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"I-I-I'm sorry…!"
After discovering the truth, eating the bento was naturally impossible.
Kita, like a kitten startled by a large bone, quickly jumped up, frantically grabbed her bento and backpack, and then fled the sports warehouse without looking back.
"…On the bright side, at least the mission is complete."
Kitahara Makoto stayed in the sports warehouse alone for a moment longer, and only after he had completely calmed down did he get up and leave.
On his way back, Kitahara Makoto happened to see Bocchi-chan in the hallway.
"Hitori-chan…"
Kitahara Makoto's eyes lit up, and he was about to go forward.
Unfortunately, Little Miss Anxiety didn't give him a chance to get close. After spotting Kitahara Makoto, Bocchi-chan was like Pumbaa the warthog being stalked by a cheetah; her face quickly flushed, and then with a whoosh, she retreated and hid back in the restroom.
"Alright, now I can't even say a word…"
Kitahara Makoto helplessly stopped.
People always have to pay a price for their impulsiveness. After yesterday's impulsive moment, he didn't know how long Little Miss Anxiety would avoid him.
But to say whether he regretted it… Although there was some, it wasn't much.
Bocchi-chan clearly had a super passive, avoidant personality: shy, introverted, socially anxious, indecisive. Her first reaction to problems wasn't to face them, but to escape. As the saying goes, escape is shameful but useful.
Kitahara Makoto also had mild social anxiety in his previous life, which he only slowly overcame after starting work. He knew very well how conflicted socially anxious people could be.
To get Bocchi-chan to bravely express her feelings and admit her emotions… it would probably have to wait until the very end.
At times like this, being more assertive himself would actually be more effective.
Of course, assertiveness had a prerequisite: the other person couldn't dislike you.
Also, he had to maintain proper boundaries. He could be assertive, but he couldn't take advantage of Bocchi-chan's introverted social anxiety and reluctance to refuse, otherwise it would backfire…
"Now I have to add Kita."
Kitahara Makoto pressed his brow helplessly.
Having just experienced the unexpected incident in the sports warehouse, even the open-minded Kita-sama probably wouldn't speak to him for a while.
Finally, Nijika… after the self-detonation, it was already good enough that she hadn't blacklisted him.
As for Yamada Ryo… Ryo-senpai?
I don't care.
I don't care at all.
The two afternoon classes passed quickly.
In a flash, it was dismissal time.
The bell rang, and Kitahara Makoto left the classroom, heading straight for the Astronomical Club's activity room.
His Daily Quest for the Rich Man game was not yet complete; he was just one task away from getting a lottery chance, so Kitahara Makoto naturally wouldn't give up no matter what.
Therefore, during the break after the first class, he had already sent a message to Tomori-chan.
He arrived at the activity room door.
Kitahara Makoto raised his hand and knocked on the door, but it was quiet inside, and he heard no response.
"Looks like she's not here yet."
Kitahara Makoto wasn't in a hurry; he took out his phone and quietly waited while playing on it.
Not long after.
Hurried footsteps sounded from behind.
Kitahara Makoto turned his head and saw Takamatsu Tomori scurrying over, her face flushed, and her asymmetrical bangs still damp with moisture.
"S-sorry..." Takamatsu Tomori stopped, slightly out of breath, "Did Kitahara-kun wait long?"
"I just got here," Kitahara Makoto replied, his gaze falling on Takamatsu Tomori's hair, and he asked curiously, "Why is your hair all sweaty?"
"It's not sweat." Takamatsu Tomori raised her hand to touch her hair, and while taking out the key to open the activity room, she calmly explained, "I just finished swimming class, and my hair hasn't completely dried yet."
Kitahara Makoto was slightly startled: "After swimming class, don't you usually take a shower?"
"Mm." Takamatsu Tomori looked up, her expression calm, "Because Kitahara-kun said he had other things, I came directly after swimming class."
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze following down Takamatsu Tomori's neck.
Below her fair, slender neck, a faint blue quickly came into view, and he said in a low voice:
"...You didn't change out of your school swimsuit either?"
With summer approaching, Kitahara Makoto had already attended one swimming class and knew that the standard for girls was a blue school swimsuit.
At this moment, that blue curve below Takamatsu Tomori's neck was clearly the color of a school swimsuit.
"...Mm."
Takamatsu Tomori guiltily averted her gaze.
Ever since the band disbanded last year, Takamatsu Tomori had been alone; no one needed her.
So when Kitahara Makoto sent her a message during the afternoon break, Takamatsu Tomori decided to actively respond to the need.
After swimming class, she simply wiped herself dry and then rushed over.
Seeing Tomori-chan guiltily turn her head, Kitahara Makoto sighed helplessly:
"You're putting a lot of pressure on me."
"Sorry..."
Takamatsu Tomori was slightly startled, the light in her eyes quietly dimmed, and then she lowered her head and clutched the corner of her clothes.
(Oh no.)
Kitahara Makoto suddenly felt a heavy aura envelop the entire activity room; even the bright sunlight outside became oppressive at that moment.
(I seem to have touched upon some taboo...)
Kitahara Makoto's mind raced.
(As a problematic girl, Deng Jiang seems emotionless, but her heart is actually exceptionally delicate and sensitive... It must be what I just said that made her sensitive and overthink.)
"Deng Jiang, don't overthink it." Kitahara Makoto pondered for two seconds, then carefully said, "I meant that friends don't need to be meticulous in their interactions. As long as it doesn't touch on matters of principle, you should be as relaxed as possible... For example, Tomori-chan doesn't need to rush over; you just need to send me a message, and I'll quietly wait for you."
"Eh?"
Takamatsu Tomori looked up, her slightly dimmed eyes showing a hint of anticipation:
"Friends?"
Kitahara Makoto showed a surprised expression: "Could it be that Tomori-chan never considered me a friend?"
"N-no, of course not!"
Takamatsu Tomori clutched her chest with her right hand, a hint of nervousness in her voice:
"Kitahara-kun is, of course... a f-friend!"
Takamatsu Tomori didn't feel popular, nor did she feel she had anything attractive about her.
She originally thought that after the band disbanded, she would never have friends again.
But at this moment, hearing Kitahara Makoto say the word "friend," Takamatsu Tomori felt as if a ray of light had appeared in the sky, quietly piercing through the gloom above her head, allowing her, who was hiding in the lonely wilderness, to once again feel a long-lost warmth.
Noticing the heavy gravitational field in the air quietly disappear, Kitahara Makoto secretly breathed a sigh of relief and suggested:
"Shall we play two rounds of Rich Man first?"
"Mm-hmm."
Takamatsu Tomori nodded vigorously.
Although there was no change in her facial expression, her voice sounded significantly lighter.
Game time goes without saying.
Kitahara Makoto originally thought his luck would improve in the afternoon, but it didn't at all.
He lost several universal exchange coupons in a row until, finally, he won the first game thanks to Takamatsu Tomori's 'mistake'.
"Kitahara-kun, congratulations, you won."
Takamatsu Tomori looked up and congratulated him softly.
Kitahara Makoto's lips twitched slightly: "...Tomori-chan, you really are a god, aren't you?"
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