Too Bad the Moon Is Mute

Seeing Kitagawa Ryo go to the door to change his shoes first, Ichinose Honami pursed her lips and closed the box containing the snacks again.

What Liang said earlier, while seemingly reasonable at first glance, doesn't explain this.

If that's all their relationship is like, then why hasn't Ryo contacted Sakura Airi since then, and why has Sakura Airi suddenly started sending Ryo things these past few days?

Delicate handmade desserts.

"Cold."

Ichinose Honami called out to Kitagawa Ryo, who was changing his shoes. Kitagawa was leaning against the door, his new shoes gleaming in the sunlight, and he was holding a carton of oat milk, slowly drinking it through a straw.

"Um?"

Kitagawa Ryo looked at her, a look of confusion in his eyes.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Liang at school. How are you feeling?"

The question she wanted to ask suddenly became impossible to utter. This was the first time Ichinose Honami had ever seen Kitagawa Ryo in a black and white men's uniform. Kitagawa Ryo, who had acted in dramas for many years, had a very perfect figure. Even though it was a uniform, it gave off a refreshing feeling. With his bag between his right and left hands, he turned his head slightly, his bright eyes like stars, and the straw in his mouth made a loud sound in the already shriveled milk carton.

"It's a feeling."

"It feels great, this is the life I want."

Kitagawa Ryo paused for a moment, then replied with a smile.

"Um."

Ichinose Honami didn't ask any more questions. She stepped forward and slightly tiptoed.

"Wait a minute, your tie is crooked."

As she spoke, her slender fingers touched the knot in her tie.

"..."

The somewhat awkward silence did not slow down the girl's movements.

Honami Ichinose carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on her bow tie.

After tidying up her appearance, she finally gave Kitagawa Ryo a satisfied once-over.

That's good.

"Airi, you have a performance tomorrow, so take a shower and go to bed early."

Through the frosted glass of the bathroom, even my mother's words became somewhat muffled and inaudible.

I casually agreed, and then I heard my mother close the bedroom door.

Since becoming a famous idol, even her parents' attitudes have become somewhat ambiguous.

Sakura Airi looked around the enormous bathroom, still feeling a slight sense of unreality.

Reaching out of the water, she saw a bathtub large enough for two adults to sit comfortably. Hot water had already been prepared before she entered, and various toiletries were displayed on the shelf next to her, including a bright yellow rubber duck that made a strange noise when pressed.

The lighting fixtures, installed at great expense for unknown reasons, emitted a soft, warm glow, while the pristine white walls, maintained by cleaning staff three times a week without a speck of mold, reflected a soothing hue.

Judging by the time, Sakura Airi got out of the bathtub and dried herself with a towel.

The half-mirror on the washstand was fogged up by steam, making it blurry. Sakura Airi reached out and wiped it, leaving a noticeable shiny mark that reflected her snow-white neck.

Sakura Airi carefully wiped away the condensation from the mirror, and began to put on her clothes, one piece at a time.

In front of the mirror, she deliberately unbuttoned the top two buttons of her pajamas, exposing her right, snow-white shoulder.

The bra straps were only half-tied, the ribbons drooping loosely over her bare shoulders.

She hugged her arms tightly, her fair breasts bulging out in a mesmerizing way.

A pose I once imagined, a photo I planned to post anonymously online.

Thoughts that I stubbornly insisted on back then now seem absurd.

But it was only for a moment; Sakura Airi, with her hair tie in her mouth, obediently put her clothes back on neatly.

This is knowledge that's long been useless, knowledge that was forbidden by that person.

Concealed neatly within her pink pajamas lies a completely different, beautiful side.

Although my body is growing at an astonishing rate compared to two years ago, the rest of my body seems to remain stagnant in the past without me even realizing it.

In academics, sports, and social interactions, compared to girls her age, she seemed like an empty shell who knew nothing.

Even if you try your best to become an idol according to his words, there is always a sense of unreality.

What kind of future do I really want?

Sakura Airi lowered her eyes and murmured to herself.

I suddenly remembered Kitagawa Ryo, whom I saw on stage a month ago, standing in the audience applauding himself.

The girl's mood suddenly brightened.

[Azabu Middle School, Drama Club]

This information was obtained from Karuizawa Kei.

Slender fingers drew circles on the glass surface.

I want to see them again.

Azabu Middle School.

Horikita Suzune walked alone on the school road, completely oblivious to the slightly strange looks she received from the students around her.

Because she spent more time combing her hair in the morning, she was walking in a bit of a hurry.

After Horikita Manabu casually mentioned that he "liked long hair," Horikita Suzune began to grow her hair long. She seemed to be born with long hair, and in just a few years, she had beautiful long hair that reached her waist. Every morning when she combed her hair and untied her hairband, her black hair would flow like water all over her shoulders.

Because she transferred to the class in the second year of junior high, the various cliques in the class had already taken shape in the past year, so it was actually difficult for Horikita Suzune, who had just enrolled, to fit into the already established social circles.

However, there is actually a chance.

In just the first week of school, boys from her class and even other classes left love letters in Horikita Suzune's shoe locker, but she never bothered to read them, and unlike other girls, she never bothered to call them out to give them a proper reply.

If she receives a love letter in person, she will return it to her immediately.

If they were in the shoe cabinet, she would throw them into the trash can the moment she found them, leaving them piled up there in all sorts of colors.

Horikita Suzune doesn't think about anything unnecessary, nor does she want to engage in interpersonal interactions. So, after a week of such rejections, she was naturally isolated. Horikita Suzune dealt with this kind of passive-aggressive behavior with ease; she had done it before, and she felt confident that she could protect herself if things really came to blows.

