Chapter 20 Always, Always Watching You

After about twenty minutes of torment, he finally reached the station near Kagura Hikaru's house and told Ai Cheng Hua Lian in advance, "I'm getting off here, take care of yourself."

"Wait, Mr. Kagura.....I'm getting off at this stop too."

"Really?" Kagura Hikaru was somewhat surprised, "Alright then, I'll lead the way out."

Just like when they boarded, Kagura Hikaru led the way, and Ai Cheng Hua Lian clung desperately to the straps of his backpack, struggling through the crowd, feeling like a tube of toothpaste being squeezed out.

Once they reached a more open space, they both took deep breaths of fresh air as if on cue.

The train had really been suffocating.

Seeing each other make the same gesture, they couldn't help but exchange glances.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian suddenly broke into a smile, and Kagura Hikaru's expression softened a bit.

He still couldn't bring himself to smile, although he tried hard—surely this was some kind of psychological barrier?

"So, Mr. Kagura, about where do you live? If it's on the way, we could walk together for a bit," Ai Cheng Hua Lian suggested at that moment.

"I live in... (omitting)"

"Oh, my house is nearby too!"

They shared their approximate addresses and were surprised to find that they lived quite close to each other, within walking distance.

It was odd that despite living so close and taking the same train to school, they had never encountered each other on their way to school.

"Could there be such a coincidence?" Kagura Hikaru expressed his doubt.

"Yeah, it really is a coincidence~"

Ai Cheng Hua Lian said, smiling brightly.

This was a lie.

Quantum theory tells all humanity that the world is a world of random numbers; coincidences can happen, but they can't happen every day.

In fact, Ai Cheng Hua Lian had been watching him for a long time.

Every day, she could see Kagura Hikaru on this train.

He liked to sit in a corner and read on the train; if it was too crowded he preferred standing, holding onto the handrail, always giving up his seat to the elderly and pregnant women, never late—she knew all his habits.

But Ai Cheng Hua Lian just watched, never approaching.

Someone as insignificant as she, once touched by sunlight, would probably quickly turn to dust, and no one would sympathize with her.

Those who dream of achieving ideals like Icarus will eventually end up like the mythological figure—wings melted, plummeting into the sea from the high skies.

So, she wouldn't approach; it was enough to watch from a distance.

As for why Kagura Hikaru hadn't recognized her, he probably saw her as just one of the other female high school students on the same train, which is why he hadn't noticed her.

After all, she didn't possess the beauty of President Kiriyu or President Ayakoji, nor did she have any noticeable feminine allure, so it was normal for her to be treated this way.

She had always believed that there would never be a day when her life would intersect with his.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian, firm in this belief, was however fooled by fate.

The Red Pepper Band, formed outside of school, decided for the first time to perform on stage at a livehouse and urgently needed a person to stabilize the morale.

Therefore, the livehouse manager recommended to them a most excellent hire guitar player, the price very tempting.

The four members of the Red Pepper Band each chipped in a little money, enough to cover the hiring fee.

When the guitar player arrived, Ai Cheng Hua Lian, pushed to the forefront by her team members, momentarily doubted her own eyes.

Because the person, looked exactly like Kagura Hikaru!

Of course, at that time, she was too shocked to think clearly—that was Kagura Hikaru, the guitar player they hired to anchor the show.

That moment was the first time Ai Cheng Hua Lian believed there was such a thing as 'fate' in this world.

The once untouchable sun had approached her on its own.

Afterwards, thanks to Kagura Hikaru's help, the performance successfully concluded, and later on campus, she learned more about Kagura Hikaru from the Student Council President.

Now, riding the same train and walking home on the same route, they were talking as normally as friends do.

It was too dazzling; she felt she might turn to ash at any moment.

Is this life really okay, something she could accept with peace of mind?

Ai Cheng Hua Lian was infatuated with such times, yet she was terrified.

Were her wings really well secured?

