Nohara Kyoko lowered her head, already crumpling the corners of her clothes.

Kiyoshi Uesugi was helpless, and he only felt that the root of his tooth hurt.

He really hasn't experienced this meeting, find some sweet words from his memory to coax the little girl, he pulled down his face, it's not impossible, but...

"How to comfort your girlfriend who found out that you were hiding in the golden house outside" - this question is definitely beyond the scope of Uesugi Kiyoshi's knowledge.

It's a bit of an inappropriate statement, but it's not too much to use as an analogy.

Now Uesugi Kiyoshi is like a middle-aged man who came home from outside and was broken by his virtuous wife.

He was also a little flustered.

Finally pulled a somewhat reluctant smile at the corner of his mouth, he took a step forward, wanting to explain something.

Apricot, who could detect his movements, took half a step back like a frightened animal.

Uesugi Kiyoshi was a little hit - for the first time, Kyoko made a move to dodge him.

Usually she blushes and catches up.

He paused, his throat throbbing, but he didn't know what to say.

Kyoko Nohara's heart was even more of a mess.

She seems carefree all day long, stupid and cute, and the longest place she spends time in the kitchen is the best thing to do housework.

That doesn't mean she's really not smart.

Women, regardless of age, have an innate sense of sensitivity for certain things.

Kyoko Nohara knows that she has many rivals in love.

After all, before she met Uesugi Kiyoshi, this talent in the school had received countless love letters from female high school students.

After meeting Kiyoshi Uesugi, the "rival in love" that Kyoko Nohara came into contact with became even more unimaginable.

Whether it is the graceful and luxurious Miss Dongwen, or the detached and immortal Li Fuyao, it is enough to make any girl with a background like her ashamed.

Because they are dazzling enough, like the sun and the frost moon, shining brightly.

In contrast, apricots are like fireflies, and they dare not compete with them.

But...

Fireflies, there are also people who want to illuminate.

Kyoko Nohara has always fantasized about it--it's good to live like this.

Cheekily stayed by Uesugi-kun's side, watched him study and practice swordsmanship, guarded him to go out early and return late, grew up with him, and grew old with him.

This is really the happiest thing.

On the contrary, the thing that Kyoko Nohara worries the most is that Uesugi Kiyoshi will meet her true daughter one day and fall in love.

That object, she never thought it was herself, and the experience from childhood to adulthood has made her engrave her inferiority complex in her bones.

Even if she wasn't as unbearable as she thought.

If... If Uesugi-kun really finds someone he likes, then... What qualifications do I have to stay by his side and not leave?

If you want to leave...

Where can they go?

Without Uesugi-kun... If you can't see that gentle smile...

How am I going to live?

These words were like a lingering nightmare, surging in the deepest recesses of her heart, inconspicuous but never dead.

Now, the nightmare has come true.

Looking at the oncoming figure, she subconsciously took half a step back.

Because she was afraid that what would happen next would develop as she feared.

"I'm sorry, Apricot."

"I have someone I like."

"I'm going to... Leaving you. ”

This kind of words will completely crush her, and make her fall into a trough that is even more tragic than before she met Uesugi Kiyoshi.

Therefore, when Uesugi Kiyoshi half-squatted down and said "I'm sorry", Nohara Kyoko's heart was already a little desperate.

You can't turn a blind eye to pretending to be stupid anymore...

Am I going to say goodbye to my happiness forever?

Driven by some force, Nohara Kyoko suddenly raised her head and interrupted Uesugi Kiyoshi like never before.

"I see!"

"It's... Is it Sister Fuyao? ”

"I... I..."

"I'm not going to rob her!"

"I just... I just, I don't want to leave Uesugi-kun..."

As he spoke, tears couldn't stop falling.

Apricot's voice became weaker and weaker, mixed with choked voices, and gradually deepened.

“...”

"I'm sorry, Uesugi-kun."

"It's me... It's me who is willful. ”

"I like Uesugi-kun, Uesugi-kun is the best person in the world for me, but I can't take your gentleness for granted, just rely on it..."

