A voice as clear and melodious as birdsong echoed through the café. Was this the gift of heaven's harmony to the flow of time? Hearing someone sing live—and a cappella at that—for the first time stirred something deep within the heart. It felt… just like a first love.
"Are you Miss Chu Lian?" As Chu Lian's song came to an end and she quietly watched the maid, a timid voice sounded beside her. She turned and saw a little girl of about seven or eight years old.
The girl had her hair tied into two pigtails, her round, chubby face irresistibly cute. There was a trace of shyness in her eyes, but when she met Chu Lian's gaze, that timidity slowly turned into hope and admiration—she clearly adored her.
Chu Lian looked at her, and her expression softened instantly. A pure, gentle smile blossomed across her face. "Yes, I'm Chu Lian."
"Really? You're Miss Chu Lian! I love you, onee-chan!" the girl exclaimed. The moment Chu Lian confirmed it, she happily bounced forward, wrapping her arms around Chu Lian's leg and rubbing her face against her stomach.
Seeing the girl's adorable behavior, Chu Lian chuckled softly and reached out to pat her head. "Did you need something from onee-chan?"
The little girl buried her face against Chu Lian's stomach and mumbled, "This morning, I saw you on my father's computer. I watched your music video more than ten times. I really, really like you, onee-chan—and I love your song too!"
"Oh, is that so? Then I should thank you for your support." Chu Lian felt an unexpected wave of joy. She hadn't imagined she would meet her first fan in Neon so soon.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Chu Lian. Our daughter doesn't understand proper manners yet and may have disturbed you," a flustered man wearing glasses hurried over with a gentle-looking woman beside him and bowed deeply.
"Oh, it's fine. She's my first fan in Neon—how could I possibly dislike that?" Chu Lian smiled and shook her head, then gently patted the little girl's head again. "Your parents are here, sweetheart. Go back to them, okay? Onee-chan has some things to take care of. We'll talk again next time, alright?"
"But I don't want to leave onee-chan," the girl mumbled, rubbing her face against Chu Lian again, her reluctance practically overflowing.
"But this is important, you know? If you really like onee-chan, you shouldn't disturb her while she's working. You can wait nearby, and when I'm done, we'll play together, alright?"
"I don't mind, but my father has something to do later. We can't stay here long. I don't know when I'll get to see you again, onee-chan…"
"That's right, Miss Chu Lian," the father said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "We have some family business to take care of, so Yui can't stay. I'm sorry to trouble you."
"Kenichi, why don't you go ahead first? I'll stay here with Yui. I really like Miss Chu Lian too. You can handle things at home on your own, can't you?" the mother suddenly suggested, siding with her daughter.
"Well… in that case, make sure you both rest at the apartment tonight and wait for me. I'll be back tomorrow," the man said after a short hesitation. It was clear that whatever business he had could be managed alone—he'd just wanted to bring his wife and daughter home for a short visit. Since both wanted to stay, he eventually agreed.
"Thank you, father!" Yui said happily. Hearing her parents' decision, she jumped out of Chu Lian's arms, hugged her father tightly, and thanked him with a big smile.
Her father fondly pinched her little nose. "Then be good, Yui. Listen to your mother, and don't bother Miss Chu Lian while she's working, okay?"
"Mhm! Yui will be very good!" Yui clenched her tiny fist in determination and made a little cheering pose before running back to her mother's side. Holding her hand, she waved to her father. "Go ahead, father! Mommy and I will miss you!"
"Be good now, Daddy's leaving…" The man said a few last words to Yui's mother, then turned to Chu Lian. "Please take care of her, Miss Chu Lian. As long as you're busy, Yui won't bother you—she's very well-behaved."
"Alright…" Chu Lian nodded lightly. She didn't think much of it, though she was a little surprised—the girl's name was Yui.
After Yui and her mother watched her father leave, the little girl said sweetly, "Onee-chan, we won't bother you. We'll just sit where we were and wait for you."
"Good girl, Yui. Once I'm done, I'll come play with you," Chu Lian said with a wave and a gentle smile.
The others had been watching Chu Lian's interaction with Yui's family the entire time. Since they couldn't join the conversation, all they could do was exchange helpless smiles.
Chu Chu's reaction, however, was the worst. She didn't understand Japanese well, but she could pick up simple words—and "big sister" was one phrase she had learned in every language, just to make sure she'd recognize it anywhere.
And now this little brat had the nerve to call her "Big Sis"—in Japanese? Unacceptable. Completely unfair! She could feel herself fuming with jealousy.
