Chapter 131: Eternity

The conversation ended when one of the parties left. The one who left was Li Mo.

According to what he said, he had just moved here recently. There were still many things he needed to take care of, so he left.

It was just as well. Having only her older sister here was a good thing. Alone, Yukinoshita Yukino felt she could handle the situation. When two people gathered together, it inevitably became a headache.

"Was that classmate the friend you mentioned, Yukino-chan?"

"He introduced himself. Everything he said was correct," Yukinoshita Yukino replied.

Yukinoshita Haruno said, "But he might have omitted some details. For example… a boyfriend?"

"Sister, I'm angry," Yukinoshita Yukino said coldly. "In your eyes, is the only relationship between men and women that kind of relationship? Or is your thinking simply too vulgar?"

"My, my, it was just a little joke. Why are you reacting so strongly, Yukino-chan? Could it be…" Yukinoshita Haruno said with a smile.

"Your shameless behavior is about 80% similar to his."

"Do you really hate your sister that much?"

Yukinoshita Yukino said, "You've been putting on an act long enough. Sister, can you state your purpose for coming here?"

"Can't I just come to see Yukino-chan?"

The two sisters fell into silence. The atmosphere grew cold, and even the most skilled at livening up a situation would find it difficult to break the tension.

Perhaps Li Mo could.

He was never one to read the atmosphere.

After all, he wasn't Japanese, so he didn't need to "read the air."

Yukinoshita Haruno put away her smile, took out her phone from her bag, checked the time and the messages on it, and said, "Yukino, I have some things to do, so I'll be leaving now."

Without saying anything more, she left directly. The entire process was quite cold.

Yukinoshita Yukino watched Haruno's retreating figure, and with the sound of the door closing with a "clang," her sister was gone.

Yukinoshita Yukino wasn't surprised by Haruno's final behavior. Her sister's personality was like that—always wearing a gentle smile for everyone. But as Li Mo had said, "If someone treats everyone as a friend, then that person has no friends."

Wasn't her sister exactly that kind of person?

Yukinoshita Haruno was someone who would never show her true self to others.

...

...

Yukinoshita Haruno walked out of Yukinoshita Yukino's room. She could fully sense the changes in her younger sister.

How much time had passed?

The story was becoming interesting.

She hadn't paid attention to her sister for a while, and now there were such significant changes. The old Yukino would never have spoken to her like that.

She needed to contact Komachi.

As she pondered, Yukinoshita Haruno's attention was drawn to something else.

Li Mo was standing in the hallway, holding a can of soda.

Yukinoshita Haruno knew his name. From the name alone, it was clear he wasn't a native.

A smile instinctively appeared on her face as she said, "Li Mo, are you waiting for me, little brother?"

"Yes, Haruno-nee, I'm waiting for you," Li Mo said, leaning against the railing. He continued, "So, Haruno-nee, what are you planning to do next? Are you going to ask Hiratsuka-sensei for information, or use some other method? You must be very curious about who changed Yukino.

Well, I can tell you now—it's me, Li Mo."

Playful.

Yukinoshita Haruno labeled Li Mo with that word. She said, "Your words are a bit all over the place. I don't quite understand. But isn't it normal for a sister to be concerned about her younger sister?"

"Then why do you make Yukinoshita-san dislike you?" Li Mo said. "You wear one mask for others—a faint smile that earns their goodwill. That's the advantage of being a beautiful woman. But you wear two masks in front of Yukinoshita-san.

The first is the same as with others—treating everyone equally.

The second is the true nature you show to Yukinoshita-san, which is probably a utilitarian mindset?

The third is…"

Li Mo paused for a moment, then lowered his voice and chuckled, "A siscon?"

What is Chiba known for?

There's an unofficial answer: siscons.

Yukinoshita Haruno maintained her smile, but anyone could see that it had stiffened.

—Yes, stiffened.

