"There! Don't run!"

The station attendant chased after Shiraishi and Matsumura, and when they were about to catch up to the stairs, a person suddenly jumped out from the side. The station attendant did not check for a moment and knocked the other person to the ground.

It was a woman, with a small bag slung across her body, sitting on the ground, frowning, and rubbing her red knees.

The station attendant hurriedly stepped forward and helped the other person up, "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

The woman smiled reluctantly and patted the dust on her skirt. "It's okay. It's my fault for not being careful."

After her interruption, when the station attendant raised his head and looked up the stairs, Shiraishi and Matsumura had disappeared. He looked back at the man who was still struggling, and had no choice but to turn back to assist his companions.

"Nanamin, does the fall hurt?" Fukawa walked over at the side and squatted down to check her knee with concern. Fortunately, it was just a red patch, and she accidentally knocked it when she fell to the ground.

Hashimoto didn't care and comforted her with a smile, "Don't worry, I was on the basketball team when I was in school, and I learned the diving skills to prevent myself from getting hurt."

"What kind of skill is that?" Fukawa said, dumbfounded. "And isn't it popular? Manatsu's skills are much better than yours."

That's right, Hashimoto rushed out deliberately just now in order to create an opening for Shiraishi and the others to escape. Although they were hit hard, it was not a useless effort.

With Fukawa's support, Hashimoto walked to the seat at the back of the stairs to rest.

Hashimoto put the bag aside and said in a joking tone, "I must be invited to dinner by Mai and the others from now on."

Fukawa sat nearby and watched the subway stop and go. At this time, there were not many people on the platform.

They came one step ahead of Shiraishi and saw Matsumura being entangled. Fukawa was about to rush over to rescue him, but was pulled back by Hashimoto again.

"Don't worry, Mai Mai, we won't need to show up."

Sure enough, Shiraishi walked down the stairs in three steps and rushed to Matsumura's side.

However, Fukawa did not feel relieved and at ease. When he was next to Hashimoto, the feeling of depression became even worse, as if there was a huge boulder pressing on his chest, which only added to the burden every time he breathed.

"Nanamin, have you expected this result?" Fukawa leaned on the seat and put his hands on his legs that were stretched out as much as possible. The toes of his shoes hit each other "ta, da, da" and then separated.

"How is that possible," Hashimoto said with a smile, "I just think it's better for the two of us to solve the problem by ourselves. Look, isn't this situation pretty good now?"

"Ma Yi ran away with Sayuri. Although we don't know where they went, nothing will happen to them together. It's better to take this opportunity to talk about the misunderstanding than to keep it in your heart. You're right.

Come on, Mai Mai."

Fukawa lowered her head, not knowing what her expression was like now. She just muttered "Yeah". She felt that she was a bit stupid for thinking about this matter. If she could have known this earlier, there would be no need for such a wasted effort.

.

What made her feel even more uncomfortable was Hashimoto's control over the situation. She looked at the interpersonal relationships in the small circle she was in so objectively. Occasionally, Fukagawa noticed the calmness and indifference in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel a little powerless.

.

It seems that no matter how well you hide your little emotions, clues will be found, and the mysteries will be solved one by one, and the only truth will eventually be revealed.

"It's just that I feel a little sorry for Mai Mai."

Hashimoto's sigh seemed to be spoken casually, making Fukawa widen his eyes slightly.

Eh?

She turned to look at Hashimoto, who was leaning on the back of the chair.

Hashimoto put his palms on his knees and pressed them gently. The words he spoke made Fukawa's brain go blank for a moment. He only felt that the fleeting white light when the subway entered the station suddenly overwhelmed all the colors in his field of vision.

In that whiteness, only Hashimoto's voice stood true and clear.

"Because, Mai Mai, you also like Mai Yan, right?"

It was obviously a question, but what she said was firmer and thicker than an affirmation. It was like an absolute piece of evidence that defeated the suspect's all kinds of sophistry. No matter how much you say, you can't stir up any trouble.

"……why would you say so……"

Fukawa's mouth felt a little dry, and his head suddenly felt dizzy. He wondered if the two glasses of wine he drank before were taking effect now, and the timing of the alcohol evaporation was too bad.

"After all, I lived with you and Maimai in the early days of our stay together. We have been together for so long, so I can't help but notice some things."

"..." Fukawa opened his mouth, but found that he could not make a sound smoothly at all.

She felt like she was in the last carriage of the train, which had been disconnected without authorization. After losing the power to drag her, she could only slowly pull away from the main carriage.

The train is still running on its own.

"Maimai, you are very gentle. If there are requests from other members, even juniors, you will probably not refuse them. However, you treat Mai in a slightly special way."

What are you talking about, Nanamin...

"When we first stayed together, Mai Mai would often take the initiative to chat with Mai-yang who was alone and act together. You must have cared about Mai-yang very much from that time on."

Well, it's obviously Nanamin. You often sigh when you see Maiyang who is alone. If you are alone again, I will take you there to chat...

"Didn't our relationship become very good after that? Every time we have a party, I just call you. You will come out as long as you don't have work, even if you are far away. I know all this."

Because you, Nanamin, will be there at that time. I just wanted to meet you, Nanamin, so I didn’t care about the distance.

The whistling sound of the subway in Fukawa's ears became louder and louder. She seemed to have fallen into a hole with air leakage from all sides, being blown left and right, making her body weightless. Hashimoto's voice gradually became noisy and trivial.

"I..." She then realized that she could speak, although it was a little hoarse.

"I just can't stand a person like Mai, it's not because-"

"Mai Mai, you don't have to deny it," Hashimoto smiled, "Mai Yan and I are just friends. Sayuri may like Mai Yan, but I guess it's not to that extent yet. So you don't have to worry, Mai Mai."

Looking at Hashimoto's smile, Fukagawa felt a great irony. This kind of irony is common in subway stations. It didn't just appear now, but the slow Fukagawa only noticed it at this time.

To her left and right, two subways running in opposite directions kept a distance that was neither closer nor farther, running on the same road section day after day, year after year. It was very similar to them, wasn't it?

She treats others gently and tries hard not to let those around her get hurt, but she often forgets to treat herself gently. This is definitely not the true meaning of gentleness. She is afraid of causing trouble to everyone, so she hides her sincerity again and again, but... she forces herself to do so.

Accommodating others may be more serious than causing trouble.

Fukawa suddenly felt a little funny.

Hashimoto, who used to be objective, calm and analytical, would stumble on this issue. What is this, being clever but being misled by cleverness?

It turns out that Nanamin also has such stupid moments...

"Nanamin, you are really smart..." Fukawa smiled bitterly.

The spring that has been suppressed, once the force exerted is released, I am afraid that it will never return to its previous state.

"Maimai is just too obvious," Hashimoto patted her head, picked up the small bag and stood up, "If you need any help, just ask and I will support you. Okay, we should go back.

.MISA needs to notify them as well.”

Unexpectedly, Fukawa grabbed Hashimoto's hand.

The wind brought by the subway entering and exiting the station made her feel a little chilly, and the strength in her hands became stronger unconsciously.

"...Maimai?"

Seeing that Fukagawa kept his head lowered, Hashimoto was a little hesitant.

The toppled dominoes finally fell over the last one.

"But," Fukawa continued.

She raised her head, with the same smile on her face.
Chapter completed!