Next Step

Wednesday

Early morning.

Su Cheng, dressed neatly, mounted his beloved bicycle and hurried off to school.

His mood today was heavy and complicated.

No, it wasn’t just today.

Ever since regaining his memories, every day had been heavy and complicated.

He didn’t want anyone to get hurt, yet no matter what he did, it seemed futile—sooner or later, he would have to face it.

Fortunately, for now, he still had the chance to escape.

Though escaping wouldn’t solve the problem,

it kept things in a Schrödinger’s cat-like state.

Of course, he knew this wasn’t the right approach, but he just couldn’t bring himself to act.

In his words, as long as he didn’t take that step, everyone would remain safe.

Thus, Su Cheng couldn’t make a choice. Every option was equally important to him.

Some “clever” person might ask—

Then, if they’re all important, why not have them all?

Because—the conclusion might shift from “unable to choose” to “having no choice.”

That would be the worst outcome.

In any case, Su Cheng’s mind was a mess right now.

However, for him,

there was still one thing to look forward to today.

And that was visiting Ji Qingyi at the Archery Club at noon.

Last time, Ji Qingyi had said she would give him an answer when he returned.

It was about what he had confessed to her in the club—that he cared deeply about her.

At the time, she hadn’t responded, only saying she would give her answer when he came back.

So, at noon, there might be a reward… or an answer.

How could he not be excited?

Su Cheng, pedaling swiftly, couldn’t help but let a faint smile curl at the corners of his lips.

As he neared the school gate, he slowed to a stop and pushed his bike into the campus.

The moment he stepped inside, the vibrant, youthful atmosphere washed over him, lifting his spirits and dispelling some of the heaviness in his chest.

After a while, he arrived at the bicycle parking area. Just as he finished locking his bike, he suddenly noticed a girl with long, straight black hair staring at him from nearby.

She wore a “Disciplinary Committee Member” badge on her shoulder and held a notebook in her hand. Her gaze carried a warmth that felt like reuniting with an old friend, her eyes brimming with delight.

“You…” Su Cheng, unnerved by her stare, nervously spoke up, “Hoshino-senpai, is there something you need?”

He was sure he’d already settled the matter with the “Penguin Prince” incident!

There was no reason for Hoshino Mirai to still have a grudge against him, right?

“I noticed you hadn’t come to school for two days, so I wanted to check on you,” Hoshino Mirai said, reining in her excitement and offering a composed smile. “But since you’re back now, that’s good. Saves us the trouble of having to track you down later.”

“Huh? Track me down?”

“Oh, it’s just that my brother and I were planning to visit you this afternoon. We were worried something might’ve happened. After all, we’ve shared some… experiences together. I’d say we’re friends now.” Her tone was gentle and warm, her expression full of concern.

“I see. Thank you for your concern.”

Su Cheng nodded and explained, “I went back to my hometown for a few days, so I took some time off.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head to class now!”

“Of course. Take care~”

Su Cheng bid farewell to Hoshino Mirai and walked toward the school building. Honestly, this kind of interaction felt nice. Though their acquaintance had been born from unusual circumstances, it was still better than the isolation and cold shoulders he used to endure.

Lost in thought, Su Cheng arrived at the shoe lockers.

However, he failed to notice the disheveled girl lurking in the shadows near the lockers for the upperclassmen. The moment she spotted Su Cheng, her eyes—hidden behind her tangled hair—gleamed with a crazed, eerie light.

She crept closer to him, poised to strike…

A chilling, oppressive aura radiated from her, growing stronger as she advanced through the dimly lit area.

Other students who had been changing their shoes shuddered at the sight and quickly scattered, not wanting to get caught up in whatever was about to unfold.

Meanwhile, Su Cheng remained oblivious.

Until—

“Duang~”

A sharp, metallic clang echoed as he opened his shoe locker.

Su Cheng snapped back to reality.

He closed the locker.

But when he turned around, he froze.

There, crouched in the corner with her forehead hidden behind her hair, was Si Jing, clutching her head in pain. Clearly, his sudden locker-opening had delivered a solid whack to her skull.

