Ti flew by. The commotion in the student council office on Wednesday morning had finally settled, but the ripples it left behind continued to spread across the vast Far Moon Academy.
Although the Doujin Club had been officially established, Spencer was still stuck in her academic suspension, only able to communicate with An Le through Plane.
The academic life at Far Moon Academy remained as usual, but under Yan Huan’s leadership, the student council was busier than ever, preparing for the upcoming Club Battle.
Balancing his studies, student council work, nightly gym workouts, and even working a full shift at Tong Yingying’s bar on Thursday—Yan Huan was practically a machine, overflowing with boundless energy.
Even Tong Yingying, the stunning bar owner and his personal trainer, was amazed at how durable he was.
And before anyone realized it, the weekend had arrived.
Friday.
Far Moon Academy—Far Moon Tower
Far Moon Tower was the very first academic building constructed over forty years ago when Far Moon Academy was founded in Linn. While students no longer attended classes there, and other buildings had been torn down and rebuilt over ti, this central teaching hall—marked by its iconic Moonbell Clock Tower—had been preserved as a symbol of Far Moon’s rich history.
The tower still rang its bell at scheduled hours and served as a cultural exhibition space for visitors exploring the academy.
Inside the exhibition hall, a young woman in the official Far Moon uniform stood poised and graceful before a group of visiting middle school students, backpacks in tow, hailing from various districts and islands of Linn.
"Welco, students, to Far Moon Academy. I am Sakura-no-Miya Hitomi, Vice President of the Student Council."
Many students were captivated by her elegant deanor, feeling an unexpected sense of admiration for the prestigious school.
Of course, even without Sakura-no-Miya’s presence, Far Moon Academy was already a household na in Linn.
"Four Pri Ministers of Linn graduated from Far Moon Academy. They were recomnded to university and later selected by the Linn governnt."
Among the students following Sakura-no-Miya through the academy’s historical exhibit, a young girl in a traditional Sakura Country outfit—her black hair fading into cherry pink at the tips—tilted her head and explained to a sowhat clueless classmate.
"I see…"
The Sakura Country girl let out a small hum of amusent, her gaze landing on Sakura-no-Miya, who was currently explaining the student council system to the group.
"Far Moon Academy operates under a student self-governance system. The student council wields considerable power, managing school affairs, creating rules and regulations, and even overseeing faculty performance."
So of the middle schoolers looked skeptical.
"Seriously? My older brother told
his school’s student council just burns people with cigarette butts…"
"Uh, that sounds way more fake than what she just said."
Most of the students, however, were intrigued by the concept.
"Wait… really?"
Sakura-no-Miya smiled warmly and nodded.
"That’s right. At our school, students are allowed to bring electronic devices and freely choose their attire. While there are still many rules to follow, every regulation is first proposed by the President and then voted on by the students before being enacted."
"That… that sounds amazing…"
So students were already daydreaming about life at Far Moon, but at that mont, the Sakura Country girl chuckled and interjected—
"But having a student council with too much power isn’t necessarily a good thing, is it? If the wrong people are in charge, they could easily beco tyrants, crafting rules that only benefit themselves…"
"……"
Sakura-no-Miya t the girl’s gaze—so similar in color to her own—with the sa calm, composed smile.
"That’s why only the strongest can beco Student Council President. The President is chosen through the Three Trials and Three Votes, a process that ensures the entire academy acknowledges their authority.
"The three trials are: The Resu Trial, The Ideology Trial, and The Debate Trial."
Sakura-no-Miya continued her explanation—
"The Resu Trial—where candidates present their past achievents to the entire school."
The Sakura Country girl shrugged, muttering under her breath—
"Just a way to get their na out there. Resus can be faked, anyway. Who actually verifies how impressive they really are?"
Sakura-no-Miya remained unfazed.
"The Ideology Trial—where candidates publicly deliver speeches outlining their vision for the student council."
The Sakura Country girl shrugged again.
"Just empty promises. Once they’re elected, who’s going to hold them accountable? What, are you going to fire them?"
