Chapter 220: 1.5-1 (1/2)

It was time. Time for him and his friends to go their separate ways. For hours after the initial goodbye, it weighed on him, knowing that any minute now, his friends would decide that it was the right moment to leave.

Xinya, if he had his way, would rather have their departure be like ripping off a bandaid, fast and only slightly painful. However, instead of being quick, Wei and Wandering Sound had decided to drag out their farewell for hours now.

Prolonging a goodbye like this would only make it harder for the ones they were saying it to, even when they weren't trying to do so. It seemed that it was up to Xinya to push them on their way, something he really didn't want to do, but he knew he had to.

After taking a glance at the sky, he didn't need to open his interface and look at the clock to see that morning had long passed. He could tell clearly by the position of the bright yellow sun that was shining down on them from above.

This was quite the pickle he was in; he could just let them keep delaying, then the night would be here again, and he would have more time to spend with them, or he could remind them of their plans. Knowing that the first option could backfire, with the couple finding ways to stall their journey every day, Xinya went with the second option.

But as he watched his three friends chat happily with each other, he couldn't make himself cut in, he didn't want to say goodbye. Even though he was aware that this wasn't really a goodbye, but just a see you later, he still felt quite saddened by their separation.

He would miss them, well Wei more so than Wandering Sound, but he would still miss the musician's presence. But, Wei was different, she was a baby sister to him, he would miss her a lot.

Only one word could describe how he was behaving, and that was stupid. It wasn't like he would never be able to see Wei again. All he had to do was log off the game when the 23 hours were up to do so in reality.

Wei had promised him that while she was on her trip, she would make sure that their logout time would stay in sync. He knew that she was someone who always kept their promises, unlike some people he knew, so he had no doubt that she would do as she said.

It was just that he got used to being around her for long periods of time. She was the first person he connected within this new life of his. She was something tangible, something that made him realize this wasn't a dream. Wei was like his safety blanket.

'But she shouldn't be,' he thought sadly. Knowing that this separation might be useful for him as well. He needed to get used to her not being around all the time, he shouldn't be treating her as his other crutch.

”I think,” Xinya began interrupting Wandering Sound's spiel about what routes they were thinking of taking. ”It's time for you both to be heading off.”

As soon as those words left his lips, he wished he could take them back. The cheerful atmosphere that surrounded everyone just moments ago was now gone, replaced with a palpable silence.

The mood might have been completely destroyed, but it had to be done, and he knew that his friends would understand his reasoning. It wasn't like he wanted them to go, it was just that they had to.

”Roaming wind, you told me that you and Wandering Sound would be leaving at first light, but it's almost late afternoon. If you keep stalling, it will be night again,” Xinya quietly said, as if explaining why he was pushing them to go.

~

The couple glanced at each other, they knew what Xinya said was right, but they still despaired at having to leave their friends behind. Wei more so than Wandering Sound.