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"Isn't one umbrella enough for three people?"
Bocchi-chan stammered, whispering, "I can go to the convenience store and buy an umbrella..."
"Hana-chan is easy to handle."
Kitahara Makoto reached out, picked up the Beast Eared Girl, and directly placed her on his shoulder, then looked at Hitori:
"Hurry home, if you don't go back soon, your aunt will worry about you."
"Oh..."
Gotō Hitori's small face turned red, and she nervously walked under the umbrella.
"Let's go, we're going home."
Kitahara Makoto held the umbrella, with the Beast Eared Girl on his shoulder, and walked with Bocchi-chan into the chilly rain.
"Today's performance was quite wonderful," Kitahara Makoto proactively looked for a topic, otherwise Bocchi-chan would certainly not speak first. "Several guests next to us said that Hitori's solo today reached a professional level."
"Eh heh~"
Upon hearing the praise, Bocchi-chan's peach blossom eyes immediately curved into crescent moons.
There was nothing to be done; this Hitori's personality was such that once she was praised, she would become complacent and lose herself in the joy.
"It's not that amazing..." Gotō Hitori quickly waved her hand. "During that guitar solo, I closed my eyes, and I wasn't nervous today, so I overperformed."
Kitahara Makoto smiled and said:
"Didn't I contribute half to you not being nervous?"
"Eh?"
"So give me another redemption coupon..."
"No, no."
Gotō Hitori quickly shook her head in refusal.
She already owed so many universal redemption coupons; if this continued, she would only be able to sell herself to pay off the debt, wouldn't she?
"The final exams are in more than half a month. Did you read or study this weekend?"
Kitahara Makoto brought up the next topic.
"Th-that..."
Gotō Hitori's gaze immediately drifted, and she stammered:
"I read a little bit this morning..."
Don't even say it. Your 'little bit' probably didn't even involve turning a single page.
Kitahara Makoto pondered for a few seconds:
"I remember Hitori really likes to stay in the school library?"
"Mm-hmm."
Gotō Hitori quickly nodded.
Since middle school, Gotō Hitori had liked to hide in the library. There was nothing she could do; the campus was full of normies, and no matter where she went, she would see others' shining youth. In contrast, a plankton-like existence like herself really should hide in a dark corner.
The library wasn't crowded and was very quiet, making it a favorite hiding spot for Gotō Hitori.
"How about this, after school tomorrow, Hitori, don't go home for now," Kitahara Makoto mused. "We'll go to the library to study together."
"Eh?"
Gotō Hitori nervously looked up: "But I don't understand a lot, and I'll drag Kitahara-kun down..."
Kitahara Makoto decisively said:
"Then before we study, eat a magic cookie."
Upon hearing about eating a biscuit, Gotō Hitori became even more nervous:
"Wh-what if I turn into a small animal?"
The terrifying memory of eating a biscuit that night and accidentally turning into a cat, almost falling from the windowsill, was still fresh in her mind.
"That's simple."
Kitahara Makoto gestured with his eyes towards his backpack. "The answer book is carried every day. Tomorrow, when you eat the biscuit, ask in advance if the biscuit has any problems, and you won't have to worry about turning into a small animal."
"It seems... it really might work?"
Gotō Hitori blinked, and whispered:
"But we owe a lot of money, and the manager wants us to work to pay off the debt."
Kitahara Makoto retorted:
"You can't possibly work every day, can you?"
"No, I don't," Gotō Hitori shook her head. "I have to go three times a week."
High school students have limits on working hours, so of course, it wasn't possible to go every day.
"Then it's fine," Kitahara Makoto helped formulate a plan. "Work two days on the weekend, then pick one random weekday, and use the remaining four days entirely for studying."
"Eh?" Gotō Hitori's eyes widened, and the thought of studying every day gave her a headache. "...Won't that be too much?"
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow and looked over:
"If I remember correctly, Futari mentioned before that you once scored zero on a math test?"
Gotō Hitori: "..."
(I'm sorry!)
