, Kinoshita Mai squinted her eyes and glanced quietly at Sanako beside her.

At this time, a hint of contentment like a little devil emerged from the corners of Kinoshita Mai's upturned mouth.

——Hmph hum~~

After letting out this triumphant laughter in his heart, Kinoshita moved his steps smoothly without leaving any trace, and stood closer to Qingden.

In essence - those words just now were all deliberately spoken loudly by Kinoshita Mai.

Just to let Sanako hear it!

Just to find some confidence in front of Sanako!

Kinoshita Mai has always had a weak mentality in front of Sanako.

Regardless of her face, figure, temperament, and knowledge... Although she didn't want to admit it, Kinoshita Mai had to face the fact that she was not as good as Sanako in these aspects that were fatally attractive to men...

If these personal qualities are not as good as Sanako's, then that's it.

However, the most terrible thing is that Sanako and Aoto's relationship is particularly good.

She knew it. After being discharged from Renyitang, Qingto had been visiting the Little Chiba Sword Hall frequently.

Although Aoto's reason for coming out was to see his pet cow...but it still made Kinoshita Mai feel full of crisis!

This sense of crisis that she felt like she was standing on top of a crumbling 100-foot-tall building made Kinoshita Mai want to do something... she had to do something!

And now.

Now that Ayoto and Sanako are both here, it’s a good opportunity to “do something”!

Xiang Zhuang danced with his sword, intending to dance under Pei Gong's wood. After standing closer to Qingdeng, he raised his chest a little higher, and also raised her Yao nose.

——How about it? Qingdeng and I have been to this kind of grand event with a beautiful atmosphere! Do you have it? Do you have it? Hehehehe~~

When Kinoshita Mai was smiling happily like this, Aotō—

"..."

Not saying a word... Correction. I dare not speak.

Although he was still looking at the night sky decorated with fireworks, his eyes could no longer process any external information.

Kinoshita Mai's sudden speech in order to "declare sovereignty" made Qingto, who had just been comforting himself that "nothing will happen", suddenly enter into a situation where he seemed to be preparing to fight a powerful enemy.

A state of desperate duel to the death.

The muscles and nerves throughout the body are tense.

Goosebumps appeared one after another on the skin, and fine cold sweat oozed from the forehead, back and other places.

It's a bit embarrassing to say - Qingdeng now really wishes that time could stop like this.

But it is obvious that the world will not respond to Qingdeng’s unreasonable vision.

"...That's it."

Sanako... spoke...

"Tachibana-san, you and Kinoshita-san attended the fireworks display the night before..."

As she whispered this, she turned her pretty face to one side.

His face was expressionless... no, it was a weird look with "all the expressions gone", giving Qingdeng a long look in his eyes.

The emotions contained in his eyes are unpredictable.

Qingto felt Sanako's gaze, and his body shook slightly.

In Sanako's neither sad nor happy words, Qingto clearly felt something called "crisis" rushing towards him.

Although what he was currently facing was an unexpected "encounter", Qingdeng still wanted to try to resist.

However, before he had time to say or do anything, a new surprise came - Sanako suddenly noticed Kinoshita Mai's expression at this moment.

Sanako doesn't have the ability to read minds, so she naturally doesn't know what Kinoshita Mai is thinking about right now.

However, she couldn't explain why, after Sanako saw Kinoshita Mai's pretty face filled with a smile, she felt... very unhappy.

Very unhappy!

He was so displeased that his two eyebrows frowned unconsciously.

At this moment, very suddenly, Elodie shifted her innocent gaze to Sanako.

"Huh? Miss Chiba, the paper bag in your arms is a little loose!"

Hearing what Elodie said, Sanako quickly lowered his head and took a look - indeed, the packaging of the paper bag was slightly loose, and a corner of the yukata was exposed.

When Sanako tucked back the corners of the yukata that hung outside the paper bag and wrapped the paper bag tightly again, Elodie suddenly praised with eyes shining:

"What a beautiful yukata! Miss Chiba, you just said that you came here to buy something. Could it be said that you just came here to buy this yukata?"

"..."

Sanako's slender fingers that were sorting the paper bag suddenly paused.

She looked thoughtful like a scholar delving into a difficult problem, looking at the yukata in her hand with an indifferent expression.

This posture was maintained for a long time, and finally——

"Yeah. Yes. This is the yukata I rented from a nearby Wufu shop to make it easier to move around when I went to the fireworks display with Tachibana-kun last night. I thought it looked pretty good, so I specially rented it tonight.

I came over and bought this yukata."

He said these words in a precise tone, which caused the atmosphere around him to change suddenly again.

crisis.

It's boiling gurglingly...

Qingdeng realized that the situation had taken a turn for the worse again, and felt that not only the sounds were far away, but the colors seemed to be slowly disappearing from the surrounding space.

The air around him seemed to solidify into liquid and seemed extremely heavy.

This small space seems to be cut off from the outside world and becomes a small independent space.

"Eh?"

Kinoshita Mai... was stunned...

The sweet smile that had been on his pretty face since just now froze and completely disappeared.

The other person who was also stunned was the General Secretary.

Although the "sluggishness" shown by Souji at this moment is not of the same nature as the "sluggishness" shown by Mai Kinoshita now, Souji's head and eyes have indeed entered a moment of downtime and daze.

Immediately afterwards... she retreated subconsciously, widening the distance between Ayoto, Mai Kinoshita, and Sanako...

Elodie, on the other hand, still showed her childish and simple bright smile.

Just listen to her teasing her beloved master:

"Master, it turns out that you have been watching fireworks with different girls these past few days? No wonder you always looked absent-minded when you played with us today. It turns out that you have already visited the fireworks display twice!"

Elodie's unintentional words added a few more barrels of oil to the burning "fire".

If possible, Qingdeng really wants to shout to Elodie: Little ancestor! Please stop talking!

After teasing Qingdeng, Elodie did say nothing as Qingdeng wished.

It's just that... the person she spoke to became Kinoshita Mai.

"Ah, ah haha..."

A dry laughter, like the friction of firewood, escaped from Kinoshita Mai's lips and teeth.

"Miss Chiba, have you also...come to the fireworks display with Aomori...?"

Kinoshita Mai raised her eyes and looked at Sanako, who was a head taller than her.
To be continued...