Chapter 110

Futaba Erii, on the other hand, won the Annual Scholarship for two consecutive years due to her outstanding academic performance.

But gradually, she could no longer feel joy from the weighty award certificate and the news from the Central Province; instead, she felt an increasing emptiness welling up from the depths of her heart.

She often recalled the girl kneeling in the blood that day, sobbing and choking back tears, remembering the deep, bone-revealing wounds on the girl's body and her heart-wrenching cries.

She heard the girl repeatedly apologizing to the corpses.

"So 'he' can make that kind of expression too."

She thought that guy never smiled.

I certainly won't cry.

That frail figure was like a thorn stuck in her heart; even the slightest touch would cause pain.

She started paying attention to Efnir's news, repeatedly looking through the photos and updates she posted on social media, and began to recreate the image of Efnir in her mind with her own paintbrush.

And so it goes.

Until she subconsciously left her lip print on the painting.

When she came to her senses, Futaba Erii finally realized that she had unknowingly begun to develop feelings for that girl.

She, Futaba Erii, was the first person she ever fell in love with, and that person was a girl.

"Yukina, how about trying this?"

Efnir held a light blue hair ribbon in her hand and gently tied it around the end of Yukina's hair.

In the mirror, their reflections overlapped.

"I took a look, and the color seems to suit you quite well."

In the jewelry store, the display cases were filled with hair accessories and bracelets, and Efnir immediately took a liking to this headband.

Because its color is very similar to the hair color of Yukina when she was known as "Fifina".

So I brought it.

Yukina looked in the mirror, tilted her head slightly, and instead of saying whether she liked it or not, she asked Efnir, "Does Naoko think it looks good?"

"It's very beautiful."

"Is that so... But I think you'd look better tied up than me, Naoko."

Yukina smiled, took off the hairband, and placed it back in Efnir's hand.

"Could I give this to Naoko as a gift? That way, maybe when Naoko sees it, she'll think of me."

157. Icy cold

Early autumn has arrived in Xijing City, but the lingering heat from late summer has not completely dissipated, making an iced drink always irresistible.

So Efnir and Yukina each appeared on a bench in front of the park, each holding a glass of iced drink.

"Okay! Ice!"

The shaved ice melts in your mouth, and the cool sensation fills your mouth in one breath.

The refreshing feeling was very comforting; Efnir pursed her lips and swallowed the slowly melting ice water.

Efnir covered her cheek, squinting. The icy touch was even more intense than she had expected, driving away the heat. It slid down her throat from the tip of her tongue, and the refreshing feeling spread through her body like an electric current.

"Naoko, are you sure it's okay for you to eat this?"

"It's alright, the doctor didn't say anything that we absolutely had to be careful about. Besides, don't underestimate the agent's recovery ability."

Efnir chuckled as she held the shaved ice, shifting her body to sit close to Yukina.

She was holding a Yukina in her hands, taking small bites of the spoon, when she glanced at Efnir.

The medical eye patch covering Efnir's right eye pained her.

"It's Naoko's personality that worries me. Naoko should be resting at home..."

"It's okay, I won't force myself."

"Hmm..."

Yukina couldn't help but recall a long, long time ago, when she had no friends and would play in the park with her "brother," who would occasionally buy her ice cream.

She was always happy then.

Suddenly, they were calling each other sisters, facing each other in ways neither of them had ever seen before. The childhood joke of "I'll marry you" had unknowingly become a real possibility in the future.

Speaking of which...

Yukina suddenly thought of a question—if she and Naoko could walk hand in hand into the wedding hall, then...

Who will wear the wedding dress?

Yukina gently bit her spoon, slightly stunned. She was genuinely stumped—to be honest, she really wanted to wear it, because she simply couldn't pull off a suit well. In contrast, Naoko, who always dressed in men's clothing, would surely wear a suit impeccably and handsomely, wouldn't she?

But then she thought about how Naoko could also wear a wedding dress, Yukina immediately hesitated.

If Efnir appeared before her in a wedding dress, it would surely be a beautiful and moving sight. Yukina couldn't quite imagine what a mesmerizing, dreamlike scene it would be. She blinked, turned her gaze to the side with some concern, and reflected Naoko's figure in her eyes, trying to find some reference in Naoko.

