On the train.
The cool young girl closed her eyes for a nap. As the train moved, her small head leaned against Lin Ye's shoulder. Her black hair strands brushed against Lin Ye's cheek, tickling him slightly.
Out of the corner of his eye, he looked at the sleeping girl and could smell the sweet, pleasant scent emanating from her.
After walking so much and working hard for most of the day, Yukinoshita was tired.
However, her sleeping face was truly beautiful.
Throughout the train journey, passengers got on and off. Many revealed looks of envy after noticing Lin Ye and Yukinoshita.
After more than an hour of travel, the two re-entered Tokyo territory and arrived in Akihabara.
Walking on the road, Yukinoshita yawned.
"How about I send you back to the hotel to rest first?" Lin Ye proposed.
There were still more than ten minutes until eight o'clock. If he sent the girl to the hotel and then came to the scheduled location, he would still make it in time.
"No need," she said.
She had already slept and rested for a while on the train. Although she was still a little sleepy, it wasn't a big problem.
"Let's go over there now!"
After speaking, Yukino Yukinoshita determined the direction and walked over.
"Yukinoshita."
"What is it?"
"You're going the wrong way."
Instantly, the young girl froze in place, her eyes flickering with embarrassment. She walked in small steps to Lin Ye's side and said, "You lead the way."
Her being directionally challenged was discovered. How awkward!
"I'll lead the way for you from now on!"
"Mn."
"For a lifetime?"
In this moment, the two looked into each other's eyes.
The girl knew this was Lin Ye teasing her.
"Discuss this issue again when you become my fiancé."
"I seem to have already been last night..."
"No," she denied.
"But getting back to the topic, if we still don't wait upon Mai tonight, should we buy a maid outfit after nine o'clock?"
The cool young girl silently acquiesced.
She would not break the promise she made herself last night.
"You buy it! But it must be a normal maid outfit."
"No problem."
Lin Ye was looking forward to it a bit. He even felt that it was fine if Mai Sakurajima didn't come tonight; otherwise, if she did, he felt there wouldn't be a chance for Yukinoshita to wear the maid outfit he meticulously selected tonight.
After walking for about ten minutes, the two arrived once again at the ramen shop, which still had many people queuing.
Lin Ye greeted Yukinoshita and walked into the ramen shop first, circling twice, but did not discover Mai Sakurajima's figure.
It was already ten past eight.
If Mai Sakurajima had seen that trending search, she should have arrived in time!
Lin Ye, having strolled around the vicinity of the ramen shop without finding that beautiful figure, found a nearby bench with Yukinoshita to sit and rest.
"Trending search..."
Lin Ye looked at his phone, only to realize that the headline information, which still had some residual heat during the day, had now plummeted.
"What's wrong?" Yukinoshita looked toward the man beside her.
"The trending search plummeted. Even though only a surname was mentioned, it was still affected."
Not using 'Mai Sakurajima's' full name was out of consideration for her disappearing presence, so Lin Ye had later contacted Haruno and exhorted her to only use the surname 'Sakurajima'.
But this presence didn't seem to offer many loopholes. Because 'Mai Sakurajima's' presence was constantly decreasing, this trending search that garnered mass attention also suffered an impact.
"Contact Elder Sister and have her contact the relevant companies again!"
"Mn."
At least this trending search had to hang at the top for a few more days.
Lin Ye contacted Haruno and informed her of his request.
"Ay, ay, ay, if Lin-kun hadn't said it, I would have forgotten that I contacted people to do this over the past two days. Lin-kun, you must explain this properly to me when you come back."
Haruno frowned. She had great confidence in her memory. Even things from a year ago, she could remember clearly. Yet, she had completely forgotten about this matter that happened less than two days ago.
Only after Lin Ye contacted and reminded her did she recall it, as if some switch had been flipped. This was very abnormal.
It must be related to the Strange again!
"I can."
Lin Ye and Yukinoshita exchanged a glance.
Haruno, as a participant, had forgotten it dead away, even forgetting what she herself had done. If not for Lin Ye's reminder, Haruno would likely have completely forgotten she had done this.
Facing this fact, Yukino Yukinoshita's heart felt a bit cold.
Being forgotten by the whole world.
