The bell played a pleasant sound, and the bike came to a stop at the edge of the road after a roundabout turn.

In the middle of the night, there was not even a single car coming and going on the road, only the dim yellow light of the street lamps sprinkled on the bus standing plates on the side of the road, like the moon looking up from the bottom of the pond.

For young schoolchildren, they already have a vague impression of the concept of "distant", but how to quantify it is still a tricky problem – for example, the two of them who set off at noon certainly did not expect to arrive at their destination in the evening.

The passenger in the back seat was drowsy and clutched at his clothes, so he didn't roll over when he stopped.

She wore a light blue short-sleeved round-neck skirt today, with a ribbon tie tied at the placket, a small white calf in the skirt that hung below the knee, and sneakers as if she was about to participate in a spring outing.

"It's here, Light."

Li Wu pushed his friend of three years, and she opened her eyes that were almost slit, and looked at the surrounding scene in confusion like a newly weaned kitten, and it took about a minute before finally focusing on him.

"I'm hungry......"

"Even if you keep shouting, I won't be able to eat."

"Can't you make it?"

She looked at him expectantly.

“…… I also think I bought a piece of chocolate at a convenience store at noon. ”

The reserve food that was originally going to be used for the return ride was about to escape.

Li Wu thought sadly, until something goey was stuffed into his mouth.

The soft palm of the hand pressed against the lips, and there seemed to be a residual sweetness of chocolate on it.

"Half of you."

Guang withdrew his hand and became inexplicably proud, "Xiao Wu, remember to prepare in advance next time." ”

"Who swore that it would be soon?"

The reproached light let out a short strange scream, probably feeling a little guilty, and weakly turned his back on his hand and lowered his head to show a sincere attitude of confession.

Seeing her like this, it was hard to say anything, he sighed: "Forget it, it's rare to be like this after graduation anyway." Let's go over now, shall we? ”

"Oh - head to the Tower in the depths of the stars!"

She suddenly came to her senses, and the sleepiness just now flew out of the clouds.

"That's right, I'm going to defeat the Ragus Black Flame Dragon sealed at the top!"

In terms of results, the two of them are half a pound and eight taels in a sense.

But it is the privilege of a child to let go of their delusions and embark on an adventure that is quite remarkable for them now.

At night, the tower-like structure adds a bit of mysterious majesty, like a cyclops standing silently in the dark, watching the visitors.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, away from the familiar schoolyard, and even away from the warmth of home, in the cold white moonlight, in this summer of sixth grade, boys and girls hold hands and challenge the building that is as tall as an otherworldly magic tower for them.

Stepping on the last rusty long ladder crossbar under his feet, Li Wu, who was the first to climb to the top of the tower, turned around and stretched out his hand and pulled her up.

Naturally, there was no Black Flame Dragon at the top, only the oval water storage tank reflected a little starlight, which was plated with a layer of vague silver glow. The surrounding balustrade encircles the small space at the top of the tower, as if you were in a prison cell, and the evening breeze whistles through the cracks in it.

This is normal, the world has always been ordinary and stable, and nothing will change dramatically because of the fantasies of a schoolboy.

However, his friend may not be able to accept this fact calmly.

Li Wu secretly glanced at the light and found that she really showed a look of loss.

After climbing to the top, I realized that it was boring and cramped.

Obviously, she suddenly said at the graduation ceremony that she wanted to see the stars, and then dragged him to the outskirts of the city, but when she arrived, she was depressed.

He patted her on the shoulder: "You close your eyes first." ”

"What are you going to do?"

Despite this, she obediently closed her eyelids.

In the darkness, Hikari felt that the other party was approaching, and clenched his fists a little nervously, and his slender eyelashes trembled slightly.

She didn't understand where this subtle fear came from, but she followed its guidance and hunched back, ready to flee.

Then, she realized that her hand was being held.

"Come over here."

That's it.

The body was guided in a large circle, and then it was pulled and lay down, with a solid support on its back.

"Alright, you can open your eyes!"

Want to go back......

"Ah...... It's the stars. ”

"That's all you think?"

The friend lying next to her was devastated by her rather bland reactions, but in reality, she was just too absorbed in what she was seeing.

Rose-colored bands of light stretched across the middle of the night sky, as if they were constantly spinning, giving people the impression of almost dizziness, and the whole thing was composed of stars that twinkled on a time scale of millions of years and beyond, and their light bloomed a long time ago through the vast and vast deep sky, and at this moment on earth was reflected in the eyes of a girl on Earth a long time later.

