"How is it, Shouko-chan?" Ajitani chewed on a chocolate cookie, her words a bit unclear. "Are there any clubs you're interested in?"
"Hmm..." Shouko slowly shook her head, her gaze moving away from the cooking club's application form. "Ajitani-chan, what did you just say? I didn't hear clearly..."
Ajitani swallowed the food in her mouth and repeated herself.
Hearing this, Shouko asked in return, "Ajitani-chan, what about you? Are there any clubs you're interested in for high school?"
Ajitani stared at the application forms in her hand, hesitating for a moment. "Maybe the cooking club..."
"Ajitani-chan, you should finish that bag of cookies in your hand before considering again."
At this moment, Takagi Sana and Nishikata walked forward. Compared to Shouko and the other girl, their hands were empty.
"Should we go back or look around more?" Nishikata looked at the three people sharing cookies (loot) and asked, sounding puzzled.
Just now, he and Takagi went around the club recruitment area, and it was literally just that. Nothing happened. They were just there the whole time, not even talking much...
"Either way is fine," Ajitani shrugged. "Shouko-chan and I have looked around enough, what about you?"
"Let's go home," Takagi glanced at Nishikata beside her without showing any emotion.
Compared to looking at these clubs, she still preferred going home to read manga and novels. If she had to choose a club, she would decisively choose the 'Going Home Club.'
Shouko and Nishikata had no objections, and the group started walking towards the school gate.
"Shouko, are you really okay going home alone?" At the intersection where they were parting ways, Ajitani seemed a bit worried.
"Ajitani-chan, I'm really not a three-year-old, and there's only a few hundred meters left."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shouko didn't give the three of them a chance to respond. She waved goodbye and quickly walked towards the intersection on the left.
She was now eager to go home and share the interesting things that happened this afternoon with Tsuna, and also wanted to hear about his time at driving school.
Seeing this, the three of them didn't say anything more. They said goodbye to each other and separated, walking towards the other two intersections.
"See you tomorrow."
"Kanou..."
"Bye-bye."
Ajitani walked a few steps, hesitated for a moment, then turned back and quickly walked toward the street Shouko had taken.
Meanwhile, Shouko had just sent a message to Tsuna and learned that he was already home, so her steps unconsciously quickened a bit.
"Sister, why are you walking so fast?"
Hearing this, Shouko looked back and indeed saw Yuzuru walking behind her, holding Hachiko's leash, looking a bit breathless.
"Yuzuru, when did you start following me?"
She was very confused because this road was opposite to the park where Yuzuru usually walked Hachiko.
This road had a lot of people, mostly students and office workers. Normally, she wouldn't walk Hachiko in crowded places, mainly because she was afraid Hachiko would poop on the street and she'd have to pick it up...
There was also a hidden reason: she was afraid Hachiko might bite someone. Although she knew Hachiko wouldn't do that, it's better to be safe than sorry.
"Because Hachiko wanted to go this way today."
"Woof..."
As if to make Yuzuru's words more believable, Hachiko wagged its tail and barked in cooperation.
"..."
Shouko didn't think too much about it. She stepped back to Yuzuru's side, took her hand, and continued walking toward home.
On the way, Yuzuru shared interesting things about her new school and the new friends she had made, and so on...
"Sister, does that person ahead look like Tsuna?"
More than Yuzuru, Shouko noticed the person walking toward them earlier. "That's Tsuna, I just don't know why he's out again."
"He's worried about you," Yuzuru said straightforwardly.
"Tsuna, didn't you just get home? Why are you out again?" When they got closer, Shouko asked curiously.
On the way, Yuzuru listed a whole bunch of reasons why Tsuna might be here, but she didn't believe any of them...
"I'm worried about you. What if some hoodlums on the road bully you?" Tsuna squatted in front of Hachiko and rubbed its head.
"Then wouldn't I be able to be a hero and save the damsel in distress?"
"Childish..."
Hearing this, Tsuna stood up, planning to give this straightforward, black-haired little loli a good lesson.
"Sister and Hachiko will protect me, we don't need you!" Yuzuru bumped his stomach with her head to dodge his lecherous hand.
"Alright, alright..."
Unlike the two of them fooling around, Shouko, holding Hachiko's leash, quietly watched them. For a moment, she thought her Tsuna was still very childish...
Tsuna held back Yuzuru's hands that wanted to mess with him. "Let's go, I brought back some delicious food for you when I came back from Shibuya."
"What delicious food?" Yuzuru asked back.
"None for you."
"Hmph..." Yuzuru snorted lightly and ignored a certain person.
This kind of childish person should just be left for Sister to discipline...
---
Later on...
"Takagi, where are we going?"
"Shh, quiet down." Takagi Sana put her index finger to her lips. "We're playing a tailing game. Do you see Ajitani-chan being sneaky up ahead?"
Hearing this, Nishikata followed her gaze and indeed saw Ajitani hiding around the corner, looking sneaky...
If it weren't for her cute face and familiarity, he would definitely suspect her of doing something bad...
As for Takagi's childish tone just now, Nishikata had long forgotten it. His attention was already drawn to Ajitani up ahead.
The two of them saw Ajitani start to come out from the corner and walk forward. Takagi didn't think too much. She grabbed Nishikata's hand, lightened her steps, and quickly followed.
"..."
What was Ajitani doing being sneaky? Any talk of tailing games or anything like that was completely forgotten by Nishikata the moment their hands touched.
He only had one thought in his mind, and that was how soft Takagi's hand was, and it felt a little cool...
However, it came suddenly and was released just as suddenly. Ajitani, not far ahead, stopped walking. Not knowing what she saw in front of her, she turned and walked back.
Takagi and Nishikata were forced to hide until Ajitani left before coming out.
"Class Monitor, what did she see? Why did she come back?" Nishikata looked at Ajitani's back, very puzzled.
"You'll know if you walk to Ajitani-chan's spot and take a look," Takagi said with a light chuckle and a shrug.
Hearing this, Nishikata didn't hesitate. He quickly walked to the spot where Ajitani had been and looked down the road ahead.
After only a few glances, he withdrew his gaze and returned to Takagi Sana's side.
"Did you see clearly?"
"Yeah..."
"Let's go then, we'll go home too. The tailing game is successfully over."
On the way back, Nishikata asked, "Takagi, aren't you curious?"
Takagi turned her head to look at him. "About what?"
"Just about what the Class Monitor saw that made her suddenly turn back."
"I know. No need to guess, I already know Ajitani-chan saw a happy family of three."
"..."
Nishikata suddenly felt that Takagi was right in saying that...