How terrifying.
She didn't care about the gazes of strangers around her, but the thought of being forgotten by the entire world, as if she had never appeared or existed, made her heart tremble uncontrollably.
And what kind of mood and thoughts would Mai Sakurajima, who was currently experiencing this scene, have!
If she were the one experiencing it, she feared she might even have thoughts of suicide!
Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but think.
Time passed minute by minute.
Akihabara at night was very lively. This place was some distance from the main road of Akihabara, but there were still many pedestrians coming and going. However, the queue at the ramen shop was getting shorter and shorter.
Under the colorful neon lights, the city was rendered with an atmosphere and colors of prosperity.
Now, it was already nine o'clock.
But that figure still did not appear.
Yukino Yukinoshita quietly read an e-book. Compared to e-books, she actually preferred paper books, which had more texture and reading experience. Akihabara didn't lack books, and they could be bought, but the light in this place was a bit dim and unsuitable for reading paper books.
"Yukinoshita, let's go back!"
"Not waiting any longer?"
"It's already past nine-ten. She wouldn't go so far as to come here past the waiting time. Tomorrow then!"
Yukinoshita thought about it and stood up. She put her phone back into her pocket and tidied her clothes with both hands. "Mn, let's go!"
Anyway, there was still tomorrow.
For the five days of this Golden Week, she estimated she would have to spend them all in Tokyo with Lin Ye.
Lin Ye also stood up. Yukinoshita waited a moment longer, letting Lin Ye walk in front to prevent herself from going the wrong way again.
She wouldn't commit the same mistake a second time. Mn, absolutely wouldn't commit it a second time.
However, very quickly, Yukinoshita realized that where Lin Ye was taking her wasn't the hotel, but... a clothing store in Akihabara.
In a flash, she remembered the matter she had forgotten and placed in the corner of her mind.
Maid outfit.
She still needed to wear a maid outfit for Lin Ye to see.
A trace of shyness emerged. She clenched her fists and endured it.
Akihabara's maid culture was very prevalent. On a main street, maids wearing various youthful and cute styles of maid outfits were everywhere.
And in this specialty maid outfit shop, maid outfits were a feast for the eyes, arranged neatly.
Just standing here was a strong visual impact.
"Which one do you like?"
At this moment, Lin Ye stood in front of a standard, most common black-and-white style maid outfit. Besides this, there were pink-and-white and blue-and-white toned maid outfits. The details, decorations, and styles of each maid outfit were also somewhat different.
"You choose, it's fine."
Lin Ye immediately raised his hand and pointed.
Yukinoshita looked in the direction of his finger, and her eyes immediately changed.
"Lin Ye, do you think that's possible?"
"In case Yukino is willing!"
"Please call me Yukinoshita."
Her attitude had already indicated her will.
Regarding that set of erotic maid outfit placed deep in the shop, the young girl was a hundred thousand times unwilling.
"Pity. Wonder if Mai will be willing to wear it in the future."
Yukino Yukinoshita: ???
Is it appropriate for you to say this to my face?
With you acting like this, we're going to end.
"Go buy quickly. I'll wait for you outside. Waiting for you for five minutes."
After speaking, Yukino Yukinoshita left the shop and stood outside waiting for Lin Ye.
Lin Ye scanned around and selected two maid outfits: one was the most common black-and-white maid outfit, and the other was a blue-and-white maid outfit that had an extra touch of vitality.
"These two sets."
"Okay, but Sir, you need to provide the size for the maid outfits."
"Okay."
Lin Ye went outside the shop.
"Not buying?"
She looked at Lin Ye's empty hands; there was no bag with clothes.
"Need you to provide the size."
"..."
Yukino Yukinoshita walked to the cashier counter and told the female staff member the size.
"Please wait a moment."
The female staff member went to the storage room and took out the corresponding maid outfits.
But what Yukino Yukinoshita didn't expect was that Lin Ye actually bought two sets of maid outfits.
This guy. She would only wear one set anyway; it was impossible for her to wear both sets of maid outfits.
A few minutes later, the maid outfits were packed. Lin Ye carried the bag and left the maid clothing store together with the girl.
It was already nine-thirty.
The streetlights were bright, and pedestrians walked together in twos and threes.