Sakura-no-Miya:
"The Debate Trial—where candidates engage in direct competition against their opponents."
The Sakura Country girl:
"Just a performance. They probably make backdoor deals beforehand and then put on a show on stage."
Sakura-no-Miya ignored her continued cynicism, simply stepping forward and gently running her fingers along a glass display case behind her.
Inside were three custom-tailored black uniforms, each corresponding to a different season—spring/fall, winter, and sumr.
Above them, gold-lettered inscriptions read—
"First President of Far Moon Academy Student Council."
At the center of the exhibit, a 3D projection showcased an intricate golden Moon Emblem badge, placed over the chest of one of the uniforms.
So students covered their mouths in awe, pointing at the uniforms with sparkling eyes.
"Those are specially tailored for every Student Council President. Each one even has a unique inscription in their native language embroidered on the back.
"The first President was Linn’s famous Pri Minister, Li Zewen. His uniform has an inscription—a four-character idiom from his ancestral holand, Longguo…"
The students stared at the slowly rotating uniforms inside the glass case.
On the back of the first uniform, in elegant golden calligraphy, four words were stitched—
"A Vessel for Greatness."
The Sakura Country girl scoffed and shook her head, whispering to her slightly nervous companion—
"That guy actually visited our house once. ‘A Vessel for Greatness’? My mom says he was all show and no substance."
anwhile, at the front of the group, so students had started whispering among themselves, staring curiously at Sakura-no-Miya.
"Wait… isn’t Sakura-no-Miya Vice President? Then who’s the actual President of Far Moon Academy?"
Sakura-no-Miya paused for a mont, just about to respond—
When suddenly, a quiet student near her hesitantly raised his hand.
"The current President… Yan Huan. I… I know him. He used to go to my school."
"Yan Huan… from your school?"
The students turned to look at him.
"Which school are you from?"
"South District… South District Jinghe Middle School."
"South District?"
A brief silence fell over the group as surprised gazes landed on the student.
These middle schoolers mostly ca from Capital-Harmony District, or slightly lower-tier areas like North Sea District and Luo Bridge District. At worst, they were from one of Linn’s four outer islands.
But the South District?
That chaotic ss of a region produced the President of Far Moon Academy?
The student from South District grew a bit flustered under their stares but quickly spoke up, eager to explain—
"President Yan Huan is really amazing! Last year, during Linn’s first-ever national academic exam, only two students in the entire country got perfect scores!
"One of them was Far Moon’s Student Council President.
"The other? The President of Xiuzhi Academy’s Student Council!"
Everyone was montarily stunned upon hearing those words.
Even the Sakura Country girl, who had been arguing the whole ti, froze in place.
The First Linn National Unified Exam had been a brutal wake-up call from the Linn Ministry of Education, hamring schools across the country with its difficulty.
It was hard.
This Sakura Country girl clearly understood the exam’s difficulty and the significance of being one of only two people in the entire nation to achieve a perfect score.
Still, she stubbornly wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and muttered to her classmate—
"Tch… test scores aren’t everything…"
But when she turned to look—
The girl who had been politely listening to her rambling earlier was already walking away, looking like she’d had enough.
She opened her mouth slightly, reaching out a hand toward her retreating figure, but it was no use—the girl was already gone.
anwhile, the other students were now whispering excitedly among themselves, their faces filled with awe.
Sakura-no-Miya simply smiled and gestured toward the exit.
"Alright, everyone, this concludes your tour of the Moonbell Clock Tower. Please form an orderly line as you exit, and do not linger on school grounds.
"The school is currently preparing for the Club Battle, so please don’t cause trouble for your older brothers and sisters, okay?"
A unified response rang out—
"Okay~"
The group began filing out, discussing their newfound impressions as they left.
Sakura-no-Miya stood at the entrance, watching them go.
