"What does Mai plan to do after graduation?"
Shinra leaned sideways on the sofa and asked Sakurajima Mai, who was peeling an apple beside him.
"Go to school, work." Sakurajima Mai threw the long apple peel into the trash can, then cut the apple in half with a small knife, put half in her mouth, and handed the other half to Shinra.
While waiting for Shinra to take the apple, she picked up another apple and started peeling it. This one was for Futaba, who was taking a shower now, so there were only Mai and Shinra in the living room for the time being.
Also because of this, Shinra found the right time to ask Sakurajima Mai this question.
"Feels no different from now?" Shinra stuffed the remaining apple into his mouth and said indistinctly.
Mai thought about it and found it was indeed true, but she added: "After entering university, there might be more free time, and it will be more convenient no matter what I do..."
"Do what~" Shinra's tone was somewhat inexplicable, leaning slightly towards her.
Because the living room sofa wasn't big, it was inevitable for two people to bump into each other. Plus Shinra leaned towards Mai deliberately, making the contact area between the two larger.
"Anyway, not the kind of thing in your brain!"
A trace of red appeared on Mai's exquisite face. She stuffed the apple she had bitten into Shinra's mouth, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the bathroom.
Futaba is still here!
"What am I thinking in my brain?" Shinra asked back.
Mai glared at her boyfriend unhappily, knowing the answer but asking anyway.
"Stop fooling around. It won't be good if Futaba sees it when she comes out of the shower later."
Mai didn't want Futaba to think she was the kind of person who disregarded occasions when dating.
Although this was her house, at least wait until people left before being lovey-dovey.
The guest was still at home, and she was pulling and pushing with Shinra here; it was somewhat inappropriate.
Shinra didn't really plan to do anything to Mai. In fact, strictly speaking, their current progress had only reached the stage of holding hands. Although they had kissed before, it was on the forehead and cheeks; a proper kiss hadn't happened yet.
Mainly because there wasn't a suitable timing. Although they had been dating for almost three months, the actual time spent together was pitifully little, far below average.
Generally speaking, couples who have just started dating like them wish to stick together all day long. However, neither Shinra nor Sakurajima Mai did so. Instead, like an old married couple, they left enough space for each other, as if skipping the passionate love period directly.
"She just went in."
Shinra indicated not to worry about Futaba Rio. She just went to take a shower and probably wouldn't come out for an hour.
Mm, reference basis is Inner Futaba.
After all, both Surface and Inner Futabas are essentially the same person. Except for divergent philosophies, other things like habits and thinking modes should be pretty much the same.
Inner Futaba took an hour to shower; by the same logic, Surface Futaba should be about the same. Not saying an hour, but at least half an hour.
Speaking of which, girls should spend a long time showering, especially washing hair. With such long hair, just applying foam completely feels like it takes much longer than boys, not to mention applying conditioner and rinsing again after rinsing off the foam.
When everything is done, drying hair is another huge process, very time-consuming and laborious.
Therefore, generally speaking, girls with long hair usually don't wash their hair every time they shower, but do it at intervals.
"Speaking of which, did you see the other Futaba when you went to school today?" Shinra asked curiously.
Sakurajima Mai arrived home last night and went to school today. Just didn't know if she saw Inner Futaba in school.
Ever since Surface Futaba gave the house to Inner Futaba, she also gave up going to school to her. Currently, Surface Futaba basically stayed at Mai's house all day long and went nowhere.
Thinking about it this way, it felt Inner Futaba had a high probability of winning. After all, Surface Futaba stayed at home all the time, and only Mai and Shinra could observe her existence. Inner Futaba was different. Having inherited most of the original Futaba's life, she could be said to be a perfect substitute for Futaba, except for slightly different personality.
Believed that those who interacted with her, after experiencing the initial surprise of Futaba's personality change, would probably get used to it...
It could be said that if Surface Futaba didn't take action, her living space would only become smaller and smaller until she completely disappeared.
"No, I looked for her, but didn't find her." Sakurajima Mai shook her head. During the break, she went to Futaba's class to find her, but missed her every time.
After school, Mai went to the Science Club at school to find her, but found the club room door open, yet no trace of her.
Futaba Rio was the president of the school's Science Club. Although called president, actually this club only had Futaba alone.
As for why one person could establish a club and get a club room, it could only be said that networking (connections) was in place.
—My Professor Father.
Mai could be sure Futaba Rio was in the classroom because when she arrived at the Science Club room, the alcohol lamp on the podium was still lit.
But the problem was seeing the lamp but not the person.
If this were in another setting, it would be a proper horror movie. But as someone who experienced Adolescence Syndrome personally, Mai knew this was most likely Adolescence Syndrome acting up again.
She couldn't see Inner Futaba, just like Shinra couldn't contact Surface Futaba at the beginning.
"Couldn't find her..." Shinra wasn't surprised by Mai's answer, even expected it.
"You should be able to see her, right?" Mai looked at Shinra.
"Actually, I spent yesterday at her house." Shinra was brave, not hiding anything at all.
Hearing this, Sakurajima Mai raised her eyebrows as expected and said: "You stayed overnight at her house?"
"Mm, stayed overnight." Shinra nodded.
"Slept where?"
"Living room."
"Slept on the sofa?"
"Floor."
Under question and answer, Shinra honestly confessed the specific process of staying overnight at Futaba Rio's house yesterday.
In addition, Sakurajima Mai was a bit strange. She remembered Futaba Rio's family should be very rich; why did Shinra sleep in the living room instead of the guest room?
"Because she slept in the living room too."
Sakurajima Mai: !!!
Mai's face looked a bit wrong. What does it mean she slept in the living room too?
Does it mean you slept together last night?