"I see, I will... I'll leave. ”

The last few words were basically spoken in tears, and the voice was a little blurred.

Uesugi Kiyoshi looked at it and felt a throbbing pain in his heart.

Guilt overwhelmed him.

"I'm such a fucking scumbag..."

He scolded himself fiercely in his heart, and gave half of the pot to Akutagawa Ryunosuke, and the rest still made him feel guilty.

It is not a glorious thing to step on two boats itself.

Now, because of this incident, he made Apricot cry again.

If Apricot is like an ordinary girl, beating him and scolding him, cross-eyebrows and cold faces, angry and tantrums, he may be able to feel better.

But this weak appearance of being obedient and willing to quit made up for a knife in his heart.

Uesugi Kiyoshi knew that he couldn't be silent any longer, he didn't want to cry when he saw Kyoko.

Stretching out his hand, he gently brushed away the tears of the apricot, and he met the apricot's somewhat sad gaze, his eyes were as soft as spring water.

"If Kyoko likes me, why should she leave?"

Even in sadness, looking at Uesugi Kiyoshi's gentle eyes, Kyoko blushed and looked away.

She cried and cried, but her words shocked Uesugi Kiyoshi's heart.

"I'm not as beautiful as Sister Maki, and my temperament is not as good as Sister Fuyao, I don't know swordsmanship, and I'm clumsy, so I can't help Uesugi-kun."

"It's true that I like Uesugi-kun."

"But I... I can't stop you, run to someone better than me! ”

The fists clenched subconsciously.

Uesugi Kiyoshi's breathing stalled for a few seconds.

At this time, he only felt that he had done the most excessive thing, which was to make the girl in front of him sad.

And he couldn't turn back.

He hasn't shed much tears at all in the tough guy role, but his eyes are a little sour at this time.

irrepressibly held Apricot's little hand and half-hugged her.

Smelling the fresh fragrance of the girl's hair, Uesugi Kiyoshi shook his head gently.

"I won't allow you to leave, Apricot, we agreed, to... Life after life. ”

"I'm sorry, I was too greedy, but... I also like apricots. ”

"So..."

"Don't say that again, okay?"

Apricot raised her eyes in some surprise, and the tears in her eyes had not yet been wiped away.

"I... Can I not leave? ”

"But... But won't Sister Fuyao mind? ”

"I'll be very good! Won't you be jealous, can Uesugi-kun help me persuade Sister Fuyao and ask her not to drive me away? ”

The more humble Kyoko is, the more uneasy Uesugi Kiyoshi becomes.

He was now eager to grab his throat and turn around a few times, rip his head off, and see if he was a scumbag.

"No, Apricot, you'll understand later, Fuyao likes you very much."

"Don't be cranky."

"You just have to remember that I won't let you leave me, that's enough."

“...”

"I'm hungry."

This sentence works more than anything for Kyoko Nohara.

She let out a small exclamation and pushed Uesugi away, her face flushing.

"Ahh There's still a stew in the pot! ”

"I just came to ask Uesugi-kun to eat, but I forgot the time!"

"I'm sorry! Please wait!"

With that, she seemed to have forgotten everything she had just done, her eyes were still red and swollen, and she trotted back to the kitchen.

Uesugi Kiyoshi looked at the back like a little rabbit and let out a long sigh.

"How did those Aquamen withstand the condemnation of their conscience?"

"I just wanted to cut myself off."

"Or... Go and learn from Dazai? ”

Uesugi Kiyoshi, who had finally temporarily solved the sudden situation here, thought for a while, and suddenly snorted coldly.

He rubbed his fists and crooked his neck, and his bones crackled all over his body.

His eyes were gloomy like never before, and even the smile on the corner of his mouth was creepy.

"Mustard! River! Dragon! It! Seashell! ”

Turn around, turn around, figure flickering.

"I can let you stand and go out today, my sword for so many years, even if it is for nothing!"

Kiyoshi Uesugi, who turned his guilt into anger, began...

Time to Kill!