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Then, guided by the old woman, the three arrived at what was supposedly the Triangle family's mansion, but it was completely deserted and abandoned.
Left with no other choice, the three of them continued walking towards the Toyokawa family's villa.
"If Old Deng really used Chu Hua as bait, then he would definitely be waiting for her at the villa right now."
Banami became more vigilant, constantly monitoring the surroundings...
However, apart from the blazing sun and the chirping of cicadas, and the slightly salty sea breeze, there was nothing at all.
The three even went to the Toyokawa family's villa...
"What exactly happened?" Xiangzi asked in a low voice.
Let alone the people sent by Toyokawa Noboru to arrest them, the three of them walked around the villa and there wasn't a single person there.
"Could it be that you're really wrong? Misaka Hatsuka's retirement really has nothing to do with your grandfather?!" Miao Mengqin asked.
But Banami glanced around and said, "Do you see those roses inside the villa?"
The girl looked at the bright roses inside the villa fence and paused slightly.
"Wild roses can't bloom so profusely if no one takes care of them. At least, someone lives here. Xiangzi, what's your favorite flower?"
Xiangzi's eyes widened suddenly: "...It's a rose! Chuhua must be here!"
“But this is even stranger. If Misaka Hatsuka lives here, then… where did the people who arrested you go?” Meow Dream asked.
Banai fell silent. He couldn't understand it either. He had already scouted the area, and there were no "pursuers" in the mountain villas within a five-mile radius, but there were plenty of mosquitoes.
"Let's not worry about that for now. Let's find Chu Hua first. Regardless of what Toyokawa Noboru is thinking, it would be even better if he wasn't around. We can just take Chu Hua and run away. If we keep thinking about what kind of trap Noboru might set, we'll just be led by the nose."
Xiangzi nodded slightly, and then he heard Miaomeng shout, "Hey, Sanjiao Chuhua, we've come to visit you, open the door!"
Although the action was somewhat daring, Banami did not stop him.
One minute, two minutes, five minutes passed...
No, there was nothing at all. There was neither the Triangle Flower nor anyone chasing them.
"Let's split up and search the island. You two go together, and take this. Use it if there's any danger."
The two nodded slightly. In fact, it was now basically confirmed that the Toyokawa family was no longer on the island. It was just a precaution, since they didn't know what Old Deng was up to.
However, the three of them searched the area around the villa but found nothing.
Even if the person living in the villa isn't Hatsuka, at least they need to find the person who takes care of the roses and confirm their identity before they can plan their next step.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Banai ran back down the mountain alone, where the old woman was still sitting at her doorstep enjoying the cool air.
This sparsely populated island has almost no young people; everyone has gone out to work, and no one wants to stay in this isolated place.
"Grandma, I'd like to ask, are there any cemeteries on this island?"
Then, the old woman pointed him in a direction, but the look in her eyes was a little strange.
However, Banami ignored him, because he remembered what the old woman had just said.
The man in her family was unlucky; he encountered a storm while fishing at sea and never returned...
The cemetery on the outlying island has a rather unique location, situated on a cliff near the sea, where the sound of waves crashing against the rock face can be heard constantly.
As soon as Banami arrived at this place, she saw a splash of red on a tombstone—a rose. The tombstone read "Tomb of the Triangle Family."
Banami clasped her hands together. This must be the grave of Hatsuka's father.
His heart beat faster, which at least confirmed that the person living in the villa was Chu Hua.
But where has she gone now?
I say you're mine, you're mine.
*Look, it's clearly right in front of you.
*Even though it cannot be achieved.
I want, I want, I want you so much.
There was singing coming from the edge of the cliff, as if it were the siren, the sea monsters of legend who would use their songs to lure innocent boatmen to drown.
Following the sound of the song, Banami walked through a dense green forest, where the song grew closer and closer.
No need to recall, so...
