"Hey, wait..."
Miyajima Tsubaki raised her hand, striking an "Erkang.jpg" pose towards Hayato's retreating back. Although she didn't want Hayato to be directly involved, she still needed to inquire about Sakura's situation and couldn't let such a good opportunity slip away.
"Is there anything else?" Hayato turned around and asked.
He had overslept this morning, wasting a lot of time, so he needed to make good use of the afternoon.
If he repeatedly urged Nanao Akane and others to study hard while he himself slacked off using the system's functions, it would be somewhat childish. The most urgent task was to improve his math level. He hadn't even completed one-tenth of his treasured book, "Red Secret Scroll: Mathematics 700 Questions."
The road ahead is long and arduous.
Miyajima Tsubaki's eyes darted slightly, then she looked sad:
"I'm not in a very good mood. Could you keep me company for a little while?"
Hayato looked at Miyajima Tsubaki's face, which combined allure and purity. Although she was a high school student, she seemed to exude a maturity beyond her age.
He could just push up his glasses with his middle finger and see everything clearly, from the color of her protective barrier to how many hairs were in the "△" area below.
Yet, she was still filled with a strange sense of mystery.
Despite dressing like a delinquent, her slightly blinking eyes and every gesture held a contradictory elegance and grace.
Hayato sighed slightly, then maintained a gentle and kind smile.
"No," he said.
"..." Miyajima Tsubaki pouted.
Hayato's gaze dropped, seeing two snow-white papayas—snow-white not because the "girl" in front of him was dressed provocatively, but simply because she was wearing a T-shirt of that color.
Hayato pushed up his glasses.
Of course, he had to refuse again. What could be more important than doing practice problems?—he originally wanted to say that, but the other party was too... no, it was just that Hayato was still very curious about this "sense of incongruity" on Sawamura Airiri.
"Just a little while, only a very little while," he said.
Miyajima Tsubaki secretly clenched her fist, success.
"Where should we go then?" Hayato asked.
"Eh?"
Miyajima Tsubaki's clenched fist loosened; failure.
She hadn't had time to think about this question. Wait, wait, she had already made it clear they wouldn't eat, and they had already drunk milk tea. So where should they go next? Miyajima Tsubaki began to rack her brains, but the shops that came to mind were all at least ten years old. "You, you young people nowadays..." Miyajima Tsubaki wanted to ask Hayato for his opinion.
Thankfully, she stopped halfway through, almost exposing herself.
Indeed, Miyajima Tsubaki secretly glanced at Hayato, who was already frowning. If, if this boy discovered that the person he was "dating" was actually his friend's mother... wouldn't that be a bit too stimulating?
She quickly changed her words:
"Do you, do you want to go for a walk somewhere?"
Hayato: "Internet cafe?"
Miyajima Tsubaki: No!
Hayato: "Arcade?"
Miyajima Tsubaki: No.
Hayato: Then you say.
Miyajima Tsubaki: "Am I, am I not asking for your opinion?"
Hayato: ...
See, comrades, sometimes life seems to offer many choices, but in reality, it can only lead to one outcome.
After being rejected multiple times, Hayato became so exasperated that he almost asked, "Then should we go to a hotel and play cards?" Thankfully, Miyajima Tsubaki finally came up with her own plan.
Shibuya Subway Underground Mall.
First, they would browse there, and then she would subtly inquire about Sakura.
Although he seemed to believe that his "good friend" liked Sakura and was now reluctant to reveal too much information about her, Miyajima Tsubaki thought that as long as she used her "adult" communication skills, she could easily handle this young man.
After all, he was just a high school student.
Miyajima Tsubaki pursed her lips, a determined smile gracing her face.
Just as she was following closely behind Hayato, her steps more joyful and youthful than usual, and they were descending the stairs into the subway, Hayato suddenly stopped.
"Ah," he said.
"Ah?" Miyajima Tsubaki also said, her tone more surprised and doubtful.
Hayato's sudden stop caused her nose to lightly bump into his back. "...Ouch," she complained slightly, then her gaze swept over his shoulder and looked ahead.
They were walking down, so they were at the top of the stairs.
And below them, a girl was looking up at Hayato from below.
The moment their eyes met, the girl's slightly dazed expression instantly turned like a fierce dog, and then she bit her canines as if clicking her tongue. Her gaze then flicked towards Miyajima Tsubaki's face again, followed by a hint of surprise. As if to say, "Who is this person?"...
Miyajima Tsubaki was also sizing up the girl.
The girl was much shorter than her, describable as "petite and delicate." Probably due to her height, she also looked younger than Hayato. Her long hair reached her waist, tied into a side ponytail with a fancy hair tie.
Unlike Sakura, who looked neat and tidy with such a ponytail, this girl... had a trendy style unique to an international area like Shibuya.
The girl's eyes were sharp and fierce, immediately indicating she was not someone to be trifled with.
However, as an adult, Miyajima Tsubaki would naturally not be intimidated by a JK's scrutinizing gaze.
Nevertheless, her heart still clenched.
From their eye contact, Hayato and this girl clearly knew each other, and perhaps their relationship was quite close. As for the girl's expression, which went from surprise to anger... it made Miyajima Tsubaki pause.
Could this girl have some "special" relationship with Xiao Lin?
Admiration? Or being admired?
No, could they be boyfriend and girlfriend directly? Hey, wait, if that's the case, wouldn't she be destroying the young man's relationship for her own selfish reasons?
Miyajima Tsubaki was instantly overwhelmed with guilt.
...But speaking of which, if this guy really had a girlfriend but was still willing to come out with her, wouldn't that also make him a bit of a scumbag?
Even though they hadn't had time to speak, she, the "third party," acted as if she had done something terrible, waving her hands repeatedly in front of her.
"I, my name is Sawamura Airiri, and I'm not very familiar with Xiao Lin. We're only together here because—" She explained somewhat flustered. Oh no, even as an "adult," Miyajima Tsubaki had always lived a chaste life. Although she had been a widow for many years, she hadn't met any new men since, let alone interfered in someone else's relationship. She had never had such an experience!
The girl clicked her tongue.
But she no longer looked at Miyajima Tsubaki and Hayato, and walked up on her own.
As they passed each other, she seemed to mockingly glance back, sneering at Hayato:
"I didn't expect Senior Kobayashi to like such a country bumpkin. Your taste is truly unique."
Hayato, however, displayed the unique amiability of a senior.
"If you want to get beaten up, just say so, Nogami," he said with a smile.
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