Chapter 432

In short, it's something like understanding someone's interests.

Kazama Kiriori doesn't actually have any major hobbies.

Or rather, her hobbies are very simple: being with her mother and working hard so that Haihara and Haibara can live a happy life in the future.

But of course, she couldn't say that to Haihara right now.

"I think the things I like are raising small animals; I really want a big dog."

In reality, none of the animals that Kazama and Haihara raised together ended up in good circumstances.

In the end, Mom would always lose interest in the new pet halfway through and then leave it to me, and Kazama wasn't skilled enough to take good care of these half-dead pets.

Is this kind of memory good or bad?

"And what about the annoying ones?"

Haihara asked earnestly.

"Um..."

After thinking about it carefully, Kazama Kiriori realized that the thing she hated most was actually quite simple.

Monster, and other things that could harm Haihara.

But she certainly wouldn't talk about something so heavy.

As for the rest, she doesn't really have any particular likes or dislikes...

"Ah, I've got it."

Kazama Kiriori remembered.

Haihara blinked and noticed that Kazama Kiriori was looking at her. Her previously slightly gloomy expression brightened up, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"Back then, it must have been when I was in junior high school, I wanted to grow taller."

Kazama Kiriori is already quite tall.

For some reason, she stretched out her hand and gestured towards Haihara, indicating that she was about five or six centimeters taller.

"Because I want to appear taller than someone so I can protect her and have her lean on me."

Haihara looked Kazama Kiriori up and down.

"You've grown enough, haven't you?"

From any perspective, Kazama Kiriori's figure is something to be proud of; she is not only tall, but also has a perfect figure in all the right places.

"It should have been enough, but that person is clearly older than me, yet they grew faster than me during my puberty... I still haven't caught up with them."

Kazama Kiriori lowered her head, her tone unusually tinged with a hint of resentment and coquettishness.

Haihara tilted her head again, looking puzzled.

However, it felt quite interesting.

She felt she understood Kazama Kiriori a little better, though she still felt it wasn't enough; she didn't just want to know that much.

Although I wanted to continue asking, that would only lead to a one-sided understanding.

"Now it's my turn to ask."

The oppressive atmosphere eased a little, and after thinking for a while, Kazama Kiriori decided to ask a similar question.

She glanced at Haihara casually and asked in a gentle tone:

"Does the teacher have any strong wishes? Like the kind that have been with us since childhood?"

Desire?

In fact, this was one of the rare things that Kazama Kiriori didn't know and wanted to know about Haihara.

In Kazama Kiriori's memory, Haihara, as her adoptive mother, never had any strong desires.

Although I have some hobbies, they are only minor and not even enthusiastic.

If we simply describe it as having low desires, it's not quite like that at all.

Of course, Haihara a wish that she's had since childhood.

And she has never forgotten.

She rested a finger on her chin, pondering for a moment.

"I hope someone will like me."

It's a little embarrassing to say it out loud.

At first glance, it doesn't seem like a particularly extravagant wish.

Family, friends, and even simple feelings of affection can all be described as liking.

But this probably refers to... romance?

"It's that simple?"

Haihara thought for a moment.

"I genuinely like it."

Even if I'm ordinary, terrible, and worthless, even if there's nothing likable about me, even if I remain who I am, I still hope someone can like me, not for any other reason.

She hopes to be someone others can like.

Not because of any special fate, nor because she had any special relationship or kinship with others.

I like her simply because she is who she is.

"Um."

Kazama Kiriori didn't really understand what her mother meant.

Because she simply loves her mother very much.

It sounds like I perfectly meet my mother's wishes, and there's absolutely no problem with it.

This is exactly her.

Then, after a slight hesitation, she asked the next question:

"And what about the unpleasant things?"

"What an annoying thing..."

Haihara lowered her head and began to think.

She seems to have quite a few annoying things, but actually, she doesn't seem to have anything particularly annoying.

She's probably a little sleepy and tired now because she wasn't in the mood to sleep in the afternoon.

She tried rubbing her eyes.

At that moment, she wasn't thinking about her own life.

Rather, it was obtained from the Crystal —memories belonging to the Witch.

"Sometimes, I do feel a little bit deceived."

"..."

Kazama Kiriori paused for a moment.

Haihara seemed oblivious to Kazama's odd behavior and continued talking:

"In the past, perhaps it was just my imagination, but those who wanted to help me and were kind to me didn't actually care what I was thinking; they always made the decisions for me."

"I never know when I'll be kept in the dark."

"It's like Miss Roland said: She likes me, but she won't tell me why, nor does she think I need to know."

She spoke calmly.

Although she doesn't seem to have much right to speak ill of those who are kind to her.

She hadn't done anything meaningful for those people, and they didn't owe her anything; on the contrary, she had nothing she could do for them.

And being liked by someone is a very happy thing.

Therefore, Haihara knew that this was a shameless expression of dissatisfaction on her part.

"Sometimes, I feel like there's someone who already knows everything, and then they'll solve my problems when they think it's appropriate, without even informing me."

Therefore, my troubles, worries, and regrets have all become meaningless.

That would just be a toy.

In fact, Haihara meant when she said, "I hope someone genuinely likes me," is exactly that.

If other people like something other than the real her, then it means nothing to her.

After Haihara finished speaking, the quiet period that followed felt somewhat agonizing.

Haihara sensed the tense atmosphere and wondered if she had said something wrong.

Fortunately, Kazama did respond:

"... so."

Her response was somewhat inaudible.

In this way, it seems that Haihara got what she wanted; she gained a better understanding of Kazama.

But she felt that she wasn't as excited as she had imagined...

Instead, I felt a bit drowsy.

... Feeling drowsy?

At this point, Haihara seemed to realize something. She had been feeling tired, initially thinking it was because she hadn't slept that afternoon.

After noticing this, a feeling of exhaustion and heaviness descended upon me like a landslide.

"Teacher, isn't your face a little...? Let me see."

Kazama noticed it too.

She quickly reached out and touched Haihara's neck, then moved from her face to her forehead. The panic and gloom she had just felt were quickly forgotten, leaving only worry and haste.

The temperature is very high.

No, although it may not look like much, the temperature is frighteningly high.

"Ah."

Haihara suddenly realized what was happening, but her voice was weak.

She also tried touching her forehead.

But how much of her own body temperature could she feel by touching her forehead?

Her movement of shifting her neck was a beat slower, causing her to look towards Kazama—

Am I... sick?

Chapter 189 Illness and Lies

Haihara Lily Chou developed a very high fever.

There were no signs whatsoever.

It was already night.

The heavy snow hasn't stopped; it's so heavy I don't know whether I should go to the hospital.

But it didn't matter. Haihara Lily Chou didn't want to go to the hospital at all. Her identification wouldn't be valid, and she didn't want to lie in a hospital bed.

But being sick is really awful.

Every minute and every second she was sick, Haihara hoped that her fever would go down, that she would get better, and that she wouldn't have to suffer like this anymore.

No wonder she was so listless and in a bad mood before; it turns out she was sick. She thought it was something even worse.

At this moment, she lay on Kazama's bed, looking at the undisguised anxiety on Kazama Kiriori's face.

That's quite funny.