But as one particular Sakura Country girl passed by, she covered her mouth with a smile and whispered—
"Looks like life in a foreign land suits you well, Onee-san~"
Sakura-no-Miya turned to look at the petite girl, whose height wasn’t too far from her own. With a sigh, she replied—
"Unlike you, I imagine you’ve been in Linn for quite so ti now… without making a single friend."
"......"
The Sakura Country girl’s teasing smile froze instantly.
Then, in an attempt to save face, she huffed and pointed an accusatory finger at Sakura-no-Miya.
"Hmph! Sakura-no-Miya! The strong always walk alone, while the weak huddle together for warmth! It seems that after being away from the family for so long, you’ve grown weak… ha… hahaha…"
Sakura-no-Miya watched as the girl forced a laugh, her voice trembling toward the end.
After a brief silence, she said softly—
"If you want to cry, just cry. There’s no one else here."
"Ha… haha… w-why would I… sniff… wuuu… wuuu…"
Before she knew it, the girl’s tears began to fall.
She hiccupped pitifully, her voice breaking as she wailed—
"Uwaaaahh!! No one talks to !! Wuuu wuuu… It’s been months already… and I’m still all alone… I wanna go ho… I don’t wanna stay in this stupid place anymore…"
Sakura-no-Miya let out an exasperated sigh.
She reached out and gently flicked the girl on the forehead.
"Maybe if you stopped being so arguntative, acting like a know-it-all, and refusing to be honest with yourself, you’d make friends sooner."
"R-really…?"
"Really."
Sakura-no-Miya withdrew her hand, her expression shifting into an amused smirk.
"And one more thing, Sakura Ryou, my dear little cousin—show so respect and call
by my proper title. Don’t just casually say my na. Got it?"
"!!"
Sakura Ryou’s eyes widened.
Seeing the smirk on Sakura-no-Miya’s face, she imdiately sucked in a sharp breath.
She nodded quickly, taking a few steps back—
But then, just as she was about to leave, her expression suddenly changed.
Sticking out her tongue, she made a playful face and taunted—
"Not a chance!! Dummy Sakura-no-Miya!! Just because you're a few years older, you act like so kind of elder—hmph!"
A vein bulged on Sakura-no-Miya’s forehead.
But before she could react, the little brat had already bolted, disappearing down the hallway.
Sakura-no-Miya was left standing there, frustrated yet helpless.
Letting out a sigh, she turned and walked toward the Moonbell Clock Tower’s observation corridor.
From there, she could take in a panoramic view of the entire Far Moon Academy.
"That idiot’s got no sense of direction… after chatting with
for so long, she’s probably lost the tour group by now."
Leaning against the railing, she gazed into the distance.
The wind gently brushed past her face, washing away the polite, mask-like smile she had worn all morning—replacing it with her usual cold and distant expression.
Just as she was taking in the view, a voice suddenly spoke up beside her.
"Sakura-no-Miya Ojou-sama."
She didn’t even need to turn her head to know who it was.
As expected, the voice continued—
"Who would have thought? The noble daughter of the Sakura-no-Miya family, reduced to playing tour guide at school."
"The world hustles for profit, and the world bustles for gain…"
Sakura-no-Miya sighed, shaking her head.
"If my dear cousin hadn’t been in that tour group, I wouldn’t have bothered coming at all, Nara."
From the shadows erged a tall, elegantly dressed woman in a fitted suit, exuding an air of sophistication.
Stepping beside Sakura-no-Miya, she joined her in overlooking the campus.
"You two are relatives. That’s not exactly for profit, is it?"
"Everything people do is for profit. Even so-called ‘family ties’ are just another form of interest."
Sakura-no-Miya reached out, trying to grasp the passing wind—only to have it slip through her fingers.
"A family stays together through blood ties, pooling resources, supporting each other, and shielding themselves from risk.
"Bloodlines are like a natural contract—a binding alliance. Visiting relatives and maintaining connections is simply a way of reaffirming that contract.
"Even across the sea, it remains the sa.
"Sakura Ryou is my aunt’s daughter. Her father might be useless, but my aunt still has influence. Since she’s here anyway, keeping up appearances doesn’t hurt."
