Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 119

Not only that, after the girl who had just been startled recovered a little, she actually moved closer to Yuan Xudou again.

"Hey, what's your boyfriend's name?"

"Um……"

Chihaya Aine watched as the boy's lips moved, a somewhat troubled expression on his face, before suddenly realizing what he meant.

...Is Xu Dou trying to give me a way out?

But he must have heard those words... With his intelligence, he should have figured out that I was lying...

But, but—

"—Stop harassing Xu Douqin!"

As if injected with a renewed sense of life and hope, Chihaya Aine immediately pushed the girl back with her hand, complaining in a voice that sounded like she was angry, "Seriously, it's not as bad as you guys say."

"Ah! Chihaya, you're still hoarding your food!"

"No, it's because you and Xu Douqin are standing too close!"

"It won't hurt to get to know him..." she muttered resentfully, "Chihaya, why have you become so stingy?"

"That's not the same thing!"

"Hmph, still denying it." Another girl immediately followed up with accusations, "When we found out you were on a date with your boyfriend, you got so nervous you couldn't even speak. And you still say you weren't hiding it from us?"

She gave her a complex look, a mixture of envy and disdain. "So what if she has a boyfriend..."

Even though we went to the same all-girls junior high school and lived a school life without any boys, and I didn't even know many boys my age, Chihaya has already started holding hands with such a handsome boy... Damn it, I'm so envious!

"You must have come all the way back from London to be with your boyfriend, right?" she asked irritably.

The topic has come full circle, and Chihaya Aine's heart tightens. She subconsciously glances at Genjiro's expression beside her.

...If Xu Douqin is willing to cover for her, this excuse might actually be enough to keep the matter a secret...!

Now their imaginations are quite complete and believable. Because he secretly returned to China with a boyfriend he'd been dating for some time, he hadn't told his old friends and was living a clandestine life with his girlfriend. He figured if he asked them not to spread the word, the news could be kept quiet…!

Moreover, even if others find out, with their embellishments, they will only conclude that "Chihaya Aine has a boyfriend," and no one will imagine that "Chihaya Aine failed her studies abroad."

The premise is that Xu Douqin is willing to lie for her even though he knows she is lying—at least he doesn't expose her when she lies.

Is that even possible?

She had never seen Won Heo-doo lie, nor had she heard from anyone who knew him that he could lie.

From the very first meeting, he gave the impression of being incredibly trustworthy and calm, and upon getting to know him better, one could feel his pure sincerity that surpassed that of anyone else.

...Even Chihaya Aine, who was always full of confidence in herself, lacked confidence and believed that the boy would definitely condone the lie for her sake.

She knew very well that she and he were definitely not boyfriend and girlfriend. At most, they were just good friends.

However, Yuan Xudou probably already understood the reason for the situation, but his act of still intervening in the conversation for her sake made the girl's heart swell with some unrealistic hope.

The warm fingers that clasped tightly in each other's palms still remain there, following the pulse and the trembling of the skin, as if merging the heartbeats of the two people, making them inseparable.

"...Xu Douqin, I know you wouldn't lie."

'I...I have to admit it...If you don't deny it, I...I'll believe it.'

'Really? If you don't deny it... I'll really consider you my boyfriend...!'

After silently muttering to herself for a few seconds, Chihaya Aine steeled her resolve, took a deep breath, and nodded emphatically as if she had used all her strength.

"Oh, so what!" The girl's voice was tense, almost biting her tongue, as she spoke through her mouth. Yet, with a resolute determination, she accepted the fact. "I was originally planning to... later, yes! Later, then I'd come find you!"

"it is as expected!"

"It's too much!"

The two girls' indignant accusations were completely ignored by Chihaya Aine.

After admitting that she had returned to China to meet her "boyfriend," she immediately raised her head, her gray eyes, much brighter than before, brimming with expectation and trepidation, as she looked at the boy beside her.

Amidst the casual, joking words of reproach from her friend—words that wouldn't actually affect their friendship—Chihaya Aine patiently—or rather, had no choice but to patiently wait for Genjiro's reaction.

Although it may sound like an exaggeration... it really will determine whether her life can continue.