(An idiot who scored zero in math has no right to walk alongside Kitahara-kun!)
"Parents definitely want their children to have good academic results," Kitahara Makoto patiently coaxed. "Even if your aunt and uncle don't say it, if Hitori comes home with high scores, your aunt and uncle will definitely be very happy, so..."
Kitahara Makoto lowered his voice and said:
"Hitori, you also want to be your aunt and uncle's pride, don't you?"
Gotō Hitori: "..."
Under Kitahara Makoto's verbal offensive, Gotō Hitori dazedly agreed that she would go to the library with Kitahara Makoto to study after school from now on.
Talking all the way, the two soon reached the small alley where they had previously encountered the strange windbreaker.
Kitahara Makoto suddenly stopped and grabbed Gotō Hitori's soft hand.
"Ki-Kitahara-kun..."
Gotō Hitori's small face immediately turned red, and she nervously looked up.
"Shh~ Don't speak."
Kitahara Makoto's expression was serious. He turned to look into the alley and whispered:
"There's a figure in the alley. Do you see if it's the strange windbreaker from that day?"
Upon hearing this, Gotō Hitori quickly hid behind Kitahara Makoto's arm, peeking her small face out to look into the alley.
The rain was cold and clear.
The night was dim.
Although there were dim yellow streetlights, the rain had a significant impact on visibility. Gotō Hitori widened her eyes and could only vaguely make out that there was a person in the alley, but she couldn't tell if it was the strange windbreaker from that day.
"I can't see clearly..."
Gotō Hitori nervously shook her head.
"If you can't see clearly, then never mind," Kitahara Makoto had excellent eyesight and could see very clearly. There was indeed a woman in the alley, but she was a salarywoman in a suit, not a windbreaker. He said seriously, "Let's go around from a distance to avoid trouble."
"Mm-hmm."
Gotō Hitori quickly agreed with a nod.
Kitahara Makoto held Bocchi-chan's soft hand, avoiding the gloomy alley in the rainy night, and continued forward.
"Ki-Kitahara-kun..."
Gotō Hitori's small face was flushed, and she tried to pull her hand free.
"What's wrong?"
Kitahara Makoto's tone was puzzled.
Gotō Hitori parted her pink lips, but ultimately felt too embarrassed to speak, only able to lower her head, her small face red, to look at her toes.
Unfortunately, her view was blocked by the baby's bib, so she couldn't see her rain-soaked toes at all.
Time passed minute by minute, and silence quietly settled under the umbrella.
A subtle atmosphere spread between them.
At this moment, silence was more eloquent than words.
Kitahara Makoto deliberately slowed his pace, but unfortunately, there was only a short distance left to walk. No matter how slowly he walked, they still reached the Gotō's doorstep.
"Hitori, we're home."
Kitahara Makoto stopped.
Gotō Hitori finally raised her head, let out a soft sigh, and whispered her thanks:
"Thank you, Kitahara-kun... Eh?"
Mid-sentence, Gotō Hitori suddenly realized.
(Eh eh eh eh?!)
(I... I'm actually holding hands with Kitahara-kun, fingers intertwined?)
(When did that happen? Why do I have no memory of it at all?)
Upon discovering their intertwined fingers, Gotō Hitori's already flushed face rapidly turned an explosive red, and steam quickly billowed from the top of her head.
Kitahara Makoto casually released her hand and said gently:
"Hitori, see you tomorrow."
"To-Tomorrow..."
Gotō Hitori parted her pink lips, once again losing the ability to speak, and frantically ran back home.
Kitahara Makoto paused for a moment, then, carrying the Beast Eared Girl on his shoulder, turned and went back.
After arriving home and setting down Hana, letting the Beast Eared Girl go eat the small cake by herself, Kitahara Makoto sent a message asking Kita if she had arrived home. After receiving an affirmative reply, he quickly began today's one-handed push-up task.
Half an hour later.
"Task complete..." Kitahara Makoto walked into the bathroom, drenched in sweat, "It's drawing time again."
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