"I'm going to find Big Brother!"
Wiping away her tears, Rice Shower made up her mind to go look for Tang Han.
The day before, during afternoon training, she had heard him say that today he would be taking Urara to a friendly race, over at the training grounds.
So after changing clothes, Rice Shower ran straight toward the track.
But halfway there, she suddenly stopped and began reflecting on herself.
She realized she had been thinking about it all wrong. What she had been about to do was not at all what Big Brother wanted to see.
"What Big Brother truly wants is a healthy, happy Rice Shower—not a silly Rice Shower who only knows how to repay kindness!"
Having figured out what she ought to do to make Tang Han happy, she changed her destination from the training grounds to the academy cafeteria.
Once there, Rice Shower stuffed herself with five bread rolls, carrot salad, carrot hamburger steak, bacon, a fried egg, minestrone soup, and even some jelly for dessert.
Healthy Rice Shower: achieved!
"Then next… Happy Rice Shower!"
She thought for a long time, but still couldn't figure out how to make herself happy.
Because at that moment, Tang Han filled her thoughts completely. If Big Brother was happy, then she would be happy too.
But how was she supposed to make Big Brother happy?
"Maybe… I should give Big Brother a gift."
Whenever she had received gifts in the past, she had felt happy the whole day. Surely Big Brother would be happy to receive one too.
Besides, it was always Big Brother making honey drinks for her. She had never really given him anything in return.
So Rice Shower decided to go to the shopping street outside the academy and buy a present for Tang Han.
When she arrived, she was still agonizing over what exactly to get him when she noticed a gift shop nearby holding a free raffle.
"Maybe… I should try it?"
Clinging to a sliver of hope, she entered the drawing.
In the past, she would definitely have pulled a pack of tissues. But now…
"Congratulations, little miss! You've won the grand prize! A box of liquor-filled chocolates!"
The shopkeeper loudly announced her result.
Rice Shower took the prize in a daze, unable to react for a long moment.
I won?
The most expensive item in the whole shop—she had just gotten it for free!
"So lucky… no…"
Rice Shower shook her head.
"This luck was given to me by Big Brother. It doesn't truly belong to me…"
Still, she had to admit that this lucky power was incredibly useful. Whatever she wanted seemed to come right to her. For someone who had always been plagued by bad luck, it was dangerously easy to become addicted to it.
Now that she had a gift prepared, it was time to find Big Brother and give it to him.
"I hope I can run into Big Brother!"
Clutching the lucky charm, Rice Shower made a silent wish.
And under her prayer, Tang Han really did walk out of a restaurant not far away, chatting and laughing with Kiryuin Aoi and the others.
"Trainer Tang Han, thank you for your guidance. Would it be alright if we added each other on the Tracen network? I feel like we still have a lot we could exchange and discuss."
"Of course."
Tang Han took out his phone and added Kiryuin Aoi as a friend.
At just that moment, Hayakawa Tazuna smoothly inserted herself between the two of them and asked with a smiling face, "May I ask what all of you trainers plan to do next?"
"I'm going to take Miko to play some basketball," Kiryuin Aoi answered. "We'll use it as a game to train her ability to get past opponents."
As for Gomon Kantsuu, he gently patted Daisy on the head. "I promised to take this girl shopping today, and pick up some training supplies while we're at it."
That immediately made Daisy blush.
"Uh…"
Tang Han looked at Gomon speechlessly.
This guy… why is he always trying so hard to speedrun his own trip into the basement?
Forget it. He wasn't a cold person. If he could save someone, he'd save them.
So Tang Han kindly warned him, "Trainer Gomon, going shopping too often with your horse girl isn't necessarily a good thing."
"Hm…"
After hearing Tang Han's reminder, Gomon Kantsuu thought seriously for a moment.
Then his eyes lit up as he looked excitedly at Daisy beside him.
"Then let's go see a movie! A romance film just premiered today, and couples get half-price tickets. Daisy, let's pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend and take advantage of the discount!"
"Mm… okay…"
Daisy shyly agreed.
Tang Han: "…"
"And you, Trainer Tang Han?"
"I don't really have anything to do. I'll probably just head back to the dorm and read."
"Mm."
Hayakawa Tazuna nodded.
"Trainer Tang Han, if you're free, then how about—"
But before she could finish, a soft, sweet voice interrupted her.
"Big Brother!"
Rice Shower spotted Tang Han at once and hurried over.
Ever since last night's dream, Tang Han's place in her heart had risen without limit. Even the concealment effect of the Doctor's Coat no longer worked on her—she could recognize him instantly.
"Hm? Rice Shower?"
"What happened to your eyes? Did someone bully you?"
Seeing that her eyes were a little red, as though she had been crying, Tang Han frowned at once.
A big-brother type like him absolutely could not stand seeing Rice Shower sad.
Anyone who dared bully Rice Shower would be judged and punished by Big Brother Tang Han!
"N-No, no one bullied Rice…"
Rice Shower kept both hands behind her back, twisting shyly where she stood in a way that made her look pitifully adorable.
"Big Brother… Rice… has something… to talk to you about… Can you… come with Rice…?"
She lightly pinched the edge of Tang Han's sleeve, as though trying to pull him away.
Faced with such an unbearably cute Rice Shower, Big Brother Tang Han had no ability whatsoever to refuse. He let her lead him off.
Watching the two of them walk away, Hayakawa Tazuna's smiling lips twitched slightly.
…
Rice Shower brought Tang Han behind the school building, gathered her courage, and held out the chocolates in her hands.
"Big Brother… this is… Rice's… gift…"
"…"
Tang Han instantly went on alert.
Why was Rice Shower suddenly giving him a present? And why behind the school building?
This wasn't right!
"It's a thank-you gift… for all the care Big Brother has shown me…"
Oh. Then it was right.
If it was just a thank-you gift, then there was no problem. And since Rice Shower was so timid, bringing him behind the school building to give it to him was understandable.
No one in the world understood Rice Shower better than Big Brother Tang Han! cue accordion music
"All right, then I'll accept it. Thank you."
Tang Han took the chocolates.
"Big Brother…"
Rice Shower looked at him expectantly, clearly hoping he would try one and tell her whether it tasted good.
"Sure!"
Tang Han readily agreed.
How could he possibly refuse chocolates given to him by Rice Shower?
He opened the box on the spot, picked one out, and tossed it into his mouth.
"Mm. It's good."
Tang Han praised it sincerely.
Seeing him eat the chocolate she had given him, Rice Shower broke into a happy smile.
Tang Han saw Rice Shower smile and became happy too.
And when Rice Shower saw Tang Han happy, she became even happier.
Thus the two of them formed a perpetual motion machine, generating endless positive energy.
But amidst all that exchanged happiness, Tang Han noticed that the chocolate seemed to have a rather unusual flavor.
"Rice Shower, besides the standard ingredients, did this chocolate have anything extra in it?"
"Big Brother, it's liquor-filled chocolate."
"Oh, so there's alcohol in it…"
Tang Han immediately understood.
Then his vision went black, and with a thud, he collapsed to the ground, dead drunk and completely unconscious.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 138)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter160)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter98)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter175)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 163
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 150
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 100
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 170
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 145
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 125
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 69
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 90
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 100
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 70
Uma Musume: I Want All 90
I Can Copy Unique Skills 65
Summoning an Evil God, but the 52
Supernatural Multiverse 65
My Harem Is Indescribable 55
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 55
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 55
Still playing traditional Honk 35
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 35
What Should I Do After Switchi 24
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 35
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 27
Transmigrated as Sukuna 27
Checking In in Demon Slayer 32
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