Will she escape this calamity, turn the tide, and even gain a useful excuse afterward, or will he deny it, causing her to fall completely into the abyss with no chance of recovery...?

'...Xu Douqin...'

His knuckles tightened until they turned white and bloodless, yet he was afraid of hurting the other person, so he could only repeat the cycle of loosening and tightening, just like the girl's fluctuating and anxious heart at this moment.

Finally, under the gaze of the three, Yuan Xudou nodded slightly.

"call--"

Chihaya Aine let out a long sigh of relief, then smiled triumphantly at them.

The worry and despair in her eyes vanished, and the girl, now with confidence, raised her eyebrows triumphantly.

"uh-huh?"

"Ah... Chihaya is so cunning."

"Everyone's always talking about you, but Chihaya, you're secretly enjoying life... It's so unfair." They murmured resentfully, clearly a little frustrated, "We're both still single..."

Feeling a little guilty for being complained about by her former friends, Chihaya Aine said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Let's get together again sometime in the future."

"Should we bring my boyfriend along too?"

"Well..." The girl, her eyes darting around, decided to avoid the topic and answered vaguely, "We'll talk about it later... By the way, could you please keep this a secret for me?"

"You don't want everyone to know you have a boyfriend, right? Okay, okay."

"I really envy Chihaya..."

Friction between girls is like an unpredictable downpour, coming and going quickly. Having found an answer that they could accept and justify, the girls sighed, exchanged pleasantries with Chihaya Aine, and then waved goodbye.

As for whether they will really keep it a secret as they say they will... Chihaya Aine, who is also a girl, is pessimistic about their sense of privacy.

...In no more than two weeks, the news that I have a boyfriend will definitely spread rapidly within my former social circle.

Using one lie to cover up another, that's the price you pay.

But at least it's much better than before... Having a boyfriend won't make you look at him with strange and disdainful eyes; you might even get envy.

...And finally, she had someone to share this lie with.

This was... the only thing she was grateful for.

"Kyorarin..."

Standing there watching the two walk further and further away, Chihaya Aine was finally able to relax. She dropped the cheerfulness and smugness on her face and wearily took a few steps closer to the boy beside her.

She tentatively reached out her hand, and seeing the hope in the girl's suddenly dimmed eyes, Genjiro slowly and took Chihaya Aine's slender hand.

The next moment, Chihaya Aine leaned half of her soft, delicate body into his arms without hesitation.

"...You guessed it, right?"

Her positive and optimistic demeanor was gone, and she managed to force a slightly bitter smile.

"Hmm, I can probably guess." He nodded slightly without denying it.

“…That’s true, after all, Xu Douqin, you’re very smart…” Chihaya Aine sighed quietly. Hearing such bad news, she seemed relieved, with a hint of self-abandonment. “Then I’ll tell you everything.”

"After you hear this... please don't make fun of me, okay?" She gently gripped the folds of the boy's clothes on his chest.

"Okay, I promise you." Yuan Xudou patted her back reassuringly.

"Then, let's go talk on that chair over there." Chihaya Aine tugged at his collar.

Chapter Fifty-Three: Unveiling the Past

"Xu Douqin, with your grades, you must have considered studying abroad, right?"

Using this sentence as an opening, the girl, who was sitting next to the two on the bench, lowered her head and began to reminisce.

"I remember seeing you at an event last April."

"I did consider it, but in the end I decided to stay in China for further studies," Yuan Xudou answered truthfully.

"...Why did you give up?" she couldn't help but ask.

For ordinary people, there are many specific and understandable reasons.

They are more accustomed to life in China and are not prepared to go abroad, or they do not believe that going abroad will bring them better personal growth...

But when it comes down to the individual, for Yuan Xudou, considering all the events that occurred at the time, there is only one answer.

"Ideas are not static."

A look of reminiscence crossed his face. He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the swaying, shadowy light cast by the trees. "Because I didn't want to go, I gave up."

"...It's so good to be able to make your own decisions."

