As soon as April is over, it is the Golden Week of May, and most citizens have a five-day holiday.
On the evening of the weekend, Serizawa Yu prepared dinner for the members of the association as usual, but Muzi, who had been helped by them, came to the door for some reason.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Xi, although this is a bit sudden, but can we talk?"
"Hey... why are you so cautious?"
Seeing an acquaintance who was always smiling suddenly turned serious, Serizawa Yu couldn't help but feel wary and suspicious of whether something terrible would happen next.
For example, whether the other party's mental state is unstable again, or there is a conflict with the two girls newly taken in by the association.
No matter what the situation is, it is a serious problem that cannot be ignored.
While she was restlessly waiting for a response, Muzi, who was kneeling opposite her, suddenly lowered his head to the ground and put his hands together in salute.
"——Actually, I want to go work."
"Eh……?"
Serizawa Yu, who was prepared for it, opened his mouth wide and couldn't help blurting out: "So this is what happened!"
"Such a thing?"
"Ah, I mean, this is too sudden, isn't it!?"
"Ahaha, is that really the case? But am I serious?"
"You're actually serious! Even if you say that, Miss Muzi... Well, is there something about us that makes you dissatisfied?"
"No, no, there is no such thing at all~"
Muzi straightened his upper body and waved his hands with a smile, his eyes gentle and steady.
"Everyone in the association has been very kind to me. Not only did they provide me with room and board, they even hired a doctor. I am really grateful to each of you."
"Then... could it be that Miss Muzi doesn't get along well with the two new girls...?"
"Isn't that true? There is no conflict between me and those two girls. Rather, because we are all 'hurt' people, we all have empathy."
"In that case, why did Miss Muzi suddenly ask for a part-time job?" Serizawa Yu felt deeply puzzled.
"Hmm~~About this."
Muzi raised his head slightly and looked up at the ceiling. After thinking for a moment, he smiled and spoke.
"How should I put it? Maybe it was the arrival of those two girls that reminded me of the fact that I have been living here for five months.
Speaking of this, please allow me to express my gratitude to you once again. Thank you for providing me with such a warm and comfortable place. You are really very gentle people.
I’m not dissatisfied with anything here, I just feel that I can’t rely on you all the time and must make changes.”
She breathed a sigh of relief and bowed her head again in greeting, "So, please allow me to go to work."
"Uh-huh... Miss Muzi, you don't need to be so serious, I will be very embarrassed." Serizawa sat on pins and needles, his eyes moved.
In fact, not only Muzi, but her own situation is also similar. Ever since she was brought back by Kato Yusuke, she has been living here for half a year without knowing it.
And she has now graduated from high school and officially became an employee of the association, focusing on managing the association for her "brother".
Serizawa Yu recalled the past with some nostalgia, and then she couldn't help but worry.
Frankly speaking, she did not want to discourage Muzi's enthusiasm, and was very happy that he was willing to discuss working with her, but there was one problem that could not be ignored.
She said in embarrassment: "The main thing is...Miss Muzi, is your mental state okay? Will you not have the urge to hurt yourself again...?"
"Yes~~Thanks to the effect of the medicine and your careful care, I will no longer be prone to overexertion and self-harm. Even the doctor said that my condition is much more stable. If you don't believe me, just look at it."
Muzi said as he rolled up his sleeves and showed his scarred arm. There were indeed no new wounds on it, but this still could not completely dispel Serizawa Yu's worries.
"That's what it sounds like...but where do you plan to work, Miss Muzi? If it's the kind of job that's easy to accumulate stress, maybe it will worsen your condition?"
"Ah haha, you can rest assured about this. I found a bakery that is willing to accept me, and I also told the boss about my situation, and he said it's no problem~"
"Really??"
"Of course~ That bakery is near the station, Xiao Xi, you should have been there before."
"Ah...could it be that "Tokyo Melonpan"?"
"Yeah."
Muzi nodded repeatedly and scratched his cheek sheepishly.
"Because I am not yet able to rent an apartment by myself, I would like to try my best to find a job nearby. I may have to disturb you for a while in the short term."
