Chapter 26
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"Aren't you going to say anything?" Jesse asked, his expression unrecognizable. "Huh? You're afraid to look at me again."
So Noble had no choice but to go see Jesse. He could see that Jesse was clearly happier out there. He'd grown taller, his face had opened up. He'd dyed his hair blonde, pierced his ears, and had dazzling studs. But Noble didn't know what to say. Finding a conversation wasn't his strong suit, especially in this situation. It took him a while to finally come up with something like, "Can you wear studs in prison?" Honestly, he was genuinely confused.
They found an empty stairway on the playground and sat down, Noble on the top step and Jesse a few steps down.
Jesse rolled his eyes, but Noble was still as "dumb" as ever.
Or playing dumb.
He always avoids the main issues and then changes the subject with some meaningless but deeply speechless words.
Jesse didn't realize it when he was young, so he was always annoyed by Noble. Now that he is getting older and meeting more and more people of all kinds, when he thinks of Noble, he can't help but review past exchanges.
Then one day he suddenly realized: Noble had actually been perfunctory with him.
Even in this situation, he still uses this trick. Do you really think he won't get angry?
…Forget it, there's no point arguing with this guy over trivial matters. Jesse paused and asked, "How are you doing now?"
He kept wanting to ask this question: After you abandoned me, did you live a happy life? No, you didn't. Your life became worse than before. So during this time of pain and suffering, did you ever regret it, even just once?
As soon as Noble opened his mouth, Jesse warned, "Speak seriously."
So Noble had to smile bitterly and nodded. He stopped looking at Jesse and shifted his gaze to the tree next to him because it made him feel more relaxed: "...I lost the little flower."
Jesse didn't say anything.
Even though he wished Noble bad luck, even though he knew Noble was still separated from Xiaohua, even though he knew he had asked the question deliberately just to see Noble's pitiful look, even though he had only done it to get an explanation for himself, at that moment, the thought, "Perhaps I shouldn't have asked this question," still flashed through his mind.
/
As soon as Jesse returned to Japan, he went to meet the Katsuya team. The Katsuya team had changed a lot, with Ryuichiro Katsuya finally gaining real power and becoming the team leader. However, his subordinates were still short-sighted.
He paid some money and found the right person, and he had enough information to follow the clues and find Noble's location. Of course, this also included the fact that Xiaohua was abandoned by the Katsuya team.
Before he arrived in Japan, he'd hesitated to trace Noble's whereabouts. He sometimes dreamed of Noble, dreaming of them walking together in the moonlight, drinking together, even dreaming of Noble choosing him over Xiaohua in prison. Sometimes he felt like he hadn't left Little Asia yet. ICE had left, 9 had left, and only he remained in his memories, because Noble would always be that regret, always just a tiny bit away from a lucky ending.
When he arrived in Japan, he couldn't help but look for Noble, or perhaps he was allowing himself to say goodbye to his past self. When alive, you see the person; when dead, you see the monument... Oh, there probably wasn't anyone to erect one for him, so I had to be kind enough to do it for him.
After confirming that he was still alive, Jesse began to imagine what to say and what attitude to adopt after the meeting. Should he completely let go and reconcile with the past, or should he have a big fight with Noble and put an end to it?
However, if Noble cries bitterly, you might consider forgiving him.
But he wasn't doing well either.
Even if life is not going well, I still remember Xiaohua.
/
Noble could only smile bitterly: "See, I was pretty stupid, wasn't I? I really believed what he said."
"You're pretty stupid," Jesse said dryly. He was good with his friends, always humorous and quick to respond; he was also good with his enemies, always vindictive and petty. But now, even his eloquence was useless.
Noble simply didn't want to keep talking about this topic: "What about you, how did you get in? Didn't you go abroad?" Jesse is quite smart and has no weaknesses, so how did he end up in prison.
It can't be that he came here specifically to find me... To be honest, that's a bit scary.
Jesse said, "No. I have something to do. I need to find Ranmaru."
Ranmaru? Even though Hinata was such a lunatic, the prison still allowed him to go out for exercise and watch the news. Ranmaru, however, was a legendary figure.
He was the leader of Doubt, a murderous gang member. Now he was imprisoned alone. Noble had been here for several years and had never even seen him.
Everyone said that Noble was crazy and Hinata Norihisa was crazy, but when it came to Ranmaru, everyone fell silent.
Noble said, "He won't kill you, will he?" He sometimes had a poor sense of strength. Back in MUGEN, he'd never faced an opponent who could last more than three rounds, but those were just ordinary soldiers. He didn't know where his current level was. No one in Luo Qian Prison dared to mess with him, so he should be considered above average, right? But everyone also said Amber was strong, the Amamiya brothers were strong, and Hinata Norihisa was strong. Noble had never fought them, but he had a feeling he wouldn't lose. But in Noble's eyes, Jesse was still the same kid he'd been for a decade. He was a little worried about Jesse.
Jesse rolled his eyes: "You." He said helplessly, poking Noble's forehead with his finger: "I won't fight him, and he won't get any good results in my hands - I'm very strong." At least, the feeling of powerlessness of being pinched by the enemy many years ago... Jesse would never allow this to happen again.
"Okay." Noble agreed. "Where are ICE?"
"They're going to be mercenaries. ICE said they want to save some money and then form a group. Besides fighting, they'll also make music. They're also going back to Japan—oh, by the way, you didn't know this, Bernie went to the States with us, and he brought two of his friends with him."
"Then you guys had a pretty good time."
"If you had gone to the United States at that time, you would have lived such a happy life." He said indifferently.
"Alas." Noble stopped talking.
Jesse suddenly asked, "Have you ever regretted it?"
Noble remained silent. The answer to this question was clear to both of them. Some things are unpleasant to say, but they are the truth.
But the atmosphere remained tense.
Now that the question has been asked, Jesse must have an answer. Overseas is a much bigger stage than Little Asia. He possesses a certain amount of cleverness, enough to keep him on the defensive and unruly abroad. He has completely surpassed his past self: strong, confident, and dominant. So dominant that, at least for now, Noble needs to avoid him.
Noble also knew he had to give an answer.
"I'm so glad you're alive," he said. He reached out and gently hugged Jesse.
Jesse accepted. Noble gave the best answer he could.
Why wasn't I chosen? This question troubled him for years. Perhaps he just wanted to know if Noble had ever cared about him as a friend.
"...I'm glad you're alive too, Noble," Jesse said.
/
Once upon a time, Jesse was alone.
But at that time Noble would say to him: "See you later, friend."
He said it with disdain, but he was touched in his heart.
Sometimes Jesse felt like the word "friend" was a curse. He was bound by that word, and therefore particularly resented Noble for making "that" choice. You said I was your friend, and I believed you, but it seemed like just a casual remark. Your subsequent actions never considered me as a "friend," while I, on the other hand, was trapped in that identity, consumed by self-reflection and internal exhaustion. It's clear that our understandings of "friend" are not equal.
But... no matter what, it's always a good thing that my friend is still alive.
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