Nara remained silent, gazing at the campus below.
It was already late afternoon, close to dismissal ti, yet mbers of the Far Moon Student Council could still be seen moving busily across campus.
Wearing their official armbands, they coordinated volunteers, checked equipnt, cleaned the swimming pool, and liaised with school administrators—
All in preparation for the upcoming Club Battle.
Nara scanned the scene, then suddenly smirked, as if spotting sothing interesting.
"Sakura-no-Miya, is that girl down there the one you ntioned before—Yan Huan’s childhood friend?"
Hearing this, Sakura-no-Miya’s gaze shifted.
Below, walking with her head down in the golden light of the setting sun, was An Le.
"Wow. Big chest."
The mont those words left Nara’s mouth, Sakura-no-Miya’s previously neutral expression darkened.
She imdiately averted her gaze, scoffing—
"It’s the modern age, and you’re still stuck in primitive aesthetics? How tragic. How pathetic."
"……"
Nara said nothing, rely amused at how obviously bitter Sakura-no-Miya sounded.
But she also noticed sothing else.
She turned back to Sakura-no-Miya and asked—
"That girl… doesn’t seem very well-liked at school. Look at all the people whispering about her."
Sakura-no-Miya rested her chin in her hand, watching as An Le struggled under the weight of the murmuring crowd.
With a mocking smile, she replied—
"Oh, that’s just because Yuan Angelina—that loudmouth—spread the news about her and the President all over campus a few days ago.
"As for why she’s not popular… I’d say it’s because she’s too weak."
Nara raised an eyebrow.
"How so?"
"Claiming the title of ‘President’s childhood friend’ cos with both advantages and disadvantages… it all depends on how you handle it."
Sakura-no-Miya gazed at An Le with an expression as cold and impartial as a judge watching soone walk the tightrope of fate.
After a mont of silence, she delivered her verdict—
"The strong regard public opinion as a crown—they wear it proudly.
"The weak, however, see it as a thorn in their side—all they want is to find a place to hide from it.
"That Ye Shiyu girl, along with the President’s sister, has had her background quietly spread around as well. But do you see her trembling in fear? If anything, soone with her personality has actually gained quite a few friends from it.
"And then there’s An Le. She had the perfect opportunity to use the President’s influence to overturn her status—escape from being ignored and bullied in class.
"And yet, she couldn’t even grasp it.
"Even when the path to salvation is laid out before her, she lacks the courage to take it—just because she sees a couple of thorns ahead."
Sakura-no-Miya withdrew her gaze, no longer interested in looking at An Le.
"People like that… in the end, they’ll be crushed under the weight of their own circumstances.
"It may seem like external pressure is what destroys them, but in truth—it’s because they were too weak to begin with."
Nara chuckled at this and teased—
"And yet, you went out of your way to befriend her, ssaging her warmly on Plane, even paving the way for her to join a club?"
Sakura-no-Miya turned to Nara and replied flatly—
"If she didn’t have that connection to the President, do you really think I’d care whether she lived or died?
"If there’s no benefit, why would I ever waste my ti?"
"No matter where you are, who in this world helps others without expecting anything in return?
"People like that only end up getting hurt—over and over—until they’re left covered in wounds, their kindness completely taken advantage of."
She closed her eyes, taking a slow breath before changing the subject—
"Anyway, let’s focus on sothing more important.
"You’re here now—does that an you found what I asked you to investigate?"
"But of course."
Nara pulled out two stacks of docunts from inside her blazer and handed them over.
Sakura-no-Miya took them, flipping through the pages carefully.
The first thing she saw—
A photo of Ye Shiyu.
"Ye Shiyu… Mother: Ye Lan. Ancestral hotown: Tianjing, Longguo. After her parents divorced, she moved to Pengcheng, Handong, with her mother…"
As she read, her brows furrowed slightly.
She murmured—
"Interesting. The Ye family refused to approve Ye Lan’s marriage to this man… Song Chenggong.
