"Mm... Xiao Ai~"
Though Bronya had not meant to, this little incident truly brought the two of them closer.
"Hey, Xiao Bai, don't you know everything? Do you have any inside information about Dawn Academy?"
Elsewhere, Ning Yin brought it up while eating Apple Pie, as if casually. But White Night understood the implications behind it. "That? You can ask Tsukikage Bakuga."
"As for whether he'll tell you, I don't know." White Night smiled at Ning Yin, snatched away a piece of Apple Pie, then took off.
???
Ning Yin froze for a moment. Then, her vivid red kimono swayed in the wind as she dashed after White Night. "Xiao Bai, stop right there!"
"And besides, people get beaten for only saying half of what they mean. What exactly do you know about Teacher Moon Shadow?"
"Catch me first, then we'll talk." Thunderlight flashed beneath White Night's feet, and he shot far into the distance. He then turned back, took a bite of Apple Pie, and waved at Ning Yin.
(╬◣д◢)
Naturally, Ning Yin could not stand for that! There were too many buildings around to use gravity on a large scale, but she had other methods.
A gleam of Magic Power passed over her, making her whole body much lighter. She vaulted over obstacles in just a few steps, even clenching her little fists while running. "You're finished, Xiao Bai!"
"Heh~ That may not be the case."
As he spoke, electricity coiled around White Night's body, raising his speed in tandem as he weaved through the buildings.
Bang—
A petite fist wrapped in gravity slammed into White Night's raised forearm with a heavy blow.
"Hey, hey, hey, Ning Yin, are you seriously going all out?"
Lightning wrapped around White Night's legs. His feet scraped across the ground as he was dragged back several meters, leaving behind a scorched black trail. "This is a bit too much."
"Who are you trying to fool, Xiao Bai? With the strength I used just now, how could I possibly hurt you?"
Ning Yin rolled her wrist and prepared to continue. But then... a voice rang out, freezing her in place. "Nene, what are you two causing trouble over now?"
Without realizing it, the two of them had run all the way to Broken Blade Academy.
"Um... X-Xiao Hei, it wasn't me."
The moment she saw Kuroko, Ning Yin's entire demeanor changed. Her little hands flailed wildly as she urgently pushed away responsibility. "That's right! It was Xiao Bai. Xiao Bai attacked first!"
"That's what she says. What about you, White Night?" Kuroko turned her gaze toward White Night, her words carrying considerable pressure.
"Well, I admit it. I'll reflect on it."
White Night raised both hands and admitted it readily. "As for why I did it..."
"Of course, because it was fun... cough, cough~"
However, under Kuroko's warning gaze, White Night ultimately could not keep fooling around. "Fine, fine. There is serious business too, concerning Tsukikage Bakuga."
"...You mean Teacher Moon Shadow?"
Sure enough, when Tsukikage Bakuga was mentioned, Kuroko's attitude noticeably changed.
White Night shrugged and gave a brief explanation. "No helping it. Ning Yin wanted to know. And once Ning Yin knows, the Chairman naturally can't stay out of it either."
"Rather than notifying everyone one by one, it's better to gather together and say it all at once. But Chairman, are you sure we don't need to change locations?"
The Chairman's office had undergone repairs for some time now, and it at least looked presentable.
"Can you say it now?"
"Of course."
White Night sat on the sofa, forming a triangle with Kuroko and Ning Yin. "The Chairman probably doesn't know this, but Tsukikage Bakuga... seems to be able to see the future too~"
After their discussion, White Night had already left. In the room, only Kuroko remained, silently smoking as she pondered.
Time rewound:
"What did you say? Teacher Moon Shadow..."
"That's right."
White Night interlaced his fingers and stretched them, entirely unconcerned with what he had just revealed. "He probably saw something bad. I don't know much about that part."
"Hey, Xiao Bai, lying isn't good, you know~"
Ning Yin used Drawn Foot and moved in close, but White Night held her back. "...Xiao Bai is becoming less and less adorable."
"Enough hiding it, Xiao Bai. Maybe you haven't noticed, but whenever you lie, you unconsciously make little movements."
As she spoke, Ning Yin closed her folding fan and poked it downward, lightly tapping White Night's interlaced fingers.
Emmm...
White Night fell silent.
Then, he released his hands and casually shook his fingers, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness. "Fine, fine~ Honestly..."
"I didn't expect to get exposed here. Ning Yin, do you really have to observe so carefully?"
His gaze swept across Kuroko and Ning Yin. White Night knew he could not hide it anymore. "Actually, I wasn't lying to you either. I really don't know much about this."
"It seemed to be... a crystal ball, or something else? Tsukikage Bakuga used it to glimpse a corner of the future."
"What he saw..."
At that point, White Night habitually dragged out his tone. A folding fan knocked toward him, only for him to catch it in his hand. "Sorry, sorry. Tsukikage Bakuga saw a land engulfed in war."
