Chapter 953

She could clearly notice that today's Orito Orihime was in a better mood than any other day when having breakfast.

Although her expression was still flat, the usual coldness and detachment surrounding her seemed to have faded slightly.

After discovering this subtle but indeed existing change, Konoe Hitomi couldn't help but remain silent for a long time, a trace of extremely complex micro-light flashing in the depths of her eyes that lacked emotion.

After Orito Orihime simply filled her stomach, she put down the tableware.

She noticed that it was getting late, so she picked up a napkin and wiped her lips gently with an elegant movement.

Subsequently, she stood up slowly and said to Konoe Hitomi, restoring that usual tone that carried a faint sense of distance.

"Hitomi, after he finishes eating, you send him away."

Konoe Hitomi nodded slightly and responded.

"Understood."

Orito Orihime heard this and didn't say a word of farewell or pleasantries, as if the short time together and observation were just an ordinary item on the schedule.

She turned around, her long black hair drawing a beautiful arc in the air, and left the dining room directly, her figure disappearing at the corner of the corridor.

Soon, the slight sound of the vehicle starting and driving away came from outside the window.

Natsume Chikage saw this and was a bit unable to understand the thoughts and behavioral patterns of this young lady of the Orito family.

Always like this, appearing suddenly, leaving suddenly.

However, that was none of his business, and he didn't need to speculate.

He was just someone found to paint, just paying the price of a few paintings to exchange for a high-quality apartment with extremely low rent, and today he could even mix in a high-standard expensive breakfast.

From the results, it was still... not bad.

He accelerated his eating speed and soon finished breakfast.

Konoe Hitomi stepped forward at the right time, her voice steady and waveless.

"Natsume-kun, please follow me."

The train, with its characteristic "clanking" sound and regular vibration, slowly stopped at the familiar platform.

The carriage door slid open to both sides with a "hiss."

Like a tide flowing, some people squeezed in hurriedly, and some poured out from inside.

Yukimura Suzune leaned against the inner wall of the carriage, holding a pocket-sized library book in her hand, but her gaze didn't fall on the pages.

She raised her head at the right time, her cold gaze sweeping quickly through the crowd pouring into the carriage, trying to find that tall figure that was already somewhat familiar.

However, after sweeping back and forth several times, she didn't see him at all.

She paused, her slender eyebrows furrowing imperceptibly, thinking that Natsume Ruri must have slept in late today, which was why Natsume Chikage didn't appear on this train on time as usual.

While thinking, Yukimura Suzune couldn't help but turn her head, her cold gaze looking through the slightly reflective carriage window toward the opposite platform where they usually boarded.

In her heart, she only felt that she shouldn't be able to see the figures of that pair of siblings either, after all, they might not have arrived yet.

But the result caused her to fall into a long silence.

Only to see on the opposite platform, Natsume Ruri and Kaga Reina were huddled together, seemingly saying something happily.

Kaga Reina smiled shyly, nodding from time to time.

The figures of the two were clearly visible.

However, Natsume Chikage was never beside them.

After witnessing this abnormal situation, Yukimura Suzune remained silent for a long time, her thin lips pursing slightly.

She took out her phone, the cold light of the screen illuminating her expressionless face, her fingers clicking quickly on the address book, sending a message to Natsume Ruri.

【Yukimura Suzune: Ruri, I see you, but why can't I see your brother?】

【Natsume Ruri: Brother? I don't know, when I woke up this morning, I didn't see him. But he did leave me a message, saying he had something to go out for, and let me go to school by myself today.】

Yukimura Suzune looked at the reply on the screen, her fingertips pausing on the cold screen for a moment.

【Yukimura Suzune:... I see.】

After replying briefly, she put away her phone.

Her thoughts, however, couldn't be controlled and became a bit messy.

She couldn't help but wonder, what exactly was the thing Natsume Chikage suddenly had to do today?

Yukimura Suzune, who felt her thoughts were a bit inexplicably chaotic today, shook her head gently, a few strands of hair brushing against her fair cheeks.

She felt that she had better not think too much.

Why was she thinking so much about Natsume Chikage today?

His affairs... what direct relationship did they have with her?

Right... she shouldn't think too much, this didn't conform to her consistently calm and rational style of doing things.

Yukimura Suzune took a deep breath, the slightly cool air poured in making her calm down a bit, stabilizing her somewhat drifting thoughts, and temporarily suppressing those groundless guesses.

Soon.

The train arrived at the station, and she got off with the crowd, walking toward Private Moonlight Academy.

She arrived at the door of the classroom of Class 1-A.

Quite a few classmates had already arrived in the classroom, and the noisy laughter and the sound of moving desks and chairs were mixed together.

However, just as she walked into the classroom.

Her gaze subconsciously, almost habitually, swept toward that seat by the window first.

Immediately, she saw Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai sitting beside Natsume Chikage.

The two were very close, their heads almost touching, looking at the same girl's manga spread out on the desktop together.

Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai puffed up her cheeks slightly, her lively eyes carrying a trace of small complaints, her voice soft and glutinous.

"Natsume-kun, you read too fast, I hadn't even finished reading that page just now, and you turned the page."

Natsume Chikage's current reaction ability and visual processing speed were much faster than ordinary people, so it was indeed easy to ignore others' rhythm when reading.

After her reminder, he realized this and smiled apologetically, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Oh oh, sorry sorry, I didn't notice."

Saying this, he reached out and turned the page back.

After witnessing this scene, Yukimura Suzune's steps at the classroom door stalled instantly.

Subsequently, her eyes, which were always calm and cold, narrowed slightly instantly, and she pursed her red lips tightly.

She walked toward her seat without saying a word, taking off the schoolbag slung over her shoulder, and the action of putting it into the desk didn't hold back at all.

The schoolbag collided with the desk, making a "thud" sound that wasn't very loud, but appeared exceptionally crisp under her deliberate control.

Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai and Natsume Chikage, who heard this abrupt movement, subconsciously raised their heads and looked toward the source of the sound.

Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai blinked her big eyes and greeted naturally.

"Good morning, Suzune."

Natsume Chikage also saw her and nodded.

"Good morning, Yukimura-san."

Yukimura Suzune had already sat down; she turned her head, her cold and fair face seemingly shrouded in a layer of thin ice, colder and more expressionless than ever before.

She just squeezed a short monosyllable from her throat.

"Morning."

After saying this, she looked at Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai, who was still sitting beside Natsume Chikage, her eyebrows furrowing imperceptibly, her tone carrying a trace of questioning that she herself hadn't noticed, different from usual.

"Have you finished reading that 'The Devotion of Suspect X' I lent you yesterday?"

Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai heard this and immediately remembered the important matter, an excited expression appearing on her face.

She gave an "ah," quickly stood up from beside Natsume Chikage, returned to her seat, bent down, carefully took out the novel that was carefully packaged from the desk cabinet, returned, and handed it back to Yukimura Suzune with both hands.

"I kept reading it when I went back last night, read it until very late, finished it, returning it to you."

Her voice carried the satisfaction of finishing the reading.

Yukimura Suzune paused, looked at the book handed over by her friend, remained silent for a while, and then reached out to take it in her hand.

And Natsume Chikage blinked and asked curiously.

"What do you think of this novel? Sister Xiyuan Si-san."

Sister Xiyuan Si Xiyuanji Qilai blinked her lively eyes thoughtfully, then gently clapped her hands, revealing her characteristic, natural, and simple smile without any heart.

"It's really very, very good."

"Especially the final reversal and ending, I completely didn't expect it to be like that; when I saw that part, I got goosebumps."

Her tone was full of praise.