"But even so, they still provided them with a house in Tianjing as a wedding ho."
She flipped the page, reading further.
"And yet, this Song Chenggong still had the audacity to cheat and gamble while married.
"In the end, Ye Lan kicked him out—and he sohow lost his ability to have children because of it?"
Nara leaned against the railing and gestured toward the docunt.
"That’s why she and Ye Shiyu left with nothing but the clothes on their backs."
"……"
Sakura-no-Miya didn’t respond, continuing to read.
Nara, still gazing out at the school grounds, suddenly smirked and said—
"But you know, Ojou-sama—that Yan Huan you’re so interested in…
"Isn’t he exactly the kind of person you just described? Soone who helps others without expecting anything in return?"
"You, of all people, like a guy like that?
"Isn’t that a bit hypocritical?"
Sakura-no-Miya’s eyes didn’t leave the docunt, but her lips parted as she replied—
"That’s exactly why…
"I must protect soone like him.
"I have to make sure he never gets taken advantage of.
"Never gets hurt."
Nara blinked in surprise, then let out a soft, amused laugh.
"Ah… I see.
"Just like how I must protect you, my dear Sakura-no-Miya Ojou-sama."
Sakura-no-Miya instantly shuddered, recoiling a step backward as she wrapped her arms around herself in disgust.
"Can you not say such creepy things, old woman? Absolutely revolting."
"……"
I want to die, but I also think soone else deserves to die more.
Nara clenched her jaw, suppressing the veins about to pop on her forehead.
Still, she exhaled slowly and composed herself before responding—
"Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t think Yan Huan is naive.
"He’s the type who knows exactly what he’s doing, what he wants to do, and has the ability to make it happen.
"Soone like him…?
"Even without you, Ojou-sama, he’d still go far in life.
"He doesn’t need your protection~"
Sakura-no-Miya didn’t reply.
She simply continued flipping through the docunts.
After Ye Shiyu’s file, the next one—
Aria Spencer.
Of course, she already knew the kind of person Yan Huan was.
And the "protection" she spoke of…
It wasn’t just the ordinary kind Nara was imagining.
No.
What she ant by "protection"—
Was keeping him safe from those mysterious individuals who possessed extraordinary abilities.
"Ye Shiyu… Spencer…
"Besides them… who else is there?"
DONG! DONG! DONG!
The loud tolling of the clock tower rang through the air.
The evening breeze scattered Sakura-no-Miya’s murmurs into the wind, leaving only the bells to mark the arrival of the weekend.
At the sa ti, elsewhere on campus…
Bathed in the golden hues of sunset, Sakura Ryou—still dressed in her Sakura Country attire—wandered through the vast grounds of Far Moon Academy, clutching her phone with teary eyes.
"Where… where’s the exit…?"
She was completely lost.
After getting separated from the tour group, no one had co to look for her.
Probably because they were sick of hearing her argue about everything all day and assud so rich young lady like her had a private car waiting.
But the truth was—
She had wanted to go back with everyone.
"Wuuu… I-I have no idea where I am…"
On her phone screen, a single contact was displayed—
"Sakura-no-Miya Hitomi."
That’s right.
She had her cousin’s number.
But after all the teasing and mockery she had thrown at her earlier…
Was she really going to call and beg for help now?
That would be humiliating.
So, she kept hesitating.
Kept wandering in circles.
Until the entire school started emptying out for the weekend—
And she was still lost inside.
"Ugh… no… no more! Just one more lap around—if I still can’t find the exit, then… then I’ll…"
THUD!
Just as she was about to make up her mind, she tripped.
The small girl tumbled to the ground, landing hard on her backside.
"Owwwwww!!"
Her body was fragile, and the pain shooting up from her tailbone made her gasp sharply.
Tears welled up in her eyes instantly.
"Wuuu… Onee-chan… wuuu…"
Screw it!
Dignity?
To hell with dignity!
She was going to call Sakura-no-Miya and beg for help!
She’d even bow her head and apologize if she had to!