Seeing Mai's uncertain expression, Shinra explained: "She slept on the sofa, I slept on the floor."
Mai's expression looked slightly better, but she still frowned and asked: "Why did you sleep in the living room?"
"You have to ask Futaba about this." Shinra shrugged, indicating he was also wondering why Futaba asked him to stay overnight yesterday.
But soon Mai caught another key point.
"She asked you to stay, and you stayed?"
Now she asks you to sleep in the living room with her; next time she asks you to sleep in the same bed with her, will you follow too?
Mai didn't say this explicitly, but the meaning was just that.
It was also at this time that Mai began to realize Futaba Rio's 'danger'.
The other party was retracing her path!
Also having Adolescence Syndrome, also a beautiful girl, also staying overnight alone with a boy...
Because the sense of déjà vu was too strong, Sakurajima Mai had to think in the worst direction: if Shinra cured Futaba Rio's Adolescence Syndrome, would she have an extra rival in love?
The plot of best friend becoming rival is a cliché setting in urban romance dramas.
Sakurajima Mai used to like watching such plots, but when it really happened to her, it wasn't funny anymore.
However, things hadn't developed to that extent yet. Moreover, she also asked Shinra to help Futaba Rio solve Adolescence Syndrome.
This was a necessary sacrifice.
"So what did you find?" Mai made up her mind. If Shinra told her he found nothing, don't go back tonight; stay and sleep on the sofa.
"Hmm, should be related to you." Shinra said.
"Related to me?" Mai didn't expect her business was involved here.
Could it be Futaba Rio isn't coming for Shinra, but for me?!
What does it mean? So she is not my rival, but Shinra's rival?
"Mm, remember the question I asked you just now?"
"Seen the other Futaba?"
"No, scroll up."
"What do I plan to do after graduation?" Mai thought of the question Shinra asked her at the beginning.
She thought Shinra was asking about her future plans; now it seemed not the case.
"Yes, last night she couldn't sleep, and mentioned this matter when chatting with me."
"You chatted late at night?" Mai's focus shifted inevitably again.
Can't help it; boyfriend and best friend chatting instead of sleeping in the middle of the night—anyone would panic.
If she didn't know Shinra did this for Adolescence Syndrome, Mai would feel her head was a bit green now.
"She couldn't sleep." Shinra spread his hands. Bitter, can you blame him for this too?
"What about you?"
"I can sleep when in the same bed with you, what do you say?"
Hiss... indeed makes sense.
That day when she and Shinra slept in a big bed in the hotel, the other party fell asleep easily, let alone him and Futaba Rio sleeping on the floor and sofa separately.
In terms of female charm alone, Sakurajima Mai considered herself not weaker than Futaba Rio. Although Futaba Rio's figure was indeed exaggerated, her figure was not bad at all, also a peerless beauty who couldn't see her toes when looking down.
Thinking of this, Mai basically ruled out Shinra's suspicion of cheating, and then pulled her attention back to the right track.
"Cough, so what did you chat about?"
"About your graduation."
"About my graduation..."
Mai fell into contemplation. Why would Futaba Rio pay attention to my graduation?
"Do you have any clues?" Shinra looked at the contemplating Mai and couldn't help asking.
Today he had asked many people, but got no inspiration. Now seeing Mai like this, did she find some clues?
Mai shook her head, but soon nodded again. She said: "Not really clues, just some guesses."
"That's better than nothing." Shinra prepared to listen respectfully.
"Before that, take your paws back first." Mai slapped Shinra's hand grumpily.
From just now, this guy put his hand on her waist and didn't stop mischief when talking about serious business.
Putting it there was fine, but he restlessly wanted to explore up and down.
No proper shape!
"Mm." Shinra behaved, but not completely.
He didn't take his hand back, but didn't move anymore, just honestly hugging Mai's slender waist.
Seeing this, Mai didn't bother with him anymore but talked about her guess.
"Futaba might be worried that she will return to her original state after graduation." Mai gave her speculation.
Futaba Rio's social circle was very small. Except for Sakurajima Mai, she had no other friends at school. Usually, there were few people she could talk to.
Once Sakurajima Mai graduated, it meant Futaba's social interaction at school would return to zero.
Mai guessed the other party should be worried about this, so she mentioned graduation matters to Shinra.
"If it's just this, she wouldn't split herself, right?" Shinra questioned.
"Who knows? Do you plan to reason with Adolescence Syndrome?" Mai was noncommittal. This was just a guess. She wasn't a roundworm in Futaba Rio's stomach; how could she understand so clearly?
"That's true." Shinra nodded. Just like Mai's existence was stripped away due to cold violence (social exclusion) at school, it wasn't impossible for Futaba to split into two because she worried about returning to the state of being alone.
Combined with the emotions transmitted when Futaba asked Shinra to stay overnight earlier, he seemed to understand something.
Mai keenly captured this. She asked: "Looks like you thought of something?"
"Pretty much, but feel like something is missing, or rather... don't know where to start?"
"Don't know where to start?"
"Even knowing the reason, don't know how to solve it."
Can't prevent Mai from graduating, right?
Besides, not only because of Mai's graduation, Shinra had one point he hadn't told Mai, that is, Futaba Rio seemed to have improper thoughts about him.
Shinra knew this from the beginning because Futaba Rio hadn't hidden it from the beginning.
Rather than saying Futaba suffered from Adolescence Syndrome because she worried about loneliness, it was better to say Futaba wanted to grab the man but couldn't make a move due to her identity as a friend. Under the dual effects of morality and emotion, plus the suppressed situation encountered in daily life for a long time, it led to the birth of Adolescence Syndrome.
This couldn't be solved just by money; he had to think of a way...