"As for the cause, he couldn't see it. He could only prepare as much as possible. Of course, I don't know anything about that part."
One hand exerted a little force, trying to snatch the folding fan back to play with it... another unconscious little movement.
"If it were in the past, he would naturally have asked for your help. But now..."
"...Because of me?"
White Night turned his gaze toward Shinguji Kuroko as well. "Yes. The Chairman has already started a family. As her former teacher, he naturally doesn't want to drag the Chairman into this again."
"As for Ning Yin..."
"I am a battle-loving person."
"Right. But Ning Yin, you're too close to the Chairman. Is telling you any different from telling the Chairman?"
"..."
She had no answer.
"That's roughly it. Perhaps the truth differs somewhat, but you'll have to ask Tsukikage Bakuga yourselves to confirm it."
He had said almost everything there was to say. White Night clapped his hands and rose from the sofa, preparing to leave.
"Oh, right, Ning Yin. Stella's 'dragon' has already awakened. You'll need to keep a closer eye on that. I'll be going now~"
"Xiao Hei..."
"I'm fine."
Kuroko let out a long breath, white smoke curling upward. She extinguished the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, her voice carrying an indescribably complicated feeling. "After all..."
"This was my own choice." Unconsciously, Kuroko rubbed the wedding ring on her ring finger.
"...Xiao Hei, you idiot!"
After a stretch of silence, Ning Yin shouted at Kuroko, swished her hem, and ran out of the office.
"Where should I go next?"
Elsewhere, White Night walked alone along an academy path, only to find himself unsure where to go. "Xiao Ai's place..."
"Forget it. I won't go back for now. Xiao Ai knows already anyway, so having Bronya there is enough."
Emmm...
Figures flashed through White Night's mind one after another. Then... he clenched his right hand into a fist and struck his left palm, a smile curling across his lips. "Of course, I still need to find the protagonist~"
"Come to think of it, Ikki didn't fight Xiao Ai during this incident, so he missed out on a round of leveling up. As his brother, naturally I have to make it up to him."
"At this time, where would he be again?" As he spoke, White Night habitually reached for his student handbook...
—But grasped empty air.
After all, White Night had only just finished recovering. His clothes had been recorded and could recover along with him, but his student handbook... there was nothing to be done. Once it broke, it was broken.
"Looks like I need to get a replacement from logistics." Changing direction, White Night continued walking.
"Wah, Xiao Bai!"
A voice came from behind him. White Night hesitated briefly, but in the end, he turned around and caught Ning Yin.
After quite some time, the two appeared on the rooftop of the teaching building. White Night sat on the edge of the roof and gazed up at the sky, his tone leisurely. "So, Ning Yin, what's wrong with you this time?"
"Ugh, it's that idiot Xiao Hei." Ning Yin swung her little fist through the air, yet had nowhere to vent her anger.
—Perhaps it had been an unconscious action, but Kuroko rubbing her wedding ring in front of Ning Yin... tsk, tsk, wasn't that a direct critical hit?
"So it's the Chairman after all."
White Night was not surprised by this. After all... Kuroko was probably the only one who could stir Ning Yin's emotions. "If you're unhappy, you can tell me~"
"Get lost! Don't think I don't know. You definitely just want to laugh at me, right?"
"Cough, cough~ How could that be? We've been through life and death together. How could I deceive you?"
White Night gave a few dry coughs and repeatedly emphasized it. Unfortunately, Ning Yin did not buy it and swung a folding fan at him.
Clang—
A crisp sound rang out.
White Night summoned Myriad Phenomena, its blade blocking the folding fan. But they did not actually start fighting. White Night knew perfectly well...
—Ning Yin was merely venting her emotions.
After fooling around for a while, Ning Yin gradually calmed down... Her little hands rested on the rooftop edge as she raised her head to look at the sky, her voice becoming somewhat distant:
"Hey, Xiao Bai."
A breeze passed through, stirring Ning Yin's vivid kimono and sending her waist-length black hair fluttering in the wind.
It had to be said that Ning Yin had excellent features. At least in this moment, she truly possessed the graceful air of a refined young lady.
Her fair little hand brushed aside a strand of hair. Ning Yin elegantly tucked it behind her ear, then turned to look at White Night with an indescribable expression. "Can Xiao Hei really never come back?"
"We both know the answer, don't we?"
"...Yes, we knew long ago. That World Clock from the past will never return..."
"..."
A long silence followed.
"Xiao Bai, what does being in love actually feel like? And it's too unfair for Xiao Hei to be the only one who found someone."
"I don't know either."
Though he said that, images of Kiko and Edelweiss flashed through White Night's mind. "But I suppose it's probably similar to how Ning Yin feels about the Chairman?"
"Xiao Bai."
Ning Yin swung her little legs from the rooftop, calling out softly. She believed White Night could understand.
Normally, Ning Yin could never make such a choice. Her essence was that of an "oni," and her heart was filled with violence.
Before you continue