Girl Band, Gravity Capture

Page 2

"At least let me know the names of the people who helped me."

Before he could answer, he spoke in a sincere tone.

A gentle breeze stirred the girl's long brown hair, and her beautiful light blue eyes reflected her sincere gratitude.

"I am Motoyo Nagasaki, a third-year student at Tsukimori Girls' Academy Junior High School."

"……Um."

There was no reaction; he simply took a step, and then, his unforgettable, gentle voice spread slowly through the air like ripples on a lake.

“I am Yuan Xudou, a third-year student at Dongdu Middle School.”

In conclusion, let's start with mutual understanding. (Chapter Two)

And so, the two strangers went their separate ways, leaving only memories of this strange encounter and that equally strange boy...

...Standing at the entrance of the same building as the other party, Nagasaki Motoyo, almost overwhelmed by her inner embarrassment, sincerely hoped so.

At first, she was quite happy to find that they were going in the same direction, which meant that this connection seemed to last longer than she had imagined, and she might have a chance to run into him a few more times on the road.

But soon, when she realized that the other person and she were going to the exact same place, her eyes lost their sparkle.

On the way, she considered taking a shortcut home early, or lingering outside for a while until he left before going home... but in the end she gave up on all of them.

If they really are neighbors, even if she manages to avoid him this time, they'll run into each other again sooner or later. She can't possibly avoid him like a secret agent; the fact that they're neighbors will inevitably be exposed sooner or later…

...That's not right.

Why should I be afraid of being discovered by him? It's not like I'm being caught secretly following him. Living in the same building only means that our connection is closer than I thought. After all, I do live here, and he shouldn't look at me strangely because of this.

"Um... so you live here too."

"I'm a new resident."

Great, his tone didn't change at all, which means he really doesn't care!

"Are you a new resident? No wonder I haven't seen you around here before. In that case, I'll bring some things over for a visit another day."

Nagasaki Motoyo smiled gently, subtly trying to glean information from the other party.

"You live with your parents, right? I wonder if your family has any objections..."

I live alone.

"well……?"

Yuan Xudou's words instantly shattered all her complicated thoughts.

"...Is it because you're too busy with work to be home often? Sorry, I brought up that topic by accident..."

...What nonsense am I talking about?

Motoyo Nagasaki, you should be the one who understands this best—

"...My parents both passed away when I was in elementary school, and I live here all by myself."

—What exactly did that sentence mean?

A wave of intense guilt washed over her, and Nagasaki Motoyo clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost pierced the flesh of her palms. She gritted her teeth, tearing a scar from her feigned gentleness.

"I...I didn't mean to..."

"I know. I just wanted to let you know about your home situation so you wouldn't make a wasted trip if no one was home."

The almost completely fading light of dawn and dusk slowly enveloped his downcast eyes, and the lingering afterglow that passed through them pierced her heart little by little.

"..."

Yuan Xudou didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards the elevator.

...screwed it.

She followed the elevator in a daze, watched the other person leave on a certain floor, and then, after arriving at her own floor, she slowly made her way back home.

"……I'm back……"

No one responded.

I don't want to change clothes, I don't want to cook, I don't want to think.

Driven by instinct, I turned on the room light, kicked off my leather shoes, and collapsed onto the bed, burying my face in the blankets, not wanting to do anything.

so tired.

With such a coincidental encounter, and with such a handsome and gentle guy who is the same age as her, or even her neighbor, they should have had a chance to become good friends.

It's all because I said those things...

The ringing of her cell phone finally pulled Nagasaki Motoyo out of her heavy thoughts. She got out of bed, mustered her strength, and answered the phone.

"Ah... I can't go home today either?"

"It's okay, no need to apologize. I haven't even started cooking yet... Let's not eat junk food like instant noodles, let's order takeout instead."

"Sigh...? Are you asking me what's on my mind? No, nothing, I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Okay, I'll be careful... That's all then, bye-bye."

She let go of her hand, and the phone that had just been hung up fell onto the bed.

...Mom was very busy today too.

If only she could come back and tell me what happened today, she'd probably feel better. But I can't let my own selfish desires bother her at work.

The comfortable life we ​​enjoy today is all thanks to my mother's hard work. She has already given her all to achieve material wealth, and the only thing she feels is some mental anguish. She has no right to ask for more.

but……

Is it too greedy to think that I would like to have someone to talk to?

Nagasaki Motoyo rolled over and lay flat on the bed, her light blue eyes staring straight at the ceiling.

"...That boy, Yuan Xudou-jun..."

"Without a father, and even without a mother... what was he thinking...?"

lonely.

The room, though familiar, now felt suffocatingly cramped. The ceiling light was so bright it was hard to look directly at her, making it impossible for her to see anything; all she could see was darkness.

Unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer, the girl sat up.

“…Go apologize to him.”

Regardless of whether he is as indifferent as he appears or says, I should do this.

To alleviate the guilt, to escape the loneliness, to... even if it's just to make myself feel better.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Yuan Xudou pushed open the door and looked at the "new home" in front of him.

My first impression was that the decoration was well done and the furniture was complete. Although it lacked a sense of home, it was enough to meet his needs in terms of living space.

He sat down on the sofa in the living room, relaxed his body, and sank into its soft embrace. A few minutes later, Yuan Xudou got up without any hesitation.

"I see. This is what a sofa costing millions of yen feels like. It's definitely different from the sofas in a regular apartment. But it's not worth spending dozens of times more just for such a slight improvement in the experience."

"The design of the exterior, the style it complements, and the added value of the brand... most importantly, it's about showcasing one's wealth. Therefore, the cost-effectiveness of a sofa as a mere tool is not that important."

"It's different from the extreme pragmatism that computers pursue."

Having grasped this, he began to explore the rest of the room.

