Looking at Miura Yumiko, who was slumped on her desk, lifeless.
Hayama Hayato, skilled at reading people, opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
If it were before, he wouldn't mind accepting an invitation and taking everyone out to have fun, to relax their minds.
But last time, Yang Nai Jie also told him to cherish those around him, and specifically mentioned Miura Yumiko's name.
Did this mean that Yang Nai Jie had been paying attention to him?
Hayama Hayato was also a little happy at this thought.
And precisely because of this, he needed to maintain a friendly distance from Miura Yumiko even more.
He wanted to prove to Yang Nai Jie that he was pure, clean, and a man who wholeheartedly admired her and wanted to be with her.
But seeing Miura Yumiko looking so dejected, he felt a little bit of pity.
So he gave an awkward laugh and said to Miura Yumiko in the seat in front of him:
"Haha, Yumiko, the club president just messaged me saying that the training for these two days has been canceled. Do you want to call Hina and the others to go out and have fun? Maybe go to karaoke or something?"
Facing Hayama Hayato's seemingly condescending offer, Miura Yumiko vigorously wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and then turned to look at Hayama.
She forced a calm smile and said, "Sorry, Hayato-kun, Yui and I have been doing social practice recently. You and Tobu and the others can go, I don't really have time."
"Ah? Oh... Hahaha, I see, Yumiko has started social practice too. Now I'm falling behind. It seems I also need to find some time to try a part-time job."
Miura Yumiko nodded, then turned back and continued to lay on her desk.
Hayama Hayato, having been rejected, looked dejected.
Skilled at reading people, he had already noticed Miura Yumiko's unusual behavior, but his attempt to comfort her had backfired.
Being without friends, and being a male, he had to maintain distance, so he naturally couldn't ask too much about a girl's feelings.
So Hayama Hayato was very depressed.
This feeling of having a problem in front of him but being unable to solve it made him feel very tricky.
He felt as if he had returned to elementary school, when he competed with Yukino for the class president position, and he learned Yang Nai Jie's way of handling things, gaining everyone's support.
Meanwhile, Yukino, who was not good at social interactions, was ostracized because of it, and his efforts to integrate Yukino into the group only led to her being even more terribly isolated.
This feeling of helplessness caused Hayama Hayato great inner pain.
To focus solely on one person, to dote on one person, was something Hayama, as a central air conditioner, could not do.
He could only be everyone's Hayama.
And because of this, he would never be able to win Yang Nai's favor.
Because Yang Nai was the ultimate sister complex.
"Sigh..."
Sighing deeply, Hayama, unable to do anything about Miura Yumiko's dejection, could only think of finding time after class to ask Yui Yuigahama or Ebina Hina about the situation.
It was now lunchtime.
Hayama Hayato watched Shiina Mahiru, Yui Yuigahama, and the others chatting animatedly, but he couldn't find an opportunity to join the conversation.
There was nothing he could do; he couldn't openly invite or talk to any of the girls, or it would lead to misunderstandings and unnecessary gossip.
Miura Yumiko was no longer in her seat.
Unusually, she didn't eat her bento with Mahiru and the others today; instead, she went out by herself, to an unknown destination.
Lin Mu was also not in the classroom, of course.
He was a little surprised at the moment.
Because Miura Yumiko had actually invited him to eat bento together.
Yes, the location was in the garden behind the school.
Sitting on a bench, Miura Yumiko ate her bento in small bites.
Lin Mu sat beside her and opened his bento box.
"I'm going to eat."
After politely expressing his respect for the food and informing it that he was about to eat it, Lin Mu happily began to eat.
Mahiru's cooking skills were naturally beyond words; a different meal every day, she was simply amazing.
Miura Yumiko glanced at his bento and couldn't help but start a conversation.
"Pervert-kun, your bento looks pretty good."
"Yes, because Mahiru made it. But your way of addressing me is very irritating, Miura-san."
She actually called him Pervert-kun.
Is that polite?
Miura Yumiko pouted, "With a girl like Mahiru by your side, yet still making moves on other girls, is there a problem with calling you Pervert-kun?"
She retorted without ceremony.
"Of course there's a problem. I'll get angry, and then my mouth will feel a little itchy."
"Oh, really?" Miura Yumiko glanced at him. "Then how about I give you two slaps to relieve the itch in your mouth?"
"Uh… Yumiko, you're so fierce. Did you eat gunpowder today?"
Although his hint that his mouth was itchy and he wanted to kiss her was quite shameless, wasn't her reply about giving him two slaps very impolite?
It was too unfriendly.
Moreover, had she gotten bolder?
How dare she provoke him like that?
"Hmph, yes, I ate gunpowder. I'll spray you to death after dinner!"
Miura Yumiko said grumpily, and seeing his stunned expression, she couldn't help but laugh.
So this guy could also show such a stunned expression? He seemed a little cute?
Bah!
An illusion, it must be an illusion.
How could this bad guy be cute?
He should be detestable, hateful!
He had taken her first kiss like that, kissing and hugging her.
Watching her laugh and then immediately stop, Lin Mu didn't argue with her and continued to focus on eating his bento.
Anyway, he would punish her severely later.
Since Yumiko had invited him, he naturally wouldn't be polite.
However, he still needed to make conversation; otherwise, it would be a waste of this opportunity to spend time together.
"Did Yumiko make her own bento?"
Facing his question, Miura Yumiko's small face flushed, and she awkwardly turned her head away.
"My older sister made it. Usually, my mom makes it."
"Uh… so Yumiko usually doesn't cook?"
"Hmph, is that a problem? Do girls have to cook? It's not that I can't cook, it's just that I don't have the opportunity! My sister and mom do everything, what can I do?"
Besides her older sister, she also had an older brother who had already graduated from university and left home to work.
Lin Mu's gaze made her feel very indignant, so she couldn't help but raise her eyes and glare at him.
Lin Mu smiled without speaking, just picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and happily put it into his mouth.
"Ah, Mahiru's cooking is simply delicious."
Miura Yumiko's cheeks puffed out.
This guy was showing off his girlfriend, right?
He definitely was!
In that case, wasn't she being outdone by Shiina?
Damn it, Shiina is an angel! What's wrong with her not being able to compare?
Miura Yumiko thought this, and her shoulders drooped.
As she was feeling dejected, a warm large palm wrapped around her slender waist, and with a pull, he embraced her.
"Ah!"