"The hotel is over there."
Lin Ye walked in front, and the young girl followed half a step behind.
But after walking for less than five minutes, Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly realized that Lin Ye had stopped his steps, his eyes projecting forward.
She looked over, but saw nothing.
"What's wrong?"
Is there something ahead?
Yukino Yukinoshita focused her attention to observe carefully, but in the end, she still discovered nothing.
"It's Mai."
"Uh!"
She had just realized this point when Lin Ye spoke up to explain.
Mai Sakurajima... appeared!
But where was the person?
Could she really not see her? Was Lin Ye right!
...
Mai Sakurajima had stepped into the entertainment industry from a young age. As a child star, she had always lived under the spotlight. She also liked portraying one character after another, experiencing their lives, feeling the psychological changes of the characters, and enjoying the work of an actor.
But one day, she suddenly felt that the spotlight and the audience's gazes were strangely piercing.
She suddenly wanted to stop her steps and retire to return to a normal person's life.
But regarding making the determination to give up quitting the entertainment circle and no longer being an actor, she was still hesitant.
However, starting from she didn't know when, she occasionally found that when she was in a crowd, she no longer attracted as much attention as before, and there weren't as many people actively surrounding her to ask for signatures and photos.
She subconsciously thought this was Heaven hearing the thirst in her heart, allowing her to avoid the trouble of being a popular star in her daily life.
Such days passed for more than a month.
She also gradually got used to it. Although she encountered situations a few times where she was ignored for quite a while when buying things and checking out before attracting the other party's attention, generally, the problem wasn't big.
Until this day, the twenty-ninth of April.
She found that she had completely vanished from the vision of others.
Facing this drastic change, she was uneasy and terrified. She racked her brains looking for a solution but had no method at all.
She actively sought out more people, trying to find someone who could see her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't attract the attention of others.
The relationship between her and the real world had been thoroughly torn apart; a huge chasm had appeared.
She wanted to fill this chasm but had no way.
What to do?
No way.
How would she, an ordinary girl, know how to solve such a Strange and peculiar event!
From the initial panic to the later acceptance of reality, Mai Sakurajima welcomed this change.
Life still had to continue.
Even if she wasn't observed by people, she didn't give up the thought of continuing to live.
Even though she also premonished that future life would have many, many inconveniences, it wouldn't go so far as to give up now. She still looked forward to a certain day in the future when everything would return to normal, and she also believed that this world definitely still had people who could observe her.
Just like that, the next day, she began to head to places with many people, looking for that one existing person.
After a whole day, what she harvested was only a cruel ending.
In the vast Tokyo, with so many people, not a single one could discover her.
This made her discouraged for a time, but she didn't give up; she didn't want to give up even more.
Until the evening, she noticed that trending search information on the internet.
At first, she thought it was just a coincidence. But as the locations and surname overlapped one by one, and the content of the conversation with that man at the ramen shop back then appeared in her mind once again, the hope of life rose abruptly in her.
In this world, there was still someone who remembered her and was still trying to find her.
The first moment Mai Sakurajima learned the news, she immediately rushed to that ramen shop where they first met.
But when she arrived, outside the ramen shop under the night curtain, there was no such figure.
She searched all around, but still didn't find him.
"Left?"
The time had already passed the agreed time.
But compared to this time, she was more worried that even this person who suspectedly still remembered her had already forgotten her and wouldn't appear here again.
"Hey..."
"Here, is there anyone who can see me?"
She shouted out, but no one responded.
Mai Sakurajima didn't feel a trace of a gaze; she had been completely ignored.
Her heart went cold.
She waited in place for half an hour, and finally walked on the streets of Akihabara in confusion.
The hope that had ignited was shattered at this moment, causing an extremely strong impact on her.
She walked depressingly, stepping helplessly, completely not knowing where it would be better to go next.
"Excuse me."
There was a human voice, very close, but Mai Sakurajima didn't even lift her head.
She had encountered situations resembling someone greeting the person beside her more than once.
"If you don't mind, come with me!"
Lin Ye looked at Mai Sakurajima, who was low-spirited and didn't even lift her head, blinked, and continued to organize his language to speak, "Homeless, with nowhere to go, beautiful Senpai, consider my proposal?"
