Chapter 419

After finishing the late-night snack, the white cat had silently left the room at some point.

Natsume Chikage glanced at the clock on the wall; the hands were approaching ten-thirty.

"Kaga-san, it's getting late; let me see you downstairs."

Kaga Reisa nodded shyly:

"Mm... sorry to trouble you, Natsume-niisan."

Soon.

The two arrived at the bright lobby downstairs of the high-end apartment building.

Natsume Chikage stopped:

"I'll see you off here. Bye-bye."

Kaga Reisa stood inside the door, waving shyly:

"See you tomorrow... Natsume-niisan."

After watching Natsume Chikage's figure disappear around the street corner.

Kaga Reisa slowly opened the sketchbook she had been holding, her fingertips gently stroking the front-facing portrait of Natsume Chikage on the paper.

A faint blush appeared on her cheeks again, thinking that when she got back, she must find a beautiful frame to carefully mount and collect this drawing.

And Natsume Chikage also returned home quickly.

After a simple wash.

He prepared to rest.

He stood by the room's only light switch, looking at his sister who was already rubbing her eyes and drowsy, and said softly:

"Brother is turning off the light now."

"Mm-hmm..." Natsume Ruri responded groggily, having already crawled into the quilt and wrapped herself up.

Click.

The three-mat room plunged into darkness, with only a faint halo of streetlights filtering through the gap in the curtains.

Listening to the steady and peaceful breathing coming from his sister's bed.

Natsume Chikage also quietly returned to his own bed and lay down.

He skillfully pulled out the phone by his pillow, the cold light of the screen illuminating his face in the darkness.

As usual, he prepared to check for unread messages; if there were none, he would write his novel for a while before sleeping.

Tapping on LINE.

He discovered that Yasui Ryoto, Kondo Miyuki, Yukimura Suzune, Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai, and Fujiwara Aoi had all sent messages.

Natsume Chikage first tapped on the message Yasui Ryoto had sent after nine o'clock.

【Yasui Ryoto: Natsume-kun, didn't we agree to treat you to a meal? I heard from Yuai that you set it for next Monday? I'm fine with that; is there any shop you particularly want to go to? Or anything you want to eat?】

【Natsume Chikage: I don't have any particular shop in mind; you and the senior can decide, I'm fine with anything.】

【Yasui Ryoto: Any dietary restrictions or things you don't eat? If so, let me know in advance.】

【Natsume Chikage: No restrictions, I eat everything.】

【Yasui Ryoto: Alright! Then I'll scout for some good shops these next few days and send you the address once I've found one.】

【Natsume Chikage: Sounds good, sorry to trouble you, Senior.】

After replying to Yasui Ryoto.

Natsume Chikage tapped on the message Yukimura Suzune had sent around ten-thirty.

【Yukimura Suzune: Natsume-kun, are you there?】

【Natsume Chikage: I am, Yukimura-san, is something the matter?】

The message waited for a while before being replied to.

【Yukimura Suzune: It's about the "mutual collection" activity Xiyuanji Qilai proposed after school.

I wanted to ask, is there any item you particularly want to collect from me?

If there is, I can see if I have anything similar at home.】

【Natsume Chikage: There is.】

In front of the desk.

Yukimura Suzune, wearing off-white pajamas, looked at the reply popping up on her phone and was slightly stunned.

She hadn't expected Natsume Chikage to reply so quickly.

It seems... he already has a clear target?

Yukimura Suzune didn't know what she thought of, but her cold cheeks flushed with a faint, imperceptible blush, and then she narrowed her eyes gently.

Hopefully he won't propose wanting to collect something "strange"... If he really dared to say that, she would definitely not let him off easily.

【Yukimura Suzune: So... what item of mine have you taken a fancy to?】

【Natsume Chikage: I remember you have a literary-style trinket shaped like an ink bottle hanging on your school bag; I want that one.】

Seeing this message, Yukimura Suzune immediately turned her head to look at the school bag hanging on the back of her chair.

That deep blue acrylic trinket, made in the shape of a vintage ink bottle, was hanging there quietly.

She blinked, a hint of confusion appearing on her face.

She hadn't expected Natsume Chikage to want this at all.

This thing... isn't worth any money at all.

It was just something she had hung on casually because she thought the design was unique and suited her tastes.

Yukimura Suzune couldn't understand why Natsume Chikage would specifically want to collect such an ordinary little trinket.

However... as long as it wasn't something particularly strange, it wouldn't hurt to give it to him.

She had even selected a few "collectibles" she thought could be used for exchange by her desk in advance.

And he just wanted this?

She couldn't help but ask further.

【Yukimura Suzune: Why this little trinket?】

Natsume Chikage looked at the screen, thought for a moment, and decided to use a reasonable excuse to brush it off.

【Natsume Chikage: I think it looks quite nice.

I've looked for it outside, but unfortunately, I couldn't find the same one.

Of course, if this trinket has special significance to you and it's inconvenient to exchange, just pretend I didn't say anything.】

【Yukimura Suzune: That's not it... it doesn't have any special meaning.

It's just that this thing really isn't worth any money; you didn't find it before, probably because you didn't look in the right place.

They should be sold in general merchandise supermarkets like Don Quijote.

So, you can actually buy it in those places.

There's no need to specifically exchange for this.】

Yukimura Suzune turned her head and glanced at the few small items she had selected on her desk.

Among them, that old literary book was faintly shimmering with a glow she couldn't perceive.

She had actually prepared collectibles for exchange early on, just waiting for him to speak up.

【Natsume Chikage: No, I only want this literary trinket!】

【Yukimura Suzune: Can... you tell me why it absolutely has to be this one?】

【Natsume Chikage: I understand; as long as one has the heart to look, one can always find the same trinket somewhere eventually.

But what Sister Xiyuan Si-san proposed was "mutually collecting our respective items."

In this situation, value and commonality are not the key.

The point is, it must be "yours."

It must be this item that belongs to "Yukimura Suzune."

If it's not yours, then it has no meaning at all.

Since it's hung on your school bag, it must have special meaning; precisely because of that, it has even more collection value!

So I only want this one, it must be yours.】

Yukimura Suzune stared blankly at the lines of text popping up on the screen one after another.

Her cold cheeks, for some reason, slowly climbed with a more obvious blush, and even the fingers holding the phone, ready to type, trembled imperceptibly.

【Yukimura Suzune:... Since you're so insistent, suit yourself. Don't regret it when the time comes.】

Natsume Chikage felt a secret joy in his heart. ===== CHAPTER 420 =====