Being seen through wasn't a big deal. Her mother could see through her thoughts. But the problem was that no one in recent memory had been as brazen as this person, openly stating everything.

This person was extremely rare in Japanese society, where everyone was accustomed to maintaining a cheerful, harmonious surface while stabbing each other in the back.

To lay everything out so plainly?

"Li Mo, what are you trying to say? I don't seem to understand."

"Hmm… how should I put it?" Li Mo said. "You remind me of a friend I had some time ago. That person also liked to smile like this, hiding all her emotions in her heart, making it hard to figure her out. The difference between her and you is that she wasn't concerned with benefits. What she cared about was simply, 'interesting.'"

Yae Miko, as Li Mo would describe her, was a "someone who seeks amusement." Even though she diligently fulfilled her duties as the "Guuji," her true nature could be seen from Yae Publishing House.

She could do many things, but she wasn't willing to take on responsibilities that weren't hers. It was likely that when the Kamisato Clan faced trouble a few years ago, she only stepped in out of necessity. The three Commissions had balanced each other for decades, and if one corner were to collapse, it would cause unavoidable turmoil.

"Is that so? Then, Li Mo, what do you think of Yukino-chan? Are you intentionally guiding her?"

"No, I'm not intentionally guiding her. I'm just… teasing Yukinoshita-san. Haruno-nee, don't you think she's cute? Holding onto her 'correct' worldview, stumbling along this path.

Of course, I don't care much about life principles. Because people are creatures that change easily. What's more important is that a high-and-mighty girl like Yukinoshita-san, one day showing an expression of utter frustration, would be quite amusing, don't you think?"

Yukinoshita Haruno's expression turned cold. "What are you treating Yukino, my sister, as? A toy?"

"Not at all. I don't have such thoughts. I usually just tease Yukinoshita-san to see her helpless expressions. But I also know that, for her, she's almost getting used to my presence."

Yukinoshita Haruno looked at the person before her. Even though he was just a high school student, he was shrouded in mystery, making him hard to figure out. More importantly… his attitude toward Yukino-chan.

That indifferent, detached attitude.

She understood his thoughts now.

He was waiting for Yukino's growth, just as she herself was waiting for her sister's growth.

Yukino, who clung to her idea of "absolute justice," was like the snow of winter—pure white. But this world wasn't black and white; it was a delicate shade of gray. As something white, it was difficult to avoid being stained.

She had already stumbled along for many years. What would she do next? Would she continue to hold her head high and walk on proudly? Or would there be other changes?

Yukinoshita Haruno was waiting for the answer to this question.

It seemed he was too.

"I almost fell for your act, little brother," Yukinoshita Haruno said. She glanced back at Yukino's apartment door and said to Li Mo, "You said you wanted to see Yukino-chan's frustrated expression. But you've never actually done that, have you? Yukino-chan's attitude toward you hasn't changed at all.

Also… when playing the villain, don't write 'I'm the villain' on your face. Your acting isn't quite up to par," Yukinoshita Haruno said, scrutinizing Li Mo.

Li Mo smiled. "Alright, that's what my friend said."

"It's about time. I should be going now. Goodbye."

Yukinoshita Haruno left.

Li Mo looked at the empty hallway and said, "Yukinoshita-san, aren't you coming out after listening for so long?"

"You did something unnecessary," Yukinoshita Yukino said as she pushed the door open and walked out.

"What do you mean by unnecessary?"

"That clumsy lie," Yukinoshita Yukino said.

If Li Mo really wanted to see her breaking point, he wouldn't be lazing around in the Service Club, bickering with her every day. Instead, he would be doing something else.

Like those people in elementary school who stole her indoor shoes.

Li Mo said, "If even you could see through that clumsy lie, wouldn't your sister see through it too? But she realized it later than you did. Truly, concern breeds confusion."

"It's none of your business."

Yukinoshita Yukino returned to her room.

Li Mo said, "What a pair of awkward sisters."