"Are Nanaya-kun and Ichinose-san not really a couple, but only pretending to be?"
After some time, having heard Fang Li's explanation, Sakura Airi revealed a somewhat delighted expression.
"That's right."
Fang Li nodded with a wry smile.
"Th... That's great..."
As though she had finally let out a complete sigh of relief, all the sadness and hurt in Sakura Airi's eyes vanished. Even her pretty face, which usually looked so timid, seemed considerably brighter.
It was easy to imagine just how much Sakura Airi cared about this matter.
If Fang Li had not told Sakura Airi the whole truth today, she might not have been able to sleep for the next few days, perhaps even losing her appetite and eventually falling ill despite being tended to with medicinal herbs.
It could not be helped. This girl was Sakura Airi, after all.
For Sakura Airi, who was both shy around strangers and lacking in confidence, even something like this would not have been surprising at all.
Fang Li could only be glad that he had explained things properly instead of brushing her off.
However, although Sakura Airi had breathed a sigh of relief, she was still somewhat concerned.
After all...
"Th... Then, does Nanaya-kun l... like Ichinose-san...?"
Sakura Airi timidly asked.
That was right.
Even if they were not really a couple right now and were merely pretending, who could say what would happen in the future?
Perhaps Fang Li and Ichinose Honami were not truly a couple, but there might still be feelings between them.
"Why would you think that?"
Fang Li could not help but laugh wryly.
Yet in this regard, Sakura Airi's reasoning was surprisingly sound.
"B... Because, even if it's only pretending, no one would choose someone they dislike for it, right?"
Sakura Airi said this somewhat