In this moment, Mai Sakurajima slowly came back to her senses, realizing that this man beside her was speaking to her.
"You... Lin Ye."
This guy, he deliberately changed his voice just now.
Absolutely deliberate.
"Senpai, long time no see."
"We haven't met for only two days."
"'One day apart seems like three autumns', this is an old saying in our Xia Country."
Mai Sakurajima was very certain Lin Ye could see her.
This was the only person so far who could see her right now.
"Why..."
Mai Sakurajima gazed at him, her eyes flickering with a look of doubt. Why could she see Lin Ye? Why did Lin Ye know she had problems?
She wanted to obtain answers to all her doubts.
"I can explain, but isn't this place somewhat inappropriate?"
Lin Ye pointed. "Although I don't care much about the gazes and discussions of people around, being treated as a fool still feels a bit bad."
Mai Sakurajima looked around a full circle and noticed the strange looks from passersby not far away. But what made her care more was a beautiful girl with long black hair; her line of sight was consistently looking toward this side.
Can see me?
No, she should be looking at Lin Ye!
"Sure."
"Let's go to the hotel! It's not far."
Mai Sakurajima's footsteps instantly went stiff in place.
"Senpai, how about you find a suitable place?"
Lin Ye shrugged and said helplessly, "Your worry isn't superfluous, but I... with your current condition, even if I really wanted to do something, no one would help you, right!"
Speaking of this, Lin Ye couldn't help laughing. "Even if you scream your throat out, no one will hear you."
The cruel fact made Mai Sakurajima also sigh at it.
No one could notice her existence anymore, except for this man before her eyes.
"Let's go! But I remind you, don't try anything funny."
"Oh, is thinking funny thoughts still allowed?"
Lin Ye's smile became even more intense.
"Being fantasized about by a young male, I don't care."
She hugged her chest and huffed lightly. Although she was dissatisfied, she was even happier. And the reason for being happy was naturally because she finally found a person she could converse with normally.
She wasn't abandoned by everyone in the whole world.
"As expected of Senpai, generous."
Lin Ye gave a thumbs up.
"If Senpai were a bit more generous, it would be even better."
"Don't even think about it."
Mai Sakurajima refused immediately, without a trace of hesitation.
Under Mai Sakurajima's gaze, Lin Ye waved his hand toward Yukino Yukinoshita.
Yukino Yukinoshita, who was waiting in place, walked over slowly. She still didn't see Mai Sakurajima. In her eyes, Lin Ye was talking to the air just now, but thinking carefully, she also knew Lin Ye wouldn't deliberately joke with her.
"Hello, Miss Sakurajima."
Mai Sakurajima was stunned. "You can... see me?"
She looked at this beautiful girl facing her.
Compared to her, this star, the girl in front of her didn't concede much either. Exquisite features, fair skin, slender figure; everything was just right. Only a certain part was a tiny bit regretful; otherwise, this girl's charm would go up another level.
"Senpai asks if you can see her."
Lin Ye acted as the translator.
"I can't. It's because Lin Ye told me before that we came here specifically to find you, Miss Sakurajima."
Only then did Mai Sakurajima know Lin Ye didn't come alone.
"So that's how it is. Let's go to the hotel first!"
She had a bellyful of doubts, but because there was a young girl accompanying them, her heart was thoroughly set at ease.
On the way,
Lin Ye heard a burst of 'rumbling' sounds, so Lin Ye found an open dessert shop and bought cake, cookies, and milk tea.
"If you want to eat other things, I can go buy them."
"This is fine."
Her hunger only appeared now.
A few minutes later, the three arrived at the hotel room.
This was a double bed room.
"Yukinoshita's room is next door. Tonight, Senpai, you can share a room with Yukinoshita."
Even considered this?
Mai Sakurajima realized Lin Ye's meticulousness, being able to notice many details.
"Thanks."
She didn't refuse.
"Eat a bit first!"
"Mn."
Under Lin Ye's gaze, Mai Sakurajima started eating.
Yukino Yukinoshita looked at the cake on the table.
Unobservable, untouchable, but she could see the traces of the cake being eaten.
She felt it was so magical.
