Chapter 50

Friday, a day that seems very far away from Monday, but seems so close and anxious from Saturday.

As the engagement day of Atobe and the Sakurada family on Saturday was approaching, Nakamori Akimi received a call from Yagyu Hiroshi on Friday.

"Hello, this is Nakamori."

It was another unfamiliar number. Why were there always strangers calling her recently? Nakamori Akimi supported her head and answered the phone with a little annoyance.

"Hello, Nakamori-san, I'm Yagyu Hiroshi."

Yagyu Hiroshi?

Nakamori Akimi's wandering thoughts were instantly pulled back.

"you……"

She spoke hesitantly, unsure of his current state.

"I'm sorry, Nakamori-san, I haven't contacted you. I owe you a formal apology for what happened that day. If it's convenient, can we meet tomorrow?"

So, is that okay? It seems this game is so broken that it doesn't care what she does, just the basic rules.

"Tomorrow? What a coincidence, Yagyu-san, I have something to do tomorrow." Nakamori Akimi unconsciously twirled his hair with his fingers, looking thoughtful. "But if you really want to apologize, could you do me a favor?"

After simply talking to Yagyu Hiroshi about the situation, Nakamori Akimi hung up the phone and sat at the desk, thinking about tomorrow's plan.

"Atobe, Atobe, you really gave me a difficult problem."

She supported her head and circled and drew on the notebook that was full of things. At this moment, someone called her again.

It was Higurashi Mai.

Nakamori Akimi answered the call by speakerphone.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, have you made any plans?"

Without even a greeting, the other party went straight to the point.

"Honestly, I don't have any thoughts."

Nakamori Akimi twirled the pen in his hand, his mind blank, without any inspiration at all.

"Really? You still have no idea? I don't think you care at all. What if you fail tomorrow?"

When Higurashi Mai's angry voice was heard, Nakamori Akimi inexplicably stopped being anxious. She flipped through the notebook leisurely and made promises to others solemnly.

"Don't worry, it won't fail."

"That was the engagement party for Atobe and the Sakurada family. You said it so easily. Who gave you the confidence?!"

Higurashi Mai couldn't believe it.

"Atobe."

The previous posture was a bit tiring, so Nakamori Akimi simply dropped his pen and leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed.

The light above her head was dazzling. She stretched her hand upwards, and the light leaked through the gaps between her hands. Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration and came up with a great idea.

If that were the case, it would definitely be in line with Atobe Keigo's so-called gorgeous aesthetic.

"Higurashi, perhaps you could do me a favor?"

***

The engagement party was held as scheduled on Saturday. The Atobe family's house was full of people coming in and out. The originally spacious space seemed a bit narrow at first glance today.

"I've never felt the Atobe family's house was so crowded." Taki Oginosuke dodged the people next to him, his face full of helplessness, "I guess everyone who has or has no contact with the Atobe Sakurada family is here. This is just an engagement party. If they really got married, wouldn't it be..."

"Pah, pah, pah, what are you talking about? Atobe won't compromise. I think this marriage will definitely not go through."

Taketo Mukaihi grabbed his arm, carefully looked at the people around him, and lowered his voice deliberately.

"Come to think of it, we haven't contacted Atobe for a long time. I wonder how he is doing now."

"We'll find out when the engagement party starts." Oshitari Yuushi's eyes searched everywhere. "I'm more curious about where Nakamori is now than where Atobe is. According to the usual novel clichés, she should be here to grab the bride by now."

"Nakamori? Bride robbery?" Xue Huliang frowned, not knowing how the two were connected.

"But the defense here is so tight. The Atobe family also knows about the incident between Buchou and Nakamori-senpai. They must have made sufficient preparations. Nakamori-senpai might not even be able to get in."

Hou Changtaro looked towards the door worriedly, but saw two unexpected people.

"Huh? Isn't that Yagyu-senpai and Niou-senpai from Rikkai University?"

"What?"

The others subconsciously looked over, and it was indeed the Yagyu and Nyo they knew.

"Why are they here?"

"How did they get in?"

"Higurashi?"

