The very next day, the incident of Kani Nayuta's umbrella being stolen had already become the hottest piece of gossip in class. Everyone seemed curious, whispering in corners, and some students even approached Nayuta directly, asking who the culprit was. But with a calm smile, she brushed them off, saying softly that she had "promised not to spread it around."
Her answer immediately won her the trust of most of the class. People felt that she was genuinely a dependable and trustworthy girl. After all, putting themselves in her shoes, they weren't sure if they would've done the same. Most of them admitted inwardly that, even if they acted composed on the surface, they would have secretly looked for ways to expose the culprit and stir up drama. But Nayuta chose restraint instead.
Because of that, her classmates' goodwill towards her grew noticeably. She had turned what could have been an ugly incident into something that displayed her generosity. And since she never revealed the name, there wasn't any scandalous gossip floating around in the following days. One by one, other topics replaced the umbrella incident, and gradually, it faded from everyone's memory.
Everyone's—except for Kasumigaoka Touji.
Deep down, Touji had already engraved the culprit's name in his heart: Inohara Miyako.
The one who stole Nayuta's umbrella was none other than one of those two heavily made-up gyaru girls. His earlier suspicions had proven correct—someone had deliberately and maliciously targeted Nayuta.
Of course, Touji wasn't the type to let such a slight go unreturned. He had already begun thinking about how best to repay Miyako for what she did. But for now, patience was key. Revenge wasn't something you rushed—it was something you executed flawlessly. Besides, he was short on "dream points" at the moment. Not that he couldn't act without them—Touji wasn't the kind of protagonist who relied solely on a golden finger or cheat ability. But he preferred optimal choices. He wasn't going to waste his chances.
...
Time flew by, and before long, Friday arrived. The rain had cleared, leaving behind a crisp afternoon sky washed clean and bright. When the final dismissal bell rang, students cheerfully packed their bags and drifted out in pairs and groups, laughter and chatter filling the hallways.
Touji, however, stayed behind with Gotou Hitori. Today was their turn for classroom duty.
"I'll wash the blackboard, you sweep the floor. After that, one of us will mop while the other takes out the trash. Sound good?" Touji said casually, his tone matter-of-fact.
"Mm." Gotou Hitori gave a small nod, her voice barely above a whisper. Even so, she looked relieved that Touji had taken the lead on dividing tasks.
The duty assignments were arranged according to student numbers, and fate—or perhaps just bad luck—had paired Touji with the ever-nervous Gotou Hitori. Being the last group meant that after they finished, no one else would come to help tidy up. It was on them alone.
After giving instructions, Touji grabbed a basin and a rag from the back of the classroom, then headed to the restroom to fetch some water. Meanwhile, Hitori timidly picked up a broom and began sweeping the floor, her every movement careful, almost as if she were worried the broom might get angry at her if she used it too harshly.
...
"Ugh, I can't stand it anymore! Adachi actually made me pay for everything on our date last night!"
"Then dump him already. Why keep clinging to that kind of mooch? What are you, made of money?"
"Sigh… it's just… he's so handsome! It's hard to let go…"
Two voices echoed in the hallway. From the restroom doorway, a pair of gyaru girls walked out, their heavy makeup standing out even under the harsh fluorescent lights. The black-haired one caught sight of Touji by the sink, stopped talking immediately, and exchanged a glance with her companion. Their eyes flickered with brief annoyance before they fell silent and left quickly, pretending nothing had happened.
Touji watched them leave through the mirror, his expression calm and unreadable. Only after they were gone did he turn off the faucet, balancing the basin carefully as he carried it back to the classroom.
...
First came the blackboard eraser, leaving behind faint streaks of chalk dust. Then came the damp rag, wiping everything down until the surface gleamed. The blackboard was now so polished that it reflected Touji's figure faintly, not unlike something you might expect from the great Sakamoto himself.
Touji nodded with satisfaction, then picked up the basin to empty out the murky water. As he passed Gotou Hitori on his way to the door, she had just returned with the mop. The sleeves of her pink tracksuit were rolled up neatly, exposing arms as pale and smooth as freshly peeled lotus roots.
For a fleeting second, Touji's gaze lingered on them. Truly, her skin was ridiculously white.
Gotou's eyelashes trembled nervously, her face tinged with faint embarrassment under his glance. She was the type to get shy anywhere and everywhere; Touji already knew that. The only difference was how much she showed it.
After emptying the basin and rinsing the rag, Touji returned to the classroom, picked up the trash can, and carried it downstairs to dump the contents at the incinerator. By the time he came back, the sun was already slanting low in the sky.
The classroom was now empty, save for Gotou Hitori. The warm afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, scattering golden patches across the desks and floor, while shadows from the curtains swayed gently with the breeze. Outside, the shouts and laughter of students on the playground created a stark contrast to the almost sacred quiet inside.
As the wind drifted through the classroom window, the curtains swayed gently, bringing with them a refreshing touch of cool air. The heavy atmosphere of the day seemed to vanish with each breeze, leaving behind only serenity.
