“It’s easiest to be alone

Once you're with someone else

I will become less like myself

…”

The title song of Nogizaka 13's single "The One I Want to Talk to Right Now" was playing on the small speaker.

The young but straightforward voice of the girl echoed in the closed practice room.

Hashimoto leaned in front of the huge and wide mirror, drank a third of the water in the bottle, and then roughly wiped the sweat from his forehead and cheeks with a towel.

When the members were leaving one after another, she took the initiative and asked to practice for a while longer.

"Don't work too hard." Perhaps because he was concerned about his own feelings, Shiraishi pulled Matsumura away who still wanted to say something. Hashimoto smiled and waved goodbye to them.

At that time, Fukawa had already left first.

What went wrong, she thought.

More than a year has passed since Fukawa's confession. They carefully covered the wound with a band-aid, thinking that life would return to normal. But unexpectedly, the wound was unknowingly

It had been inflamed for a long time, and the scar could not heal for a long time. Perhaps the thorn that had penetrated it had not been able to pick it out.

It seems to be a peaceful and peaceful daily life, but a slight pressure will cause a thick and dense pain, and it is still spreading outward.

In the beginning, Hashimoto could still pretend that nothing happened and deal with it calmly, but gradually she became a little overwhelmed. In order to avoid getting along with Fukawa, she often took the initiative to practice more. Members and teachers praised her for her hard work, but she knew it, as if she was trying to avoid being at home. It’s like an office worker who gets drunk alone in a bar after get off work because his wife blames him.

She was just afraid to face Fukawa's eyes.

Hashimoto touched his lips gently, as if the fiery warmth from that time still remained.

After being treated so warmly and without reservation, every time she looked into those pretendingly calm eyes, she could imagine the fierce and hot emotions that followed, like an active volcano that was temporarily silent.

"What am I doing..."

She scratched her hair in frustration.

"As you said, we are not children anymore."

At that time, perhaps, she was also talking about herself. She lowered her eyes and stopped the music beside her.

"Nanamin..."

It's a little flying bird. At this moment, it's sticking its little head out of the door, its big eyes shining brightly, like a little squirrel in a tree hole.

"Asuka, you haven't gone back yet."

"Well... I have something I want to discuss with Nanamin..."

Hashimoto sat down cross-legged with a smile and waved, and the little bird came running over with kicks. It looked more and more like a small animal. Hashimoto thought.

She patted her knees and motioned for her to sit over. Xiao Feiniao tilted her head, not feeling shy, and sat on it openly.

Hashimoto wrapped his arms around the little Asuka's body, pressed his cheek against the back of the little Asuka's neck, and smelled the gentle and gentle fragrance in the hair. This familiar smell quickly soothed Hashimoto's frizzy heart, and she was satisfied.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

The little Asuka was frightened by Hashimoto's sudden movement towards him. He let out a small cry, then turned his head slightly and said, "What's wrong with Nanamin?"

"It's okay, the smell of flying birds is the most reassuring." Hashimoto sighed.

"I'm not a fragrance." Feiniao protested slightly.

"The function of flying birds is much more powerful than aromatherapy."

"Well……"

Hashimoto smiled softly, and his breath tickled Little Asuka's neck. She twisted her body restlessly, but did not break away from Hashimoto's embrace.

Little Asuka likes Hashimoto's physical contact.

They held Little Asuka like this, neither of them said anything. After about half a minute, Hashimoto put his chin on her shoulder and asked, "Is Little Asuka specially waiting for me?"

"Well, because there are some things I want to discuss with Nanamin."

"Then go to the locker room," Hashimoto patted Xiao Asuka's arm, "It's time for me to change clothes and go back."

"Nanamin won't continue training?" Xiao Feiniao turned around, "I can continue to wait."

"No more practice, Asuka's things are more important." Hashimoto smiled. Moreover, it was much better to have someone to talk to at this time than to worry alone.

"Sure enough, Nanamin is the best." Xiao Feiniao muttered in a low voice.