“S-sorry, Si-senpai!” Su Cheng’s reflexes finally kicked in, panic flashing across his face. “Are… are you okay?”

He didn’t know what to do—should he help her up? Or maybe rub her head to soothe the pain?

“Mmm…” Si Jing lifted her head slightly. “I-it’s fine.”

With her face obscured by her hair, he couldn’t see her expression at all. He could only guess her emotions from her tone.

Maybe it really hurt?

“Si-senpai, should I take you to the infirmary?”

Su Cheng cautiously suggested.

Si Jing shook her head. “No need.”

“About the other day—I’m really sorry. Something came up at home, so I had to go back to the countryside.”

Realizing she had come to see him and remembering how he’d stood her up, he quickly apologized again. “Senpai, I’m truly sorry. This afternoon after school, I’ll bring you a souvenir as an apology.”

At this, Si Jing slowly stood up, rubbing her forehead. “Hmph. If you’re bringing a gift… then I’ll reluctantly forgive you.”

Wait, so if there was no gift, she wouldn’t forgive him?

Su Cheng sighed inwardly in relief but also took the chance to observe Si Jing up close. Her skin was pale and smooth, and she carried a faint, almost citrusy fragrance—like the scent of rue.

Dressed in her school uniform, her pleated skirt ended just above black knee-high socks. Strangely, she wasn’t wearing any shoes, standing barefoot on the floor.

Her legs were slender and well-proportioned, but what really caught his attention were her delicate feet, encased in sheer black stockings, pressing against the cold floor.

His brain unhelpfully supplied:

This… is dessert-grade feet.

The moment this bizarre thought crossed his mind, Si Jing suddenly leaned in, closing the distance between them until their faces were barely a fist’s width apart.

Su Cheng sucked in a sharp breath, his entire body stiffening.

“S-senpai, is there… something else?”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, instinctively taking a step back.

“No. Just looking at you.”

Si Jing’s voice was eerily calm as she spoke. Then, she withdrew, straightening up.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the Go Club this afternoon.”

With that, she turned gracefully and sat down on the nearby shoe-changing bench, picking up a pair of shoes from the floor and slipping them on.

“Huh?”

Si Jing blinked, then stood up and took a few steps.

But the shoes were too big.

She tried walking again, lifting her foot slightly—only for the oversized shoe to slip right off.

Su Cheng stared blankly at the scene before finally mustering the words:

“Senpai… those are my shoes.”

He said it weakly, as if afraid she might bite him.

"I see." Si Jing suddenly understood, then bent down to pick up the fallen shoe and casually placed it back in its original spot before heading toward her class area.

Watching her retreating figure, Su Cheng couldn't help but mutter, "If your hair blocks your vision, just change your hairstyle."

"..."

After his words, Si Jing's footsteps paused slightly.

"It's fine."

That was all she said before quickly disappearing from sight.

Su Cheng sighed helplessly, but since he didn’t want to get too involved with her, he decided to let the matter drop.

After changing his shoes, he entered the classroom.

If gentleness could be personified, then the black-haired girl sitting upright in the corner with a book in her hands would be its very definition.

However, today he didn’t greet her.

The moment Wang Guancong and the other two saw him enter the classroom, they eagerly rushed over, bombarding him with cheerful questions.

"Su Cheng, what were you doing back in your hometown these past few days?"

"Senior Si Jing has been looking for you every single day."

"Yeah, what’s going on?"

The three of them chattered noisily, surrounding Su Cheng at his desk while the rest of the class watched curiously, as if also seeking answers.

Seeing their enthusiasm, Su Cheng could only smile wryly. "I just went back to visit family."

"Oh, I see."

Gao Ye then dropped a bombshell. "I thought you went on a honeymoon with Xuan Ying and the others."

"Huh? What about Xuan Ying and the others?"

Su Cheng feigned ignorance.

Wang Guancong chuckled mischievously, lowering his voice. "Su Cheng, they took leave at the same time as you and came back at the same time. Don’t tell me…"

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

At that moment, Xuan Ying and Zhao Yanran, seated in the middle of the classroom, snapped in unison. Xuan Ying’s cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment, while Zhao Yan glared fiercely, her almond-shaped eyes wide with anger.