"Gotou-san…"
Kasumigaoka Touji, after neatly aligning the desks and chairs and packing his schoolbag, suddenly broke the silence. He turned to the timid girl who had just finished returning the mop and asked her a seemingly profound question:
"How do you define a friend?"
With his available task slots already maxed out, and with his bond with Kani Nayuta advancing far more quickly than expected, Touji couldn't help but feel restless. If he wanted to keep pace, he had to change strategies—he had to take the initiative.
"Friend… how do you define it?" Gotou Hitori repeated blankly, her face filled with bewilderment. Inwardly, her thoughts ran wild: Eh? Why are you asking me something like that? Didn't I already say in the group chat that I don't have friends? And now you're making me define it? Is that even polite?
Her brain scrambled for an answer. Under Touji's steady gaze, her eyes darted away in panic before she muttered nervously, "Um… I think it should be… someone you often act with… like that?"
Her reply was clumsy, hesitant—after all, for a socially anxious girl with practically zero friends, the question was both daunting and, frankly, a little cruel.
Touji nodded with a sage-like expression, then smoothly introduced his own definition. "I think friends are those who help each other and share with each other." He cleared his throat and added almost too casually, "For example, I rushed out this morning and forgot my wallet. Could you lend me a little cash?"
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "I need to buy something later, but that shop only takes cash."
"Oh… o-okay!" Gotou Hitori blurted out before she could even process it. His "theory of friendship" had completely short-circuited her reasoning. Add in her natural kindness and inability to refuse, and she was basically defenseless.
The only issue that troubled her now was—how much money should she lend?
Her mind replayed his words like a mantra: 'Friends are those who help each other and share with each other.'
Gotou Hitori desperately wanted friends. She wanted them so badly that her chest tightened just thinking about it. That desire gave her courage, and in a sudden burst of enthusiasm, she reached into her schoolbag and pulled out a heavy ceramic piggy bank. She bent down slightly, pushed it toward him with both hands, and declared:
"Th-this is the money my mom saved for my wedding… please use it!"
"…."
Touji froze on the spot, staring at her blankly.
From the doorway, a new silence fell—Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had just arrived and was leaning elegantly against the frame, also blinked in shock.
"…"
The classroom was suddenly filled with stunned silence.
Touji eventually broke it with a flat, incredulous voice. "…Lend me a thousand yen would've been enough. And by the way, why are you carrying this thing around with you?!"
He rubbed his temple. "Isn't it heavy? Aren't you scared you'll drop it? Or worse, someone smashes it?"
Did I… just mislead her that badly? Touji thought bitterly. Wait, does this mean I'd be good at running a pyramid scheme? No, no, she's just way too gullible… Still, at this rate, I could probably trick her into agreeing to have kids. Honestly, I'm worried for her future!
Meanwhile, Utaha had crossed her arms, her burgundy eyes narrowing. Her tone was cool but sharp as a blade. "Well, well… what exactly are you doing in here, Otouto-kun?"
The weight of her stare hit both Touji and Gotou at once. Gotou, in particular, nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Eek—!" she squeaked, her whole body trembling. She hastily set down the piggy bank and scrambled for her pink wallet instead. Pulling out a thousand-yen note with trembling hands, she stammered, "U-um… is a thousand yen enough?" She glanced nervously at Utaha, her wide eyes silently adding, If not, I have more…
"Enough, more than enough. Thanks," Touji said quickly, taking the bill and tucking it into his pocket. He shot her a reassuring smile. "I'll pay you back on Monday. And remember, if you ever need help in the future, don't hesitate. We're friends now. And I'll definitely help if I can."
"F-friends…?" Gotou repeated, her voice trembling. Was that it? Did that really make them friends? It felt a little… transactional. Like her friendship had just been bought.
Still, her cheeks flushed faintly. Maybe this was how it started?
"Yes," Touji confirmed firmly, even though Utaha was standing right there, arms crossed, watching every word. With a 'might as well go all the way' mindset, he nodded at Gotou. "We're friends."
His gaze drifted back to the piggy bank, and he couldn't help but add a little advice befitting a friend. "But seriously—don't carry this around anymore. Leave it at home. If you lose it, that'll be bad. And since it's ceramic, if it breaks, it's done for."
"Okay," Gotou replied softly, nodding in a daze.
At that exact moment, a faint chime echoed in Touji's ears. A translucent light-blue screen flickered into existence before his eyes—
[★★★ Dream—Even a lonely, socially anxious girl yearns for friends! (Completed!)]
[You gained 21 experience points and 5000 Dream Points!]
[Dream Realization Level: Apprentice (25 / 100) → Apprentice (46 / 100)]
[Dream Points: 966.5 → 5966.5!]
Touji's lips curled upward in satisfaction. Mission complete. Just as planned. And the bonus Dream Points aren't bad either.
He slung his bag over his shoulder, intending to leave immediately. His plan had been simple—finish the dream, free up a task slot, maybe chat a little with his brand-new "friend," and then head home.
But now Utaha had appeared out of nowhere, throwing a wrench into that plan. With her watching him so intently, Touji realized he had one more problem to solve before he could slip away.
Alright then… how do I handle Onee-san now?