No, for "Xiaoquan Aonai," it should be morning.

She should be hurriedly getting out of bed, randomly throwing on a brand-new dress, grabbing some bread, and running to class.

Instead of being here, burdened with guilt nearly severe enough for murder, crying those damn tears.

"It's all my fault, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Dubian Che had never been so upset.

She had been crying for a long time, and when Dubian Che's clothes were as soaking wet as if drenched by a cup of water, "Xiaoquan Aonai" gradually shifted to sobbing and slowly stopped her tears.

"I'm sorry," she said, choking up.

"This is all my fault, I'm the one who should be saying sorry."

"I nearly killed you."

"That's my fault, too, it has nothing to do with you," Dubian Che's tone was firm.

"Are you trying to comfort me?" "Xiaoquan Aonai" lifted her face.

That sixteen-year-old oval face, beautiful, youthful, vibrant, covered in tears.

"No," Dubian Che shook his head and replied in a low voice.

"Why? Because the future me was curious about Tokyo's handsome guys, I occupied your body, causing you trouble with your girlfriend, turned your life upside down, and in the end, I almost..."

Dubian Che closed his eyes.

In "Xiaoquan Aonai's" heart, she, just like him, took all the responsibility for everything upon herself.

But she was innocent, he was the one who was truly at fault.

"It was my fault," he gently patted her shoulder.

"Why?"

"I can't tell you the reason, but it's my fault, that's all."

"What the heck." "Xiaoquan Aonai" hit Dubian Che in the chest, feeling dissatisfied.

When her hand touched the part of his clothes wet with tears, she embarrassedly pulled away from his embrace.

"...Tomorrow, I'll wash it for you." She straightened her skirt slightly, hugging her slender legs, embarrassed.

"I go through one piece of clothing a day."

"Hmph, rich people," "Xiaoquan Aonai" murmured, a faint expression on her face.

Rich people, so high above, unreachable.

She was just a country high school girl.

"I often say," Dubian Che looked towards the small town in the distance, "the happiest time of my life wasn't when I had a billion yen, but when I first came from Iwate Prefecture to Tokyo, standing under the scorching sun holding up advertising signs, earning an hourly wage."

"Liar."

Dubian Che ignored her and continued:

"At that time, I had nothing, living in a cramped apartment, yet I felt like I had the whole world, my head filled with grand dreams."

"And now?" "Xiaoquan Aonai" couldn't help but ask.

"Now I am also very happy, I love my family, K-san and Mayi, and they love me too."

"After all, you still prefer the life of the rich," "Xiaoquan Aonai" looked towards the fireflies on the path.

"What I mean to say is, whether I have money or not doesn't relate to whether I am happy. It's okay if Meiji gives me money, but I'm also happy earning it through my own work."

"Perhaps only you think in such a way, everyone likes being given money."

Just like everyone naturally prefers city-savvy girls over rural country girls.

Dubian Che turned his head to look at the girl: "You're like that too."

"Me?" "Xiaoquan Aonai" incredulously turned her head and locked eyes with Dubian Che.

"Your future self, by her own efforts, got into Waseda, and then planned to buy an apartment in Tokyo on her own, without taking a yen from anyone. Not able to do it? With such a pretty oval face, a good figure, and being a teacher to boot."

"I wouldn't earn money that way."

"See, you are that kind of person, right? And it's not just talk, the future you really did do as you said," Dubian Che spoke.

"Xiaoquan Aonai" looked down at her own shoes.

"Dubian."

"Hm?"

"Where is this place?" Before she spoke, "Xiaoquan Aonai" was silent for a long time.

Perhaps what she wanted to say was not this. Was it a thank you? Or something else?

"It's a dream," Dubian Che uttered casually.

"I guess it's not a dream."

"Oh?"

"It's very likely a gap in time and space, where our two souls are having a cross-temporal conversation!" "Xiaoquan Aonai" seriously guessed.

"I see," Dubian Che nodded, "that would make sense."

The reality wasn't so romantic.

The system, in the name of protecting basic human rights, wouldn't allow "Xiaoquan Aonai's" soul, which seeks to escape reality, to wander to places where it shouldn't go.

That was all there was to it.

As for why he showed up here, only the system knew.

"Xiaoquan...",

"Call me teacher!",

"Mr. Xiaoquan, let's let bygones be bygones regarding what happened today. It's not about who's fault it is. People can't always dwell on the past; that way, they'll never be happy.",

"But... I almost killed you.",

"No harm done, right? And if it's about regrets, there's even less need for that. Even I have done things in life that I regret so much I wish I could start all over.",

"'Even I'? You make it sound like you're something special.", Xiaoquan Aonai said defiantly.

"There's nothing special about me, that's why I want to become special.",

"Also, not really, I think... you're already quite impressive.",

"Thank you.", Dubian Che said with a smile.

Xiaoquan Aonai became embarrassed, her hand scratching the snowy nape of her neck as she changed the subject:

"By the way, this is your first time seeing me, right? What do you think?",

"Stand up and let me have a look.",

"Okay!", Xiaoquan Aonai jumped to her feet, ran down the steps, and stood on the shrine's path.

She turned around, looking expectantly at Dubian Che sitting on the steps.

Bathed in the light of fireflies, and the bright moonlight, Dubian Che sized up the sixteen-year-old Xiaoquan Aonai before him.

The school's uniform shirt with its sleeves casually rolled to the elbow, the skirt that hung to her knees, and her beautiful, fearless brows and eyes.

Noticing Dubian Che's gaze, Xiaoquan Aonai shyly lowered her sleeves.

"You're very cute.", Dubian Che said.

"Ahaha.", Xiaoquan Aonai laughed both proudly and shyly.

"It's just like the bonfire at the shrine during New Year's."

"The New Year's shrine bonfire?", Xiaoquan Aonai asked, puzzled.

"The big bonfire that's lit with whole logs in the cold weather, throwing some twigs on top, where the sparks scatter like mist; you're as adorable as that."

"I don't get it.", she shook her head, then laughed for some inexplicable reason.

Dubian Che laughed along.

Across the shrine's steps, Xiaoquan Aonai stared at Dubian Che.

"What? Is there something different about my soul and my body?", Dubian Che stood up to let her look him over.

"There is a little something."

"Not as handsome?"

"No, it's just that, your soul seems so kind."

"Kind?"

"Yeah, like a soul that won't blame others, would forgive anything, and is filled with tenderness.", Xiaoquan Aonai affirmed.

"I wouldn't forgive anything and everything.", Dubian Che laughed, "I just prefer to look for my own mistakes before others', and, well—how should I put it? I don't like forcing anything on anyone."

"Don't like forcing on anyone? What do you mean?"

"Like, for example, you're willful, which I don't like, but I wouldn't force you to change just so I could like you."

"I'm willful?!"

"Huh?"

"I, I, I just speak a little louder, that's all!"

"Ah, I just can't bring myself to dislike Mr. Xiaoquan's quick-wittedness," Dubian Che said with a laugh.

Xiaoquan Aonai let out a snort of laughter.

Dubian Che walked toward the steps, coming up beside her.

"Let's go back, or your parents will start to worry if you don't wake up soon.", he said.

"Yeah.", Xiaoquan Aonai nodded.

She walked a few steps into the throng of fireflies—as if they had been waiting for her all along—and then, she turned back.

Dubian Che slightly raised his arm, and Xiaoquan Aonai also gave a gentle wave.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

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