Chapter 325 : No, Go Away!
“Ling Ning, you still remember this spot, huh~”
Standing by the back gate of the orphanage, Bai Yiyue watched Ling Ning skillfully locate the broken fence post, her expression filled with nostalgia.
“I… I don’t even know why I remember. It just felt like I’d been here countless times before,” Ling Ning replied, her voice sounding a bit dazed.
This time, the sense of familiarity was much stronger than the last time she’d visited, likely because she’d recovered a lot of her childhood memories recently. Or maybe it was because she was here with Bai Yiyue.
Or, perhaps, it was both.
Seeing the familiar surroundings, Bai Yiyue beamed. “Hey, Ling Ning. Did you know? Today is the anniversary of our first meeting, and, for me, it’s also my true birthday~”
“Back then, I didn’t even know my own birthday. You were the one who told me to make this day my birthday. And that little bear plushie I have? You gave it to me as a birthday gift.”
“Eh!?”
Hearing this, Ling Ning froze. When Bai Yiyue had asked if she remembered today’s date, she’d vaguely guessed it might be related to Bai Yiyue’s birthday, but she’d thought it was long past. This unexpected revelation left her momentarily speechless.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, Ling Ning. It’s not your fault you don’t remember our childhood memories yet,” Bai Yiyue said with a gentle smile.
For reasons she couldn’t understand, looking at Bai Yiyue’s smile made Ling Ning feel a sudden pang in her heart.
“Hey, don’t dwell on it,” Bai Yiyue said, pulling her over to the swings. “Let’s swing together, just like we did when we were little.”
Without saying a word, Ling Ning sat on one of the swings, and Bai Yiyue stood behind her, giving her a gentle push. Neither of them spoke; they were simply savoring this familiar feeling from long ago.
“Higher, Xiao Bai, higher!”
“Hold on tight, then.”
“Whee~ I’m flying!”
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Seeing Ling Ning’s faraway expression, Bai Yiyue looked at her with curiosity. “What’s on your mind, Ling Ning?”
“N-nothing, Xiao Bai,” she stammered, flustered.
“Wait… what did you just call me? Does this mean you’re starting to remember things?” Bai Yiyue asked excitedly, wrapping her arms around Ling Ning from behind.
That nickname, Xiao Bai, was something young Ling Ning had used because of a favorite anime where the main character’s pet dog shared the name. Given that “Bai” was also part of Bai Yiyue’s name, young Ling Ning had naturally adopted it as a nickname for her friend. Though later, Bai Yiyue had persuaded her to stop—it sounded too much like she was calling her a puppy.
“Let go of me! I didn’t remember anything!” Ling Ning protested, struggling against Bai Yiyue’s hug.
“Liar! You totally remembered something!”
After a bit of playful scuffling, Bai Yiyue suddenly recalled something. She ran over to the loose fence post, pulled it out, and started digging at a spot in the ground nearby.
“What are you doing?” Ling Ning asked, following her with a puzzled look.
“You’ll see soon enough~”
After digging for a while, Bai Yiyue hit something with a crisp sound. A little more digging revealed a large glass jar, old and slightly dirty, filled with papers and drawings from their childhood. Ling Ning stared, surprised. “Are these things we buried when we were little?”
“Of course! We promised we’d dig it up together someday. I almost forgot it myself,” Bai Yiyue replied with a grin, trying to open the jar, only to find the lid stuck tight. Frustrated, she picked up the fence post and smashed it against the glass.
“Be careful not to cut yourself,” Ling Ning cautioned.
“I know, I know.”
Bai Yiyue carefully discarded the broken glass and scooped up the drawings from inside. With a look of triumph, she handed them to Ling Ning.
The pictures were doodles they’d drawn together as kids. Even back then, it was clear that Ling Ning had the makings of a “soulful artist.” One particular drawing caught her attention—it was illegible, but several wobbly words were scrawled across it.
“I want to be Xiao Bai’s bride!”
Ling Ning read the words aloud, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her.
Bai Yiyue’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the drawing—this was the one she’d been looking for. She snatched it away before Ling Ning could destroy it in a fit of embarrassment. “See, Ling Ning? You promised to be my bride when we were little!”
“Hand it over! I was just a kid—I didn’t know what I was saying.”
“No way! If I give it to you, you’ll destroy it, and this is very important evidence!”
“Bai Yiyue, give it back, or I’ll—”
“Nyah-nyah, try and catch me~”
After a bit of playful chasing, Ling Ning stood panting while Bai Yiyue looked as fresh as ever. How did things end up like this? I’m exhausted, and she’s still full of energy. I seriously need to start working out. At this rate, I’ll never be able to overpower her, she thought with determination.
“Alright, Ling Ning, enough fooling around. I have something else to show you~” Bai Yiyue said with a mysterious smile.
“What is it?”
“Come here, and you’ll find out~”
Ling Ning, still a bit suspicious, approached her friend. She was wondering if she’d hidden something else nearby, but the next thing she knew, Bai Yiyue had her pinned against the wall and leaned in for a kiss.
At that moment, it all came back to her. This was the very spot where young Ling Ning and Bai Yiyue had shared their first kiss.
“Mmm~”
When they finally pulled apart, Ling Ning noticed a thin, shimmering line between their lips.
“Feel familiar?”
“No! Get away from me!”
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Author's Note:
Recently, Lazy Fish has become obsessed with Akane Minagawa. Isn’t the “femme fatale” trope amazing? If only she and Hanabi could end up together!