Li Xiu'er watched Chu Chu pout with a complicated expression, her own gaze unfocused as if lost in thought.
"So Lian's that good with children too…" Inori rested her chin in her hand, smiling faintly as she watched Chu Lian's profile.
"That person… carries death's aura." The one who broke the silence was Kurosaki Satsuki, who had been quiet until now. Her words came softly, but they shocked everyone.
"Death's aura? You can see that?" Chu Lian frowned slightly, instantly alert.
"It's an ability I gained about a year ago. I can see people's auras—whether they belong to the living or the dead," Kurosaki Satsuki replied honestly.
Thankfully, the maid had already been dismissed when Yui arrived, or else hearing this conversation might have scared her to death—or made her call the police.
"Can you see it on everyone?" Chu Lian asked seriously. If Satsuki could see death on every person, that would be a terrifying existence.
"No. Only on those who are about to die," Satsuki said, shaking her head. "Originally, both that little girl and her mother had death's aura surrounding them. But after Yui touched you, her aura disappeared. And when her mother decided to stay, hers vanished too."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because that man is beyond saving. Nothing you could do would change his fate—it would only drag you into trouble…" Satsuki's words left Chu Lian silent. She understood that while life and death could sometimes be altered, there were also times when they were immutable.
It was clear now—Yui and her mother's deaths could be averted, but her father's was already decided. Unless Chu Lian could defy the gods themselves or the laws of life and death, nothing could change it.
"What about Yui, then…?"
"I don't know."
Inori translated their exchange for Chu Chu and Li Xiu'er, and both fell silent afterward. Life and death—since ancient times, it had always been a topic difficult to discuss lightly. Only those utterly detached from emotion—or those who had truly transcended life and death—could speak of it calmly.
The rest could only feel the weight of it pressing down.
The heavy silence lingered until a woman with long, sleek black hair approached Chu Lian. She looked down at her with a teasing smile, breaking the tension.
"So you're Chu Lian? You're even cuter in person…" The long-haired beauty gazed at her for a moment, then suddenly opened her arms and pulled Chu Lian into a tight hug—her ample chest completely smothering Chu Lian's face. The woman's expression was one of pure delight.
"Ever since you and Inori sang 'Euterpe,' I've been following your work! You're just too adorable! Lolis are the best!" The long-haired woman's enthusiasm was so over-the-top that Chu Lian froze in shock—this woman's reaction was no different from that of a crazy fanboy who couldn't control himself around cute girls.
Chu Lian struggled free from the long-haired woman's embrace, quickly stepping back a few paces. Her face was full of caution as she asked, "Who are you?"
Realizing that her sudden behavior had frightened the little loli, the long-haired woman coughed lightly, straightened her posture, and smoothed her flowing black hair before replying, "I'm the owner of this café—Kujou Sakurako. But I'm also one of your fans, you know? So, Chu Lian-chan, you can just call me Sister Sakurako. I'd be very happy if you did."
Her waist-length black hair gleamed under the lights, her mature and beautiful face exuding confidence. Dressed in a crisp white blouse, black slacks, and black high-heeled sandals, she radiated the overwhelming aura of a true onee-san type.
Perhaps her appearance was too striking, because Chu Chu immediately stepped in front of Chu Lian, her eyes filled with hostility, as if warning Sakurako not to make any sudden moves.
"Oh my, a sister-complex girl~ Don't worry, I'm not interested in your sister like that," Sakurako teased with a soft chuckle. "My hobby is collecting bones, but I also adore lolis. Still, that… JURU loli thing? That's not really my style."
Of course, since Chu Chu didn't understand Japanese, Inori quietly performed a little creative translation: "Oh my, young lady, I don't intend to steal your big sister or anything. I'm not interested in you either. My hobby is bone collecting, so there's no need to be so defensive."
Well, for now, they could only hope that by the time Chu Chu learned Japanese, she'd forget this particular exchange.
As for Chu Lian, after hearing Sakurako's words, she stayed silent for a moment. Then she gently pushed Chu Chu aside and said, "Miss Sakurako, would you permit me to participate in the maid event? I really need that collectible of yours—but I'd like to earn it with my own strength."
"Hmm, no problem at all. Age restrictions like that are meaningless anyway," Sakurako agreed without hesitation—a truly capricious lady.
"Then, thank you… Sister Sakurako," Chu Lian said with a graceful nod. For the sake of her quest, she could sacrifice a little dignity.
"Ohohoho~ Being called 'Sister' by a cute loli feels so good~!" The classic queenly laugh escaped Sakurako's lips, completely exposing her true colors. Ah, what a woman~