With a hint of envy, Chihaya Aine murmured softly, raising her head along with him. However, her gaze did not fall on the lush green leaves above, but instead turned her face to the side, using an indescribable and complex look to meticulously trace the curve of his profile, as if she wanted to treasure the scene before her into the depths of her heart.

It was a mixture of envy for his ability to easily take responsibility for his own life and admiration for the boy's growing strength that made Chihaya Aine's voice incredibly gentle.

Normally, we can joke around and have fun... but at crucial moments like these, when we need to open up, we inevitably become serious and hesitant.

...The first person to accept my confiding was the patient and gentle Heo Doo-chin, which is wonderful.

Even if he makes a few sarcastic remarks, I won't feel too upset, as long as I'm not disliked.

“But I can’t be as carefree as you, Xu Douqin…” Chihaya Aine laughed self-deprecatingly. The dappled sunlight fell on the girl’s usually cheerful face, but only illuminated the corners of her mouth that were drooping with bitterness. “My family, my teachers, my classmates, and my friends all know that I’m going to study abroad.”

“Being able to study at a famous school abroad and live on my own in another country where I don’t speak the language must be considered very impressive and envied by my friends, right? Everyone has always thought I’m very outstanding.”

“‘If it were Chihaya, studying abroad would definitely be no problem,’ ‘Being able to study in London, Chihaya is truly worthy of it!’... Hearing such praise, I couldn’t help but feel elated.”

"Does Xu Douqin have that feeling? Everyone around him says, 'If it's you, you can definitely do it,' so he does something he can't actually do?"

Chihaya Aine gripped Genji's hand tightly with all her might, her hopeful yet weak gaze shining through her hazy eyes, seeking a sliver of comfort and understanding from him.

—Coincidentally, the boy had experienced this problem firsthand.

With a touch of sadness, he sighed silently.

"……I see."

“Then we’re in the same boat.” Feeling understood and accepted, and having found someone to comfort each other, a smile finally appeared on the girl’s face. “At that time, I really felt that I could do it, that I could live a life of being admired in London.”

"...That's really stupid."

Clutching her skirt, her empty gaze silently wandering across the ground beneath her feet, Chihaya Aine commented on her past self with a self-deprecating tone, "My spoken English in Japanese is utterly useless for communicating with foreigners—"

With an upbeat, positive tone, she uttered her most dejected words: "I can't fit in in terms of appearance, voice, or eating. In their eyes, I can't even speak clearly for a long time. I'm probably just a strange, presumptuous foreigner."

"Then, I couldn't even stay for a month... After only two weeks, I went back to China without telling any of my friends."

"Even if they don't say it, Mom and Dad must be very disappointed... that their daughter failed in her studies abroad and was forced to transfer back home as a deserter... something like this has never happened before."

Shedding all inhibitions, she indulged in hating and mocking her past self who was arrogant but ultimately failed miserably.

Even if it were Chihaya Aine from the day before, she probably wouldn't have had that kind of courage.

Because if even you can't stand such a vain and arrogant person, and can't continue to ignore your mistakes, then probably no one will acknowledge your failure.

It sounds incredible... It's probably hard for normal people to understand.

Because everything had always gone smoothly for him, he was seen as an excellent and perfect good child and friend by everyone. However, one day he made a major mistake that could not be made up for. So he desperately tried to cover it up, even resorting to more extreme actions, just to maintain the good image he had in the eyes of others.

The contrast was just too great!

From being an outstanding student admired by everyone to suddenly falling into a self-important failure, and possibly being talked about with contempt by former acquaintances behind your back... who can calmly accept such a thing?!

He boasted about studying abroad and even bragged about it, making sure all his acquaintances knew about it. How could he possibly end up quietly and uneventfully after failing?

There will definitely be people gossiping about her. Some dazzling and outstanding people who already dislike her will use this opportunity to belittle her, and she will find it difficult to hold her head high in such matters in the future...

...I really, really can't admit it to myself.

"...I hope everyone will genuinely feel, 'Chihaya Aine is amazing...'"

She turned her face to the side, her eyes glistening with tears, as if pleading for approval, and gripped the boy's arm tightly.

His body trembled slightly with unease, and even his usually bright face showed a shadow of unease.