*You know you know you know (You know perfectly well that you know perfectly well)
As the sunlight streamed through the cliff edge, Banami finally emerged from the dense forest and saw a blonde girl sitting on the cliff edge, her white feet gently dangling on the cliff face, with waves crashing against the rocks below.
So you know I want you to know how much I need you.
I am now almost insane.
The girl's singing faded away slowly, perhaps because she heard the commotion behind her.
Afraid of startling the other person, Banai called out in a low voice, "Hatsuka..."
Then, the girl turned her head, and the bright sunlight fell on her short golden hair, making it look so dazzling.
Slightly surprised, the girl turned her head to look at the boy in front of her.
However, there was a hint of unfamiliarity and surprise in her eyes, which gave Banami a strange sense of unease.
Then, as if she had understood something, the girl slowly stood up. Her light movements contrasted sharply with the danger below the cliff, making one involuntarily wipe a bead of sweat from their brow.
Barefoot, she approached from behind Hanami, giving him a curious once-over before whispering, "You are the Hanami-kun that my sister mentioned in her letter?"
Sister... what does this mean?
Banai looked puzzled; the girl in front of her looked exactly like Misumi Hatsuka.
Seeing the boy's expression, the girl seemed to realize something and chuckled softly. Perhaps she was originally a cheerful girl who loved to laugh. In fact, it was as if Banami saw the same Mitsumi Hatsuka who was on stage in everyone's eyes.
That spirited, androgynous, even somewhat handsome, Mitsumi Hatsuka.
"Sorry, I haven't had a chance to introduce myself yet. Nice to meet you. I'm Misumi Miku's younger sister, and my name is... Misumi Miku Hatsuka. I guess my older sister didn't tell you."
"Sanko Chuhua, that's actually my name."
A gentle breeze caressed her golden hair.
Chapter Six: First Meeting, Miss Xiangzi
When Banami brought the real Mitsuba Hatsuka back to the villa's entrance, Xiaoxiang and Miaomengqin were astonished and their eyes widened.
After all, Mitsumi Hatsuka is currently wearing the Toyokawa family uniform and looks like a servant of the Toyokawa family.
"Chuhua..." Xiangzi was at a loss for words, unsure whether to be moved or puzzled.
However, the girl standing next to Banami couldn't help but show a refreshing smile and said, "Excuse me, are you Miss Toyokawa Shoko? Nice to meet you. My name is Misumi Hatsuka."
Ah, the 'Hatsuka' you mentioned is actually my older sister, Hatsune Miku.
Xiangzi never imagined that their reunion would end like this.
Meanwhile, Meow Dream looked at the face that was almost identical to that of the popular idol "Mitsubo Hatsuka" with a puzzled expression.
A short while later, led by Mikasa Mikasa, the three entered the Toyokawa family's villa.
Soon, the blonde girl skillfully brewed a pot of tea and some cookies.
"I'm sorry, Miss Xiangzi, because we didn't receive any prior notice and didn't know you were coming, we didn't purchase the necessary ingredients."
Xiangzi naturally didn't mind such a thing; on the contrary, he felt a little awkward because of how she addressed him. But right now, it was more important to figure out the relationship between the two of them.
"Hatsu...Hatsuka, do you mean that the one who became a popular idol in Tokyo was actually your older sister, Misumi Hatsune, and you are the younger sister, Misumi Hatsuka?"
"That's right, I always feel a little strange when my name appears on TV," Chu Hua said with a smile after skillfully pouring the girl a cup of tea.
"But...why..." Xiangzi said to himself, as if struck by a shock.
Why does Hatsune Miku hide her identity?
To everyone's disappointment, Chu Hua gently shook her head: "I don't know either. It's just a name. If you want to use it, I don't mind."
Banami felt a little strange, but she didn't say anything.
As if remembering something, Xiangzi said, "If that's the case, then when we were little, on the island, the person I played with was you... or... Hatsune Miku?"
Chu Hua tilted her head slightly and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Xiangzi, I don't really remember. I had a high fever once when I was a child, and I don't remember many things anymore."
But since your sister can recount things from when you two were little, then the person you played with was probably her.
