"Hara? What did you just say? Could you repeat it for me?"

Mengxiang’s gaze turned hollow. She seemed to stare right through me, as if her eyes could pierce my body. Either way—it spelled trouble.

"T-That... it’s just... a misunderstanding! Don’t jump to weird conclusions! Seriously, it’s a total misunderstanding! Let me explain—"

"Fine. If you can come up with an excuse that actually convinces me, I’ll believe you..."

She didn’t trust me at all?! I’d never realized her petite frame could radiate such crushing pressure. The girl slowly stepped onto the sofa, glaring down at me.

What did she mean, "make up an excuse"? It was the truth! But explaining this to her suddenly felt like a nightmare.

"First of all... uh—"

"I WON’T LISTEN! I WON’T LISTEN! I WON’T LISTEN! I WON’T LISTEN!!!"

My mouth had barely opened when a pillow slammed into my face. It was the decorative cushion from the living room couch—I always treated it like a body pillow. Now it was plastered over my features.

A shrill scream followed. Seriously, how long had this trope been running? Could it stop? At this rate, I’d never get a proper word in. Women were such a hassle!

"How can I explain if you won’t listen? Just hear me out—"

"I WON’T LISTEN! I WON’T LISTEN! I WON’T LISTEN! Especially not from *you*! You’ll just twist words anyway—I’d rather not hear it!"

She clamped her hands over her ears, shaking her head violently. With zero cooperation, how could she possibly understand what happened? But—

"Just let me say—"

"I won’t listen! Not a word from Hara!"

"I won’t listen either! Because it’s *you*, Mengxiang!"

"Eh?"

Her hands slowly slid from her ears. Shock flickered across her face as she stared blankly at me. My surprise tactic worked. Time to press the advantage—

"Zixuan entered my room on her own—I had nothing to do with it. Sharing the same blanket was pure force majeure—also not my doing. I absolutely did *not* drag her in—"

I spat the words at record speed, never used before. Whether she caught it or not, I’d technically fulfilled my duty. The rest wasn’t my problem. But—

"I don’t care."

"Why does another woman keep showing up at your door?"

The bedroom door swung open mid-panic. The girl who should’ve been resting in bed now stood before us. Dressed in my tracksuit, my childhood friend lunged straight at Zixuan.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

Mengxiang buried her face in the girl’s chest, sniffing the fabric. Zixuan yelped in disbelief—clearly overwhelmed by my childhood friend. Good. Someone finally kept Zixuan in check.

"Are you two living together?"

Mengxiang’s question stunned me. Impossible! I was about to shake my head when Zixuan nodded.

"We see each other all the time!"

Zixuan shoved Mengxiang away, then shot a jealous glare my way. She was throwing me straight into the abyss.

"Is this true?!"

The girl turned, tilting her head at a 45-degree angle. Her voice turned icy. Cold sweat prickled my skin. Since when yesterday was she my neighbor?! She must be deflecting Mengxiang’s wrath onto me.

"We’re neighbors! My window faces her room—that’s why we ‘see each other all the time.’ Though we only became neighbors yesterday—"

My brain raced. Technically inaccurate—we lived in separate buildings with a unit between us—but it was the best fix for now.

"And this morning? I saw him naked too!"

"Eh?!"

Mengxiang and I shrieked in unison. Force majeure! Her gaze hardened, sharp as blades piercing my heart. If looks could kill, I’d be dead hundreds of times over—

"I can only say it was beyond my control! How was I supposed to know she’d shower at my place this morning? The door wasn’t locked—no warning sign! Not my fault!"

I snapped upright like a doomed private sent to blow up a bunker, hands raised in surrender. It *was* an accident. No lies. Mengxiang might not buy it, but she eased up slightly. She knew I wasn’t that kind of liar—especially over something this stupid.

"Last night, we shared the same bed too! And yesterday? I saw Hara-kun’s... *that part* standing tall! You heard right—I said *there*!"

A sly grin spread across Zixuan’s face. She was plotting something, twisting words to humiliate me.

"Eh?! Hara... are you serious? This time, you *owe* me a proper explanation!"

Mengxiang marched toward me, hands on hips, fury in her eyes. I retreated until my back hit the sofa. She didn’t stop. That stubborn intensity—when had I last seen it?

"Seriously... just like back then... haha..."

Amidst our chaos, a laugh rang out—from behind Mengxiang. The least expected girl. Zixuan seemed amused, smiling that signature grin like wreckage after a storm.

"Zixuan? What’s wrong?"

If I wanted to divert Mengxiang’s attention, addressing the laughing girl was key. Sure enough, Mengxiang turned, puzzled, toward Zixuan in the hallway.

"Nothing... I’m just happy seeing you two still so close..."

"What are you talking about?"

Neither Mengxiang nor I understood. She shook her head helplessly—

"It’s just..."

Her voice grew softer, almost shy. I missed the crucial words—

"...I’m jealous too."