Mai Sakurajima ate and drank her fill. She sat on the chair and looked at Lin Ye and Yukino Yukinoshita.
"So, why did you know about the situation I encountered, Lin Ye?"
"Before I answer Senpai, has Senpai ever encountered similar things before? The degree might not reach the current level, but was there any before?"
Lin Ye always felt the defect of Invisibility should also be related to Invisibility!
But Mai Sakurajima's current condition couldn't be described merely by 'Invisibility'.
Rather, her presence had disappeared, causing her not to be observed.
Invisibility could be said to be light passing through entirely, while presence was more like people couldn't receive the light reflected by the girl's body, leading to not seeing her.
Not to mention that the related hearing and touch were also affected.
"Yes."
"Starting about a month ago, I occasionally encountered situations where I wasn't noticed."
Mai Sakurajima explained simply.
And Lin Ye did a repetitive narration, specifically saying it for Yukino Yukinoshita to hear.
The young girl gave Lin Ye an extra look; she expressed satisfaction with his attentiveness.
"It's just that, starting yesterday, I suddenly found my disappearance situation became severe all of a sudden. Everyone couldn't see me. I went to the company, went to find people I was familiar with. Because in the past, even if there were disappearance situations, those who had contact with me in reality would still remember me. But this time..."
No one reacted to her.
Everyone forgot her, ignored her, as if she had never existed.
Yukino Yukinoshita's line of sight fell on Lin Ye. The drastic change time node was yesterday. This obviously had a relation to Lin Ye; the probability was as high as ninety percent.
As for pure coincidence? At least Yukino Yukinoshita didn't believe it.
Mai Sakurajima took a sip of milk tea, her bright eyes staring at Lin Ye. "Student Lin, you can tell me now why you knew my plight and specifically looked for me, right!"
"I detected your problem because Yukinoshita forgot you. I explicitly mentioned to her last week that I was going to Tokyo to see you, Mai Sakurajima. As Japan's currently popular female star, although Yukinoshita doesn't watch movies much, she has heard of you, not to mention I mentioned it before. She isn't a forgetful person."
The young girl didn't know how to sigh. At least this should count as praising her, right!
"Why?"
Still a question.
Because Mai Sakurajima couldn't imagine Lin Ye would determine she had a problem just based on Yukinoshita's forgetting, and laboriously come to find her.
This wasn't logical.
"I personally am a little special. This time, Senpai's mutation was also very likely influenced by me. So... since I have responsibility, I must take up this responsibility. Before Senpai recovers to normal, let me take care of Senpai!"
Mai Sakurajima: ???
Yukino Yukinoshita was astonished.
Her own prospective fiancé was actually saying remarks like 'take responsibility, take care of Senpai' to another female.
Her heart slowly felt distasteful.
But she could actually know the reason Lin Ye did this.
"You... aren't joking with me?"
"No."
"What is your specialness? Why do you feel my current situation is related to you?"
Reveal his superpower to Mai Sakurajima?
It wasn't that Lin Ye suspected Mai Sakurajima would expose his secret.
"Can't say?"
"I can say, but the relationship between Senpai and me is still lacking a tiny bit."
Lin Ye's mischievous smile instantly made Mai Sakurajima think of something.
"Aren't you afraid I'll tell Student Yukinoshita about the matter regarding you and Miss Ai Hoshino? If you tell me your specialness, I can guarantee to keep it secret for you. After I recover to normal in the future, I won't let Student Yukinoshita know."
Mai Sakurajima's curiosity was stimulated.
What 'specialness'? Is it the same as her situation?
"She knows."
Mai Sakurajima was astonished.
"Didn't lie to you, she knows."
After speaking, Lin Ye looked toward the bewildered Yukino Yukinoshita. "Yukinoshita, do you still remember who else I came to visit in Tokyo last weekend besides seeing Senior Mai?"
"Ai Hoshino."
Just from Lin Ye's words, Yukino Yukinoshita associated it with the content of the two's conversation just now.
"See! Senpai, she knows."
Mai Sakurajima didn't expect it, really didn't expect it.
Coming to Tokyo with such a beautiful girl, she thought the two's relationship was very intimate no matter what, likely at the level of lovers, or at least ambiguous. But looking at the result, the two's relationship was just good friends and didn't involve romantic love. Otherwise, how could Lin Ye not hide the matter of him coming to date Ai Hoshino!
