Mm, It's Just Candy (Continued)

At last, she sighed, seeming to have made up her mind.

"Actually..."

Then her demeanor turned a little bashful, as though she were embarrassed.

"Oh my? Oh my, oh my?"

Elysia's eyes curved into crescents as she knowingly leaned close to Sakura's ear and whispered.

"It's about Wang after all, right~?"

"...Mm."

Sakura nodded lightly, then took a small bag filled with candy from the backpack beside her.

It was a pink little bag that suited Sakura perfectly, decorated with cherry blossom patterns. Its design was unique, though it looked somewhat rough, as if it were not a mass-produced item bought from a store, but a handmade creation—one made by an inexperienced beginner.

...Hmm? Handmade? Inexperienced? Beginner?

Giving something you made with your own hands to the person you liked... Ah~ how romantic~

Elysia felt like she was about to jump with the delight bubbling in her heart.

Elysia had once thought that her reunion with Xi Wang would create a rift between him and Sakura, but after speaking with Sakura, she realized that problem did not exist at all. Instead, the crucial matter was how to get the two of them to take that step.

But now... Sakura was actually making the first move? Wang really was something else, making a girl take the initiative. How awful~ But he had better not let Sakura's feelings go to waste~

"So~ what do you need me to help with, Sakura?"

"...I hope you can deliver it for me."

Sakura slightly averted her gaze.

"But with something like this, wouldn't it be better to hand it to him yourself?"

"..."

Sakura said nothing. She merely turned her head away and extended the little bag toward Elysia again.

"Hehe~ Sakura really is adorable, isn't she~?"

Seeing Sakura like this, Elysia stopped pressing her. She accepted the small bag from Sakura's hand and carefully put it away.

"Thank you."

Sakura spoke in a faint voice.

"Then~ can Sakura grant me one tiny request?"

"Please, go ahead."

"Later, Sakura has to go talk to Wang properly, okay~"

"...All right."

"And~ I want to hear what songs Sakura usually listens to~"

"Isn't that two requests?"

"Please~ I'm really curious~?"

Elysia shook Sakura's arm, then swiftly caught the other hand Sakura had raised to skip the song.

"No skipping songs! Sakura always secretly skips them, but Detective Elysia notices every single time!"

"...Fine."

"Yay~?"

Sakura stopped moving, and Elysia celebrated her small victory.

Then Elysia slowly leaned closer to Sakura, tilted her head slightly, and rested her ear near Sakura's neck, carefully listening to the song whose volume Sakura had instinctively lowered.

"..."

Although Sakura wanted to remind Elysia that she was far too close, she ultimately said nothing and merely waited in silence.

"Mhm, mhm~ I can hear it now~ The song in there, hmm... huh?"

Elysia felt that the melody reaching her ears seemed a little off.

Not sure. Better listen more carefully.

"..."

With her eyelids lowered, Elysia focused on appreciating it for five seconds... Well, not even five seconds later, her expression became strange. She quickly straightened up and rose from Sakura's side, taking half a step back as though startled.

"It's... it's this kind of music?"

"Is there a problem?"

Sakura asked in confusion.

"Ah... um... of course not. Everyone has their own tastes, after all. I just think... uh... you might not get along with a friend of mine... I... I'll get going now~ I'm off to deliver your gift~"

Elysia was rarely this awkward. She quickly turned around and hurried away.

"..."

Sakura silently watched her departing back, a trace of disappointment flashing through her eyes.

She unconsciously raised a hand and lightly touched the cherry blossom pendant hidden beneath her clothes, remaining silent.

In the end, she merely put her headphones back on and played the music she liked.

There probably would not be anyone willing to accept it anymore.

A certain person's figure flashed through Sakura's mind. Her body gradually tilted, and finally she leaned against the side, closed her eyes, and immersed herself in her own world.

...Elsewhere...

"Knock, knock~ Wang, I came to play with you~"

Elysia imitated the sound of knocking as she called outside Xi Wang's room. As she spoke, she took out the small bag Sakura had given her and examined it in her hand.

Mm-hmm... What could Sakura have sent~? If it was just candy, didn't they exchange candy all the time? Or was there something else secretly hidden inside~? Hmm... Maybe a little confession note or something~? After all, that was probably the only thing that could make Sakura too embarrassed to come herself, right?

That was what Elysia thought, but although she was very curious, she did not open the bag to peek. This was a little secret between the two of them~ She could not be the first to see it~

"...Wang?"

But Elysia waited quite a while without seeing Xi Wang come to open the door. Uncertain, she called out again and knocked once more.

Still, no one responded.

That wasn't right. He should have been in his room at this time. She had not seen him when passing the training room, and he was not with Sakura either... He hadn't secretly gone to that place, had he?

Thinking this, Elysia quietly pressed her ear against the door, seemingly trying to listen for sounds inside and confirm whether anyone was there.

Then Elysia heard faint sounds of struggling, along with Xi Wang's pained gasps.

"Wang?!"

At first, Elysia was not entirely sure. But after listening more closely and confirming that it was indeed Xi Wang's voice, she began to panic. Grasping the doorknob, she twisted it hard, breaking the lock in one turn before barging into the room.

"...Elysia?"

Xi Wang slightly raised his head and looked through blurred vision at the person who had burst in, asking in a somewhat weak voice.

"Sorry you had to see me like this."

"..."

Elysia stared blankly at Xi Wang, who had locked himself in a corner. His entire body was drained of strength, and his mental state seemed abnormal.

"You..."

"Sorry... could... could you get that for me?"

Xi Wang interrupted Elysia, raising a hand to point at the Candy box on a distant table. The chains binding his hands clinked as he moved.

Only then did Elysia notice that the direction he was facing—the direction he had kept trying to move toward despite being trapped by the chains—was precisely where the Candy box sat.

"..."

Elysia silently carried the Candy box over to him, and Xi Wang slowly accepted it with trembling arms.

Clearly, he was trying to suppress the frantic urgency he did not want Elysia to see. Yet after getting the Candy box, he could not help growing anxious. He quickly poured a handful of candy from it, did not bother counting how many pieces there were, and stuffed the entire handful into his mouth. He chewed carelessly and swallowed, only then showing a slightly more relaxed expression.

"..." x2

Silence spread between them.

"...What was that?"

"Candy."

"Just candy?"

"Just candy."

Xi Wang answered softly, casually setting the Candy box aside as he felt around in a nearby corner for a key and unlocked the chains binding him.

"...Sorry, Elysia. I can't go out with you today."

After putting away the chains and falling silent for a moment, Xi Wang spoke while rubbing his wrists.

"Huh? Ah... no, actually, I should be the one apologizing. I barged in without permission and even broke your door... I'll pay for it~ So please forgive me, okay~?"

Elysia seemed to have recovered somewhat, her tone and expression returning to their usual cheerful state.

"Sure. I forgive you."

Xi Wang responded almost immediately. After all, he would not blame Elysia over something like that.

"Oh, right, I came today to bring you Sakura's gift~ You have to accept it with gratitude~ And remember to go see Sakura afterward too, okay~?"

Elysia took out the little bag and handed it to Xi Wang.

"I got it. And... I will."

"Then I'll be waiting for good news from you two~ Hehe~"

"..."

"But you look like you still need to rest~ So I won't disturb you anymore~ Get some good rest~"

As Elysia spoke, she backed toward the door. Just as she was about to close it and leave, she poked her head back in and said to him.