Seeing the parties involved getting upset, Wang Guancong and Gao Ye wisely shut their mouths.

Unfortunately, Su Cheng continued playing dumb, scratching his head in confusion. "They took leave too? I had no idea!"

As he spoke, he glanced at the two girls, who immediately averted their gazes, avoiding eye contact.

Meanwhile, in the corner, Li Guanqi remained absorbed in her book, utterly indifferent to the commotion.

"Never mind, must’ve been a coincidence."

After receiving a fierce glare from Xuan Ying, Wang Guancong changed the subject. "So… what did Senior Si Jing want with you?"

"I’ve noticed that all the legendary figures in this school seem to know you, and they even seek you out themselves."

Chai Hao chimed in, stroking his chin thoughtfully before suddenly declaring with utmost seriousness, "It’s hard not to suspect you’re the protagonist!"

"What kind of nonsense is that?!"

Su Cheng laughed and shoved Chai Hao playfully. "Cut it out. Senior Si Jing just heard somewhere that I’m decent at chess and came to ask for advice."

As soon as he said this, a girl with braided pigtails in the front row stiffened slightly.

"Ohhh~~~~~"

Chai Hao and Gao Ye dragged out their exclamations in unison, while Wang Guancong suddenly asked, "But I heard Senior Si Jing is unbeatable in chess—like, ridiculously good. Are you sure you can handle her?"

Su Cheng pondered for a moment before answering with a composed yet humble tone.

"Though she’s a decent opponent, she’s only 'decent' at best. If she wants to beat me, she’ll need to put in more effort."

His voice carried a faint rasp, but his words dripped with the arrogance of a seasoned master, as if Si Jing were merely a junior in his eyes.

The moment he finished speaking, the classroom fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Every student stared at him in shock—especially Xu Tianyi, who slowly turned around, her face filled with disbelief.

Xuan Ying and Zhao Yan also glanced over, their expressions varying.

Even Li Guanqi set down her book, pricking up her ears as if waiting to see how Su Cheng would back up his grandiose claims.

"No way!!"

The classroom erupted into heated discussions. Within seconds, nearly everyone was staring at Su Cheng with skepticism.

Yet Su Cheng simply sat down calmly, flipping through his textbook with unwavering focus, as if nothing in the world could distract him from his studies.

"Su Cheng… are you serious?"

Wang Guancong gulped, finding it hard to believe. Su Cheng’s words were practically a direct challenge to Senior Si Jing—it was downright audacious!

Su Cheng glanced at him and countered, "Do I strike you as the type to brag?"

"But… you used to say you didn’t even know how to play Go."

Gao Ye muttered under his breath.

Hearing this, Su Cheng froze momentarily before recalling that people had only ever played Gomoku (Five-in-a-Row) with him before. Without missing a beat, he smoothly replied, "I was taught by an old man from my hometown. He had a peculiar rule: 'If one loses in the art of discerning and skillful Go, they must forsake it and never play again.'"

He deliberately paused, scanning the room before continuing solemnly, "Because I love Go so much, I was afraid of losing—so I avoided playing against others. But now that Senior Si Jing has sought me out…"

His expression turned grave. "I know I can’t run away anymore. This might be my last game, so I want to make it count."

"Holy crap!! A rule where you have to quit Go if you lose?!"

Wang Guancong and Gao Ye clutched their chests in exaggerated shock, while the rest of the class was equally stunned.

Some sighed in sympathy, others got fired up, and a few even shrank under their desks, as if feeling guilty for being the cause of it all.

"So that’s how it is. Su Cheng, I get it now."

"You went back to your hometown because of this, didn’t you?"

"Man, Su Cheng’s really unlucky. He loves Go but was too scared to play because he didn’t want to lose—and now Senior Si Jing found out."

Ignoring the murmurs, Su Cheng maintained an unyielding demeanor.

"And it’s precisely because of Senior Si Jing that I’ve realized…" He spoke slowly, each word firm and resolute. "Running away has never solved anything. If I keep drowning in my own cowardice, too afraid to face challenges, I’ll never grow."