"Asuka, what did you say?"

"it's okay no problem."

Xiao Asuka quickly stood up, took Hashimoto's hand and walked out, "Let's go, let's go to the locker room."

"Okay, okay, slow down."

She smiled, but her eyes fell on the hand held by Asuka. At that time, Fukawa was also holding this hand, stopping Hashimoto from escaping from the station.

At that time, Mai Mai wanted to lead me somewhere.

——

"cat?"

In the locker room, Fukawa put the training clothes he had taken off on the cabinet door and wiped the sweat from his chest and armpits with a towel. When he turned around, he saw Xiao Asuka blushing and not daring to look at her.

What's wrong with this child? Hashimoto is wondering. Everyone is like this when changing clothes, so why is he suddenly shy now?

"Asuka, do you want to raise a cat?" Hashimoto asked, following the topic.

"No, I just want to ask. Is it not a good idea to take a fancy to someone else's cat and want to raise it?" Xiao Feiniao sat on the bench and kicked his little feet and asked.

What the hell is this problem? Asuka's head isn't broken, right? Hashimoto thought as he changed his clothes. Why do you want to raise someone else's cat? You can just adopt another one yourself.

"Do you like that cat very much?"

"Um."

Hashimoto's heart moved slightly, "What kind of cat?"

The little flying bird suddenly hesitated, "Ah... it's a very small one, um, with small ears... and a clumsy one, but it's actually very smart, and... it also has hair, no, the hair is very short and black.

of……"

The more Hashimoto listened, the weirder he felt. Is this talking about cats? How does it feel...

"Shorthair cat?"

"Ah?" Little Bird raised his head blankly.

"I mean the cat breed."

"Ah, ah, it should be... um, it's a short-haired cat."

Looking at her like this, Hashimoto knew that Little Asuka didn't know anything about short-haired cats.

"Do you like it?" Hashimoto asked suddenly.

"Hi, hey, you like it?!" Xiao Feiniao suddenly panicked, then calmed himself down, and said awkwardly, "If you want to say whether you like it or hate it, of course I like it, but it doesn't make sense if I am the only one who likes it. In the end, this kind of

If things are not mutually agreeable..."

What should this child say? Hashimoto felt more and more strange, and felt like she understood something. She thought for a moment.

Little one, very smart but very stupid, with short black hair...

Hashimoto looked at the little Asuka who was still mumbling something and finally understood.

Yes, if you really want to raise a cat, you should talk to your mother about this kind of thing. Why do you need to ask me in a roundabout way?

Hashimoto sighed and took off the clothes hanging on the cabinet. He thought the little Asuka was really silly and cute.

"So," she got to the point, "what happened to you and your favorite Shixiao-chan?"

The little flying bird seemed to have been suddenly strangled by the neck. It took a long time to spit out a complete syllable, and suddenly stood up suddenly.

"It's not because of her-"

Then there was a "bang" sound, and he hit the cabinet door magnificently. He covered his head and squatted on the ground, screaming in pain.

Hashimoto was startled at first, and then laughed out loud. He bent down to check the little Asuka's head, and found that it was just a small bump. Hashimoto had rich experience in taking care of his younger brother, and he knew that such a small bump would disappear almost overnight.

"Is it okay?" Hashimoto said with a smile, "What you said is so straightforward that even I can tell. Well, don't talk about random topics, just tell me. If Shixiao-chan bullies

You're here, I'll help you find your place."

She raised her smooth arms and shook her slender fists demonstratively.

"Nanamin," Xiao Asuka looked at her with her mouth flat, blinked her eyes a few times, and tears rolled back and forth in her eyes. She didn't know whether they were from pain or because she was moved by Hashimoto.

"Nanamin, you are even more of a fool."

The little Asuka jumped directly into Hashimoto's arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Okay, okay, I get it, I get it, so don't cry, Bird."

Hashimoto hugged the sobbing little bird on her chest and stroked her little head comfortingly.
Chapter completed!