Among a group of doubtful people, Taki Oginosuke stood out.

Only then did the others notice the person walking in front of Yagyu and Niou.

"Who is that?"

"My classmate is the heir of Higurashi Equipment. I thought she wouldn't come." Taki Oginosuke was very surprised. "After all, she likes Atobe."

"Whether he likes Atobe or not is another matter. The key is Yagyu and Niou. How are they..."

"Wait, Atobe and the others are coming out."

The moment the lights dimmed, everyone's attention was focused on the engaged couple who were slowly walking down the spiral staircase under the spotlight.

"Atobe's current state..."

Isn’t that right?

Completely different from what they expected, Keigo Atobe did not feel any anger at being forced into the engagement, and his mental state was as good as it could be.

"I'm starting to doubt whether Atobe volunteered."

Taketo Mukaihi muttered softly.

Just then, an untimely roar came from outside.

Everyone's attention was drawn to it, and some people even ran out to watch the fun. The security personnel in the banquet hall also went out to check, so no one noticed the unusual conversation between the protagonists of the banquet.

"It sounds like a helicopter. That doesn't seem to fit that person's style. Want to guess who it is?"

Sakurada Juri still maintained the faint smile she had when facing everyone. She looked towards the gate and her words revealed some extraordinary information.

"I never make groundless guesses. If it's true, I'll know at a glance."

Atobe Keigo strode down the stairs, but was stopped by the bodyguards guarding the stairs.

"Master Atobe, we've been told that you can't leave the banquet hall."

"What if I must leave?"

Atobe Keigo untied his tie and approached them step by step.

"Master, please stay."

The bodyguards were unable to take action and were forced to retreat, but the orders they received forced them to be tough.

"Otherwise, we'll just have to take action."

"Hey, you guys! Stop using chicken feathers as your authority."

Xiangri Yueren and his men noticed the waves and rushed over, just in time to hear these words with implicit threats.

"Let's go, Atobe. Many people have already left. Leave this to us."

Yuushi Oshitari stepped forward to separate Keigo Atobe from the person opposite him, and the others also stopped the other bodyguards who came after hearing the news.

"Ah, I'll leave it to you then."

Now was not the time to make excuses, so Keigo Atobe walked around them and headed straight for the door.

From the initial sprint to the later running, Atobe Keigo's speed became faster and faster.

Seriously, that guy was so reckless, he just barged in and disrupted all his plans.

Soon, Keigo Atobe stopped and saw the people in front of the helicopter.

The man who had no scruples at all, with his hair messed up by the wind, waved to Atobe Keigo with the smile on his face as bright as ever.

"How about it, Atobe, is this appearance cool enough? Can it catch the eye of your young master?"

Regardless of whether Keigo Ichibe's eyes were there, the eyes of Taketo Mukai and the others were about to fall out of their frames.

"Oh my god, this is too exaggerated. I always thought that only Atobe could do such a thing, but I didn't expect Nakamori to do the same, so..."

Xiangri Yueren, who had chased out, was stunned and could not say anything.

"Tsk, pompous."

Xue Huliang took it and stopped the bodyguard quite quickly.

"Not bad, this arrangement..." Oshitari Yuushi rubbed his chin with interest, "Although it's a little different from what Atobe arranged, it seems more interesting."

"What arrangements? What did Atobe arrange? How come we don't know?!"

The person next to him turned his head to look at him, with anger of betrayal in his eyes.

"Well..."

Oshitari Yuushi shrugged and avoided their burning gaze.

Although there are many plans, these plans cannot keep up with the changes——

"Humph, you reckless fellow," Atobe Keigo curled his lips, "quite a gorgeous one."

"Is it just considered gorgeous?" Nakamori Akimi crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at him in dissatisfaction. "Shouldn't I give him a very gorgeous evaluation?"

Atobe Keigo chuckled and said nothing.

Nakamori Akimi didn't care and was just about to go over when the main target appeared outside her focus.

Niou Masaharu...Yagyu Hiroshi actually brought him here.

Perhaps noticing her gaze, the young man who had been full of malice towards her from the beginning raised his eyes with an extremely calm expression.