Naoko is really beautiful.

No matter how many times she watches it, whether she appears as "Efnir" or "Naoko," Yukina always finds something captivating about Naoko.

Today, Naoko wore a light, flowing dress, with a light blue headband tied at the end of Efnir hair like a swaying fishtail, gathering her smooth, black hair together and letting it sway gently in the breeze.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on Efnir's neck, like a touch of rouge on white Crystal, so beautiful that it made one feel intimidated.

Yukina stared, mesmerized, at Efnir's profile.

She suddenly realized that it would be really interesting if both she and Naoko could wear wedding dresses.

To marry each other and become each other's most cherished wives—this kind of life, Yukina felt, must be the most beautiful and desirable thing in the world.

I'm increasingly eager to take wedding photos.

In that case, the engagement ring should be arranged as soon as possible.

The future is far away and unattainable. The only thing Yukina can touch is Naoko. She wants to remember every moment of Naoko firmly in her heart and never forget her.

"Yukina, what are you thinking about?"

Efnir's gaze drifted over, she blinked, and spoke, interrupting Yukina's thoughts.

"N-nothing..."

Yukina snapped out of her daze, Trace concealing her inner reverie, and gave a faint smile.

She wants to share her dream with Naoko, but not now.

"I just feel... Naoko, you're so beautiful."

"Glib-tongued, always saying nice things."

Efnir chuckled and gently flicked the tip of Yukina's nose.

"By the way, was yours chocolate flavored?"

"Chocolate, and chocolate chip cookie crumbs."

"Is that so?"

Efnir tilted her chin up, gazing at the distant sky, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

"You still love chocolate so much..."

"Compared to me, has Naoko started choosing all kinds of sweets now?"

As a child Yukina always loved sweets, and among all the sweets, Yukina had a particular fondness for chocolate.

In contrast, before becoming an agent, Efnir didn't have any particular interest in snacks or similar things; her appetite could only be described as "bland."

"Mmm, strawberry jam,"

Efnir handed the sweet, pink shaved ice to Yukina.

"Want to swap and try some?"

"Is... is it okay?"

I want to try yours.

"Oh..."

Yukina hesitated for a moment, then handed over the sundae she was holding.

"Mmm... this is so cold! But it tastes so good..."

As Yukina watched Efnir Nier put the small spoon that she had just been holding into her mouth, and then looked at the shaved ice in her hand, a blush rose on her face.

Even though she and Naoko had done so many things together, both as sisters and as lovers, Yukina's heart still raced at the thought that the spoon in her hand still tasted of Naoko's lips.

She pursed her lips, unconsciously swallowed, and put the shaved ice into her mouth.

The coolness melted in my mouth.

"So Naoko isn't a complete sweet tooth after all, but actually likes this sweet and sour flavor...?"

Just like Naoko herself.

"Yukina."

"Um?"

Look at the sky over there.

Yukina tilted her head and looked in the direction Efnir was pointing.

The clouds drift and swirl across the sky, creating a clean and tranquil scene, with a thin, misty expanse stretching to the horizon.

"It's so beautiful..."

Yukina gazed at the layered clouds in the distance, her eyes slightly narrowed, and the next instant, a cool and refreshing sensation spread across her cheek.

"Ah!?"

Startled by the sudden coldness, Yukina instinctively covered her cheek, only to touch a lump of cold cream.

She hunched her shoulders and looked at Efnir beside her.

Efnir chuckled mischievously, a bit of sundae still lingering on her lips.

Yukina was stunned for a moment before she belatedly realized—she had been ambushed by Naoko.

"Sister!!"

"I thought you weren't afraid of ice at all."

"You've gone too far!"

"What does it matter? Nobody saw it anyway~"

At this time of day, the park was quiet, though the sounds of children playing could be heard intermittently.

"No."

Yukina lunged at Efnir with bared teeth and claws, and Efnir let out a soft cry, which was immediately swallowed back by Yukina.

The sweet, icy coolness melted away, spreading inch by inch, only to be quickly replaced by warmth.

Only when Efnir's breathing became deep did Yukina lick her lips and release Efnir.

"You should kiss me here, you silly sister."

158. Smile