"Tsuna, what's wrong?"
Hearing this, Tsuna withdrew his gaze from the distance and saw Shouko looking at him in confusion. He shook his head. "It's nothing."
He then changed the subject: "Have you decided where you want to start looking?"
"Let's just look around first. Didn't Nanase Teacher say the club recruitment lasts for a week?" Ajitani interjected, suggesting.
"Exactly, exactly, there's no rush anyway." Shouko nodded, agreeing with Ajitani's suggestion.
Takagi Sana and Nishikata also had no objections, and Tsuna had even fewer.
The group began to wander aimlessly around the club recruitment area. Wherever something interesting happened, Ajitani would lead them over to join the fun.
In the meantime, Tsuna also looked towards the 'Far East Magical Napping Society of Summer' club several times through the crowd, mainly harboring a small purpose in his heart.
That was to see if the male and female protagonists from the second year had any significant changes in appearance.
If he wasn't mistaken, they should be in the period right after the start of the second year of high school. Otherwise, 'Takanashi Rikka' would have already graduated.
But he didn't see 'Takanashi Rikka' and 'Togashi Yuta' appear until they left. Only those two were at the recruitment spot from beginning to end.
However, it didn't matter. There should be opportunities to meet them in the next few days, and even if he didn't, there would definitely be opportunities in the next two years.
Anyway, he just wanted to take a look. As for him personally looking for those few people or applying to join their club?
...
He could only say that he wasn't that bored, and back when he watched that anime, he had only seen the first season, and even then, he watched it at double speed.
They were most likely in the timeframe of the second season now, and he didn't want to participate or interfere.
Unless a system suddenly appeared and rewarded him with skills like spitting fire and flying, or a Spark Lens, then he might consider it.
"See you tomorrow, everyone."
"See you tomorrow."
"Bye-bye."
The group said goodbye at the intersection and walked in different directions.
"Tsuna, do you think we should join the Art Club in high school...?" Shouko took his hand again and spoke hesitantly.
"It's up to you." After thinking it over, he decided not to interfere with her thoughts.
"But there are still so many illustrations to draw, I'm afraid I won't have time to participate in club activities even if I sign up..."
"..." Tsuna felt a bit speechless.
Hearing her say that made him feel like a black-hearted boss who exploited his employees.
He helplessly squeezed the hand Shouko was holding. "Those few illustrations aren't needed immediately. The first volume hasn't even been released yet, so why would it be needed so urgently?
If nothing unexpected happens with the second volume, the printing won't start for at least three or four months at the earliest."
As his voice fell, he stopped, and under her confused gaze, he raised his other hand and pinched her soft cheek:
"Don't push yourself too hard, Shouko. You still have plenty of time."
Shouko gently slapped away his 'salty pig hand' and bumped him with her head. "It's over a dozen, not a few."
"Then do you want me to help you?"
"No, your drawings are too ugly. Jun even said your drawings are ugly."
After saying that, Shouko let go of his hand and started running forward, afraid he would bully her because of that sentence.
But after running a few steps and not seeing him chase after her, she silently retreated back to his side. "Tsuna, why aren't you chasing me?"
"Childish..."
Tsuna said casually, and instantly, a pair of teeth marks appeared on his arm.
When he looked at her, only the back of her head was facing him, accompanied by a light hum from Shouko.
The twilight blended the shadows of the boy and girl into a honey color.
As the girl poked the boy's shoulder with a cherry blossom branch, the setting sun was dyeing the scattered strands of hair at her temples golden-brown, and the boy's movement of turning his head to dodge brought a scent of mint.
The fingertip of the boy, who was pretending to flick her forehead, hung in the air, and in the end, he only plucked a half-fallen cherry blossom from the girl's hair.
"Godmother, I'm back!"
"I'm home."
After the two changed their shoes and entered the living room, they saw there was another guest. Shouko, who had been lively, quickly became a little reserved.
Shizuka introduced the girl sitting across from her to the two at the living room entrance:
"This is our new neighbor who moved in recently. Her name is 'Uzaki Tsuki.' Quickly say hello to Auntie Uzaki."
Both of their gazes fell on the other party's magnificent 'capital' almost simultaneously, but the 'steadfast' Tsuna moved his gaze away before any of them noticed.
He also nudged Shouko beside him, telling her not to be too obvious, as staring for too long would be impolite.
"Auntie Uzaki." x2
Tsuna and the now-aware Shouko walked into the living room and politely greeted the other party, while also not forgetting to observe other 'details' about her...
Her narrowed eyes, but the feeling she gave him was completely opposite to the feeling Shimada's narrowed eyes gave him. Auntie Uzaki gave him a gentle and easy-going feeling.
Perhaps it was combined with her relatively young appearance and her 'dangerous' hairstyle, which gave him this feeling...
Seeing this, Shizuka also introduced the two to Uzaki Tsuki, who also greeted them.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Tsuna took Shouko back to his bedroom, leaving the living room downstairs for his mom and Uzaki Tsuki to chat.
"Pervert Tsuna..." Shouko casually put down her school bag and muttered in a low voice, dissatisfied.
"??"
"What did I do?" Tsuna guessed what Shouko was referring to, but he would deny it to the death.
"Your eyes just now looked like they wanted to stick to Auntie Uzaki!"
Tsuna walked up to her and directly pulled her cheeks, which had noticeable plumpness on both sides:
"Are you perhaps talking about yourself? If I hadn't reminded you just now, you wouldn't have known what you were staring at!"
It was the truth. He had only glanced at the beginning and hadn't looked again afterward. He stated that he had no hobby of being a 'Cao thief' (a term referring to someone who covets others' wives/girlfriends).
Maybe... probably... not...
"I was observing Auntie Uzaki's hairstyle, wondering if I should tie one like that too, okay?" Shouko shook off his hand, clearly being stubborn.
"That hairstyle is too dangerous, you can't pull it off."
"Dangerous? What's dangerous about that hairstyle?" Shouko was confused.
"Nothing, I was just talking nonsense, but trust me, you can't pull off that hairstyle..."
Finally, the two of them discussed the hairstyle again, proving that Tsuna successfully steered the conversation away from focusing on Auntie Uzaki's 'area'.
Afterward, Shouko saw that it was getting late, said goodbye to him, and went home to help Granny Nishimiya prepare dinner.
Tsuna also went downstairs and wasn't surprised to see that Auntie Uzaki had already left. She probably just came to chat with his mom briefly.
Immediately after, he went to the kitchen to help but was told by Shizuka to 'go somewhere cool and stay there.' He could only silently return to the living room and watch TV until Daisuke returned home, and then dinner began.