He leaned lazily against the flower table next to him, raised his glass to her from afar, and then drank the liquid in the glass.

Yagyu Hiroshi beside him shook the "Tears of the Ocean" in his hand and nodded at her.

Although I don’t know what Yagyu Hiroshi and Niou Masaharu said, everything will end here.

Nakamori Akimi thought so after watching Niou Masaharu fall down after drinking the antidote.

"Someone fainted, help come quickly!"

"Nioh!"

Except for Akimi Nakamori and Keigo Atobe, almost everyone's attention was attracted by this new change.

Nakamori Akimi slowly withdrew his gaze and refocused on the person opposite him.

She remembered 5744 saying that once everyone returned to normal, there would be a delay before things would automatically correct themselves. She didn't know how long that delay would be, but it was perfect, so she decided to bring this wedding robbery to a successful conclusion.

"Atobe." Amidst the clamor, Nakamori Akimi walked towards today's protagonist. "In this final moment, will you escape with me?"

"Huh? Why do you think I'm here?"

Atobe Keigo raised his voice and asked back.

The sweeping wind once again messed up Nakamori Akimi's hair. She couldn't see Atobe Keigo's face in the flying hair, but she inexplicably felt that he was smiling.

"Then please accept this flower."

Nakamori Akimi stretched out his hand and conjured up a red rose like a magic trick.

Blooming in the wind, showing off wantonly.

"I didn't realize you can do magic?"

"I learned this on the spur of the moment, not bad, huh?"

Nakamori Akimi raised her chin with a bit of pride. It seems that she has some talent in magic.

"very nice."

Atobe Keigo reached out to take it, but did not retract his hand. Instead, he held Nakamori Akimi's wrist.

Um?

Before she could react, Keigo Atobe gently pulled her, and she lost her balance and fell into an embrace that smelled like roses in the morning rain.

It's the smell of that bottle of perfume...

Then something touched her ear gently. Nakamori Akimi looked up in surprise and saw her own reflection in Atobe Keigo's eyes.

It was a rose. After carefully tidying up her flying hair, he pinned the rose behind her ear.

Two different rose scents lingered at the tip of her nose, and Nakamori Akimi clearly saw the gentle curve of Keigo Atobe's mouth.

Then she heard him say:

"very beautiful."

What? Roses, or...

Before she could ask, the world began to spin, everything in front of her eyes went black, and Keigo Atobe's face and everything around him began to distort.

"It seems the time has come. See you in our world, Qiushi—"

He said.

Nakamori Akimi's tense nerves relaxed, and she felt herself falling all the time. It was not until she felt something solid on her back that she suddenly opened her eyes and saw the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling.

Is this... her home?

"Sister, let's go downstairs for dinner."

There was a knock on the door, it was Rie.

Nakamori Akimi didn't care about anything else and immediately got out of bed to open the door. It seemed that he didn't expect her to be so fast, and Nakamori Rie's habitual movement almost hit her.

"elder sister?"

Rie Nakamori quickly withdrew her hand and blinked at her in some confusion, but the next second she affectionately put her arm around Akimi Nakamori's arm.

"Come down and eat, sister. Mom and Dad are urging us to come."

Mom and Dad——

"Akira, Rihui, come and eat."

When Nakamori Akimi saw his parents setting the dishes and becoming calm and simple again, he almost cried with joy.

Great, everything is working fine!

Oh, right, Atobe.

Nakamori Akimi remembered the boy who said goodbye, and while they were not paying attention, he ran back upstairs.

It was only after she returned to her room that she remembered that she didn't seem to have Atobe's cell phone in the normal world, and she didn't know whether Atobe had retained his memory.

Just when she picked up the phone without hope, she found a missed call.

It was an unfamiliar number with no remarks, and it looked like it was coming from abroad.

Scam call?

Nakamori Akimi hesitated and called back, and the call was connected quickly.

"...Atobe?"

She heard shallow breathing coming from the other side, and then a familiar voice sounded next to her ear.

"Welcome back, Qiushi."

——End of the article