Chu Hua didn't seem to care, which was understandable, since it was just a memory of playing together as children, and most people wouldn't attach much meaning to it.
Whether it is or not, I won't care too much.
"How could this be..." Xiangzi couldn't help but clench his fist slightly.
Miao Mengqin looked at Chu Hua and asked, "If that's the case, do you know why your sister retired? Are you able to contact her now?"
But Mikasa's answer was still disappointing: "My older sister retired?!"
Miao Mengqin's eyes widened in surprise, and then Chu Hua said, "Sorry, I don't use my phone often, and the TV signal on the island isn't very good."
"Is this an island or a prison?" Miao Mengqin couldn't help but complain.
Although Kumamoto is also a rural area and can't compare to Tokyo at all, Okinawa's remote islands are truly desolate places.
It's the kind of place where you rarely even see people.
Having received unexpected news from Miyako, Misaki Hatsuka quickly took out her phone, dialed her sister Hatsune's number, and even turned on the speakerphone so everyone could hear it.
But as if it were a given, no one answered the phone she dialed.
“Sister…” she said softly.
The three looked at each other, seemingly having the same thought: Could it be that they were really mistaken, and that Mikawa Hatsuka's retirement was not a means for Toyokawa to lure them out?
But if that's the case, then what exactly was Chu Hua's reason for retiring, and where is she now?
The fierce battle and adventure that the three had expected did not materialize. Instead, after successfully reaching their destination, they were filled with more questions and confusion.
Seeing this, Banai couldn't help but ask, "Miss Hatsuka..."
Calling someone "Chu Hua" always made the boy feel a little awkward.
"Eh?" Chu Hua gently raised her head, revealing a cheerful smile.
"Why are you working as the manager of the Toyokawa family's villa? Are you the only one here?" Banami asked.
Sure enough, Xiangzi finally remembered this problem.
Misaki Hatsuka laughed and said, "But if I go to Tokyo, my sister's identity will be exposed, which would be terrible, wouldn't it?"
Banami and Xiangzi were slightly taken aback. It seemed that this was indeed the case. To put it more seriously, it was tantamount to deceiving their own fans.
As a result, Mikasa Hatsuka chuckled and said, "Sorry, seeing the two of you looking so serious, I just couldn't help myself."
I was just joking. Actually, my mother asked someone from the Toyokawa family to help me find a job there.
As you know, it's really hard to find a job these days. My sister is in Tokyo, and my mother needs someone to take care of her here, so I stayed.
After all, no one usually comes to this villa; it only needs occasional cleaning. The pay is also very good. On this island, you probably wouldn't find a better job.
After saying that, Mikasa Hatsuka considerately gave the three of them time to digest their thoughts. Looking at the sky outside, she said softly, "In any case, it's already late today. The ship leaving the island won't be until tomorrow. Miss Shoko, please stay here for the night. I'll go cook for you three now."
After she slowly left, Banami, Shoko, and Meowmengchi were somewhat silent for a moment.
In the end, it was Miaomeng who broke the silence, her tone even somewhat sarcastic: "Look at what we've done along the way, outsmarting thin air?"
Mr. Toyokawa would probably find it hilarious to see the three of us like this.
But Xiangzi ignored her teasing and asked his lover beside him, "Xi, what do you think? Are you going to stay here and wait for... Hatsune, or... leave here?"
After all, if Miku Miku... the blonde girl they know really retired, the most likely thing she would do is return to her hometown.
So waiting here isn't a bad idea.
However, this is, after all, the Toyokawa family's villa, which always gives people a sense of insecurity.
Banami looked up at the ornate decorations on the ceiling, but did not give a direct answer.
"As Miss Chuhua said, it's already late. In any case, let's rest here for the night."
After hearing this, Xiangzi nodded slightly. They also needed time to process the news.
"I'll go set up the cordon," said Banami.
Although it is now almost certain that the Toyokawa family is not on the island, we cannot let our guard down.
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