"I want to know."
Mai Sakurajima stared at Lin Ye, throwing a straight ball.
Since she couldn't persuade him, then request directly.
"Senpai, don't make it hard for me."
Mai Sakurajima was a bit unwilling, but didn't continue to force it.
"Since you said it's related to you, do you know how to solve it?"
"Probably after this week passes, it will return to normal."
"Just this?"
Just this simple?
Mai Sakurajima still couldn't quite believe it.
"Yes. By next Monday, Senpai will know if what I said is true or false."
But for Mai Sakurajima, this was a hope within reach; it had a considerably high positive promoting effect on her.
These past two days, she had despaired and almost collapsed. It was her positive and optimistic will that forcibly held on, letting her persist and not give up hope.
And now Lin Ye, the only person who could see her, told her 'it will return to normal in a week'. What a joyous thing this was.
"Please believe me."
Lin Ye continued, "If Senpai still can't recover to normal next week, I... I will take responsibility to the end and search for the solution to the disappearance of Senpai's presence together with Senpai. I can also tell you the specialness on my body, and why I think Senpai's condition is related to me."
Lin Ye made a guarantee and a promise. His sincerity made Mai Sakurajima unable to find any possibility of a lie.
She believed Lin Ye.
But there was still one doubt.
"Helping me is just because you feel it's related to you, that it's caused by your responsibility?"
If it was purely just because of this one reason, this man's conduct was quite noble.
"This reason occupies half! Because the problem appeared due to me, I should be responsible for solving it and the aftermath."
"What about the other half!"
Lin Ye laughed. "Doesn't Senpai know yet? Do I have to say it so clearly?"
Mai Sakurajima's line of sight gradually shifted away, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks.
From childhood to adulthood, she didn't know how many men had shown love and expressed good feelings toward her, but only Lin Ye this time gave her heart an extra trace of throbbing, a feeling completely different from before.
"Who doesn't like Mai Sakurajima! Hahahaha..."
Mai Sakurajima rolled her eyes.
Yukino Yukinoshita was silent aside.
Today, she felt doubly 'humiliated'.
Her own prospective fiancé was flirting sweetly with an invisible woman, and she could only watch and endure. She even had to sleep in the same room with this woman tonight.
Just thinking about it, Yukino Yukinoshita's nameless anger spewed out, but was forcibly suppressed.
"She's angry."
Mai Sakurajima detected it immediately. She was very sensitive to women's emotional changes.
"Yukinoshita, Senpai Mai says you are angry."
"No."
Yukinoshita denied immediately.
"Yukinoshita..."
"I said no means no."
The cool young girl emphasized, "You guys continue talking, don't mind me."
But whether it was Mai Sakurajima or Lin Ye, even Yukinoshita herself actually didn't believe these words.
Lin Ye decided to find time to comfort the girl.
"It's like this, Senpai. Our plan is for you to temporarily live together with Yukinoshita this week. Since you are both girls, it will be more convenient. Because I can see you, I'll be responsible for communicating with you, informing Yukinoshita to provide help and solve your daily needs."
Mai Sakurajima actually knew this was quite troublesome, troubling both Lin Ye and Yukino Yukinoshita.
However, with her current situation, daily life had already been affected.
If she relied solely on herself, she didn't know how she would spend the next five days of this week with difficulty.
"Thanks."
This kindness, she would definitely repay in the future.
The girl named 'Mai Sakurajima' made a determination silently in her heart.
"It's good that Senpai can accept it. If you want to thank us, I have a proposal..."
"You'd better not say it."
Yukino Yukinoshita interrupted immediately. "Don't think about proposing lewd requests that make things difficult for people."
"I didn't."
"Hehe."
Regarding this point about this man, Yukino Yukinoshita didn't have a bit of confidence.
The conversation ended here.
Just as he thought, Mai Sakurajima's mutation couldn't be disassociated from him; otherwise, it wouldn't have ushered in a drastic change on Monday.
But the question was, before this, was Mai Sakurajima's mutation a Strange influence, or Puberty Syndrome?
Lin Ye became curious.
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