Even at her new school, Horikita Suzune quickly became an oddball in her class, but none of this affected Horikita Suzune.

She devoted her after-school time to the Drama Club, but soon Horikita Suzune's situation in the Drama Club also began to deteriorate.

It's unclear when it started, but apart from Kushida Kikyo, almost no new students are willing to talk to her. However, her name often appears in other people's conversations. Whenever Horikita Suzune tries to listen to what's going on, the other person shuts up.

Horikita Suzune's dramatic talent was clearly not as great as Kushida Kikyo had praised, but even so, Kushida Kikyo still gently and patiently taught Horikita Suzune about drama. Whenever she made a mistake, there would always be a faint snicker from the side.

However, at this time Kushida Kikyo would always stand up for her and then come back to comfort Horikita Suzune.

The relentless instruction and slow progress fueled the discontent of the other new members in the Drama Club. Everyone else was waiting for the final review, and they hadn't even joined the Drama Club yet. Why was it that only you got one-on-one tutoring from the lovely senior in the Drama Club?

If before I could comfort myself by thinking that the other person might be exceptionally talented, then until now Horikita Suzune has not shown even the slightest bit of talent or ability.

Thus, the accusation of having connections or powerful backers was quickly and naturally pinned on Horikita Suzune's head, and as long as she remained in the Drama Club, the rumors left her with nowhere to escape.

The rumors have become increasingly distorted and twisted. Some say they saw Horikita Suzune and Kitagawa Ryo together when school started; some say Horikita Suzune and Kitagawa Ryo knew each other before; some say Kushida Kikyo had no choice but to appease Horikita Suzune because of her powerful connections.

In this rumor, Horikita Suzune's image seems to have become that of a petty person who is unable to communicate, who acts arrogantly just because she knows Kitagawa Ryo.

Kushida Kikyo silently watched the situation unfold, but outwardly she still rebuked the rumors and protected Horikita Suzune's image.

It's like trying to cover it up only makes things worse; it actually makes everyone more convinced that the rumor is true.

Finally, the new students in the Drama Club joined forces to demand that Horikita Suzune's eligibility for the final review be revoked, arguing that it was the most unfair thing to compete with someone who got in through connections.

Horikita Suzune only realized her predicament at this point, and what was worse was that she had almost no means of countermeasures, because she didn't know anyone, so there wasn't even a single person who would speak up for her.

This was the first time Horikita Suzune, who adhered to the philosophy of living alone, had been forced into such a predicament.

If it were the older brother, Horikita Manabu, what would he do?

Horikita Suzune considered this scenario, but she couldn't get an answer at all.

Because she finally discovered something:

An all-powerful genius, whose older brother he always chases, has never been exposed to drama.

If in the past, Horikita Suzune was following closely behind Horikita Manabu, stepping on the path he had walked, now she is showing signs of deviating from the right track.

Although it's only a few steps.

Horikita Suzune suddenly began to feel a subconscious fear, because the future was completely unknown.

Her brother studied hard and achieved excellent grades; she also studied hard and achieved excellent grades.

Her brother exercises diligently and has good physical fitness; she also exercises diligently to improve her physical fitness.

Her brother went to Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, so she had to go to that school too.

But...

I have absolutely no image of my brother practicing drama in my mind.

Completely unaware of the consequences, a sense of unknown terror gradually crept over my body.

Horikita Suzune is the younger sister who is best at deceiving herself. At this moment, all she needs to do is withdraw her foot and walk back to the path her brother has walked, returning to this strange comfort zone.

Only--

"If they pass the final review and perform well."

Kitagawa Ryo finally found Horikita Suzune after a long time, and spoke casually as if he were informing her of something trivial:

"I can take you into the Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School's Cultural Festival this year."

Someone cornered her at the edge of the Sphinx cliff, pushing her back and lifting her face so she would be directly facing the monster.

Chapter Fourteen: Unfortunately, the Moon is Mute

"Horikita Suzune?"

Sakayanagi Arisu tilted her head slightly in confusion, causing her beret to tilt a little. Kitagawa Ryo quickly straightened it.

"Yes, it's the extra spot I mentioned to you before."

"This seems a bit tricky..."

"Hmm."

The girl's deep purple eyes had barely flashed with a cunning look when Kitagawa Ryo unceremoniously tapped her on the forehead with the chess piece in his hand.

"You didn't seem too embarrassed when you filled in my name in the family member section behind my back, did you?"

"How can that be the same? After all, in a sense, Liang can be considered my tutor."

Sakayanagi Arisu retorted, somewhat puzzled. She explained that she had only decided to take Kitagawa Ryo to Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School because Kitagawa Ryo seemed to be in a bad mood and wasn't really focused on playing Go. After all, it involved class competition, and each class was giving it their all, so the Cultural Festival at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School was quite spectacular.

Of course, there was also a slight desire for the two of us to be alone.

Who knew that Kitagawa Ryo's condition for agreeing was that he would bring another girl along.

"Horikita Suzune..."

After repeating it twice more, Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes suddenly lit up:

"What is her relationship with Horikita Manabu, who just enrolled this year?"

"Brother and sister."

Kitagawa Ryo answered while asking curiously:

"You know Horikita Manabu?"

"She got first place in both the Written Exams, a solid Class A score. Of course, I gleaned this information from her dad."

After all, her father was the Chairman of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, so Sakayanagi Arisu was exposed to a higher level of education from a young age.

"So your reason for bringing Horikita Suzune in was to let her see her brother, huh? The school really is completely closed to the public."

Sakayanagi Arisu breathed a sigh of relief after realizing this. Anyway, once she got into the school, Horikita Suzune could just go find Horikita Manabu. In the end, she and Kitagawa Ryo would just wander around.