"The ones in the east are so bright."

The water tank that went around the back blocked the night wind, and Hikari raised his finger to the southeast sky.

Li Wu pillowed on his right hand and wired them with one hand: "This is the so-called Summer Triangle, the one composed of Altair, Vega, and Horned Suichi." ”

(*Actually, Tianjin Four, Altair and Vega.) ）

"Xiao Wu knows so much, what is the star next to him?"

"Yes, it should be Cancer."

(*Ophiuchus actually.) ）

"Corpse Qi Underworld Wave! Then the ...... on the left of the transverse past "

"Didn't the light say before that he wanted to see the stars? How do you feel after seeing it now? ”

He quickly changed the subject.

She fell silent, then half-sat up, changed her position and continued to look up at the starry sky.

"Like the sea."

"The sea?"

"Well, it's the ugly fish head that glows on the bottom of the sea."

"Monkfish?"

Li Wu also agreed with her assessment of the fish.

There shouldn't be anyone in the world who likes such an ugly fish.

"Then, after seeing the stars, I felt that everyone was really not a special existence."

“……？”

Isn't that a symptom she had committed three years ago?

This is a recurrence of an old disease.

"Who are you referring to?"

Dr. Lee cautiously tentatively.

"All of humanity or something."

The size of the group you pulled into the water this time is unexpectedly large! It's time to hold a press conference to apologize to all mankind!

On the other hand, she has now changed from "only I'm not special" to "stop arguing, everyone is just as bad", is this also progress?

"Why do you think that?"

She looked over: "Didn't the teacher say that the earth is the same as those stars seen at night?" ”

"There should still be a difference between planets and stars - I don't lift the bar, you go on."

Hikari snorted and continued, "There are so many stars, just like there are so many people in the world, and no one is truly special. ”

I see, that's what Daddy told him, the first awakening of teenagers' self-awareness.

Boys her age thought thoughtfully.

"Can you see the B612?"

He asked.

Hikari took a serious look at the night sky and came to the conclusion: "I can't see it, it's an asteroid, it's too small." ”

It's just as big as the earth, and you can't see it if it doesn't shine.

"In short, that's where Light came to Earth as an alien......"

"Uhh

She bumped into her shoulder with a flushed face, trying to interrupt the execution of the Black History.

Li Wu parried the charging attack and explained, "Listen to me, there are roses there that are special to the light. ”

"Not for me."

Rinko Hori whispered negative.

Li Wu is as kind as a stream: "Okay, not for you, but for the little prince, after he came to the earth, he also met a whole garden of roses, but only the one on the star made him worry, do you know why?" ”

"Xiao Wu seems to be a Chinese teacher."

Hikari complained, "I remember Mr. Fox telling him that it was because he was tamed by that rose. ”

She doesn't seem to have forgotten the picture book she read a few years ago.

"That's right, because the little prince watered her, removed the insects, erected a screen, and listened to her grievances and boasts, and spent a long time together, so that the rose will be different from the others."

Li Wutu was exhausted, "So I think 'special' is not something that is naturally decided like being tall, short, fat and thin, for example, Aunt Yuzi is special to the light, right?" ”

This is my last word, light, you can take it!

Looking at the stunned girl next door, he felt a sense of satisfaction that was close to being a good teacher.

Then, ignoring the dust on her skirt, Hikari approached with her knees propped up.

“…… Belch? ”

At a close enough distance, even if you can only rely on the not-so-bright moonlight as a light source, you can clearly see her white and childish face, and even the tiny fluff on it.

He stepped back and leaned against the water tank, but the other party was still pressing forward step by step, and there was no way back from the rear.

Hikari squeezed into the space between his legs, and with a serious expression, he reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"So, have I 'tamed' Xiao Wu?"

"It's a strange word to use here......"

"We've known each other for three years, am I already 'special' to Xiao Wu?"

There is no escaping the problem.

“…… Yes. ”

He froze for a moment, but still admitted, "Take the number of stars I saw in the light, if I hadn't come out with you, I would have thought it was an ordinary sky, and I wouldn't have recognized the summer triangle and constellations - by the way, I don't actually know if the names of the stars I just mentioned are correct or not." ”

"It's because of the promise when I graduated with Hikari that they will be a special sight tonight."

