At Toyogasaki High School, Takashi turned his head to look at the empty seat.
"Strange, why isn't Ryo-nii here yet? Don't tell me I gave him my cold!"
A little worried about his brother, Takashi, disregarding the 'no phones in class' rule, directly sent Uchiha Ryo a message.
Takashi: [Why aren't you at school?]
Uchiha Ryo: [Being a high school student is so painful. I want to go to elementary school.]
Takashi: [???]
Uchiha Ryo: [I'm fine. I just didn't feel like going to school. Say hi to Bocchi-chan for me.]
Bocchi-chan? Loner... Is he talking about Gotou Hitori-san?
Speaking of which, Ryo-nii had indeed said he wanted to help Gotou Hitori-san overcome her social anxiety. He wondered if there had been any progress.
Putting away his phone, Takashi turned to look at the pink-haired girl.
"Gotou-san."
Gotou Hitori's whole body trembled. Bocchi-chan, who had planned to lie on her desk and think about lyrics this morning, never expected anyone to talk to her.
Looking up, Gotou Hitori saw Takashi's gentle smile.
It's Takashi-kun. But I seem to remember that Takashi-kun is...
——Gotou Hitori's Flashback——
"Uchiha... Uchiha-kun, you said Takashi-kun in our class is your little brother?"
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "Yeah. He's my most important little brother. Even though we're not related by blood, I swear! If anyone dares to touch him, I'll kill them!"
Although Gotou Hitori was not good at interacting with people, she had learned how to read the atmosphere in her life as an observer.
The tone in Uchiha Ryo's voice right now didn't contain the empty boasting of a student, but real killing intent.
Gotou Hitori shivered. So Uchiha-kun is this scary?
——End of Gotou Hitori's Flashback——
Takashi: "Um...."
Gotou Hitori: "I'm sorry! Please... please don't kill me!"
Takashi: "???"
Alright, it seems Ryo-nii still needs to work harder to change this social anxiety.
Meanwhile, at Shuchiin, Class 1-A's Japanese lesson this morning was swapped with math, because their teacher, Hiratsuka-sensei, had taken a day off.
At the STARRY music bar.
Ijichi Seika helplessly poured Hiratsuka Shizuka a glass of sake.
"This is a music bar, not your place to vent your troubles. You're a high school teacher, is it normal for you to skip class in the morning and bring a student out to play?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka snorted coldly.
"This brat came here on his own. By the way, Seika, I'm still considered young, right! Why is my family rushing me to get married!"
She had finally gone home for a visit, only to be met with a torrential downpour of marriage pressure from her parents.
Sigh, so what if she was almost thirty and still not married? Wasn't her old classmate, Ijichi Seika, in front of her the same!
Uchiha Ryo: "Hiratsuka-sensei, don't be so sad. Is it possible that it's not that no one wants you, but that they don't dare to?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Is there a difference?!"
"Of course. With Hiratsuka-sensei's family background and looks, there must be plenty of successful men pursuing you. But your personality...."
Hiratsuka Shizuka pouted. "What's wrong with my personality? And they're all old men in their thirties and forties. How could I possibly be interested in them?"
Ijichi Seika sighed. "So... how old are you looking for? This little Uchiha student!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka's beautiful eyes glared. "What kind of joke is that? This brat...."
Looking at Uchiha Ryo sitting beside her, Hiratsuka Shizuka suddenly thought of something.
"Hey, kid, are you free tomorrow?!"
Uchiha Ryo looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka in surprise. "Ah? Are you serious? Then I'll have to think about it."
Hiratsuka Shizuka slammed her hand on the table. "Don't get the wrong idea, kid! How about we make a deal? Although I'm not your homeroom teacher, I can still help you solve a lot of problems at Shuchiin."
"A deal?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka nodded.
"Although you look young, you're not short. You should be able to pass as an adult if you dress up. Then come home with me tomorrow and say you're my boyfriend!"
Uchiha Ryo: "...."
He wanted to refuse, but Hiratsuka Shizuka, perhaps because of the alcohol, directly slung her arm around Uchiha Ryo.
They're huge.... As expected of Hiratsuka Shizuka, who can rally the people. Uchiha Ryo cleared his throat, then said seriously.
"Pretend to be your boyfriend? I can, but I have a small condition."
Hiratsuka Shizuka waved her hand. "Name it! As long as I can do it."
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "I want to buy that galge that's still in the testing phase, use it as the foundation for our game circle, and make a cross-generational galge within a year."
Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't speak. After thinking for a moment, she said, still uncertain.
"About that.... the ownership of the game build belongs to my junior, after all. And I'm not sure if she has any intention of selling it."
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "As long as Hiratsuka-sensei helps me get an introduction, that's all. I'll handle the specific negotiations."
Uchiha Ryo believed that with his sincere eyes, he could definitely move the other party to sell the game to him.
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Alright then. I'll give her a call right now. But she probably won't have time to talk until this evening."
Excellent. It seems that choosing not to go to school and following Hiratsuka Shizuka over here has its benefits.
Once he officially bought the game build, the game circle could also start to move.
Uchiha Ryo: "OK. Then I'll wait for your notice, Hiratsuka-sensei."
.....
In the afternoon, at the elementary school's dismissal time, Uchiha Ryo was still strolling towards the gate, planning to pick up Hana-chan and take her home first, and then go to Hiratsuka Shizuka's place to find the game's creator.
"Hmm? Is someone hiding in the bushes? Noa's blonde hair is completely visible... and Hinata too. Does that mean Hana-chan is in there too?"
Uchiha Ryo pretended not to see them and walked towards the school gate.
"Ryo-oniichan! This is a robbery! If you want to take Hana-chan, you have to leave some snacks!"
Suddenly, Hinata and Noa jumped out of the bushes by the road, pulling a helpless-looking Shirosaki Hana, and making exaggerated expressions as if they were robbing him.
"Oh... alright."
Hoshino Hinata looked at Uchiha Ryo's smiling face.
"What's the big deal? You're not scared at all."
Shirosaki Hana: "Onii-chan, I'm not going back today. Noa and I are both staying at Hinata's house."
Uchiha Ryo: "Is that so? Alright then."
Himesaka Noa suddenly walked over.
"How about Ryo-oniichan comes too? Because all our moms are out today, so it's just us and Hinata's older sister at home."
Uchiha Ryo: "But Ryo-oniichan has something to talk about tonight.... This."
Shirosaki Hana: "Onii-chan, can you come?"
Uchiha Ryo: "Alright!"
Himesaka Noa: "Ehh??? What do you mean, Ryo-oniichan? Don't tell me you think Hana-chan is cuter than me!"
Uchiha Ryo caught up with the three little ones. "You're all very cute. But I really do have something (I have to go with Shizu-chan to find the game author) tonight, so I can't stay with you for too long."