"Don't say that, Miss Muzi, will you go for an interview soon?"
"Well, the boss said I can come over at any time, but I think I should ask for your permission first. Xiao Xi, are you willing to support me?"
"this……"
Serizawa Yuu fell into a tangle, and finally clapped her hands in front of her face with a "pop!"——
"Sorry, please allow me to discuss it with Sister Sayu and Xiaoxiang. I will give you an answer later!"
…
Then, the two girls soon found out about this.
"Hey~~?" Sayu said with great interest: "I think this is a good thing and we should support it."
"Uh...is that a good thing?"
Serizawa Yu looked aside hesitantly and found Shinjoka playing with her cell phone irrelevantly, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"However, Miss Muzi's situation is quite special, so I'm still very worried..."
Sayu smiled knowingly and said in a patient tone:
"Well, I understand how you feel, Xiao Xi, but since this is Muzi's own wish, we should support her.
Miss Tachibana once said to me that our purpose is to help others, not to restrict them, otherwise we will be no different from their families."
"Hmm... To be honest, I don't really understand. The uncle's family who adopted me didn't care about me, and they wouldn't care even if I disappeared suddenly. I quite hope someone will take care of me."
"Well, there is indeed that kind of family."
Sayu said as he came closer, held Serizawa Yu's hand with both hands, and continued.
"My words are different from Xiao Xi's. My mother used to be very strict.
I would get angry if I didn't go home directly after school, and I wasn't even allowed to go out on my days off.
Because of her unhappy marriage, my mother regarded me as an object to vent her emotions, and she often made nasty remarks to me.
That experience was really painful, so I can understand Muzi and the others’ feeling of being suffocated to the point of wanting to escape.”
There was a sigh in her tone, mixed with a little loneliness and loneliness. Such a scene made Serizawa Yu's heart twitch and was deeply touched.
"Why is this!? That's simply too much——!"
"..."
Shinjoka unknowingly put down her phone and listened calmly to Sayu's revelations about the past.
"Huh... Anyway, that's what happened."
Sayu took a breath and said in a relaxed tone that cleared away the gloom: "I understand, Xiao Xi, that you want to protect Muzi, but we shouldn't hinder other people's freedom. What do you think?"
"..."
Serizawa hesitated for a moment, her eyes fell on the catkins holding her hands, and finally nodded.
"Well...I understand. Since Sister Sayu has said so, I will support it. Then I will go and tell Miss Muzi the news now."
"Ah, don't worry, Xiao Xi, do you know the situation of that bakery? Is the boss there reliable?"
"Yes, that store is about ten minutes' walk from here. The boss is a tough guy with a rough appearance but an extremely gentle nature."
"What a subtle comment, but...if that person is like that, it is indeed possible for him to accept Muzi."
Sayu held her chin as if thinking, and said in deep thought:
"Considering that Muzi is willing to work close to the association, it will be easier for us to deal with any problems if they happen. This is an ideal result... What do you think, Xiaoxiang?"
"I don't care. Whatever happens is fine. Miss S, it's up to you to decide."
"How cold! Now that we are so familiar, it's time for you to call me by my name, right? You see, Xiao Xi is calling me normally." Sayu said with a depressed look.
Shintiao Xiangdan glanced at her, then lowered his head and fiddled with his phone, pretending to be aloof.
Serizawa Yu couldn't help but laugh at this scene, got up from the ground and left, running to inform Muzi.
The matter came to an end.
At this time, Shintiao Xiang Leng suddenly said -
"Miss S, does it matter that you rejected the president's request earlier?"
"What?"
"Your goal should be to get the president to accept you, right? Won't you make the relationship worse by doing this?"
Sayu pursed her lips slightly, an unnatural look flashed in her eyes, and she waved her hand with a smile.
"How is that possible? Xiaoxiang, you are exaggerating. Isn't Yusuke's purpose in establishing the association to help others? As long as we can produce good results in the end, he won't be angry."
Shinjoka stared at her for a moment, then snorted with no emotion——
"Really, then just be happy."
◇
A few days after that.
Hayao University, majoring in educational psychology.