Once you say it, it will become more fluent, "Although Hikari calls me for help after getting into trouble from time to time, he always does some strange things, and after a fight at school, I have to help you go to Aunt Yuko's place to take the blame...... Hey, why did I always suffer from the light? ”

Broken up! If I don't pay my friends, I'm going to break up with you tonight!

Light relaxed and showed a soft smile: "According to what Xiao Wu just said, this is the process of taming. ”

"It's a troublesome process!"

"A friend is a relationship that causes trouble for each other."

"I wish you could say more of this kind of truth......

Li Wu sighed and continued to lie down, and then heard the sound of Rinko Hori lying down next to him, and then his outstretched left hand was pulled and held tightly.

"It's getting late, when are we going back?"

"Wait a minute."

“……”

"I'm glad I met Xiao Wu."

"I've heard you say this three years ago, but thank you."

"But Xiao Wu never said it to me."

There was a feeling of dissatisfaction on the hand, but because of the lack of force, it was like a massage.

"I don't think our friendship needs these formalities - shhh

In the dark, Li Wu turned his face away.

"I'm also happy to meet the light."

"Well, thank you."

*

“…… Finally, we woke up to find that it was already the next morning, and when we went back, we were scolded by our mother. ”

Li Wu closed the blue cover of the notebook in his hand, but the real picture did not seem to fade from his mind.

Hoshikawa Aoi touched her chin and used her ingenuity: "This seems to be part of a diary, who left it?" ”

"Uh, judging from the tone, it's obvious that it's Xiaoguang......"

Arisa, who was also watching the contents of the book, said her opinion weakly.

"Impossible, if it's Rin-san, then who is on the other side?"

"Here...... It's not the first seal. ”

Li Wu pinched his forehead, looked at the light who stood aside after reading the diary, and felt a little nostalgic, "This location should be the water tower on the outskirts of the city we rode to." ”

At that time, the mysterious voice I heard in the activity room should have prompted the "water tower".

"Water towers? But ......"

Guang also fell into confusion, but soon the solid evidence to prove Li Wu's statement was placed in front of the four people and a pigeon.

Just as the paint on an oil painting that had dried off in the heat of the bake was gradually peeling off, the island they were on, the sea where the stars were reflected before, the dead monsters, and even the entire interior of the tower faded rapidly after he uttered his speculation.

"The night is gone."

Arisa looked up and squinted in the bright sunlight.

The night around the first seal has changed to a normal clear sky, and the towering tower has been replaced by a low, old water tower, and there is no longer the slightest breathtaking momentum.

The people of the Brave Division are crowded on the top of the water tower, which is extremely crowded because of the narrow space.

"Why did the water tower that Xiaoguang went to before become the first seal?"

Arisa asks a constructive question.

"I ...... I don't know. ”

Hikari shook his head at a loss, "And the memory ...... No, there is something wrong with this world. ”

She must have also been awakened to her memories at that time, and found the problem from its deviation from reality.

"These questions can be discussed in the activity room, what is in the other book?"

Li Wu asked.

Arisa tried to open the black leather book in her hand, and found that it was locked from the side.

"Anyway, the first seal has been broken, right?"

Hoshikawa Aoi waved his hand heartlessly, "Let's put the problem aside first, it's too crowded here, let's talk about it later." ”

Li Wu and Guang, who were somewhat confused to varying degrees, did not raise objections, and Airisa naturally agreed.

After everyone jumped down from the water tower, Hoshikawa Aoi suddenly remembered that no one had answered her question before.

She grabbed her boyfriend's shoulder: "Wait a minute, Li Jun, the boy in that diary can't be you, right?!" ”

"I didn't realize ...... until now"

Arisa complained while subconsciously looking at the light.

She turned her back to the departing group, still looking at the water tower bathed in sunlight.

"That was when I graduated from elementary school......

Li Wu asked as he dealt with his girlfriend. "Light? Is there anything else to do? ”

She shook her head and turned around.

The memories she had just awakened were still vivid, and she was somewhat immersed in the afterglow of the night.

The grown up light looked at the two people standing side by side, and felt that what his childhood sweetheart said at that time was indeed right, and everyone would find the rose that tamed them.

She followed: "Xiao Wu, the water tower looks so short now, it's not the same as it was then. ”

It's just that it doesn't have to be me.

Big liars.

(End of chapter)