Yu Nai suddenly chimed in cheerfully from the side.

She almost ruined my entire look with the way she dressed me up!

Seeing the sly expressions on Yu Nai and Yuanhui's faces, I really couldn't bring myself to agree.

"Come on, you woke up too early, let me finish drawing your eyebrows first, then you can wake up later..."

"I... wake you up, you big-headed fool!"

I angrily knocked the wig off my head, turned around, and prepared to leave.

But I was quickly brought down by the quick hands of the two, with Yu Nai holding my right arm and threatening me as I struggled.

"I mean, you can't escape anywhere now, so you might as well surrender obediently!"

"Idiot, how could I ever do such a thing, stop talking nonsense."

In fact, initially, they both wanted me to pretend to be Yuanhui's girlfriend for a day, because Yuanhui and his younger sister had always been dependent on each other, so they needed to appear strong in front of her.

As for that Yu Nai, was she just trying to embarrass me in public for fun?

"Hey!"

As I took off my skirt, I mocked her, saying, "Since you're so sympathetic towards him, why don't you be his girlfriend instead?!"

"Well..."

"My act might be exposed anyway, wouldn't it be better to have a real girl instead?"

This time, Yuanhui seemed even more desperate than usual.

"I really need your help..."

I scolded him indignantly, "Are you trying to deceive your sister again? If you don't have a girlfriend, you just don't have one, and I'm not going!"

Now, there was only me left, and what saddened me was that Yu Nai wasn't inviting me, but plotting against me!

"Juxi!" it was Yu Nai, "Please, just this once, I promise I won't trick you again!"

I ignored her and continued to leave.

"Hey, Juxi, I'm not lying to you this time."

I turned around, and Yu Nai was panting, "It's snowing heavily today, also look!"

She took out her phone in front of me, "It's almost 9 pm now, would you like to come to my place for dinner? It's just my mom at home."

Not going would make the upcoming mission seem like a waste.

"Okay," I compromised, "I never do things that damage my image, so this is the last time!"

I was right!

In an empty park, waiting for the New Year bell to ring.

But that promise of mine... really became the last time.

*Cough, cough, cough!*

The junior and I were slowly moving our feet at the edge of the cliff, which was full of ice blocks.

"Oops!"

He accidentally stepped on a corner, and his whole body began to tilt forward.

"Be careful!"

Whoosh—!

A dark shadow swept past us, then one after another began to fall vertically.

Without caring about the snow stains on my clothes, I quickly pulled him to the edge of the cliff, finally...!

Before we could stand firm at the cliff's edge, we both fell down towards the mountain due to the collapse of the platform.

"Ahhhh...!"

At that moment, I could be sure that he was dead. If not for following me, he might have...

No, if it weren't for this mission, he wouldn't have...

My eyes were filled with despair, feeling it would be too bitter to end so easily, right?

It's both laughable and infuriating, shouldn't the one worrying at the last moment be oneself?

Yet here I am, fretting over a young lad younger than myself (or so it seems), contradicting my initial intentions.

After all, should I not have grown weary of this world by now? But then why?

The incessant avalanches in the snowy mountains forcefully separated our tightly clasped hands, bidding farewell to the newcomer between us whom we hadn't even had a chance to get to know each other, not even knowing each other's names.

"I haven't completely forgotten... I haven't forgotten the last remnants of human emotions!"

That small hand that slipped away left me with a sense of déjà vu, where have I encountered it before, or have I?

Can I find it? Can I...?

The wind and snow swept through the already dilapidated garden, blowing away the last leaves on the trees.

Even in the face of the unknown white light, I can only stay in this desolate city, as if urging me to destroy this city, maybe even that wouldn't satisfy!

"It's precisely because of the lack of ties, so that..."

So losing the courage to live on, in fact, I know myself that encounters, regardless of good or bad, are all part of life.

Compared to a compassionate heart, my heart is a bit twisted.

I still remember, long long ago, my mother once told me with her own mouth.

"Juxi, if one day someone can make you say, 'Trust me enough to entrust it to me,' then..."

Once loved, or the one who loved, will they be as clear-headed as my mother?

And so am I...!

Mother's presence has not completely disappeared, at least there's still me thinking about her, even if I may forget her appearance or even her name.

But as long as I'm alive, Mother... will never be completely forgotten!

