"Good morning, Gojo-kun!" Akira once again encountered Wakana, who had just arrived at school, while changing his shoes at the shoe locker.
Unlike yesterday, Akira had a noticeably brighter smile today, and he seemed much more energetic.
For Akira, the decision to go to work yesterday had been absolutely correct.
Not only had he found a quick way to gain experience, but he had also discovered a small goal in life.
That goal was to pursue Sajuna!
For Akira, who had just transmigrated into this world, he was still a bit confused. Saying that he would marry all his waifu was obviously just talk.
There was nothing bothering him about going through college again in a systematic way.
But it felt a little too plain.
He always felt his life lacked passion, and his attitude toward Marin and Wakana was like an elder looking at a junior.
It wasn't until he met Sajuna that he felt his soul come alive.
Akira secretly felt a surge of passion in his heart, while Wakana, next to him, yawned and greeted Akira.
"Is Gojo-kun suffering from insomnia? Why are you so sleepy?" Akira asked.
"Ah, no, I was busy until very late yesterday. Ah~" Wakana said, letting out another yawn, which made Akira's throat itch.
"Ah~"
Without intending to press Wakana further, the two walked into the classroom side by side. Akira went to his seat by the window in the back row, took out his textbook from his bag, and began reviewing for the upcoming midterm exam.
As a university student with the persona of an academic ace, Akira didn't want this persona to be ruined by his transmigration.
Moreover, besides bringing experience, studying now, under the system's boost, made the process of acquiring knowledge incredibly fulfilling.
You reap what you sow.
One step at a time, to reach a thousand miles.
This steady progress required an unflagging spirit—a quality Akira happened to possess.
He studied diligently until noon. Akira put away his review textbooks. Today's reading experience growth wasn't as rapid as yesterday's.
Perhaps, in the system's judgment, a large part of yesterday's growth had come from mastering information and knowledge from memory, which was why the proficiency had increased so quickly.
And the knowledge he was learning today was truly the part he was learning himself.
Gojo Wakana's seat was not far from his. Akira took his bento and walked over to his desk.
Gojo Wakana was rubbing his eyes, his bento already open on the desk, preparing to eat alone.
"Would you like to eat together, Gojo?" Akira asked.
"Sure, Akira-kun," Gojo replied.
"Shall we go to the rooftop?"
"Eh, isn't that where couples go?" Wakana said subconsciously, then added, "I didn't mean that, sorry!"
Akira thought for a moment. He remembered that students often ate bentos on the rooftop, but he was watching a romance anime!
That kind of environment on the rooftop was indeed too suitable for couples to be alone.
"You're right. Let's stay in the classroom." Akira shook his head, pulled a desk over to combine it with Wakana's, and set down his bento.
"Akira-kun…" Wakana hesitated to speak.
"It's fine, I'll apologize to the person later." Akira smiled, indicating he didn't mind. He wasn't the type of person to make a mess while eating, so he wouldn't get the other person's desk dirty.
Wakana nodded and fell silent.
"You didn't come to class the day before yesterday. What happened?"
"Ah, my grandfather fell and went to the hospital, so I went to take care of him," Gojo Wakana said, looking down.
Akira ate with a neutral expression, looking down. "I'm sorry. So, are you so tired today because you were taking care of your grandfather yesterday?"
"Ah, yes, I guess." Gojo Wakana touched his neck, his face a little red.
Although he really wanted to tell the truth, he had actually stayed up very late making clothes for Marin, doing patterns, drawing, and cutting before finally going to sleep.
Most people would stop asking at this point, but Akira intended to leech experience points from Wakana, so he continued to ask, "The Gojo family makes Hina dolls, right?"
Gojo Wakana looked up. "Eh, how does Akira-kun know?"
"I've seen your family's shop, Gojo Dolls, right?"
"Hina dolls, they're very beautiful," Akira said with his chopsticks in his mouth, sighing with emotion.
At this point, Gojo Wakana's eyes seemed to sparkle, and he looked up at Akira, saying, "They're very beautiful, right? Hina dolls are truly too beautiful. Does Akira-kun also like Hina dolls?"
"Rather than saying I like Hina dolls, I'd say I want to make one myself."
"Can Gojo make Hina dolls?" Akira asked.
He was now trying to turn the information he knew into reality through Gojo Wakana, making his actions neither abrupt nor inexplicable.
"I… I can't yet. My skills aren't enough," Gojo Wakana said with an apologetic look.
Akira, however, patted Gojo's shoulder. "If you could really make one by yourself, then I'd truly be surprised."
"That's true."
The two finished their meal together and were clearing the dishes from the table when Akira suddenly said to Wakana, "Gojo, teach me how to make clothes."
"Eh?"
"It's decided then. Let's set the time for after the midterm exams."
Akira turned and left, leaving Wakana with a face full of despair.
Two weeks, exams, clothes, teaching, visiting grandpa—he would surely die!
---
"Good evening, Shimamoto-san." Akira greeted him.
"Akira-kun, how was your body yesterday?" Kota patted Akira's shoulder, saying, "It was your first time doing so much, you didn't collapse from exhaustion, did you?"
To be honest, Akira was a little tired.
"I'll be fine after some rest. It's not too serious yet, I'll probably get used to it gradually," Akira replied. "Are we also cutting ingredients first today?"
Akira processed the ingredients and asked Kota, "Are there no other employees in the shop?"
"There used to be, but they quit later. They probably couldn't stand such tedious work," Kota said with a sigh.
"Actually, I also wanted to separate the positions, but then I'd have to hire more people, which isn't very cost-effective, so I can only do it this way for now. When there are no employees, I just work a bit harder myself."
"After all, although our shop has been open for more than ten years, its scale isn't very large." Shimamoto Kota finished, then asked, "Does Akira-kun feel awkward because there are no peers to interact with?"
"No, I just feel a bit lonely," Akira replied.
"Of course, the kitchen of a restaurant my size would be quiet, but the dining area is always filled with a warm atmosphere." Kota skillfully took a plate from the side to catch the finished dish and handed it to Akira.
"You have to be able to endure loneliness to do your job well."