Anime Crossover: About How I Spoiled an Angel

Page 290

This means that a puzzle piece that fits perfectly for a moment cannot fit perfectly forever.

This is especially true for any relationship, whether it's love or friendship.

Su Qing's eyes gradually became cloudy, and the time she had spent with Mahiru, Yui and the others over the past three months flashed by at an incredible speed.

Upon hearing this, Yukino tilted her head, her eyes exceptionally clear.

"Has the clever Yukino already figured it out?"

Su Qing chuckled and teased.

"If you keep teasing me like this, I'll get angry..."

Yukino glared at Su Qing and said angrily.

"Speak up, stop keeping me in suspense!"

Su Qing opened her mouth, but before she could utter a single word, Yukino added with an emphasis on her words.

Sigh, I can't afford to play this game...

"Suitability is important, liking is also important, but the most important thing is actually [adjustment]."

"Adjustment?"

“Yes.” Su Qing looked into the distance, her tone calm. “There are no perfectly matched puzzle pieces, nor is there everlasting passion.”

In fact, even the smallest friction can become the fuse that ignites everything.

But from another perspective, friction is actually a process of adjustment, just like carving a piece of jade.

If the process is done well, it becomes a rare treasure; if it's not, it becomes nothing more than scrap.

This isn't a fairy tale; friction is inevitable in any relationship. Only those with good relationships have the right to have friction, right?

Yukino nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

She suddenly fell silent.

Is this the kind of relationship I have with my sister and mother?

Is this also a process of... friction and break-in?

This seems to be an eternal question, one that may take a lifetime to answer.

Yukino sighed softly, then suddenly asked curiously:

Are you and your girlfriend like this too?

"Of course, but she is a very reasonable girl who respects me, so we got along much more smoothly than most people."

Yukino noticed that Su Qing would unconsciously wear a happy smile whenever he mentioned Mahiru.

That was the first time she had seen Su Qing like this.

For some reason, Yukino's mood inexplicably plummeted.

Being with Su Qing always seems to make my mood fluctuate between light and dark.

Is it because... I'm lacking something?

"Is she your 'real thing'?"

Yukino looked over, pursed her lips, and asked very seriously.

Their gazes met and collided under the snowy night.

A few seconds later, Su Qing withdrew her gaze and said softly:

"No, to me, Mahiru is just an ordinary girl I like."

This was an answer that surprised Yukino.

She suddenly became irritable and agitated, which was completely unlike her usual self.

If even this can't be considered a genuine item, if even Su Qing can't find a genuine one, then... does such a thing really exist in this world?

"Authentic... It's a very interesting concept. Literally, it's perfectly acceptable to translate it as 'absolutely real'."

But what in this world is absolute?

Strangely enough, on such a cold night, Yukino's voice and breath would create a faint white mist, but Su Qing's did not.

Does this person not feel cold?

"Truth to the extreme becomes falsehood, and falsehood to the extreme becomes truth."

Perhaps... you shouldn't care too much about pursuing genuine things; those who care too much always lose themselves in the first place.

You feel like you've always been missing something, but in my opinion, you're not missing anything.

You possess courage, kindness, and ability—whether abstract or concrete—and even more than the average person.

"You knew from the start that the flowers Misaki was selling were fake, didn't you?"

Su Qing said with great certainty.

In large Japanese families, women generally learn things like tea ceremony and flower arrangement.

If even he knows, how could Yukino not know what Ecuador is?

"Even if you figure it out, so what? In the end, it's just self-satisfaction."

Yukino lowered her gaze, her voice filled with indescribable emotion.

Of course she knew those roses weren't worth that price, and she knew the little girl was a liar.

So she turned back, actually hoping to find an opportunity to tell Su Qing about this...

"It's good to be self-satisfied. You always say you want to save something, but you don't even know yourself."

So actually, the one who needs saving first is yourself.

Aren't you trying to save yourself right now?

Therefore, we don't need real objects or anything else. It's not about having something before we need to save it; rather, we save it and it will naturally come to us.

Beneath the snow, "I have struggled with myself for so long, I would rather be myself."

As Su Qing spoke, Yukino stared at him intently, her eyes never blinking.

After a long while, Yukino suddenly stood up and said softly:

"So all the genuine item I've been searching for has been so easily rejected..."

"I was just talking to myself."

With her back turned, Su Qingzhi saw that Yukino's long black hair shimmered silver in the moonlight.

"Yes, I know, that's why I won't give up on finding the real thing."

"I wish you success."

Su Qing said this without surprise.

But Yukino suddenly turned around at that moment, and with a girlish playfulness, smiled faintly and said:

"But until I find it, I will keep your words from tonight in my heart, and I will never forget them!"

Su Qing was taken aback for a moment, but in the end she just smiled and nodded.

……

The time came to half past eight.

On the way home, two sets of footprints on the snow, sometimes near, sometimes far, resembled musical notes dancing on a musical staff.

Marunouchi Avenue was still bustling with activity at that time.

Their gazes fell on the food stalls not far away, where they could even see the caramel aroma of taiyaki and the fragrance of oden vying for attention.

Su Qing suddenly stopped.

Seeing this, Yukino asked curiously, "What, do you want some taiyaki? I can treat you."

"I have something for you."

As she spoke, Su Qing took out a pair of headphones from the bag under Yukino's increasingly curious gaze.

"This is for you, consider it a thank you gift for accompanying me today."

"You don't need to be so polite with me, and I already have Bluetooth headphones."

Yukino instinctively wanted to refuse.

She didn't agree to go out with Su Qing because of this thank-you gift.

Isn't it only natural to help a friend with a small favor?

"It's different. This one uses the latest noise cancellation technology... Anyway, you should just accept it. I've already bought it."

"You can give it to your girlfriend..."

Why would I give her something I failed to give away?

Su Qing shut Yukino down with just one sentence.

Those awful "normies"! No wonder Hiratsuka Shizuka always treats those with partners with equal hostility!

"Never mind, just consider it my early birthday present to you."

Su Qing then offered a suitable way out.

Do you know my birthday?

Yukino was taken aback for a moment, but quickly understood.

After all, birth date isn't something that's hard to find.

Wait, she doesn't know Su Qing's birthday yet...

"Okay, I'll accept it then, although I wasn't planning on asking you for a birthday present anyway."

The white shell of the headphones reflected the neon lights, like holding a ball of solidified moonlight.

Because it hadn't been opened yet, Yukino couldn't touch it even though she really wanted to.

Even so, the quality must be excellent.

Why did you give me headphones?

Yukino looked down for a while, feeling that things weren't as simple as they seemed.

"Noise cancellation allows you to listen to your own voice more."

Su Qing said briefly.

He had nothing more to say, because he had already said everything.

I've struggled with myself for so long, I'd rather be myself.

"Oh...I see?"

Yukino nodded thoughtfully.

Footsteps began to echo again in the vast night.

As they walked, Yukino suddenly asked casually:

"Speaking of which, when is your birthday? After all, I remember the information of all the teachers and students in the grade, but I didn't remember yours. Now that it's mentioned, let me remember it."

Do you have obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Su Qing smiled, but did not answer Yukino's question.

Yukino frowned, suddenly realizing that she might have said something wrong.

"I don't know what day I was born. My former director used to take the day I was found as my birthday, which was January 20th."

Su Qing glanced at Yukino, knowing exactly what she was thinking, but he didn't really care about such things.

"January 20th? I understand, thank you."

Yukino felt conflicted.

That day on the Gregorian calendar corresponds exactly to the lunar calendar's... [Great Cold], doesn't it?

He was abandoned in that kind of weather...