The moment I stepped into that familiar street, the sea breeze hit my face.

As the days of winter reached their deepest, I thought, the next stop is the final destination.

"Hey, is there anyone... here?"

The convenience store was pitifully empty, actually, it's more like completely abandoned rather than just empty.

"Hey!!"

Still not a soul, the products on the shelves are all there, the store is still open for business, but the people are just gone.

Times change, there's no more laughter here.

"Has the manager gone too?"

There were a few simple instructions on the cash register: Please leave the money on the table, thank you.

"... Manager, truly, don't trust humans too much!"

With a helpless smile on my face, I casually picked up a bag of potato chips and then placed the money on the cash register with only a note.

Even if vanished, something will be left behind.

Humans can be foolish at times, but sometimes exceptionally stubborn.

I know, it's not the captain who has expelled me, it's just my existence gradually fading away, maybe a long time later, I will lose the last thread of existence in this world along with my mother.

The city is like a dream, and time is like a sporadic slideshow.

It's so similar to my life.

"Alright, let's go to the arcade and take a turn, to make up for my past... there's no other way."

I crossed the square and arrived at the door of the arcade, remembering the many times Yuanhui and I had been here, always having fun playing games.

With a slight unease in my heart, after settling my emotions, I walked into the arcade we used to frequent...

"Sure enough...!" My face darkened.

The unbelievable had still happened.

As I looked at the completely transformed arcade in front of me, I thought to myself, "It's because of this that I detest humanity, freely plundering others' desires."

The reason I could become so powerful was because I had learned to cherish other things.

Such great irony it was; clutching my slightly aching stomach, it seemed only in death would even the vilest of individuals understand the value of beauty. Perhaps that was just human nature.

Clang!!

"Ouch!"

Out of nowhere, something hit me on the head, and when I focused my eyes, I saw a rolling soda can in the snow beside me. "Tsk tsk, another failure, huh?"

A girl in a black padded coat and gray scarf brushed past me, her eyes somewhat unfocused. She glanced at me helplessly, then bent down to pick up the fallen soda can.

"Where's the trash can?"

"...”

Couldn’t she see it? There was a clearly marked trash bin to my right, yet it seemed like she hadn’t noticed it.

"Hey, what do you think this world has given us?"

"Huh?"

"I... am so bored!"

I couldn't understand a word she was saying, but just as I was about to call out to her, Ding Dong!

The elevator lights suddenly came on, indicating it was back to normal. I was still standing under the skyscraper; how did I end up here?

"Hey... cough!!" An old man inside the elevator cleared his throat a couple of times, "If you don't hurry up, you'll miss it."

"Uhh...?"

I realized I'd been staring at the elevator doors for quite a while, so I awkwardly chuckled.

"Hehehe, my apologies for keeping you waiting... I zoned out."

This building had hundreds of floors, yet only eight elevators, and the fastest one would take at least a dozen minutes.

I put my hands in my pockets and leaned against the elevator handrail leisurely.

In this cramped and enclosed space, there were only the old man and me.

He lived just one floor below mine, or rather on my floor, which seemed to have only him living there. With the building being recently constructed, there were only a little over a thousand households living in it. Was this really not going to be a losing proposition?

"Sigh, I've been living here since the building was completed. Though it's been a year, it doesn't seem like there are many people here."

I thought the old man was just making casual conversation with me.

“Didn’t we already meet yesterday?"

"I don't quite remember, you are...?"

Suddenly, a kind smile made me less perceptive, and combined with the dim lighting, I couldn't quite recognize him.

"You are... (I wanted to say Yu Nai's father) the old man from yesterday?"

"Yes, my school no longer exists, and now only this building can operate for a while."

I was a bit surprised. If the old man lived here too, Yu Nai might be nearby, right? However, I hadn't decided to go see her yet. Even if I did, I would probably be mistaken for trying to make a move.

Ding Dong!

"You've arrived at the floor you selected."

The elevator doors opened, but the old man didn't seem to intend to get off. I thought he might be absentminded, so I kindly reminded him.

"The door is about to close, aren't you getting off?"

"Oh, thanks for reminding me, young man... See you next time."

"Goodbye."

After saying that, the old man left the elevator, bidding me farewell as the elevator doors slowly closed.