"I'm fine, thank you, Lin-san."
Hearing Lin's concerned question, their eyes met. Kotegawa Yui's gaze flickered, and she smiled as she gently shook her head.
"That's good."
Lin looked as if he breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face.
'So handsome!!!'
Staring at Lin's smiling face, Kotegawa Yui was momentarily stunned, and a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
She wasn't the type of girl to swoon over boys.
But she found herself a little captivated by Lin's smile.
The faint golden-red glow of the setting sun fell upon Lin. His blue eyes were bright and deep, his gaze as gentle as spring water.
It was as if he looked at everyone with deep affection.
A gentle breeze rustled his bangs.
The lines of his refined features were distinct yet soft. The corners of his lips curved into a smile that was both sunny and charming.
Looking at Lin, Kotegawa Yui couldn't help but be lost in a daze.
A seed was quietly planted in her heart.
Though she herself had yet to realize it.
"Kotegawa-san?"
Seeing Kotegawa Yui staring blankly at him, lost in a daze with a faint blush on her cheeks, Lin called out to her.
"What is it?"
Kotegawa Yui snapped back to her senses instantly.
The thought that she had just been shamelessly staring at Lin made her feel a sudden sense of shame.
Her heart raced, and her cheeks felt warm.
A hint of shyness appeared in her eyes, and her gaze began to drift.
Seeing this, Lin's eyes flickered, and the curve of his smile deepened slightly.
He looked at Kotegawa Yui and said with a smile:
"So you live in Add '丰岛区': 'Toshima Ward' to the Grimório under 'locais'., Kotegawa-san. We're quite close. I live by Shakujii Park in Nerima Ward."
"Yes..."
Kotegawa Yui blinked, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes.
She hadn't expected them to live so close to each other.
Then, Lin said with a grin:
"Come on, I'll walk you home."
Hearing Lin offer to take her home, Kotegawa Yui quickly shook her head and said, a little embarrassed:
"No, that's alright. It would be too much trouble for you, Lin-san."
"It's fine, no trouble at all."
Lin smiled at her. "To avoid what happened earlier from happening again, please let me see you home."
"Think of me as your escort for the evening."
"Huh, an escort?!"
Hearing this, Kotegawa Yui was taken aback for a moment. Her eyes widened slightly, and a blush crept back onto her cheeks.
Her traitorous heart skipped a beat.
Then, Lin added with a grin, "Besides, there's actually something I wanted to talk to you about, Kotegawa-san."
"Something to talk to me about?"
Kotegawa Yui blinked, a little confused and curious.
Lin: "Let's talk as we walk."
"Okay."
With that, Kotegawa Yui tacitly agreed to let Lin walk her home, taking a slight lead to show the way.
The two walked forward at a leisurely pace.
Kotegawa Yui glanced up at Lin's perfect side profile. Her gaze flickered for a moment before she looked away and asked:
"Lin-san, you said you had something to talk about. What is it?"
Lin: "Kotegawa-san, would you like to join the student council?"
"The student council?!"
Kotegawa Yui was startled.
Lin continued, "Actually, I'm the student council president, and we're currently looking for a disciplinary committee member."
"So I was wondering if you'd be interested, Kotegawa-san."
"You're the student council president?!"
Kotegawa Yui looked at Lin in surprise, and also with some confusion.
If she remembered correctly, the student council president at Private United High School was usually the student who ranked first in the entrance exams.
In other words, the freshman representative.
But the freshman representative was Shinomiya Kaguya.
So she should have been the student council president.
Seeing her confusion, Lin gave a brief explanation.
He looked at Kotegawa Yui and asked again:
"So, Kotegawa-san, would you like to join the student council?"
"...Alright."
After a moment of thought, Kotegawa Yui smiled and nodded.
"That's great. Welcome to the student council, Kotegawa-san."
Lin smiled at her words and extended his right hand.
Looking at the hand in front of her, Kotegawa Yui glanced at Lin, her cheeks flushing slightly as a hint of shyness crossed her eyes.
She still extended her own hand.
Lin took the front part of her right hand, just her fingers, gave them a light squeeze, and then let go.
Seeing this, Kotegawa Yui's heart was stirred.
The way she looked at Lin seemed to change subtly.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
The two continued to walk.
Lin looked at Kotegawa Yui, smiled again, and said:
"By the way, Kotegawa-san, besides me, there are three other members in the student council."
"Shinomiya Kaguya from Class 1-A, Fujiwara Chika from Class 1-G, and Manabe Nodoka from Class 1-H."
"I'll introduce you all tomorrow."
"Okay." Kotegawa Yui nodded.
About five minutes later, they arrived in front of a detached house.
On the side of the entrance wall hung a nameplate reading 'Kotegawa'.
Kotegawa Yui looked at Lin. "Thank you, Lin-san."
"You're welcome..."
Lin gave her a slight smile:
"Since you're home, I'll be going. See you tomorrow."
"Mm, see you tomorrow."
Kotegawa Yui's pretty face was slightly red as she also smiled.
"Bye-bye."
With that, Lin turned and left.
"Bye..."
Kotegawa Yui watched Lin's departing figure, her eyes flickering. Her cherry lips parted, and a faint, almost inaudible sound escaped.
She only looked away after a little while.
As soon as she got home, she saw her mother looking at her with a very suggestive and curious expression.
"What's wrong?"
Kotegawa Yui was a little confused.
Kotegawa's mother asked with a grin, "Who was that tall, handsome young man just now? Yui's boyfriend?"
"Hah? As if."
Kotegawa Yui's face flushed red at her words. She gave her gossipy mother an exasperated look and explained:
"I just happened to run into Lin-san on my way home."
"We're just normal classmates, don't get the wrong idea."
"Here, the soy sauce you wanted."
She handed the bottle of soy sauce she was carrying to her mother.
"Really?"
Kotegawa's mother didn't quite believe her.
Just happened to run into him?
He walked her all the way to her front door.
And she had just seen her daughter staring after his departing figure for quite a while through the window.
"Of course, it's true."
Kotegawa Yui rolled her eyes slightly and turned to walk to her room.
Kotegawa's mother added with a smile, "Yui, if you're interested in that young man, you should make a move soon."
"Or someone else will snatch him up."
"I told you, we're just classmates..."
Hearing the words from behind her, Kotegawa Yui felt a sense of helplessness.
She lay down on her bed after returning to her room.
She picked up a cat plushie and hugged it, staring blankly at the familiar ceiling as memories from a short while ago resurfaced.
Lin suddenly appearing to rescue her from the delinquents.
Tall and handsome, with a sunny and gentle smile... he really gave her a sense of security.
Just then, her mother's words came to mind.
"Boyfriend..."
Kotegawa Yui suddenly thought of something, and a pink blush crept onto her fair, delicate face.
An image of Lin appeared in her mind.
His arms wrapping around her waist, holding her close, as he slowly lowered his head...
"Wait, what am I thinking!"
Kotegawa Yui jolted awake, her face beet red and her pupils trembling, ashamed of her own thoughts.
How shameless!
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