Sniffling, she picked up her phone and prepared to dial.
But then—
A low battery warning popped up.
A bright red 0%.
"Eh?"
Her sniffles imdiately halted.
And in the next second—
She burst into full-on, uncontrollable wailing.
"Wuuu… wuuu… W-what do I do…? S-soone save …"
"Save you?"
A mont later, a male voice—calm and slightly amused—sounded beside her.
Sakura Ryou hadn’t even seen who it was yet, but the mont she heard his voice, her crying imdiately stopped.
Even her pitiful position—sitting helplessly on the ground—was swiftly adjusted into a more elegant side-reclining pose.
With the sleeve of her Sakura Country outfit covering half her face, she peeked toward the source of the voice.
Against the backdrop of the soft evening breeze brushing over the school lawn, she caught sight of a strikingly handso young man.
Dressed in ordinary casual wear like any other student, he carried a backpack slung over one shoulder and a plastic bag in one hand.
Under his gaze, Sakura Ryou instinctively tilted her head up slightly, still half-hiding her face as she spoke.
"You must have misheard. I was simply sitting here, basking in the golden glow of the sunset, admiring the beauty of the flowers and grass… Is there sothing you need from ?"
To complete the performance, she adjusted her seated posture into an even more graceful pose.
The young man stared at her for a second.
Then, suddenly, he laughed.
"Still pretending? You were about to die from pain just now, and now you’re acting like you were peacefully admiring flowers?"
Sakura Ryou brushed the dust off the hem of her skirt, standing up with practiced elegance. Covering her mouth lightly, she said—
"I-I wasn’t pretending at all! I was admiring the flowers! Hmph, how pitiful—soone who doesn’t even appreciate the beauty of the world around them~"
"Is that so?"
The young man smiled faintly, then added—
"For a second, I thought you were one of the middle schoolers visiting the campus today. That you got separated from the group, got lost, and have been wandering around all this ti…"
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and continued—
"I was thinking of helping you find the exit, but since you’re admiring flowers, I guess I’ll leave you to it."
"……"
"Bye."
Just as he was about to turn and walk away, a soft, delicate hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
"W-wait…!"
"Hm?"
"I… I, um… I did get lost… I don’t know how to get out of here… C-can you help …? A-and… my phone is dead… I don’t even know how to get ho…"
The young man turned back, glancing down at the girl gripping his sleeve. He let out a small, helpless chuckle.
Checking the ti, he muttered under his breath—
"I was supposed to go to Aunt Ye’s place today… Shiyu’s probably already waiting for
outside…"
"I-I won’t make you help
for free! I’ll pay you—!"
Hearing that, the young man looked at her again and smiled.
"Forget about the money. Co on, I’ll take you to borrow a power bank first, then I’ll show you the way to the exit."
"O-okay…"
He picked up his things and gestured toward a direction.
"There’s a convenience store with power banks over there. Let’s go."
"W-wait! I just realized—my phone is dead! How am I supposed to scan the QR code to rent a power bank?!"
The young man gave her a look.
A very… particular look.
Like he was staring at a complete idiot.
"I’ll scan it for you. Just return it later once it’s charged."
Sakura Ryou froze for a second, then muttered—
"O-oh… right…"
After walking for a while, she glanced at his back and hesitated for a mont before speaking again.
"…When my phone turns on, add
on Plane. I’ll pay you back."
"Forget the money. More importantly—can you walk faster? I’m in a hurry."
"I-I am walking as fast as I can!"
Like her cousin, Sakura-no-Miya, she wasn’t physically strong—athletics had never been her thing.
The young man didn’t say anything more and simply continued leading the way.
But the further they walked, the more restless Sakura Ryou beca.
She kept sneaking glances at him before finally asking—
"You… don’t want money? Then why are you helping ?"
"Because you look a lot like soone I know."
"Hmph. Is that so…? Well, just so you know, I don’t have any relatives in Linn. So if you’re expecting so kind of favor in return from an imaginary family connection—forget it."
