Go back to your apartment, turn on the lights, close the door, and take off your shoes.
After a series of reflexive actions, the girl threw the bag aside and lay down on the sofa, staring at the ceiling in a daze.
Although the whole day's work today was not very busy, and not many things happened, the ups and downs of my mood were no less than a hard battle.
Being alone at this time, it is inevitable to feel a little mentally tired.
The night wind gently slapped the balcony window, and the neon lights on the street leaked into the house through the gaps. After staring at the ceiling for a while, Mai Shiraishi finally felt that she had regained some strength, so she got up and turned on the TV. .
The evening news was playing on the channel, and the host in front of the camera emphasized being polite. The girl was not a person who was keen on watching the news, but she had no intention of changing the channel at the moment. Turning on the TV is just a habit. Living alone is certainly more free and relaxed, but freedom often also means loneliness, especially the loneliness brought by silence.
In order to resist this kind of loneliness, TV often plays a crucial role. You don’t turn it on specifically to watch something, it just acts as a familiar background sound. Silence is beautiful, but too quiet can easily make people go crazy.
Especially in this mood now.
With the TV playing in the background, the girl made a few side dishes, took out the canned beer that had been prepared from the refrigerator, put them together on the small coffee table, and sat on the carpet to have a drink.
Since becoming an adult, the biggest benefit for Mai Shiraishi, apart from being able to move out of the dormitory and live alone, is probably that she can drink openly. As the saying goes, a drink can solve a thousand worries. Sometimes, even if you don't need to get drunk, you still feel good, like now.
Especially beer. After all, she is not as keen on drinking beer as Micai Eto, a member of the group's bartenders. No matter what type or taste, she is willing to drink it, and she drinks it well. For girls, red wine is too complicated, and the quality gap between top-notch and ordinary wine is too big. It is difficult for ordinary people to drink it properly without rich experience. Liquor is too strong, and not to mention the taste, it is easy to get drunk after a few sips. Girls drink more just to relax, unlike when they are hungover and forget about work.
As for fruit wines such as plum wine, the taste is too sweet. Rather than being called wine, it is more appropriate to call it an alternative fruit juice. After drinking it for a long time, only beer has the most alcoholic feeling, and at the same time, it won’t cause too much impact, so I just drink this one specifically——
"Ha~"
After finishing a glass of ice-cold beer, Shiraishi Mai let out a long sigh of contentment and finally felt a little relieved.
Bored, the girl casually picked up the mobile phone lying on the sofa and looked down at the screen.
When I clicked on the group, the content and atmosphere were as lively as ever. Someone in it had just announced a cherry blossom viewing activity. There were all kinds of messages below in response to this news.
Mai Shiraishi watched silently. Her mood, which she had just relaxed for a while, gradually became complicated again. She took a sip of beer silently and was about to turn off her phone when a message popped into her eyes.
Hashimoto Nanami: [Mai-like? 】
Then there was another one: [Are you asleep? 】
Nanamin!
Mai Shiraishi's pupils shrank, looking at the familiar name, she began to feel a little panicked for no reason. What is Nanamin doing with me at this time? What happened? Or did you notice something? How could it be at this time——
After a while of random thoughts, my mood gradually calmed down, and I took it easy when it came. It was already this time anyway, and it didn't matter even if I was noticed. Besides, although Nanamin rarely contacts me, it's not that she doesn't. It's not too late now, so it's normal for her to chat with me if she has anything to do, right?
So gently click to open the conversation.
[Not yet, what’s wrong? 】
After a brief pause, a message of congratulations appeared below.
[Ah...it's nothing, I just suddenly remembered that I forgot to mention it during the day. Congratulations on becoming the center, Mai-san! 】
It turned out to be because of this...
Seeing this message, Shiraishi Mai was relieved, quickly put down her chopsticks, typed a thank you and sent it back.
【Mai looks very nervous, is that okay? 】
[It’s okay, I was just a little too surprised at the time, that’s why I looked like that and cried. After that, I got much better. 】
[But there is still pressure, right? 】
【Um. 】
Just chatting briefly back and forth like this, Shiraishi Mai seemed to have returned to her usual mood when getting along, and the panic and anxiety just now disappeared.
Nanamin is still the same Nanamin, and nothing has changed. If it weren't for the fact that she happened to know such a big secret, I'm afraid she wouldn't have noticed any clues until the news was finally revealed——
The girl sighed silently in her heart.
But she didn't blame the other party for concealing her intentions. After all, this kind of thing belonged to the other party's privacy. Besides, it's a matter of great importance, so it's normal to choose to hide it. It would be the same if it were you.
However, at this moment, Hashimoto Nanami on the other end suddenly sent a message.
[By the way, Mai Xian, when Bai Yunsang explained the work to me just now, he mentioned you. 】
Baiyun Sang?
Looking at this simple message, Shiraishi Mai's mood was extremely complicated. Her heart lifted up unconsciously. Her face couldn't tell whether it was nervousness or anticipation. She just subconsciously typed a word with her fingers and sent it back.
[What did you mention about me? 】
[He is a little worried that you are under too much pressure. He seems to be saying that there seems to be something wrong with your state, so he specifically asked me to help comfort you——]
Something's not quite right?
Mai Shiraishi was startled, and then she realized that it was probably because of her performance just now. She thought she had hidden it well enough, but she didn't expect that the clues would still be seen. Fortunately, the other party didn't know the actual situation. He just thought it was because he was under too much pressure, so he behaved a little strangely, but he didn't go into details——
Thinking that someone not only observes so carefully, but also has such a delicate mind, and because of the inconvenience of his identity, he also specially asked Nanamin to comfort him... The girl's expression couldn't help but soften, and the indescribable feeling in her heart slowly flowed. Pass.
only......
It would be nice if that didn't happen.
Mai Shiraishi's expression was gloomy, and she was in a daze for a long time. Then she finally came back to her senses, lowered her head and opened the already darkened screen, and replied in a hurry.
【Yeah? Help me...Thank you Baiyun-san. 】
Typing this text with complicated emotions, the girl looked at the other person's profile picture on the screen, bit her lip and added another sentence.
[And thank you, Nanamin. 】
【Won't. 】
On the other end, Hashimoto Nana did not reply but was still quick and concise. It seemed that she had been waiting silently, and she did not relax at all even when the girl was distracted.
【Come on, Maiyang. 】
【Um. 】
[It may be hard for you to be in center for the first time, but it doesn’t matter. Everyone will support you and I will try my best to support you, so there is no need to feel too much pressure. 】
The simple words reveal sincere emotions. As always, for girls, there are probably many reasons why they care so much about a girl named Hashimoto Nanami. After all, girls have countless advantages.
But the most important reason is probably the character revealed at this moment, sincerity, seriousness, gentleness, and handsomeness. These factors that once impressed her now make her feel doubly embarrassed.
It took a long time before I typed a reply.
[Thank you, Nanamin. 】
[You're welcome, after all you have become the center, we are still friends, right? 】
Are they still friends...?
The girl's eyes were lowered, her long and slender eyelashes trembling slightly. She was thinking about the scene she saw in the cabin that day and the choice she would make soon. She looked at this text in silence for a long time without saying anything.
The bitter smile reflected vaguely on the black phone screen.
[Yes, we are friends, Nanamin. 】
