Successfully soothed by Ren's single sentence, Nino Nakano began to recount the story of what happened last night.
Her father had hired a home tutor for the five sisters. It was only after she returned home that she discovered the tutor was actually a student in the same grade at their school.
She didn't like him very much, and two of her sisters also showed obvious resistance.
This led to Nino Nakano spiking the water she poured for Futaro Uesugi...
It was just ordinary sleeping pills, simply to drive Futaro Uesugi out of the Nakano household.
After her sisters found out about this, the eldest sister, Ichika Nakano, sternly warned Nino Nakano never to do such a thing again.
Warned by her sister for the first time, Nino Nakano felt a little aggrieved...
Nino hadn't expected that this small bit of emotion would be spotted by Ren.
"Nino, you were indeed wrong in this matter."
"You can refuse the tutor Uncle Nakano found, but you cannot directly drug him."
"That is not right."
Having seriously listened to Nino Nakano's account, Ren corrected the girl's mistake.
Ren had no intention of just saying nice things to comfort her.
Wrong is wrong. Sometimes, if people don't clearly recognize their mistakes, they might intensify their behavior next time.
Criticized by Ichika Nakano at home, and now criticized by the person she liked at school, Nino Nakano looked at Ren with teary eyes.
"Is there something you like to do, Nino? Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"
Opening the small cookies Nino had made, Ren first took one out and stuffed it into Nino's mouth, then fed one to himself.
Very good craftsmanship, comparable to those sold outside.
Ren was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected Nino Nakano's attainment in handmade cookies to be so deep.
Chewing the cookie Ren handed her, Nino Nakano began to think about the question Ren posed.
Having a clear goal, Nino Nakano quickly gave her answer.
"I like making sweets. I want to open a dessert shop in the future."
"Ren, do you want to come and be the boss~"
Nino Nakano didn't let go of any opportunity, boldly and directly making her move.
Ren took out another cookie and stuffed it into Nino's mouth, dodging her advance.
"Have you discussed this with Uncle Nakano? If you have, what was his attitude?"
She has a clear goal and corresponding ability.
The success rate of this dream of Nino Nakano's was extremely high, and Ren was quite supportive.
Seeing Nino Nakano fall silent, Ren knew she hadn't told her father.
"Nino, the reason Uncle Nakano found a tutor for you is because he doesn't quite understand the real situation of each of you."
"When you don't have a goal, academic grades are the most direct and observable thing."
"You can discuss it with Uncle Nakano, ask him to let you pursue advanced studies in desserts."
Ren analyzed the current situation for Nino Nakano and looked for a solution for her.
Everyone is a university student now, not a high schooler.
Unless one wants to continue advanced studies after graduation, there is absolutely no need to care too much about grades.
"Nino, think about it. When everyone graduates from university and the others are still looking for jobs with their transcripts, you will already have opened your own shop and become a boss."
Seeing the hesitation in Nino Nakano's heart, Ren decided to add some fuel to the fire.
As long as there is a beautiful future, no one wouldn't want to give it a shot.
"If Uncle Nakano still doesn't agree after you talk to him, then I will put up the money to open the shop for you. I'll be a shareholder then, and rely on Nino for my meals in the future."
Nino Nakano lit up and took Ren's hand on the bench.
"Ren, are you confessing to me?"
"You're saying you want me to support you in the future, right?"
"Right? Right?"
Pa—
Ren gave this severely love-struck Nino a flick on the forehead.
"Nino, we are currently discussing your future. What exactly are you thinking?"
Rubbing her slightly reddened forehead, Nino Nakano had a face full of smiles: "Of course, I'll listen to Ren~"
Unlike Ichika Nakano who only warned her not to drug Futaro Uesugi again, Ren was seriously sorting out the pros and cons for her.
He didn't take sides blindly, nor did he say she must study. While considering her future path, he specifically asked about her hobbies.
Nino Nakano truly felt Ren's thoughtfulness, which was different from yesterday's thoughtfulness.
Her heart beat even faster.
"So, what does Nino plan to do next?"
"Report! I'll go home and discuss it with my sisters first, then have a frank talk with Papa."
Nino Nakano saluted Ren playfully. Even though it was an extremely serious matter, she deliberately stuck out her small, pink tongue.
Contrast to the extreme.
"Incorrect. The next step should be to go and apologize to Uesugi."
"Drugging him is an indisputable fact. Regardless of whether you had malicious intent or not, Nino, it was extremely rude."
Ren pointed out the most critical issue of this incident.
"Understood!"
Nino Nakano nodded to indicate she knew.
Ren had already found the path for her; Nino felt she just had to walk along the road Ren provided.
Being in school, she indeed hadn't found what she truly needed.
She still thought things were like back in high school, where grades were the most important thing.
In order to improve their grades, they had gone through who knows how many tutors during high school.
Fixed thinking made Nino Nakano believe that Futaro Uesugi was just another tutor destined to teach them, which was also the reason why Nino Nakano and Miku Nakano resisted him.
Except for Itsuki Nakano, whose dream was originally to become a teacher, none of the other four sisters had any thoughts of engaging in a career related to academics in the future.
With this pointer from Ren, Nino Nakano instantly figured it out.
That's right, isn't my future dream to open a dessert shop? To open a dessert shop, at most I need to learn addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division well so I don't undercharge or over-refund.
As long as I get Father's support later, I just need to live out my university life peacefully. Will Futaro Uesugi, this tutor, also stop coming to bother me then?
If Father doesn't support it... then that's even better!
Having received Ren's promise, Nino Nakano obviously looked forward more to Ren supporting her career.
Come on, being the lady boss while the person she likes is the boss is super cool, okay?
While Nino Nakano was still immersed in her fantasy.
Ring, ring, ring—
The class bell rang. Nino Nakano stood up and trotted to return to the classroom. When the girl ran halfway, she suddenly turned around.
"Ren, I really like you."
Nino's love was so direct and blazing.
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