Would they, while she was immersed in happiness, unaware, suddenly fall apart, causing her to crash utterly?

"Hey Mr. Kagura, look, someone is selling candy floss over there!"

Excited, Ai Cheng Hua Lian tugged on Kagura Hikaru's sleeve, pulling him along.

A minute later, each of them was holding a stick of candy floss, nibbling as they walked.

It had been years since they had eaten this stuff.

Kagura Hikaru thought.

Ever since they had grown out of childhood, everyone seemed consciously to shun childish things, but once they went to university, their interests would suddenly surge back, becoming passionate once more.

Then, after a while, as they entered society and careers kept them busy, they stopped caring. Once their work stabilized or they grew weary in body and mind, they would begin to indulge again.

He called this the "Childlike Reincarnation Rule."

"Senior Ai Cheng."

"Hmm?"

Kagura Hikaru suddenly wanted to ask her, "How old do you think you'll be when you completely lose interest in candy floss?"

"Eh~? What a strange question."

Ai Cheng Hua Lian stuck out her pink tongue to catch some candy floss that had stuck to the corner of her mouth, prompting Kagura Hikaru to pull a small pack of tissues from his pocket and hand her one.

"Here."

"Ah, thank you," Ai Cheng Hua Lian's cheeks flushed momentarily as she took the tissue and wiped the corner of her mouth, then held it in her palm, and naturally complained, "It's my first time seeing someone carry around tissues like that. Shouldn't it usually be a handkerchief?"

"I don't have the habit of carrying a handkerchief," Kagura Hikaru shook his head, "And besides, don't you think guys who carry handkerchiefs seem a bit effeminate?"

"Ah... is that so?"

Ai Cheng Hua Lian tilted her head, then shook it, "No, no, the conversation's gotten a bit too serious! What did Mr. Kagura ask me again?"

"How old you would be to lose all interest in candy floss."

"Right, that! Hmm... I think I'll always be interested no matter my age! Even if I'm an old granny with no teeth, candy floss is still something you can eat, right?"

Ai Cheng Hua Lian happily took a big bite of the pink candy floss, mumbling as she chewed, "But... if it's... high blood sugar... that'd be troublesome... hehe."

"Is that so?" Kagura Hikaru pondered and nodded.

It seemed that his 'Childlike Reincarnation Rule' couldn't go on indefinitely.

"Mmm, mmm, candy floss is so yummy~!"

"Remember to brush your teeth when you get back," Kagura Hikaru glanced at her sideways.

"Mr. Kagura!" Ai Cheng Hua Lian stamped her foot in embarrassment, "Don't just say things like that. It makes girls flustered!"

"But you responded just fine, didn't you?"

Kagura Hikaru looked at her calmly.

His emotionless pupils were like black holes, deep and bottomless.

"Mr. Kagura, you're so cunning..."

"What do you mean?"

"I won't tell you!" Ai Cheng Hua Lian swiftly walked a few steps ahead, joyfully running toward the next snack stall.

Despite being the top elite of the Haneoka Volleyball Club, why was she spending all day eating?

Even if seeking an excuse to cover up her shyness, it shouldn't always revolve around food, right? People would think she's a glutton!

"Look at this, Mr. Kagura, there are grilled fish over here, it smells so good!"

Ai Cheng Hua Lian found another excuse to look back, calling his name as Kagura Hikaru, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes, walked over leisurely, the massive pink candy floss in his hand stark against his calm demeanor.

The contrast made it hard not to chuckle.

Ai Cheng Hua Lian silently curled up a smile.

Mr. Kagura, you really are cunning, indulging a girl's whims like this, willingly at her beck and call.

This kind of accommodating gentleness, for Icarus, was no different from the sun.

That's why I like Mr. Kagura so much.

'How old will you be to completely lose interest in candy floss?' That's what you asked, right? Actually, I've already found the answer.

No matter how many years pass, I will always, always, keep liking Kagura Hikaru.