From adjusting the lights to ventilating the room, soundproofing the walls, arranging the furniture, experiencing the bed and chairs, and using the kitchen utensils... it's less about getting to know your home from scratch and more about "evaluating" it.

After finishing all this, Yuan Xudou returned to his room, took out a notebook and pen from his pocket, and began to take notes.

"Overall, it should meet the standards of 'people living in this kind of high-end building'. The current living experience is definitely better than the ordinary apartment I lived in before. The sofa is very soft and the bed is also good."

"However, I have never met residents at this level before, and these furnishings were purchased based on recommendations, so they may not be the best options."

"I'll visit a neighbor sometime and see how their layout is done."

Unlike Nagasaki Motoyo, he was not affected by what had just happened at all. Even though he lived alone in such a big house, he did not feel any loneliness.

Compared to these things...

He stared at his hand in thought, the ballpoint pen spinning rapidly between his fingertips. Then, just as he had performed in front of Nagasaki Motoyo, he gently pinched it.

The moment the pen disappeared, he stood up, looked around, and finally walked straight to the kitchen.

I pulled the ballpoint pen, which was stuck tightly in the faucet spout, dried it with a tissue, and put it back in my pocket.

"If the target is a person, the location where they appear is very precise and controllable. If they appear randomly, at least their general location can be sensed..."

This ability was discovered a year after his parents died.

At that time, he was just a child who was a little better looking than his peers and had a little stronger learning ability, but he didn't have any special characteristics.

After all, the appearance of a second or third grader can only be categorized as "cute," and it's hard to make them stand out. As for their academic knowledge, even if they get full marks on all their tests, there are plenty of students at their level.

However, these minor advantages, coupled with his quiet and well-behaved nature compared to his peers, earned him decent treatment in the orphanage.

It was around that time that the orphanage's caregiver got a boyfriend, a man who looked fierce from a child's perspective. He wasn't liked by the other children, but Yuan Xudou was the only one who didn't reject his care.

That's why the man secretly taught him a lot. From using computers and mobile phones to amazing skills like pen spinning and magic tricks. It's said that the homeroom teacher was first attracted to him by his magic performances on the street, and that's how the two became a couple.

As for the fact that they got along for a month and then broke up at lightning speed... well, he never saw that person again after that.

Simple study and life were not enough to vent the child's boundless energy, but his personality did not allow him to do anything noisy, and he was not even interested in playing childish games with others... Bored out of his mind, Yuan Xudou began to practice the simplest magic tricks, which used human "visual illusions", over and over again.

At first, they would hide pens in their sleeves so they could conjure one up at any time. Then they would hide flowers and other things and conjure them up again, using this as a performance to win the favor of adults.

Then... about three months later, things changed.

His magic tricks have completely transcended the category of "techniques" and are closer to the genuine "magic" as understood by humankind.

By then, Won Heo-doo, whose mind was already precocious and approaching that of an adult, understood that he was not a "normal person in the eyes of others." His learning ability could no longer be described as talent, but only as eccentric.

Just like the urban legend that circulates among junior high school students, no matter what you study, as long as you continue, you will eventually reach "a skill that is simply inexplicable from a human perspective".

...In the end, Yuan Xudou accepted the fact that he was not a normal person. When the orphanage was unable to support all the children due to mismanagement, he found a pair of "fake" adoptive parents for himself, left the orphanage, and began to live a real life alone.

Even now, though the happy memories associated with it have become somewhat hazy, he continues to secretly donate to the orphanage.

Although he is still a minor, it is difficult for him to obtain enough funds to support his life openly. However, by operating in the gray area, bypassing identity supervision, and finding a "kind person" willing to "fund" him, he can launder assets such as stocks that are legal but cannot be explained to others.

The tuition fees, living expenses, and the money to buy this house all came from this.

Of course, Yuan Xudou was aware of this. He knew he was only leveraging social resources through unreasonable means, so he didn't keep any of his wealth for personal enjoyment.

I stayed here to understand what the "life of the average rich person" is like, what their thoughts are, what problems they encounter in life, what they care about, and what they fear... Without experiencing it firsthand, it's impossible to understand their thinking and logic.

He wanted to understand what life was like for most people in the world. How the poor lived, how ordinary people lived, how the rich lived, and even how people from different countries lived—to understand all those feelings and ultimately comprehend the rules governing human society.

"...There are still nearly three years left."

Only after reaching adulthood can he complete the transition to a new social identity, thereby gaining the right to realize his own value and give back to society. For him, the protection of minors is a shackle; whatever he does requires finding multiple detours to accomplish, and the inefficiency is unacceptable.

However, the experience of being a "student" is also indispensable... and must be taken seriously.

He checked the computer he had brought from his previous house, which contained many important records, and confirmed that it was not damaged or hacked. Yuan Xudou was about to go to the kitchen to cook some dishes for dinner when there was a knock on the door.

"Who?"

The heavy wooden door provided excellent sound insulation; he could only faintly hear a response from outside, which he could barely make out as a girl's voice.

"...It's her? What's she doing here so late?"

I glanced at the time on my phone; it was almost 6 p.m., and it was nearly dark.

Yuan Xudou remembered that he had indeed told her the fact that his parents had passed away and he lived alone. Under such circumstances, should he still come to visit?

Is this part of the lifestyle of the wealthy?

Gen Xudou didn't mind Nagasaki Motoyo's casual mention of family matters; he just thought it might dissuade the girl who clearly had feelings for him, which was a good thing. She remained silent in the elevator, and he thought he had succeeded.

In a society like Japan, a poor family background can be a reason to distance oneself from others, and many bullying incidents even begin from this point. And then, knowing this, they still come to visit...

Yuan Xudou pondered slowly, then paced towards the door.