Welcome Back / The Death of the White Bird

Students are not restricted from entering and leaving the cultural festival. Visitors with stamps can return to the school after leaving with their stamps. If a visitor does not wish to return, they need to hand their stamp to the gatekeeper, who will collect it as evaluation data for student class activities.

"We don't need to worry about her; she should be happy to be with her parents right now."

"That's true."

She nodded slightly, got off the chair, stacked the drawings in her hand on the table, and started tearing them in another direction. By this time, most of the students had already finished browsing. With the start of the club activities, many students ran to the activity area to watch, leaving only a few students from each class to keep the classroom clean.

Of course, there's not much to deal with. Most of the waste is taken away by the students who come to visit the club activities, and these students will dispose of most of it. For example, the haunted house of Yotsuya Miko's class has already had its original shelters moved away, and the tables have been moved back. Only the blueprints pasted on the corner of the wall haven't been dealt with yet, but that's about it.

While they were talking, the drawings were almost finished being put away. By the time Miko tore off the last drawing, only she and Hua remained in the classroom. The afterglow of the setting sun drifted in through the window and shone on the desks.

"Alright, it's time to close the classroom door."

He packed the folded drawings into a pre-prepared plastic bag, glanced around the classroom one last time to make sure it was no different from any other classroom, and then slowly walked towards the door.

"Let's go, it's time for us to have dinner."

"Um."

The door was locked. Miko was carrying a plastic bag, while Hua had already handed the classroom key to the office. After five o'clock, the school building would be locked to prevent tourists from accidentally entering and causing any problems.

After throwing the plastic bag into the designated trash disposal area for this cultural festival, and waiting for a while outside the teaching building, Hua finally came out of the building and took her arm.

"Let's go, what should we eat?"

"Curry?"

Yotsuya Miko looked at the student in front of her.

"Many food stalls are just opening now. I think I saw a curry stall when I was with Yuria earlier."

"Let's have curry then. After we finish the curry, we can buy some drinks, preferably milk tea or something. By the way, Miko, are you planning to attend any club activities?"

Hua counted on his fingers,

"I think a few club activities are just starting right now, so it won't be too late to go after we finish our curry. Like, there are activities from the volleyball club, cooking club, and art club. Oh, and I think our school also has a photography club."

"Well, I'm not really interested in these club activities; in fact, I'm just exhausted after a whole day."

"That's true, after Miko, you haven't changed posts since the incident with Yuri and Qi Tumor (Part Two) and Jiu Qunya--"

As she said this, she tightened her embrace.

"What happened? Miko."

"It's nothing, it's just..."

Miko rubbed his head.

"I was just thinking about my father."

She squinted slightly; the weather was cool, even a bit chilly. The cultural festival was held in late autumn, and the weather gradually turned cooler by evening. Most people wore long-sleeved jackets during this season.

Yotsuya Miko was no exception; her autumn clothes covered her body and arms.

"... About my uncle?"

Hua lowered her head, unaware that Miko was looking at her arm, but following Miko's words, she thought of something else.

"Miko..."

"Well, that's all in the past now."

She hid Hua's loose arm behind her back, a smile appearing on her face.

"I knew it was best not to talk about these things at a time like this. Let's go get some curry."

Chapter 298 Welcome Back

"So that's what happened?"

Yuria never imagined she would one day be working at a family restaurant, but it all happened right before her eyes.

Looking at the two people in front of her, after pouring out her grievances, she finally found what she had been missing—dependence on her parents and love for them.

Like a child, she recounted everything that had happened over the years to her parents, leaving nothing out.

She has let go of these heavy memories and made peace with her past self.

Even without the heaviness in their hearts, the two still felt a heart-wrenching pain upon hearing these memories. These memories, which Yuria had so casually glossed over, were like a sharp knife piercing countless holes in their hearts. Only at this moment did the two adults, who were parents, finally fully understand the meaning behind Yotsuya Touko's words.

Yes, can these painful memories for a child be forgiven with a simple "I'm sorry" from their parents? If it were that easy, could they truly be called parents?

Yuria's memories were like a cup of black coffee, an unbearable bitterness that filled her mouth from the first sip. Yet, after that bitterness, a lingering sweetness would suddenly follow.

Does Yotsuya Miko?

The father looked at Yuria, who had perked up at the mention of Yotsuya Miko; those painful memories had changed since high school.

It Yotsuya Miko who changed Yuria, the black-haired girl who accompanied Yuria.

Her name is Yotsuya Miko, and the mother they were talking to was this girl's mother.

Without a doubt, the mother and son of Yotsuya owed their family a profound debt of gratitude that can probably never be repaid.

He and his wife exchanged a glance. Although they hadn't had a proper meeting with their child in all these years, they could see the light shining in Yuria's eyes.

That girl named Yotsuya Miko was irreplaceable to Yuria.

