Stepping out of the ramen shop, it was already seven in the evening.
Although it was mid-May, the night wind was still a bit chilly.
Fujiwara Chika hadn't felt it inside the ramen shop, but as soon as she stepped out, wearing only a sleeveless top, she couldn't help but shiver.
"So cold."
She instinctively hugged herself.
Tanaka Masao naturally knew what he should do now.
"Here, Fujiwara-senpai, wear my…"
He stopped mid-sentence because Tanaka Masao realized that he seemed to only be wearing a shirt today.
Fujiwara Chika also noticed the clothes Tanaka Masao was wearing.
The air became a little awkward for a moment.
"Um, do you still want it?"
Fujiwara Chika lowered her head and said at her fastest speed, "No need, thank you."
This simple exchange made Tanaka Masao suddenly feel like he had acquired a three-bedroom apartment.
Although it was a bit awkward, they couldn't just stand there idly; it was better to send Fujiwara Chika back quickly.
Unable to take off his clothes for her, Tanaka Masao could only proactively stand in the windward position to block the wind for her.
This trick worked very well; Fujiwara Chika barely felt the wind anymore, and although it was still a bit cold, it was much better than before.
"Junior Tanaka isn't very handsome, but he gives a strange sense of security.
Although he isn't handsome."
Fujiwara Chika couldn't help but think to herself.
Tanaka Masao: Repeating "isn't handsome" twice is redundant.
Walking back, Fujiwara Chika felt a bit bored and said,
"Junior Tanaka, don't be so quiet, say something."
"Say what?"
"Just say anything."
"Oh, I see. Then... what's your dream?"
"Uh, asking such a question right off the bat, it seems Junior Tanaka isn't very good at chatting."
"Because you were too sudden. When you suddenly said to chat about something, my mind went blank for a moment, and I couldn't think of anything."
"Alright, I know. Let's stick with this one; I feel like we can talk a lot about it."
Fujiwara Chika wasn't too picky and continued the conversation along this topic.
"My dream, actually, is to become the Prime Minister."
For others, stating such a dream might just be a dream.
But for Fujiwara Chika, it was genuinely possible.
Her family held a very high position in the political world, having produced a Prime Minister before, so her background could be described as perfect.
Plus, she herself was very outstanding.
If there were a public election and only support rates were considered, Fujiwara Chika could absolutely become the Prime Minister.
"Prime Minister, that's truly impressive. Fujiwara-senpai is so excellent; she will definitely succeed."
Tanaka Masao exclaimed.
After hearing Fujiwara Chika's dream of becoming Prime Minister, Tanaka Masao suddenly recalled his past life.
In his past life, whether it was called having dreams as a child or being ignorant, it didn't matter.
Initially, Tanaka Masao's dream was similar to Fujiwara Chika's, but later he thought the UN Secretary-General was even more impressive.
However, by the time he realized that the Secretary-General wasn't actually that powerful, his dream was no longer that.
Thinking of this, Tanaka Masao's lips curled into a helpless smile, mixed with a hint of bitterness.
Because Tanaka Masao was walking ahead of Fujiwara Chika, she didn't see the expression on his face.
Instead, she asked curiously,
"Then what is Junior Tanaka's dream? Tell me about it."
Tanaka Masao composed himself.
The ordinariness of his previous life had made him forget many things and left him with many regrets.
But in this life, with the system, he was determined to live life to the fullest.
Hearing Fujiwara Chika's words, his eyes darted around, and he suddenly had a good idea.
"Actually, I have an idol. I want to become like him. Fujiwara-senpai, can you guess?"
"This... feels so difficult. Let me think…"
Fujiwara Chika extended her right index finger and rotated it back and forth on her temple, making an effortful thinking gesture.
She remembered Tanaka Masao's previous praise for her and said with some uncertainty,
"Could it be that the idol is me, and you also want to become Prime Minister like me?"
Tanaka Masao turned around and gave Fujiwara Chika a thumbs-up.
"As expected of Fujiwara-senpai, you're brilliant! You're already very close to the correct answer."
"Alright, Junior Tanaka, stop teasing and just tell me."
Fujiwara Chika didn't want to guess anymore and urged Tanaka Masao to say it quickly.
Under Fujiwara Chika's expectant gaze, Tanaka Masao's lips curved into a smile, and he uttered those four words.
"Yamagami, Tetsuya."
Fujiwara Chika: Expectation, confusion, surprise, fear, fleeing…
She turned and walked away, as if having made some kind of decision.
"Don't go, Fujiwara-senpai, let's continue discussing dreams."
As Fujiwara Chika took a step, Tanaka Masao grabbed her wrist.
Listening to the devil-like whisper in her ear, Fujiwara Chika struggled and shook her head wildly.
"No!"
Seeing Fujiwara Chika struggling frantically and her desperate cries, Tanaka Masao could only try to comfort her.
"Alright, Fujiwara-senpai, I was just joking."
If he let her continue to make a scene, he might be mistaken for a pervert.
Moreover, he wasn't sure if there were people secretly protecting Fujiwara Chika nearby.
Indeed, as Tanaka Masao's words fell, Fujiwara Chika stopped struggling and cautiously turned her head to look at Tanaka Masao.
"Hontō ni (Really)?"
"Hontō da (It's true)."
Upon learning that Tanaka Masao was teasing her, Fujiwara Chika became quite angry, puffed out her cheeks, and furiously pounded Tanaka Masao's chest with her small fists.
"Junior Tanaka is mean, teasing me like that, not cute at all."
Although Fujiwara Chika's punches had no strength, Tanaka Masao still made a pleading gesture.
"Alright, alright, I know I was wrong. I was just joking; I didn't expect Fujiwara-senpai to be so easily teased."
Seeing Tanaka Masao pleading, Fujiwara Chika withdrew her fists, crossed her arms, still quite indignant.
"Is that kind of joke something you can just make? Do you know how much trauma and damage knowing that person's name would cause me?"
That person's name was simply too intimidating.
For every Japanese Prime Minister and those who aspired to become Prime Minister, that name was like the presence of a great demon king.
When that incident first happened, Fujiwara Chika even took several days off and didn't dare to go out, and she would go far out of her way to avoid anyone named Yamagami.
She warned Tanaka Masao,
"Junior Tanaka, you're not allowed to mention his name in front of me from now on, otherwise... otherwise, I won't talk to you."
"Okay, I understand. Then from now on, in front of you, I'll just call him that 'Esteemed One.'"
"That's even worse!"
Laughter and chatter drowned out the cold night wind.
...
At the same time, in a high-end villa in Chiba Prefecture.
Yukinoshita Yukino, who had been studying at her desk for a long time, stretched her body.
She looked out the window. She had spent the whole day at home alone today, and the thought of being able to go to Tanaka Masao's house tomorrow to tutor him again.
A sense of anticipation, one that even she found hard to notice, bloomed in her heart.