In the lecture theater, a middle-aged male lecturer was slowly explaining the course content.
"There are many main theoretical orientations in psychotherapy, each based on different psychological theories and methods. Today we mainly talk about the psychoanalytic orientation."
"It emphasizes the individual's subconscious and psychological processes. Psychoanalytic therapists will pay attention to the patient's childhood experiences, dreams, transference and defense mechanisms, etc."
"During the treatment process, the therapist will explore potential psychological conflicts by inducing free association in the patient, and help the patient resolve these conflicts to improve symptoms."
The male lecturer looked at his watch when he said this and found that it was already the end of get out of class, but part of the teaching content of this class was still unfinished, so he announced:
"Next, each class will be divided into groups of four to discuss the practical application of psychoanalytic orientation in life."
When the students in the audience heard this, they couldn't help but smile bitterly and looked for group partners.
They don't dare to complain or disobey. After all, the people on the podium not only control their daily results, but also have very difficult personalities. It would be bad if they were targeted.
At this moment, a girl with long flowing hair walked quickly onto the podium and bowed her head apologetically.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Yamazaki, I have something very important to do next. Can you let me leave first?"
The sound of her words was like wind chimes singing under the verandah in summer, very pleasant.
Yamazaki looked at the person coming with a slightly bright expression on his face.
He remembered that this girl was the top student in the professional course and the most beautiful girl among the freshmen of this year, which impressed him deeply.
"Okay, Ogiwara-san, go ahead and be careful on the way."
"Thank you, Mr. Yamazaki!" A smile broke out on Sayu's face, he bowed respectfully, then turned and left.
Yamazaki watched the girl disappear outside the classroom door with a pleasant look, ignoring the resentful looks of other students, the old man took out his mobile phone and opened the dating app.
As a middle-aged divorced man, he only has these few hobbies left.
Ten minutes later, he left the classroom and walked slowly to the cafeteria.
Halfway there, his attention was suddenly attracted by a familiar figure.
Not far away, the girl who had been treated exceptionally by him was chatting and laughing with a senior boy.
Yamazaki frowned and his face suddenly fell.
He doesn't mind taking care of those top students, but he hates being deceived.
…
"Thank you, senior! Then I will trouble you later."
Sayu politely thanked the boys, and then met Asami at the school gate, and together they embarked on the journey to the association.
"How's it going? Sister Sayu, have you finished that matter?"
"Hmm~! The senior has promised to help find experienced students to provide psychological guidance for the girls in our association."
"Liar, how can you be so happy?"
"Hey, actually I think so too. The senior is very nice and said that this can also provide a practical opportunity for current students, so he is very willing to cooperate with us."
"Just in case I ask, the other party didn't take the opportunity to make any undue invitation to you, right? You must not go to such social gatherings and party invitations, right?"
"Of course I know about that kind of thing. Besides, I have no interest in it. The association still has many things that I need to do."
"Okay~ I just want to remind you, Sister Sayu, you just need to know."
The two took the train to Takadanobaba Station and walked to a nearby bakery called "Tokyo Melonpan".
“Please walk slowly and welcome to visit us next time!”
Behind the counter, Muzi, wearing a white shirt and apron, had just seen off a customer, and then he immediately noticed the two of them, with surprise on his face.
"Ah, Sayu and Asami! Why are you here~?"
"Good afternoon ~ Muzi."
"Hi~Xiao Muzi, we're here to see you."
The two of them said hello one after another, stepped forward, and chatted with Muzi about their work.
As Yu Serizawa said, the owner of this store is the kind of tough guy who is iron-blooded and tender, with a delicate heart that is contrary to his appearance.
Facing their arrival, the other party not only did not feel unhappy, but enthusiastically brought out some samples for them to taste.
Although there were no other customers in the store at this time, and theoretically they did not affect the business, it still made people feel very sad.
Because of this, Sayu took the initiative to buy some of the store's signature melon bread, and the boss gave them a huge discount.
Muzi looked at this scene with a smile, and his natural expression inadvertently showed that he was living a good life here. This fact was deeply reassuring.
With a feeling that was almost like praying, Sayu couldn't help but think about it.