And just like Yuria, that girl probably also had a special feeling for Yuria, a pure and undeveloped feeling.

Mrs. Yotsuya was aware of this matter, otherwise she wouldn't have reprimanded them so harshly. After all, as an outsider, she wouldn't easily speak so harshly about someone else's affairs, unless she considered it her own.

In the end, they were probably the last two to find out.

The two parents had figured it out, and looking at their child, they didn't know what to say. However, seeing the joy that appeared on Yuria's face when Yotsuya Miko, they, as parents, felt a little jealous, but they also understood their own thoughts.

Now, all they want is for their child to be happy.

"Yuria, I'm so glad you've made such a good friend."

Mr. Nimodo smiled; he had never been as happy as he was today. Not only because he had reconciled with his child, but also because his child had found his own happiness.

"I hope you, her, and your good friends will always be happy. No matter what happens, we will always be there to support you."

"Mom too, you must live a good life with Miko."

"Yes, of course."

Yuria was still immersed in joy and didn't think too much about it. When she realized the true meaning behind her parents' words, she froze like a machine with a broken program. Her face quickly flushed, and she hurriedly waved her hands.

"We're just friends, nothing... nothing..."

She was indeed a shy person, and when she got shy, she couldn't even speak, just waving her hands haphazardly. This only brought smiles to her parents' faces; they smiled at her normal girlish shyness and at the youthful energy Yuria exuded.

Because only in this way can Yuria seem to have escaped from suffering and become one of the ordinary people, living a simple and carefree life.

Parents never want their children to suffer. They will always cherish the memory of their children's affection and their children's attachment to them—a bond of kinship that has been passed down for thousands of years.

"Go, someone is waiting for you."

Yuria's father nodded at her.

"This is your cultural festival; you are the main characters of this cultural festival."

"... Um."

The shy daughter simply responded with a sound, then lowered her head, got up from the chair, and walked towards the door.

Her father and mother watched her leave, silently making a decision in their hearts.

I've figured it out.

The father began to speak, looking at his wife.

"Making more money or pursuing a higher status is meaningless now. We've been busy for so many years and lost too much. So, this time, I want to do something different."

His wife didn't say much, she just nodded.

"Me too. I want to watch my child grow up, not miss out on her whole life. Darling, she's doing so well now."

"Yes, that child has found her... other half. Although it's a girl."

As he said this, he suddenly laughed.

"No, on the contrary, I felt relieved because it was a girl."

This is probably a thought that every father-in-law would have; deep down, he didn't want a boy to take away his beloved daughter.

"Let's go, we should go back and take care of those things."

"Um."

The man held the woman's hand, and they walked nervously through the school gates and walked happily out of the family restaurant.

So much has changed since I arrived and since I left.

After leaving the family restaurant, Yuria, finally free of shyness, stepped back into school.

By this time, the area inside the school near the gate was already occupied by various food stalls. Many students waiting for club activities were having dinner at these food stalls, and it was also around this time that tourists began to return to the school one after another.

Yuria, who was walking in the crowd, had already changed back into her own clothes when she went to the family restaurant with her parents. She took out her phone from her pocket, intending to call Yotsuya Miko.

The call was answered within seconds.

"Hello..."

She had just uttered her voice when she suddenly heard a light, airy voice behind her.

"Hey, Yuria."

"Hey, Yuria."

The phone paused slightly before repeating the sentence.

Yuria turned around, and behind her was a very familiar figure.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Hua smiled and handed her the warm milk tea.

"It's almost time for the concert to start, and Miko and I thought you weren't coming."

Yuria didn't speak, but instead looked at the black-haired girl standing beside her.

Seemingly noticing her gaze, the girl whispered something into her phone.

Welcome back.

Welcome back.

This sentence was clearly read aloud by the phone ringing in my ear.

"... Um."

Chapter 299 The Death of the White Bird

As night fell, the stage, which had been empty until now, gradually filled with people.

Elsewhere, the food stalls and club activities had already ended, leaving only one last event for tonight: the music club's concert.

"Is it almost time?"

Yotsuya Miko opened her phone and glanced at the time.

Before she could even see the time, the previously dim stage suddenly lit up with many lights, the dazzling white light shining in all directions, illuminating the entire stage.

"Oh! It's starting!"

Beside her, Yurikawa Hana excitedly grabbed her wrist, pointing to the stage with her right hand and directing the host as she walked onto the stage.

"Miko!"

"I saw it, there's no need for you to get so worked up."

He shook his head and then glanced at Yuria was standing to his left.

From Yuria, she learned some good news: Yuria's parents had tacitly approved of her relationship with their daughter.

However, they still don't have a clear understanding of the actual situation.

Looking at Yuria, who was hugging her left arm, and Hua, who was hugging her right arm, if the three of them weren't girls, the people standing next to them would probably look at them with much more surprise.

Well, it's precisely because she's a girl that she won't be associated with anything else.

Can you see it?