The young man didn’t seem to care. He simply continued walking and said—
"That’s fine too. I’ll just take it as helping soone who reminds
of her."
"……"
Sakura Ryou fell silent, staring at his profile.
Then, after a pause, she suddenly asked—
"Y-you… what’s your na, Senpai?"
"Yan Huan."
"Yan… Yan Huan-senpai… Y-Yan… Huan?!"
She repeated his na, chewing over the syllables—
And the next second, her entire body froze.
Her eyes shot up toward him.
Against the backdrop of the fading sunlight, she caught a glimpse of his profile, his features seemingly glowing under the golden light.
Yan Huan.
The Student Council President.
The realization hit her like a brick.
And with it—
Ca the vivid mory of all the shit-talking she had done about the Student Council President just hours ago at the clock tower.
"Here we are—"
"……"
BEEP~
"……"
"I scanned it. Just return it when you’re done charging."
"……"
"Why are you just standing there?"
Still caught in a spiral of internal crisis, Sakura Ryou barely registered anything happening around her.
Until—
Yan Huan suddenly pressed the power bank into her hands.
Looking up, she saw him pointing toward a direction.
"Just walk straight down this comrcial street—it’ll take you to the main entrance. You can call a car or take a bus from there. Got it?"
"G-got it… T-thank you…"
Yan Huan turned back and gave her a brief, polite smile.
"Alright then, I’m off."
"Ah… um…"
Sakura Ryou opened her mouth, hesitated—then instinctively lowered her head and gave a small wave toward his retreating figure.
Watching his silhouette disappear, she suddenly felt a slight heat rising to her face.
She plugged in the power bank, and after a few seconds, her phone’s screen lit up.
Instantly, a flood of missed call notifications appeared.
They were all from Sakura-no-Miya.
Sakura Ryou blinked, still blushing, before pressing the call button.
"Beep… beep…—"
The call connected imdiately.
"Hello? Ryou? Did you catch up with the tour group? Your nanny said you haven’t co ho yet."
Hearing her cousin’s familiar, annoying voice—
For the first ti ever—
Sakura Ryou didn’t retort.
Didn’t mock.
Didn’t argue.
Instead, after a brief silence, she simply muttered—
"N-no… I’m still at school. I just… g-got lost for a bit."
"...So you did get lost. Wait a second, just now? Where are you—"
"I… I already found the exit! I’ll be taking a car ho soon!"
"Ah…"
"And also… um… s-sorry, Onee-chan!"
"...Why are you suddenly apologizing?"
Of course, it was because of all the tis she had mocked her cousin and badmouthed Far Moon’s Student Council President.
But in the next second—Sakura Ryou, being the eternally stubborn girl she was—imdiately blushed bright red and, in her embarrassnt, hung up the call.
On the other end, sitting in the student council office, Sakura-no-Miya stared at her phone in confusion.
She glanced at Nara, who was still idly examining the office, and her doubts only deepened.
"This dumb cousin… What the hell was she even up to all day…?"
Far Moon Academy—Front Gate
A shadowy black cat appeared on Yan Huan’s shoulder, its phantom-like form tense as it observed the scene ahead—
A sleek, luxurious black electric car was parked quietly on the asphalt road.
Standing just in front of the vehicle was a tall, slender young woman, her eyes fixed on her phone screen.
Her long, jet-black hair cascaded like silk, her expression unreadable.
Sensing movent, she lifted her gaze—
And her eyes locked onto the young man walking out of the school gates.
"Click."
The phone screen went dark as she powered it off.
Then, in a soft, cool voice, she called out—
"Little Huan, you’re here…"
"I got held up by sothing on the way, Sister Shiyu."
Ye Shiyu’s face remained emotionless as she glanced at the bag in his hands—the very clothes he would be bringing for his stay at her house over the weekend.
The realization made her breath hitch slightly.
Her lips parted, exhaling a faint puff of warmth into the evening air, though her voice remained as crisp and indifferent as ever.
"Let’s go ho, Little Huan."
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